Research
Zulin is interested in investigating environmental geochemical behaviour (source, transport and fate), removal, effect and risk assessment of organic contaminants including endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs), persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and emerging organic contaminants (e.g. pesticides, pharmaceutical and personal care products, PFASs). Also he is interested in developing new analytical and monitoring techniques (e.g. passive sampling, online extraction, chromatography and mass spectrometry) for emerging organic contaminants of different environmental matrices with an emphasis on compounds entering the food chain and having an effect on environmental quality, animal and human health.
Publications
Journals
- Chen, X.; Zhu, J.; Ma, Y.; Zeng, C.; Mu, R.; Deng, Z.; Zhang, Z. (2024) Facile synthesis of ball-milling and oxalic acid co-modified sludge biochar to efficiently activate peroxymonosulfate for sulfamethoxazole degradation: 1O2 and surface-bound radicals, Journal of Hazardous Materials, 465, Art. 133026
- Ma, Y.; Yao, Y.; Deng, Z.; Tang, J.; Liu, Y.; Ma, J.; Zhang, Z. (2024) Ball milling and phosphoric acid hydrothermally co-functionalized sludge biochar for efficiently adsorptive removal of environmental concentration sulfamethoxazole: Experimental, characterization and DFT study, Separation and Purification Technology, 328, Art. 125051
- Chen, Y.; Wang, Y.; Tan, Y.; Jiang, C.; Li, T.; Yang, Y.; Zhang, Z. (2023) Phthalate esters in the Largest River of Asia: An exploration as indicators of microplastics, Science of The Total Environment, 902, Art. 166058
- Zeng, C.; Qian, S.; Ma, Y.; Chen, X.; Li, P.; Ma, X.; Zhu, J.; Mu, R.; Deng, Z.; Ding, Y.; Qi, X.; Zhang, Z. (2023) Ball milling enhanced magnetic corn straw biochar for peroxyacetic acid activation towards efficient degradation of sulfadiazine, Industrial Crops and Products, 204(B), Art. 117346
- Ma, Y.; Chen, X.; Tang, J.; Deng, Z.; Zeng, C.; Zhang, Z. (2023) An in-situ electrogenerated persulfate and its activation by functionalized sludge biochar for efficient degradation of sulfamethoxazole, Journal of Cleaner Production, 423, Art. 138768
- Wang, Y.; Feng, Y.; Chen, Y.; Li, T.; Tan, Y.; Ma, Y.; Zhang, Z. (2023) Annual Flux Estimation and Source Apportionment of PCBs and PBDEs in the Middle Reach of Yangtze River, China, Science of The Total Environment, 885, Art. 163772
- Liu, Z.; Cui, S.; Fu, Q.; Zhang, F.; Zhang, Z.; Hough, R.; An, L.; Li, Y-F; Zhang, L. (2023) Transport of neonicotinoid insecticides in a wetland ecosystem: Has the cultivation of different crops become the major sources?, Journal of Environmental Management, 339, Art. 117838
- Tang, J.; Ma, Y.; Deng, Z.; Li, P.; Qi, X.; Zhang, Z. (2023) One-pot preparation of layered double oxides-engineered biochar for the sustained removal of tetracycline in water, Bioresource Technology, 381, Art. 129119
- Deng, Z.; Zhu, J.; Li, P.; Du, Z.; Qi, X.; Chen, X.; Mu, R.; Zeng, C.; Ma, Y.; Zhang, Z. (2023) Effective adsorptive removal of tetracycline from aqueous solution by Zn-BTC@SBC derived from sludge:Experimental study and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, Journal of Molecular Liquids, 384, Art. 122283
- Zhang, Z.; Ma, Y. (2023) The path to complete defluorination of PFAS, Nature Water, 1, 313-314
- Ke, Y.; Zhang, F.; Zhang, Z.; Hough, R.; Fu, Q.; Li, Y.; Cui, S. (2023) Effect of combined aging treatment on biochar adsorption and speciation distribution for Cd (II), Science of the Total Environment, 867, Art. 161593
- Chen, Y.; Tan, Y.; Wang, Y.; Ma, Y.; Li, P.; Du, Z.; Yang, L.; Wu, L.; Cui, S.; Ding, Y.; Qi, X.; Zhang, Z. (2023) Estimating Sources, Fluxes, and Ecological Risks of Antibiotics in the Wuhan Section of the Yangtze River, China: A Year-Long Investigation, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 42(3), 605-619
- Chen, Y.; Song, R.; Li, P.; Wang, Y.; Tan, Y.; Ma, Y.; Yang, L.; Wu, L.; Du, Z.; Qi, X.; Zhang, Z. (2023) Spatiotemporal distribution, sources apportionment and ecological risks of PAHs: a study in the Wuhan section of the Yangtze River, Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 45, 7405-7424
- Chen, X.; Qian, S.; Ma, Y.; Zhu, J.; Shen, S.; Tang, J.; Ding, Y.; Zhi, S.; Zhang, K.; Yang, L.; Zhang, Z. (2023) Efficient degradation of sulfamethoxazole in various waters with peroxymonosulfate activated by magnetic-modified sludge biochar: Surface-bound radical mechanism, Environmental Pollution, 319, Art. 121010
- Ma, Y.; Tang, J.; Chen, S.; Yang, L.; Shen, S.; Chen, X.; Zhang, Z. (2023) Ball milling and acetic acid co-modified sludge biochar enhanced by electrochemistry to activate peroxymonosulfate for sustainable degradation of environmental concentration neonicotinoids, Journal of Hazardous Materials, 444(A), Art. 130336
- Tang, J.; Ma, Y.; Zeng, C.; Yang, L.; Cui, S; Zhi, S.; Yang, F.; Ding, Y.; Zhang, K.; Zhang, Z. (2023) Fe-Al bimetallic oxides functionalized-biochar via ball milling for enhanced adsorption of tetracycline in water, Bioresource Technology, 369, Art. 128385
- Wu, L.; Yan, X.; Yang, L.; Shen, S.; Li, Y.; Yang, S.; He, L.; Chen, Y.; Yang, S.; Zhang, Z. (2023) Simultaneous efficient degradation and dechlorination of chloramphenicol using UV/sulfite reduction: Mechanisms and product toxicity, Chemical Engineering Journal, 452(1), Art. 139161
- Chen, Y.; Jiang, C.; Wang, Y.; Song, R.; Tan, Y.; Yang, Y.; Zhang, Z. (2022) Sources, Environmental Fate, and Ecological Risks of Antibiotics in Sediments of Asia’s Longest River: A Whole-Basin Investigation, Environmental Science and Technology, 56(20), 14439-14451
- Cui, S.; Ke, Y.; Fu, Q.; Hough, R.; Zhang, Z.; Shen, Z.; An, L.; Li, Y. (2022) Optimization preparation of biochar from garden waste and quantitative analysis for Cd2+ adsorption mechanism in aqueous solution, Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery.
- Tang, J.; Ma, Y.; Cui, S.; Ding, Y.; Zhu, J.; Chen, X.; Zhang, Z. (2022) Insights on ball milling enhanced iron magnesium layered double oxides bagasse biochar composite for ciprofloxacin adsorptive removal from water, Bioresource Technology, 359, Art. 127468
- Liu, Z.; Zhang, L.; Zhang, Z.; An, L.; Hough, R.; Hu, P.; Li, Y.; Zhang, F.; Wang, S.; Zhao, Y.; Ke, Y.; Cui, S. (2022) A review of spatiotemporal patterns of neonicotinoid insecticides in water, sediment, and soil across China, Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 29, 55336-55347
- Yang, S.; He, L.; Peng, P.; Liu, Y.; Ma, Y.; Wu, L.; Zhang, Z.; Yang, L. (2022) Synergistic Fe2UV activated peroxydisulfate as an efficient method for the degradation of thiacloprid, Process Safety and Environmental Protection, 161, 466-475
- Ma, Y.; Chen, S.; Yang, L.; Qi, Y.; Wu, L.; He, L.; Li, P.; Qi, X.; Gao, F.; Ding, Y.; Zhang, Z. (2022) An efficient, green and sustainable potassium hydroxide activated magnetic corn cob biochar for imidacloprid removal, Chemosphere, 291(1), Art. 132707
- Yang, L.; He, L.; Ma, Y.; Wu, L.; Zheng, L.; Wang, J.; Chen, Y.; Li, Y.; Zhang, Z. (2022) Periodate-based oxidation focusing on activation, multivariate-controlled performance and mechanisms for water treatment and purification, Separation and Purification Technology, 289, Art. 120746
- Ke, Y.; Cui, S.; Fu, Q.; Hough, R.; Zhang, Z.; Li, Y. (2022) Effects of pyrolysis and aging treatment on the adsorption of Cd2 and Zn2 by coffee grounds biochar, Chemosphere, 296, Art. 134051
- Zhi, S.; Zhou, J.; Zhang, Z.; Zhang, K. (2022) Determination of 38 antibiotics in raw and treated wastewater from swine farms using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, Journal of Separation Science, 45(9), 1535-1537
- Lea, R.; Mandon-Pépin, B.; Loup, B.; Poumerol, E.; Jouneau, L.; Egbowon, B.; Bowden, A.; Cotinot, C.; Purdie, L.; Zhang, Z.; Fowler, P.; Sinclair, K. (2022) Ovine fetal testis stage-specific sensitivity to environmental chemical mixtures, Reproduction, 163, 119-131
- Ma, Y.; Lu, T.; Yang, L.; Wu, L.; Li, P.; Tang, J.; Chen, Y.; Gao, F.; Cui, S.; Qi, X.; Zhang, Z. (2022) Efficient adsorptive removal of fluoroquinolone antibiotics from water by alkali and bimetallic salts co-hydrothermally modified sludge biochar, Environmental Pollution, 298, Art. 118833
- Niemi, L.; Landova, P.; Taggart, M.; Boyd, K.; Zhang, Z.; Gibb, S. (2022) Spatiotemporal trends and annual fluxes of pharmaceuticals in a Scottish priority catchment, Environmental Pollution, 292, Part A, Art. 118295
- Ma, Y.F.; Qi, Y.; Lu, T.M.; Yang, L.; Wu, L.; Cui, S.; Ding, Y.Z.; Zhang Z.L. (2021) Highly efficient removal of imidacloprid using potassium hydroxide activated magnetic microporous loofah sponge biochar, Science of the Total Environment, 765, Article No. 144253
Prior to appointment
- Irvine, K.N.; Roberts, M.; Eastwood, A.; Colley, K.; Currie, M.; Zhang, Z. (2021) Environmental science and mental health review., Report via Valuing Nature Program.
- Zhang Z.L.; Zhou J.L. (2007) Simultaneous determination of various pharmaceuticals in environmental waters by solid-phase extraction-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry., Journal of Chromatography A, 1154, 205-213.
- Li, L.S.; Zhu, W.P.; Zhang, P.Y.; Zhang, Q.Y.; Zhang, Z.L. (2006) AC/O3/BAC process for removing refractory and hazardous pollutants in raw water., Journal of Hazardous Materials, 135, 129-133.
- Li, L.S.; Zhu, W.P.; Zhang, P.Y.; Zhang, Z.L.; Wu, H.H.; Han W.Y. (2006) Comparison of AC/O3-BAC and O3-BAC process for removing organic pollutants in secondary effluent., Chemosphere, 62, 1514-1522.
- Zhang, Z.L.; Hibberd, A.; Zhou, J.L. (2006) Optimisation of derivatisation for the analysis of estrogenic compounds in water by solid-phase extraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry., Analytica Chimica Acta, 577, 52-61.
- Zhang, Z.L.; Yu, G.; Cheng, J.; Wang, X.; Zhang, F.S. (2005) Carbon Isotopic Fractionation during Photolysis of Hexachlorobenzene., Progress in Natural Science, 15, 82-88.
- Zhang, Z.L.; Hong, H.S.; Zhou, J.L.; Yu G. (2004) Phase association of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the Minjiang River Estuary, China., Science of the total Environment, 323, 71-86.
- Zhang, Z.L.; Hung, J.; Yu, G.; Hong, H.S. (2004) Occurrence of PAHs, PCBs and organochlorine pesticides in the Tonghui River of Beijing, China., Environmental Pollution, 130, 249-261.
- Zhang, Z.L.; Hong, H.S.; Zhou, J.L.; Huang, J.; Yu, G. (2003) Fate and assessment of persistent organic pollutants at multi-phase from Minjiang River Estuary, Southeast of China., Chemosphere, 52, 1423-1430.
- Zhang, Z.L.; Hong, H.S.; Zhou, J.L.; Dai, M.H.; Maskaoui, K.; Chen, W.Q. (2002) Contamination by Organochlorine Pesticides in the Estuaries of Southeast China., Chemical Research in Chinese Universities,18,153-160.
- Zhang, Z.L.; Dai, M.H.; Hong, H.S.; Zhou, J.L.; Yu, G. (2002) Dissolved insecticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in the Pearl River Estuary and South China Sea., Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 4, 922-928.
- Zhang, Z.L.; Hong, H.S.; Zhou, J.L.; Yu, G. (2002) Occurrence and behaviour of organophosphorus insecticides in the River Wuchuan, Southeast China., Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 4,498-504.
- Zhang, Z.L.; Hong, H.S.; Zhou, J.L.; Yu, G.; Chen, W.Q.; Wang X.H. (2002) Transport and fate of organochlorine pesticides in River Wuchuan, Southeast China., Journal of Environmental Monitoring , 4, 435-441.
- Zhang, Z.L.; Hong, H.S.; Wang, X.H.; Lin, J.Q.; Chen, W.Q.; Xu, L. (2002) Determination and load of Organophosphorus and Organochlorine pesticides at water from Jiulong River Estuary, China., Marine Pollution Bulletin, 45, 397-402.
Books / chapters
- Dawson, L.A.; Rhind, S.M.; Zhang, Z.L.; Poggio, L.; Kyle, C.E.; Mayes, R.W.; Aalders, I.H.; Osprey, M.; Ross, J.; Cuthbert, A. (2012) Linking distribution of soil PaHs to location as a forensic tool., In: Morrison, R.D. & O’Sullivan, G. (eds.). Environmental Forensics: Proceedings of the 2011 INEF Conference. Royal Society of Chemistry Publishing, Cambridge, pp199-205.
- Zhou J.L.; Zhang, Z.L. (2011) Analysis of hormones in food., In: Nollett, L. (ed.). Analysis of Endocrine Disrupting Compounds in Food. Wiley-Blackwell, Oxon, 243-254.
- Zhou J.L.; Zhang, Z.L. (2009) Pharmaceutical compounds in estuarine and coastal waters., In: Wurl, O. (ed.). Practical Guidelines for the Analysis of Seawater. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, 351-367.
- Zhang, Z.L.; Grover, D.P.; Zhou, J.L. (2009) Monitoring of pharmaceutical residues in sewage effluent., In: Ahuja, S. (ed.). Handbook of Water Quality and Purity. Elsevier Science, New York, 315-342.
Technical / contract reports
- Helwig, K.; Cooper, A.; Pagaling, E.; Henderson, F.; Avery, L.; Roberts, J.; Mattar, S.; Devalla, S.; Hunter, C.; Frascaroli, G.; Pahl, O.; Escudero, A.; Shortall, O.; Zhang, Z.; Troldborg, M. (2024) Emerging Contaminants: Informing Scotland’s strategic monitoring and policy approaches on substances of increasing concern, CREW website
- Pagaling, E.; Troldborg, M.; Zhang, Z. (2021) The Transport, Fate and Impact of Pharmaceuticals in the Environment in Scotland, SEFARI
- Helwig, K.; Aderemi, A.; Donnelly, D.; Gibb, S.; Gozdzielewska, L.; Harrower, J.; Helliwell, R.C.; Hunter, C.; Niemi, L.; Pagaling, E.; Price, L.; Roberts, J.; Zhang, Z. (2021) Pharmaceuticals in the water environment: baseline assessment and recommendations., Research Summary Report on CREW Website, 16 February 2021, 3pp.
Conference papers
- Dawson, L.; Zhang, Z.; Ramage, S. (2023) Forensics and pollutants (plasticisers and microplastics), Poster presentation and on SEFARI Gateway website.
- Dawson, L.A.; Rhind, S.M.; Zhang, Z.L.; Poggio, L.; Kyle, C.E.; Mayes, R.W.; Aalders, I.H.; Osprey, M.; Ross, J.; Cuthbert, A. (2011) Distribution of PAHs across the soils of Scotland., International Network of Environmental Forensics Conference, St John’s College, Cambridge, 24-27 July 2011. Conference Proceedings, pp.18-19.
Conference posters / abstracts
- Gomez-Banderas, J.; Freitag, S.; Cooper, P.; Watson, H.; Zhang, Z. (2023) Assessment of pharmaceutical levels in the River Dee a Scottish priority catchment, Poster at #EnvChem2023: Chemistry of the Whole Environment, 1-2 June 2023, Glasgow
- Baggaley, N.; Roberts, M.; Loades, K.; Parker, T.; Zhang, Z.; Lilly, A.; Rivington, M.; Sharififar, A.; Jabloun, M.; Hallett, P.; Fraser, F. (2023) Assessing the socio-economic impacts of soil degradation on Scotland’s water environment, Catchment Science 2023 Conference, 7-9 November 2023, Wexford
- Zhang, Z.; Osprey, M.; Kerr, C.; Lebleu, M.; Cooper, P. (2019) Environmental monitoring, occurrence and potential risks of emerging contaminants in waters., EGU General Assembly 2019, Vienna, Austria, 7-12 April 2019. Geophysical Research Abstracts, Volume 21, EGU2019-17992-1. Abstract.
- Helliwell, R.C.; Glendell, M.; Zhang, Z.; Dodd, N.; Beier, S.; Ferrier, R.C.; Stutter, M.I. (2019) Working at the science-policy interface: Lessons from CREW on emerging issues and innovative approaches to monitoring and management in Scotland., India UK Water Centre Workshop, Science and Innovation for Catchment Management, University of Warwick, Coventry, 8-10 May 2019.
- Troldborg, M.; Pohle, I.; Zhang, Z.; Glendell, M. (2019) Combining detailed land use data with national surveys on pesticide usage to better understand the spatiotemporal variability of pesticides in a Scottish catchment., LuWQ2019, International Conference on Land Use and Water Quality: Agriculture and the Environment, Aarhus University, Denmark, 3-6 June 2019.
- Zhang, Z.L.; Lebleu, M.; Li, L.; McKenzie, C.; Gibb, S.; Osprey, M.; Kerr, K.; Courtot, E. (2018) Technical strategies for monitoring and removal of emerging contaminants in waters., SETAC Europe 28th Annual Meeting, Rome, Italy, 13-17 May 2018. (Poster)
- Niemi, L.; Gibb, S.; Zhang, Z.; Taggart, M.; Boyd, K. (2016) Assessment of the degradation pathway, persistence and eco-toxicological impacts of pharmaceuticals and degradation products in the aquatic environment., 17th European Meeting on Environmental Chemistry, Inverness, 30 November – 2 December 2016. Poster.
- Li, Y.; McKenzie, C.; Zhang, Z.L.; Taggart, M.; Lu, Y.L.; Gibb, S. (2016) Optimising the removal of steroid hormones and pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) from aqueous media by using low cost biosorbents., 17th European Meeting on Environmental Chemistry (EMEC), Inverness, Scotland, 30 November – 2 December 2016.
- Niemi, L.; Gibb, S.; Zhang, Z.L.; Taggart, M.; Boyd, K. (2016) Assessment of the degradation pathway, persistence and eco-toxicological impacts of pharmaceuticals and degradation products in the aquatic environment., 17th European Meeting on Environmental Chemistry (EMEC), Inverness, Scotland, 30 November – 2 December 2016.
- Zhang Z.L.; Lin H.; Osprey M.; Chapman S.J.; Freitag T.E.; Rhind S.M.; Kyle C.E.; Hamilton D. (2016) Occurrence and changes of classic and emerging contaminants in soils treated by organic wastes., ESPP (European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform) Workshop: Pharmaceuticals in Sewage Biosolids, Malmo, 27 November 2016.
- Inglis, T.; Yates, K.; Troldborg, M.; Hallett, P.; Zhang, Z. (2016) Using accelerated solvent extraction and liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry to quantify pesticides in soils., Ninth Scottish Symposium on Environmental Analytical Chemistry, Royal Society of Chemistry, Dundee, 14 December 2016. Poster.
- Zhang, Z.L.; Osprey, M.; Kerr, C.; Morais-Afonso, F.; Jayakody, S.; Hallett, P.; Troldborg, M.; Hough, R.L.; Cooper, P.; Rhind, S.M.; Dawson, J.; Yates, Y. (2014) Environmental transport and seasonal changes of pesticides in catchment scale., International Symposium on Environmental and Health, (ISEH 2014), Beijing, China, 4-5 July 2014.
- Zhang, Z.; Rhind, S.M.; Kyle, C.; Osprey, M.; Kerr, C.; Coull, M.; McKenzie, C. (2012) Source and trend of polychlorinated biphenyls in soils of Scotland., Proceedings of SESEH (Sino-European Symposium on Environment and Health) 2012, Galway, Ireland, 20-25 August 2012.
- Pocar, P.; Fiandanese, N.; Borromeo, V.; Berrini, A.; Rhind, S.M.; Zhang, Z.L.; Fischer, B.; Schmidt, J.S.; Schadlich, K.; Secchi, C. (2011) In-utero and lactational exposure to PCB 101 and 118 results in transgenerational disturbance of reproductive development., Proceedings of the 6th Copenhagen Workshop on Endocrine Disruptors, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark, 26-29 April 2011.
- Thornton, B.; Zhang, Z.; Mayes, R.W.; Midwood, A.J. (2010) Can GC-C-IRMS quantify organics?, Joint Meeting of SIMSUG 2010 and ISO-SIG, Exeter University, 27-30 April 2010.
- Zhang, Z.; Zhou, J.L. (2007) Determination of estrogenic and pharmaceutical chemicals in sewage effluent and receiving river water by spot and passive sampling., Abstracts of Papers of The American Chemical Society.