Weilan Zhang

Assistant Professor
College of Nanotechnology, Science, and Engineering
Department of Environmental & Sustainable Engineering
Weilan Zhang - CV
Dr. Weilan Zhang

Contact

ETEC 135
518-437-4982
[email protected]
Education
  • PhD, Civil Engineering, Texas A & M University, 2017
  • MS, Civil Engineering, Southern Illinois University, 2012
  • BS, Water Supply and Drainage Engineering, Chongqing University, 2010

About

Dr. Weilan Zhang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental and Sustainable Engineering at University at Albany. He joined the University at Albany as a Postdoctoral Associate in 2018, then as a Visiting Assistant Professor in 2021. Prior to that, he was a postdoctoral fellow at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Additionally, Dr. Zhang is a registered professional engineer.

Read more about his research:

Research

Weilan Zhang on Google Scholar

Research Interests
  1. Environmental risk assessment and remediation of PFAS
  2. Transport and fate of emerging contaminants in the environment
  3. Environmental health and safety of engineered nanomaterials
  4. Engineered nanomaterials for environmental applications
     
Publications
  1. Kharel M., Tian M., Vu T., Miao Y., Zhang W.* PFAS in Plant-biosolids-soil systems: distribution, fractionation, and effects on soil microbial communities. Journal of Hazardous Materials. 2025, 497: 139754. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.139754.
  2. Zuo Y., Zhang W.* Visualization and spatial mapping of PFAS in the edible storage root of radish. Journal of Hazardous Materials Letters. 2025, 6: 100141. DOI: 10.1016/j.hazl.2025.100141.
  3. Ilango A.K., Zhang W.*, Liang Y.* Uptake of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances by Conservation Reserve Program's seed mix in biosolids-amended soil. Environmental Pollution. 2024, 363: 125235. DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.125235.
  4. Zhang W.*, Liang Y. Impact of four surfactants on the uptake of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by red fescue grass. International Journal of Phytoremediation. 2024, 27(1): 13-22. DOI: 10.1080/15226514.2024.2394903.
  5. Ilango A., Jiang T., Zhang W.*, Pervez M.N., Feldblyum J., Efstathiadis H., Liang Y. Enhanced adsorption of mixtures of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in water by chemically modified activated carbon. ACS ES&T Water. 2023, 3(11): 3708-3715. DOI: 10.1021/acsestwater.3c00483.
  6. Zhang W.*, Liang Y. The wide presence of fluorinated compounds in common chemical products and the environment: a review. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 2023, 30: 108393-108410. DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-30033-6.
  7. Zhang W.*, Wellington T., Liang Y. Effect of two sorbents on the uptake and transformation of N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamido acetic acid (N-EtFOSAA) in soybean. Environmental Pollution. 2022, 318: 120941. DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120941.
  8. Zhang W.*, Tran N., Liang Y. Uptake of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by soybean across two generations. Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances. 2022, 8: 100170. DOI: 10.1016/j.hazadv.2022.100170.
  9. Zhang W.*, Liang Y. Changing bioavailability of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to plant in biosolids amended soil through stabilization or mobilization. Environmental Pollution. 2022, 308: 119724. DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119724.
  10. Jiang T., Zhang W.*, Liang Y. Uptake of individual and mixed per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by soybean and their effects on functional genes related to nitrification, denitrification, and nitrogen fixation. Science of the Total Environment. 2022, 838: 156640. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156640.
  11. Zhang W.*, Jiang T., Liang Y. Stabilization of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in sewage sludge using different sorbents. Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances. 2022, 6: 100089. DOI: 10.1016/j.hazadv.2022.100089.
  12. Zhang W.*, Liang Y. Performance of different sorbents toward stabilizing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in soil. Environmental Advances. 2022, 8: 100217. DOI: 10.1016/j.envadv.2022.100217.
  13. Zhang W.*, Liang Y. Hydrothermal liquefaction of sewage sludge – effect of four reagents on relevant parameters related to biocrude and PFAS. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering. 2022, 10: 107092. DOI: 10.1016/j.jece.2021.107092.
  14. Zhang W.*, Zhang Q., Liang Y. Ineffectiveness of ultrasound at low frequency for treating per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in sewage sludge. Chemosphere. 2022, 286: 131748. DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.131748.
