Liping Weng

Liping Weng serves as Associate Professor in Soil Chemistry and Chemical Soil Quality at Wageningen University & Research, affiliated with the Wageningen Institute for Environment and Climate Research (WIMEK). Her work centers on molecular-scale interactions governing soil contaminant dynamics and nutrient cycling.

Research spans natural organic matter behavior, iron oxide interactions, and contaminant fate in soils. Key focuses include competitive adsorption of heavy metals (arsenic, lead, cadmium), humic substance chemistry, biochar applications, and microplastic impacts on soil processes. Her approach integrates experimental soil chemistry with mechanistic modeling like the NOM-CD framework.

Recent publications (2025) reveal intensifying focus on emerging contaminants and climate-resilient soil management. Work increasingly addresses microplastic-pesticide interactions, petroleum hydrocarbon transport mechanisms, and advanced modeling of natural organic matter adsorption—reflecting urgency in soil pollution challenges.

Scientific Awards: No awards documented in source material.

Advising and Grants: Currently supervises 3 active PhD projects: plant iron acquisition strategies (Qu, J.), root exudate-microbiome interactions (Pu, M.), and PFAS sorption modeling (Peng, K.). Previously supervised 2 completed PhDs on heavy metal transport (Gao, H., Huang, Y.). Research funded through 11 projects including Dutch national grants on soil-plant contaminant dynamics.

Labs and Teams: Core member of WIMEK’s Soil Chemistry group, collaborating across Wageningen’s environmental research ecosystem. Leads experimental teams studying soil colloids and adsorption phenomena while contributing to WUR’s Soil Quality flagship program.