Dr. Chhatra Sharma is a freshwater ecologist. His research involves analyses of different compartments of lakes and rivers such as biota (particularly fish), water, and sediments. His keen focus is to find out mercury (Hg) and persistent organic pollutant (POP) levels and relate these pollutants to health. In addition, he investigates other heavy metals in sediments and water from high altitude lakes.

Analyses of biota occupying different trophic levels give more information on bioaccumulation and biomagnifications of these pollutants up the food chain. This helps scientists to find out whether top-level consumers in lakes such as predator fishes pose risk to human health through consumption. On the other hand, lake sediment analyses give history of pollution in an area; for example his team found out the history of Hg pollution in Mt. Everest region of Nepal for more than 200 years.

He started doing research in this field when he was at Norwegian University of Life Sciences (Norway) since 2004. Then he returned his home country (Nepal) to start similar work where scientific research has very slow progress. As these researches need a lot of efforts and costs, he has been collaborating with the scientists from Chinese Academy of Sciences (China), Lappeenranta University of Technology (Finland), and Norwegian University of Life Sciences (Norway).

Publications in peer reviewed journals

1. Dahal, B.M., Raut, N., Gurung, S., Sharma, C.M., Kayastha, R., Shrestha, A., Gautam, B. (accepted). Changing trends in cultivation practices and adoption of climate adaptive farming in eastern Nepal. Sustainable Agriculture Research. 7(3):

2. Gurung, S., Gurung, A., Sharma, C., Jüttner, I., Tripathee, L., Bajracharya, R., Raut, N., Pradhananga, P., Sitaula, B., Zhang, Y., Kang, S., Guo, J. (accepted). Hydrochemistry of Lake Rara: a high mountain lake in western Nepal. Lakes & Reservoirs: Research & Management.

3. Tripathee, L., Kang, S., Guo, J., Paudyal, R., Huang, J., Sharma, C.M., Zhang, Q., Rupakheti, D., Chen, P., Sharma, P., Gyawali, A. (accepted). Concentration and risk assessments of mercury along an elevation gradient in soils of the Langtang Himalayas, Nepal. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment.

4. Rai, A., Niraula, A., Ghimire, P., Pandey, A., Gurung, A., Sharma, C.M., Gurung, S. 2018. Assessment of the impacts of trout farming on water quality using macroinvertebrates as bio-indicators. Journal of Institute of Science and Technology 22(2):175-182 (http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jist.v22i2.19610).

5. Neupane, B., Chen, P., Kang, S., Tripathee, L., Rupakheti, D., Sharma, C.M. 2018. Health risk assessment of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons over the central Himalayas. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment (DOI: 10.1080/10807039.2018.1435254).

6. Jüttner, I., Williams, D.M., Gurung, S., Van de Vijver, B., Levkov, J., Sharma, C.M., Sharma, S., Cox, E.J. 2017. The genus Odontidium (Bacillariophyta) in the Himalaya - a preliminary account of some taxa and their distribution. Phytotaxa 332(1):1-21 (DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.332.1.1).

7. Pandey, A., Sharma, C.M., Kang, S., Zhang, Q., Tripathee, L., Guo, J., Li, X., Sun, S., Paudyal, R., Acharya, P., Sillanpää, M. 2017. Mercury concentrations in fish community from Indrawati River, Nepal. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination & Toxicology 99(4):500-5 (DOI: 10.1007/s00128-017-2161-z).

8. Raut, R., Bajracharya, R.M., Sharma, S., Sharma, C.M., Kang, S., Zhang, Q., Tripathee, L., Chen, P., Rupakheti, D., Guo, J., Dongol, B.S. 2017. Potentially toxic trace metals in water and lake-bed sediment of Panchpokhari, an alpine lake series in the Central Himalayan region of Nepal. Water, Air & Soil Pollution 228:303 (DOI: 10.1007/s11270-017-3467-5).

9. Ghimire, P., Niraula, A., Rai, A., Pandey, A., Gurung, S., Sharma, C.M. 2017. Assessment of physico-chemical parameters of Rainbow trout farms for the evaluation of potential threat to natural streams. International Journal of Environment 6(2):43-55 (DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v6i2.17361).

