Khaled Alakeel

Khaled has a BSc in Agricultural science and MSc in Range and Forest Ecosystem from King Saud University in Saudi Arabia. In 2002 / 03, he undertook a research dissertation which included experiments covering various plants testing and bio-diversity issues and titled “Ecological studies on germination and seedling growth, survival and establishment of Atriplex Halimus L.”.  In his professional tenure at HAD Co. in the KSA, he developed research interest for solving problems using empirical studies for soil, plants and water.

His PhD, started in October 2008 at Brunel University, is focused on finding a solution for water pollution created by soluble heavy metals like Cd, Cu, Zn and Pb. This study includes many experimental stages and requires special skills and techniques to operate apparatus and complex procedures such as hydroponic, microwave digestion, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS) or centrifuge to manufacture nanoparticles from heavy metals extracted by plants or soil. This study applies the concept of “phyoremediation by plants” to extract, measure and thus remove heavy metals from contaminated water tables and soil strata.