Supriyo Kumar Das

Assistant Professor

Ph.D in Biogeochemistry (Stockholm University, 2007)

Licentiate (M.Phil) in Biogeochemistry (Stockholm University,  2006)

M.Tech in Applied Geology (Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee,  2003)

B.Sc  Geology (Honours) (Presidency College, University of Calcutta,  2000)

I was awarded a PhD in Biogeochemistry from Stockholm University in 2007. My doctoral work at Stockholm University decoded anthropogenic imprints preserved in lake sediments by using multiple biogeochemical proxies (lipids, pigment biomarkers, elemental and nutrient geochemistry, stable and radiogenic isotopes) and linked changes in lake’s ecosystem to anthropogenic activities. After finishing PhD, I briefly worked on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in lake sediments before visiting Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) with a European Association of Organic Geochemists (EAOG) Travel Scholarship. Soon, I joined the University of Glasgow as a Post Doctoral Research Fellow with a highly competitive Swedish Research Council (Vetenskaprådet) fellowship and British Council Researcher Exchange Programme (RXP) award. I held researcher positions at Örebro University and Linnaeus University before joining Presidency University.

I have chosen to research organic biogeochemistry because I find the chemical and biological response to the physical environment fascinating. I am further motivated by the relevance of my research to understanding past, present and future changes in our environment and climate. As a biogeochemist, I am trained in elemental, molecular and stable isotope geochemistry. My present research focuses on the application of organic geochemical proxies to answer important questions concerning processes and conditions in past climate and environment and applies bulk (δ13C and δ15N) and compound-specific (δ13C and δD) stable isotopes and lipid biomarkers.

Organic compounds are ubiquitous, abundant and sometimes overlooked components of geological and earth materials. The presence, distribution and isotopic composition of organic compounds are widely used as proxies to estimate changes in the past environment and climate conditions. Biomarkers (molecular fossils) are complex organic compounds with a strong resemblance in the structure of their parent organic molecules in living organisms. Thus the proxy information contained within them can be linked directly to their sources (e.g. bacteria, algae, plankton, aquatic and terrestrial plants). 

Organic matter represents the biomass of dead organisms and stable isotopes, elemental geochemistry and biomarkers provide specific information on the source and processes affecting the production and preservation of organic matter. Preservation of biomarkers is affected by microbial activity, prevailing physicochemical conditions and transport mechanisms. Hence, biomarkers provide insight into the prevailing ecological and environmental processes.

Availability of nutrients controls primary productivity. Hence, nutrient cycling plays an intriguing part in organic matter production. Trace elements, with certain exceptions, serve as micronutrients to primary producers. Processes that affect trace metal cycling can also influence organic matter preservation. Inorganic (trace and major) elements, nutrients and organic pollutants could have both anthropogenic and natural sources, and their enrichment can provide a record of past processes. 

Some of the ongoing research projects are:

Carbon Storage in Seagrass and Mangrove Habitats in India and Its Implications for Global Estimates of Blue Carbon Ecosystem Service

 Funding Agency: SERB

Date of Initiation: 14/03/2023
Duration: 3 years

Biogenic natural gas potential in Bengal Basin: An organic geochemical approach.

Funding Agency: DSTBT, GoWB
Date of Initiation: 16/03/2018
Duration: 3 years

I participated as an Organic Geochemist in the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 354 (Bengal Fan) in the Spring of 2015, and I was a member of the 38th Indian Scientific Expedition in Antarctica during 2018-2019.

I consider teaching as an opportunity to inspire and motivate myself towards better learning. I started teaching at the university level as a laboratory instructor at the Department of Geological Sciences, Stockholm University. I taught environmental geochemistry as part of the Ground Course of Geology. At the University of Glasgow, I used to give lectures on environmental biogeochemistry and supervised undergraduate, postgraduate, and graduate students in research projects. I also supervised postgraduate and undergraduate students in the communicating science programme and led employability workshops at the University of Glasgow.

