School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo　Research Center for Water Environment Technology

Organic pollutants present critical challenges at the intersection of water quality, public health, and climate change, i.e., the water-climate-health nexus. Therefore, monitoring and degrading organic greenhouse gases, aqueous contaminants, and biomolecules associated with pathogen activity, align with the goals of decarbonization, decontamination, and disinfection (the “3D objectives”). This talk will explore our efforts in monitoring the transformation of fluorinated greenhouse gases, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), polycyclic aromatic compounds, and pathogen-related biomolecules. By leveraging insights from oxidation organic chemistry, we have mechanistically understood and optimized oxidation processes for 3D applications. Additionally, this talk will discuss about our current projects and emerging trends in monitoring and oxidizing diverse organic pollutants.

Junyue (Holden) Wang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Maine. His current work focuses on monitoring pollutant fate and transport, degradation of organic contaminants, and pathogen inactivation. Before joining UMaine, he worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University (Advised by Lea R. Winter). He received his Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Environmental Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology (Advised by Ching-Hua Huang) and Stanford University, respectively. He received his B.Sc. from Tongji University. He has also conducted research as a visiting researcher or student at UC Berkeley, Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research, University of Notre Dame, and SLAC National Laboratory. This is his second time in Japan and he appreciates the opportunity to visit the University of Tokyo.