Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology

Dr Wei Li

ARC DECRA
Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology
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Researcher biography

My research focuses on environmental biotechnology for removing and transforming persistent pollutants in water and wastewater.I specialise in microbial and hybrid biological–chemical processes that transform hard-to-degrade organic contaminants and nutrient pollutants, including PFAS and nitrogen compounds, into less harmful or resource-recoverable products through sustainable, low-carbon pathways.

I am particularly interested in how microorganisms interact with engineered systems to drive pollutant transformation. My work combines reactor engineering, microbiology, materials-assisted treatment, and multi-omics analysis to understand both treatment performance and the underlying biological mechanisms.

Key areas of my research include:

  • PFAS biotransformation and defluorination
  • Membrane biofilm reactors
  • Microbial ecology in engineered systems
  • Biological nitrogen removal
  • Bio-Fenton and reactive oxygen species-based treatment
  • Metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and bioinformatics

At UQ, my work aims to develop sustainable technologies for treating emerging contaminants and recovering valuable resources from waste streams. This includes identifying microorganisms and enzymes involved in PFAS transformation, designing hybrid treatment systems, and linking microbial function to practical environmental engineering applications.

My research sits at the interface of environmental microbiology, water engineering, contaminant chemistry, and systems biology.

Publications

Journal Articles (23)

