Zhang Tong Professor

Editorial Board Member: Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health.

Executive Committee Member: Division of Environmental Chemistry, American Chemical Society.

Member: American Chemical Society, Geochemical Society, Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors, American Association for the Advancement of Science, China Society of Natural Resources.

Aquatic chemistry and geochemistry

Mercury biogeochemistry

Nanogeoscience

Soil and groundwater remediation

1) “Mechanistic understanding of mercury methylation in anaerobic biofilm”, National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), 2020.01-2023.12, PI.

2) “Processes and ecological effects of combined pollution in soils of key industrial sites”, Ministry of Science and Technology of China (MOST), 2020.01-2023.12, co-PI.

3) “Methods and mechanisms of controlling contamination in multi-medium and multi-interface soil and groundwater environment”, Ministry of Science and Technology of China (MOST), 2018.12-2022.11, Key participant.

4) “Accumulation and transformation of mercury containing nanoparticles in biofilms of anaerobic bacteria”, Tianjin Municipal Science and Technology Commission, 2017.04-2020.03, PI.

5) “Formation and structure of mercury-sulfide-iron nanoparticles and their role in microbial production of methylmercury in soil and sediment porewater”, National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), 2017.01-2019.12, PI.

6) “Environmental and earth science”, The Thousand Talents Program for Distinguished Young Scholars, 2016.03-2019.02, PI.

1.   Ruoyu Sun, Jingjing Yuan, Jeroen Sonke, Yanxu Zhang, Tong Zhang, Wang Zheng, Shun Chen, Mei Meng, Jiubin Chen, Yi Liu, Xiaotong Peng, Congqiang Liu, Methylmercury produced in upper oceans accumulates in deep Mariana Trench fauna, Nature Communications, 2020, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17045-3.

2.   Tong Li, Wen Zhong, Chuanyong Jing, Xuguang Li, Tong Zhang, Chuanjia Jiang, Wei Chen, Enhanced hydrolysis of p-Nitrophenyl phosphate by iron (hydr)oxide nanoparticles: Roles of exposed facets, Environmental Science & Technology, 2020, DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b07473.

3.   Zelin Shen, Zhanhua Zhang, Tong Li, Qingqian Yao, Tong Zhang, Wei Chen, Facet-dependent adsorption and fractionation of natural organic matter on crystalline metal oxide nanoparticles, Environmental Science & Technology, 2020, DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b06111.

4.   Zhanhua Zhang, Rui Si, Jitao Lv, Yunyun Ji, Wenshan Chen, Wenyu Guan, Yuxiao Cui, Tong Zhang, Effects of extracellular polymeric substances on the formation and methylation of mercury sulfide nanoparticles, Environmental Science & Technology, 2020, DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c01456.

5.   Qilin Yu, Guizhu Wu, Tong Zhang, Xudong Zhao, Zhen Zhou, Lu Liu, Wei Chen, Pedro J. J. Alvarez, Targeting specific cell organelles with different-faceted nanocrystals that are selectively recognized by organelle-targeting peptides, Chemical Communications, 2020, DOI: 10.1039/d0cc02930k.

6.   Mae Sexauer Gustin, Michael S. Bank, Kevin Bishop, Katlin Bowman, Brian Branfireun, John Chételat, Chris S. Eckley, Chad R. Hammerschmidt, Carl Lamborg, Seth Lyman, Antonio Martínez-Cortizas, Jonas Sommar, Martin Tsz-Ki Tsui, Tong Zhang, Mercury biogeochemical cycling: A synthesis of recent scientific advances, Science of the Total Environment, 2020, 737 (139619).

