Rifeng Wu | Environmental Pollution and Remediation | Best Paper Award

Published on by New Scientists

Dr. Rifeng Wu | Environmental Pollution and Remediation | Best Paper Award

Lecturer | Guangxi Normal University | China

Dr. Rifeng Wu is an emerging environmental scientist whose research focuses on microbial reductive dehalogenation, organohalide bioremediation, and the integration of microbial systems with material-based catalytic processes. His work targets the remediation of soils and groundwater contaminated with halogenated organic pollutants, advancing both mechanistic understanding and applied technologies for environmental cleanup. His research productivity includes 8 Scopus-indexed publications, 358 citations, and an h-index of 7, reflecting growing international recognition. A central component of Dr. Rifeng Wu’s research involves enhancing the ecological fitness, colonization behavior, and synergistic interactions of organohalide-respiring bacteria. His publication in Environmental Science & Technology demonstrates innovative strategies for improving microbial interactions to accelerate chloroethene bioremediation. He has also developed integrated systems combining microbial reductive dehalogenation with advanced oxidation processes such as persulfate activation, resulting in complete organohalide attenuation and improved remediation efficiency, as reported in Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering. Dr. Rifeng Wu has contributed impactful findings to high-impact journals including Journal of Hazardous Materials, where he introduced bio-RD-PAOP materials for polychlorinated biphenyl degradation, combining engineered materials with microbiological pathways to achieve enhanced dechlorination performance. His research also extends to nanomaterial synthesis for catalytic applications, demonstrated through multiple publications in Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, and Chinese Journal of Catalysis, where he has designed advanced Pt-Pd-based nanostructures with superior electrocatalytic behavior for oxygen reduction reactions. He has participated in several national and provincial research projects, contributing to methodological advancements in contaminant degradation, microbial ecology, and sustainable remediation technologies. His recent work also includes studying microplastic-induced physiological changes in plants, broadening his contributions to emerging environmental pollution challenges. Dr. Rifeng Wu’s research achievements span journal publications, funded projects, innovative remediation systems, and interdisciplinary material–microbe technologies, positioning him as a notable young scholar in environmental biotechnology and pollution control.

Profiles: Scopus | ResearchGate

Featured Publications

1. Wu, R., Shen, R., Liang, Z., Zheng, S., Yang, Y., Lu, Q., Adrian, L., & Wang, S. (2023). Improve niche colonization and microbial interactions for organohalide-respiring-bacteria-mediated remediation of chloroethene-contaminated sites. Environmental Science & Technology, 57(45). https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.3c05932

2. Wu, R., Zhang, S., & Wang, S. (2022). Development and microbial characterization of Bio-RD-PAOP for effective remediation of polychlorinated biphenyls. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 436, 129190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129190

3. Wu, R., & Wang, S. (2021). Integration of microbial reductive dehalogenation with persulfate activation and oxidation (Bio-RD-PAO) for complete attenuation of organohalides. Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering, 16(2), 22. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-021-1457-8

4. Li, Y., Wu, R., Liu, Y., Wen, Y., & Shen, P. K. (2021). High-quality and deeply excavated PtPdNi nanocubes as efficient catalysts toward oxygen reduction reaction. Chinese Journal of Catalysis, 42(5), 772–780. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1872-2067(20)63703-2

5. Wang, S., Wu, R., Zhang, S., & Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research. (2022). Development and microbial characterization of Bio-Rd-Pao for extensive attenuation of persistent organohalides. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4039585

Uma S | Environmental Pollution and Remediation | Best Researcher Award

Published on by New Scientists

Dr. Uma S | Environmental Pollution and Remediation | Best Researcher Award

Guest Teacher | The Gandhigram Rural Institute-Deemed to be University (DTBU) | India

Dr. Uma S is an accomplished environmental engineer and researcher specializing in sustainable environmental technologies, anaerobic digestion, and wastewater treatment. Her research has significantly advanced solid-state anaerobic co-digestion processes and biogas production from organic substrates. With a strong interdisciplinary foundation, she integrates mathematical modeling, life cycle analysis, and phytoremediation to address complex environmental challenges. Her work on optimizing Sequential Batch Reactor (SBR) systems for nitrogen removal demonstrates practical innovation in wastewater management. She has authored peer-reviewed papers in Waste and Biomass Valorization, Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering, Process Integration and Optimization for Sustainability, and Annals of Agricultural & Crop Sciences, contributing to both SCIE and Scopus-indexed literature. Dr. Uma S has also published a specialized book titled Heavy Metal Adsorption Using Nanocomposites for Wastewater Treatment (ISBN: 978-981-96-0755-6), reflecting her expertise in nanocomposite applications for environmental remediation. Her research output, with 36 citations, 4 Scopus-indexed publications, and an h-index of 3, is complemented by a patented innovation—AIB-Bottle, an AI-based water filter bottle (Application No. 201941035054)—highlighting her focus on translational and applied sustainability technologies. She has collaborated with leading institutions such as NIT Karnataka, NIT Tiruchirappalli, Delta State University (Nigeria), and Kumamoto University (Japan), fostering international research synergy. Dr. Uma S’s contributions extend to mentoring postgraduate research in renewable energy, WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) management, and smart materials for infrastructure diagnostics. Recognized with the Best Reviewer Award (2015) by the Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, she actively contributes to the global scientific community through editorial and peer-review service. Her research endeavors continue to enhance sustainable resource management and environmental resilience through innovative, eco-efficient engineering solutions.

Profiles: Scopus | ORCID | Google Scholar | Web of Science | Academia

Featured Publications

1. Uma, S., Thalla, A. K., & Devatha, C. P. (2020). Co-digestion of food waste and switchgrass for biogas potential: Effects of process parameters. Waste and Biomass Valorization, 11(3), 827–839.

2. Owamah, H. I., Ikpeseni, S. C., Dharmaraj, R., Gopikumar, S., Malathy, R., Uma, S., … (2021). Influence of diethanolamine on the properties of concrete, corrosion rate of rebar and renewable energy generation. Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering, 46(11), 11487–11496.

3. Sakthivel, U., Swaminathan, G., & Anis, J. (2022). Strategies for quantifying metal recovery from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE/E-waste) using mathematical approach. Process Integration and Optimization for Sustainability, 6, 781–790.

4. Uma, S., Thalla, A. K., & Jayanthi, S. (2015). Performance evaluation on anaerobic digestion of banana waste along with domestic wastewater. In National Conference on Technological Innovations for Sustainable Development.

5. Uma, S. (2019). Solid-state anaerobic co-digestion of organic substrates for biogas production [Master’s thesis, National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal].