The research of our group focuses on the transport and transformation of emerging organic contaminants in soils and sediments, especially phthalate esters, antibiotics and personal care products. We also study the reactivities of soil constituents in pollutant degradation, including clay minerals, soil organic materials and metal oxides. Now, we are working on soil persistant free radicals on reactive free radical formation and contaminants degradation, developing new instruments to synthesis or analysis persistant free radiacls.

2002/09 - 2007/08 University of Wisconsin-Madsion, Department of Soil Science, Ph.D
1997/09 - 2000/07 Kunming Institute of Boany, CAS, M.S.
1993/09 - 1997/07 Nankai University, B. S.

   

2012/10 - now, Institute of Soil Science, CAS, Professor
2007/08 - 2012/10 Michigan State University, Department of Plant and Soil Science, PostDoc

1.  Lu, Y.; Sun, Z.; Wang, X.; Gu, C.; Gao, J.* Nitrate photolysis induces the nitration of anthracene in surface soil. Environ. Sci. Technol., 2026, accepted.

2.  Tong, Y., Wang, X., Sun, Z., Chu, L., Wang, Xh. Gao, J.* Intermediate Fe(III) of goethite oxidized As(III) to As(V): Roles of oxytetracycline and oxygen vacancies. J. Environ. Sci., 2026, accepted.

3.  Shen, L., Cai, Y., Gao, J.* Effects of nanoscale zero-valent iron loaded biochar on the fate of phenanthrene in soil-radish(Raphanus sativus L.var.radculuspers)system, Effects of nanoscale zero-valent iron loaded biochar on the fate of phenanthrene in soil-radish (Raphanus sativus L.var.radculus pers)system, Eco-Environ. Health, 2025, 4, 100134.

4.Zhou, J., Wang, X., Sun, Z., Gao, J.* Transformation of Atrazine on δ-MnO₂ surfaces under dry conditions: Hydrolysis and dealkylation, J. Hazard. Mater.,2025, 495, 138977.

5. Sun, Z ., Wang, X., Chu, L., Tong, Y., Liu, C., Fang, G., Chen, H., Gu, C., Gao, J.* Thiols regulate photo-transformed fates of anthracene at surfaces of minerals: Potential roles of sulfhydryl in oxidative coupling of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, J. Hazard. Mater., 2025, 497, 139675.

6. Juan Gao, Cheng Gu, Interfacial Reactions of Organics on Soil Minerals，Science Publication (China), ISBN978-7-03-077207-7. 2024.04.

7. Zhou, J., Wang, X., Gao, J.,* The mechanisms of •OH formation in MnO₂ and oxalate system: Implication for ATZ removal. J. Hazard. Mater., 2024, 470, 134213.

8. Cai, Y., Pu, L., Shen, L., Sun, Z., Fang, G., Zhou, D., Yu, Y., Gao, J.,* Foliar spraying of different size SiO₂ nanoparticles affected phenanthrene accumulation in amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor L.): A metabolomics insight. Pedosphere, 2025, 35, 1005-1015.

9. Sun, Z.; Chu, L.; Wang, X.; Fang, G.; Liu, C.; Chen, H.; Gu, C.; Gao, J.* Roles of natural phenolic compounds in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons abiotic attenuation at soil-air interfaces through oxidative coupling reactions. Environ. Sci. Technol., 2023, 57, 11967-11976.

10. Chen, N.; Huang, D.; Liu, G.; Chu, L.; Fang, G.; Zhu, C.; Zhou, D.*; Gao, J.* Active iron species driven hydroxyl radicals’ formation in oxygenation of different paddy soils: Implications to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons degradation. Water Res., 2021, 203, 117484.

11.  Sun, Z.; Wang, X.; Liu, C.; Fang, G.; Chu, L.; Gu, C.; Gao, J.* Persistent free radicals from low-molecular-weight organic compounds enhance cross-coupling reactions and toxicity of anthracene

on Amorphous Silica surfaces under light. Environ. Sci. Technol., 2021, 55, 6, 3716–3726.

12.  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.

13.  Gao, J.;Hedman, C.; Liu, C.; Guo, T.; Pedersen, J. A. Transformation of sulfamethazine by manganese oxide in aqueous solution. Environ. Sci. Technol., 2012,

46, 2642-2651.

14.  Gao, J.; Pedersen, J. A.* Adsorption of sulfonamide antimicrobial agents to clay minerals. Environ. Sci. Technol., 2005, 39, 9509-9516.

15.  Chen, N.; Huang, D.; Liu, G.; Chu, L.; Fang, G.; Zhu, C.; Zhou, D.*; Gao, J.* Active iron species driven hydroxyl radicals’ formation in oxygenation of different paddy soils: Implications to

polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons degradation. Wat. Res., 2021, 203, 117484.

16.  Wang, X.; Pu, L.; Liu, C.; Gao, J.*; Gu, C.* Enhanced and selective phototransformation of chlorophene on aluminum hydroxide-humic complexes. Water Res., 2021, 193, 116904.

17.  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.

18.  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.

19.  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.

20.  Chu, L.; Sun, Z.; Cang, L.; Fang, G.; Wang, X.; Zhou, D.; Gao, J.* A novel sulfite coupling electro-fenton reactions with ferrous sulfide cathode for anthracene degradation. Chem. Eng. J.,2020, 400, 125945.

21.  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.

22.  Chu, L.; Cang, L.; Fang, G.; Sun, Z.; Wang, X.; Zhou, D.; Gao, J*. A novel electrokinetic remediation with in-situ generation of H₂O₂ for soil PAHs removal. J. Hazard. Mater., 2022, 428, 128273.

23.  Chu, L.; Cang, L.; Sun, Z.; Wang, X.; Fang, G.; Gao, J*. Reagent-free electrokinetic remediation coupled with anode oxidation for the treatment of phenanthrene polluted soil. J. Hazard. Mater., 2022, 433, 128724.

24.  Zhu, C.; Wang, D.; Zhu, F.; Liu, S.; Fang, G.*; Gao, J.*; Zhou, D. Rapid DDTs degradation by thermally activated persulfate in soil under aerobic and anaerobic conditions: Reductive radicals vs. oxidative radicals. J. Hazard. Mater., 2021, 402, 123557.

25.  Cai, Y.; Yuan, B.; Ma, X.; Fang, G.; Zhou, D.; Gao, J*. Foliar application of SiO₂ and ZnO nanoparticles affected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons uptake of Amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor L.): A metabolomics and typical statistical analysis. Sci.Total Environ., 2022, 833, 155258.