I recently joined Harvard University as a Postdoc researcher with Dr. Peng Gao. Previously, I was a Swiss National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow at McGill University (2023–2025), working with PFAS expert Prof. Jinxia Liu. My PhD at Empa with Prof. Bernd Nowack focused on micro- and nanoplastics, including a meta-analysis of nanoplastic ecotoxicity (Yang et al., 2020, ET&C), release from textiles (2022, ES&T), fiber abrasion and indoor air risks (2023, STOTEN), and chemical characterization of submicron particles (2024, Nature Water). These efforts led to a 112k CHF PostdocMobility fellowship. At McGill, I studied nanoplastic release from food packaging and co-supervised a PFAS ecotoxicity project (Wang & Yang et al., 2024, ES&T).
At Harvard, I’m developing Py-GC-MS methods to detect nanoplastics in biological samples and distinguish them from biological matter. My research explores the sources, behavior, and toxicity of plastics, PFAS, and emerging alternatives such as water-soluble and biodegradable polymers.
🔥 News
- 2025.05.28: Invited to talk at a webinar organized by TMC–the Microfiber Consortium on the fiber fragmentation and release into the environment
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2024.09.24: Publication of my first paper on PFAS as corresponding author Critical Evaluation and Meta-Analysis of Ecotoxicological Data on Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Freshwater Species
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2024.08.16-08.22: Talk to me at ACS Fall 2024, Denver, USA
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2024.05: Visit to NCSU Wilson College of Textile
📝 Publications
Research interest 1: Formation and release of microplastic fibers (microfibers) and nanoplastics from synthetic textiles:
Formation of nanoparticles during accelerated UV degradation of fleece polyester textiles
Tong Yang and Bernd Nowack
Tong Yang, Yanghui Xu, Gang Liu, and Bernd Nowack
Tong Yang, Manqi Gao, and Bernd Nowack
Tong Yang, Jialuo Luo, and Bernd Nowack
Systematic study of microplastic fiber release from 12 different polyester textiles during washing
Cai, Yaping, Tong Yang, Denise M. Mitrano, Manfred Heuberger, Rudolf Hufenus, and Bernd Nowack
Research interest 2: Environmental risk and hazard assessment of emerging contaminants:
Meta-analysis of the hazards of microplastics in freshwaters using species sensitivity distributions
Xiaoying Cui, Tong Yang, Zhengyan Li, and Bernd Nowack
A Meta‐analysis of Ecotoxicological Hazard Data for Nanoplastics in Marine and Freshwater Systems
Tong Yang and Bernd Nowack
Adam, Véronique, Tong Yang and Bernd Nowack
Exceptional Papers in the Year 2019, Journal of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
🎖 Honors and Awards
- 2024 Excellent Reviewer Award, Journal of Eco-Environment and Health
- 2024 Travel grant, SETAC North America 45th Annual Meeting, ≈1500 USD
- 2023 The Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-financed Students Abroad. 6,000 USD
- 2021 Bursary Award, Nanotox2021, Scotland, UK
- 2019 Exceptional Papers in the Year 2019, Journal of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
- 2019 Excellent Poster Prize, Chinese Chemical Society, Tianjin, China
- 2015 Third-Class Study Scholarship, Renmin University of China
- 2015 Summer School Scholarship, University of Geneva
- 2012 International Scholarship, 20th International AIDS Conference, Australia
📖 Educations
- 2019.04 - 2022.12, PhD in environmental science, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Degree awarded by ETH Zurich) with Prof. Bernd Nowack.
- 2016.09 - 2019.03, MsC in environmental science (Human Health, Nutrition & Environment), ETH Zurich.
- 2012.09 - 2016.06, BsC in environmental science, Renmin University of China.
💬 Invited Talks and Lectures
Lectures
- University of Toronto, 8th Feb 2024. Host: Prof. Hui Peng, “Microplastics from synthetic textiles: release and formation”, ENV452.
- Concordia University, 5th Oct 2023. Host: Prof. Xianming Zhang, “From Exposure to Impact: Probabilistic Environmental Risk Assessment of Micro- and Nanoplastics”, CHEM498/650.
- Renmin University of China, 28th Sep 2023. Host: Prof. Rong Cheng. “Advances in Environmental Science Studies”, master course.
Talks
- North Carolina State University, 22nd May, Host: Prof. Rong Yin, “Characterization of the primary and secondary micro-/nanoplastics released during washing, abrasion, and UV degradation of polyester textiles.” Video
- University of Regina, 26th April. Host: Prof. Jinkai Xue, “Probabilistic Hazard Assessment of Emerging Contaminants: Case Studies on Micro-/Nanoplastics and PFAS”, CHEERS webinar. Video
- Utrecht University, 20-21st Nov 2023. Host: Prof. Bert Weckhuysen, “Nanoplastics are only a Small Fraction: Origin and Release of Submicron Particles during Washing of 12 Polyester Textiles”, NWO Nanoplastics Symposium.
- Tsinghua University, 26th June 2023. Host: Prof. Deyi Hou, “Turning Visible to Invisible: Degradation of Plastics Might Not be A Perfect Solution”
- Fudan University, 3rd June 2023. Host: Prof. Yanyi Xu. “Probabilistic Environmental Risk Assessment of Micro- and Nanoplastics”.
💬 Conference presentations
- Oral Presentation. L.Wang & T.Yang., Oct 2024. “Critical Evaluation and Meta-analysis of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) Ecotoxicological Data in Freshwater Species, Fort Worth, Texas, USA. Travel Grant
- Poster Presentation. T. Yang et al., Aug 2024. “Understanding the origin and chemical composition of submicron particles released during washing of polyester textiles” ACS Fall 2024. Denver, Colorado, USA. Fort Worth, Texas, USA.
- Oral Presentation. T. Yang et al., Aug 2024. “Reconciliation of the Origin of Nanoplastics and Their Characteristics” ACS Fall 2024. Denver, Colorado, USA.
- Oral Presentation. T. Yang et al., Aug 2024. “Understanding the origin and chemical composition of submicron particles released during washing of polyester textiles” ACS Fall 2024. Denver, Colorado, USA.
- Oral Presentation. T. Yang et al., May 2024. “Understanding the origin and chemical composition of submicron particles released during washing of polyester textiles”. Annual Meeting of the Fiber Society. Greensboro, North Carolina, USA.
- Poster Presentation. T. Yang et al., Nov 2023. “Nanoplastics are only a Small Fraction: Origin and Release of Submicron Particles during Washing of 12 Polyester Textiles.” SETAC North America 44th Annual Meeting. Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
- Oral Presentation. T. Yang et al., May 2021. “Characterization of nanoplastics released during washing and abrasion of polyester textiles”. SETAC Europe 31st Annual Meeting. Copenhagen, Denmark.
- Oral Presentation. T. Yang et al., Apr 2021. “A Meta‐analysis of Ecotoxicological Hazard Data for Nanoplastics in Marine and Freshwater Systems”. International Conference on Nanotoxicology (NANOTOX2021). In virtual. Bursary Award
- Poster Presentation. T. Yang et al., Aug 2019. “The Release of Microplastic Fibers during Washing of Polyester Textiles”, The 10th National Conference on Environmental Chemistry, Tianjin, China. (poster) Excellent Poster Prize