Research Interests

• Fate and transformation of hazardous compounds     

• Pollutants control in groundwater     

• The high and novel technology for water purification and wastewater treatment     

• Eutrophication- toxic cyanobacteria and toxins production and control

Biography

Dr. Ruihua Dai is an associate Professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Engineering at Fudan University. She received her Ph.D. degree from Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences. She joined Fudan University as an assistant professor in 2008 and went to University of Texas as a postdoctoral researcher from 2011 to 2012. She also went to the National University of Singapore as a visiting scholar from 2024 to 2025.

Dr. Dai’s lab conducts interdisciplinary research aiming to develop environmental technologies to clean up pollutants in waters, and protect human health via innovative scientific technologies. Her research specialization is in the area of water quality and water purification, with particular interest in understanding the control and transformation of emerging microbial and chemical contaminants of concern including harmful algal blooms (toxins) and antimicrobial pollutants in urban water, and elucidating their mechanisms of action, production, and interactions with other chemical/biological species in natural water bodies through field and lab studies.

Dr. Dai has generated over 50 peer-reviewed publications in English or Chinese, while securing significant amount of external funding from diverse funding agencies. Her publications have been cited for more than 1000 times and an H-Index of 23. Now, she served as reviewer in many excellent journals in world.

Career History

• 2013-present, Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University

• 2008-2013, Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University

• 2011-2012, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Texas at Austin, USA    

• 2024-2025, Visting Scholar, National University of Singapore

Teaching Areas

• Pollutants control in environments

• Environmental microbiology

Key Publications

1. Wenjun Du, Xin Xu, Lili An, Feng Yan, J Paul Chen, Ruihua Dai*. Simultaneous removal of Microcystis aeruginosa and microplastics by oxidation enhanced coagulation. Environmental Pollution 2025, 366:1255555.

2. Lili An, Xin Xu, Feng Yan, Wenjun Du, Ruihua Dai*. Simultaneous removal of cyanobacteria and algal organic matter by Mn(VII)/CaSO3 enhanced coagulation: performance and mechanism. Journal of Hazardous Materials 2025, 485:136839.

3. Feng Yan, Xin Xu, Lili An, Wenjun Du, Wendi Shen, Kun-Lin Yang, Jianfeng Ye, Ruihua Dai. Highly efficient treatment of tetracycline using coupled electro-Fenton and electrocoagulation process: Mechanism and toxicity assessment. Chemosphere 2024, 362:142664

4. Feng Yan, Lili An, Xin Xu, Wenjun Du, Ruihua Dai. A review of antibiotics in surface water and their removal by advanced electrocoagulation technologies. Science of the Total Environment. 2024, 906:167737.

5. Wendi Shen, Lili An, Xin Xu, Feng Yan and Ruihua Dai *. Microcystis aeruginosa removal and simultaneously control of algal organic matter (AOM) release by an electroflocculation- electrofenton (EC-EF) system without chemical addition. Water, 2024, 16,162.  

6. Ruihua Dai, Zihao Li, Feng Yan, Lili An, Wenjun Du, Xuan Li. Evaluation of changes in M. aeruginosa growth and microcystin production under phosphorus starvation via transcriptomic surveys. Science of the Total Environment. 2023, 891:164848.

7. Zihao Li, Lili An, Feng Yan, Wendi Shen, Wemjun Du, Ruihua Dai. Evaluation of the Effects of Different Phosphorus Sources on Microcystis aeruginosa Growth and Microcystin Production via Transcriptomic Surveys. Water, 2023, 15,1938.

8. Yingxiao Ma, Feng Yan, Lili An, Wendi Shen, Tingting Tang, Zihao Li, Ruihua Dai. Transcriptome analysis of changes in M. aeruginosa growth and microcystin production under low concentrations of ethinyl estradiol. Science of the Total Environment. 2023, 859:160226.

9. Tingting Tang, Yingxiao Ma, Wendi Shen, Zihao Li, Ruihua Dai, Jianfeng Ye. Effects of Algae on the Formation of Black Blooms and Bacterial Community Structure Changes in Sediments and Black Floats. Water 2022,14,2348.  

10. Yingxiao Ma, Wendi Shen, Tingting Tang, Zihao Li,. Environmental estrogens in surface water and their interaction with microalgae: A review.  Science of the Total Environment. 2022, 807:150637.

11. Xufeng Zhang , Yingxiao Ma , Tingting Tang , Yiming Xiong , Ruihua Dai. Removal of cyanobacteria and control algal organic matter by simultaneous oxidation and coagulation - comparing the H2O2/Fe(II) and H2O2/Fe(III) processes. Science of the Total Environment. 2020, 720:137653.

12. Ruihua Dai, Yiming Xiong, Yingxiao Ma, Tingting Tang. Algae removal performance of UV-radiation-enhanced coagulation for two representative algal species. Science of the Total Environment. 2020, 745:141013

13. Yanping Zhou, Xuan Li, Qiongqiong Xia, Ruihua Dai. Transcriptomic survey on the microcystins production and growth of Microcystis aeruginosa under nitrogen starvation. Science of the Total Environment. 2020, 700:134501.

14. Yanping Zhou, Xufeng Zhang, Xuan Li, Peili Jia, Ruihua Dai. Evaluation of changes in Microcystis aeruginosa growth and microcystin production by urea via transcriptomic surveys. Science of the Total Environment. 2019, 655:181-187.

15. Ruihua Dai，Yanping Zhou,Yanan Chen, Xufeng Zhang, Yangwei Yan, Dong An. Effects of arginine on the growth and Microcystin-LR production of Microcystis aeruginosa in culture. Science of the Total Environment. 2019, 651:706-712.

16. Peili Jia, Yanping Zhou, Xufeng Zhang, Yi Zhang, Ruihua Dai. Cyanobacterium removal and control of algal organic matter (AOM) release by UV/H2O2 pre-oxidation enhanced Fe(II) coagulation. Water Research. 2018, 131(1):122-130.

17. Ruihua Dai, Pinfei Wang, Peili Jia, Yifei Wang, Xincheng Chu. A review on environmental Factors Affecting on Microcystins Production of Algae in Water Sources [J]. World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology. 2016, 32(51): 1-7.

18. Ruihua Dai, Chenchao Yao, Xiang Liu, Yan Liu, Yangwei Yan, Yuwen Wang. The effects of continuous Cu(II) exposure compared with a shock dosage of Cu(II) on pollutant removal in activated sludge. Desalination and water treatment. 2015, 57(13):5842-5850.

19. Wu Xuanhao, Yan Yangwei, Wang Pinfei, Ni Lanqi, Gao Jiayi, Dai Ruihua. Effect of urea on growth and microcystins production of Microcystis aeruginosa. Bioresource Technology. 2015, 181:72-77.

20. YangWei Yan, RuiHua Dai, Yan Liu, JiaYi Gao, XuanHao Wu. Comparative effects of inorganic and organic nitrogen on the growth and microcystin production of Microcystis aeruginosa. World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology. 2015, 31:763-772.