Prof. Peng Liao

Dr. Liao is an environmental geochemist specializing in colloid and contaminant dynamics in aquatic systems. As a Professor at the Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, he leads research on redox reactions that govern the fate and transport of colloids and associated contaminants in natural and engineered aquatic systems. He earned his PhD in environmental science and engineering from China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), completed postdoctoral research at Southern University of Science and Technology, and served as a visiting research associate at Washington University in St. Louis, USA.

His current interests center on redox-driven processes at anoxic-oxic transition zones that control the formation, stability, reactivity, and transport of organic-metal colloids in surface water and groundwater systems. By integrating field-laboratory experiments, advanced characterization techniques, and reactive transport modeling, his work offers a multiscale understanding of how colloidal phases influence the biogeochemical cycling of key elements and toxic contaminants. In addition, his team has translated geochemical insights into engineering solutions and pioneered sustainable technologies for immobilizing and recovering pollutants from contaminated water bodies.