Dr. Tianran Sun’s overall research focuses on soil organic matter preservation and restoration of soil carbon sequestration function. He is particularly interested in deciphering the formation and processing of redox-driven biogeochemical cycles in soil and their function in controlling soil organic matte turnover, greenhouse gas emission, as well as the fate and transport of soil contaminants. The most exciting examples are the discoveries of a rapid electron transfer pathway in fire-derived pyrogenic carbon and its role in suppressing methane emission in northern peatland soil. These studies have culminated in publishing papers on the journal Nature Communications, Environmental Science & Technology and received the Discovery Award of 2021 from the International Society for Microbial Electrochemistry and Technology (ISMET). Dr. Sun’s long-term goals are to advance our general understanding of the biogeochemical electron transfer process and to contribute to a better society by exploiting new insights to find novel solutions to challenging environmental issues including soil carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas emission, and high-quality soil and water supply.

Soil organic matter chemistry and biogeochemistry

1. Sun T., Guzman J., Seward J., Enders A., Yavitt J., Lehmann J., Angenent L.*, 2021. Suppressing peatland methane production by electron snorkeling through pyrogenic carbon in controlled laboratory conditions. Nature Communications 12, 4119.
2. Bai Y.(co-first), Sun T.(co-first), Angenent L., Haderlein S., Kappler A*, 2021. Electron hopping enables rapid electron transfer between quinone-/hydroquinone-containing organic molecules in microbial iron(III) mineral reduction. Environmental Science and Technology 54, 10646-10653.
3. Sun T.*, Levin B., Schmidt M., Guzman J., Enders A., Carmen M., Muller D., Angenent L., Lehmann J., 2018. Simultaneous Quantification of Electron Transfer by Carbon Matrices and Functional Groups in Pyrogenic Carbon. Environmental Science and Technology 52, 8538-8547.
4. Sun T.*, Levin B., Guzman J., Enders A., Muller D., Angenent L., Lehmann J., 2017. Rapid Electron Transfer by the Carbon Matrix in Natural Pyrogenic Carbon. Nature Communications 8, 14873. 
5. Sun, T.*, Pamukcu, S., Ottosen, L.M., Wang, F., 2015. Electrochemically Enhanced Reduction of Hexavalent Chromium in Contaminated Clay: Kinetics, Energy Consumption, and Application of Pulse Current. Chemical Engineering Journal 262, 1099-1107.
6. Sun, T., Cang, L., Wang, Q., Zhou, D.*, Cheng, J., Xu, H., 2010. Roles of Abiotic Losses, Microbes, Plant Roots, and Root Exudates on Phytoremediation of PAHs in a Barren Soil. Journal of Hazardous Materials 176, 919-925.

 

 Discovery Award of 202, International Society for Microbial Electrochemistry and Technology