Abirami Balakrishnan

@hindustanuniv.ac.in

Assistant Professor (Selection grade) - Biotechnology
Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science

Abirami Balakrishnan


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https://researchid.co/abibalaw
14

Scopus Publications

Scopus Publications

  • Exploring industrial effluent-derived bacterial isolate for enhanced biodegradation of bisphenol-A
    Karthickeyan Arasu, Abirami Balakrishnan, Uthradevi Kannan, Thanigaivel Vembuli, Kevin Vinoth
    Environmental Technology United Kingdom, 2026
    (GenBank Accession No. PP930832) isolated from industrial effluent, capable of efficiently degrading BPA. High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis confirmed the strain's degradation potential of 62% within 24 h at a concentration of 500 mg/L. Optimization by Design Expert 12.0 resulted in optimum values of pH 9.0, temperature 37.07°C, and inoculum concentration (4% v/v). Mass spectrometric analysis revealed the formation of putative intermediate metabolites during BPA degradation, including ions tentatively assigned to benzoic acid - related aromatic fragments, along with additional low-molecular-weight products indicative of progressive aromatic ring cleavage. The biodegradation pathway is proposed to proceed via enzymatic hydroxylation and oxidation reactions, leading to structural destabilization of BPA and its conversion into benzoic acid as a key intermediate. Subsequent transformations may yield cyclohexa-1,3-diene like intermediates that could potentially enter central metabolic pathway such as the β-ketoadipate and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) pathways. However, complete mineralization to CO₂ and H₂O was not directly verified in this study. These findings underscore the potential applicability of isolated species as an effective biological agent for BPA remediation and highlight its promise for sustainable environmental cleanup strategies.
  • Conversion of lignocellulosic waste biomass into valuable derivatives and their pretreatment potential: An overview
    Athithyan Ilangovan, Abirami Balakrishnan, Sri Bala Kameswari Kanchinadham
    Environmental Progress and Sustainable Energy, 2025
    Lignocellulosic waste biomass (LWB) is a rich source of valuable bioresources. Its generation is rapidly increasing globally, due to the expansion of agricultural activities and the growth of food processing industries. Owing to its complex structure, effective pre‐treatment is essential to unlock its potential. Developing cost‐effective and energy‐efficient pre‐treatment methods is crucial to make biomass‐derived products competitive in the market and to support the bio‐economy. This comprehensive review compiles recent advancements in various pre‐treatment techniques, analyzing their advantages and limitations to guide future research focused on process optimization and energy efficiency. The review also explores the economic potential of biomass derivatives obtained after the pre‐treatment, helping the scientific community to assess cost‐recovery strategies. Key cellulose and hemicellulose‐derived compounds include polyhydroxyalkanoates, sorbitol, ethanol, hydroxy methyl furfural, ethylene, citric acid, lactic acid, succinic acid, glutamic acid, gluconic acid, butanol, acetone, furfuryl alcohol, 2‐methyl tetrahydrofuran, tetrahydrofuran, tetra hydro furfuryl alcohol, maleic anhydride, and 1,5‐pentanediol—with market prices ranging between US$ 0.06/kg and US$ 10/kg. In contrast, lignin‐derived products, such as lignosulfonates and organosolv lignin, have comparatively lower market values, ranging from US$ 0.1/kg to US$ 0.6/kg. These insights can serve as a foundation for developing innovative pre‐treatment strategies that balance the efficiency, sustainability and economic viability.
  • An in silico approach to prioritize emerging contaminants in Indian sewage treatment plants
    Abirami Balakrishnan, Kevin Vinoth, Sowmiya Rajan Jeyakumaran, Varshini Sendhilkumar, Prachi Paharwar, Balakrishnan Paramasivam
    Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 2025
  • Studies on Enhancing Granule Formation in Aerobic Granular Sludge Treatment Method
    Balakrishnan Abirami, V. Kevin, Appadurai Padmaja, S. Sanjay, D. Devik, P. Balakrishnan
    Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, 2025
  • Estimation of Fate and Transport of Pesticides in Sewage Treatment Plants Using STPWIN
    B. Abirami, P. Joel, S. Mahalakshmi, V. Hemalatha, M. Ronicaa, V. Kevin, S. Manoj
    Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, 2025
  • Prioritization of chemicals in personal care products based on persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) potential: An Indian perspective
