Xi-Zhi Niu

Dr. Xi-Zhi Niu is the director of the Niu Emerging Contaminants Lab at the University of Cincinnati (UC). He holds a PhD in Environmental Chemistry from Curtin University (2018) and a Master's from King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (2013). His research focuses on emerging organic contaminants, environmental analytical chemistry, and semiconductor waste management. He has held postdoctoral roles at the University of Arizona and visiting positions at Zhejiang University and Southern University of Science and Technology.

• Grants: PI for federal grants investigating emerging contaminants in the Ohio River basin and Cincinnati's water systems (USGS), and industry grants targeting semiconductor waste stream remediation (Semiconductor Research Corporation).

Research Interests:

• Emerging contaminants (PFAS, pharmaceuticals, photoacid generators)
• Environmental analytical techniques (LC-MS/MS, FT-ICR MS)
• Photochemical transformations in water systems

Recent Work Trends: Recent publications emphasize PFAS detection/removal, semiconductor waste toxicity, and catalytic processes for contaminant mitigation. Collaborations span environmental chemistry, toxicology, and computational modeling.

Service & Teaching:

• Board member of Lake Erie Aquatic Research Network
• Guest editor for Nano Life
• Teaches undergraduate courses in water/wastewater treatment (ENVE 4010/4020) and environmental measurements (ENVE 4010L).