Uzair Akbar Khan

I am a researcher at the Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment at SLU, with a background in civil and environmental engineering. My work focuses on understanding and mitigating the impacts of hazardous pollutants in wastewater and natural water systems, particularly in the context of water reuse and the transition to a circular water economy. This includes studying global patterns of water reuse, regulatory frameworks, and developing approaches for the prioritization of chemical contaminants based on risk and hazard assessment. 

I am also interested in nature-based solutions (e.g., constructed and natural wetlands, and woodchip bioreactors) and advanced treatment technologies for the removal of metals, nutrients, and organic micropollutants to support safe water reuse and environmental protection. A key part of my research involves investigating the biogeochemical and hydraulic processes that govern contaminant behavior in soil and water, and how these processes are influenced by climate change. This also includes exploring how climate-driven changes—such as altered temperature regimes or extreme weather events—affect hydrological patterns. I am especially interested in pollutant mobilization and reactive transport under extreme weather conditions, including those specific to cold climate regions. 

Selected Publications

Khan, U.A., Löffler, P., Spilsbury, F., Wiberg, K., Stålsby Lundborg, C., & Lai, F.Y. (2024) Towards sustainable water reuse: A critical review and meta-analysis of emerging chemical contaminants with risk-based evaluation, health hazard prediction and prioritization for assessment of effluent water quality. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 480, 136175.

Khan, U.A., Kujala, K., Nieminen, S.P., Räisänen, M.L., & Ronkanen, A.-K. (2019). Arsenic, antimony, and nickel leaching from northern peatlands treating mining influenced water in cold climate. Science of The Total Environment, 657, 1161–1172. 

Khan, U.A., Kujala, K., Planer-Friedrich, B., Räisänen, M.L., & Ronkanen, A.-K. (2020). Long-term data reveals the importance of hydraulic load and inflow water quality for Sb removal in boreal treatment peatlands. Ecological Engineering, 148, 105785. 

Heiderscheidt, E., Khan, U.A., Kujala, K., Ronkanen, A.-K., & Postila, H. (2020). Design, construction and monitoring of pilot systems to evaluate the effect of freeze-thaw cycles on pollutant retention in wetlands. Science of The Total Environment, 703, 134713. 

Kujala, K., Laamanen, T., Khan, U.A., Besold, J., & Planer-Friedrich, B. (2022). Kinetics of arsenic and antimony reduction and oxidation in peatlands treating mining-affected waters: Effects of microbes, temperature, and carbon substrate. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 167, 108598.

Khan, U.A., Postila, H., Kujala, K., Heiderscheidt, E. & Ronkanen, A.-K. (2022) Capability of HYDRUS wetland module to simulate flow and nitrogen removal processes in pilot-scale treatment peatlands under frost and no-frost conditions — Evaluation under frost and no frost conditions. Ecological Engineering, 184, 106790.

2022-2024 Post-Doctoral Researcher at Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Faculty of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences (NJ), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden.

2021-2022 Post-Doctoral Researcher at Water, Energy, and Environmental Engineering Research Unit, Faculty of Technology, University of Oulu, Finland. 

2016-2020 Doctor of Science (Tech.) in Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Technology, University of Oulu, Finland.

2013-2015 Master of Science (Tech.) in Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Technology, University of Oulu, Finland.

2003-2007 Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Lahore, Pakistan