YANG Kai Associate Professor Master's supervisor
TEL：
E-mail：yangk@bnu.edu.cn
Research area：
Soil remediation and environmental health
Personal resume
Education Background:
2012.08-2016.01, PhD in Environmental Sciences (Soil Science), Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
2010.09-2012.06, Master’s Degree in Hydrology and Water Resources, College of Water Resources and Civil Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
2006.09-2010.07, Bachelor’s Degree in Hydraulic and Hydropower Engineering, College of Water Resources and Civil Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
Main work experience:
2020.07-present, Lecturer at College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
2018.09-2020.06, Postdoctoral Fellow at College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
2017.05-2018.09, Research Associate Professor at Advanced Materials Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, China
2016.05-2017.05, Research Associate Professor at Advanced Materials Institute, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan, China
Scientific research
Main research areas:
[1] Long-term regulation of the bioavailability of heavy metals in soil
[2] Migration, transformation, and biological effects of heavy metals in watersheds
[3] Soil amendment and vegetation restoration in ecologically fragile regions
[4] Refined health risk assessment of environmental contaminants
Selected research grants:
[1] National Key R&D Program of China, 2023YFC3708704, Sub-program 4, Study on dose-effect relationships of sensitive receptors under the synergistic effects of soil-groundwater multi-elements, 2023.12-2027.11, Chief investigator.
[2] Open-end Fund Project of China Institute for Radiation Protection Scientific Research Platform, Mechanism study of the effect of aging processes on the migration and transformation of radionuclides in coal gangues, 2025.09-2026.08, Chief investigator.
[3] Horizontal Project, Construction of COⅠ gene barcode database for the Hongshui River Basin, 2025.02-2026.02, Chief investigator.
[4] National Natural Science Foundation of China, Joint Fund Project, U2167211, Mechanism and THMC coupled model development of radionuclide migration affected by three-dimensional groundwater flow in fractured media, 2022.01-2025.12, Participant.
[5] Beijing Normal University, Teaching Construction and Reform Project, 24-19-36, Application of PBL teaching mode in the experimental education of Remediation Technologies and Risk Management for Contaminated Site, 2024.07-2025.10, Chief investigator.
[6] Horizontal Project, Study on ecological restoration planning and eco-technology for the construction disturbed areas of Zala Hydropower Station on the Yuqu River, Tibet, 2023.07-2025.06, Participant.
[7] National Natural Science Foundation of China, Major Project, 41991312, Environmental geochemical process, cross-interface transport, and multi-media partitioning of typical hazardous organic pollutants, 2020.01-2024.12, Participant.
[8] Horizontal Project, Mechanism of biochar addition on reducing the ecological risk of heavy metals in sludge compost applied to contrasting soils, 2022.01-2024.12, Chief investigator.
[9] National Key R&D Program of China, 2020YFC1806603, Sub-program 1, Preparation and application performance of slow-release chelating agents for remediation of radioactive contaminated soils, 2020.10-2024.09, Chief investigator.
[10] National Key R&D Program of China, 2019YFC1804602, Program II: Method and indices for localizing parameters of exposure to soil environment at contaminated sites, 2020.01-2023.12, Participant.
[11] Horizontal Project, Technology service for study on resource utilization of dammed lake sedimentary layer at the dam foundation of Lawa Hydropower Station on the upper reach of Jinsha River, 2021.09-2023.08, Participant.
[12] National Natural Science Foundation of China, Youth Science Fund Project, 41907095, Effect of ageing process on the stability of cadmium and lead immobilized by biochars in multi-metal contaminated soils, 2020.01-2022.12, Chief investigator.
[13] Beijing Normal University, Young Teachers Fund Project, 2020NTST24, Effect of aged Fe-impregnated biochar on stabilization of Cd and Pb and enzyme activities in contaminated soil, 2020.10-2022.09, Chief investigator.
[14] Ministry of Education Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Youth Fund Project (Key Project), Impact of ageing process on immobilization of soil heavy metals by biochar, 2019.09-2020.09, Chief investigator.
[15] Key R&D Program of Shanxi Province, China (Social Development Field), 201803D31049, Key technologies and integrated risk management and control of biosolids land application, 2018.06-2020.06, Participant.
[16] Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province, China, General Project, ZR2017MEE064, Mechanism of antibiotic resistance gene reduction under guaranteed sludge composting maturation time conditions, 2017.08-2020.06, Participant.
[17] Shandong Academy of Sciences, Youth Fund Project, 2018QN0035, Mechanism study of the effect of composted sewage sludge on the mobility and bioaccessibility of heavy metals in typical agricultural and park soils, 2017.12-2019.12, Chief investigator.
