GoMRI
Investigating the effect of oil spills
on the environment and public health.
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Chen Xu

Texas A&M University at Galveston

Marine Sciences Department

P.O. Box 1675
Galveston , TX  77553  

xuc@tamug.edu

Project List:

Aggregation and Degradation of Dispersants and Oil by Microbial Exopolymers 2 (ADDOMEx-2): Towards a synthesis of process and pathways of marine oil snow formation

Year 8-10 Research Grants (RFP-VI)Role: Research Scientist

Aggregation and Degradation of Dispersants and Oil by Microbial Exopolymers (ADDOMEx)

Year 5-7 Consortia Grants (RFP-IV)Role: Task Co-Lead, Research Scientist

Publications & Presentations:

Journal Articles - 24

2021

Chen, C. - S., Shiu, R. - F., Hsieh, Y. - Y., Xu, C., Vazquez, C. I., Cui, Y., et al. (2021). Stickiness of extracellular polymeric substances on different surfaces via magnetic tweezers. Science of The Total Environment, 757, 143766.
Quigg, A., Santschi, P. H., Xu, C., Ziervogel, K., Kamalanathan, M., Chin, W. - C., et al. (2021). Aggregation and Degradation of Dispersants and Oil by Microbial Exopolymers (ADDOMEx): Toward a Synthesis of Processes and Pathways of Marine Oil Snow Formation in Determining the Fate of Hydrocarbons. Front. Mar. Sci., 8, E642160.
Sun, L., Xu, C., Lin, P., Quigg, A., Chin, W. - C., & Santschi, P. H. (2021). Photo-oxidation of proteins facilitates the preservation of high molecular weight dissolved organic nitrogen in the ocean. Marine Chemistry, 229, 103907.

2020

Bacosa, H. P., Kamalanathan, M., Cullen, J., Shi, D., Xu, C., Schwehr, K. A., et al. (2020). Marine Snow Aggregates are Enriched in Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Oil Contaminated Waters: Insights from a Mesocosm Study. Jmse, 8(10), 781.
Genzer, J. L., Kamalanathan, M., Bretherton, L., Hillhouse, J., Xu, C., Santschi, P. H., et al. (2020). Diatom aggregation when exposed to crude oil and chemical dispersant: Potential impacts of ocean acidification. PLoS ONE, 15(7), e0235473.
Kamalanathan, M., Doyle, S. M., Xu, C., Achberger, A. M., Wade, T. L., Schwehr, K., et al. (2020). Exoenzymes as a Signature of Microbial Response to Marine Environmental Conditions. mSystems, 5(2).
Lin, P., Xu, C., Xing, W., Sun, L., Schwehr, K. A., Quigg, A., et al. (2020). Partitioning of iron and plutonium to exopolymeric substances and intracellular biopolymers: A comparison study between the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi and the diatom Skeletonema costatum. Marine Chemistry, 218(January 2020), 103735.
Santschi, P. H., Xu, C., Schwehr, K. A., Lin, P., Sun, L., Chin, W. - C., et al. (2020). Can the protein/carbohydrate (P/C) ratio of exopolymeric substances (EPS) be used as a proxy for their 'stickiness' and aggregation propensity? Marine Chemistry, 218, 103734.
Shiu, R. - F., Chiu, M. - H., Vazquez, C. I., Tsai, Y. - Y., Le, A., Kagiri, A., et al. (2020). Protein to carbohydrate (P/C) ratio changes in microbial extracellular polymeric substances induced by oil and Corexit. Marine Chemistry, 223, 103789.

2019

Bretherton, L., Kamalanathan, M., Genzer, J., Hillhouse, J., Setta, S., Liang, Y., et al. (2019). Response of natural phytoplankton communities exposed to crude oil and chemical dispersants during a mesocosm experiment. Aquatic Toxicology, 206, 43–53.
Chiu, M. - H., Vazquez, C. I., Shiu, R. - F., Le, C., Sanchez, N. R., Kagiri, A., et al. (2019). Impact of exposure of crude oil and dispersant (Corexit) on aggregation of extracellular polymeric substances. Science of The Total Environment, 657, 1535–1542.
Passow, U., Sweet, J., Francis, S., Xu, C., Dissanayake, A., Lin, Y., et al. (2019). Incorporation of oil into diatom aggregates. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser., 612, 65–86.
Sun, L., Chin, W. - C., Chiu, M. - H., Xu, C., Lin, P., Schwehr, K. A., et al. (2019). Sunlight induced aggregation of dissolved organic matter: Role of proteins in linking organic carbon and nitrogen cycling in seawater. Science of The Total Environment, 654, 872–877.
Wozniak, A. S., Prem, P. M., Obeid, W., Waggoner, D. C., Quigg, A., Xu, C., et al. (2019). Rapid Degradation of Oil in Mesocosm Simulations of Marine Oil Snow Events. Environ. Sci. Technol., 53(7), 3441–3450.
Xu, C., Chin, W. - C., Lin, P., Chen, H., Chiu, M. - H., Waggoner, D. C., et al. (2019). Comparison of microgels, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and transparent exopolymeric particles (TEP) determined in seawater with and without oil. Marine Chemistry, 215, 103667.
Xu, C., Lin, P., Zhang, S., Sun, L., Xing, W., Schwehr, K. A., et al. (2019). The interplay of extracellular polymeric substances and oil/Corexit to affect the petroleum incorporation into sinking marine oil snow in four mesocosms. Science of The Total Environment, 693, 133626.

2018

Kamalanathan, M., Schwehr, K. A., Bretherton, L., Genzer, J., Hillhouse, J., Xu, C., et al. (2018). Diagnostic tool to ascertain marine phytoplankton exposure to chemically enhanced water accommodated fraction of oil using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 130, 170–178.
Kamalanathan, M., Xu, C., Schwehr, K., Bretherton, L., Beaver, M., Doyle, S. M., et al. (2018). Extracellular Enzyme Activity Profile in a Chemically Enhanced Water Accommodated Fraction of Surrogate Oil: Toward Understanding Microbial Activities After the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Front. Microbiol., 9.
Schwehr, K. A., Xu, C., Chiu, M. - H., Zhang, S., Sun, L., Lin, P., et al. (2018). Protein: Polysaccharide ratio in exopolymeric substances controlling the surface tension of seawater in the presence or absence of surrogate Macondo oil with and without Corexit. Marine Chemistry, 206, 84–92.
Sun, L., Chiu, M. - H., Xu, C., Lin, P., Schwehr, K. A., Bacosa, H., et al. (2018). The effects of sunlight on the composition of exopolymeric substances and subsequent aggregate formation during oil spills. Marine Chemistry, 203(June 2018), 49–54.
Xu, C., Zhang, S., Beaver, M., Lin, P., Sun, L., Doyle, S. M., et al. (2018). The role of microbially-mediated exopolymeric substances (EPS) in regulating Macondo oil transport in a mesocosm experiment. Marine Chemistry, 206, 52–61.
Xu, C., Zhang, S., Beaver, M., Wozniak, A., Obeid, W., Lin, Y., et al. (2018). Decreased sedimentation efficiency of petro- and non-petro-carbon caused by a dispersant for Macondo surrogate oil in a mesocosm simulating a coastal microbial community. Marine Chemistry, 206, 34–43.

2017

Sun, L., Xu, C., Zhang, S., Lin, P., Schwehr, K. A., Quigg, A., et al. (2017). Light-induced aggregation of microbial exopolymeric substances. Chemosphere, 181, 675–681.

2016

Quigg, A., Passow, U., Chin, W. - C., Xu, C., Doyle, S., Bretherton, L., et al. (2016). The role of microbial exopolymers in determining the fate of oil and chemical dispersants in the ocean: Interactions of microbial exopolymers in oil and chemical dispersants. Limnol. Oceanogr., 1(1), 3–26.

