Dr. K.Uthradevi, is an Assistant Professor, Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Shiv Nadar University Chennai. She has completed B.Tech in Industrial Biotechnology (2013) from SASTRA University, Thanjavur, and M.Tech in Environmental Science and Technology (2015) from ANNA University (ACT campus), Chennai with University First rank. She has completed her Ph.D (2023) with (DST INSPIRE fellowship) in Environmental Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology Tirupati, and received the best Ph.D thesis award and First Dean’s Prize. A key member of the team who developed and patented technology that provides microbial-safe water at a cost of <5 paise per litre. Her work on Sand-supported Antimicrobial Film-forming Nanocomposite (SAFe): A point-of-use water disinfection system is recognised as one of the top 120 innovations across the country.  She has completed her Post-doctoral research work at IIT Madras where she involved in developing a patented technology on onsite safe sanitation system for faecal treatment, which has won Carbon Zero Challenge award from IIT Madras. She has served as a Scientist in Industrial R&D wherein she developed bio-based sustainable solutions for various industrial effluent treatment units such as tannery, cooling tower ETPs, refineries, and automobile industries, etc. She has been a inventor/co-inventor in 4 Indian patent grants and applications, authored around 6 peer-reviewed journal articles in an Q1 Internationally reputed journals, 9 International conference papers, and 3 book chapters.

Work Experience

• Sep 2024 – Till present: Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Shiv Nadar University Chennai
• July 2023 – Aug 2024: Scientist-C, Water Treatment- R&D, Proklean Technologies, Chennai   
• Nov 2022 – June 2023: Post doctoral research associate, EWRE division, IIT Madras
• Dec 2015 – Dec 2017: Junior Research Fellow, Environmental engineering lab, VIT University, Chennai
• Jun 2015 – Oct 2015: Project Assistant, Environmental Engineering lab, CSIR-CLRI, Chennai

Publications

Journal Publications

1. Uthradevi Kannan, P. C. Sabumon, and S. M. Maliyekkal, (2021), Development of an eco-friendly and reusable point-of-use disinfection system, Process Safety and Environmental Protection 148, 104-113. http://doi/org/10.1016/j.psep.20.09.055, (Impact Factor: 6.9, Q1)
2. Uthradevi Kannan, Shibil Abdul Gafoor, Sonali Srivastava, Soujit Sengupta, M. Nithyadharan, and S.M. Maliyekkal (2022), A waste derived nanocomposite sealant for healing micro-cracks in concrete. Journal of Building Engineering, 48(1), 103965. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2021.103965. (Impact Factor: 7.1, Q1)
3. Gayathri Pullangott, Uthradevi Kannan, Gayathri S, Degala Venkata Kiran and S.M. Maliyekkal, (2021), A comprehensive review on antimicrobial face masks: An emerging weapon in fighting pandemics, RSC Advances 11, no. 12, 6544-6576. http://doi/org/10.1039/D0RA10009A (Impact Factor: 4.06, Q1)
4. Uthradevi Kannan and S.M. Maliyekkal (2023), A resource-efficient and portable nanotechnology-enabled disinfection system: Long-term performance studies and a novel strategy to recycle spent material Process Safety and Environment Protection, Volume 171, 2023, 532-540, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psep.2023.01.043. (Impact Factor: 6.9, Q1)
5. Uthradevi Kannan, Gayathri Pullangott, Amesh Pamarthi, Nikita Shraogi, Satyakam Patnaik and S.M. Maliyekkal, (2024). Water Disinfection: Unleashing the Power of Bicarbonate Ions in Chitosan–Silver Nanocomposite for Greener and More Efficient Silver Utilization. ACS EST Water. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.4c00163. (Impact factor: 4.8, Q1)
6. U Srinivasan Varshini, Sowmiya Rajendran, James Jabez, Vimal Kevin, Uthradevi Kannan, Balakrishnan Parthasarathy and Abirami Balakrishnan, Prioritization of chemicals in Personal Care Products based on Persistent, Bioaccumulative and Toxic (PBT) potential: An Indian Perspective, Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, Volume 147, (2024), 105563, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yrtph.2024.105563 (Impact Factor: 3.0, Q1)

Patents and Patent Application

1. Shihabudheen Mundampara Maliyekkal, Uthradevi Kannan, Pothanakandathil Chacko Sabumon, and Gaurav Singhal, A system for controlled and sustained release of ionic silver and its uses thereof, Indian patent. Grant no: 345400
2. Shihabudheen Mundampara Maliyekkal, Nithyadharan, Afrah Harafan, Shibil Abdul Gafoor, Abins Aziz, Uthradevi Kannan, and Sonali Srivastava, Method of preparing an environmental-friendly bio-inspired sealant composite and uses thereof. Indian Patent application. Grant no: 403018
3. Shihabuhdeen Mundampara Maliyekkal, Bijily Balakrishnan, Abins Aziz, and Uthradevi Kannan, Surface coating of alkaline resistant glass fibres and uses thereof. Indian Patent application
4. Indumathi M. Nambi, Uthradevi Kannan, Dhivakar Govindarajan and Atul Ranjan. A rapid, onsite and water-less faecal matter treatment unit for mobile toilet units. Indian Patent Application

Book Chapter

1. Uthradevi Kannan, S. K. Prashanth, and S.M. Maliyekkal, (2020), Measurement, Analysis, and Remediation of Biological pollutants in the water, In Measurement, analysis, and remediation of environmental pollutants. Springer Nature, 211-242. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0540-9_11 (Citations: 3)
2. Uthradevi Kannan, Gayathri Pullangott, Swatantra Pratap Singh and S.M Maliyekkal (2023), Nano-scale silver-based point of use disinfection of drinking water, In Nanoremediation, Elsevier, 127-166
3. Uthradevi Kannan, Jeykumar Ramachandran and Gayathri Pullangott (2024), Leveraging microbes for waste management, In Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology, Springer Nature

Awards

• Best Ph.D thesis award and First Dean’s prize (2023), IIT Tirupati
• Final winner of Carbon Zero Challenge innovation- 2023 award at IIT Madras.
• University- First rank gold medal award, ACT Campus Anna University
• Ph.D work Recognition as Top 120 innovation, All India IIT R&D (IInVentiv) Fair, 2024
• DST-Inspire Fellowship award (2016), DST, India

Area of Research

• Functional nano-materials for water purification
• Green chemistry
• Antimicrobial materials
• Bio-based solutions for water and wastewater treatment
• Solid waste management
• Sustainable building materials
• Waste valorization
• Circular economy