https://www.oceanexpert.net/expert/91883

ORCID : 0009000355578387

MSc

Research

Biological Oceanography, Marine Ecology
Fisheries, Aquaculture
Physical Oceanography
Pollution

DST-SERB Project on Microplastic (2022-2025) (JRF & SRF)
Project Title: Understanding the Fluxes of Microplastics in the Coastal Ecosystems of major Rivers of India

PI: Dr. Anish Kumar Warrier (Professor of Geology, Department of Civil Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE)

Awards and Fellowships -

1.      Best Oral Presentation Award at the International Indian Ocean Science Conference (IIOSC-2025), INCOIS, Hyderabad. Presented my work on the microplastic burden in shellfish from the Arabian Sea.

2.      Project Assistant – VGST Research Project: Groundwater Dynamics in Udupi District: An Isotope-Based Approach, Department of Civil Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal.

3.      Awarded Registration Fee Waiver and Travel Support to attend and present at the International Indian Ocean Science Conference (IIOSC), Hyderabad, December 2025.

4.      Senior Research Fellowship: Awarded by DST-SERB to work on the topic titled “Understanding the fluxes of microplastics in the coastal ecosystems of major rivers of India” in Manipal Academy of Higher Education under Dr. Anish Kumar Warrier.

5.      Junior Research Fellowship: Awarded by DST-SERB to work on the topic titled “Understanding the fluxes of microplastics in the coastal ecosystems of major rivers of India” in Manipal Academy of Higher Education under Dr. Anish Kumar Warrier.

6.      C4Y fellowship: Awarded by the Centre for Youth, New Delhi, to work and collaborate with organisations like Arghyam and INREM Foundation Bengaluru to gain an understanding of the challenges involved in water security, literacy, and mitigation on the ground.

(Water column sampling; Sediment sampling; Biofilm sampling; Microplastic analysis- sediment, water)

Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (2024) (Experience)

Project Title: Linking potential fishing zone advisory data to pelagic biogeochemical processes and dynamics of pelagic fisheries on the west coast of India.

PI: Dr. Anish Kumar Warrier (Professor of Geology, Department of Civil Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE). (Microplastic analysis- biota, water, sediment)

Karnataka Vision Group on Science & Technology (VGST) Project (2025–2027) (Project Assistant)

Project Title: Groundwater Dynamics in Udupi District: An Isotope-Based Approach

PI: Dr. Lathashri U. A., Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE)
(Groundwater sampling; Field surveys; Isotope-based analysis support; Data organisation and preliminary interpretation.)

Arabian Sea

I possess strong expertise in microplastics research, including field sampling, laboratory analysis, and assessing their distribution and ecological risks in marine environments. My skills include analysing physicochemical properties of water, along with experience in groundwater sampling, field survey, and isotope-based analysis,  handling standard laboratory techniques, such as filtration, digestion, and microscopy; along with experience in analyzing environmental data using statistical approaches in R. I am proficient in scientific writing, literature review, and presenting research findings effectively. Additionally, I have hands-on experience in coastal fieldwork and environmental monitoring, enabling me to integrate practical observations with analytical insights for comprehensive research outcomes. 

English
Hindi

Google Scholar

Microplastic analysis: sediment, water, biota, road dust, air, soil; Biofilm sampling; water sampling using Niskin sampler; FTIR; Handling grab samplers (Ekman and Van Veen).

 Knowledge of laboratory methods for water quality assessments, analyzing key physicochemical parameters, interpreting data to assess pollution levels, and compliance with environmental standards to determine the health of aquatic ecosystems.

 Soft skills: Microsoft Word, Excel, Sigma Plot, Canva, Origin, Grapher, Surfer; IBM SPSS Statistics, PAST, Q-GIS, Report writing, R Software.

Publications - 

1.        Kumar, R., Das, M. M., Das, S., Verma, A., Valsan, G., Tamrakar, A., ... & Lamba, J. (2025). Evidence of microplastics in the Brahmani River in Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, Odisha, India. AGU25.

2.        Tamrakar, A., Warrier, A. K., Mariya, A., Valsan, G., Nandakumar, K., Borker, S. G., Borkar, M., Bhujbal, N., Damodar Shenoy, M., Buitrago, N. R., & Balakrishna, K. (2026). Microplastic contamination in water and organs of Deveximentum insidiator (Ponyfish) from a potential fishing zone off Mangalore, southeastern Arabian Sea. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 222, 118863. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.118863

3.        Valsan, G., Tamrakar, A., Prabhu, S., Chand, J., Vyshnav, P., Rangel-Buitrago, N., & Warrier, A. K. Microplastic Flux through Submarine Groundwater Discharge in a Subterranean Estuary of Southwest India. Environmental Systems Research.

4.        Lone, A. M., Balakrishna, K., Balaji, S., Yehya, H., Valsan, G., Tamrakar, A., & Warrier, A. K. (2025). Microplastic contamination and risk assessment in the biotic and abiotic components of freshwater Manasbal Lake, western Himalaya, India. Environmental Systems Research.

5.        Divya Lakshmi, P., Valsan, G., Tamrakar, A., Vasudeva, M., Unnikrishnan, V. K., & Warrier, A. K. (2025). Seasonal Variations in Microplastic Characteristics and Distribution in Groundwater from Landfill and Non-Landfill Sites in an Urban Environment of Southern India. Environmental Forensics, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/15275922.2025.2578478

6.        Valsan, G., Warrier, A. K., Anusree, S., Tamrakar, A., Rangel-Buitrago, N., & Chand, J. (2024). Seasonal variations in microplastics in a coastal wetland in southwest India as well as their risks to Sillago sihama and Gerres filamentosus. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 196(12), 1-21.

7.        Unnikrishnan, V., Anusree, S., Shaikh, I., D'Costa, P. M., Chandran, T., Valsan, G., Vandana,T.U, Tamrakar, A. & Warrier, A. K. (2024). Insights into the seasonal distribution of microplastics and their associated biofilms in the water column of two tropical estuaries. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 206, 116750.

8.        Valsan, G., Tamrakar, A., & Warrier, A. K. (2024). Microplastics in Scylla Serrata: A baseline study from southwest India. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 200, 116109.

9.        Valsan, G., Warrier, A. K., Anusree, S., Tamrakar, A., Khaleel, R., & Rangel-Buitrago, N. (2024). Seasonal variation of microplastics in tropical mangrove waters of South-western India. Regional Studies in Marine Science, 69, 103323.

10.    Tamrakar, A., Upadhyay, K., & Bajpai, S. (2022, June). Spatial variation of Physico-chemical parameters and water quality assessment of urban ponds at Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India. In IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science (Vol. 1032, No. 1, p. 012034). IOP Publishing.