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Absar Alum

Absar Alum

Assistant Research Professor, School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering

Alum@asu.edu

480-965-6268

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment
Arizona State University
PO Box 873005
Tempe, AZ 85287-3005

Titles

  • Senior Global Futures Scientist, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory
  • Assistant Research Professor, School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering

Biography

Absar Alum joined the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Arizona State University in 2001. His research is in the area of health related environmental microbiology with primary focus on the survival, transport, and control of microbial pathogens in soil, fresh water, wastewater, biofilms and biosolids. He has extensive experience in the application of cultural and molecular techniques for the detection of bacteria, viruses, parasites, algae and fungi. He is also involved in the development of rapid methodologies for the detection of pathogens. Dr. Alum played an instrumental role in the establishment of environmental toxicology research at ASU using cell culture based assay.

Education

  • PhD, Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences, University of Arizona, 2001
  • MS (honors), Agriculture, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan, 1986
  • BS (honors), Agriculture, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan, 1984

Expertise

External Links

Journal Articles

2018

Alghamdi, H., A. Dakhane, A. Alum, M. Abbaszadegan, B. Mobasher and N. Neithalath. 2018. Synthesis and characterization of economical, multi-functional porous ceramics based on abundant aluminosilicates. Materials & Design 152(Aug):10-21. DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2018.04.060. (link )

Alum, A., A. Alboloushi and M. Abbaszadegan. 2018. Copper nanoparticles toxicity: Laboratory strains verses environmental bacterial isolates. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A: Toxic/Hazardous Substances and Environmental Engineering 53(7):643-650. DOI: 10.1080/10934529.2018.1429727. (link )

Bi, Y., E. I. Westerband, A. Alum, F. C. Brown, M. Abbaszadegan, K. D. Hristovski, A. L. Hicks and P. K. Westerhoff. 2018. Antimicrobial efficacy and life cycle impact of silver-containing food containers. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 6(10):13086-13095. DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.8b02639. (link )

Bone, S., A. Alum, J. Markovski, K. D. Hristovski, E. Bar-Zeev, Y. Kaufman, M. Abbaszadegan and F. Perreault. 2018. Physisorption and chemisorption of T4 bacteriophages on amino functionalized silica particles. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 535(Dec):68-76. DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2018.07.107. (link )

McBurnett, L. R., N. T. Holt, A. Alum and M. Abbaszadegan. 2018. Legionella - A threat to groundwater: Pathogen transport in recharge basin. Science of The Total Environment 621(Apr):1485-1490. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.10.080. (link )

2017

Hesari, N., N. K. Yilmazcoban, M. Elzein, A. Alum and M. Abbaszadegan. 2017. A strategy to establish a quality assurance/quality control plan for the application of biosensors for the detection of E. coli in water. Biosensors 7(1):Art. 3. DOI: 10.3390/bios7010003. (link )

2016

Hesari, N., A. Alum, M. Elzein and M. Abbaszadegan. 2016. A biosensor platform for rapid detection of E. coli in drinking water. Enzyme and Microbial Technology 83(Feb):22-28. DOI: 10.1016/j.enzmictec.2015.11.007. (link )

Kabiri, L., A. Alum, C. Rock, J. E. McLain and M. Abbaszadegan. 2016. A tool box strategy using Bacteroides genetic markers to differentiate human from non-human sources of fecal contamination in natural water. Science of the Total Environment 572(Dec):897-905. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.07.188. (link )

2015

Abbaszadegan, M., M. Yi and A. Alum. 2015. Stimulation of 2-methylisoborneol (MIB) production by actinomycetes after cyclic chlorination in drinking water distribution systems. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A. Toxic/Hazardous Substances and Environmental Engineering 50(4):265-271. DOI: 10.1080/10934529.2015.987526. (link )

Schwake, D., A. Alum and M. Abbaszadegan. 2015. Automobile windshield washer fluid: A potential source of transmission of Legionella. Science of the Total Environment 526(Sep):271-277. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.03.122. (link )

Schwake, D. O., A. Alum and M. Abbaszadegan. 2015. Impact of environmental factors on Legionella populations in drinking water. Pathogens 4(2):269-282. DOI: 10.3390/pathogens4020269. (link )

Yavarmanesh, M., A. Alum and M. Abbaszadegan. 2015. Occurrence of noroviruses and their correlation with microbial indicators in raw milk. Food and Environmental Virology 7(3):232-238. DOI: 10.1007/s12560-015-9185-5. (link )

2014

Alum, A., C. Rock and M. Abbaszadegan. 2014. A unified method to process biosolids samples for the recovery of bacterial, viral, and helminths pathogens. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A: Toxic/Hazardous Substances and Environmental Engineering 49(6):679-684. DOI: 10.1080/10934529.2014.865451. (link )

