Introduction：

Dr. Juan Gao, Ph.D, Professor. She has obtained her Bachelor Degree from the Department of Environmental Sciences, Nankai University in 1997; obtained the Master Degree From the Kunming Institute of Botany, CAS in 2000; and obtained the Ph.D Degree from the Department of Soil Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2007. Dr. Gao then visited Michigan State University and worked on bioenergy and cropping system study in the Great Lake Bioenergy Center as a Post Doc Researcher in 2007-2012. After that, she has returned to her country and awarded a funding of “One Hundred Intelligent Researcher” from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and are working in the Institute of Soil Science, CAS as a professor. Now, Dr. Gao’s research focusing on emerging organic compounds in agriculture fields, analyzing the transformed products, underneath mechanisms of products formation with persistent free radicals on clay minerals based on state-of-the-art instruments and technologies, and environmental evaluation and assessment of secondary pollution to plants and human.  We also study in electrochemical technology and nanomaterials to remediate organic polluted fields.

Research Areas

The transformation of organic pollutants on clay minerals

Focused on soil organic contamination, we explore the mechanisms of electron and energy transfer between clay and organic compounds, and try to assess the environmental impacts of soil contamination.

The function of soil iron and manganese to the degradation of soil pollutants

Iron and manganese are two reactive elements in soils and sediments. The interactions of these two elements and organic compounds always determine their fates in the environment. We are investigating new nanomaterials of iron and manganese and applying them in remediating contaminated soils.

The formation of soil free radicals and their influence

The organic contamination in heavy clay content soils is a serious environmental issue, and electrokinetic technology is a most promising technology to accelerate the removal of organic contaminants. Our work is to develop new electrodes and nano-catalysts and apply them in contaminated fields.

Memberships and Volunteer Work

Council Member of Jiangsu Environmental Science Society

《Soil XueBao》Editorial Board

《Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology》Editorial Board

Awards and Honours

1. Second Prize of Jiangsu Science and Technology“The Mechanisms and Control Technology to Produce High Reactive Free Radicals in Organic Contaminated Soil Remediation”, 2019

2. The 5^th 333 Jiangsu High Level Talent Training Project, 2018

3. “One Hundred Intelligent Researcher” from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2012

Most Recent Peer-reviewed Articles

1.Sun, Z.; Feng, L.; Fang, G.; Chu, L.; Zhou, D.; Gao, J#. Nano Fe2O3 embedded in montmorillonite with citric acid enhanced photocatalytic activity of nanoparticles towards diethyl phthalate. J. Environ. Sci. 2021, 101, 248-259

2.Sun, Z.; Huang, M.; Liu, C.; Fang, G.; Chen, N.; Zhou, D.; Gao, J.# The formation of •OH with Fe-bearing smectite clays and low-molecular-weight thiols: Implication of As(III) removal. Water Res. 2020, 174: 115631.

3.Zhu, F.; Doyle, E.; Zhu, C.; Zhou, D.; Gu, C.; Gao, J.# Metagenomic analysis exploring microbial assemblages and functional genes potentially involved in di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate degradation in soil. Sci. Total Environ. 2020, 715: 137037.

4.Chen, N; Huang, M.; Liu, C.; Fang, G.; Liu, G.; Sun, Z.; Zhou, D.; Gao, J.;# Gu, C.# Transformation of tetracyclines induced by Fe(III)-bearing smectite clays under anoxic dark conditions. Water Res. 2019, 165: 114997.

5.Zhu, F.; Zhu, C.; Zhou, D.; Gao, J.# The fate of di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and its impact on bacterial communities under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Chemosphere. 2019, 216: 84-93.

6.Chen, N; Fang, G.; Liu, G.; Zhou, D.; Gao, J.;# Gu, C.# The degradation of diethyl phthalate by reduced smectite clays and dissolved oxygen. Chem. Enger. J. 2019, 355: 247-254.

9.Zhu, C.; Zhu, F.; Liu, C.; Chen, N.; Zhou, D.; Fang, G.;# Gao, J.# Reductive hexachloroethane degradation by S2O8·- with thermal activation of persulfate under anerobic conditions. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2018, 52: 8548-8557.

10.Shuai, W.; Gu, C.; Fang, G.; Zhou, D.; Gao, J.# Effects of iron (hydr)oxides on the degradation of diethyl phthalate ester in heterogeneous (photo)-Fenton reactions. J. Environ. Sci. 2019, 80: 5-13.

11.Shuai, W.; Liu, C.; Zhu, F.; Zhou, D.; Gao, J.# (Fe3+)-UVC-(aliphatic/phenolic carboxyl acids) systems for diethyl phthalate ester degradation: A density functional theory (DFT) and experimental study. Appl. Catal. A. General. 2018., 567: 20-27.

12.Chen, N.; Fang, G.; Liu, G.; Zhou, D.; Gao, J.;# Gu, C.# The effects of Fe-bearing smectite clays on ·OH formation and diethyl phthalate degradation with polyphenols and H2O2. J. Hazard. Mat. 2018, 357: 483-490.

13.Zhu, F.; Zhu, C.; Doyle, E.; Liu, H.; Zhou, D.; Gao, J.# Fate of di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in different soils and associated bacterial community changes. Sci. Total Environ. 2018, 637-638: 460-469.

14.Shuai, W.; Liu, C.; Fang, G.; Zhou, D.; Gao, J.# Nano-α-Fe2O3 enhanced photocatalytic degradation of diethyl phthalate ester by citric acid/UV (300-400 nm): A mechanism study. J. Photochem. Photobiol. A. 2018. 360: 78-85.

15.Zhu, C.; Zhu, F.; Dionysios, D. D.; Zhou, D.; Fang, G.;# Gao, J.# Contribution of alcohol radicals to contaminant degradation in quenching studies of persulfate activation process. Water Res. 2018: 139, 66-73.

16.Zhu, F.; Zhu, C.; Chen, N.; Zhou, D.; Gao, J.# Will spent mushroom substrate application affect the dissipation and plant uptake of phthalate esters? J. Soil Sediment. 2018, 18: 1579-1589.

17.Chen, N.; Shuai, W.; Hao, X.; Zhang, H.; Zhou, D.; Gao, J.# Contamination of Phthalate esters in vegetable agriculture and human cumulative risk assessment. Pedosphere. 2017, 27: 439-451.

18.Chen, N.; Fang, G.; Zhou, D.; Gao, J.# Effects of clay minerals on diethyl phthalate degradation in Fenton reactions. Chemosphere. 2016, 165: 52-58.

19.Shuai, W.; Chen, N.; Li, B.; Zhou, D.; Gao, J.# Life cycle assessment of common reed (Phragmites australis (Cav) Trin. ex Steud) cellulosic bioethanol in Jiangsu Province, China. Biomass Bioen. 2016, 92: 40-47.