The research group of Dr. Feng 'Frank' Xiao at the University of Missouri (Columbia, MO) has one Ph.D. position available for spring or fall 2023. We offer a very competitive stipend and full tuition coverage. Dr. Xiao’s research focuses on water and soil quality engineering. He currently is an editor of the Journal of Hazardous Materials (impact factor: 14.244).
Research topic: Transformation of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances in thermal, chemical, and biological processes
Background: The contamination of soil and water by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is a worldwide concern. Soil largely contributes to the quality of groundwater and crops, which are potential human exposure pathways for these chemicals. The challenge of dealing with PFAS contamination results from their chemical structure that leads to strong resistance to chemical and biological degradation in the environment. This project aims to understand decomposition mechanisms of PFAS.
What you will learn:
- knowledge of environmental remediation
- environmental organic chemistry
- liquid chromatography
- high-resolution mass spectrometry,
- gas chromatography
many other analytical skills.
Recent publications from Dr. Xiao's group:
1. (Chemical PFAS) Investigation of Transformation Pathways of Polyfluoroalkyl Substances during Chlorine Disinfection https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.est.4c05059
2. (Thermal PFAS) New Insights into Thermal Degradation Products of Long-Chain Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and Their Mineralization Enhancement Using Additives https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.est.4c05782
3. (Thermal PFCs) Thermal Degradation of Long-Chain Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases: Stability, Byproducts, and Remediation Approaches https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsestengg.4c00535
4. (Thermal PFAS) Investigation of Real-Time Gaseous Thermal Decomposition Products of Representative Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/jasms.4c00357
5. (PFAS, plastics, and glass) Interactions of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances with polypropylene plastic and borosilicate glass: Resolving key uncertainties for accurate analysis https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772416624000640
6. (Microplastics) Critical evaluation of hyperspectral imaging technology for detection and quantification of microplastics in soil https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304389424016200
7. (PFAS Management) Cross-national challenges and strategies for PFAS regulatory compliance in water infrastructure https://www.nature.com/articles/s44221-023-00164-8
8. (Thermal PFAS) Mechanistic Investigations of Thermal Decomposition of Perfluoroalkyl Ether Carboxylic Acids and Short-Chain Perfluoroalkyl Carboxylic Acids https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.est.3c00294
9. (PFAS Adsorbents) Enhancement of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances removal from water by pyrogenic carbons: Tailoring carbon surface chemistry and pore properties https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0043135422014129
10. (Thermal Precursors) Thermal decomposition of anionic, zwitterionic, and cationic polyfluoroalkyl substances in aqueous film-forming foams https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.est.1c02125
The University of Missouri has the No. 12 best ranked value among all other public universities within the U.S. Founded in 1839 as the first public university west of the Mississippi River, the University of Missouri is a committed flagship and land-grant institution, a member of the competitive SEC conference — and a proud member of the AAU (including 71 top U.S. and Canada private and public schools).
To apply, please send a CV/resume to Feng.Xiao@Missouri.edu. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to have a brief Zoom (or another format) meeting with Dr. Xiao and submit a complete application for department review.