Dr. Mahsa Baniasadi | Biomass Energy | Women Researcher Award
Research Fellow at Cranfield University | United Kingdom
Dr. Mahsa Baniasadi is an accomplished researcher in environmental biotechnology whose work focuses on sustainable resource recovery, waste valorisation, and low-impact chemical processes, evidenced by 914 citations, 15 publications, and a Scopus h-index of 10. Her research advances innovative biotechnological strategies to treat solid waste, wastewater, and complex industrial residues, with a strong emphasis on bioleaching-based recovery of valuable metals from electronic waste, gold mine tailings, and spent lithium-ion batteries. She has developed integrated bioprocesses combining microbial systems, chemical leaching, and electrowinning for closed-loop recycling, contributing significantly to the circular economy and critical-materials resilience. Her work also explores the application of acidophilic microorganisms, adapted fungal systems, and mixed cultures to enhance metal extraction efficiency from challenging waste streams. In parallel, she has contributed to advancements in thermochemical conversion of biomass and agricultural waste through pyrolysis, producing cleaner energy carriers and value-added products. Her research portfolio includes optimisation studies for catalytic upgrading in pyrolysis, environmental modelling, life-cycle assessments, reactor design, and examination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon degradation in bioreactors. Dr. Baniasadi’s work has been featured in respected journals in environmental engineering, industrial chemistry, waste management, and sustainable metallurgy, supported by conference presentations and contributions to the scientific understanding of bioremediation and green processing technologies. Her research impact demonstrates a sustained commitment to reducing environmental burdens, enabling renewable resource pathways, and advancing industrial sustainability, placing her among the notable emerging women researchers in the field.
Featured Publications
Baniasadi, M., Vakilchap, F., Bahaloo-Horeh, N., Mousavi, S. M., & Farnaud, S. (2019). Advances in bioleaching as a sustainable method for metal recovery from e-waste: A review. Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Cited by 280.
Heydarian, A., Mousavi, S. M., Vakilchap, F., & Baniasadi, M. (2018). Application of a mixed culture of adapted acidophilic bacteria in two-step bioleaching of spent lithium-ion laptop batteries. Journal of Power Sources Cited by 246.
Bahaloo-Horeh, N., Mousavi, S. M., & Baniasadi, M. (2018). Use of adapted metal tolerant Aspergillus niger to enhance bioleaching efficiency of valuable metals from spent lithium-ion mobile phone batteries. Journal of Cleaner Production Cited by 238.
Baniasadi, M., Tugnoli, A., Conti, R., Torri, C., Fabbri, D., & Cozzani, V. (2016). Waste to energy valorization of poultry litter by slow pyrolysis. Renewable Energy Cited by 77.
Ray, D. A., Baniasadi, M., Graves, J. E., Greenwood, A., & Farnaud, S. (2022). Thiourea leaching: An update on a sustainable approach for gold recovery from e-waste. Journal of Sustainable Metallurgy Cited by 73.