Beizhan Yan

Lamont Research Professor, Geochemistry, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO), Columbia Climate School
Affiliated with: M.S. in Sustainability Science School of Professional Studies
Affiliated with: M.P.A. in Environmental Science and Policy School of International and Public Affairs
401 Comer 61 Route 9W Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Palisades, NY 10964

BIOGRAPHY:

Dr. Beizhan Yan is a Lamont Research Professor at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO). His Ph.D. study at RPI (2000-2004) focused on the source apportionment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the Hudson River. After two years of postdoc in Idaho National Laboratory, he joined Washington University in St. Louis to study nanoscale size effects on biogeochemical processes for environmental bioremediation. At LDEO, he has established an Environmental Organic Geochemistry Lab with ability to extract, isolate, and identify organic contaminants and biomarkers from environmental and biological samples.

He has successfully traced metals and aromatic hydrocarbons in NYC's waters and air and linked exposures to these air pollutants to pediatric asthma outcomes. He is also leading a collaborative study to examine the association between pediatric respiratory outcomes and air pollutants (including PM2.5 and black carbon, VOCs) in Beijing, China. He is also leading collaborative studies measuring microplastics and nanoplastics in NYC waterways and air, linking these exposures to various adverse health outcomes, including neurodegenerative diseases, and developing engineering solutions for mitigating plastic pollution.

PROJECTS

Only select projects listed below

Name	Start Date	End Date
Accquisition of a Sensitive Qtrap LC/MS/MS System for Biomaker Analyses	3/15/16	3/14/17
Active Modular Phytoremediation Systems	12/15/15	12/31/16
Ecosystem Impacts of Oil and Gas Inputs to the Gulf (ECOGIG)	9/1/11	12/31/15
Ecosystem Impacts of Oil and Gas Inputs to the Gulf (ECOGIG)	1/1/15	12/31/18
Environmental Impacts of RAP	7/14/14	4/30/17
Pregnancy and Prenatal PAHs and other Environmental Exposures and Breast Cancer	7/1/16	6/30/19
PAHs and Puberty in Girls at Increased Breast Cancer Risk	10/1/18	9/30/20
Distribution, Transport, and Fate of Microplastics and Associated Pollutants in the Lower Hudson River and Waterways around New York City	7/1/19	6/30/22
Novel extracellular vesicle and molecular biomarkers of environmental exposure and disease in ALS progression	9/30/19	9/29/21
Health impacts of herbicides and pesticides: bridging the gap from correlation to causation with more low‐cost environmental data	1/1/21	12/31/22
Accounting for the Health Benefits of Air Pollution Regulations in China, 2008-2020	6/1/20	5/31/21
MRI: Acquisition of Continuous Flow Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer (IRMS) for Climate Change and Environmental Research at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory	9/1/21	8/31/23
Developing Sustainable and Closed loop Solutions to Reduce Synthetic Fibers, Microplastics, and Nanoplastics Leakage from Laundry Systems into the Marine Environment	4/1/23	3/31/27
EAGER: QuantiFY20ing Spatial Distribution of Micro- and Nanoplastics along an Antarctic Traverse	12/15/23	11/30/25

Staff and Affiliates Directory

Beizhan Yan

PROJECTS