We’re excited to share that our latest work, “Direct Electrosynthesis and Separation Platform for Chlorine from Saline Water”, has been published in Environmental Science & Technology!
In this study, we developed a scalable multilayer electrode system that enables direct electrosynthesis and in-situ separation of chlorine (Cl₂) from real saline waters such as seawater and RO brine. The flow-through configuration of this platform facilitates continuous operation and efficient chlorine recovery directly from complex waste streams. Our platform achieves up to 97% selectivity and nearly 100% separation efficiency, while also suppressing toxic oxychloride byproducts. Importantly, the system produced sodium hypochlorite solutions at practical concentrations (0.53–5.1 wt%) and met strict environmental discharge standards. This work opens new possibilities for decentralized chlorine production, wastewater valorization, and safer, more sustainable electrochemical water treatment.
Grateful for the support from NSF/BSF (award number: 2215387), NJWRRI (award number: G21AP10595-01), and NJIT’s TITA Seed Grant, and special thanks to our collaborators at the Yuma Desalination Plant in Arizona for providing real RO retentate.
Dr. Zhang’s group is expected to receive two EPA P3 awards again, which is the second time that two EPA awards have been received at the same time. The two project scopes/descriptions are as follows and are expected to start early March, 2025 for two years.
Nanobubbles in water exhibit unique physicochemical and fluid dynamic properties than ordinary macrobubbles. For example, nanobubbles have a long residence time in water due to their low buoyancy and high stability against coalesces, collapse or burst, and the formation of bulk bubbles. Nanobubbles have a higher efficiency of mass transfer compared to bulk scale bubbles due to the high specific surface areas. The high specific surface also facilitates physical adsorption and chemical reactions in the gas liquid interface. The collapse of nanobubbles creates shock waves, which in tum, promotes the formation of hydroxyl radicals (•OH), which may promote degradation of organic matters or disinfection. With respect to foam fractionation, the high surface areas and hydrophobicity of nanobubbles could effectively adsorb and immobilize hydrophobic organic contaminants such as PFAS. This project embarks on nanobubbles to establish foams in water and remove PFAS via a green fractionation separation process that appear to have low energy footprints and leave no chemical residuals. Besides research efforts, new course modules and hands-on experiments will be developed to integrate the research activities into student engagement and education. Undergraduates and graduates in different STEM disciplines (e.g., civil, chemical and environmental engineering) will be recruited to participate in the research project tasks under PI’s team’s mentorship.
Objective:
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), with their omnipresent presence in the environment and toxicity, have recently drawn substantial attention. Without proper treatment, PFAS in wastewater may pollute the subterranean ecosystems, causing pollution to surface water and groundwater. To mitigate PFAS pollution and health impact, different water treatment processes or technologies have been demonstrated including adsorption by powdered activated carbon (PAC) or granulated activated carbon (GAC), anionic ion exchange, nanofiltration (NF), and reverse osmosis (RO). However, they either suffer from high operational cost or insufficient removal ability for PFAS in wastewater with complex water matrixes. This project aims to develop a nanobubble-enabled foam fractionation process to remove PFAS from wastewater. The project will examine (1) the colloidal properties of nanobubble foam under variations of water chemical properties such as pH changes, salinity and presence of co-existing natural organic matters and synthetic surfactants, (2) the removal efficiency of PFASs with different carbon chain lengths in synthetic water and real water that may simulate contaminated ground water, landfill leachate and brine wastewater from regenerate backwash processes in reverse osmosis membrane filtration and ion exchange, (3) comparison of PFAS removal performances of foam fractionation using nanobubbles, microbubbles and macro bubbles that may yield different foaming ability and structures. The project findings will provide an insight for novel low-cost and sustainable water purifying technologies for complex wastewater. The scientific merits from this project include: (1) increasing the removal efficiency of the recently most concerned contaminant PFAS under exposure to nanobubble ebullition, and thus to evaluate the possibility of practical application on the field for the economic feasibility; (2) unraveling the intriguing interaction mechanisms between nanobubbles, water, and contaminants.
