Welcome to our Analysis and Degradation of Emerging Contaminants Lab in the School of Engineering at Westlake University (Environ-Chem Lab). Established in 2021, we work at the interfaces of analytical chemistry, quantum chemistry, environmental chemistry, environmental engineering, and environmental microbiology and aim to address the following issues regarding emerging contaminants:
- Environmental occurrence and health impacts
- Environmental fate in natural and engineered systems
- Degradation mechanism and reaction pathways
- Treatment and remediation technologies
Our research focuses on the analysis, environmental fate, and degradation of emerging contaminants, particularly per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and fluoro-pharmaceuticals.
The key subjects include:
High throughput quantitative analysis and nontarget analysis
Environmental fate and transformation of PFASs
Complete degradation techniques of PFASs
DFT calculations on reaction mechanisms
Dechlorination and defluorination by functionalized nZVI
Microbial degradation of emerging contaminants
Life cycle assessment (LCA) on remediation techniques
Simulations on transport and multi-media distribution
Emerging contaminants, PFASs, PPCPs
DFT calculations, molecular dynamics
Target and nontarget analysis, HRMS
Advanced oxidation, advanced reduction
In situ remediation, water treatment
S-nZVI, groundwater remediation
Our goal is to train our students to think critically, to become experts in lab instruments and theoretical calculations, and to gain soft skills including teamwork, leadership, writing, and oral communications.
The instruments we use regularly include UPLC-MS/MS, UPLC-Orbitrap-HRMS, GC-MS, HPLC, IC, combustion IC, ICP-AES, TOC, NMR, et al. We conduct quantum chemical and molecular dynamics calculations using Gaussian, CP2K, ORCA, et al.