  15. Zhang W.*, Liang Y. Effects of hydrothermal treatments on destruction of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in sewage sludge. Environmental Pollution. 2021, 285: 117276. DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117276.
  16. Zhang W.*, Cao H., Liang Y*. Degradation by hydrothermal liquefaction of fluoroalkylether compounds accumulated in cattails (Typha latifolia). Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering. 2021, 9(4): 105363. DOI: 10.1016/j.jece.2021.105363.
  17. Zhang W.*, Liang Y. Interactions between Lemna minor and perfluorooctanesulfonamide (PFOSA) and 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (6:2 FTSA). Chemosphere. 2021, 276: 130165. DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.130165.
  18. Zhang W.*, Cao H., Liang Y. Plant uptake and soil fractionation of five ether-PFAS in plant-soil systems. Science of the Total Environment. 2021, 771: 144805. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144805.
  19. Zhang W., Cao H., Liang Y.* Optimization of thermal pretreatment of food waste for maximal solubilization. Journal of Environmental Engineering. 2021, 147(4): 04021010. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)EE.1943-7870.0001869.
  20. Zhang W., Cao H., Subramanya S.M., Savage P., Liang Y.* Destruction of perfluoroalkyl acids accumulated in Typha latifolia through hydrothermal liquefaction. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering. 2020, 8(25): 9257–9262. DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.0c03249.
  21. Zhang W., Efstathiadis H., Li L., Liang Y.* Environmental factors affecting degradation of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) by In2O3 nanoparticles. Journal of Environmental Sciences. 2020, 93: 48-56. DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2020.02.028.
  22. Zhang W., Liang Y.* Removal of eight perfluoroalkyl acids from aqueous solutions by aeration and duckweed. Science of the Total Environment. 2020, 724: 138357. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138357.
  23. Zhang W., Zhang D., Zagorevski D., Liang Y.* Exposure of Juncus effusus to seven perfluoroalkyl acids: uptake, accumulation and phytotoxicity. Chemosphere. 2019, 233: 300-308. DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.05.258.
  24. Zhang W., Yu Z., Rao P., Lo I.M.C.* Uptake and toxicity studies of magnetic TiO2-based nanophotocatalyst in Arabidopsis thaliana. Chemosphere. 2019, 224: 658-667. DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.02.161.
  25. Zhang W., Zhang D., Liang Y.* Nanotechnology in remediation of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances: a review. Environmental Pollution. 2019, 247: 266-276. DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.01.045.
  26. Yu Z., Huang J., Hu L., Zhang W.*, Lo I.M.C.*, Effects of geochemical conditions, surface modification, and arsenic (As) loadings on As release from As-loaded nano zero-valent iron in simulated groundwater. Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology. 2019, 5: 28-38. DOI: 10.1039/C8EW00757H.
  27. Zhang W., Lo I.M.C.*, Hu L., Voon C., Lim B., Versaw W. Environmental risks of nano zerovalent iron for arsenate remediation: impacts on cytosolic levels of inorganic phosphate and MgATP2- in Arabidopsis thaliana. Environmental Science & Technology. 2018, 52: 4385-4392. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b06697.
  28. Zhang W., Schwab P., White J., Ma X.* Impact of nanoparticles surface properties on the attachment of cerium oxide nanoparticles to sand and kaolin. Journal of Environmental Quality. 2018, 47: 129-138. DOI: 10.2134/jeq2017.07.0284.
  29. Zhang W., Dan Y., Shi H., Ma X.* Elucidating the mechanisms for plant uptake and in-planta speciation of cerium in radish (Raphanus sativus L.) treated with cerium oxide nanoparticles. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering. 2017, 5(1): 572-577. DOI: 10.1016/j.jece.2016.12.036.
  30. Zhang W., Musante C., White J. C., Schwab P., Wang Q., Ebbs S. D., Ma X.* Bioavailability of cerium oxide nanoparticles to Raphanus sativus L. in two soils. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry. 2017, 110: 185-193. DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2015.12.013.
  31. Zhang W., Dan Y., Shi H., Ma X.* Effects of aging on the fate and bioavailability of cerium oxide nanoparticles to radish (Raphanus sativus L.) in soil. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering. 2016, 4(10): 5424-5431. DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.6b00724.
  32. Zhang W., Ebbs S. D., Musante C., White J. C., Gao C., Ma X.* Uptake and accumulation of bulk and nanosized cerium oxide particles and ionic cerium by radish (Raphanus sativus L.). Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2015, 63(2): 382-390. DOI: 10.1021/jf5052442.

Instruction & Advising

Courses

IESE 411/511 Water and Wastewater Treatment
IESE 502 Environmental Analytical Chemistry