Expected Results:
The anticipated research outputs include peer-reviewed journal articles, conference presentations, novel PFAS removal technique, patent applications and project reports. Moreover, research seminars will be run collaboratively with industrial partners and collaborators such as landfill leachate treatment facilities in New Jersey. The potential project outcome includes transformative knowledge to alleviate water contamination in different affected small, rural, tribal and/or underserved communities or areas. The effective means to mitigate PFAS and other emerging co-existing contamination such as heavy metals, solvents or chemical additives and pharmaceutical residuals from impaired water bodies can improve human health and well-being and also boost environmental quality, aesthetic values, economic competitiveness. The measure of success is the numbers of peer-reviewed journal publications or presentations, feedback from our industrial partners or collaborations and community engagement via seminars and presentations during or after the project period.
This project embarks on a green soil rinsing or cleaning process using fine bubbles-enriched water to enhance the oil desorption, mobilization and removal from contaminated soil matrix. Nanobubbles in water have repeatedly been reported to exhibit unique physicochemical and fluid dynamic properties that macrobubbles or microbubbles do not have. For example, nanobubbles have a long residence time in water due to their low buoyancy and high stability against coalesces, collapse or burst, and the formation of bulk bubbles. Nanobubbles have a higher efficiency of mass transfer compared to bulk scale bubbles due to the high specific surface areas. The high specific surface also facilitates physical adsorption and chemical reactions in the gas liquid interface. The collapse of nanobubbles creates shock waves, which in turn, promotes the formation of hydroxyl radicals (•OH), which may even promote degradation of organic matters or disinfection under proper conditions (e.g., sonication agitation or UV irradiation). With respect to soil remediation, the high surface areas and hydrophobicity of nanobubbles could effectively adsorb, immobilize and detach soil contaminants such as heavy metals and hydrophobic organic pollutants. Non-toxic gases such as oxygen (O2), carbon dioxide (CO2) or hydrogen (H2) could be used to produce nanobubbles in water for rinsing the contaminated soil. We hypothesize that due to their different redox potentials and chemical impacts, different gaseous nanobubbles may result in different oil-bubble and soil-bubble interactions, which ultimately affect oil removal from contaminated soil. Our prior study discovered that CO2 nanobubbles achieved the highest leaching rate of Pb from soil, followed by CH4 and H2 nanobubbles. Moreover, the CO2 nanobubble water rinse resulted in different leaching kinetics of different metals (Pb, Cu, Zn, and Cr) from the contaminated soil column. Thus, this project will reveal new insights into the oil removal and leaching mechanisms under different conditions and potentially result in a transformative solution to address soil remediation. The research findings will potentially enable a greener soil rinsing process that could reduce or even eliminate the use of synthetic chemicals such as surfactants or solvents that could harm our environment or human health. Besides research efforts, new course modules and research seminars will be developed to integrate the research activities into student engagement and education to showcase our sustainable soil treatment approaches. Undergraduates and graduates in different STEM disciplines (e.g., civil, chemical and environmental engineering) will be invited to participate in these research seminars or the research project tasks under PI’s team’s mentorship.
Objective:
Extensive industrial and agricultural activities as well as wastewater discharge or surface runoff bring tons of pollutants such as heavy metals, organic solvents, chemical fertilizers and pesticides and cause soil pollution. New Jersey, for instance, has many brown sites and superfund sites in the US that are characterized by persistent legacy soil or water contaminants that must be treated to prevent human exposure. Soil remediation is critical to prevent surface water or groundwater pollution, protect human health and improve agricultural product quality. Conventional soil remediation includes soil washing/flushing, thermal desorption, vitrification, photocatalyst and bioremediation, which, however, are relatively expensive, time consuming and chemically intensive. This project aims to develop a green and powerful washing process using nanobubbles water for soil contaminant removal. The project will examine (1) the removal of oil (e.g., diesel and gasoline) from simulated contaminated soil through nanobubble water mixing and washing under various conditions (e.g., sonication and surfactant addition); (2) the mechanisms of interaction between different types of nanobubbles (e.g., CO2 and O3), soil and contaminants. The project findings will provide an insight for novel chemical-free and sustainable soil cleaning technologies for remediation of contaminated soil.