7.   Chloe H. Wang, Lara K. Gulmann, Tong Zhang, Gabriela A. Farfan, Colleen M. Hansel, Stefan M. Sievert, Microbial colonization of metal sulfide minerals at a diffuse-flow deep-sea hydrothermal vent at 9°50′N on the East Pacific Rise, Geobiology, 2020, 00: 1-12. DOI: 10.1111/gbi.12396

8.   Bowen Xiao, Xiaolei Wang, Jing Yang, Kunkun Wang, Yinqing Zhang, Binbin Sun, Tong Zhang, Lingyan Zhu, Bioaccumulation kinetics and tissue distribution of silver nanoparticles in zebrafish: The mechanisms and influence of natural organic matter, Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 2020, 194 (110454).

9.   Xinlei Liu, Wanyue Ouyang, Tong Zhang, Chemical speciation and health effect of heavy metals in atmospheric particulate matter [J]. Environmental Chemistry, Accepted. (Chinese)

10. Li Tian, Wenyu Guan, Zhenyu Zhao, Yunyun Ji, Tong Zhang, Influence of crystalline phase and exposed facet of nanocrystals on their environmental behavior and impact [J]. Environmental Chemistry, Accepted. (Chinese)

11. Yu Qi, Tong Zhang, Chuanyong Jing, Sijin Liu, Chengdong Zhang, Pedro J.J. Alvarez, Wei Chen, Nanocrystal facet modulation to enhance transferrin binding and cellular delivery, Nature Communications, 2020, 11 (1262).

12. Wenli Tang, Yurong Liu, Wenyu Guan, Huan Zhong, Xiaomin Qu, Tong Zhang, Understanding mercury methylation in the changing environment: Recent advances in assessing microbial methylators and mercury bioavailability, Science of the Total Environment, 2020, 714 (136827). (Invited Review)

13. Fanfan Wang, Xinlei Liu, Xuguang Li, Chuanjia Jiang, Tong Zhang, Wei Chen, Sulfide and ferrous iron preferentially target specific surface O-functional groups of graphene oxide: Implications for accumulation of contaminants, Environmental Science: Nano, 2020, 7: 462-471. (HOT Article)

14. Yunyun Ji, Qihong Yang, Tong Zhang, Formation and structure of mercury-sulfide-iron nanoparticles and their role in microbial production of methylmercury in soil and sediment porewater [J]. Environmental Chemistry, 2020, 39 (1): 1-7. (Chinese)

15. Tingting Du, Guoliang Shi, Fangfei Liu, Tong Zhang, Wei Chen, Sulfidation of Ag and ZnO nanomaterials significantly affects protein corona composition: Implications for human exposure to environmentally aged nanomaterials, Environmental Science & Technology, 2019, 53 (24): 14296-14307.

16. Bowen Xiao, Yinqing Zhang, Xiaolei Wang, Meng Chen, Binbin Sun, Tong Zhang, Lingyan Zhu, Occurrence and trophic transfer of nanoparticulate Ag and Ti in the natural aquatic food web of Taihu Lake, China, Environmental Science: Nano, 2019, 6: 3431-3441.

17. Xinlei Liu, Wanyue Ouyang, Yiling Shu, Yingze Tian, Yinchang Feng, Tong Zhang, Wei Chen, Incorporating bioaccessibility into health risk assessment of heavy metals in particulate matter originated from different sources of atmospheric pollution, Environmental Pollution, 2019, 254: 113113.

18. Tingting Du, Adeyemi S. Adeleye, Tong Zhang, Nan Yang, Rongjie Hao, Yao Li, Weihua Song, Wei Chen, Effects of ozone and produced hydroxyl radical on the transformation of graphene oxide in aqueous media, Environmental Science: Nano, 2019, 6: 2484-2494.

19. Jin Liu, Tong Zhang, Lili Tian, Xinlei Liu, Zhichong Qi, Yini Ma, Rong Ji, Wei Chen, Aging significantly affects mobility and contaminant-mobilizing ability of nanoplastics in saturated loamy sand, Environmental Science & Technology, 2019, 53 (10): 5805-5815.

