Research Interests

• Analysis of nanoplastics
• Environmental behaviors of nanoparticles
• Aquatic environments

Education

2016 - 2022
Ph.D. Environmental Science
State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, China
Separation and Identification Method of Nanoplastics in Environmental Water

2012 - 2016
B.Sc. Environmental Science
Ocean University of China, China
Adsorption Mechanisms of Parabens on Graphene

Research Experience

Graduate Research Trainee (2020 - 2021)
Biocolloids and Surfaces Laboratory
McGill University, Canada

Scientific Leadership

Funding leader (2023 - present)
FRQNT-PBEEE, Detection et quantification de nanoplastics dans les écosystèmes Arctiques
Université Laval, Canada

Awards

2020
National Graduate Student Award

Publications

2024

Du, F., Cai, H., Su, L., Wang, W., Zhang, L., Sun, C., Yan, B., & Shi, H. (2024). The missing small microplastics: easily generated from weathered plastic pieces in labs but hardly detected in natural environments. Environmental Science: Advances, 3(2), 227–238. https://doi.org/10.1039/D3VA00291H

2023

Huang, H., Cai, H., Qureshi, J. U., Mehdi, S. R., Song, H., Liu, C., Di, Y., Shi, H., Yao, W., & Sun, Z. (2023). Proceeding the categorization of microplastics through deep learning-based image segmentation. Science of the Total Environment, 896. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165308

Liu, Y., Gu, G., Li, G., Kim, H., Cai, L., & Cai, H. (2023). Limited effects of different real groundwaters from three coastal cities in China on the transport of low-concentration nanoplastics in quartz sand. Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts, 25(12), 2148–2156. https://doi.org/10.1039/D3EM00388D

2022

Rowenczyk, L., Cai, H., Nguyen, B., Sirois, M., Côté-Laurin, M. C., Toupoint, N., Ismail, A., & Tufenkji, N. (2022). From freshwaters to bivalves: Microplastic distribution along the Saint-Lawrence river-to-sea continuum. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 435. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.128977

2021

Cai, H., Chen, M., Du, F., Matthews, S., & Shi, H. (2021). Separation and enrichment of nanoplastics in environmental water samples via ultracentrifugation. Water Research, 203, 117509. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2021.117509

Cai, H., Xu, E. G., Du, F., Li, R., Liu, J., & Shi, H. (2021). Analysis of environmental nanoplastics: Progress and challenges. Chemical Engineering Journal, 410, 128208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2020.128208

2020

Cai, H., Chen, M., Chen, Q., Du, F., Liu, J., & Shi, H. (2020). Microplastic quantification affected by structure and pore size of filters. Chemosphere, 257, 127198. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.127198

Du, F., Cai, H., Zhang, Q., Chen, Q., & Shi, H. (2020). Microplastics in take-out food containers. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 399, 122969. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.122969

Zhang, Q., Zhao, Y., Du, F., Cai, H., Wang, G., & Shi, H. (2020). Microplastic fallout in different indoor environments. Environmental Science & Technology, 54(11), 6530–6539. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c00087

2019

Cai, H., Du, F., Li, L., Li, B., Li, J., & Shi, H. (2019). A practical approach based on FT-IR spectroscopy for identification of semi-synthetic and natural celluloses in microplastic investigation. Science of the Total Environment, 669, 692–701. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.03.124

Li, L., Su, L., Cai, H., Rochman, C. M., Li, Q., Kolandhasamy, P., Peng, J., & Shi, H. (2019). The uptake of microfibers by freshwater Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea) varies based upon physicochemical properties. Chemosphere, 221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.01.024

Li, Q., Sun, C., Wang, Y., Cai, H., Li, L., Li, J., & Shi, H. (2019). Fusion of microplastics into the mussel byssus. Environmental Pollution, 252. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2019.05.093

2018

Li, L., Li, M., Deng, H., Cai, L., Cai, H., Yan, B., Hu, J., & Shi, H. (2018). A straightforward method for measuring the range of apparent density of microplastics. Science of The Total Environment, 639, 367-373. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.05.166

Su, L., Cai, H., Kolandhasamy, P., Wu, C., Rochman, C. M., & Shi, H. (2018). Using the Asian clam as an indicator of microplastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems. Environmental Pollution, 234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2017.11.075