Daniyar Seitkali

Nazarbayev University / Environmental Remediation Engineering

Advisor: Prof. Yerlan Abenov

Daniyar Seitkali synthesises carboxymethyl cellulose-stabilised nanoscale zerovalent iron particles and characterises their ability to reductively dechlorinate and degrade petroleum hydrocarbons in the contaminated aquifer systems surrounding ageing oil infrastructure in Kazakhstan's Caspian Basin. At Nazarbayev University's Chemistry department, supervised by Prof. Yerlan Abenov, he has established that particle size below 50 nm dramatically extends subsurface transport distance — a critical factor for reaching the contaminant plume core without excavation. His column experiments in sand-packed reactors filled with Caspian Basin sediment show 89% BTEX removal efficiency at 0.5 g/L nZVI dosing within 72 hours, with minimal iron breakthrough due to the cellulose polymer coating. A consulting arrangement with KazMunayGas's environmental remediation division provides contamination site characterisation data and will fund a pilot-scale injection test at an Atyrau region site in 2026. Daniyar's co-PI position on an Astana International Financial Centre innovation grant and his RemTech Europe conference registration both underscore the real-world applicability of his research.