Journal Articles

Wang, Zihao, Peng, Xin, Gao, Fulin, Li, Wei and Zhong, Weimin (2024). Small-object feature-enhanced visual segmentation model based on BlendMask for evaluating sludge performance. IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, 73 5032512. doi: 10.1109/TIM.2024.3463027
Zhang, Xu, Zhao, Wei-Qi, Yao, Gen-Ji, Zhuang, Jin-Long, Liu, Hong, Gao, Hui-Jie, Liu, Yong-Di and Li, Wei (2023). Effects of superficial gas velocity on the performance of an air-lift internal circulation partial nitrification-anammox granular sludge reactor. Chemosphere, 326 138480, 1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138480
Yan, Xiaofang, Sun, Jing, Wang, Yizhen, Zhang, Zisha, Zhang, Chuning, Li, Wei, Xu, Juan, Dai, Xiaohu and Ni, Bing-Jie (2023). Low-rate ferrate dosing damages the microbial biofilm structure through humic substances destruction and facilitates the sewer biofilm control. Water Research, 235 119834, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.119834
Yan, Xinjie, Shen, Xunyu, Wang, Jipeng, Zhuang, Jinlong, Wang, Yu, Yao, Jinchi, Liu, Hong, Liu, Yongdi, Shapleigh, James P. and Li, Wei (2023). Higher N2O production in sequencing batch reactors compared to continuous stirred tank reactors: effect of feast-famine cycles. Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering, 17 (4) 50, 1-12. doi: 10.1007/s11783-023-1650-z
Chen, Chongjun, Jin, Rencun, Li, Wei, Miao, Lei and Zhang, Meng (2023). Editorial: Biological nitrogen removal from low carbon wastewater. Frontiers in Microbiology, 14 1137125. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1137125
Wang, Jipeng, Yan, Xinjie, Zhuang, Jinlong, Liu, Yongdi and Li, Wei (2023). Meta-omics analysis of a formate sidestream-mediated partial nitritation-coupled anammox process. Acs Es&T Water, 3 (2), 510-519. doi: 10.1021/acsestwater.2c00546
Yao, Jin-chi, Yao, Gen-ji, Wang, Zu-hao, Yana, Xin-jie, Lu, Qing-qing, Li, Wei and Liu, Yong-di (2022). Bioaugmentation of intertidal sludge enhancing the development of salt-tolerant aerobic granular sludge. Journal of Environmental Management, 325 116394. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116394
Zhou, Jia-jia, Zhang, Xu, Zhuang, Jin-long, Xu, Tian-xiang, Liu, Yong-di and Li, Wei (2022). Saline short-term shock and rapid recovery on anammox performance. Chemosphere, 307 135687. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.135687
Wang, Yu, Zhuang, Jin-Long, Lu, Qing-Qing, Cui, Chang-Zheng, Liu, Yong-Di, Ni, Bing-Jie and Li, Wei (2022). Halophilic Martelella sp. AD-3 enhanced phenanthrene degradation in a bioaugmented activated sludge system through syntrophic interaction. Water Research, 218 118432. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118432
Xu, Xuyang, Zhan, Fei, Pan, Jiaqi, Zhou, Lei, Su, Linghui, Cen, Wanglai, Li, Wei and Tian, Chengcheng (2022). Engineering single-atom Fe-Pyridine N4 sites to boost peroxymonosulfate activation for antibiotic degradation in a wide pH range. Chemosphere, 294 133735, 133735. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.133735
Li, Liangzhong, Liu, Chang, Ma, Ruixue, Yu, Yunjiang, Chang, Zhaofeng, Zhang, Xiaohui, Yang, Chengyu, Chen, Da, Yu, Yang, Li, Wei and Liu, Yongdi (2021). Rapid removal of thallium from water by a new magnetic nano-composite using graphene oxide for efficient separation. International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation, 161 105245. doi: 10.1016/j.ibiod.2021.105245
Li, Liangzhong, Liu, Chang, Ma, Ruixue, Yu, Yunjiang, Chang, Zhaofeng, Zhang, Xiaohui, Yang, Chenyu, Chen, Da, Yu, Yang, Li, Wei and Liu, Yongdi (2021). Enhanced oxidative and adsorptive removal of thallium(I) using Fe3O4@TiO2 decorated RGO nanosheets as persulfate activator and adsorbent. Separation and Purification Technology, 271 118827. doi: 10.1016/j.seppur.2021.118827
Zhou, Yuan-yuan, Shao, Wen-li, Liu, Yong-di, Li, Xiang, Shan, Xiao-yu, Jin, Xin-bai, Gao, Jie and Li, Wei (2020). Genome-based analysis to understanding rapid resuscitation of cryopreserved anammox consortia via sequential supernatant addition. Science of the Total Environment, 744 140785, 140785-744. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140785
Zhuang, Jin-long, Zhou, Yuan-yuan, Liu, Yong-di and Li, Wei (2020). Flocs are the main source of nitrous oxide in a high-rate anammox granular sludge reactor: insights from metagenomics and fed-batch experiments. Water Research, 186 116321, 116321-186. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116321
Liu, Yi-Fan, Chen, Jing, Liu, Zhong-Lin, Shou, Li-Bin, Lin, Dan-Dan, Zhou, Lei, Yang, Shi-Zhong, Liu, Jin-Feng, Li, Wei, Gu, Ji-Dong and Mu, Bo-Zhong (2020). Anaerobic Degradation of Paraffins by Thermophilic Actinobacteria under Methanogenic Conditions. Environmental Science & Technology, 54 (17), 10610-10620. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.0c02071
Wang, Yi-qiao, Li, Wei, Zhuang, Jin-long, Liu, Yong-di and Shapleigh, James P. (2020). Bacteriophage-mediated extracellular DNA release is important for the structural stability of aerobic granular sludge. Science of the Total Environment, 726 138392, 138392-726. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138392
Zhang, Chuanyi, Xu, Xinhai, Yuan, Limei, Mao, Zhen and Li, Wei (2020). Performance enhancement by adding ferrous to a combined modified University of Cape Town and post-anoxic/aerobic-membrane bioreactor. Chemosphere, 243 125300, 125300. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.125300
Wu, Xiao, Li, Hui, Lei, Lei, Ren, Jiongqiu, Li, Wei and Liu, Yongdi (2020). Tolerance to short-term saline shocks by aerobic granular sludge. Chemosphere, 243 125370, 125370-243. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.125370
Li, Wei, Zhuang, Jin-long, Zhou, Yuan-yuan, Meng, Fan-gang, Kang, Da, Zheng, Ping, Shapleigh, James P. and Liu, Yong-di (2020). Metagenomics reveals microbial community differences lead to differential nitrate production in anammox reactors with differing nitrogen loading rates. Water Research, 169 115279, 115279-169. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.115279
Li, Wei, Shan, Xiao-Yu, Wang, Zhi-Yao, Lin, Xiao-Yu, Li, Chen-Xu, Cai, Chao-Yang, Abbas, Ghulam, Zhang, Meng, Shen, Li-Dong, Hu, Zhi-Qiang, Zhao, He-Ping and Zheng, Ping (2016). Effect of self-alkalization on nitrite accumulation in a high-rate denitrification system: performance, microflora and enzymatic activities. Water Research, 88, 758-765. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2015.11.003
Huang, Jianke, Qu, Xiaoxing, Wan, Minxi, Ying, Jiangguo, Li, Yuanguang, Zhu, Faochao, Wang, Jun, Shen, Guomin, Chen, Jianpei and Li, Wei (2015). Investigation on the performance of raceway ponds with internal structures by the means of CFD simulations and experiments. Algal Research, 10, 64-71. doi: 10.1016/j.algal.2015.04.012
Huang, Jianke, Kang, Shaofeng, Wan, Minxi, Li, Yuanguang, Qu, Xiaoxing, Feng, Fei, Wang, Jun, Wang, Weiliang, Shen, Guomin and Li, Wei (2015). Numerical and experimental study on the performance of flat-plate photobioreactors with different inner structures for microalgae cultivation. Journal of Applied Phycology, 27 (1), 49-58. doi: 10.1007/s10811-014-0281-y
Huang, Jianke, Li, Yuanguang, Wan, Minxi, Yan, Yi, Feng, Fei, Qu, Xiaoxing, Wang, Jun, Shen, Guomin, Li, Wei, Fan, Jianhua and Wang, Weiliang (2014). Novel flat-plate photobioreactors for microalgae cultivation with special mixers to promote mixing along the light gradient. Bioresource Technology, 159, 8-16. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2014.01.134