Dr. Munir Ahmad

Dr. Munir Ahmad

(Researcher)
Soil Sciences Department, College of Food & Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
 
Nationality:                   Pakistani
Date of Birth:               14-01-1989
Contact:                        00966-54-2335725       0092-334-6854951
Email:                           munirksu@gmail.com      amunir@ksu.edu.sa
Web page:                    http://www.saudibiochar.org/graduates-.html

Research
  • Environmental soil chemistry
Interests
  • Remediation of contaminated soils and waters
 
  • Engineering/designing and application of biochar based composited to remove potential pollutants from environment
 
  • Transforming waste resources into low-cost sorbents via mechanical, chemical and physical modifications
 
  • Carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation
Education
  • Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Soil Science (Environmental soil chemistry), 2017

CGPA: 4.93 out of 5.00
Soil Sciences Department, College of Food & Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Thesis Title: “Engineered biochar and biowaste: Synthesis, characterization and application to decontaminate soil and water”

 
  • Master of Science ((M.Sc. (Hons)) Soil Science, 2012

CGPA: 3.71 out of 4.00
Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
Thesis Title: “Extent of micronutrient deficiencies and their relationship with grain mineral contents of wheat grown in Southern Punjab”

 
  • Bachelor of Science ((B.Sc. (Hons)) Soil Science, 2010

CGPA: 3.64 out of 4.00
University College of Soil and Environmental Sciences, The Islamia University Bahawalpur, Pakistan

 
  • Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) English, 2010

Marks: 52%
The Islamia University Bahawalpur, Pakistan

Professional
Experiences
 
  • Researcher (March 2016 to present)

Attracting Outstanding Faculty and Researchers Program, Soil Sciences Department, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

 
  • Research Associate (September 2013 to present)

In following Projects:
     a). Pyrolysis of Conocarpus Wastes as a Mitigation Technology for Climate    Change and Activated Carbon Production (PyroTech), 24 Months project funded by the Saudi National plan for research and technology (NPST)
     b). Biochar and activated carbon as a means for reducing levels of pesticide residues in contaminated soils to preserve water and plant resources,(CHAR-PEST), 24 Months project funded by the Saudi National plan for research and technology (NPST)
 Saudi Biochar Research Group, Soil Sciences Department, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

 
  • Research Associate (May 2011 to August 2012)

In a project entitled “Zinc Biofortification of Wheat grain through farmer friendly approach” funded by Higher Education Commission of Pakistan in Soil fertility Laboratory, Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan

  • Research fellow (May 2010 to September 2010)

In a research project entitled “Role of Organic Nutrients in Improving Crop and Soil Quality” at Regional Agriculture Research Institute Bahawalpur, Pakistan

 
 

Awards/medals
  • Bronze Medal on the basis of 3rd position in B. Sc. (Agri.) Hons Examination, UCA & ES, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur
 
  • Recipient of “Certificate of Appreciation” for Co-curricular activities

 
                     

Publications
  1. Munir Ahmad, Mahtab Ahmad, Adel R. A. Usman, Abdullah S. Al-Faraj, Adel Abduljabbar, Mohammad I. Al-Wabel*. 2017. Biochar composites with nano zero-valent iron and eggshell powder for nitrate removal from aqueous solution with co-existing chloride ions. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. pp 1–15. DOI: 10.1007/s11356-017-0125-9. Impact factor 2.76
  2. Munir Ahmad, Mahtab Ahmad, Adel R.A. Usman, Abdullah S. Al-Faraj, Adel Abduljabbar, Yong Sik Ok, Mohammad I. Al-Wabel. 2017. Date palm waste-derived biochar composites with silica and zeolite: synthesis, characterization and implication for carbon stability and recalcitrant potential. Environmental Geochemistry and Health. 1-18. DOI: 10.1007/s10653-017-9947-0.  Impact factor 2.616
  3. Munir Ahmad, Mahtab Ahmad, Adel R.A. Usman, Abdullah S. Al-Faraj, Yong Sik Ok, Qaiser Hussain, Adel Abduljabbar, Mohammad I. Al-Wabel*. 2017. An efficient phosphorus scavenging from aqueous solution by magnesiothermally modified bio-calcite. Environmental Technology. 1–13. DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2017.1335349. Impact factor 1.751
  4. Munir Ahmad, Ahmed El-Najjar, Mahtab Ahmad, Adel A.R.A. Usman, Adel Abduljabbar, Meththika Vithanage, Yong Sik Ok, Abdellah Al-Farraj, Mohammed I. Al-Wabel*. 2017. Aging effect of organic and inorganic fertilizers on phosphorus fractionation in a calcareous sandy loam soil. Pedoshpere. 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1002-0160(17)60363-1. Impact factor 1.734
  5. Saqib Bashir, Qaiser Hussain, Muhammad Akmal,Muhammad Riaz, Hongqing Hu, Shahzada Sohail Ijaz, Muhammad Iqbal, Shaukat Abro, Sajid Mehmood, Munir Ahmad. 2017. Sugarcane bagasse derived biochar reduces cadmium and chromium bioavailability to mash bean and enhances microbial activity in contaminated soil. Journal of Soils and Sediments. 1 – 13. DOI 10.1007/s11368-017-1796-z. Impact factor 2.522
  6. Adel R.A.Usman, Adel Abduljabbar, Meththika Vithanage, Yong Sik Ok, Mahtab Ahmad, Munir Ahmad, Jamal Elfaki, Sallam S. Abdulazeem, Mohammed I. Al-Wabel. 2015. Biochar production from date palm waste: Charring temperature induced changes in composition and surface chemistry. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis. 115:  392–400. Impact factor 3.471
 
