Professor Rakesh Kanda
Professor - Exposome Science
- Environmental Sciences
- Department of Life Sciences
- College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences
Summary
I am an environmental scientist, Professor of exposome science, Fellow of the Institution of Environmental Sciences, a chartered chemist and Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry. My research covers a range of topics in environmental, analytical, exposome and water sciences. My research is focused on the development of analytical techniques for the determination of environmental contaminants to assess animal and human exposure to hazardous compounds in the environment. My work includes investigations into the occurrence and fate of emerging environmental contaminants and hazardous substances in the aquatic and terrestrial environment and the study of their behaviour during wastewater treatment and drinking water production. My research investigates the elimination of micro-pollutants from wastewater and potable water through conventional water treatment processes and I apply green chemistry principals and green technologies to eliminate or convert hazardous pollutants to less harmful or more biodegradable compounds. My research covers the formation and occurrence of disinfection-by-products resulting from conventional and advanced treatment. My studies involve the development of high resolution tandem mass spectrometry methods for the identification of contaminants in human body fluids, biota, potable water and wastewater samples. My research involves the development of new strategies in data interpretation using spectral and chromatographic deconvolution and chemometric methods of nontargeted analysis to address unknown hazards or "known or unknown unknowns."
Career
- 2013 to Present, Professor in the College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London
- 2016 to 2023, Vice Dean International, College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London
- 2005-2012 Principal Scientist, Severn Trent Laboratories, Reading
- 1999-2005 Principal Scientist, Water Research Centre (WRc-NSF), Medmenham
- 1990-1999 Principal Scientist, Water Research Centre (WRc), Medmenham
Qualifications
- PhD Environmental Chemistry, University of Reading
- MSc Analytical Chemistry and Instrumentation, Loughborough University
- Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, Chartered Chemist
- Fellow of the Institution of Environmental Sciences
Newest selected publications
Imiuwa, M., Baynes, A., Kanda, R. and Routledge, E. (2024) 'Environmentally relevant concentrations of the tricyclic antidepressant, amitriptyline, affect feeding and reproduction in a freshwater mollusc'. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 281. pp. 1 - 12. ISSN: 0147-6513 Open Access Link
Diana, M., Farré, MJ., SanchÃs, J., Kanda, R., Felipe-Sotelo, M. and Bond, T. (2022) 'The formation of furan-like disinfection byproducts from phenolic precursors'. Environmental Science: Water Research and Technology, 9 (2). pp. 419 - 432. ISSN: 2053-1400 Open Access Link
Brockmeier, EK., Basili, D., Herbert, J., Rendal, C., Boakes, L., Grauslys, A., et al. (2022) 'Data-driven learning of narcosis mode of action identifies a CNS transcriptional signature shared between whole organism Caenorhabditis elegans and a fish gill cell line'. Science of the Total Environment, 849 (25 November 2022). pp. 1 - 14. ISSN: 0048-9697 Open Access Link
Sfynia, C., Bond, T., Kanda, R. and Templeton, M. (2022) 'Simultaneous prediction of trihalomethanes, haloacetic acids, haloacetonitriles and haloacetamides using simulated distribution system tests'. Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology, 8 (4). pp. 742 - 756. ISSN: 2053-1400 Open Access Link
Dusza, HM., Manz, KE., Pennell, KD., Kanda, R. and Legler, J. (2021) 'Identification of known and novel nonpolar endocrine disruptors in human amniotic fluid'. Environment International, 158 (January 2022). pp. 1 - 16. ISSN: 0160-4120 Open Access Link