Expected Results:
The anticipated research outputs include peer-reviewed journal articles, conference presentations, soil washing protocols, patent applications and project reports. Moreover, educational activities will be run collaboratively with industrial partners in soil remediation companies. The potential project outcome includes transformative knowledge to alleviate soil contamination in different affected small, rural, tribal and/or underserved communities via devising this novel soil washing technique or process using nanobubbles. Consequently, the soil decontamination can improve human health and well-being and also boost environmental quality, aesthetic values, economic competitiveness. The measure of success is the numbers of peer-reviewed journal publications or presentations, workshop attendance/feedback, industrial collaborations for future pilot studies or commercialization.
Leveraging the NJIT’s Technology Innovation Translation and Acceleration (TITA) Program Funding in 2022 for developing high-efficient inactivation of airborne viruses using a microwave-enabled air filtration system, Dr. Zhang group recently published a new paper on “Self-Cleaning Microwave-Responsive MXene-Coated Filtration System for Enhanced Airborne Virus Disinfection” in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. This study introduces a microwave-enabled catalytic air filtration system using Ti3C2Tx MXene-coated polypropylene filters to enhance air disinfection. With only 0.05 mg·cm–2 of MXene coating, the filter surface temperature rapidly reached 104 °C within 3 s under 125 W microwave irradiation. Such surface heating led to a significantly higher log removal value (LRV) (1.86 ± 0.47) of the MS2 bacteriophage in the synthetic bioaerosol with an initial concentration of 105 PFU·mL–1, compared to 0.24–0.38 achieved by the pristine filter or the MXene-coated filter without microwave irradiation. Additionally, the filter surface exhibited promising self-cleaning behavior, as indicated by the stable viral inactivation and removal efficiency even in high-humidity environments. This innovative air filtration technology shows promising potential for preventing airborne pathogen transmission and protecting public health across diverse environmental conditions and has been applied in the field (e.g., classrooms and gymnastics rooms) as shown in the photos below.
The COVID-19 pandemic sparked public health concerns and urgent demands for technologies to combat transmission of the airborne viruses. The widely accepted, existing methods that have success in preventing infection via airborne transmission include physical filtration to capture and trap the air pollutants, which usually do not inactivate microbial agents such as bacteria or viruses. Moreover, most air filters for residential, commercial, and industrial buildings are designed to only capture large airborne particles, e.g., dusts, mold spores, and bacteria, but not to target viral aerosols that are sub-micrometers in size
Dr. Zhang’s group develops innovative microwave-responsive catalysts that have been incorporated into the air filtration process to inactivate the captured microbial agents. Microwave responsive catalysts coated on commercial HVAC filters can absorb microwave energy and produce “hotpots” and reactive species on filter surface. The high temperature “hotpots” and reactive radical species enhance pathogen disinfection. The preliminary results show that the removal of bacteriophage MS2, a surrogate virus that mimics pathogenic viral properties, could be removed by up to 100% on catalyst coated filters under microwave irradiation. This reactive air filtration system could be used in hospitals, commercial or residential buildings and transportation systems (e.g., train/airplane/ship or stations). Besides viral species, a broad range of pathogens such as mold spores and bacteria in bioaerosols could also be inactivated.
The demand for innovative air purifiers with antibacterial and antiviral capabilities has surged due to the pandemic, especially in hospitals, commercial buildings, and transportation systems. The successful commercialization of this technology has meaningful impacts on the efficient removal of airborne pathogens to reduce the spread of infectious diseases and thus reduce the risk of public health. This new concept or design of microwave-enabled reactive air filtration could foster new business innovation and opportunities for commercialization and economic growth. This program aims to increase the number of new homes, including multi-unit and affordable housing built with ventilation and filtration improvements that reduce the risk of infectious disease transmission indoors. A novel microwave-catalytic air filtration system promises significant improvements in pathogen disinfection, achieving up to 99% viral removal. This technology can help mitigate the spread of infectious diseases, potentially reducing U.S. healthcare expenses by 25% or more. Additionally, it opens up opportunities for business innovation and economic growth.
Selected Funding Sources for this research:
2023-2024 NJIT Technology Innovation Translation and Acceleration (TITA) Seed Grant
2022 NJEDA CSIT Clean Tech Seed Grant RD2
2023-2024 High-efficient inactivation of airborne viruses using a microwave-enabled air filtration system. NJ Health Foundation. Award#: PC 27-23.
