Projects per year
Personal profile
Personal profile
The environment is fascinating because living organisms are powered by redox-active elements, namely C, N, Fe, S, P, and As.Most of our work focuses on the soil-water interface and plant rhizosphere in wetlands (especially rice fields) because they are where the changes, of the redox-active elements forms, happened. The changes are catalyzed by groups of tiny transformers (microorganisms with special functions), usually, their secret lives are not visible unless special tools are used to observe them. Thus, we must work as scientists and engineers, to develop new techniques to study them at small scales, like microsensors and in-situ samplers, even robots.We expect the knowledge from our studies could be applied to provide soil-based solutions for better environments and sustainable methods to remediate polluted soils.更多信息，请在微信搜“西浦陈正研究组”Please contact me by email if you are interested in joining our group.
Research interests
Nutrient recycling from agricultural waste by using microbial fuel cells
Biogeochemical processes of redox-active elements across narrow soil-water interface and rhizosphere in wetlands.
Analytical tools for elements measurement
Remediation of wetlands contaminated by heavy metals and petroleum
Experience
Senior associate Professor, Xian Jiaotong-Liverpool University - 2022 to now
Associate Professor, Xian Jiaotong-Liverpool University - 2017 to 2022
Lecturer, Xian Jiaotong-Liverpool University - 2014 to 2017
Visiting scholar, Aquatic Chemistry Research Group, Lancaster University - 2010 to 2011
Research Scientist/Assistant Professor, Department of Soil Environment, Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences, CAS - 2009 to 2014
Scientific freelance writer, The Sicence News Magazine - 2008 to 2008
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, CAS - 2008 to 2009
Internship, Gwangju Institute of Science amp; Technology - 2005 to 2005
Teaching
ENV407 Frontiers in Environmental Science
ENV215 Environmental Instrument Analysis
ENV313 Environmental Remediation and Rehabilitation Field Class
ENV308 Agriculture, Food and Environment
Awards and honours
2025, First Prize of Jiangsu Outstanding Science Popularization Books, Jiangsu Association for Science and Technology
2023, the 1st class, Science and Technology Award by Soil Science Society of China
2022, “333 High level Talents Cultivation” Level 3 award, Jiangsu
2021&2022, Talent in Teaching and Research (科教骨干人才)，SIP, Suzhou
2020-2021, Best Researcher, 2020-2021, Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, XJTLU
2019-2020, Best PhD Students Mentoring, Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, XJTLU
2013 A survey of rare earth elements distribution in the origin areas of Gan River and Pearl River., National Geographic Air and Water Conservation Fund
2010 Intellectual Ventures Invention Award, Intellectual Ventures Company
2008 Japanese Government Scholarship, The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, Japan
2005 The Internship Programme Award, UNU amp; GIST Joint Programme on Science and Technology for Sustainability
2004 Graduate Scholarship Award, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
Ph.D. , Agricultural Chemistry, Hokkaido University, - 2008
M.Sc. , Environmental Sciences, the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, CAS, China, - 2005
B.Sc. , Peking University, China, - 2002
Research areas
- Soil Remediation
- Biogeochemistry
- Microbial Fuel Cells
- Carbon Neutrality
- Artificial Wetlands
- Food Safety
- Lake Restoration
- Environmental Monitoring
- Analytical Instrument
- Environemental Modelling
- Greenhouse Gases Control
Person Types
- Staff
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
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Analysis of the factors driving changes in water quality and algal conditions in key lakes
Chen, Z. (PI)
1/10/25 → 30/09/26
Project: Governmental Research Project
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Seasonal Change and Patterns of Water Quality and Algal Conditions in Lake Taihu Across Multiple Spatiotemporal Dimensions
Chen, Z. (PI), Li, B. (Team member), Wu, L. (Team member), Yan, D. (Team member), Wang, Y. (Team member), Su, M. (Team member), Zhang, N. (Team member), Zou, S. (Team member), Li, Y. (Team member), Gu, J. (Team member), Zhao, N. (Team member), Chen, R. (Team member), Liu, M. (Team member), Zhao, X. (Team member), Wang, Y. (Team member), Zhu, J. (Team member) & Jiang, X. (Team member)
1/09/25 → 31/08/26
Project: Governmental Research Project
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The Behaviors of Methane at Soi-Water Interface and Rhizosphere in Rice Paddy System
Chen, Z. (PI), Wu, L. (Team member), Xie, X. (Team member), Tang, K. (Team member) & Zhao, P. (Team member)
1/01/25 → 31/12/28
Project: Governmental Research Project
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The behaviors of methane at soil-water interface and rhizosphere in rice paddy system
Chen, Z. (PI), Wu, L. (CoPI) & Zhao, P. (CoPI)
1/01/25 → 31/12/28
Project: Governmental Research Project
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Impact of the EU (CBAM Policy on Suzhou and the Countermeasures
Chen, Z. (PI)
Project: Internal Research Project
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Floating iron biofilms as hidden barriers to methane emissions in wetlands
Chen, Z., Jul 2025, In: The Innovation Geoscience.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Hotspots and dynamics of dissolved thallium species at oxic-anoxic interfaces in flooded soils
Zhang, S., Huangfu, Q., Boyle, J., Wu, L., Song, J. & Chen, Z., May 2025, In: Chemosphere. 377, 144331.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
1 Citation (Scopus) -
Manipulating natural heatwaves in AmbControl chambers: bridging controlled and field conditions for warming studies in plant–soil systems
Chen, Z., Oct 2025, In: Technology in Agronomy.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Millimeter-scale leaf litter placement modulates carbon dioxide and methane emissions in wetlands
Liu, H., Zhang, Y., Cai, Y.-J., Liu, Z.-Y., Li, L., Wang, Y.-Q., Shu, X., Goodacre, R. & Chen, Z., Jun 2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Applied Geochemistry. 190, p. 106475 1 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Millimeter-scale niche differentiation of N-cycling microorganisms across the soil-water interface has implications for N2O emissions from wetlands
Chen, Z., 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: The ISME journal.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Activities
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The 1:1 Se:Cd molar ratio: Unlocking detoxification of Cd across plant-animal systems
Chen, Z. (External PhD examiner) & Qin, H. (External PhD examiner)
17 Sept 2025Activity: Supervision › External examiner for PhD thesis
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Greenhouse Gases at Soil-Water Interface
Chen, Z. (Invited speaker)
Jul 2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
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Adaptive Management of Tibetan Pastoral Social–ecological Systems Facing the Challenge of Grassland Degradation
Chen, Z. (External PhD examiner)
9 Mar 2025Activity: Supervision › External examiner for PhD thesis
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Investigating the diversity and grazing activity of predatory myxobacteria in activated sludge
Zhang, L. (Supervisor), Chen, Z. (Co-supervisor) & Paterson, S. (Co-supervisor)
Mar 2025 → …Activity: Supervision › PhD Supervision
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NSFC Application Experience Sharing
Chen, Z. (Speaker)
30 Oct 2024Activity: Talk or presentation › Presentation at conference/workshop/seminar