On February 26th, the Conference on Liaoning Science and Technology (S&T) Awards was held in Shenyang. Two outstanding researchers from the Institute of Applied Ecology (IAE), the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) won the awards. Prof. GUO Shuhai, led the research project “Organic Polluted Soil Electro-bioremediation Technology and Application” won the first prize of Liaoning Technology Invention Awards. Prof. HU Yalin, who led a research project entitled “Technology and Application of Municipal Sludge for Sandy Soil Improvement in Semi-arid Areas” won the third prize of Liaoning S&T Progress Awards. This marks the third consecutive year that researchers of IAE have won the first prize of Liaoning S&T Awards since 2016. It also demonstrates the leading role of IAE in supporting Liaoning economic and social development.

Prof. GUO’s research achievement is of great value to solve the extremely serious problem of soil organic pollution in Liaoning, which is an old industrial base in China. GUO and his colleagues proposed the principle of synergistic degradation by electrokinetic and bioremediation processes that exist in a space-time equilibrium state. GUO’s research team established methods to produce microbial agents for pollutants degradation. They invented electric field strength detecting devices and some electrodes. By integrating intelligent control system and their new inventions, they established an integrated technology platform for organic polluted soil remediation. Their work broke through the technological bottleneck in soil bioremediation, realized the whole chain (from principle, method to technology) innovation, and will greatly promote the technological progress in this professional field.

Prof. HU’s research focused on the development of technological measures for solving the problem of environmental pollution caused by municipal sludge, and on methods for improving fertility of poor nutrient sandy soil in semi-arid areas. His research achievement can efficiently, cost-effectively and harmlessly utilize municipal sludge resources, as well as can improve soil fertility and promote plant growth in semi-arid areas. The core technology has been applied in Zhangwu County, and has already achieved remarkable economic, ecological and social benefits.