Dr. Maryam Tajbakhshian is an Iranian environmental geologist and researcher at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, specializing in environmental geology, sedimentology, hydrogeology, and hydrogeochemistry, with a strong research focus on water and soil quality assessment, sediment transport, and sustainable water resource management in arid and semi-arid regions.
Online Profiles
She maintains an active international research presence through ORCID (0000-0002-5352-1606) and indexed academic platforms that document her peer-reviewed publications, citation record, and reviewer activities in environmental and geological sciences.
Education
Dr. Tajbakhshian earned her Ph.D. in Geology from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (2016) with a dissertation on sedimentation rates and sediment transport effects on reservoir water quality, following an M.Sc. in Environmental Geology (2012) focused on soil and water pollution from sulfur production in gas refineries, and a B.Sc. in Geology from Payam Noor University of Mashhad (2005).
Research Focus
Her research interests include environmental geology, hydrogeochemistry, groundwater and surface water quality assessment, sediment yield and erosion modeling, soil salinity, dam basin sedimentation, multivariate statistical analysis, GIS-based spatial assessment, and sustainable management of water resources.
Experience
Dr. Tajbakhshian has served as a researcher in the Department of Geology at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, contributing to academic research, peer-review activities, and supervision and evaluation of research projects at innovation and research centers, alongside active engagement in national scientific committees.
Research Timeline & Research Contributions
Her early research focused on environmental impacts of sulfur production on soil and water systems (2012–2016), followed by extensive studies on sediment transport, reservoir sedimentation, and hydrogeochemical processes in dam basins and plains of northeastern Iran, progressively integrating advanced statistical methods, GIS, and long-term environmental trend analysis.
Research Impact
Dr. Tajbakhshian has authored 19 peer-reviewed publications in national and international journals, including Arabian Journal of Geosciences, Ecohydrology, Journal of Mountain Science, and Environmental Geochemistry and Health, contributing actionable scientific evidence for water quality protection and sustainable environmental management.
Innovation & Intellectual Property
Her research demonstrates innovation through the combined use of hydrogeochemical indices, multivariate statistics, GIS-based modeling, and erosion assessment tools to evaluate complex groundwater–surface water systems, supporting data-driven environmental decision-making, although no patents are currently reported.
Research Projects & Funding
She has actively contributed to university-supported and applied research projects related to water resources, sediment management, environmental flow estimation, and groundwater quality assessment, and has served as a supervisor and evaluator for research projects at innovation centers.
Conference Contributions
Dr. Tajbakhshian has presented her research at numerous national and international conferences on environmental science, water resources, and geology, contributing peer-reviewed papers on water quality, sediment yield, environmental flow, and hydrogeochemical assessment.
Academic Excellence
Her academic excellence is reflected in sustained research productivity, doctoral-level specialization, peer-reviewer roles for multiple scientific journals, and recognition as a subject-matter expert in environmental geology and hydrogeochemistry.
Societal / Industry Contribution
Her work directly supports environmental protection, agricultural sustainability, and public health by addressing water and soil quality challenges in industrial and agricultural regions, particularly those affected by gas refinery operations and intensive groundwater use.
Global Recognition
Dr. Tajbakhshian’s publications in internationally indexed journals, reviewer appointments with global publishers, and participation in international conferences have established her as a recognized researcher in environmental geology and hydrogeochemistry.
Publications
Journal Articles
Tajbakhshian, M., Mahmudy Gharaei, M.H., Mahboubi, A., Moussavi Harami, S.R., & Ejlali, I., Hydrogeochemistry study of water resources in Shahid Hashemi-Nejad gas refinery and surrounding areas using compound diagrams, saturation indices and ionic ratios, Geosciences Scientific Quarterly Journal, 2015.
Tajbakhshian, M., Mahmudy Gharaei, M.H., Mahboubi, A., Moussavi Harami, S.R., & Ejlali, I., Effects of environmental factors and recovered sulfur in Shahid Hashemi Nezhad gas refinery on soil quality for irrigation, Journal of Water and Soil, 2017.
Tajbakhshian, M., Mahmudy Gharaei, M.H., Mahboubi, A., Moussavi Harami, S.R., & Ejlali, I., Qualitative assessment of wastewater of Shahid Hashemi Nezhad gas refinery and adjacent water resources for agricultural uses, Iranian Journal of Irrigation and Drainage, 2018.
Tajbakhshian, M., Mahmudy Gharaei, M.H., Mahboubi, A., & Moussavi Harami, S.R., Study of different phases of sulphur in soil around a gas refinery and their relationship with soil characteristics, Journal of Advanced Applied Geology, 2020.
Tajbakhshian, M., Mahmudy Gharaei, M.H., Mahboubi, A., & Moussavi Harami, S.R., Study of corrosion and scaling of water resources and wastewater of Shahid Hashemi Nezhad gas refinery, Environment and Water Engineering, 2020.
Mosaedi, A., Ramezanipour, E., Mesdaqi, M., & Tajbakhshian, M., Assessment of effective factors on suspended sediment production and transport using gamma test and PCA, Journal of Water and Soil, 2021.
Tajbakhshian, M., Mosaedi, A., Mahmudy Gharaei, M.H., & Moussavi Harami, S.R., Estimation of sediment load and erosion of geological units: a basin-scale study from northeastern Iran, Journal of Mountain Science, 2021.
Tajbakhshian, M., Mosaedi, A., Mahmudy Gharaei, M.H., & Moussavi Harami, S.R., Determining the most appropriate method to estimate sediment delivery ratio in Shirin Darreh Dam basin, Iranian Journal of Irrigation and Drainage, 2022.
Tajbakhshian, M., Mosaedi, A., Mahmudy Gharaei, M.H., & Moussavi Harami, S.R., Role of geological formations on surface and groundwater quality of Shirin Darreh Dam basin, Ecohydrology, 2022.
Tajbakhshian, M., Hydrogeochemical evolution and water quality assessment of surface and groundwater resources: Shirin Darreh Dam basin, NE Iran, Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 2023.
Tajbakhshian, M., Mosaedi, A., Mahmudy Gharaei, M.H., & Moussavi Harami, S.R., Relationship between rainfall erosivity and sediment yield in a dam catchment, Iranian Journal of Earth Sciences, 2024.
Tajbakhshian, M., Groundwater quality and hydrogeochemical challenges in the Sarakhs Plain, NE Iran, Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 2025.
Tajbakhshian, M., Integrated hydrogeochemical and spatial assessment of groundwater quality using multivariate statistics and GIS, Environmental Systems Research, 2025.
Conference Papers
Tajbakhshian, M., Assessment of soil salinity in Shahid Hashemi Nezhad gas refinery and adjacent areas using EC and ΔpH indices, 1st Conference on Environment, Payam Noor University, 2014.
Tajbakhshian, M., Assessment of water quality for drinking, agriculture, and industrial use in Shahid Hashemi Nezhad gas refinery region, 2nd National Conference on Environment Research, Iran, 2014.
Tajbakhshian, M., Mosaedi, A., Estimation of environmental flow of Shirin Darreh River using hydrological methods, 8th National Conference on Water Resources Management of Iran, 2021.
Tajbakhshian, M., Hydrogeochemistry and groundwater quality assessment of Sarakhs Plain using WQI and GIS, First National Conference on Hydro-Informatics and Artificial Intelligence in Water Engineering, 2025.