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Yan's Water Quality and Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory @ CEE, U of Hawaii
Welcome to Yan's Water Quality and Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory

Our research is in the general areas of water quality and environmental biotechnology, with focused scientific interests in microbial ecology and environmental genomics. Currently, we are most interested in understanding the ecology of fecal indicator bacteria and pathogens in the environment, to identify fundamental principals governing microbial community structure and function dynamics, and to develop innovative biotechnological solutions to environmental and health challenges.

Particular areas of ongoing research include:

  • Pathogens in natural/built environments: ecology of fecal pathogens in coastal soil/sediment/water environments, enteric pathogens in municipal wastewater for community disease monitoring, antibiotic resistance in the environment.
  • Water reuse: low-cost soil biofilter for advanced water treatment, new water quality monitoring approach based on next generation sequencing.
  • Wastewater infrastructure sustainability: Sewer crown corrosion abatement, sewer FOG formation and biodegradation, wastewater infrastructure resilience.

Recent highlights

Our research on the decay of wastewater bacteria in marine beach sand and seawater received numerous media coverage, including:

  • CBS news: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/worst-place-for-bacteria-beach-sand-water/.
  • ABC news: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/contaminated-sand-make-beachgoers-sick-study/story?id=32494886.
  • Daily Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3163494/Beach-goers-beware-sand-sitting-covered-POO-Faecal-matter-common-shore-sea-study-reveals.html.
  • Medical Daily: http://www.medicaldaily.com/beach-water-contaminated-fecal-coliform-less-worrisome-contaminated-sand-343462.
  • Digital Journal: http://www.digitaljournal.com/science/going-to-the-beach-watch-out-for-fecal-contamination-in-the-sand/article/438462.
  • UPI: http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2015/07/15/Fecal-contamination-at-the-beach-watch-where-you-step/1451436978835/.
  • Science Daily: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/07/150715122522.htm.
  • UH News: http://www.hawaii.edu/news/2015/07/23/bacteria-affects-sand-more-than-seawater/.
  • Last updated on Aug. 16, 2015