[18] Shandong Academy of Sciences, Innovation Project (International Cooperation Special Project), Development of porous materials and their application in water treatment, 2016.01-2019.12, Participant.
[19] Shandong Academy of Sciences, Youth Fund Project, 2017QN0012, Mechanism study of CMC-MnO₂ nanoparticles for degrading PPCPs in soil amended with sewage sludge, 2017.01-2018.12, Participant.
[20] Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province, China, PhD Fund Project, ZR2016DB18, Effect of composted sewage sludge application on bioaccessibility and human health risk of trace metals in urban park soils, 2016.11-2018.11, Chief investigator.
Published journal articles:
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9712-6333
*Corresponding author
[1] Kai Yang, Yu Xue, Runchuan Fan, Litang Hu, Naifu Jin, Aizhong Ding, Hefa Cheng, 2025. A novel slow-release citric acid for enhancing the phytoremediation of uranium-contaminated soil by Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.) and ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). Journal of Cleaner Production 519, 145973.
[2] Yiwei Gong, Kaiming Yang, Weici Quan, Jiawen Zhang, Yuxi Wu, Rui Wang, Yadi Ai, Kai Yang*, Hongguang Cheng*, 2025. Health risk assessment of metal(loid)s in the topsoils of an operating industrial park based on bioaccessibility and quantitative source apportionment. Journal of Environmental Sciences. Available online 11 July 2025.
[3] Runchuan Fan, Caiwei Hao, Wenbo Li, Ying Zhu, Lei Zheng, Hongguang Cheng, Kai Yang*, 2025. Effects of physical aging on the physicochemical properties and thermal stability of different straw biochars. Journal of Agro⁃Environment Science. Accepted. (in Chinese with English abstract).
[4] Jiaxuan Song, Kai Yang, Aizhong Ding, Naifu Jin, Yujiao Sun, Dayi Zhang, 2025. Antagonistic effects of polystyrene microplastics and tetracycline on Chlorella pyrenoidosa as revealed by infrared spectroscopy coupled with multivariate analysis. Journal of Hazardous Materials 491, 137896.
[5] Kai Yang, Yu Xue, Runchuan Fan, Naifu Jin, Junfeng Dou, Hefa Cheng, 2024. Radiological risk and impact on soil microbial diversity of radionuclides in agricultural topsoils downstream of a decommissioned hydrometallurgical uranium plant. Journal of Environmental Management 370, 122781.
[6] Dao Wang, Litang Hu*, Kai Yang*, Shiqi Huang, Lei Tian, 2024. Enhancement of U(VI) sorption in natural soils at prospective high-level radioactive waste geological disposal sites with Fe(OH)3‐humic acid composite colloids. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry 333, 1203-1212.
[7] Yu Xue, Runchuan Fan, Aizhong Ding, Kai Yang*, 2024. Research progress on chelating agent induced phytoremediation of uranium-contaminated soils. Research of Environmental Sciences 37(08), 1798-1809. (in Chinese with English abstract).
[8] Naifu Jin, Qiuyuan Yang, Kai Yang, Yizhi Song, Aizhong Ding, Yujiao Sun, Guanghe Li, Dayi Zhang, 2024. Characterization and source-apportionment of synergistic ecotoxicities of multiple pollutants based on a biosensor-biospectroscopy coupling (BBC) test battery approach. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology 54, 883-907.
[9] Naifu Jin, Jiaxuan Song, Yingying Wang, Kai Yang, Dayi Zhang, 2024. Biospectroscopic fingerprinting phytotoxicity towards environmental monitoring for food security and contaminated site remediation. Journal of Hazardous Materials 465, 133515.
[10] Yingge Wang, Kai Yang, Weike Zhang, Yingze Jie, Yanqing Yang, 2024. Study on leaching effect of sludge-sourced humic acid on soil contaminated by lead and chromium. Modern Chemical Industry 44(S2), 202-207. (in Chinese with English abstract).
[11] Weici Quan, Kai Yang, Simeng Kan, Yelong Sun, Yinghui Tian, Dong Wan, Lei Zheng, Hongguang Cheng, 2024. Characteristics and resource utilization of dammed lake hydrostatic sediments in upstream of Jinsha River. Environmental Engineering 42(08), 1-7. (in Chinese with English abstract).
[12] Yifei Zou, Mingjia Xu, Aizhong Ding, Naifu Jin, Kai Yang, Qing Yang, Yi Zhu, Lei Zheng, Xilai Jin, 2024. Research progress in groundwater ecosystem health assessment. Research of Environmental Sciences 37(11), 2341-2351. (in Chinese with English abstract).
