Research Interests

• Water sector resilience
• Waste-to-resource solutions
• Remediation of legacy/emerging contaminants
• Green infrastructure and nature-based solutions
• Sustainable engineering education

Recent Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles (Google Scholar)

• Huang, J., Li, S.*, Dalagah, S., Stone, S., Ahles, D., Mouawad, J., & Sharbatmaleki, M. (2025). Closed-Circuit Reverse Osmosis Performance Evaluation in a High-Recovery-Rate Water Reclamation Pilot Project. Sustainability, 17, 3388. DOI: 10.3390/su17083388.
• Huang, J., Li, S.*, Delagah, S., Stone, S., Mouawad, J., & Sharbatmaleki, M. (2025). Assessing closed-circuit reverse osmosis (CCRO) efficiency in removing contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in a high-recovery water reclamation pilot study. Water Practice & Technology, 20(2), 314-323. DOI: 10.2166/wpt.2025.019. 
• Wu, Y., Li, S.*, & Chen, G. (2024). Hydrogels as water and nutrient reservoirs in agricultural soil: a comprehensive review of classification, performance, and economic advantages. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 26(10), 24653-24685. DOI: 10.1007/s10668-023-03706-y. 
• Mcintyre, H., & Li, S.* (2024). From Waste to Resource: Evaluating the Impact of Biosolid-Derived Biochar on Agriculture and the Environment. Biomass, 4(3), 809-825. DOI: 10.3390/biomass4030045. 
• Huang, J., Piao, X., Zhou, Y., & Li, S.* (2024). Toxicity Assessment of 36 Herbicides to Green Algae: Effects of Mode of Action and Chemical Family. Agrochemicals, 3(2). DOI: 10.3390/agrochemicals3020012.
• Li, S.* (2024). Reviewing air pollutants generated during the pyrolysis of solid waste for biofuel and biochar production: toward cleaner production practices. Sustainability, 16(3), 1169. DOI: 10.3390/su16031169.
• Li, S.*, Tasnady, D., Skelley, S., Calderon, B., Jiang, S. (2024) Enhancing organic contaminant removal from wool scouring wastewater using chemically modified biochars. Journal of Carbon Research, 10(1), 6. DOI: 10.3390/c10010006. 
• Li, S.*, Galoustian, T., Trejo, H. (2023) Biochar pyrolyzed with concentrated solar radiation for enhanced nitrate adsorption. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 174, 106131. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaap.2023.106131.
• Li, S.*, & Tasnady, D. (2023). Biochar for soil carbon sequestration: Current knowledge, mechanisms, and future perspectives. Journal of Carbon Research, 9(3), 67. DOI: 10.3390/c9030067.
• Li, S.*, & Skelley, S. (2023). Physicochemical properties and applications of biochars derived from municipal solid waste: A review. Environmental Advances, 13, 100395. DOI: 10.1016/j.envadv.2023.100395.
• Li, S.*, Hernandez, S., & Salazar, N. (2023). Biopolymer-based hydrogels for harvesting water from humid air: a review. Sustainability, 15(1), 848. DOI: 10.3390/su15010848.

Recent Peer-Reviewed Book Chapters (Google Scholar)

• Li, S., Tasnady, D., & Yoldas, F. (2025) From waste to superabsorbent. In Superabsorbent Polymers: Synthesis, Properties and Applications (pp. 109-147). The Royal Society of Chemistry. 
• Li, S. (2022). Phytoremediation of pesticides in soil. In Current Developments in Biotechnology and Bioengineering (pp. 291-312). Elsevier.
• Li, S., & Liu, C. (2022). Use of selenium accumulators and hyperaccumulators in Se-phytoremediation technologies: Recent progress and future perspectives. Selenium and Nano-Selenium in Environmental Stress Management and Crop Quality Improvement (pp. 365-381). Springer Nature.