I have been teaching the following courses at Presidency University:
Petroleum Geology (PG)
Coal Geology (PG)
Fuel Geology (UG)
Early Earth-Atmosphere and Life (UG; Contribution)
Earth’s surface processes (UG)
Man and Environment (UG)
Environmental Science (UG; Contribution)

I am open to highly motivated students, who have strong background and interest in geology/chemistry/botany/microbiology/environmental science or related subjects, and are willing to work in challenging international projects.

NET (JRF) qualified students are most welcome. 

Candidates who would like to pursue an internship under my supervision are requested to go through the ongoing research projects and justify while applying, how she/he would be benefited from the internship.

Member: Indian Association of Sedimentologists (Life member)

Peer-reviewed Articles                                                    

25. Dey B., Das S.K., Kaushik Gangopadhyay, Tomoyuki Shibata, Masako Yoshikawa, Supriya Nandy, Arati Deshpande Mukherjee (2023) Bioavailable Sr and Pb isotope ratios of archaeological cattle bone from coastal India. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry. 

                                                                                                                       Impact factor: 1.6

24. Ganguly M., Das S.K., Ekblad A., Behera P.K. (2023) Variation of δ15N in Indian coal, lignite and peat. Geochemistry, 126013.                                                                  Impact factor: 3.7

23. Chatterjee S., Das S.K., Behera P., Ghosh D., Chakraborty A., Patel P.P. Ikehara M. (2023) Short-chain n-alkanes in benthic mats and mosses from the Larsemann Hills, East Antarctica. Organic Geochemistry 179: 104587                                                          Impact factor: 3.623

22. Behera P., Das S.K., Ghosh D., Mani D., M.S. Kalpana, Ikehara M., Patel P.P. (2022) Organic biogeochemical study of deeper southeastern Bengal Basin sediments in West Bengal, India. Organic Geochemistry 170, 104451.                                                          Impact factor: 3.623

21. Das S.K., Ganguly M., Ghosh M., Mani D., M.S. Kalpana, Kumar S. (2021) Role of tectonic activities on kerogen maturity and carbon stable isotope signature of coal. Journal of Earth System Science 130 214.                                                                                        Impact factor: 1.912

20. Das, S.K., Gangopadhyay, K., Ghosh, A., Biswas, O., Bera, S., Ghosh, P., Paruya, D.K., Naskar, N., Mani, D., Kalpana, M.S., Yoshida, K. (2021) Organic geochemical and palaeobotanical reconstruction of a Late Holocene archaeological settlement in coastal eastern India. (Accepted in The Holocene).                                                                                           Impact factor: 2.353

19. Ray S., Das S.K., Chatterjee S., Ekblad A., Yoshida K. (2021) Modern analogue and geological evidence of coseismic ground uplift during a 200 years BP earthquake in north Andaman, India. Catena 205, 105471.                                                                                            Impact factor: 4.333

18. Anwita, Ghosh S., Varma A.K., Das S.K., Pal D., Solanki G. (2020) Metamorphic transformations of nitrogen functionalities: stabilization of organic nitrogen in anthracite and its effect on δ15N parameter. Marine and Petroleum Geology 112: 104090.            Impact factor: 3.538

17. Misra S., Das S.K., Varma A. K., Mani D., Kalpana M.S., Ekblad A., Biswas S. (2020) Multi-proxy approach on the hydrocarbon generation perspective of Barjora Basin, India. Marine and Petroleum Geology 112: 104108.                                                                         Impact factor: 3.538

16. Das S.K., Dutta D., Naskar S., Palchaudhury S., De A., Gayen R. (2018) Revisiting the physiology of the ascent of sap in plants: legendary experiment of Prof. J.C. Bose. Current Science 115: 1451- 1453.                                                                                                   Impact factor: 0.843

