Li Li, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
Li Li

Summary

Li Li is an environmental modeler working at the inter-discipline of environmental chemistry, industrial ecology and exposure and health sciences. His research focuses on understanding how human-made chemicals (such as pesticides, disinfectants, flame retardants and surfactants) and materials (such as nanomaterials and microplastics) accumulate, travel and transform within the nexus of human socioeconomic systems, the environment and humans, as well as the adverse environmental and health effects these substances can cause. He is committed to developing, evaluating and applying a range of mechanistically sound and computationally effective computation models. His research advances our understanding of the fundamental principles that govern the behaviors and impacts of various chemical substances and materials. It also aids in promoting science-based chemical assessment and prioritization policies within decision-making processes.

Li earned his Ph.D. from Peking University in China in 2017, where his doctoral research was recognized with the “Springer Theses” Outstanding Ph.D. Research Award. He worked as a Mitacs postdoctoral fellow at the University of Toronto Scarborough in Canada from 2017 to 2019, before joining the University of Nevada, Reno as an assistant professor. He received the 2024 Nevada Regents’ Rising Researcher Award from the Nevada System of Higher Education.

Publications

“♯” = supervised graduate and undergraduate students

Environmental systems modeling

  • Miramontes Gonzalez, P.♯, Li, Li. Evaluating the environmental persistence of liquid crystal monomers indoors and outdoors, Sci. Technol. Lett. 2024, 11, 216–222
  • Zhang, Z.♯, Sangion, A., Wang, S.♯, Gouin, T., Brown, T., Arnot, J. A., Li, L. Hazard vs. exposure: Does it make a difference in identifying chemicals with persistence and mobility concerns? Water Res. 2023, 245, 120610
  • Li, L., Sangion, A., Wania, F., Armitage, J., Toose, L., Hughes, L., Arnot, J. Development and evaluation of a holistic and mechanistic modeling framework for chemical emissions, fate, exposure, and risk. Health Perspect. 2021, 129, 127006
  • Liu, Q. (equal contribution), Li, L. (equal contribution), Zhang, X., Saini, A., Li, W., Hung, H., Hao, C., Li, K., Lee, P., Wentzell, J. J. B., Huo, C., Li, S. Harner, T., Liggio, J. Uncovering global-scale risks from commercial chemicals in air. Nature, 2021, 600, 456-461
  • Li, L., Arnot, J. A., Wania, F., Towards a systematic understanding of the dynamic fate of polychlorinated biphenyls in indoor, urban and rural environments, Int., 2018, 117, 57–68
  • Li, L., Arnot, J. A., Wania, F., Revisiting the contributions of far- and near-field routes to aggregate human exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), Environ. Sci. Technol., 2018, 52, 6974–6984

Environmental exposure chemistry

  • Olsen, A. K.♯, Li, D., Li, L. Explore the dosimetric relationship between the intake of chemical contaminants and their occurrence in blood and urine. Sci. Technol. 2023, 57, 26, 9526–9537
  • Li, L., Zhang, Z.♯, Men, Y., Baskaran, S., Sangion, A., Wang, S.♯, Arnot, J., Wania, F. Retrieval, selection, and evaluation of chemical property data for assessments of chemical emissions, fate, hazard, exposure, and risks. ACS Environ. Au 2022, 2, 376–395
  • Wang, S.♯, Zhang, Z.♯, Li, D., Illa, E. S.♯, Li, L. In silico model-based exploration of the applicability of parallel artificial membrane permeability assay (PAMPA) to screen chemicals of environmental concern. Int. 2022, 170, 107589
  • Zhang, Z.♯, Wang, S.♯, Li, L., The role of chemical properties in human exposure to environmental chemicals. Sci. Process Impacts Impacts. 2021, 23, 1839-1862
  • Li, D., Sangion, A., Li, L., Evaluating consumer exposure to disinfecting chemicals against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and associated health risks. Int. 2020, 145, 106108
  • Li, L., Arnot, J.A., Wania, F. How are humans exposed to organic chemicals released to indoor air? Sci. Technol. 2019, 53, 11276-11284

In the news

Education

  • Ph.D., Environmental Sciences, Peking University
  • B.Sc., Environmental Sciences, Nankai University