Research Fields

(1) Watershed pollution and environmental risk in arid zone

(2) Ecotoxicology and human health effects of pollutant in arid land

(3) Water pollution control technologies of inland rivers

(4) Pollution control and clean production of energy, mining, chemical industries in arid land

(5) Remediation of contaminated sites and food security in arid land

(6) Waste disposal and waste recycling technology

Significant Projects

(1) Plant-pollutant Interaction and bioremediation (supported by the Project of 100 Distinguished Young Scientists of the CAS, 2 million yuan, 2008-2013)

(2) Remediation of Contaminated Soil in northwestern China (supported by the Project of Knowledge Innovation Program of the CAS, 1.2 million yuan, 2009-2011)

(3) Bioremediation of Lead polluted vadose zone of Urumqi River (supported by the Project of National Natural Science Foundation of China, 0.5 million yuan, 2011-2013)

(4) Water security and adaptive regulation of water resources under climate change in northwestern China (supported by the National Basic Research Program of China, 6.7 million yuan, 2010-2014)

Major Achievements

(1)　  Biosorption of pollutants

More than 20 bioadorbents for toxic elements and organic pollutants were screened from fungi, algae and higher plants, which can be widely applied to wastewater treatment. The sorption behavior and mechanisms were also elucidated.

Main publication

Pan X L, Wang J L, Zhang D Y. 2009. Sorption of cobalt to bone char: Kinetics, competitive sorption and mechanism. Desalination, 249(2): 609-614.

(2)　  Organic ligands from microbes, plants and animals in the environments

The metal complexation behavior of microbial extracellular polymeric substances was examined by fluorescence spectroscopy, FTIR and electrochemical methods. Our studies showed that some exudates from microorganisms are effective metal organic ligands, which may significantly affect the mobility and bioavailability of metals in environments.

Main publications

Zhang D Y, Pan X L, Mostafa K M G, et al. 2010. Complexation between Hg (II) and biofilm extracellular polymeric substances: An application of fluorescence spectroscopy. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 175(1-3): 359-365.

Pan X L, Liu J, Zhang D Y. 2010. Binding of phenanthrene to extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) from aerobic activated sludge: A fluorescence study. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 80(1): 103-106.

(3)　  Toxic effects of pollutants on photosystem II of algae

Toxic effects of some metals, antibiotics and pesticides on electron transport, charge recombination and energy distribution in PSII were elucidated. Some new target sites of pollutants and action mode were found.

Main publications

Pan X L, Zhang D Y, Chen X, et al. 2009. Effects of levofloxacin ydrochloride on photosystem II activity and heterogeneity of Synechocystis sp. Chemosphere, 77(3): 413-418.

Pan X L, Zhang D Y, Chen X, et al. 2010. Antimony accumulation, growth performance, antioxidant defense system and photosynthesis of Zea mays in response to antimony pollution in soil. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution, 215(1-4), 517-523.

(4) Bioremediation of contaminated sites

Several innovative bioremediation technologies for contaminated soils and groundwater were successfully established.

Main publication

Pan X L. 2009. Micrologically induced carbonate precipitation as a promising way to in situ immobilize heavy metals in groundwater and sediment. Research Journal of Chemistry and Environment, 13(4): 3-4.

Personnel

There are 25 research staffs in the Department, including 4 professors, 7 associate professors, 1 scientist of Hundred Talents Program and 4 postdoctoral research fellows.

There are currently 15 postgraduate students in the Department, including 6 PhD candidates and 9 MSc candidates.

Contact

Director: Prof. PAN Xiangliang

Tel: +86-991-7823156

E-mail: panxl@ms.xjb.ac.cn