  1. Muhammad A. Maqsood, Shahid Hussain, Munir Ahmad, Tariq Aziz, Hammad A. Raza and Makhdoom Hussain. 2014. Zinc indexing in wheat grains and associated soils of southern Punjab. Pakistan Journal of Agricultural Sciences. 51: 1-8. Impact factor 1.049
 
  1. Munir Ahmad*, Mohamed H. EL-Saeid, Muhammad Abrar Akram, Abdul Jabbar , H. R. Ahmad, Haseeb Haroon, Abid Hussain. 2016. Silicon fertilization a tool to boost up drought 1 tolerance in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) crop for better yield. Journal of Plant Nutrition. 39:9: 1283-1291. Impact factor 0.618
 
  1. Munir Ahmad*, M. Afzal, A. Ahmad, A.U.H. Ahmad and M.I. Azeem. 2013. Role of organic and inorganic nutrient sources in improving wheat crop production. Cercetări Agronomice în Moldova 1 (153): 15-21.
 
  1. Hussain, A., M. Arshad, Z. Ahmad, H.T. Ahmad, M. Afzal, Munir Ahmad*. 2015. Potassium fertilization influences growth, physiology and nutrients uptake of maize (Zea mays L.). Cercetări Agronomice în Moldova. 1 (161): 37-50.
  2. Munir Ahmad, Mahtab Ahmad, Adel R. A. Usman, Abdullah S. Al-Faraj, Adel Abduljabbar, Yong Sik Ok, Mohammad I. Al-Wabel*. 2017.  Phosphorus-loaded biochar changes soil heavy metals availability and uptake potential of maize (Zea mays L.) plants. Chemosphere (Submitted). Impact factor 3.698
 
 
 
  1. Mahtab Ahmed, Adel Rabie Usman, Adel Abduljabbar, Yong Sik Ok, Munir Ahmad, Mohammad Al-wabel*. 2017. Biochar Potential for Alkaline Soils of Arid Areas.  Bioresource Technology (Submitted). Impact factor 4.917
  2. Imran Rafique, Mahtab Ahmad, Munir Ahmad, Abid Hussain, Adel Rabie Usman, Mohammad I. Al-Wabel*. 2017. Pyrolytic and hydrothermal carbonization of date palm leaves: effects of production process and washing on biochar and hydrochar properties, and on seed germination.  Bioresource Technology. (Submitted). Impact factor 4.917
  3. Munir Ahmad, Mahmoud Nadeem, Saud S. Al-Oud. 2017. Lateral Transport of Phosphorus and Heavy Metals Released from Activated Phosphate Rock in Micro-Block System under Unsaturated Condition. Ready for submission

 
 

Abstracts
 
  1. Performance of an In-situ Technique for Predicting Readily Labile Phosphorus and Trace Elements from Calcareous Sandy Soil. 2014. International Conference on Chemical, Environment & Biological Sciences (CEBS-2014) London, United Kingdom
 
  1. Biochar Composites with Nano Zero Valent Iron and Eggshell Waste: Nitrate Removal Efficiency from Water in the Presence of Chloride. 2016. 3rd Asia Pacific Biochar Conference (3rd APBC) Gangwon province, Korea
Technical
Skills
Full command on project designing, analyzing the data and writing manuscript using following programs:
 
  • SPSS
  • Statistics
 
  • Sigmaplot
  • origin
 
  • Mendeley
  • Microsoft Excel
 
  • Microsoft word
  • Microsoft poweroint
       

 
 

Analytical Full command on handling and operating the following instruments:
Skills
  • CHNS-O elemental analyzer
  • SEM (Scanning electron microscope)
  • X-ray diffraction
  • UV/Visible Spectrophotometer  
  • Flame Photometer
  • Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer
  • Kjeldahl Apparatus
  • pH and EC meters
  • Oven, furnaces and analytical balances
  • TGA-DTA
  • HPLC
  • ICP-MS
  • TOC-TN analyzer
  • Particle size analyzer
  • Ball miller
  • Ultrasonication
  • Calcimeter
  • Centrifuge

 

International Conferences
  1. International Conference on Agricultural, Ecological and Medical Sciences   (AEMS- 2014) July 3 – 4, 2014, London (United Kingdom)
and Seminars
  1. The 15th International Congress of Soil Science is being held on 18-20 March, 2014,  Islamabad, Pakistan 
 
  1. 4th  Scientific student symposium 2013, for higher education in King Saud University Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
  2. International Conference on date palm: Current Status and Future Prospects. September 02 – 03, 2013, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan
  3. The 2nd Saudi International Environmental Technologies Conference. November 10 – 12, 2014, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
  4. Advanced Electron Microscopy Techniques for Life Sciences and Materials Science Seminar. 13th October, 2015, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

 
 

Co-Curricular
  • Experience in performing Talk Shows in Radio Pakistan Bahawalpur.
Activities
  • Experience in debating compititions in TV channel  “Rohi” Pakistan.
 
  • Worked as news caster and Anchor person at Campus Radio FM-92.6
 
  • Worked as special reporter and writer of a magazine “IPM aur Kissan” in Bahawalpur
 
  • Worked as “President” of Tutorial Group Meeting (TGM) during stay in UCA & ES, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur
 
  • Member of the Editorial Board of UCA & ES, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur