Dr. Liwen Xiao
Associate Professor, Civil Struct & Env. Eng.
Biography
Dr. Liwen Xiao received his PhD degree at NUI Galway and worked as a lecturer there before joining the Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering at TCD as Assistant Professor in 2013. Since joining TCD, Dr Xiao has continued his research work in the following areas: (1) fuel cell technologies, (2) sustainable treatment of wastewater, (3) emerging contaminants (microplastics, antibiotics) detection and removal and (4) impacts of human activities on water quality and ecology. He currently has 4 PhD students in his research group and is involved in a number of research projects funded by national and international funding agencies. Dr Xiao is a college tutor and a deputy director of the research centre TrinityHaus.
Publications and Further Research Outputs
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Luming Yang, Dunzhu Li, Yunhong Shi, Christopher Hill, Rekha Pilliadugula, Laura Page, Jing Jing Wang, John J. Boland, Liwen Xiao, High levels of microparticles release from biodegradable polylactic acid paper cups compared with polyethylene-lined cups, Chemical Engineering Journal, 468, 2023, p143620
Chen Huanq, Liu Zhen, Yang Xingji, He Peiha, Shi Chunxu, Feng Qingg, Xiao Liwe, A novel strategy of high oxygen vacancy concentration regulation for promoting the formation of nonradical species in the directional activation of peroxymonosulfate, Chemical Engineering Journal, 468, 2023, p143839-
Dunzhu Li, Yifan Sun, Yunhong Shi, Zeena Wang, Saviour Okeke, Luming Yang, Wen Zhang, Liwen Xiao, Structure evolution of air cathodes and their application in electrochemical sensor development and wastewater treatment, Science of The Total Environment, 869, 2023, p161689
Bai Wenjin, Tang Ru, Wu Guangxu, Wang We, Yuan Shouju, Xiao Liwe, Zhan Xinmi, Hu Zhen-H, Co-precipitation of heavy metals with struvite from digested swine wastewater: Role of suspended solids, Journal of Hazardous Materials, 455, 2023, p131633-
Yifan Sun, Dunzhu Li, Yunhong Shi, Zeena Wang, Saviour Okeke, Luming Yang, Wen Zhang, Zihan Zhang, Yanqi Shi, Liwen Xiao, Application of 3D Printing Technology in Sensor Development for Water Quality Monitoring, Sensors, 23, (5), 2023, p2366
Zeena Wang, Dunzhu Li, Yunhong Shi, Yifan Sun, Saviour Okeke, Luming Yang, Wen Zhang, Zihan Zhang, Yanqi Shi, Liwen Xiao, Recent Implementations of Hydrogel-Based Microbial Electrochemical Technologies (METs) in Sensing Applications, Sensors, 23, (2), 2023, p641
Bai Wenjin, Tang Ru, Wu Guangxu, Wang We, Yuan Shouju, Xiao Liwe, Zhan Xinmi, Hu Zhen-H, Role of suspended solids on the co-precipitation of pathogenic indicators and antibiotic resistance genes with struvite from digested swine wastewater, Journal of Hazardous Materials, 459, 2023, p132235-
Dunzhu Li, Yunhong Shi, Zeena Wang, Fei Gao, Luming Yang, Yifan Sun, Liwen Xiao, Characterising operational performance and oxygen crossover of the low-cost cylindrical cathode in microbial fuel cells, Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 11, (2), 2023, p109462
Shi, Y. and Li, D. and Xiao, L. and Sheerin, E.D. and Mullarkey, D. and Yang, L. and Bai, X. and Shvets, I.V. and Boland, J.J. and Wang, J.J., The influence of drinking water constituents on the level of microplastic release from plastic kettles, Journal of Hazardous Materials, 425, (127997), 2022
Dunzhu Li, Emmet D. Sheerin, Yunhong Shi, Liwen Xiao, Luming Yang, John Boland, Jing Jing Wang, Alcohol Pretreatment to Eliminate the Interference of Micro Additive Particles in the Identification of Microplastics Using Raman Spectroscopy, Environmental Science & Technology, 56, (17), 2022, p12158--12168
Yunhong Shi, Dunzhu Li, Liwen Xiao*, Daragh Mullarkey, Emmet D. Sheerin, Luming Yang, Igor V. Shvets, John J. Boland*, Jing Jing Wang* , The Influence of Drinking Water Constituents oLevel of Microplastic Release from Plastic Kettles, Journal of Hazardous Materials, 425, 2022, pDOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.12
Yunhong Shi, Dunzhu Li, Liwen Xiao*, Daragh Mullarkey, Daniel K. Kehoe, Emmet D. Sheerin, Sebastian Barwich, Luming Yang, Yurii K. Gun'ko, Igor V. Shvets, Matthias E. Möbius, John J. Boland*, Jing Jing Wang* , Real-world natural passivation phenomena can limit microplastic generation in water, Chemical Engineering Journal, 425, 2022
D Li, Y Shi, Y Sun, Z Wang, DK Kehoe, L Romeral, F Gao, L Yang, D McCurtin, YK Gun'ko, MEG Lyons, L Xiao, Microbe-based sensor for long term detection of urine glucose, Sensors, 22, 2022, p5340
Goli V.S.N.S., Paleologos E.K., Farid A., Mohamed A.M.O., O'Kelly B.C., El Gamal M.M., Vaverková M.D., Jiang N.J., Wang J.J., Xiao L., Singh P., Han X.L., Shi Y., Li D., Sengupta A., Kayali S.L., Singh Y., Mohammad A. and Singh D.N., Extraction, characterisation and remediation of microplastics from organic solid matrices, Environmental Geotechnics, 2022, p34
Oluwasegun John Ohunyeye , The impact of electromagnetic fields and chemical from offshore windfarm subsea power cables on marine environment , Master, 2022
Goli V., Paleologos E., Farid A., Mohamed A., O'Kelly B., Gamal M., Vaverkoba M., Jiang N., Wang J., Xiao L., Sing P., Han X., Shi Y., Li Du., Sengupta A., Kayali S., Singh Y., Mohammad A., Singh D, Extraction and Characterisation of microplastics from organic solid matrices and their remediation, Environmental Geotechnics , 2022
Jia Deng, Liwen Xiao, Shoujun Yuan, Wei Wang, Xinmin Zhan, Zhen-Hu Hu, Activation of peroxymonosulfate by CoFeNi layered double hydroxide/graphene oxide (LDH/GO) for the degradation of gatifloxacin, Separation and Purification Technology, 255, 2021
Wang J. J, L. Xiao, J. J. Boland, D. Li, Y. Shi, 'Coating material surfaces to prevent nano- and micro-particle generation', Trinity College Dublin, 2021
Shasha Qi, Jinbiao Lin, Yulan Wang, Shoujun Yuan, Wei Wang, Liwen Xiao, Xinmin Zhan, Zhenhu Hu, Fermentation liquid production of food wastes as carbon source for denitrification: Laboratory and full-scale investigation, Chemosphere, 270, 2021
L Xiao, M Robinson, M O'Connor, Woodland's role in natural flood management: Evidence from catchment studies in Britain and Ireland, Science of The Total Environment, 2021
O'Kelly B.C., El-Zein A., Liu X., Patel A., Fei X., Sharma S., Mohammad A., Goli V.S.N.S., Wang J.J., Li D., Shi Y., Xiao L., Kuntikana G., Shashank B.S., Sarris T.S., Rao B.H., Mohamed A.M.O., Paleologos E.K., Nezhad M.M. and Singh D.N., Microplastics in soils: an environmental geotechnics perspective, Environmental Geotechnics, 8, (8), 2021, p586 - 618
Dunzhu Li, Yunhong Shi, Fei Gao, Luming Yang, Siyuan Li, Liwen Xiao, Understanding the current plummeting phenomenon in microbial fuel cells (MFCs), Journal of Water Process Engineering, 40, 2021
Jizhong Meng, Arong Arong, Shoujun Yuan, Wei Wang, Juliang Jin, Xinmin Zhan, Liwen Xiao, Zhenhu Hu, Photodegradation of roxarsone in the aquatic environment: influencing factors, mechanisms and artificial neural network modeling, Research Square, 2021
Dunzhu Li, Luming Yang, Rachel Kavanagh, Liwen Xiao, Yunhong Shi, Daniel K Kehoe, Emmet D Sheerin, Yurii K Gun'ko, John J Boland, Jing Jing Wang, Sampling, Identification and Characterization of Microplastics Release from Polypropylene Baby Feeding Bottle during Daily Use, Journal of Visualized Experiments: Jove, 173, 2021
Zaki-ul-Zaman Asam, Connie O'Driscoll, Mohsin Abbas, Mark O'Connor, Muhammad Waqas, Mohammad Rehan, Abdul-Sattar Nizami, Liwen Xiao, Mechanism and role of seeded native grasses to immobilize nitrogen on harvested blanket peat forests for protection of water courses, Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 28, 2021, p24756 - 24770
Shasha Qi, Shoujun Yuan, Wei Wang, Liwen Xiao, Xinmin Zhan, Zhenhu Hu, Effect of solid-liquid separation on food waste fermentation products as external carbon source for denitrification, Journal of Cleaner Production, 284, 2021
Guobao Yao, Rui Tang, Haiping Luo, Shoujun Yuan, Wei Wang, Liwen Xiao, Xiangqian Chu, Zhenhu Hu , Zero-valent iron mediated alleviation of methanogenesis inhibition induced by organoarsenic roxarsone, Science of the Total Environment , 2021
D. Li, Y. Shi, L. Yang, L. Xiao, D. K. Kehoe, Y. K. Gun'ko, J. J. Boland, J. J. Wang, Microplastic release from the degradation of polypropylene feeding bottles during infant formula preparation, Nature Food, 1, 2020, p746 - 751
Lin Shi, Zhenhu Hu, Walquiria Silva Simplici, Songkai Qiu, Liwen Xiao, Brendan Harhen, Xinmin Zhan, Antibiotics in nutrient recovery from pig manure via electrodialysis reversal: Sorption and migration associated with membrane fouling, 597, 2020
Lin Shi, Liwen Xiao, Zhenhu Hu, Xinmin Zhan, Nutrient recovery from animal manure using bipolar membrane electrodialysis: study on product purity and energy efficiency, 1, 2020, p54 - 62
Shi Y., Li D., Gill L., Misstear B., O'Donohue I., Xiao L., Investigation into the Causes, Impacts and Measures to Deal with Algal Blooms in Vartry Reservoir, Wexford, Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency, 2020, 1 - 35pp
Mark Farrell , Assessment of a disused rock quarry for the purpose of a public water supply - a case study, 2020
D Li, Y Shi, F Gao, L Yang, DK Kehoe, L Romeral. YK Gun'ko, MEG Lyons, JJ Wang, D Mullarkey, IV Shivets, L Xiao, Characterising and control of ammonia emission in microbial fuel cells, Chemical Engineering Journal, 389, 2020, p124462
Yuansheng Hu, Guangxue Wu, Ruihua Li, Liwen Xiao, Xinmin Zhan, Iron sulphides mediated autotrophic denitrification: An emerging bioprocess for nitrate pollution mitigation and sustainable wastewater treatment, Water research, 179, 2020
Yunhong Shi , Investigation into the causes, impacts and measures to deal with the diatom bloom in Vartry Reservoir , Trinity College Dublin, 2019
Zhaolu Feng, Yihui Wu, Yunhong Shi, Liwen Xiao, Guangxue Wu, Successful startup of one-stage partial nitritation and anammox system through cascade oxygen supply and potential ecological network analysis, Science of the Total Environment, 696, 2019
Morgan, D., Xiao, L., McNabola, A, Technologies for Monitoring, Detecting and Treating Overflows from Urban Wastewater Networks (2014-W-DS-19), EPA Research Report, 240, Dublin, Environmental Protection Agency, 2018, 1-69
Fei Gao, Liwen Xiao, Hongzhou Zhang, Potential of using synthesized nano-zeolite for ammonium and phosphate immobilization in dairy wastewater, Journal of Dairy Research, 85, (3), 2018
O'Driscoll C., Sheahan J.N., Renou-Wilson F., Croot P., Pilla F., Zhan X., Misstear B.D.R. and Xiao L., National scale assessment of total trihalomethanes in Irish drinking water, Journal of Environmental Management, 212, 2018, p131 - 141
Connie O'Driscoll, José LJ Ledesma, John Coll, John G Murnane, Paul Nolan, Eva M Mockler, Martyn N Futter, Liwen W Xiao, Minimal climate change impacts on natural organic matter forecasted for a potable water supply in Ireland, Science of the total environment, 630, 2018, p869 - 877
Geotechnical aspects of peatland restoration and management, Environmental Geotechnics, Institution of Civil Engineering, [eds.], 2018
William Finnegan, Eoghan Clifford, Jamie Goggins, Niall O'Leary, Alan Dobson, Neil Rowan, Liwen Xiao, Song Miao, Kelly Fitzhenry, Peter Leonard, Emma Tarpey, Beatriz Gil-Pulido, Fei Gao, Xinmin Zhan, DairyWater: striving for sustainability within the dairy processing industry in the Republic of Ireland, Journal of Dairy Research, 85, (3), 2018
Xinmin Zhan, Liwen Xiao, LivestockWaste 2016-International conference on recent advances in pollution control and resource recovery for the livestock sector, Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering, 11, (3), 2017
Iniya Kumar Muniraj, Liwen Xiao, Zhenhu Hu, Xinmin Zhan, Screening and characterization of oleaginous fungi from Irish soil for growth under low carbon substrates, Int. J. Curr. Microbiol. Appl. Sci, 6, 2017, p772 - 781
Morgan D., Xiao, L., McNabola, A., Evaluation of Combined Sewer Overflow assessment methods: case study of Cork City, Ireland, Water and Environment Journal, 2017, p1-7
Molecular Diversity of Oleaginous Fungi in Irish Soil and Their Potential for Biodiesel Production in, Molecular Markers in Mycology, 2017, [IK Muniraj, S Uthandi, L Xiao, Z Hu, X Zhan]
O'Driscoll C, Ramwell C, Harhen B, Morrison L, Clauson-Kaas F, Hansen HC, Campbell G, Sheahan J, Misstear B, Xiao L, Ptaquiloside in Irish Bracken Ferns and Receiving Waters, with Implications for Land Managers., Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 21, (5), 2016
Annu Kaila, Zaki Asam, Markku Koskinen, Risto Uusitalo, Aino Smolander, Oili Kiikkilä, Sakari Sarkkola, Connie O'Driscoll, Veikko Kitunen, Hannu Fritze, Hannu Nousiainen, Arja Tervahauta, Liwen Xiao, Mika Nieminen, Impact of Re-wetting of Forestry-Drained Peatlands on Water Quality-a Laboratory Approach Assessing the Release of P, N, Fe, and Dissolved Organic Carbon, Water, Air, & Soil Pollution , 227, (8), 2016, p227 - 292
C. O'Driscoll, J. Sheahan, F. Pilla, B. Misstear, X. Zhan, L. Xiao, Identification of high risk catchments for public and private water supplies in relation to NOM across Ireland, NOM6, the 6th International Water Association (IWA) Specialist Conference on Natural Organic Matter in Water, Malmo, Sweden, 7-10 September, 2015
Muniraj I., Xiao L., Liu H., Zhan X., Utilisation of potato processing wastewater for microbial lipids and "-linolenic acid production by oleaginous fungi, Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 95, (15), 2015, p3084-3090
Kaila A., Kaila A., Laurén A., Sarkkola S., Koivusalo H., Ukonmaanaho L., O"Driscoll C., Xiao L., Asam Z., Nieminen M., Effect of clear-felling and harvest residue removal on nitrogen and phosphorus export from drained norway spruce mires in southern finland, Boreal Environment Research, 20, (6), 2015, p693-706
O'Driscoll C, O'Connor M, Asam ZU, de Eyto E, Brown LE, Xiao L, Forest clearfelling effects on dissolved oxygen and metabolism in peatland streams., Journal of environmental management, 166, 2015, p250-259
Muniraj Iniya Kumar, Uthandi Siva Kumar, Hu Zhenhu, Xiao Liwen, Zhan Xinmin , Microbial lipid production from renewable and waste materials for second-generation biodiesel feedstock, Environmental Technology Reviews, 4, (1), 2015, p1 - 16
Zaki-ul-Zaman Asam, Mika Nieminen, Annu Kaila, Raija Laiho, Sakari Sarkkola, Mark O'Connor, Afshan Sana, Connie O'Driscoll, Michael Rodgers, Xinmin Zhan, L.W. Xiao, Nutrient and heavy metal dynamics in decaying harvest residue needles on drained blanket peat forests, European Journal of Forest Research, 133, 2014, p969 - 982
Zaki-ul-Zaman Asama, Mika Nieminen, Connie O'Driscoll, Mark O'Connor, Sakari Sarkkola, Annu Kaila, Afshan Sana, Michael Rodgers, Xinmin Zhan, Liwen Xiao*, Export of phosphorus and nitrogen from lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) brash windrows on harvested blanket peat forests, Ecological Engineering, 64, 2014, p161 - 170
Liam Henry , Comparison of intermittently aerated sequencing batch reactors (IASBRs) and conventional sequencing batch reactors (cSBRs) in wastewater treatment , NUI Galway, 2014
Connie O'Driscoll, Mark O'Connor, Zaki-ul-Zaman Asam,Elvira de Eyto, Michael Rodgers, Liwen Xiao∗, Creation and functioning of a buffer zone in a blanket peatforested catchment, Ecological Engineering, 62, 2014
Connie O'Driscoll, Mark O'Connor, Zaki-ul-Zaman Asam, Elvira de Eyto, Russell Poole, Michael Rodgers, Xinmin Zhan and Liwen Xiao*, Whole-tree harvesting and grass seeding as potential mitigation methods for phosphorus export control in forest harvested peatland catchments., Forest Ecology and Management, 319, 2014, p176 - 185
Kaila A., Kaila A., Sarkkola S., Laurén A., Ukonmaanaho L., Koivusalo H., Xiao L., O'Driscoll C., Asam Z., Tervahauta A., Nieminen M., Phosphorus export from drained Scots pine mires after clear-felling and bioenergy harvesting, Forest Ecology and Management, 325, 2014, p99-107
Connie O'Driscoll, Elvira de Eyto, Mark O'Connor, Zaki-ul-Zaman Asam, Michael Rodgers, Liwen Xiao*, Biotic response to forest harvesting in acidic blanket peat fed streams: A case study from Ireland, Forest Ecology and Management, 2013
Connie O'Driscoll, Elvira de Eyto, Michael Rodgers, Mark O'Connor, Zaki-ul-Zaman Asam, Martyn Kelly, Liwen Xiao, Influence of natural variation for biomonitoring in upland peat rivers, Hydrobiologia, 2013
Iniya Kumar Muniraj, Liwen Xiao, Zhenhu Hu, Xinmin Zhan, Jianghong Shic, Microbial Lipid Production from Potato Processing Wastewater Using Oleaginous Filamentous Fungi Aspergillus oryzae, Water Research, 2013
Ruihua Li, Cathal Kelly, Richard Keegan, Liwen Xiao, Liam Morrison, Xinmin Zhan, Phosphorus removal from wastewater using natural pyrrhotite, Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 427, 2013
Henry, L.W. Xiao and X. Zhan, Effect of aeration rate on domestic wastewater treatment using an intermittently aerated sequencing batch reactor technology, Environmental Engineering and Management Journal, 2013
Kaila A., Zaki-ul-Zaman Asam, Sakari Sarkkola, Xiao L.W, Ari Laurén, Mika Nieminen, The effect of water table rising on nutrient and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) release from restorated peatland forests, In: the 14th International Peat Congress, in Stockholm, Sweden 3-8 June 2012, 2012
Xiao L.W*, Robinson M., Rodgers M., O'Connor M., M., O'Driscoll, C., Asam, Z.-U-.Z, Impact of blanket peat forest harvesting on stream flow regime, In: the 14th International Peat Congress, in Stockholm, Sweden 3-8 June 2012, 2012
Asam Zaki-ul-Zaman Asam, Mika Nieminen, Annu Kaila, Afshan Sana, Sakari Sarkkola Connie O'Driscoll Mark O'Connor, Michael Rodgers , Xiao L.W, Assessment of nutrient release from harvest residue and the roles of buffer areas and seeded vegetation in nutrient retention in harvested blanket peat foreste, In: the 14th International Peat Congress, in Stockholm, Sweden 3-8 June 2012, 2012
Kumar I. , Biodiesel production from agro-industrial waste using oleaginous fungi , NUI Galway, 2012
O'Driscoll C. , Assessment and mitigation of soil and nutrients losses from acid-sensitive catchments to salmonid receiving waters , NUI Galway, 2012
Asam Z, Investigation of nutrient sources and their transportation from soils to water, NUI Galway, 2012
K. Li, Z.L. Tong, L.W. Xiao, X. Zhan and Z.H Hu, Adsorption of Roxars one from aqueous solution by anaerobic granular sludge, In: International Symposium "Recent Advances in Water Resources management & Pollution Control with Special Focus on China", Galway, Ireland. 10-11 May 2012, 2012
Kaila, A., Asam, Z., Sarkkola, S., Xiao, L., Finér, L., Laurén, A., Vasander, H., Nieminen, M, Decomposition of Picea abies (L.) Karst. and Pinus sylvestris L. cutting residue needles on peatlands drained for forestry - implications for nutrient and heavy metal dynamics, Forest Ecology and Management, 277, 2012
Asam, Z., Kaila, A., Nieminen, M., Sarkkola, S., O'Driscoll, C., O'Connor, M., Sana, A., Rodgers, M., Xiao, L, Assessment of phosphorus retention efficiency of blanket peat buffer areas using a laboratory flume approach, Ecological Engineering, 49, 2012
O'Driscoll C., Rodgers M., O'Connor M., Asam Z. and Xiao L.W, Assessment of the impact of phased felling the ecological quality of first order streams and subsequent salmonid river, In: the 14th International Peat Congress, in Stockholm, Sweden 3-8 June 2012., 2012
O'Driscoll, C., Rodgers, M., O'Connor, M., Asam, Z., De Eyto, E., Xiao, L, Diatom assemblages and their associated environmental factors in upland peat forest rivers, Ecological Indicators, 2012
O'Driscoll C., Rodgers M., O'Connor M., Asam Z., de Eyto E., Poole R., and Xiao L.W, A Potential Solution to Mitigate Phosphorus Release Following Clearfelling in Peatland Forest Catchments, Water Air Soil Pollution, 221, 2011
Rodgers M., O'Connor M., Robinson M., Muller M., Poole R., and Xiao L.W, Suspended solid yield from forest harvesting on upland blanket peat, Hydrol. Process , 25, (2), 2011
Assessment and mitigation of nutrients losses from forest harvesting on upland blanket peat - a case study in the Burrishoole Catchment in, Forestry / Book 1, 2011, [1. Xiao L.W*, Rodgers M., O'Connor M., O'Driscoll C. and Asam Z]
Xiao L.W*, Robinson M., Rodgers M., O'Connor M., M., O'Driscoll, C., Asam, Z.-U-.Z , Impact of blanket peat forest harvesting on stream flow regime - A case study in the Burrishoole catchment, Co. Mayo., In: Proceedings of the National Hydrology Conference, Radisson Hotel, Athlone, Ireland 15th November 2011, 2011
Michael RodgersJohn MulqueenAoife LambeLiwen XiaoEoghan CliffordJohn Prendergast, 'A Biofilm Reactor', National University Of Ireland, Galway, US7938965 B2, 2011
Rodgers M., O'Connor M., Healy M., O'Driscoll C., Asama Z., Nieminen M., Poole R., Muller M. and Xiao L.W.*, Phosphorus release from forest harvesting on an upland blanket peat catchment, Forest Ecology and Management, 260, (12), 2010
O'Driscoll C., Rodgers M., O'Connor M., Asam Z. and Xiao L.W, Assessment of forest clearfelling impacts on salmonid waters in the west of Ireland, In: The British and Irish Diatom Meeting. Glencree Reconciliation Centre, Co. Wicklow, Ireland. 22-24th October 2010, 2010
Xiao L.W*, and Michael Rodgers, Comparison of nitrogen removals from synthetic dairy wastewater using two horizontal-flow biofilm reactor systems - one with a denitrifying suspended growth reactor and the other with a step feed, IWA 8th Specialised Conference on Small Water and Wastewater Systems and 2nd Specialized Conference on Decentralised Water and Wastewater International Network, KCT, Coimbatore, India, 2008
Xiao L.W.*, Rodgers M. and Mulqueen J. , Organic carbon and nitrogen removal from a strong wastewater using a denitrifying suspended growth reactor and a horizontal-flow biofilm reactor, Bioresource Technology, 98, 2007
Rodgers M., Xiao L.W.* and Muqueen J. , Horizontal-flow biofilm system with step feed for nitrogen removal, Journal of Environmental Engineering (ASCE), 133, (6), 2007
Rodgers M., Xiao L.W.* and Mulqueen J. , Synthetic Dairy Wastewater Treatment Using a New Horizontal-Flow Biofilm Reactor, Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A: Toxic/Hazardous Substances & Environmental Engineering, 41, (5), 2006
Rodgers M., Lambe A. and Xiao L.W., Carbon and nitrogen removal using a novel horizontal flow biofilm system, Process Biochemistry, 41 , (11), 2006
Non-Peer-Reviewed Publications
Georgia Giannakopoulou , Technologies for energy harvesting from municipal waste , Trinity College Dublin, 2021
David McCurtin , Microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology for glucose level detection in the urine, Trinity College Dublin, 2021
Shaobao Duan , Food Chain Modelling - How to Control Algal Concentration , Trinity College Dublin, 2020
Mengyao Yan , Degradation of antibiotics in the anaerobic digestion reactor , Trinity College Dublin, 2020
Thomas Robinson , Ultraviolet light emitting diodes powered by microbial fuel cells for water disinfection, Trinity College Dublin, 2020
Liwen Xiao, Tom Grey, Dunzhu Li, 'E3 Garden', Bord Bia Bloom Garden Show, Phoenix Park, Dublin; Trinity College Dublin, 2019, -
Siún McMenamy , Impact of Biomass Harvesting from Irish Forestry on the Environment, Trinity College Dublin, 2018
Connie O'Driscoll, Liwen Xiao, Xinmin Zhan, Bruce Misstear, Francesco Pilla, Carmel Ramwell, Assessment of natural organic matter (NOM) and ptaquiloside in Irish waters, Dublin, 2017
Xiao L.W, Assessment of natural organic matter (NOM) and ptaquiloside in Irish waters, China-Ireland Symposium on Environmental Biotechnology , Shenzhen, China, May 17, 2014
Sarah Noonan , An Environmental Analysis of Irish Peatlands from a Wind Energy and Carbon Balance Perspective, TCD, 2013
Michael Rodgers, Xiao L.W, Markus Müller, Mark O'Connor, Elvira de Eyto, Russell Poole, Mark Robinson and Mark Healy, Quantification of Erosion and Phosphorus Release from a Peat Soil Forest Catchment, Dublin, 2008
Xiao L.W, High strength agricultural wastewater treatment using novel horizontal-flow biofilm reactors, NUI Galway, 2007
Research Expertise
Description
(1) Fuel cell technologies (2) Sustainable treatment of wastewater, (3) Emerging contaminants (microplastics, antibiotics) detection and removal and (4) Impacts of human activities on water quality and ecology. Prof Xiao is co-leading a study with two other colleagues to study microplastics (MPs) release from plastics products. The study led to several papers published in journals such as Nature Food and Chemical Engineering Journal, 4 patents (one filed, three pending) and a SFI Plastic Challenge Award. The findings were featured in more than 300 national and international news outlets and media such as CCTV4, Guardian, BBC, NPR. Prof Xiao is leading a multidisciplinary team to develop next generation energy neutral wastewater treatment technologies. The study led to one Trinity College Provost Project Award, an Intel Bursary Award, ESAI Undergraduate of the Year award, one best conference paper award, one best MAI project award, and numeral publications numeral papers published in journals such as Water Research and Chemical Engineering Journal and two patents (one licensed to an international company and another is pending). Prof Xiao designed a show garden in Bloom 2019, Phoenix Park, Dublin, Ireland in June 2019, which integrated the garden design with the next generation energy neutral wastewater treatment technologies. This award-winning garden was visited by the prime minister of Ireland and more than 100,000 people, and featured in Irish national TV channel RTE and dozens of median. Prof Xiao also developed a wastewater treatment unit for the treatment of wastewater from 300 population and the technology was licensed to an international company. Prof Xiao developed the Burrishoole peatland forest research facility in Co. Mayo, Ireland. The facility includes 4 well equipped catchments for research of impact of peatland forest on soil erosion, water quality and ecology. Mitigation methods and technologies can be tested and validated in a catchment scale using the facility. 4 mitigation methods were successfully tested and validated in the facility by Prof Xiao and his team. Some of the methods were adopted by the stakeholders and decision makers such the Irish Department of Agriculture and Coiltte.Projects
- Title
- Microbial Fuel Cells based system for pollutants removal, resources recovery and disinfection
- Summary
- The secondary treatment process in a conventional wastewater treatment plant usually involves aeration and sludge/flow return, therefore has high energy demand. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) technology has great advantages over the current technologies used in the secondary treatment process due to its potential for simultaneously harvesting electric energy and removing pollutants and its low sludge production rates. Though numerals attempts, MFCs technologies are still in the laboratory and pilot scales so far, due to the difficulty of scaling up the system to industrial level and the high cost of the cathodes. In this project, the applicants proposed a "Microbial Fuel Cells based wastewater treatment system for pollutants Removal, resources Recovery and Disinfection (MFCs-R2D)", which will overcome the above challenges. The system can be easily increased to large scale for small and medium wastewater treatment plants.
- Funding Agency
- Enterprise Ireland
- Date From
- 2021
- Date To
- 2024
- Title
- Microplastic-free plastics
- Funding Agency
- SFI
- Date From
- 2021
- Date To
- 2023
- Title
- E3 garden for Bloom 2019
- Summary
- To develop an E3 garden in Bloom Garden Festival 2019, by integrating the technologies with garden design, to demonstrate the great potential of E3 in sustainable development. The theme of our garden would be "E3, water, climate change & sustainable development". The Bloom Garden Festival (see bloominthepark.com) is Ireland's biggest garden and horticulture show. It provides showcase for garden plants, garden design, construction, horticulture and gardening and attracts over 120,000 visitors each year and a huge media interest. We will use the garden to highlight the technologies we developed in the Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering. In this E3 garden, wastewater will be treated and re-used for gardening and farming, and electricity will be generated by using the wastewater to power the wastewater treatment system. It is expected that this garden will attract great attention as it not only promote sustainable development but also is relevant to public's daily life. In summer 2018 due to the long period of hot and dry weather, water restriction had been posted to the whole country and watering gardens was banned. It is expected such events will occur more frequently due to climate change. This E3 garden will provide solutions to deal with the water shortage.
- Funding Agency
- TCD Provost's Office
- Date From
- 2019
- Date To
- 2019
- Title
- Microbial Fuel Cells technologies for urine glucose monitoring
- Summary
- In this proposal we will provide an automatic, convenient and near-zero maintenance required system for long-term continuous urine glucose level monitoring, which can facilitate detection of diabetes in an early stage. Our urine fuel cells (UFCs) system can be installed within the toilet or urinal bowl. Every time the user goes to the toilet, the UFCs will automatically detect the glucose level in urine and show it in a small screen. The data can be stored in the system and events uploaded to mobile phone or computer through a wifi network. If glucose is detected in the urine multiple times - it indicates the user may have diabetes - the system will remind the user to go to see the doctor for further diagnosis. This is a non-intrusive test and doesn't require the user to alter their habits. The success of the project will facilitate the treatment of diabetes in the world.
- Funding Agency
- TCD
- Date From
- 2021
- Date To
- 2025
- Title
- Hybrid Graphene-Microsphere SERS Devices- Portable and Low Cost Sensors for Trace Element Detection and Identification in Continuous Flow
- Summary
- Raman spectroscopy provides the fingerprint to identify molecules. However, the weak signal is a technical barrier. To overcome this weakness, a graphene microsphere enhanced Raman spectroscopy (GMERS) technology has been developed in TCD. The GMERS delivers numerous advantages including a clean signal, stable response, intrinsic inertial reference, flexibility and "step-change" refreshable property, presenting a cutting-edge opportunity for highly sensitive and reliable quantitative analysis. This gives advantages over traditional surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates with much low cost. With multiple potential applications, the technology is capable of taking existing practices such as grab-sampling in the environmental sector, which is both labour and time intensive, and proposes replacing it with continuous detection and immediate identification of multiple trace elements under constant flow
- Funding Agency
- Enterprise Ireland
- Date From
- 2019
- Date To
- 2021
- Title
- Development of multipurpose microbial electrolysis system (MES) for in-situ enhancement of methane production and antibiotics degradation in anaerobic digesters
- Funding Agency
- Irish Research Council
- Date From
- 2019
- Date To
- 2021
- Title
- Microbial Fuel Cells based system for pollutants Removal, resources Recovery and Disinfection (MFCs-R2D)
- Funding Agency
- Enterprise Ireland
- Date From
- 2020
- Date To
- 2020
- Title
- The cause of diatom algal bloom in lakes
- Funding Agency
- China Scholarship Council / School of Engineering
- Date From
- 2016
- Date To
- 2019
- Title
- Improvement and application of microbial fuel cells
- Funding Agency
- China Scholarship Council / School of Engineering
- Date From
- 2015
- Date To
- 2019
- Title
- Investigation into the causes, impacts and measures to deal with algal blooms in Vartry Reservoirs (project PI)
- Summary
- Diatom algal blooms in water supply sources can cause many problems in the drinking water treatment process. Vartry Reservoir is an important drinking water source in Ireland. Diatom algal blooms have caused problems in the sand filters in the Roundwood water treatment plant since 2007 (except 2010). In 2013 and 2014, the situation worsened and serious spring diatom algal blooms occurred, with peak concentrations of diatom algal up to 1750 and 2457 counts/ml, respectively, resulting in serious clogging of the slow sand filters and a reduction in treatment capacity from 75 million litres to 40 million litres per day and consequently water shortages in the North Wicklow and South Dublin area two years in a row. In addition, diatom algal blooms might also contribute to the high THMs in the Vartry Water Supply Scheme. Therefore, the aim of the proposed study is to investigate the cause of the diatom algal blooms in Vartry Reservoir and to identify potential measures to deal with the impact of algal blooms in Roundwood water treatment plants. This proposed project is important not only for the Vartry Water Supply Scheme but also for water supplies nationwide, as more than 70 mesotrophic lakes are used as water supply sources in Ireland.
