Recovery and recycling of critical metals from electronic waste for environmental sustainability

Author Biography

Dr. Alok Prasad Das is an accomplished academician and researcher currently serving as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Life Sciences at Rama Devi Women’s University. With over 16 years of teaching and research experience, his work focuses on environmental biotechnology, microbial remediation, circular bio-economy, and sustainable waste management. Dr. Das has made significant scholarly contributions with over 150+ SCOPUS-indexed publications, 60 book chapters, and 15 edited books, along with several more in progress. His research impact is reflected in a high citation record (over 10,000 citations) and a strong h-index 62, highlighting his influence in the fields of environmental microbiology and waste valorization. He has also been actively involved in funded research, leading multiple national projects supported by agencies such as DST and DBT, Government of India. In addition to his research excellence, Dr. Das plays a prominent role in academic publishing. He serves as Associate Editor and Guest Editor for several reputed international journals, and has led numerous special issues on emerging environmental challenges. He is also a Book Series Editor with leading publishers. Dr. Das has been recognized with prestigious honors including the Odisha Young Scientist Award and has contributed extensively to capacity building through invited talks, supervision of postgraduate and doctoral scholars, and international collaborations. His interdisciplinary approach and editorial leadership continue to shape advancements in sustainable environmental technologies and circular economy strategies.   Ms. Sailaja Priyadarsini is currently pursuing her PhD in Life Sciences at Rama Devi Women’s University. Her research concentrates on advancing microbial bioleaching technologies for the efficient recovery of lithium from spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), promoting environmental sustainability and supporting the transition toward greener remediation strategies. With a strong academic background, she has accumulated six years of research experience across diverse areas, including microbiology, microbial bioleaching techniques, bioremediation, vermi-remediation, and microbial culture methodologies. She has authored several high-impact research articles in reputed international journals and has contributed numerous book chapters to volumes published by leading international academic publishers. Alongside her research, she has developed strong academic editing expertise through her role as Editor of multiple books. Her editorial experience includes conceptualising book themes, structuring volumes, coordinating with international authors, and managing peer review. She has established a strong academic profile, reflected by 525 citations, an h-index of 10, and an i10-index of 10, demonstrating the scholarly impact and consistency of her publications.