Biography
Dr Yu’s teaching and research interests focus on air quality and aerosol sciences, with emphasis on the characterisation of aerosols emitting from combustion sources, and the behaviour of oxygenated organic compounds in atmospheric particulates, in particular, processes of photooxidation and chemical transformation of dicarboxylic acids. Dr Yu’s research group also strives to better understand the impacts of transboundary biomass-burning smoke on the urban atmospheric environment.
In collaboration with the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at NUS, Dr Yu expands her research interests to explore the potential health effects of engineered nanomaterials. Dr Yu also works with a multi-disciplinary team at NUS to examine the potential impacts of engineered nanomaterials on the environment and biological systems.
Qualifications
- Ph.D. (Civil Env. Eng.) Stanford, USA, 1997
- M.Sc. (Civil Env. Eng.) Stanford, USA, 1990
Honours & Awards
- Teaching Commendation Award, NUS (2006-2007)
- Teaching Commendation Award, NUS (2005-2006)
- Teaching Commendation Award, NUS (2001-2002)
- Teaching Commendation Award, NUS (2000-2001)
Professional Activities
- Air & Waste Management Association (A&WMA)
- American Association for Aerosol Research (AAAR)
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Environmental Engineering Society of Singapore
- International Global Atmospheric Chemistry (IGAC)
- Monsoon Asian and Oceania Networking Group (MANGO)
Teaching Areas
- Air pollution and air quality management
- Atmospheric chemistry and physics
- Aerosol science & technology
Research Interests
- Urban Air Quality
- Atmospheric processes and emission sources of gaseous and particulate pollutants
- Biomass burning aerosols
- Emerging airborne pollutants
- Health effects of engineered nanoparticles
Research job opportunity
Full-time research positions and part-time student research assistantships are available to characterize airborne aerosols concerning their atmospheric properties and behaviours. The research work involves operating monitoring and characterization, instrument operation, chemical analyses and data processing. Applicants having a background in chemical engineering, environmental engineering, environmental study, chemistry or relevant experiences and strong interests of exploring atmospheric aerosol sciences and urban air quality are encouraged to send her/his CV and UG transcript to liya.yu@nus.edu.sg.
A research fellow position is also available to explore the reactions of VOCs in tropical urban environments. Interested applicants with experience in conducting the Master of Chemical Mechanism (MCM) model please send CV to liya.yu@nus.edu.sg.
Selected Publications
- Wu X, Kong Q, Lan Y, Sng J, Yu LE. “Refined Sea Salt Markers for Coastal Cities Facilitating Quantification of Aerosol Ageing and PM2.5 apportionment”, Environ. Sci. Technol. 58:8432–8443 (2024).
- Xin Y, Thai BN, Tan YQ, Salinas S, Yu LE, Seow WJ. “When and where to exercise: an assessment of personal exposure to urban tropical ambient airborne pollutants in Singapore”, Total Environ. 906:167086 (2024).
- Paton-Walsh C, Subramanian R, Crawford JH, Dawidowski L, Dewitt HL, Emberson L, Emmons L, Garland R, Kanaya Y, Mbandi A, Pratt K, Rojas NY, Salam A, Sindelarova K, Sinha V, Touré E, Yu LE, Zheng M. The International Global Atmospheric Chemistry project comments on the revised WHO air quality guidelines, Environ. Res. Lett. 18:11101 (2023).
- Lan Y, Tham J, Sarkar S, Jia S, Reid JS, Ong CN, Yu LE. “Impacts of peat-forest smoke on urban PM2.5 in the Maritime Continent during 2012–2015: Carbonaceous profiles and indicators”, Environ. Pollut. 275:116626 (2021).
- Tan YQ, Rashid SKA, Pan W-C, Chen Y-C, Yu LE, Seow WJ. “Association between microenvironment air quality and cardiovascular health outcomes”, Sci. Total Environ. 716:137027 (2020).
