Agriculture and Science

Dr Ajay Bissessur completed his BSc degree at the former University of Durban-Westville (now UKZN) majoring in Chemistry and Microbiology. He went on to complete his Honours and a subsequent Master’s degree in Electroanalytical chemistry (Determination of Sn in canned foods by Anodic Stripping Voltammetry). His PhD research focused on studies on trans-esterification of fatty acids for production of high-quality biodiesel by magnetic-impulse high-frequency cavitation processing on activated carbon-hydrotalcite support. In addition, to this research, he also carried out intensive on research on the acid bisulfite processing of Eucalyptus grandis and Pinus patula to dissolving pulp and manufacture of rayon viscose.

His lecturing career started in the field of Inorganic chemistry and he spent much of his earlier research as an organometallic chemist focusing on the synthesis of Fe, Ru and Os carbonyl complexes, alkene-alkyne metathesis reactions, oxidation and reductive elimination reactions of alkenes and alkynes. Currently, his research focus is on the pulp & paper industry, cellulose and lignin chemistry, insulating oils and materials, surfactants, and waste oil analysis petroleum chemistry, as well as desalination and water research.

Dr Ajay Bissessur serves as head Mentor of the South African Chemistry Olympiad Team to the International Chemistry Olympiad and the International Junior Science Olympiad.