10. Rupakheti, D., Tripathee, L., Kang, S., Sharma, C.M., Paudyal, R., Sillanpää, M. 2017. Assessment of water quality and health risk for toxic trace elements in urban Phewa and remote Gosainkunda Lakes, Nepal. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment 23(5):959-73 (DOI: 10.1080/10807039.2017.1292117).

11. Rosseland, B.O., Teien, H.-C., Basnet, S., Borgstrøm, R., Sharma, C.M. 2017. Trace elements and organochlorine pollutants in selected fish species from Lake Phewa, Nepal. Toxicological & Environmental Chemistry 99(3):390-401 (DOI: 10.1080/02772248.2016.1189915).

12. Paudyal, R., Kang, S., Sharma, C.M., Tripathee, L., Sillanpää, M. 2016. Variations of the physicochemical parameters and metal levels and their risk assessment in urbanized Bagmati River, Kathmandu, Nepal. Journal of Chemistry (DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/6025905).

13. Tripathee, L., Kang, S., Sharma, C.M., Rupakheti, D., Paudyal, R., Huang, J., Sillanpää, M. 2016. Preliminary health risk assessment of potentially toxic metals in surface water of the Himalayan Rivers, Nepal. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 97(6):855-62 (DOI: 10.1007/s00128-016-1945-x).

14. Tripathee, L., Kang, S., Rupakheti, D., Zhang, Q., Bajracharya, R.M., Sharma, C.M., Huang, J., Gyawali, A., Paudyal, R., Sillanpää, M. 2016. Spatial distribution, sources and risk assessment of potentially toxic trace elements and rare earth elements in soils of the Langtang Himalaya, Nepal. Environmental Earth Sciences 75(19):1332 (DOI: 10.1007/s12665-016-6140-1).

15. Kang, S., Huang, J., Wang, F., Zhang, Q., Zhang, Y., Li, C., Wang, L., Chen, P., Sharma, C.M., Li, Q., Sillanpää, M., Hou, J., Xu, B., Guo, J. 2016. Atmospheric mercury depositional chronology reconstructed from lake sediment and ice cores in the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau. Environmental Science & Technology 50:2859-69 (DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b04172).

16. Paudyal, R., Kang, S., Sharma, C.M., Tripathee, L., Huang, J., Rupakheti, D., Sillanpää, M. 2016. Major ions and trace elements of two selected rivers near Everest region, southern Himalayas, Nepal. Environmental Earth Sciences 75:46 (DOI: 10.1007/s12665-015-4811-y).

17. Raut, R., Bajracharya, R.M., Sharma, S., Sharma, C.M., Dongol, B.S. 2015. Seasonal variation of water chemistry of Panchpokhari: a case study of an alpine lake series in the Central Himalayas. Jacobs Journal of Hydrology 1(1):002.

18. Sharma, C.M., Dangal, M.R., Shrestha-Pradhan, N., Thapa-Lama, R.K., Rai, S.K. 2015. Mountains and Rivers: impacts of and responses to flash flood in a mountainous river: A case study from the Seti River in Nepal. Jacobs Journal of Hydrology 1(1):005.

19. Sharma, C.M. 2015. Can bio-manipulation be related to fisheries and aquaculture through environmental perspective? Fisheries and Aquaculture Journal 6(1):1000e116 (DOI: 10.4172/2150-3508.10000e116).

20. Sharma, C.M., Kang, S., Sillanpää, M., Li, Q., Zhang, Q., Huang, J., Tripathee, L., Sharma, S., Paudyal, R. 2015. Mercury and selected trace elements from a remote (Gosainkunda) and an urban (Phewa) lake waters of Nepal. Water, Air and Soil Pollution 226:6 (DOI: 10.1007/s11270-014-2276-3).

21. Dahal, K.R., Dhital D., Sharma, C.M. 2015. Economic activities associated with extraction of riverbed materials in the Tinau River, Nepal. International Journal of Economics & Management Science 4(6):263 (DOI: 10.4172/2162-6359.1000263).

