Ekta Yadav

PHD STUDENT

 

Ekta Yadav
PHD STUDENT

Centro Joxe Mari Korta
Avenida de Tolosa, 72
20018 Donostia - San Sebastián
Spain

email: ekta.yadav@polymat.eu
Tel:+34 943 015309

Education

I completed my bachelor's degree in chemistry in 2021 from Shyam Lal College, University of Delhi (DU), India, where I developed an interest in green chemistry. Following this, I earned my master's degree in chemistry from Delhi Technological University (DTU), India, in 2023.
For my master's thesis, I worked on the project titled "Synthesis and Application of Zinc-Loaded Carboxymethyl Tamarind Kernel Gum and Xanthan Gum-Based Superabsorbent Hydrogels to Investigate Their Effect on Sesame Plant Growth" under the guidance of Prof. Sudhir G. Warkar.
In June 2023, I began a six-month internship at Environmental Consultancy (Perfact Researchers Pvt. Limited) as a Junior Chemical Analyst, a position I secured through university placement.
From December 2023 to August 2024, I worked as a Project Associate-1 at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Bhopal, India, under the supervision of Dr. Paramita Das, contributing to the project "Development of Environmentally Friendly Controlled-Release P-Fertilizer and its Evaluation with Plant Growth-Promoting Microbes on Soybean Productivity and Soil Microbial Health".
In October 2024, I joined POLYMAT to pursue my pre-doctoral studies under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Danila Merino.

Research

My research centers on the fabrication of biodegradable and superabsorbent hydrogel. For my master's project, I developed a zinc-incorporated superabsorbent hydrogel (ZSAH) by incorporating zinc micronutrient into xanthan gum and carboxymethyl tamarind kernel gum with sodium methacrylate. I optimized the hydrogel composition by adjusting the concentrations of biopolymers, monomer, crosslinker, and initiator. Zinc chloride was incorporated into the best-swelling hydrogel to facilitate the controlled release of zinc as a micronutrient.
During my internship, I worked in the soil department, where I was responsible for testing various soil parameters, including pH, electrical conductivity, moisture content, chloride, bicarbonate, available phosphorus, and phosphate content.
From December 2023 to August 2024, I worked at IISER Bhopal, focusing on synthesizing a bio-based nanocomposite hydrogel for the slow and controlled release of fertilizer. A biodegradable polymer matrix, crosslinked and reinforced with nanofiller, was used to improve the mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties of the hydrogel while achieving a controlled release of the fertilizer


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