2021-2024 EPA P3 Phase I and II grants (SU84015001 and SV84041901)
2021-2023 NJIT’s Undergraduate Research and Innovation (URI) Seed Grant
Dr. Zhang was invited to join the distinguished panel discussion and presented a talk on “ PFAS in Water, Soil, and Air: Mitigation Strategies Using Advanced Membrane, Nanobubble, and Effective Monitoring Tools”
His talk summarizes the major research efforts/areas related to PFAS mitigation (See images below) as well as the partnerships with communities and industries for monitoring and management of PFAS in a variety of environmental media, food, and air.
Thirteen students from our group and collaborating teams participated in NJIT’s Dana Knox Research Showcase on April 23, 2025, presenting a diverse range of research topics through poster sessions. Funding sources were duly acknowledged, including NSF/BSF Environmental Engineering (Award number: 2215387 and 2025374), New Jersey Water Resources Research Institute (Award#: G21AP10595-01), NJIT’s Technology Innovation Translation and Acceleration (TITA) Seed Grant seed grant, NOAA Prevention, Control and Mitigation of HABs (PCMHAB) award (NA22NOS4780172), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under Assistance Agreement No. SU-84086601-0, United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) research grant (agreement#: 13761566), New Jersey Health Foundation (Award#: PC 27-23), ACS Petroleum Research Fund (PRF # 68417-ND9), This research was supported by EPA Region 2 P2 research agreement (#NP-96259122-0) and DOE Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (Award #: FE-0032188).
Alejandro Vargas (undergraduate student from Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering): Enhanced PFAS Removal from Wastewater Using MXene-Modified Forward Osmosis Membranes
Mohammadali Vafaei (Ph.D. student from Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science): Enhanced water flux and dewatering using electric-magnetic-responsive hydrogels as draw agents for forward osmosis
Guangyu Zhu (Ph.D. student from Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering):Effects of Nanobubbles on Membrane Rejection of PFAS and Fouling in Commercial Reverse Osmosis (RO) and Nano-filtration (NF) Processes
Haodong Jia (Ph.D. student from Institute of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Shanxi University): Copper-based layered metal catalysts with rich oxygen vacancies for efficient degradation of phenolic pollutants via peroxymonosulfate activation under high salinity conditions
Sowmya Atukuri (master student from Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science): Evaluation of Colloidal Behavior of Nanobubbles under Mechanical and Centrifugal Stress for Environmental Applications
Md Mohidul Alam Sabuj (Ph.D. student from Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering): 2D Molybdenum Disulfide-Based Field Effect Transistor Nanosensors for Harmful Contaminants Detection in Water
Lai Wei (Ph.D. student from Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science): Zirconium-modified biotite as a dual adsorbent for orthophosphate and phosphonate: implications for reverse osmosis concentrate treatment
Oluwanifemi Fuwa (undergraduate student from Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering): High-efficient inactivation of airborne viruses using a microwave-enabled air filtration system
Jingru Wei (Ph.D. student from Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering): Aqueous properties and applications of CO₂ nanobubbles: enhancing algal growth and carbon capture
Yajing Li (Ph.D. student from Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering): Nanobubble-enriched hydrogels for sustainable agriculture: enhancing water and nutrient delivery to boost plant growth
Yihan Zhang (Ph.D. student from Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering): Nanobubble-enabled Foam Fractionation to Remove Algogenic Odorous Micropollutants
Shreejitha Kanduri (undergraduate student from Hiller College of Architecture & Design): Ammonia Recovery from Wastewater containing Nitrate and Ammonia using Integrated Electrochemical Membrane Flow Reactor
Jiahe Zhang (Ph.D. student from Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering): Ammonia Recovery from Wastewater containing Nitrate and/Ammonia using Integrated Electrochemical Membrane Flow Reactor
Jiahe Zhang, a Ph.D. student in Environmental Engineering at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), delivered two oral presentations at the 2025 American Chemical Society (ACS) Spring Conference in San Diego on March 24-28 2025.
For the first oral presentation, Jiahe Zhang presented our results related to the mechanisms and performance of PFAS removal using commercial reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) membranes under complex water chemistries. This work was conducted in collaboration with Dr. Qingquan Ma and Guangyu Zhu, under the supervision of Professor Wen Zhang under the funding support from the NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Center for Membrane Science, Engineering and Technology. This talk systematically evaluated the effects of key operational factors—including pressure, temperature, pH, and water matrix components such as DOM and surfactants—on the rejection behaviors of short- and long-chain PFAS. By integrating surface and structural analyses such as SEM, AFM-IR, and KPFM, Jiahe provided new insights into how membrane surface properties and compaction affect PFAS transport and electrostatic exclusion. This work contributes to a deeper understanding of physicochemical interactions at the membrane interface and offers promising directions for optimizing membrane-based treatment of emerging contaminants like PFAS in wastewater systems.