15. Das S.K., Ghosh S., Isaksson S., Liden K., Dey A. (2018) Organic Residue analysis in archaeological ceramics from Lahuradewa, India: role of contaminants. Current Science 115: 1456-1458.                                                                                                                     Impact factor: 0.843

14. Misra S., Varma A.K., Das S.K., Mani D., Biswas S. (2018) Thermal controls of lamprophyre sill on hydrocarbon generation outlook of shale beds in Raniganj basin, India. Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering 56: 536-548.                                                                 Impact factor: 2.803

13. Weber M.E., Lantzsch H., Dekens P., Das S.K., Reilly B.T., Martos Y.M., Meyer-Jacob C., Agrahari S., Ekblad A., Titschack J., Holmes B., Wolfgramm P. (2018) 200,000 years of monsoonal history recorded on the lower Bengal Fan - strong response to insolation forcing. Global and Planetary Change 166: 107–119.                                                                         Impact factor: 3.982

12. Das S.K., Ghosh S., Gangopadhyay K., Ghosh S., Hazra M. (2017) Provenance Study of Ancient Potteries from West Bengal and Tamil Nadu: Application of Major Element Oxides and Trace Element Geochemistry. Man and Environment XLII (2): 11-20.      Impact factor: not available

11. Hoshino Y., Poshibaeva A., Meredith W., Snape C., Poshibaev V., Versteegh G., Kuznetsov N., Leider A., van Maldegem L., Neumann M., Naeher S., Modczydlowska M., Tang Q., Xiao S., McKirdy D., Das S.K., Alvaro J., Hallmann C. (2017) Cryogenian evolution of stigmasterol biosynthesis. Science Advances 3: e1700887.                                                     Impact factor: 11.51

10. Das S.K., Routh J., Roychoudhury A.N., Veldhuis M.J.W., Ismail H. (2017) Connecting pigment composition and dissolved trace elements to phytoplankton population in the southern Benguela Upwelling zone (St. Helena Bay). Journal of Marine Systems 176:13-23.         Impact factor: 2.506

9. Mukhopadhyay K., Ghosh A., Das S.K., Show B., Sasikumar P., Ghosh U.C. (2017) Synthesis and characterisation of cerium(IV)-incorporated hydrous iron(III) oxide as an adsorbent for fluoride removal from water. RSC Advances 7: 26037–26051.                                      Impact factor: 3.108

8. Das S.K., Routh J., Roychoudhury A.N. (2015) Biogeochemistry of shallow lake sediments: a case study from Verlorenvlei, South Africa. Current Science 109:1486-1491.    Impact factor: 0.843

7. Das S.K, Bendle J. and Routh J. (2012) Evaluating branched tetraether lipid-based paleotemperature proxies in an urban, hyper-eutrophic and polluted lake in South Africa. Organic Geochemistry 53: 45-51.                                                                                      Impact factor: 3.081

6. Das S.K and Chakrapani G.J. (2011) Assessment of trace metal toxicity in soils of Raniganj Coalfield, India. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 177: 63–71.            Impact factor: 1.687

5. Das S.K. Routh J. and Roychoudhury A.N. (2009) Biomarker evidence of macrophyte and plankton community changes in Zeekoevlei, a shallow lake in South Africa. Journal of Paleolimnology 41: 507-521.                                                                                Impact factor: 2.017

4. Das S.K., Routh J., Roychoudhury A.N., Klump J.V. and Ranjan R.K. (2009) Phosphorus dynamics in shallow eutrophic lakes: an example from Zeekoevlei, South Africa.  Hydrobiologia 619: 55-66.                                                                                                            Impact factor: 2.056

3. Das S.K., Routh J. and Roychoudhury A.N. (2008) Sources and historic changes in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon input in a shallow lake, Zeekoevlei, South Africa. Organic Geochemistry 39: 1109-1112.                                                                                                            Impact factor: 3.081

