• Ph.D., Environmental Science, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma
• M.S., Environmental Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
• B.S., Environmental Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, China

Illinois Experts Profile

• Groundwater quality
• Geological CO₂ sequestration
• Interfacial reactions in biogeochemical systems
• Fate and transport of environmental contaminants
• Environmental impacts of coal ash
• Application of in-situ techniques in surface-water and groundwater monitoring 

1. Zhao, L.; Shao, H.; Li, Z.; Panno, S.V.; Kelly W.R.; Lin, T.-Y.; Liu, W.-T.; Flynn, T.M.; Berger, P.  Impact of salinity origin on microbial communities in saline springs within the Illinois Basin, USA. Environmental Microbiology 2022, 1–16. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.16241.
2. Li, S.; Feng, Q.; Liu, J.; He, Y.; Shi, L.: Boyanov, M.I.; O’Loughlin, E.J.; Kemner, K.M.; Sanford, R.A.; Shao, H.; He, X.; Sheng, A.; Cheng, H.; Shen, C.; Tu, W.; Dong, Y. Carbonate Minerals and Dissimilatory Iron-Reducing Organisms Trigger Synergistic Abiotic and Biotic Chain Reactions under Elevated CO₂ Concentration. Environmental Science & Technology , 2022, 56 (22), 16428-16440. (https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.2c03843)
3. Dong, Y.; Sanford, R. A.; Connor, L.; Chee-Sanford, J.; Wimmer, B. T.; Iranmanesh, A.; Shi, L.; Krapac, I. G.; Locke, R. A.; Shao, H., Differential structure and functional gene response to geochemistry associated with the suspended and attached shallow aquifer microbiomes from the Illinois Basin, IL. Water Research 2021, 202, 117431. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2021.117431)
4. Shao, H.; Freiburg, J.T.; Berger, P.M.; Taylor, A.H.; Cohen, H.F.; Locke, R.A. Mobilization of trace metals from caprock and formation rocks at the Illinois Basin – Decatur Project demonstration site under geological carbon dioxide sequestration conditions. Chemical Geology 2020, 550, 119758. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2020.119758)
5. Shao, H., Ussiri, D.A.N., Patterson, C.G., Locke, R.A., Wang, H., Taylor, A.H., Cohen, H.F., Soil gas monitoring at the Illinois Basin – Decatur Project carbon sequestration site. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control 2019, 86, 112-124. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijggc.2019.04.012)
6. Locke, R.A.; Greenberg, S.E.; Jagucki, P.; Krapac, I.G.; Shao, H.; Regulatory Uncertainty and its Effects on Monitoring Activities of a Major Demonstration Project: The Illinois Basin – Decatur Project Case, Energy Procedia, 2017, 114, 5570-5579. (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2017.03.1697).
7. Bacon, D.; Locke, R.; Keating, E.; Carroll, S.; Iranmanesh, A.; Mansoor, K.; Wimmer, B.; Zheng, L.; Shao, H.; Greenberg, S. Application of the Aquifer Impact Model to Support Decisions at a CO2 Sequestration Site.  Green House Gases: Sci. Technol. 2017, 0:1–15.  (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijggc.2016.07.001)
8. Bryce, D. A.; Shao, H.; Cantrell, K. J.; Thompson, C. J. Determination of organic partitioning coefficients in water-supercritical CO₂ systems by simultaneous in situ UV and near-infrared spectroscopies. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2016, 50, 5766-5773. (https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6b00641)
9. Lawter, A. R.; Qafoku, N. P.; Wang, G.; Shao, H.; Brown, C. F. Evaluating impacts of CO₂ intrusion into an unconsolidated aquifer: I. experimental data." Int. J. Greenhouse Gas Control 2016, 44, 323-333. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijggc.2015.07.009)
10. Zheng, L.; Qafoku, N. P.; Lawter, A. R.; Wang, G.; Shao, H.; Brown, C. F.  "Evaluating Impacts of CO₂ Intrusion into an Unconsolidated Aquifer: II. Modeling Results." Int. J. Greenhouse Gas Control 2016, 44, 300-309. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijggc.2015.07.001)
11. Shao, H.; Kabilan,S.; Stephens, S.; Suresh, N.; Beck, A,N.; Varga, T.; Martin, P.F.; Kuprat, A., Jung, H.-B.; Um, W.; Bonneville, A.; Heldebrant, D.J.; Carroll, K.C.; Moore, J.; Fernandez, C.A. Environmentally friendly, rheoreversible, hydraulic-fracturing fluids for enhanced geothermal systems. Geothermics 2015, 58, 22–31. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geothermics.2015.07.010)
12. Shao, H.; Qafoku, N.P.; Lawter, A. R.; Bowden, M. E.; Brown, C. F. Coupled geochemical impacts of leaking CO₂ and contaminants from subsurface storage reservoirs on groundwater quality. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2015, 49 (13), 8202–8209. (https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5b01004)
13. Lawter, A.R.; Qafoku, N.P.; Shao, H.; Bacon, D.H., Brown, C.F. Evaluating Impacts of CO₂ and CH₄ Gas Intrusion into an Unconsolidated Aquifer: Fate of As and Cd. Front. Environ. Sci. 2015, 3:49. (https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2015.00049).
14. Shao, H.; Kukkadapu, R.K.; Krogstad, E.J.; Newburn, M.K.; Cantrell, K.J. Mobilization of metals from Eau Claire siltstone and the impact of oxygen under geological carbon dioxide sequestration conditions. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 2014, 141, 62-82. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2014.06.011)
15. Shao, H.; Thompson, C. J.; Cantrell, K. J. Evaluation of experimentally measured and model-calculated pH for rock-brine-CO₂ systems under geologic CO₂ sequestration conditions. Chemical Geology, 2013, 359, 116-124. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2013.09.021)
16. Shao, H.; Thompson, C. J.; Qafoku, O.; Cantrell, K. J. In situ spectrophotometric determination of pH under CO₂ geologic sequestration conditions: method development and application. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2013, 47(1), 63-70. (https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/es3016793)
17. Karamalidis, A. K..; Torres, S. C.; Hakala, J. A.; Shao, H.; Cantrell, K.J.; Carroll, S. Trace metal source terms in carbon sequestration environments. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2013, 47(1), 322-329. Link to this paper
18. Garcia, D. J.; Shao, H.; Hu, Y.; Ray, R. J.; Jun, Y.-S.  Supercritical CO₂-brine induced dissolution, swelling and secondary mineral formation on phlogopite surface at 75-95 C and 75 atm. Energy & Environmental Science. 2012, 5(2), 5758-5767. Link to this paper
19. Shao, H.; Ray, J. R.; Jun, Y.-S. Effects of organic and inorganic ligands on supercritical CO₂-induced phlogopite dissolution and secondary mineral formation. Chemical Geology. 2011, 290 (3-4), 121-132.  Link to this paper
20. Shao, H.; Ray, J. R.; Jun, Y.-S. Effects of salinity and extent of water on supercritical CO₂-induced phlogopite dissolution and Secondary Mineral Formation. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2011, 45, (4), 1737-1743. Link to this paper
21. Shao, H.; Wu, B.; Wang, Z.; Hu, Y.; Tang, Y.; Jun, Y.-S. Viability and metal reduction of Shewanella Oneidensis MR-1 under CO₂ stress: implications for ecological effects of CO₂ leakage from geologic CO₂ sequestration. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2010, 44, (23), 9213-9218. (Shao and Wu contributed equally to this work.) Link to this paper
22. Shao, H.; Ray, J. R.; Jun, Y.-S. Dissolution and precipitation of clay minerals under geologic CO₂ sequestration conditions: CO₂-brine-phlogopite interactions. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2010, 44, (15), 5999-6005. Link to this paper
23. Shao, H.; Butler, E. C. The influence of soil minerals on the rates and products of abiotic transformation of carbon tetrachloride in anaerobic soils and sediments. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2009, 43, (6), 1896-1901. Link to this paper
24. Shao, H.; Butler, E. C. The relative importance of abiotic and biotic transformation of carbon tetrachloride in anaerobic soils and sediments. Soil Sed. Contam. 2009, 18, 455-469. Link to this paper
25. Shao, H., Butler, E. C., The influence of iron and sulfur mineral fractions on carbon tetrachloride transformation in model anaerobic soils and sediments. Chemosphere 2007, 68, 1807-1813. Link to this paper
26. Hanoch, R. J.; Shao, H., Butler, E. C. Transformation of carbon tetrachloride by bisulfide treated goethite, hematite, magnetite, and kaolinite. Chemosphere 2006, 63, 323-334. Link to this paper