a) Investigating the influence of disturbances across the aquatic-terrestrial interface on soil and water quality - Dr. Chen examines how terrestrial biogeochemical processes (e.g., throughfall, litter decomposition, wildland fire, and extreme rainfall events) affect soil and water quality. He characterizes the compositional changes in soil and dissolved organic matter and examines the distribution and sources of emerging contaminants (e.g., PFAS, antibiotics, pesticides, and resistance genes) using advanced analytic techniques (e.g., pyrolysis GC/MS, FT-IR, 13C-NMR, 1H-NMR, FT-ICR MS, LC-QqQ, and LC-Orbitrap). Five Representative publications are listed below.
a.5 Huan Chen 1, Mahmut Selim Ersan 1, Nikola Tolić, Rosalie K. Chu, Tanju Karanfil, Alex T. Chow ‡ (2022), Chemical characterization of dissolved organic matter as disinfection byproduct precursors by UV/fluorescence and ESI FT-ICR MS after smoldering combustion of leaf needles and woody trunks of pine (Pinus jeffreyi). Water Research 209: 117962
a.4 Jing-Run Hu, Yi-Tao Lyu, Huan Chen ‡, Si Li, Wei-Ling Sun ‡ (2023), Suspect and nontarget screening reveal the underestimated risks of antibiotic transformation products in wastewater treatment plant effluents. Environmental Science & Technology 57(45): 17439–17451
a.3 Huan Chen, Kuo-Pei Tsai, Yi-Na Liu, Nikola Tolić, Sarah D. Burton, Rosalie K. Chu, Tanju Karanfil, Alex T. Chow ‡ (2021), Characterization of dissolved organic matter from wildfire-induced Microcystis aeruginosa blooms controlled by copper sulfate as disinfection byproduct precursors using APPI(-) and ESI(-) FT-ICR MS. Water Research 189: 116640
a.2 Huan Chen 1, Habibullah Uzun 1, Alex T. Chow, Tanju Karanfil ‡ (2020), Low water treatability efficiency of wildfire-induced dissolved organic matter and disinfection by-product precursors. Water Research 184: 116111
a.1 Huan Chen ‡, Alexander Martin Rücker, Qiong Su, Gavin D. Blosser, Xi-Jun Liu, William H. Conner, Alex T. Chow (2020), Dynamics of dissolved organic matter and disinfection byproduct precursors along a low elevation gradient in woody wetlands - An implication of hydrologic impacts of climate change on source water quality. Water Research 181:115908
b) Developing innovative and sustainable technological solutions for water reuse and resource recovery - Dr. Chen explores water reuse such as in hydraulic fracturing, irrigation, and hydroponics and assesses the transport and fate of emerging contaminants [e.g., heavy metal(loid)s and PAHs]. He also investigates nutrient recovery by cultivating microalgae (as biofuel feedstock) with livestock wastewater and producing biochar (as adsorbents/soil amendments/slow-release fertilizers) from agricultural residues. Five Representative publications are listed below.
b.5 Chun Cao, Yu-Yao Wu, Zhen-Ying Lv, Ji-Wei Wang, Chen-Wen Wang, Hui Zhang, Jun-Jian Wang, Huan Chen ‡ (2024), Uptake of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from PAH–contaminated soils to carrots and Chinese cabbages under the greenhouse and field conditions. Chemosphere 360: 142405
b.4 Chun Cao, Peng Zhang, Zhen-Ping Ma, Zhen-Bang Ma, Jun-Jian Wang, Yuan-Yuan Tang, Huan Chen ‡ (2021), Coupling sprinkler freshwater irrigation with vegetable species selection as a sustainable approach for agricultural production in farmlands with a history of 50-year wastewater irrigation. Journal of Hazardous Materials 414: 125576
b.3 Yun-Long Yang ‡, Peng Xu, Si-Jia Dong, Yang Yu, Huan Chen ‡, Ji-Bo Xiao (2021), Using watermelon rind and nitrite-containing wastewater for electricity production in a membraneless biocathode microbial fuel cell. Journal of Cleaner Production 307: 127306
b.2 Chun Cao, Qiang Zhang, Zhen-Bang Ma, Xue-Mei Wang, Huan Chen ‡, Jun-Jian Wang ‡ (2018), Fractionation and mobility risks of heavy metals and metalloids in wastewater-irrigated agricultural soils from greenhouses and fields in Gansu, China. Geoderma 328: 1-9
b.1 Huan Chen and Kimberly E. Carter ‡ (2016), Water usage for natural gas production through hydraulic fracturing in the United States from 2008 to 2014. Journal of Environmental Management 170: 152-159
c) Using advanced statistical methodologies and data science approaches for environmental process - Dr. Chen employs computing tools such as MATLAB, R, and Python to process large datasets generated by instruments (e.g., pyrolysis GC/MS) and in-situ sensors (e.g., DOC sensors). He integrates machine learning algorithms with hyperspectral imaging (e.g., VNIR and SWIR sensors) to identify microplastics in soils. Five Representative publications are listed below.
c.5 Huan Chen 1, Taesung Shin 1, Bosoon Park ‡, Kyoung Ro, Changyoon Jeong, Hwang-Ju Jeon, Pei-Lin Tan (2024), Coupling hyperspectral imaging with machine learning algorithms for detecting polyethylene (PE) and polyamide (PA) in soils. Journal of Hazardous Materials 471: 134346
c.4 Huan Chen, Alexander Martin Rücker, Yi-Na Liu, David Miller, Jia-Ning Dai, Jun-Jian Wang, Dennis O. Suhre, Li-Jung Kuo, William H. Conner, Barbara J. Campbell, Robert C. Rhew, Alex T. Chow ‡ (2023), Unique biogeochemical characteristics in coastal ghost forests – The transition from freshwater forested wetland to salt marsh under the influences of sea level rise. Soil & Environmental Health 1: 100005 [highlighted in Zinke, L. (2023). "Ghost forests stand apart." Nature Reviews Earth & Environment; “Excellent Papers of 2023” by the editorial board]
c.3 Huan Chen, Jun-Jian Wang, Pei-Jia Ku, Martin Tsz-Ki Tsui, Rebecca B. Abney, Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, Qiang Zhang, Sarah D. Burton, Randy A. Dahlgren, Alex T. Chow ‡ (2022), Burn intensity drives the alteration of phenolic lignin to (poly) aromatic hydrocarbons as revealed by pyrolysis-Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). Environmental Science & Technology 56(17): 12678-12687
c.2 Huan Chen, Charles C. Rhoades, Alex T. Chow ‡ (2020), Characteristics of soil organic matter 14 years after a wildfire: A pyrolysis-gas-chromatography mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS) study. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis 152: 104922
c.1 Huan Chen ‡, Gavin D. Blosser, Hamed Majidzadeh, Xi-Jun Liu, William H. Conner, Alex T. Chow (2018), Integration of an automated identification-quantification pipeline and statistical techniques for pyrolysis GC/MS tracking of the molecular fingerprints of natural organic matter. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis 134: 371-380