[13] Yitong Wang, Shaoyuan Geng, Yan Li, Kai Yang, 2024. Design and practice of curriculum ideological education methods for water conservancy major: taking Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology as an example. Education and Teaching Forum (30), 95-99. (in Chinese with English abstract).
[14] Kai Yang, Xilong Wang, Hefa Cheng, Shu Tao, 2023. Effects of physical aging processes on the bioavailability of heavy metals in contaminated site soil amended with chicken manure and wheat straw biochars. Environmental Pollution 324, 121414.
[15] Yiwei Gong, Shuwen Yang, Shaoyang Chen, Shoudao Zhao, Yadi Ai, Di Huang, Kai Yang*, Hongguang Cheng*, 2023. Soil microbial responses to simultaneous contamination of antimony and arsenic in the surrounding area of an abandoned antimony smelter in Southwest China. Environment International 174, 107897.
[16] Shoudao Zhao, Yiwei Gong, Shuwen Yang, Shaoyang Chen, Di Huang, Kai Yang*, Hongguang Cheng*, 2023. Health risk assessment of heavy metals and disinfection by-products in drinking water in megacities in China: A study based on age groups and Monte Carlo simulations. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 262, 115330.
[17] Naifu Jin#, Kai Yang#, Junyi Li, Yizhi Song, Aizhong Ding, Yujiao Sun, Guanghe Li, Dayi Zhang, 2023. Toxicity characterization of environment-related pollutants using a biospectroscopy−bioreporter-coupling approach: Potential for real-world toxicity determination and source apportionment of multiple pollutants. Analytical Chemistry 95, 4291-4300.
[18] Wenjuan Jia, Lirong Cheng, Qiuyang Tan, Yueqiao Liu, Junfeng Dou, Kai Yang, Qing Yang, Senjie Wang, Jing Li, Geng Niu, Lei Zheng, Aizhong Ding, 2023. Response of the soil microbial community to petroleum hydrocarbon stress shows a threshold effect: research on aged realistic contaminated fields. Frontiers in Microbiology 14, 1188229.
[19] Kai Yang, Xilong Wang, Hefa Cheng, Shu Tao, 2022. Enhanced immobilization of cadmium and lead adsorbed on crop straw biochars by simulated aging processes. Environmental Pollution 302, 119064.
[20] Yitong Wang, Kai Yang*, Zejun Tang, 2022. Effect of fly ash- and polyacrylamide-consolidated soil layer on A. splendens growth in a desert in North China. Catena 210, 105935.
[21] Yue You, Junfeng Dou, Yu Xue, Naifu Jin, Kai Yang*, 2022. Chelating agents in assisting phytoremediation of uranium-contaminated soils: A review. Sustainability 14, 6379.
[22] Yumin Yuan, Kai Yang*, Lirong Cheng, Yijuan Bai, Yingying Wang, Ying Hou, Aizhong Ding*, 2022. Effect of normalization methods on accuracy of estimating low- and high-molecular weight PAHs distribution in the soils of a coking plant. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, 15470.
[23] Zhuling Chu, Chunye Lin, Kai Yang, Hongguang Cheng, Xiang Gu, Beibei Wang, Linlin Wu, Jin Ma, 2022. Lability, bioaccessibility, and ecological and health risks of anthropogenic toxic heavy metals in the arid calcareous soil around a nonferrous metal smelting area. Chemosphere 307, 136200.
[24] Naifu Jin, Yueqiao Liu, Xinzi Wang, Kai Yang, Dayi Zhang, Aizhong Ding, 2022. In-vitro toxicity assessment of Eucalyptus robusta Smith extracts via whole-cell bioreporter. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 240, 113704.
[25] Lei Zheng, Yuzi Xing, Aizhong Ding, Shiquan Sun, Hongguang Cheng, Zhaoyong Bian, Kai Yang, Shengrui Wang, Guibing Zhu, 2022. Brownification of freshwater promotes nitrogen-cycling microorganism growth following terrestrial material increase and ultraviolet radiation reduction. Science of the Total Environment 853, 158556.
[26] Kai Yang, Xilong Wang, Hefa Cheng, Shu Tao, 2021. Effect of aging on stabilization of Cd and Ni by biochars and enzyme activities in a historically contaminated alkaline agricultural soil simulated with wet–dry and freeze–thaw cycling. Environmental Pollution 268, 115846.
[27] Kai Yang*, Zejun Tang, Jianzhang Feng, 2021. Coal fly ash and polyacrylamide influence transport and redistribution of soil nitrogen in a sandy sloping land. Agriculture 11, 47.