20. Tong Zhang, Gregory V. Lowry, Natalie L. Capiro, Jianmin Chen, Wei Chen, Yongsheng Chen, Dionysios D. Dionysiou, Daniel W. Elliott, Subhasis Ghoshal, Thilo Hofmann, Heileen Hsu-Kim, Joseph Hughes, Chuanjia Jiang, Guibin Jiang, Chuanyong Jing, Michael Kavanaugh, Qilin Li, Sijin Liu, Jie Ma, Bingcai Pan, Tanapon Phenrat, Xiaolei Qu, Xie Quan, Navid Saleh, Peter J. Vikesland, Qiuquan Wang, Paul Westerhoff, Michael S. Wong, Tian Xia, Baoshan Xing, Bing Yan, Lunliang Zhang, Dongmei Zhou, Pedro J. J. Alvarez, In situ remediation of subsurface contamination: Opportunities and challenges for nanotechnology and advanced materials, Environmental Science: Nano, 2019, 6: 1283-1302. (Cover Story, ES:Nano Best paper 2019)

21. Yu Qi, Wenshan Chen, Fangfei Liu, Jing Liu, Tong Zhang, Wei Chen, Aggregation morphology is a key factor determining protein adsorption on graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide nanomaterials, Environmental Science: Nano, 2019, 6: 1303-1309. (HOT Article)

22. Yanyan Gong, Yao Huang, Mengxia Wang, Fangfei Liu, Tong Zhang, Application of iron-based materials for remediation of mercury in water and soil, Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 2019, 102: 721-729. (Invited Review)

23. Min Zhang, Hui Ma, Huihui Wang, Tingting Du, Mengmeng Liu, Yingying Wang, Tong Zhang, Yao Li, Effects of ion species on the disinfection byproduct formation in artificial and real water, Chemosphere, 2019, 217: 706-714.

24. Lin Duan, Tong Zhang, Weihua Song, Chuanjia Jiang, Yan Hou, Weilu Zhao, Wei Chen, Pedro J. J. Alvarez, Photolysis of graphene oxide in the presence of nitrate: implications for graphene oxide integrity in water and wastewater treatment, Environmental Science: Nano, 2019, 6: 136-145.

25. Tingting Du, Adeyemi S. Adeleye, Tong Zhang, Chuanjia Jiang, Min Zhang, Huihui Wang, Yao Li, Arturo A. Keller, Wei Chen, Influence of light wavelength on the photoactivity, physicochemical transformation, and fate of graphene oxide in aqueous media, Environmental Science: Nano, 2018, 5: 2590-2603.

26. Guizhu Wu, Chuanjia Jiang, Tong Zhang, FcγRIIB receptor-mediated apoptosis in macrophages through interplay of cadmium sulfide nanomaterials and protein corona, Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 2018, 164: 140-148. (Highlighted Article)

27. Xuguang Li, Tong Li, Tong Zhang, Cheng Gu, Shourong Zheng, Haijun Zhang, Wei Chen, Nano-TiO₂-catalyzed dehydrochlorination of 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane: roles of crystalline phase and exposed facets, Environmental Science & Technology, 2018, 52 (7): 4031-4039.

28. Julia M. Diaz, Colleen M. Hansel, Amy Apprill, Caterina Brighi, Tong Zhang, Laura Weber, Sean McNally, Liping Xun, Species-specific control of external superoxide levels by the coral holobiont during a natural bleaching event, Nature Communications, 2016, 7 (13801).

29. Tong Zhang, Julia M. Diaz, Caterina Brighi, Rachel Parsons, Sean McNally, Amy Apprill, Colleen M. Hansel, Dark production of extracellular superoxide by the coral Porites astreoides and representative symbionts, Frontiers in Marine Science, 2016, 3 (232).

30. Tong Zhang, Colleen M. Hansel, Bettina M. Voelker, Carl H. Lamborg, Extensive dark biological production of reactive oxygen species in brackish and freshwater ponds, Environmental Science & Technology, 2016, 50 (6): 2983-2993.

