Scientifically-inclined, Sahlbom was arranged by her father to volunteer at Stockholm Water's laboratory, and she obtained her primary lab experience.

[1][2][3][4] In 1897 Sahlbom published her first scholarly paper, and the findings detailed a mineral analysis of rocks collected on the island of Alnön.

In 1900 Johan Gunnar Andersson of Uppsala University and Sahlbom published a collaborated study on the fluoride content in Swedish phosphorites.

[1] The paper noted a similarity in the chemical composition of fluorapatite mineral between two marine invertebrates: the Obolid brachiopod fossil and the Lingula anatina.

[5] For financial purposes, Sahlbom declined a research opportunity from Arvid Högbom of Uppsala University and accepted a job offer by John Landin to work at a chemical engineering company in Stockholm.

[6] Based on the findings, Sjögren recommended Sahlbom to analyze radioactivity in Swedish waters and referred her to Alexander Classen in Aachen.

[3] Advised by Friedrich Fichter from the University of Basel, Sahlbom completed her thesis, an investigation on a capillary analysis of colloidal solutions.

[2][3] From 1919 to 1944, Sahlbom was a board member of the Internationella Kvinnoförbundet för Fred och Frihet (IKFF), the Swedish division of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF).

[9] In opposition to the utilization of scientific warfare, Sahlbom published an article, titled "Giftgasvapnet" (Poison Gas Weapons), in 1925.

She contended that employing scientific research to develop chemical weapons was reductive because war had a significant impact on civilians.