Academic Staff
Dr Yao LU
Research Assistant Professor (Collaborator: Prof. Xiang-dong LI)
- Z417a
- +852 2766 4669
- yao333.lu@polyu.edu.hk
ORCID ID
SCOPUS ID
Google ScholarResearch Overview
Dr Lu’s research focuses on emerging contaminants in atmospheric and aquatic environments, with a particular focus on their nontargeted identification, environmental transformation, and toxicological significance. With an interdisciplinary background in chemistry and environmental engineering, his research combines advanced chemical analysis, toxicology, and computational approaches to characterize complex environmental mixtures and identify pollutants of environmental and health concern. His recent work also incorporates interpretable machine learning and artificial intelligence for toxicity prediction and screening, particularly for organic compounds in fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅), together with the development of web-based tools for practical model application. Dr Lu has served as Principal Investigator of projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation, and as a reviewer for environmental journals, including Environmental Science & Technology and Water Research.
Education and Academic Qualifications
- PhD in Chemistry, Tsinghua University, 2017
- BSc in Chemistry, Sun Yat-sen University, 2012
Professional Qualifications
- Engineer (Chemical Engineering), Intermediate Professional and Technical Qualification, China, 2018
Academic and Professional Experience
Jul 2017 – Apr 2019
China Everbright Environment Group Limited (formerly China Everbright International Limited)
Professional Engineer
- Environmental technology research and engineering development in waste treatment and resource recovery.
- Environmental engineering design and technology assessment, with particular emphasis on landfill leachate treatment.
May 2019 – Nov 2021
Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, Tsinghua University
Postdoctoral Fellow
- Nontargeted characterization, formation mechanisms, and toxicity assessment of emerging disinfection byproducts in water treatment
- Integration of high-resolution mass spectrometry, comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography, and in vitro and in silico toxicity assessment.
Dec 2021 – Aug 2026
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Postdoctoral Fellow / Research Fellow
- Machine-learning modeling of organic compounds in ambient fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅), integrating molecular structure, experimental validation, and a self-developed web application for toxicity prediction and screening.
- Nontargeted identification and toxicological characterization of contaminants in air and water.
Sep 2026 – Present
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Research Assistant Professor
- Emerging contaminants in atmospheric and aquatic environments, integrating nontargeted analysis, artificial intelligence, and Vitrocell-based air–liquid interface exposure.