22. Dahal, K.R., Manandhar, M., Sharma, C.M. 2015. People’s perception on impact of climate change in PaschimAmawa and Tikuligadh village development committee (VDC) of Rupandehi district, Nepal. International Journal of Environment 4(1):141-60 (DOI: 10.3126/ije.v4i1.12185).

23. Thapa, D.S., Sharma, C.M., Kang, S., Sillanpää, M. 2014. The risk of mercury exposure to the people consuming fish from Lake Phewa, Nepal. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 11:6771-9 (DOI: 10.3390/ijerph110706771).

24. Tripathee, L., Kang, S., Huang, J., Sharma, C.M., Sillanpää, M., Guo, J., Paudyal, R. 2014. Concentrations of trace elements in the wet deposition over the Central Himalayas, Nepal. Atmospheric Environment 95:231-8 (DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2014.06.043).

25. Tripathee, L., Kang, S., Huang, J., Sillanpää, M., Sharma, C.M., Lüthi, Z.L., Guo, J., Paudyal, R. 2014. Ionic composition of wet precipitation over the southern slope of central Himalayas, Nepal. Environmental Science and Pollution Research 21(4):2677-87 (DOI: 10.1007/s11356-013-2197-5).

26. Sharma, C.M., Basnet, S., Kang, S., Rosseland, B.O., Zhang, Q., Pan, K., Borgstrøm, R., Li, Q., Wang, W.-X., Huang, J., Teien, H.-K., Sharma, S. 2013. Mercury concentrations in commercial fish species of Lake Phewa, Nepal. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 91:272-7 (DOI: 10.1007/s00128-013-1055-y).

27. Dahal, K.R., Sharma, C.M., Gupta, R.K. 2013. Threats on fisheries resources and fishers' livelihood due to riverbed extraction in the Tinau River, Nepal. Journal of Sustainable Environmental Research 2(1):1-11.

28. Dahal, K.R., Sharma, S., Sharma, C.M. 2012. A review of riverbed extraction and its effects on aquatic environment with special reference to Tinau River, Nepal. Hydro Nepal 11:49-56 (DOI: 10.3126/hn.v11i0.7163).

29. Dahal, K.R., Sharma, S., Sharma, C.M., Bajracharya, R.M. 2012. Effects of riverbed extraction on physico-chemical parameters of Tinau River, Nepal. International Journal of Development and Sustainability 1(2):255-67.

30. Raut, R., Sharma, S., Bajracharya, R.M., Sharma, C.M., Gurung, S. 2012. Physico-chemical characterization of Gosainkunda Lake. Nepal Journal of Science and Technology 13:107-14 (DOI: 10.3126/njst.v13i1.7449).

31. Li, C., Kang, S., Zhang, Q., Sharma, C.M. 2012. Effectiveness of rare earth elements on different materials: a case study in central Asia. Environmental Earth Sciences 67:1415-21 (DOI: 10.1007/s12665-012-1586-2).

32. Sharma, C.M., Sharma, S., Bajracharya, R.M., Gurung, S., Jüttner, I., Kang, S., Zhang, Q., Li, Q. 2012. First results on bathymetry and limnology of high-altitude lakes in the Gokyo Valley, Sagarmatha (Everest) National Park, Nepal. Limnology 13:181-92 (DOI: 10.1007/s10201-011-0366-0).

33. Sharma, C.M., Borgstrøm, R., Rosseland, B.O. 2011. Biomanipulation in Lake Årungen, Norway: A tool of biological control. In: Ansari, A.A., Singh Gill, S., Lanza, G.R., Rast, W. (eds.) Eutrophication: causes, consequences and control. Springer 292-323 (DOI: 10.1007/978-90-481-9625-8_15).

34. Van de Vijver, B., Jüttner, I., Gurung, S., Sharma, C., Sharma, S., de Haan, M., Cox, E.J. 2011. The genus Cymbopleura(Cymbellales, Bacillariophyta) from high altitude freshwater habitats, Everest National Park, Nepal, with the description of two new species. Fottea 11:245-69 (DOI: 10.5507/fot.2011.025).