    Abirami Balakrishnan, Varshini Senthilkumar, Sowmiya Rajan Jeyakumaran, Jabez John, Kevin Vinodh, Uthradevi Kannan, Balakrishnan Paramasivam
    Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, 2024
  • Reduction of hexavalent chromium using sulphonated polyether ether ketone as proton exchange membrane in microbial fuel cells
    Vijay Samuel Gnanarathinam, Abirami Balakrishnan, Govindarajan Rajendran, Anitha Arivarasu, Sangeetha Dharmalingam, Sridharan Thalaivarisai Balasundaram, Prabhu Narayanaswamy Venkatesan, Elaya Perumal Ulagalantha Perumal
    Environmental Progress and Sustainable Energy, 2023
    Abstract Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) is a major source of environmental pollutants from tannery effluents. Reduction of hexavalent chromium was performed in a 500 mL working volume dual chamber microbial fuel cell (MFC). Synthetic wastewater containing Cr(VI) was used as anolyte and substrate for mixed microbial consortia to release electrons. The ions produced were transferred to cathodic chamber via a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM). In this study, sulphonated polyether ether ketone (SPEEK) was used as PEM and compared with Nafion 117 for Cr(VI) reduction. The microbial consortia that aided the treatment were isolated and identified to belong to Enterobacter, Acinetobacter, Stenotrophomonas and Pseudomonas species. The Cr(VI) reduction observed were 14.4% and 51% for MFCs with Nafion 117 and SPEEK as PEM, respectively. The wastewater analysis also showed improved percentage removal for SPEEK than for Nafion 117. The cost analysis shows that Nafion was 2 times higher than SPEEK to be used as PEM. This study highlights that SPEEK as PEM in MFC will be an efficient method for reduction of Cr(VI) from tannery effluents.
  • Studies on the Effect of Bacterial Tannase Supplementation to Biodegradation of Tannins in Tannery Wastewater
    Abirami Balakrishnan, Sri Bala Kameswari Kanchinadham, Chitra Kalyanaraman
    Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, 2021
    Tannins present in the vegetable tanning process wastewater (VTW) affect the aerobic microbes and reduce the treatment efficiency in the tannery effluent treatment plants. Studies were performed with the supplementation of crude tannase enzyme to improve the efficiency of aerobic treatment of composite wastewater from raw to vegetable tanning process (CWRVT). Screening, isolation, optimization of growth conditions, and sequencing of the bacterial isolate Bacillus nitratireducens were studied. Aerobic reactors were operated in continuous mode for a period of 210 days, with and without tannase supplementation. The reactors with and without tannase supplementation showed 84%–88% and 44%–47% tannin removal, respectively, for a maximum organic loading rate (OLR) of 30.5 g COD/L d with a tannin concentration of 1000 mg/L. Confirmation of tannin degradation was done with the help of electrospray ionization–mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and pyrogallol analysis. The kinetic parameters were derived based on Contois model considering tannin as a substrate. For the treatment of 1 m3 of CWRVT, the supplementation of tannase enzyme will add an additional cost of Rs.30.58/- toward the cost of chemicals in the overall operation and maintenance cost of the treatment process. This study suggests that supplementation of tannase enzyme in existing treatment plants will enhance the efficiency of tannin removal.
  • Nutrient requirement of tannery wastewater containing tannins
    Abirami Balakrishnan, Sri Bala Kameswari Kanchinadham, Chitra Kalyanaraman
    Environmental Technology and Innovation, 2021
  • Assessment on biodegradability prediction of tannery wastewater using EPI Suite BIOWIN model
    Abirami Balakrishnan, Sri Bala Kameswari Kanchinadham, Chitra Kalyanaraman
    Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 2020
  • Respirometric assessment of vegetable tanning process wastewater generated from tanneries
    Abirami Balakrishnan, Sri Bala Kameswari Kanchinadham, Chitra Kalyanaraman
    Engineering Reports, 2020
  • Studies on the effect of pre-treatment of vegetable tanning process wastewater prior to biological treatment
    Abirami Balakrishnan, Sri Bala Kameswari Kanchinadham, Chitra Kalyanaraman
    Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 2020
  • Evaluation and kinetic study on enzyme supplementation to biological treatment of vegetable tanning process wastewater
    Abirami Balakrishnan, Sri Bala kameswari Kanchinadham, Chitra Kalyanaraman
    International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 2019
  • Elimination of chemical sludge for treatment of tannery wastewater and its effect on biogas generation
    K. Sri Bala Kameswari, Chitra Kalyanaraman, B. Abirami, K. Thirumaran
    Desalination and Water Treatment, 2018