2. Das S.K., Routh J., Roychoudhury A.N. and Klump J.V. (2008) Major and trace element geochemistry in Zeekoevlei, South Africa: A lacustrine record of present and past processes. Applied Geochemistry 23: 2496-2511.                                                                  Impact factor: 2.581

1. Das S.K., Routh J., Roychoudhury A.N. and Klump J.V. (2008) Elemental (C, N, H and P) and stable isotope (δ15N and δ13C) signatures in sediments from Zeekoevlei, South Africa: a record of human intervention in the lake. Journal of Paleolimnology 39: 349-360.             Impact factor: 2.017

Conference Proceedings

2. Das S.K., Dey B., Gangopadhyay K., Shibata T., Yoshikawa M. (2023) 87Sr/86Sr in archaeological cattle bones from coastal India. 5th International Conference on Application of RadiotraCers and Energetic Beams in Sciences (ARCEBS 2023). Vol 6. Organised by Sidho-Kanho-Birsa University, Purulia, India. 

1. Mukhopadhyay K., Ghosh U.C., Das S.K. (2016) Bi-metal oxides Composites and their Pollution Scavenging Properties: A glimpse. Conference Proceedings, 3rd National Conference on Water, Environment and Society, Hyderabad, India.

Book chapters/Reports

5. Das S.K., Karmakar U., Dey A., Agrahari S., Ekblad A. (2020) Carbon Stable Isotope Source Signature of Bulk Organic Matter in Middle Bengal Fan Sediment Collected During IODP Expedition 354. In: Dynamics of the Earth System: Evolution, Processes and Interactions, Contributions from Scientific Ocean Drilling (Eds.  Pandey D.K., Ravichandran, M., Nair, N.) Springer Nature, Cham, Switzerland.

4. Das S.K., Gupta N.S. (2020) Early life on the summary account of the records of life from the Proterozoic sedimentary basins. In: Geodynamics of the Indian Plate: Evolutionary Perspectives (Eds. Gupta N.S., Tandon S.K.), Ch 6. Springer Geology, Cham, Switzerland.

3. France-Lanord C., Spiess V., Schwenk T., Klaus A., Adhikari R.R., Adhikari S.K., Bahk J.J., Baxter A.T., Cruz J.W., Das S.K., Dekens P., Duleba W., Fox L.R., Galy A., Galy V., Ge J., Gleason J.D., Gyawali B.R., Huyghe P., Jia G., Lantzsch H., Manoj M.C., Martin Y.M., Meynadier L., Najman Y.M.R., Nakajima A., Ponton C., Reilly B.T., Rogers K.G., Savian J.F., Selkin P.A., Weber M.E., Williams T., Yoshida K. (2016) Bengal Fan. Proceedings of the International Ocean Discovery Program, 354: College Station, TX.

2. Contributor in Tarbuck E.J. (2016) Earth: an introduction to physical geology (Eds. E.J. Tarbuck E.J. and Lutgens F.K.) Earth - An Introduction to Physical Geology, Twelfth edition, Pearson Education.

1. France-Lanord C., Spiess V., Schwenk T., Klaus A., Adhikari R.R., Adhikari S.K., Bahk J.J., Baxter A.T., Cruz J.W., Das S.K., Dekens P., Duleba W., Fox L.R., Galy A., Galy V., Ge J., Gleason J.D., Gyawali B.R., Huyghe P., Jia G., Lantzsch H., Manoj M.C., Martin Y.M., Meynadier L., Najman Y.M.R., Nakajima A., Ponton C., Reilly B.T., Rogers K.G., Savian J.F., Selkin P.A., Weber M.E., Williams T., Yoshida K. (2015) Neogene and late Paleogene record of Himalayan orogeny and climate: A transect across the Middle Bengal Fan. Integrated Ocean Drilling Program: Preliminary Reports, IODP-MI, 354, 1-46.

Non-peer-reviewed Articles

1. Das S.K. (2009) Sedimentary archive of palaeolimnological record from lakes of Western Cape, South Africa. SIL News 54 (Invited author).