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Dr Prashant Srivastava

Pronouns: he,him,his

Soil Contaminant Chemist

https://people.csiro.au/s/p/prashant-srivastava

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Biography

Dr Prashant Srivastava is a Soil Contaminant Chemist with three decades of cross‑sector experience in environmental and agricultural science, and a strong track record of leading multidisciplinary programs that tackle high‑priority challenges in contaminant assessment, remediation, and sustainable waste management in partnership with regulators and industry. His work spans fundamental and applied research on the fate, transport and impacts of legacy and emerging contaminants across soils, surface and groundwater, as well as in waste streams and infrastructure materials; current priorities include PFAS and other chemicals of emerging concern (including microplastics and tyre‑derived chemicals) in matrices such as soil, water, concrete/asphalt and biosolids, alongside methods to better quantify leaching from reused pavement materials. He leads collaborative efforts to develop environmentally sound beneficial‑reuse pathways for challenging waste streams - most notably GISERA projects focused on brine beneficial reuse/end‑use options linked to coal seam gas regions (including the Narrabri Gas Project region and Queensland/Surat–Bowen basin contexts) - and to enable circular‑economy outcomes for construction and road‑waste materials. Prior to CSIRO, he held senior scientific and leadership roles including Principal Scientist and Program Leader at CRC CARE, where his program delivered extensive petroleum‑hydrocarbon guidance that informed Australia’s NEPM update and created decision‑support tools for risk‑ranking and technology evaluation; he has also held research appointments in the USA and at leading universities in Australia and India. His academic foundation includes doctoral degrees from the University of Sydney and G. B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, and his research output is complemented by professional service including journal editorial roles and recognition at CSIRO for outstanding project delivery.

Academic Qualifications

  • 2006

    PhD (Soil Science / Environmental Soil Chemistry)
    University of Sydney (Australia)

  • 2002

    PhD (Soil Science / Chemistry)
    G. B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology (India)

  • 1997

    MScAgr (Soil Science)
    G. B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology (India)

  • 1995

    BSc (Chemistry, Biology)
    University of Allahabad (India)

Achievements and Awards

  • 2023-2023

    Cash Reward: Recognition Reward in appreciation for stepping in to help with the delivery of a final report which was looking problematic to deliver on time
    CSIRO

Current Roles

  • Soil Contaminant Chemist
    Soil Contaminant Chemist

Grants

  • 2023-2027

    SERDP Project ER23-C3-3761: Leaching and Mobility of Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) from Concrete and Asphalt

  • 2023-2027

    SEDRP Project ER23-3638: Development and Validation of Sealants to Mitigate Leaching and Mobility of PFAS in Concrete

  • 2024-2026

    GISERA Project W.37: Beneficial reuse and disposal options for brine in Queensland

  • 2024-2028

    Industry PhD Project: Closing the loop - Beneficial reuse of water treatment residues

  • 2023-2025

    CSIRO Jacobs Collaborative Innovation Programme: PFAS management in biosolids

  • 2022-2023

    ARC Project: Review of PFAS remediation technologies

  • 2023-2024

    GISERA Project W.32: Review of beneficial reuse or end-use options for brine from the Narrabri Gas Project (NGP) region (Completed)

  • 2020-2023

    Australian Defence Project: PFAS Leaching from Concrete and Asphalt

  • 2021-2023

    Australian Defence Project: Assessment of sealants to mitigate PFAS migration out of and into concrete

  • 2011-2013

    Green remediation options for hydrocarbon-contaminated sediments ($1,892,810)

  • 2012-2014

    Remediation of hydrocarbon contaminated soil through biopile ($1,030,841)

  • 2012-2013

    Risk-based remediation of hydrocarbon contaminated soils ($339,900)

  • 2011-2013

    Remediation of hydrocarbon contaminated soil through slurry bioreactor ($499,290)

  • 2015-2016

    Human health risk assessment of old railway sleepers ($231,112)

  • 2016-2017

    Bioremediation of hydrocarbon contaminated soils from the Former Rail Loop Ponds at Mount Whaleback – Laboratory Biopile Study ($ 129,095)

  • 2016-2017

    Hydrocarbon contaminated groundwater remediation action plan and plume containment strategy at Finucane Island, Western Australia ($23,900)

  • 2016-2017

    Finucane Island and Nelson Point vapour modelling and site investigation ($126,210‬)

  • 2015-2016

    Reviewing the remediation action plan for Burgess Point, Former Powerhouse and Locomotive Service Shop East. ($ 29,210)

  • 2011-2012

    Development of a site ranking tool software ($56,000)

  • 2012-2012

    Review of treatment of oily wastewater ($55,000)

  • 2012-2012

    Review on remediation options for disused contaminated rail sleepers ($30,000)

  • 2017-2020

    LNAPL natural source zone depletion ($2,000,000)

  • 2016-2018

    Use of silica gel cleanup in TRH analysis ($122,150)

  • 2012-2012

    Assessing the capability of ReMat in TPH removal using the large multi-sampling ports glass column ($125,000)

  • 2014-2014

    Molybdenum assessment in hydrocarbon contaminated soils ($5,000)

  • 2005-2005

    Synchrotron studies on Cd EXAFS at the Advanced Photon Source, USA (Australian Synchrotron Research Programme) ($5000)

  • 2005-2005

    Synchrotron studies on Pb EXAFS at the Photon Factory, Japan (Australian Synchrotron Research Programme) ($5000)

  • 2012-2012

    Groundwater investigation at Penrice site, Port Adelaide ($10,000)

Professional Experiences

  • 2008-2020

    Principal Scientist / Research Program Leader
    Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment & Remediation of the Environment (CRC CARE), Adelaide (Australia)

  • 2010-2022

    Adjunct Senior Research Fellow
    University of South Australia, Adelaide (Australia)

  • 2007-2008

    Environmental Scientist / Project Lead
    Coffey International, Sydney (Australia)

  • 2006-2007

    Postdoctoral Associate
    Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia (USA)

  • 2002-2006

    Research Assistant / Teaching Assistant / Demonstrator
    University of Sydney (Australia)

  • 1997-2002

    Senior Research Fellow
    G. B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology (India)

  • 1995-1997

    Research Assistant / Teaching Assistant
    G. B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology (India)

Community and Corporate Citizenship

  • 19/03/2025-19/03/2025

    Interview on ABC Radio - PFAS - Containing the Contaminants (https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/nightlife/pfas---containing-the-contaminants/105073858)

  • 2025-cont

    Member: Standards Australia Committees and Joint Standards Australia/Standards New Zealand Committee - PC-008 Biochar, Biocarbons and Associated Products

Professional Areas

Related links

Publications

We have publications by Dr Prashant Srivastava

    Published data & software

    We have published items by Dr Prashant Srivastava