Ruben Sakrabani

Dr Sakrabani obtained a BSc (Hons) degree in Chemistry from the National University of Malaysia in 1998. He was then awarded the prestigious British High Commissioner’s Chevening Award to pursue MSc in Environmental Pollution Control at University of Leeds, UK in 1999. He then spent a year in the wastewater industry to gain some work experience and then obtained a scholarship to pursue his PhD at University of Bradford, UK which he completed in 2004.

Dr Sakrabani has more than 15 years of experience in determining nutrient dynamics in soils associated with application of organic amendments such as compost, manure, slurry, sewage sludge, biochar and digestates. His work explores the resource efficiency and reliability of organic amendments as alternative sources of fertilisers to reduce demand on inorganic fertilisers. His work explores the use of new approaches where prediction of nutrient release from organic amendments can be exploited in order to maximise resource efficiency and promote sustainable intensification of agriculture. As a chemist his expertise also lies in the fate and transport of heavy metals and micropollutants that may be present in organic amendments when applied to soils and how this can influence efficacy of soil microbes to mineralise nutrients that are locked up. He has a good track record being involved in projects on biosolids application to land in relation to its use as alternative phosphorus fertiliser. His recent work funded by Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) has resulted in the Phosphate Acceptance Map. He has published in over 40 peer reviewed journals and is currently the Associate Editor of Soil Use and Management. He is a member of the Nutrient Technical Expert Advisory Group, Livestock Environmental Assessment and Performance Partnership, Food and Agricultural Organisation, United Nations, Rome. He also sits within the Struvite, Biochar, Ash sub-group of the EU Commission Expert Group on Fertilisers. His work related to sanitation is linked to valorisation of faecal sludge into fertilisers in Madagascar, Kenya and Haiti. He is currently being considered to be part of the UN Global Partnership in Nutrient Management.

His research interest extends to developing countries and has been engaging with researchers in Malawi, Pakistan, Madagascar, South India and Malaysia.