RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:
Dr. Datta’s primary research interest lies in the application of plant biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology and microbiology in solving environmental problems, particularly in urban areas using phytoremediation, plant-microbe interactions and bioremediation. Dr. Datta’s research involves the study of interactions between plant, soil, microbial and water systems to understand the mechanisms of uptake and detoxification of specific environmental contaminants in biota from two broad angles – biochemistry and genetics.

Specifically, Dr. Datta’s current research focus is on the study of bioavailability of metal contaminants in aquatic media and the potential of using plants to remediate metal-contaminated sites, mediated by microbes. Dr. Datta actively collaborates with environmental geochemists, soil scientists, and analytical chemists from Harvard School of Public Health, Montclair State University, and University of Texas at San Antonio. Dr. Datta also works on the bioavailability of contaminants using in-vitro and in-vivo models. She has also been working on the remediation of TNT, petroleum hydrocarbons, perchlorate and chromate in soil and water and in developing “green technology” as part of an environmental R&D, SIROM Scientific Solutions, LLC based in Montclair, New Jersey. Combining field, greenhouse, and laboratory data, she investigates the mechanisms of contaminant bioavailability, availability to plants, the kinetics of metal uptake in plants under various conditions and studies the molecular mechanisms of contaminant uptake and detoxification by accumulator and other high biomass plants, including crop plants. She also works on health effects of metals (arsenic and lead) in human cell culture and animal systems in collaboration with biomedical faculty at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio. Her research is strongly related to student experiential learning. So far, she has graduated 2 PhD students, 5 MS students, and supervised 4 post-doctoral fellows.

CURRENT PUBLICATIONS:

• Datta R and Chourey PS (2001) Sugar-regulated control of a-tubulin in maize cell-suspension culture. Plant Cell Reports 20, 262-266.
  
  
• Kumar S, Datta R, Sinha S, Kojima T, Katoh S, Mohan M (2001) Carbon stock, afforestation and acidic deposition: an analysis with reference to arid areas. Journal of Water, Air and Soil Pollution 130, 1127-1132.
  
  
• Datta R, Chourey PS, Pring DW and Tang, H (2001) Gene-expression analysis of sucrose-starch metabolism during pollen maturation in cytoplasmic male-sterile and fertile lines of Sorghum, Sexual Plant Reproduction 14, 127-134.
  
  
• Kumar S, Mohan M and Datta R (2002) Passive diffusion sampling of sulfur dioxide in India: Impact assessment on arid areas. Science in China Series D 45S, 137-141.
  
  
• Carlson SJ, Chourey PS, Heletjaris, T and Datta R (2002) Gene expression studies on developing kernels of maize Sucrose synthase (SuSy) mutants show evidence for a third SuSy gene. Plant Molecular Biology 49, 15-29.
  
  
• Datta R and Chourey PS (2002) Starch biosynthesis during pollen maturation is associated with altered patterns of gene expression in maize. Plant Physiology 130, 1645-1656.
  
  
• Sarkar D and Datta R (2003) A modified in-vitro method to assess bioavailable arsenic in pesticide-applied soils. Environmental Pollution 126, 363-366.
  
  
• Sarkar D and Datta R (2004) Arsenic fate and bioavailability in two soils contaminated with sodium arsenate pesticide. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 72(2), 240-247.
  
  
• Datta R and Sarkar D (2004) Arsenic geochemistry in three soils contaminated with sodium arsenite pesticide: An incubation study.  Environ. Geosci 11(2), 85-95.
  
  
• Datta R and Sarkar D (2004)Effective integration of soil chemistry and plant molecular biology in phytoremediation of metals: An overview. Environ. Geosci.11(2): 53-63.
  
  
• Datta R and Sarkar D(2004)Biotechnology in Phytoremediation of Metal-Contaminated Soils Proc. Indian Natl Sci Acad B 70 (1), 101-111. (INVITED ARTICLE).
  
  
• Datta R and Sarkar D (2004)Consideration of Soil Properties in Assessment of Human Health Risk from Exposure to Arsenic-Enriched Soils. J. Appl. Environ. Sci. Publ. Health 1(1): 55-59(INVITED ARTICLE).
  
  
• Sarkar D, Parra-Noonan M and Datta R (2004) Distribution of arsenic in cattle-dip vat site soils. Bull Environ. Contamin. Toxicol, 73: 838-845
  
  
• Sarkar D. and Datta R (2004) Health Risk from Soil Arsenic: Does one size fit all Archives Environ. Health 59(7): 337-341.
  
  
• Sarkar D, Ferguson, MC, Datta, R and Birnbaum S (2005)Bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbons in contaminated soils: Comparison of biosolids addition, carbon supplementation, and monitored natural attenuation. Environ. Polln. 136: 187-195.
  
  
• Sarkar D, Datta R and Sharma S (2005)Fate and bioavailability of arsenic in organo-arsenical pesticide applied soils. Part-I. Incubation Study Chemosphere 60: 188-195.
  
  
• Datta R and Sarkar D. (2005) Consideration of soil properties in assessment of human health risk from exposure to arsenical pesticide applied soils. Integr. Environ. Assess. Mgmt. 1(1): 55-59.
  
  
• Makris KC, Sarkar D and Datta R (2006)Aluminum-Based Drinking-Water Treatment Residuals: A Novel Sorbent for Perchlorate Removal. Environ Pollution. 140: 9-12.
  
  
• Nagar R, Sarkar D and Datta R (2006)Effect of sewage sludge addition on soil quality in terms of metal concentrations. Bull Environ. Contamin. Toxicol., 76(5): 823-830.
  