2013

Elzein, M., A. Alum and M. Abbaszadegan. 2013. Biochemical signature assay for use in a biosensor platform to detect bacteria in drinking water biofilms. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A: Toxic/Hazardous Substances and Environmental Engineering 48(8):925-932. DOI: 10.1080/10934529.2013.762736. (link )

Kabiri, L., A. Alum, C. Rock, J. M. McLain and M. Abbaszadegan. 2013. Isolation of Bacteriodes from fish and human fecal samples for identification of unique molecular markers. Canadian Journal of Microbiology 59(12):771-777. DOI: 10.1139/cjm-2013-0518. (link )

Yavarmanesh, M., M. Abbaszadegan, A. Alum, M. B. Habibi Najafi, M. R. Bassami and M. R. Nassiri. 2013. Impact of milk components on recovery of viral RNA from MS2 bacteriophage. Food and Environmental Virology 5(2):103-109. DOI: 10.1007/s12560-013-9107-3. (link )

2012

Biyela, P. T., H. Ryu, A. Brown, A. Alum, M. Abbaszadegan and B. E. Rittmann. 2012. Expanded Summary; Distribution systems as reservoirs of Naegleria fowleri and other amoebae. Journal of American Water Works Association 104(1):49-51. DOI: 10.5942/jawwa.2012.104.0007#sthash.VRlcz2vE.dpuf. (link )

2011

Abbaszadegan, M., A. Alum, H. Abbaszadegan and V. Stout. 2011. Cell surface display of poliovirus reception on E. coli: A novel method for concentrating viral particles in water. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 77(15):5141-5148. DOI: 10.1128/AEM.00071-11. (link )

2010

Rock, C., A. Alum and M. Abbaszadegan. 2010. PCR inhibitor levels in concentrates of biosolid samples predicted by a new method based on excitation-emission matrix spectroscopy. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 76(24):8102-8109. DOI: 10.1128/AEM.02339-09. (link )

2009

Alum, A., B. Mobasher, A. Rashid and M. Abbaszadegan. 2009. Image analyses-based nondisruptive method to quantify algal growth on concrete surfaces. Journal of Environmental Engineering 135(3):185-190. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9372(2009)135:3(185)#sthash.gjH6HTOP.dpuf. (link )

Gupta, V., W. P. Johnson, P. Shafieian, A. Alum, M. Abbaszadegan, S. A. Hubbs and T. Rauch-Williams. 2009. Riverbank filtration: Comparison of pilot scale transport with theory. Environmental Science & Technology 43(3):669-676. DOI: 10.1021/es8016396. (link )

Gupta, V., W. P. Johnson, P. Shafieian, H. Ryu, A. Alum, M. Abbaszadegan, S. A. Hubbs and T. Rauch-Williams. 2009. Addition/Correction: Riverbank filtration: Comparison of pilot scale transport with theory. Environmental Science & Technology 43(8):2992. DOI: 10.1021/es900430y. (link )

Rahman, R., A. Alum, H. Ryu and M. Abbaszadegan. 2009. Identification of microbial faecal sources in the New River in the United States–Mexican border region. Journal of Water and Health 7(2):267-275. DOI: 10.2166/wh.2009.025. (link )

2008

Abbaszadegan, M., P. Monteiro, N. Nwachuku, A. Alum and H. Ryu. 2008. Removal of adenovirus, calicivirus, and bacteriophages by conventional drinking water treatment. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A 43(2):171-177. DOI: 10.1080/10934520701781541. (link )

Alum, A., A. Rashid, B. Mobasher and M. Abbaszadegan. 2008. Cement-based biocide coatings for controlling algal growth in water distribution canals. Cement and Concrete Composites 30(9):839-847. DOI: 10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2008.06.012. (link )

2007

Ryu, H., A. Alum, K. D. Mena and M. Abbaszadegan. 2007. Assessment of the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and Giardia in non-potable reclaimed water. Water Science & Technology 55(1-2):283-290. DOI: 10.2166/wst.2007.047. (link )

Book Chapters

2016

Abbaszadegan, M. and A. Alum. 2016. Waterborne enteric viruses: Diversity, distribution, and detection. In: Yates, M. V., C. H. Nakatsu, R. V. Miller and S. D. Pillai eds., Manual of Environmental Microbiology, Fourth Edition. ASM Press. Washington, DC. ISBN: 978-1555816025.

Alum, A., E. N. Villegas, S. P. Keely, K. R. Bright, L. Y. Sifuentes and M. Abbaszadegan. 2016. Detection of protozoa in surface and finished waters. In: Yates, M. V., C. H. Nakatsu, R. V. Miller and S. D. Pillai eds., Manual of Environmental Microbiology, Fourth Edition. ASM Press. Washington, DC. ISBN: 978-1555816025.

2004

Abbaszadegan, M. and A. Alum. 2004. Chapter 2. Microbiological contaminants and threats of concern. Pp. 2.1-2.13 In: Mays, L. W. ed., Water Supply Systems Security. McGraw-Hill. New York, NY. ISBN: 978-0071425315.