31. Adiari I. Vázquez-Rodríguez, Colleen M. Hansel, Tong Zhang, Carl H. Lamborg, Cara M. Santelli, Samuel M. Webb, Scott C. Brooks, Microbial- and thiosulfate-mediated dissolution of mercury sulfide minerals and transformation to gaseous mercury, Frontiers in Microbiology, 2015, 6 (596).

32. Amrika Deonarine, Helen Hsu-Kim, Tong Zhang, Yong Cai, Curtic J. Richardson, Legacy source of mercury in an urban stream-wetland ecosystem in central North Carolina, USA, Chemosphere, 2015, 138: 960-965.

33. Ryan M. Marsico, Robin J. Schneider, Bettina M. Voelker, Tong Zhang, Julia M. Diaz, Colleen M. Hansel, Shuichi Ushijima, Spatial and temporal variability of ubiquitous dark production and decay of hydrogen peroxide in freshwater, Aquatic Sciences, 2015, 77 (4): 523-533.

34. Tong Zhang, Katarzyna H. Kucharzyk, Bojeong Kim, Marc A. Deshusses, Helen Hsu-Kim, Net methylation of mercury in estuarine sediment slurry microcosms amended with dissolved, nanoparticulate, and microparticulate mercuric sulfides, Environmental Science & Technology, 2014, 48 (16): 9133-9141.

35. Anh L. Pham, Amanda Morris, Tong Zhang, Jonathan L. Ticknor, Clement Levard, Helen Hsu-Kim, Precipitation of nanoscale mercuric sulfides in the presence of natural organic matter: structural properties, aggregation, and biotransformation, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 2014, 133: 204-215.

36. Julia M. Diaz, Colleen M. Hansel, Bettina M. Voelker, Chantal M. Mendes, Peter F. Andeer, Tong Zhang, Widespread production of extracellular superoxide by heterotrophic bacteria, Science, 2013, 340 (6137): 1223-1226.

37. Helen Hsu-Kim, Katarzyna H. Kucharzyk, Tong Zhang, Marc A. Deshusses, Mechanisms regulating mercury bioavailability for methylating microorganisms in the aquatic environment: A critical review, Environmental Science & Technology, 2013, 47 (6): 2441-2456.

38. Rongguo Sun, Dingyong Wang, Yutao Zhang, Wen Mao, Tong Zhang, Ming Ma, Cheng Zhang, Photo-degradation of monomethylmercury in the presence of chloride ion, Chemosphere, 2013, 91 (11): 1471-1476.

39. Tong Zhang, Bojeong Kim, Clement Levard, Brian C. Reinsch, Gregory V. Lowry, Marc A. Deshussus, Helen Hsu-Kim, Methylation of mercury by bacteria exposed to dissolved, nanoparticulate, and microparticulate mercuric sulfides, Environmental Science & Technology, 2012, 46 (13): 6950-6958. (Wigginton, N. “Not-So-Quicksilver”. Science, Editors' Choice, January 6, 2012. 335 (6064): 14.)

40. Nicholas A. Robins, Nicole Hagan, Susan Halabi, Helen Hsu-Kim, Espinoza, Ruben Dario Espinoza Gonzales, Mark Morris, George Woodall, Daniel D. Richter, Paul Heine, Tong Zhang, Allan Bacon, John Vandenberg, Estimations of historical atmospheric mercury concentrations from mercury refining and present-day soil concentrations of total mercury in Huancavelica, Peru, Science of the Total Environment, 2012, 426: 146-154.

41. Nicole Hagan, Nicholas A. Robins, Helen Hsu-Kim, Susan Halabi, Mark Morris, George Woodall, Tong Zhang, Allan Bacon, A., Daniel D. Richter, John Vandenberg, Estimating historical atmospheric mercury concentrations from silver mining and their legacies in present-day surface soil in Potosí, Bolivia, Atmospheric Environment, 2011, 45 (40): 7619-7626.

42. Tong Zhang, Helen Hsu-Kim, Photolytic degradation of methylmercury enhanced by binding to natural organic ligands, Nature Geoscience, 2010, 3 (7): 473-476.