Dr Mahmood Sadat-Noori

Dr. Mahmood Sadat-Noori is a Lecturer at the Water Research Laboratory within the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Mahmood holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Water Engineering both from the University of Tehran and a Ph.D. degree in Groundwater Hydrology from Southern Cross University, Australia. His research operates at the interface between two fields; hydrology and geochemistry. His research interest is in quantifying groundwater - surface water interactions in coastal and inland environments and understanding how groundwater discharge into surface water bodies can influence surface water quantity and quality. This has implications for water quality management as groundwater discharge can act as a pathway for transporting dissolved nutrients, carbon, metal, and greenhouse gases to surface water bodies such as streams, estuaries, lakes, and wetlands.

Mahmood employs a multi-disciplinary approach to investigate groundwater - surface water interactions by conducting large-scale field investigations, and using hydrogeological, hydrochemical, and environmental tracer data, such as radon (Rn-222), radium isotopes (Ra-223,224, 226), and water stable isotopes (O-18 and H-2). His Ph.D. research introduced a novel sampling approach for reducing uncertainties related to quantifying groundwater discharge in estuaries using radon, (a natural groundwater tracer) through field investigation and analytical analysis. His current research is focused on understanding the role of groundwater in the carbon cycle of wetlands that have undergone restoration and how over-pumping of groundwater resources (for agriculture, industry, and water supply) can affect groundwater dependant ecosystems.