  
• Simpson N, Sarkar D, Datta R and Sharma S (2006)Effects of Sewage Sludge Disposal on Metal Contents in the Sediments and Water of Mitchell Lake, San Antonio, TX. Bull Environ. Contamin. Toxicol., 77(1): 104 – 111.
  
  
• Makris KC, Sarkar D and Datta R (2006)Evaluating a waste by-product as a novel sorbent for arsenic. Chemosphere, 64(5): 730 – 741.
  
  
• Sarkar D, Makris KC, Datta R and Khairom A (2006)Effect of remedial treatment on phosphorus availability in an arsenical pesticide contaminated soil. Bull Environ. Contamin. Toxicol., 77(1): 297 - 304.
  
  
• Israr M, Sahi S, Datta R and Sarkar D (2006)Bioaccumulation and physiological effects of mercury in Sesbania drummondii Chemosphere, 65: 591 – 598.
  
  
• Andra SS, Sarkar D, Datta R and Saminathan SK(2006)Lead in soils collected from residential properties in Baltimore and San Antonio. Bull Environ. Contamin. Toxicol., 77: 643 - 650.
  
  
• Sarkar D, Datta R, Sharma S, and Sand K (2006)Arsenic biogeochemistry and human health risk assessment in organo-arsenical pesticide applied acidic and alkaline soils – Incubation study. Science of the Total Environment, 372: 39 - 48.
  
  
• Makris KC, Sarkar D, Datta R, Ravikovitch P and Neimark AV (2006)Using nitrogen and carbon dioxide molecules to probe arsenic(V) bioaccessibility in soils. Environmental Science and Technology, 40: 7732 - 7738.
  
  
• Makris KC, Shakya KM, Datta R, Sarkar D and Pachanoor D (2007)High uptake of 2,4,6 trinitrotoluene by vetiver grass – potential for phytoremediation? Environ. Pollution, 146: 1 – 4.
  
  
• Sarkar D, Makris KC, Vandanapu V and Datta R (2007)Adsorption of arsenic in soils amended with water treatment residuals. Environ. Pollution, 146: 414 - 419.
  
  
• Sarkar D, Makris KC, Datta R and Parra-Noonan M (2007)Effect of soil properties on arsenic fractionation and bioaccessibility in cattle and sheep dipping vat site soils Environ. International, 33: 164 -169.
  
  
• Makris KC, Shakya KM, Datta R, Sarkar D and Pachanoor D (2007)Chemically-Catalyzed Uptake of 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene by Vetiveria zizanioides. Environ. Pollution, 146: 1 – 4.
  
  
• Datta R, Makris KC and Sarkar D (2007) Arsenic fractionation and bioaccessibility in two alkaline Texas soils incubated with sodium arsenate. Arch. Environ. Contamin. Toxicol., 52: 475 - 482.
  
  
• Sarkar D, Quazi S, Makris KC, Datta R and Khairom A (2007)Arsenic bioaccessibility in a soil amended with drinking water treatment residuals in the presence of phosphate fertilizer. Arch. Environ. Contamin. Toxicol., 53: 329-336.
  
  
• Makris KC, Sarkar D, Parsons JG, Datta R and Gardea-Torresdey J (2007)Surface arsenic speciation of a drinking water treatment residual using X-Ray absorption spectroscopy J. Coll. Interf. Sci., 311: 544-550.
  
  
• Makris KC, Shakya KM, Datta R, Sarkar D and Pachanoor D (2007)Chaotropic effects on uptake of 2,4,6 trinitrotoluene by wheat grass (Triticum aestivum). Plant and Soil, 295: 229-237.
  
  
• Datta R, Sarkar D, Punamiya P, and Nagar R (2007)Response to Letter to the editor re: Datta et al., 2006 (Boyce et al.). Sci Total Environ. 388 (2007)376-378.
  
  
• Makris KC, Salazar J, Quazi S, Andra S, Sarkar D, Bach SBH and Datta R (2008) Controlling the fate of roxarsone and inorganic arsenic in poultry litter. J Environ Qual. 37: 963-971.
  
  
• Makris KC, Quazi S, Punamiya P Sarkar D and Datta R (2008) Fate of arsenic in swine waste from concentrated animal feeding operations. J Environ Qual. 37: 1626-1633.
  
  
• Makris KC, Punamiya P, Sarkar D and Datta R (2008) Novel colorimetric method overcoming phosphorus interference during trace arsenic analysis in soil solution. The Analyst 133: 191-196.
  
  
• Makris KC, Quazi S, Nagar R, Sarkar D, Datta R and Sylvia VL (2008) In-vitro model improves prediction of soil arsenic bioavailability: worst-case scenario. Environ. Sci. Technol., 42: 6278-6284.
  
  
• Andra SS, Datta R, Sarkar D, Makris KC, Mullens CP, Sahi SV and Bach SBH (2008) Induction of Lead-Binding Phytochelatins in Vetiver Grass [Vetiveria Zizanioides (L.)]. J. Environ. Qual., (In Press).
  
  
• Andra SS, Saminathan SK, Sarkar D and Datta R (2008) Chelant-aided enhancement of lead mobilization in residential soils. Environ. Pollut. 148: 1139-1148.
  
  
• Andra SS, Datta R, Sarkar D, Makris KC, Mullens CP, and Bach SBH Analysis of phytochelatin complexes in lead tolerant vetiver grass (Vetiveria Zizanioisdes L using liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (accepted: Environmental Pollution)