Missouri Water Center receives more than $700,000 in EPA seed grant funding

Cross-disciplinary researchers to look at water quality, quantity issues through eight research and education projects at the Missouri Water Center.

Xiao recognized with Excellence in Research Award from Environmental Science & Technology journal

Mizzou Engineering’s Feng “Frank” Xiao has been recognized with an Excellence in Review Award from Environmental Science & Technology (ES&T), the premier journal in environmental engineering and science.

Missouri Water Center helps secure three USGS National Competitive Grants

With support from the Missouri Water Center, three Mizzou researchers have been awarded highly competitive grants through the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Water Resources Research Act Program. The National Competitive (104G) Grants aim to promote collaboration between USGS and university researchers on significant national and regional water issues.

Engineering professor outlines challenges, strategies around ‘forever’ chemicals in Nature Water journal

Water treatment systems in the U.S. are more than a century old, allowing contaminants to pollute our drinking water and cause health problems. There are technologies that would help states and cities filter out these chemicals without having to replace entire treatment systems; however there’s no mandate for governments to install them. Short of that, there are non-technical solutions that could help reduce pollution levels. Civil and Environmental Engineering Associate Professor Feng “Frank” Xiao outlined these challenges and strategies in a paper published in a Nature journal, Nature Water. Xiao is specifically looking at ways to treat per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), or 'forever' chemicals, which are found in household and industrial products. These chemicals are ending up in our water and causing various medical conditions.

Xiao Honored as 2023 Emerging Investigator, Presents Keynote at AWWA Conference

Feng “Frank” Xiao, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, was honored by the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors (AEESP) as the 2023 Emerging Investigator lecturer and presented a keynote address at the American Water Works Association’s (AWWA) Water Quality Technology Conference in Dallas last month.

Mizzou Engineering welcomes new faculty

Bio-inspired materials, sustainable energy, autonomic computing and advanced manufacturing are just a few of the areas of expertise new faculty members are bringing to Mizzou Engineering.

Mizzou Engineer develops method to break down PFAS left on water treatment filters

In a recent study, Feng “Frank” Xiao and colleagues at the University of Missouri demonstrate an innovative method using thermal induction heating to rapidly break down PFAS left on the surface of two solid materials — granular activated carbon and anion exchange resins — after these materials have been used to filter PFAS from municipal water systems.

Pioneer in degradation of ‘forever chemicals’ brings research to Mizzou

Before most of his peers knew them as “forever chemicals,” Feng “Frank” Xiao knew they were a problem. It was the early 2010s, and he was reviewing Centers for Disease Control data when he noticed a disturbing trend. Pre- and polyfluoroalkyls (PFAS) — compounds mass marketed since the 1940s — were showing up in more than 95% of blood samples, and they appeared to be wreaking havoc on human health.