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Dr. Liwen Xiao

Associate Professor (Civil Struct & Env. Eng.)
CIVIL ENGINEERING BUILDING (NEW)
      
Profile Photo

Dr. Liwen Xiao

Associate Professor (Civil Struct & Env. Eng.)
CIVIL ENGINEERING BUILDING (NEW)

 liwen.xiao@tcd.ie

 3531896 3741


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 the Director of MSc in Engineering programme. He is a college tutor and a deputy director of the research centre TrinityHaus.
  Agri Environment   Climate Change Impacts on the Environment   ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING   ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT   ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT   FIBRE OPTICAL SENSORS   Fresh water pollution   Freshwater ecology   Ground, surface water hydrology   WASTEWATER TREATMENT   Water Quality   Water Resources, Environmental Impacts   WATER-TREATMENT   Wind Energy, General
Project Title
 Microbial Fuel Cells based system for pollutants removal, resources recovery and disinfection
From
2021
To
2024
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
Programme
Commercialisation Fund
Project Type
Commercial and research
Project Title
 Microplastic-free plastics
From
2021
To
2023
Summary
Funding Agency
SFI
Programme
Plastic Challenge Award
Project Type
Research
Project Title
 E3 garden for Bloom 2019
From
2019
To
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
Project Type
Demonstration, educaiton and research
Project Title
 Microbial Fuel Cells technologies for urine glucose monitoring
From
2021
To
2025
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
Programme
Provost PhD Project Award
Project Type
Research
Project Title
 Hybrid Graphene-Microsphere SERS Devices- Portable and Low Cost Sensors for Trace Element Detection and Identification in Continuous Flow
From
2019
To
2021
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
Programme
Commercialisation Fund
Project Type
Commercial and research

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Language Skill Reading Skill Writing Skill Speaking
Chinese Fluent Fluent Fluent
English Fluent Fluent Fluent
Details Date From Date To
MIEI, Chartered Engineer, Engineers Ireland 2011
Chen Huanq, Liu Zhen, Yang Xingji, He Peiha, Feng Qingg, Sun Xian, Xiao Liwe, Yao Xiaolon, Facilitating interface tuning of metal-support interaction on the sepiolite surface for the enhancement of metronidazole removal, Separation and Purification Technology, 354, 2025, p129141-, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI  URL
Zhang We, Qi Lian, Li Dunzh, Xiao Liwe, A kinetic model for porosity evaluation in Fe(0) mixed material-based sequential groundwater remediation, Science of The Total Environment, 908, 2024, p168507-, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI  URL
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, 11, (4), 2024, p259 - 292, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI
Chen Zhen, Dou Shuguan, Zhao Cairon, Xiao Liwe, Lu Zhib, Qiu Yupin, Machine learning-assisted assessment of key meteorological and crop factors affecting historical mulch pollution in China, Journal of Hazardous Materials, 465, 2024, p133281-, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI  URL
Zhang We, Qi Lian, Li Lin, Guo Chengche, Xiao Liwe, Characteristics of zero-valent iron surface oxide films under the catalytic interface reactions by assisting ligands in nitrate-contaminated groundwater, Journal of Hazardous Materials, 472, 2024, p134433-, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI  URL
Shi Yanq, Shi Linpin, Huang Hexinyu, Ye Kef, Yang Lumin, Wang Zeen, Sun Yifa, Li Dunzh, Shi Yunhon, Xiao Liwe, Gao Shixian, Analysis of aged microplastics: a review, Environmental Chemistry Letters, 22, (4), 2024, p1861 - 1888, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI  URL
Luo Changjia, Hou Yuanzhan, Ye Wenka, Tang Yuche, He Def, Xiao Liwe, Qiu Yupin, Algae polysaccharide-induced transport transformation of nanoplastics in seawater-saturated porous media, Water Research, 259, 2024, p121807-, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI  URL
Shi, Y. and Li, D. and Hill, C. and Yang, L. and Sheerin, E.D. and Pilliadugula, R. and Wang, J.J. and Boland, J. and Xiao, L., Micro and nano plastics release from a single absorbable suture into simulated body fluid, Journal of Hazardous Materials, 466, (133559), 2024, Notes: [cited By 0], Journal Article, PUBLISHED  TARA - Full Text  DOI
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-, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI  URL
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-, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI  URL
  

Page 1 of 10
Georgia Giannakopoulou , Technologies for energy harvesting from municipal waste , Trinity College Dublin, 2021, Thesis, PUBLISHED
David McCurtin , Microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology for glucose level detection in the urine, Trinity College Dublin, 2021, Thesis, PUBLISHED
Thomas Robinson , Ultraviolet light emitting diodes powered by microbial fuel cells for water disinfection, Trinity College Dublin, 2020, Thesis, PUBLISHED
Shaobao Duan , Food Chain Modelling - How to Control Algal Concentration , Trinity College Dublin, 2020, Thesis, PUBLISHED
Mengyao Yan , Degradation of antibiotics in the anaerobic digestion reactor , Trinity College Dublin, 2020, Thesis, PUBLISHED
Liwen Xiao, Tom Grey, Dunzhu Li, 'E3 Garden', Bord Bia Bloom Garden Show, Phoenix Park, Dublin; Trinity College Dublin, 2019, -, Exhibition, PRODUCED
Siún McMenamy , Impact of Biomass Harvesting from Irish Forestry on the Environment, Trinity College Dublin, 2018, Thesis, PUBLISHED
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, Report, PUBLISHED
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, Invited Talk, PRESENTED
Sarah Noonan , An Environmental Analysis of Irish Peatlands from a Wind Energy and Carbon Balance Perspective, TCD, 2013, Thesis, PUBLISHED

  


Page 1 of 2
Award Date
Best Presentation Award 2008
Intel Bursary Awards 2020-21 (Awardee: Georgia Giannakopoulou), Supervisor 2021
ESAI Undergraduate of the Year 2019/20 (Awardee: Thomas Robinson), Supervisor 2020
Silver Gilt Award (E3, water, climate change and sustainable development, Bloom 2019) 2019
Provost PhD Project Award 2019, TCD 2019
JSWE-IDEA International Invitation Award by " Japan Society on Water Environment 2023
(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.