Troy professor receives $500,000 research grant

The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded Troy University Professor of Chemistry and Physics Dr. Shaoyang Liu a $534,194 grant to support his plastics research.   

The focus of Dr. Liu’s research is to develop reliable methods to test recycled plastics for toxic residues and hazardous chemicals. The danger with recycled plastics, Liu said, is they have the potential to be exposed to herbicides, pesticides and other chemicals before they are recycled and made into new products. 

University Relations photo

Dr. Liu stands with lab equipment.

“Plastic recycling is so important to reduce plastic waste and help with sustainability,” Liu said. “However, especially for consumer recycled plastics, people collect them from the curbside or from the trash yard, so a lot of substances could be mixed in there.”  

Liu’s research, titled “RUI: Sensitive and Rapid Detection of Hazardous Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in Recycled Plastics Using Solid-Phase Microextraction,” aims to determine potentially harmful Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and test recycled plastics for traces of them.  

There are over 400 VOCs that have been present in recycled plastics. Some of them are safe and justified, but others could be hazardous.  

 “Any pesticide or herbicide could be a candidate because they are packed in plastic containers,” Liu said.  

Liu currently has three undergraduate students studying a master list of VOCs to determine which ones could be harmful and should be looked for when testing.  

The NSF grant will allow more undergraduate students to get involved in the research, providing essential work experience and resume-building opportunities for Troy students pursuing post-graduate education in STEM. The grant will also help pay for a post-doctorate student researcher to help run experiments and analyze data.  

The new Material Sciences building already houses the equipment needed for the experiments, but the grant will help pay for the necessary supplies and chemicals. 

Liu said the NSF grant was highly competitive and not many who teach are able to get it. He said he’s honored to have gotten the grant and that it’s a big achievement for him. 

“This grant not only supports groundbreaking research but also provides valuable opportunities for Troy University undergraduate students to engage in hands-on research,” Liu said in a Troy Today article. “Our students will gain experience in state-of-the-art analytical chemistry techniques that can benefit local industries and strengthen the STEM workforce.”