35. Jüttner, I., Gurung, S., Sharma, C., Sharma, S., de Haan, M., Van de Vijver, B. 2010. Morphology of new taxa in the Cymbella aspera and Cymbella neocistula groups, Cymbella yakii sp. nov., and Cymbella cf. hantzschiana from Everest National Park, Nepal. Polish Botanical Journal 55:73-92.

36. Li, C., Kang, S., Zhang, Q., Gao, S., Sharma, C.M. 2010. Heavy metals in sediments of the Yarlung Tsangbo and its connection with arsenic problem in Ganges-Brahmaputra basin. Environmental Geochemistry and Health 33:23-32 (DOI: 10.1007/s10653-010-9311-0).

37. Jüttner, I., Krammer, K., Vijver, B.V., Tuji, A., Simkhada, B., Gurung, S., Sharma, S., Sharma, C., Cox, E.J. 2010. Oricymba(Cymbellales, Bacillariophyceae), a new cymbelloid genus and three new species from the Nepalese Himalaya. Phycologia 49(5):407-23 (DOI: 10.2216/09-77.1).

38. Gurung, S., Sharma, S., Sharma, C.M. 2009. A brief review on limnological status of high altitude lakes in Nepal. Journal of Wetlands Ecology 3:12-22 (DOI: 10.3126/jowe.v3i0.2387).

39. Sharma, C.M., Rosseland, B.O., Almvik, M., Eklo, O.M. 2009. Bioaccumulation of organochlorine pollutants in the fish community in Lake Årungen. Environmental Pollution 157:2452-58 (DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2009.03.007).

40. Sharma, C.M. 2008. Freshwater fishes, fisheries, and habitat prospects of Nepal. Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management 11:289-97 (DOI: 10.1080/14634980802317329).

41. Sharma, C.M., Borgstrøm, R. 2008. Increased population density of pike Esox lucius – a result of selective exploitation of large individuals. Ecology of Freshwater Fish 17:590-6 (DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0633.2008.00310.x).

42. Sharma, C.M., Borgstrøm, R., Jørgen, H., Rosseland, B.O. 2008. Selective exploitation of large pike Esox lucius– Effects on mercury concentrations in fish populations. Science of the Total Environment 399:33-40 (DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2008.03.026).

43. Sharma, C.M., Borgstrøm, R. 2008. Shift in density, habitat use and diet of perch and roach: An effect of changed predation pressure after manipulation of pike. Fisheries Research 91(1):98-106 (DOI: 10.1016/j.fishres.2007.11.011).

44. Sharma, C.M., Borgstrøm, R. 2007. Age determination and back-calculation of pike length through use of the metapterygoid bone. Journal of Fish Biology 70:1636-41 (DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2007.01435.x).

45. Sharma, C.M., Sharma, S., Borgstrom, R., Bryceson, I. 2005. Impacts of a small dam on macroinvertebrates: a case study in the Tinau River, Nepal. Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management 8:267-75 (DOI: 10.1080/14634980500218332).

46. Acharya, P., Sharma, C.M., Kang, S., Tripathee, L., Zhang, Q., Guo, J., Li, X., Sun, S., Sillanpää, M. (under review). Low biomagnification of mercury in fish community: a case study of Jagadishpur Reservoir, Nepal. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology.

47. Raut, N., Dahal, B.M., Gurung, S., Sharma, C.M., Kayastha, R., Shrestha, A., Gautam, B. (under review). Changing trends in cultivation practices and adoption of climate adaptive farming in Eastern Nepal. Agriculture and Human Values.

48. Jüttner, I., Kociolek, J.P., Gurung, S., Gurung, A., Sharma, C.M., Levkov, Z., Williams, D.M., Ector, L. (submitted). The genus Gomphonema (Bacillariophyta) in Rara Lake, Nepal: taxonomy, morphology, habitat distribution, and description of five new species. Diatom Research.

49. Paudyal, R., Kang, S., Sharma, C.M., Tripathee, L., Guo, J., Huang, J., Niu, H., Sun, S. (ready for submission). Concentrations and environmental implications of mercury in southeastern Tibetan Plateau.