- Funding Agency
- EPA
- Date From
- 2015
- Date To
- 2018
- Title
- Technologies for monitoring, detecting and treating overflows from urban wastewater networks (project PI)
- Summary
- The aims of this proposal are to review and assess current and emerging techniques and equipment for CSO monitoring and treatment. It is relevant to the Research Theme 1: Safe Water of the EPA Water Research Pillar. This proposal is relevant to EU and National Policy in the context of the implementation of the urban Waste Water Treatment Directive and the Water Framework Directive (WFD, 2006/60/EC). The WFD (2000/60/EC) aims at preventing deterioration of water bodies, promoting sustainable water use, and ensuring "enhanced protection and improvement of the aquatic environment". This is both a national and international objective and one which needs underpinning research such as described in this proposal to support it.
- Funding Agency
- EPA
- Date From
- 2015
- Date To
- 2016
- Title
- A framework for the restoration of degraded peatlands (WP leader)
- Funding Agency
- EPA
- Date From
- 2015
- Date To
- 2018
- Title
- Using nanotechnology to treat wastewater from offshore oil & gas industry - a feasibility study
- Summary
- The main objective of the project is to investigate the feasibility of employing nanomaterial to remove dissolved hydrocarbons and heavy metals from offshore oil/gas industrial wastewater in Ireland.(Project PI)
- Funding Agency
- The Irish Petroleum Infrastructure Programme (PIP)
- Date From
- 2014
- Date To
- 2015
- Title
- Assessment of natural organic matter (NOM) and ptaquiloside in Irish waters
- Summary
- The aim of the proposed study is to quantify more accurately the risk of NOM including naturally-occurring (organic) toxins such as ptaquiloside from bracken to surface water and groundwater supplies in Ireland. This project will provide comprehensive knowledge on NOM and ptaquiloside in Irish waters. (Project PI, TCD/NUIG)
- Funding Agency
- EPA
- Date From
- 03/2014
- Date To
- 08/2017
- Title
- Biomass and Renewable Energy from Short Rotation Forestry
- Summary
- This research project aims to explore the potential of short rotation forestry (SRF) to contribute to biomass production and renewable energy targets in Ireland. (PI of the TCD project team, UCD/Teagasc/WIT/TCD/UL/Coillte)
- Funding Agency
- Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
- Date From
- 2013
- Date To
- 2018
- Title
- Development of a Water Use and Waste Management Framework for the Dairy Processing Industry
- Summary
- This project aims to identify effective and sustainable technologies, which will treat dairy waste and reduce water usage in the dairy processing sector. TCD research team will investigate the treatment of dairy wastewater by using nanotechnologies.(PI of the TCD project team, NUIG/UCC/TCD/AIT/Teagasc)
- Funding Agency
- Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
- Date From
- 2014
- Date To
- 2019
- Title
- FORSITE Critical Biomass Removal on Irish Forest Soils
- Summary
- The recent European directive on the promotion of energy from renewable sources sets a mandatory target of 20% of energy from renewable sources by 2020. This need is driving bioenergy use from forests. However, concerns exist about the effects of brash removal on the sustainability of forest ecosystems. In this project, a new concept is introduced, of critical biomass removal, which is the quantitative amount of long-term biomass removal below which impacts to nutrient supply will not occur according to current knowledge. (PI of the TCD project team, UCD/TCD/UL/Teagasc/Coillte)
- Funding Agency
- Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
- Date From
- 2013
- Date To
- 2017
Recognition
Awards and Honours
Best Presentation Award
Intel Bursary Awards 2020-21 (Awardee: Georgia Giannakopoulou), Supervisor
ESAI Undergraduate of the Year 2019/20 (Awardee: Thomas Robinson), Supervisor
Silver Gilt Award (E3, water, climate change and sustainable development, Bloom 2019)
Provost PhD Project Award 2019, TCD
JSWE-IDEA International Invitation Award by " Japan Society on Water Environment
Memberships
MIEI, Chartered Engineer, Engineers Ireland