[28] Kai Yang*, Yingying Wang, Aizhong Ding, 2021. Study on the stability of remediation of contaminated soil of lead mine site by biochar. Journal of Agro⁃Environment Science 40(12), 2715-2722. (in Chinese with English abstract).
[29] Kai Yang*, Zejun Tang, Jianzhang Feng, 2020. Effect of co-use of fly ash and granular polyacrylamide on infiltration, runoff, and sediment yield from sandy soil under simulated rainfall. Agronomy 10, 344.
[30] Ying Zhu, Kai Yang*, Rongchang Jia, Yanqiu Shao, Aisheng Zhang, Xiaowei Yang, 2020. Effects of different additives and ambient conditions on acceleration of sludge stabilization: Laboratory-scale simulated landfill study. Journal of Environmental Engineering 146, 04020012.
[31] Yanrong Zhang, Weike Zhang, Kai Yang, Yanqing Yang, Jia Jia, Ying Liang, Lijun Guo, 2020. Carbon nano-onions (CNOs)/TiO2 composite preparation and its photocatalytic performance under visible light irradiation. Journal of Environmental Engineering 146, 04020009.
[32] Yanrong Zhang, Weike Zhang, Kai Yang, Yanqing Yang, Chuan Deng, Lijun Guo, 2020. BiOBr molecularly imprinted material preparation and its degradation performance for norfloxacin. Acta Scientiae Circumstantiae 40(03), 940-949. (in Chinese with English abstract).
[33] Yitong Wang, Kai Yang*, Zejun Tang*, 2019. In situ effect of combined utilization of fly ash and polyacrylamide on sand stabilization in North China. Catena 172, 170-178.
[34] Weike Zhang*, Ying Liang, Jiawei Wang, Yanrong Zhang, Zeyu Gao, Yanqing Yang, Kai Yang*, 2019. Ultrasound-assisted adsorption of Congo red from aqueous solution using Mg-Al-CO3 layered double hydroxide. Applied Clay Science 174, 100-109.
[35] Weike Zhang, Yanrong Zhang, Kai Yang, Yanqing Yang, Jia Jia, Lijun Guo, 2019. Photocatalytic performance of SiO2/CNOs/TiO2 to accelerate the degradation of Rhodamine B under visible light. Nanomaterials 9, 1671.
[36] Kai Yang*, Stephen R. Cattle, 2018. Contemporary sources and levels of heavy metal contamination in urban soil of Broken Hill, Australia after ad hoc land remediation. International Journal of Mining, Reclamation and Environment 32, 18-34.
[37] Kai Yang, Tao Zhang, Yanqiu Shao, Chao Tian, Stephen R. Cattle, Ying Zhu, Jinjuan Song, 2018. Fractionation, bioaccessibility, and risk assessment of heavy metals in the soil of an urban recreational area amended with composted sewage sludge. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 15, 613.
[38] Ying Zhu, Kai Yang*, Ranran Shan, Zhe Han, Yanqiu Shao, Chao Tian, 2018. The influence of humification degree of humic acid on its sorption of norfloxacin during sewage sludge composting. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 229, 160.
[39] Yanqiu Shao, Kai Yang, Rongchang Jia, Chao Tian, Ying Zhu, 2018. Degradation of triclosan and carbamazepine in two agricultural and garden soils with different textures amended with composted sewage sludge. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 15, 2557.
[40] Kai Yang, Ying Zhu, Ranran Shan, Yanqiu Shao, Chao Tian, 2017. Heavy metals in sludge during anaerobic sanitary landfill: Speciation transformation and phytotoxicity. Journal of Environmental Management 189, 58-66.
[41] Kai Yang*, Stephen R. Cattle, 2017. Effectiveness of cracker dust as a capping material for Pb-rich soil in the mining town of Broken Hill, Australia. Catena 148, 81-91.
[42] Jiping Niu, Kai Yang, Zejun Tang, Yitong Wang, 2017. Relationships between soil crust development and soil properties in the desert region of North China. Sustainability 9, 725-739.
[43] Yanqiu Shao, Changwen Du, Jianmin Zhou, Fei Ma, Ying Zhu, Kai Yang, Chao Tian, 2017. Quantitative analysis of different nitrogen isotope labelled nitrate in paddy soil using mid-infrared attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy. Analytical Methods 9, 5388-5394.
[44] Yitong Wang, Kai Yang, Zejun Tang, Chao Chen, 2016. The effectiveness of the consolidated desert surface by mixing of fly ash and polyacrylamide in wind erosion control. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 227, 429.
[45] Kai Yang*, Stephen R. Cattle, 2015. Bioaccessibility of lead in urban soil of Broken Hill, Australia: A study based on in vitro digestion and the IEUBK model. Science of the Total Environment 538, 922-933.