- Tham J, Sarkar S, Jia S, Reid JS, Mishra S, Sudiana IM, Swarup S, Ong CN, Yu LE. “Impacts of peat-forest smoke on urban PM2.5 in the Maritime Continent during 2012–2015: Carbonaceous profiles and indicators”, Environ. Pollut. 248:496–505 (2019)
- Krishnan P, Zhang MH, Yu LE “Removal of Black Carbon Using Photocatalytic Silicate-Based Coating: Laboratory and Field Studies Journal of Cleaner Production”, J. Clean Prod. 183:436–448 (2018)
- Krishnan P, Liu M, Itty PA, Liu Z, Rheinheimer V, Zhang M-H, Monteiro PJM, Yu LE, “Characterization of photocatalytic TiO2 powder under varied environments using near ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy”, Sci. Rep. 7-43298 (2017).
- Reid JS, Lagrosas ND, Jonsson HH, Reid EA, Atwood SA, Boyd TJ, Ghate VP, Xian P, Posselt DJ, Simpas JB, Uy SN, Zaiger K, Blake DR, Bucholtz A, Campbell JR, Chew BN, Cliff SS, Holben BN, Holz RE, Hyer EJ, Kreidenweis SM, Kuciauskas AP, Lolli S, Oo M, Perry KD, Salinas SV, Sessions WR, Smirnov Al, Walker AL, Wang Q, Yu L, Zhang J, Zhao Y. “Aerosol meteorology of Maritime Continent for the 2012 7SEAS southwest monsoon intensive study – Part 2: Philippine receptor observations of fine-scale aerosol behavior”, Atmos. Chem. Phys. 16:14057–14078 (2016)
- Reid JS, Lagrosas ND, Jonsson HH, Reid EA, Sessions WR, Simpas JB, Uy SN, Boyd TJ, Atwood SA, Blake DR, Campbell JR, Cliff SS, Holben BN, Holz RE, Hyer EJ, Lynch P, Meinardi S, Posselt DJ, Richardson KA, Salinas SV, Smirnov A, Wang Q, Yu L, Zhang J. “Observations of the temporal variability in aerosol properties and their relationships to meteorology in the summer monsoonal South China Sea/East Sea: the scale-dependent role of monsoonal flows, the Madden–Julian Oscillation, tropical cyclones, squall lines and cold pools”, Atmos. Chem. Phys. 15:1745–1768 (2015).
- Atwood SA, Reid JS, Kreidenweis SM, Yu LE, Salina SV, Chew BN, Balasubramanian R. “Analysis of source regions for smoke events in Singapore for the 2009 El Nino burning season”, Atmos. Environ. 78:219–230 (2013).
- Yang LM, Nguyen DM, Jia SG, Reid JS, Yu LE. “Impacts of biomass burning smoke on the distributions and concentrations of C2–C5 dicarboxylic acids and dicarboxylates in a tropical urban environment”, Atmos. Environ. in press (2013).
- Balasubramanian SK, Poh KW, Ong CN, Kreyling WG, Ong WY, Yu LE. “The effect of primary particle size on biodistribution of inhaled gold nano-agglomerates”, Biomaterials, 34:5439-5452 (2013).
- Salinas SV, Chew BN, Miettinen J, Campbell JR, Welton EJ, Reid JS, Yu LE, Liew SC. “Physical and optical characteristics of the October 2010 haze event over Singapore: A photometric and lidar analysis”, Atmos. Res. 122:555–570 (2013).
- Chew WS, Poh KW, Siddiqi NJ, Alhomida AS, Yu LE, Ong WY. “Short- and long-term changes in blood miRNA levels after nanogold injection in rats-potential biomarkers of nanoparticle exposure”, Biomarkers 17:750–757(2012).
- Stone EA, Yang LM, Yu LE, Rupakheti M. “Characterization of organosulfates in atmospheric aerosols at four Asian locations”, Atmos. Environ. 47:323–329 (2012).
- Sng GKJ, Koh KSD, Yu LE, Gunaratnam S. “Current surveillance plan for persons handling nanomaterials in the National University of Singapore”, J. Occup. Environ. Med., 53:S25–S27 (2011).
- Balasubramanian SK, Yang LM, Yung LYL, Ong CN, Ong WY, Yu LE. “Characterization, purification, and stability of gold nanoparticles” Biomaterials, 31:9023–9030 (2010).
- Balasubramanian SK, Jittiwat, J, Manikandan J, Ong CN, Yu LE, Ong WY. “Biodistribution of gold nanoparticles and gene expression changes in the liver and spleen after intravenous administration in rats” Biomaterials, 31:2034–2042 (2010).