The second oral presentation, titled “Ammonia Recovery from Wastewater Containing Nitrate and Ammonia Using an Integrated Electrochemical Membrane Flow Reactor,”
showcased an innovative approach to simultaneously converting nitrate pollutants into valuable ammonia and recovering existing ammonium from wastewater. His reactor integrates selective electrocatalysis with real-time ammonia separation to enhance nitrogen circularity in municipal and agricultural waste streams. A key innovation lies in the use of hydrophobic catalyst interfaces and advanced membrane configurations to finely regulate gas-liquid-solid interactions—overcoming traditional challenges in product desorption and gas bubble accumulation. With a U.S. patent application underway and a pilot-scale reactor developed, this work demonstrates the practical translation of electrochemical nitrogen removal technologies from laboratory research to real-world implementation, advancing the field of environmental sustainability. The study has been supported by the NSF/BSF project (award number: 2215387), New Jersey Water Resources Research Institute (award number: G21AP10595-01), and the 2024 NJIT’s Technology Innovation Translation and Acceleration (TITA) Seed Grant program.
In summary, attending the 2025 ACS Spring Meeting was both academically enriching and personally rewarding. Through two oral presentations, Jiahe Zhang showcased his latest research on PFAS removal and ammonia recovery, highlighting innovations in membrane science and electrochemical engineering. The conference offered valuable opportunities to exchange ideas with experts across disciplines, gain feedback, and explore future collaborations. Complemented by the vibrant setting of San Diego, this experience not only advanced Jiahe’s research visibility but also deepened our social networking with the broader scientific community. Beyond the academic sessions, exploring the vibrant city of San Diego was equally enjoyable. With its sunny skies, coastal breeze, and iconic palm-lined streets, the city provided a refreshing backdrop for reflection and connection. From scenic waterfront walks to bustling local eateries, the experience added a memorable and relaxing dimension to the conference trip.
A collaborative study led by environmental scientists from Rutgers University, NJIT, and the Meadowlands Research and Restoration Institute (MRRI) sheds light on the presence and behavior of airborne Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Northern New Jersey’s urban atmosphere.
Dr. Wen Zhang and his former Ph.D. student, Dr. Fangzhou Liu, alongside researchers (Cheryl Yao, Xinting Wang, Dr. Francisco J. Artigas and Dr. Gao Yuan) from multiple institutions, has co-authored a groundbreaking study investigating the distribution and partitioning of PFAS in the region’s air. The research, published in Science of the Total Environment, provides crucial data on the presence of these persistent and potentially harmful pollutants, which have been widely used in industrial applications and consumer products. PFAS are known for their resistance to degradation and have been linked to adverse health effects. While much research has focused on their presence in water and soil, this study highlights the importance of monitoring airborne PFAS, which can contribute to long-range transport and human inhalation exposure. The findings underscore the need for improved air quality monitoring and regulatory measures to address this emerging concern.
This study exemplifies the power of interdisciplinary collaboration, combining expertise from environmental science, atmospheric chemistry, and engineering to enhance our understanding of PFAS pollution. The research team hopes their findings will inform policy decisions and inspire further studies on the environmental fate and human exposure risks associated with airborne PFAS.
For more details, the full study can be accessed here.
Dr. Zhang’s former postdoc, Dr. Jiahui Hu, published a paper in Chemical Engineering Journal and elucidating the regulation mechanism of cellulose hydrothermal valorization via non-corrosive Lewis acids and bases. Cellulose, the most abundant component of biomass, is an essential renewable and carbon–neutral resource that can be converted into valuable products through hydrothermal treatment. However, the industrial application of hydrothermal technology for cellulose valorization is hindered by the formation of complex products which are challenging to separate. This study introduces a novel strategy for regulating product formation in cellulose hydrothermal conversion using non-corrosive Lewis acids and bases, integrating density functional theory calculations with experimental investigations. Frontier molecular orbital analysis reveals that peroxodisulfate, with strong electrophilicity, acts as a Lewis acid, directing the reaction toward the formation of levulinic acid. Conversely, peroxymonosulfate and thiourea, as nucleophilic Lewis bases, promote the accumulation of hydroxymethylfurfural by preventing its further degradation to levulinic acid and polymerization to carbon microspheres. Thiosulfate, with excessively strong nucleophilicity, inhibits the conversion of cellulose into sugars, thereby altering the whole hydrothermal decomposition pathways. Focusing on thiourea as a model additive, the study identified optimal conditions for hydroxymethylfurfural accumulation: a thiourea-to-cellulose ratio of 0.05:1, a reaction temperature of 220 °C, and a reaction time of 2 h. Additionally, increasing the initial reaction pressure from 0.1 MPa to 1.5 MPa resulted in a 92 % increase in hydroxymethylfurfural yield. This study provides a theoretical foundation for regulating cellulose hydrothermal processing via Lewis acids and bases, offering new insights into selective product formation and advancing biomass valorization technologies.
Dr. Wen Zhang and Dr. Kamalesh K. Sirkar, along with their research team (e.g., Fangzhou Liu, Dr. Weihua Qing, Dr. John Chau, Dr. Qingquan Ma, and Guangyu Zhu) at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), have published a groundbreaking study in Desalination on an innovative air gap membrane distillation (AGMD) module that significantly enhances water treatment performance.
The study introduces a novel two-hollow-fiber-set membrane module, where a poly(etheretherketone) (PEEK) hollow fiber membrane (HFM) is placed inside a hydrophobic polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) HFM, creating an ultra-thin air gap of just 121 μm. This design achieves high thermal efficiency and improved water vapor flux, reaching 9.05 kg/m²∙h under optimal conditions (85°C brine, 5°C coolant).
Key contributions of the study include: ✅ High packing density of 1297 m²/m³, enabling efficient mass transfer ✅ 98.7% salt rejection, ensuring desalination effectiveness ✅ Finite element analysis using COMSOL Multiphysics to predict water flux and temperature profiles ✅ Principal component analysis (PCA) to assess performance factors, highlighting the critical role of air gap thickness in temperature polarization
This innovative approach could lead to more efficient and scalable membrane distillation systems for water purification, desalination, and resource recovery.
On 01/26/2025, we held a family party at Professor Zhang’s home to say goodbye to our three group members, Dr. Ge, Hongmei, Dr. Jiahui Hu and Lili Li.
Dr. Ge is a lecturer at Hubei University of Technology and her research areas include emerging contaminants removal by microalgae, and microalgal removal and harvesting. She has been here with Dr. Zhang’s group as a visiting scholar from 02/2024 to 02/2025.
Dr. Jiahui Hu is a postdoctoral researcher who joined Zhang’s group in February 2025 and conducts research on microplastics/PFAS detection in food waste and membrane distillation. After leaving Zhang’s group this spring, she will begin a postdoctoral position at the U.S. Salinity Laboratory (USDA-ARS) in Riverside, California, focusing on PFAS in agricultural systems.
Lili Li is a doctoral student from the Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and has been conducting research in algae-laden water separation technologies and their engineering application. She stayed in Zhang’s group as a visiting student from 02/2023 to 02/2025 and conducted research in magnetic separation of algae and CO2 nanobubbles for enhanced algal growth.
A heart-felt wishes to these scholars for their prosperous future and careers!
Meanwhile, we recently accepted three new visiting scholars this spring:
Dr. Mu Hui, professor from Jinan University, will start her visiting scholarship in Zhang’s group for one year and will focus on resource recovery for environmental applications.
Dr. Mubarshar Mubashar is a postdoctoral fellow at the Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China. His research focuses on mixotrophy-based nutrient recovery from wastewater, carbon neutrality, and carbon capture and utilization using microalgae. Mubashar will stay in Zhang’s group as a visiting scholar, where he will conduct research in CO2 nanobubble-driven mixotrophy-based carbon capture and nutrient recovery.
Haodong Jia, a Ph.D. student from Shanxi University, will work on PMS activation for wastewater treatment, electrochemistry analysis of catalysts, and membrane distillation for desalination and pollution removal. His visiting scholar will start from January to June 2025.