[46] Zhi Zhao, Zejun Tang, Kai Yang, Jingqi Liu, Li Xu, 2013. Metal transportation and accumulation in sandy soil amended by fly ash and PAM. Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Machinery 44(07), 83-89. (in Chinese with English abstract).
[47] Zhi Zhao, Zejun Tang, Mangang Song, Kai Yang, 2013. A field trial of polyacrylamide and fly ash for modifying physical properties of sandy soil. Journal of Chinese Soil and Water Conservation 27(03), 178-183. (in Chinese with English abstract).
[48] Kai Yang, Zejun Tang, 2012. Effectiveness of fly ash and polyacrylamide as a sand-fixing agent for wind erosion control. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 223, 4065-4074.
[49] Kai Yang, Zejun Tang, Zhi Zhao, Jianzhang Feng, Ping Guo, Tao Ding, 2012. Wind tunnel experimental study on sand-fixing effect of fly ash and polyacrylamide. Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering 28(04), 54-59. (in Chinese with English abstract).
[50] Kai Yang, Zejun Tang, 2012. Nitrogen distribution in deep soil of farmland in Beijing. Soil and Fertilizer Sciences in China (03), 22-25. (in Chinese with English abstract).
Granted patents:
[1] Kai Yang, Shoudao Zhao, Weici Quan, Lei Zheng, Hongguang Cheng. An alternative topsoil material for land reclamation. Patent No.: ZL202211116076.1. Date of authorization announcement: 2024.11.12.
[2] Kai Yang, Shoudao Zhao, Hongguang Cheng, Chunye Lin, Shaoyang Chen, Yiwei Gong, Shuwen Yang, Di Huang. A POI data-based method for regional soil contamination health risk assessment. Patent No.: ZL202210542440.4. Date of authorization announcement: 2024.6.18.
[3] Kai Yang, Yue You, Junfeng Dou. Biodegradable slow-release chelating agent for uranium-contaminated soil remediation and preparation method thereof. Patent No.: ZL202210953467.2. Date of authorization announcement: 2024.3.5.
[4] Yue You, Kai Yang, Junfeng Dou. Batch droplet-to-bead instrument. Patent No.: ZL202122348836.9. Date of authorization announcement: 2022.4.12.
[5] Ying Zhu, Yanqiu Shao, Kai Yang, Chao Tian, Ranran Shan, Huijian Shi. Ecological compensation method for watershed water environment quality. Patent No.: ZL201611034126.6. Date of authorization announcement: 2018.8.28.
[6] Zhe Han, Ying Zhu, Kai Yang, Yanqiu Shao, Houquan Tang, Jianchao Jin, Ru Guo, Mei Liu, Chenghua Su, Haiyang Li, Ranran Shan. Preparation method and application of heavy metal adsorption material for wastewater treatment. Patent No.: ZL201410704542.7. Date of authorization announcement: 2017.6.27.
Standard drafting:
Guofeng Zheng, Lijuan Zhang, Xinyan Qiao, Kai Yang, Wei Wang, Zhaorong Shang. Technical specification for bioremediation of soil contaminated by uranium mining and milling (T/BSRS 125—2024). Release date: 2024.11.14.
Registered software copyright:
Beijing Normal University. Regional environmental pollution health risk assessment system under multi-factor interaction of soil and groundwater V1.0. Registration No.: 2024SR1008920. Registration date: 2024.7.16.
Teaching experience
Postgraduate degree subject course “Remediation Technologies and Risk Management for Contaminated Site”
Postgraduate degree subject course “Contaminant Hydrogeology”
Undergraduate general education course “Contamination and Remediation of Water and Soil Environment”
Social service
Serving as Guest Editor and Reviewer for SCI-indexed journals
Honorary award
[1] 2018 Shandong Province 2nd Prize for Progress in Science and Technology “Key Technologies and equipment for cost-effective reduction and stabilization of sludge” awarded by Shandong Provincial People's Government
[2] 2017 3rd Prize for Excellent Scientific and Technological Workers’ Advice on “Strategies for Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation in Shandong Province” awarded by Shandong Association for Science & Technology
[3] 2018 China Postdoctoral International Exchange Program (Talent-Introduction Program) awarded by the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation
[4] 2017 CleanUp Conference Scholarship for Students and Early-Career Researchers awarded by the Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC CARE)
[5] 2012 Outstanding Master’s Degree Dissertation awarded by China Agricultural University (10 Master’s graduates at the University are awarded every year)
[6] 2012 Beijing Outstanding Postgraduate awarded by Beijing Municipal Commission of Education
Others
