Tao Cheng, Memorial University of Newfoundland

Research

Column transport experiments Environmental fine particles Fate & transport of contaminants Geochemical heterogeneity Groundwater & soil contamination Microplastics & nanoplastics Mineralogical & organic composition of natural soils Natural subsurface environments

Latest papers

Aggregation and hetero-aggregation of polystyrene microplastics: Roles of surface functionalization, water chemistry, humic acid, and kaolinite colloids.
Journal of contaminant hydrology · 2026 · senior author
Impact of aging on nanoplastic aggregation and release from low-density polyethylene (LDPE).
Journal of contaminant hydrology · 2026 · senior author
Hydrogen peroxide and high-temperature heating differently alter the stability and aggregation of black soil colloids.
Chemosphere · 2022

All 18 publications

Latest funding

Micro and Nanoplastic Aggregation and Deposition in Subsurface Environments
NSERC · 2020 · Principal investigator
$125,000
Transport and mobilization of engineered nanoparticles in the vadose zone and groundwater
NSERC · 2012 · Principal investigator
$168,000

All 2 grants and awards

18 publications.

01

Aggregation and hetero-aggregation of polystyrene microplastics: Roles of surface functionalization, water chemistry, humic acid, and kaolinite colloids.

Asoodeh R, Leitch A, Cheng T

Journal of contaminant hydrology2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2026.104978 PMID: 42134236

02

Impact of aging on nanoplastic aggregation and release from low-density polyethylene (LDPE).

Saliminasab S, Cheng T

Journal of contaminant hydrology2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2025.104809 PMID: 41401559

03

Hydrogen peroxide and high-temperature heating differently alter the stability and aggregation of black soil colloids.

Xu G, Chen C, Shen C, Zhou H, Wang X, Cheng T, Shang J

Chemosphere2022

DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.132018 PMID: 34454221

04

Distinct interactions of pig and cow manure-derived colloids with TiO2 nanoparticles and their impact on stability and transport.

Yan C, Cheng T, Li B, Shang J

Journal of hazardous materials2021

DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125910 PMID: 34492844

05

The role of Fe oxyhydroxide coating, illite clay, and peat moss in nanoscale titanium dioxide (nTiO2) retention and transport in geochemically heterogeneous media.

Rastghalam ZS, Yan C, Shang J, Cheng T

Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)2020Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113625 PMID: 31806460

06

Effect of bovine serum albumin on stability and transport of kaolinite colloid.

Yan C, Cheng T, Shang J

Water research2019

DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.02.022 PMID: 30849734

07

Graphene oxide-facilitated uranium transport and release in saturated medium: Effect of ionic strength and medium structure.

Zhao K, Chen C, Cheng T, Shang J

Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)2019

DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.01.037 PMID: 30711822

08

Fine particle attachment to quartz sand in the presence of multiple interacting dissolved components.

Rastghalam ZS, Cheng T, Freake B

The Science of the total environment2018

DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.07.131 PMID: 30029125

09

Influence of aggregation on nanoscale titanium dioxide (nTiO2) deposition to quartz sand.

Tang Z, Cheng T, Fisher-Power LM

Chemosphere2018

DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.06.112 PMID: 29945044

10

Influence of natural organic matter in porous media on fine particle transport.

Zhou Y, Cheng T

The Science of the total environment2018Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.01.210 PMID: 29426139

Micro and Nanoplastic Aggregation and Deposition in Subsurface Environments

Principal investigatorNSERC2020Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Cheng, Tao

Keywords: microplastics & nanoplastics; particle aggregation & deposition; fate & transport of contaminants; groundwater & soil contamination; water chemistry & composition; mineralogical & organic composition of natural soils; geochemical heterogeneity; natural subsurface environments; column transport experiments; environmental fine particles

$125,000

Transport and mobilization of engineered nanoparticles in the vadose zone and groundwater

Principal investigatorNSERC2012Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Cheng, Tao

$168,000

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Alison Leitch

Earth Sciences

1 shared papers, latest 2026

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their NSERC grant from 2020

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Column transport experiments Dear Professor Cheng, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Aggregation and hetero-aggregation of polystyrene microplastics: Roles of surface functionalization, water chemistry, humic acid, and kaolinite colloids." (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your NSERC-funded project "Micro and Nanoplastic Aggregation and Deposition in Subsurface Environments" (2020), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]