Mei Sun, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Civil and Environmental Engineering

msun8@charlotte.edu

704-687-1723

EPIC 3163

Education

• Ph.D., Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, 2012
• M.S., Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, 2008
• B.E., Environmental Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, 2007

Research

• Innovative Water/wastewater treatment technologies
• Contaminant fate, transport, and degradation in various environmental matrices
• Subsurface remediation
• Water chemistry, environmental electrochemistry, catalytic chemistry and biogeochemistry

Interests

I am interested in developing solutions for sustainable water treatment/reuse and resolving issues related to the water-energy nexus, using fundamental knowledge and experimental methods in water chemistry, environmental electrochemistry, catalytic chemistry and biogeochemistry. Specific areas of interest include:

• Innovative treatment technologies to remove emerging contaminants from water and wastewater
• Fate, transport, and degradation of contaminants in various environmental matrices
• Contaminated subsurface remediation

Facility and Instruments Page

People Page

Research Page

Publications

• Google Scholar page
• Research Gate page

Peer Reviewed Journal Publications

• Liu, B., Liu, Y., Sun, M. “Remove legacy perfluoroalkyl acids and emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl ether acids by single-use and regenerable anion exchange resins: Rapid small-scale column tests and model fits”. Water Research. 2024, 257, 15, 121661
• Herkert, N., Kassotis,C., Zhang, S., Han, Y., Pulikkal, V.F., Sun, M., Ferguson, P. L., Stapleton, H. “Characterization of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances present in commercial anti-fog products and their in vitro adipogenic activity”. Environmental Science & Technology. 2022, 56, 2, 1162–1173
• Liu, Y., Sun, M. “Ion exchange removal and resin regeneration to treat per- and polyfluoroalkyl ether acids and other emerging pfas in drinking water”, Water Research, 2021, 207, 117781
• Han, Y., Pulikkal, V.F., Sun, M. “Comprehensive validation of the adsorbable organic fluorine analysis and performance comparison of current methods for total per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in water samples”, ACS ES&T Water, 2021, 1(6), 1474–1482
• Liu, Z., Bentel, M.J., Yu, Y., Ren, C., Gao, J., Pulikkal, V.F., Sun, M., Men, Y., Liu, J. “Near-quantitative defluorination of perfluorinated and fluorotelomer carboxylates and sulfonates with integrated oxidation and reduction”, Environmental Science & Technology, 2021, 55 (10), 7052-7062
• Zhou, J., Baumann, K., Mead, R.N., Skrabal, S., Kieber, R., Avery, G., Shimizu, M.S., DeWitt, J.C., Sun, M., Vance, S.A., Bodnar, W., Zhang, Z., Collins, L.B., Surratt, J.D., Turpin, B.J., “PFOS dominates PFAS composition in ambient fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) collected across North Carolina nearly 20 years after the end of its us production”, Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts, 2021, 23 (4), 580-587
• De Silva A.O., Armitage, J.M., Bruton, T.A., Dassuncao, C., Heiger-Bernays, W., Hu, X.C., Kärrman, A., Kelly, B., Ng, C., Robuck, A., Sun, M., Webster, T.F., Sunderland, E.M., “PFAS exposure pathways for humans and wildlife: a synthesis of current knowledge and key gaps in understanding”, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 2021, 40 (3), 631-657
• He, H., Sun, M., Wu, D., Di, G., Fei, X. “Cu(III) generation and air sparging extend catalytic effectiveness of Cu₂S/H₂O₂ from neutral to acidic condition: performance and mechanism in comparison with CuS/ H₂O₂”, Journal of Cleaner Production, 2021, 278(1), 123572
• Zhang, C., Maness, J.C., Cuthbertson, A.A., Kimura, S.Y., Liberatore, H.K., Richardson, S.D., Stanford, B.D., Sun, M., Knappe, D.R.U. “Treating water containing elevated bromide and iodide levels with granular activated carbon and free chlorine: impacts on disinfection byproduct formation and calculated toxicity”, Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology, 2020,6, 3460-3475
• Lou, Z., Zhou, J., Sun, M., Xu, J., Yang, K., Lv, D. Zhao, Y., Xu, X., “MnO₂ enhances electrocatalytic hydrodechlorination by Pd/Ni foam electrodes and reduces Pd needs”, Chemical Engineering Journal, 2018, 352 (15), 549-557
• Hopkins, Z.R., Sun M., DeWitt, J.C., Knappe, D.R.U. “Recently detected drinking water contaminants: GenX and other per- and polyfluoroalkyl ether acids” Journal of the American Water Works Association, 2018, 110 (7), 13-28 (Top downloaded paper of 2018-2019 of the journal)
• Hao Z., Sun M., Ducoste J., Benson C.H., Luettich S., Castaldi M.J., Barlaz M.A. “Heat generation and accumulation in municipal solid waste landfills” Environmental Science & Technology, 2017, 51 (21), 12434-12442
• Sun, M., Arevalo, E., Strynar, M., Lindstrom, A., Richardson, M., Kearns, B., Smith, C., Pickett, A., and Knappe, D.R.U. “Legacy and emerging perfluoroalkyl substances are important drinking water contaminants in the Cape Fear River Watershed of North Carolina.” Environmental Science & Technology Letters, 2016, 3(12), 415–419 (Best paper of 2016 of the journal)
• Sun, W., Sun, M. and Barlaz, M.A., “Characterizing the biotransformation of sulfur-containing wastes in simulated landfill reactors.” Waste Management, 2016, 53, 82–91.
• Sun, M., Lopez-Velandia, C. and Knappe, D.R.U. “Determination of 1,4-dioxane in the Cape Fear River watershed by heated purge-and-trap preconcentration and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry.” Environmental Science & Technology, 2016. 50(5), 2246–2254
• Sun, M., Sun, W. and Barlaz, M.A., “A batch assay to measure microbial hydrogen sulfide production from sulfur-containing solid wastes.” Science of the Total Environment, 2016, Volumes 551–552, 23–31
• Sun, M., Lowry, G. V. and Gregory, K. B. “Selective oxidation of bromide in wastewater brines from hydraulic fracturing.” Water Research. 2013, 47 (11), 3723-3731
• Sun, M., Reible, D. D., Lowry, G. V. and Gregory, K. B. “Effect of applied voltage, initial concentration and natural organic matter on sequential reduction/oxidation of nitrobenzene by graphite electrodes.” Environmental Science & Technology. 2012, 46 (11), 6174-6181
• Sun, M., Yan, F., Zhang, R., Reible, D. D., Lowry, G. V. and Gregory, K. B. “Redox control and hydrogen production in sediment caps using carbon cloth electrodes.” Environmental Science & Technology. 2010, 44 (21), 8209-8215

Other Peer Reviewed Publications

• Tian, Q., Sun, M., “Analysis of GenX and Other Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Environmental Water Samples”, book chapter in “Evaluating Water Quality to Prevent Future Disasters” (Ahuja, S. Ed.), Separation Science and Technology, 2019, vol 11, pg 355-370