Conference Presentations - 39

2020

Santschi, P., Xu, C., Schwehr, K. A., Lin, P., Sun, L., Chin, W. - C., et al. (2020). Can the protein/carbohydrate (P/C) ratio of exopolymeric substances (EPS) be used as a proxy for its 'stickiness' and other biophysical properties? In Ocean Sciences Meeting 2020. San Diego, CA : 02/16/20-02/21/20.

2019

Bretherton, L., Kamalanathan, M., Genzer, J., Hillhouse, J., Setta, S., Liang, Y., et al. (2019). Response of Natural Phytoplankton Communities Exposed to Crude Oil and Chemical Dispersants during a Mesocosm Experiment. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2019. New Orleans, LA : 02/04/19-02/07/19.
Chin, W., Vazquez, C., Tsai, S., Xu, C., Kamalanathan, M., Bacosa, H., et al. (2019). Impacts of Crude Oil and Corexit on Extracellular Polymeric Substances: Their Production and Chemical Composition. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2019. New Orleans, LA : 02/04/19-02/07/19.
Lin, P., Xu, C., Passow, U., Chin, W., Chen, H., Chiu, M., et al. (2019). Comparison of Exopolymeric Substances (EPS), Transparent Exopolymeric Particles (TEP) and Microgels in Mesocosms and Batch Experiments with Macondo Oil Water Accommodated Fraction. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2019. New Orleans, LA : 02/04/19-02/07/19: Poster.
Sun, L., Chin, W., Chiu, M., Xu, C., Lin, P., Schwehr, K. A., et al. (2019). Sunlight Induced Aggregation of Dissolved Organic Matter in Seawater: Role of Proteins in Biologically Mediated Processes. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2019. New Orleans, LA : 02/04/19-02/07/19.
Waggoner, D. C., Hughey, M., Yard, A., Schwehr, K. A., Doyle, S., Xu, C., et al. (2019). An Investigation into the Effects of Biodegradation vs. Photodegradation During Mesocosm Experiments. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2019. New Orleans, LA : 02/04/19-02/07/19.
White, A. R., Jalali-Mousavi, M., Bacosa, H. P., Xu, C., Chin, W., Schwehr, K. A., et al. (2019). Drastic Differences in Aggregation on a Rising Oil Droplet Caused by Different EPS. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2019. New Orleans, LA : 02/04/19-02/07/19.

2018

Bacosa, H., Kamalanathan, M., Cullen, J., Xu, C., Schwehr, K. A., Kaiser, K., et al. (2018). Marine snow aggregates are enriched in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in oil contaminated waters; insights from a mesocosm study. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2018. New Orleans, LA : 02/05/18-02/08/18: Poster.
Bergen, C., Yard, A., Schwehr, K. A., Xu, C., Chiu, M. - H., Zhang, S., et al. (2018). Protein/polysaccharide ratio in exopolymeric substances controlling the surface tension of seawater in the presence or absence of oil and/or Corexit. In 2018 Texas A&M University at Galveston Student Research Symposium. Galveston, TX : 04/17/18-04/19/18: Poster.
Chiu, M., -H., Goshia, T., Tsai, S. - M., Le, A. D., Kagiri, A., Ramos, J., et al. (2018). Corexit and Oil Can Alter Aggregation of Extracellular Polymeric Substances . In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2018. New Orleans, LA : 02/05/18-02/08/18: Poster.
Lin, P., Xu, C., Sun, L., Schwehr, K. A., Xing, W., Yard, A., et al. (2018). Production of Exopolymeric Substances and the roles in oil transport in Water-Accommodated Fraction of Oil and Corexit/Oil Contaminated Mesocosms. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2018. New Orleans, LA : 02/05/18-02/08/18: Poster.
Santschi, P. H., Passow, U., Chin, W. - C., Chiu, M. - H., Xu, C., Lin, P., et al. (2018). Comparison of Exopolymeric Substances (EPS) with Transparent Exopolymeric Particles (TEP) and Microgels in Mesocosms. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2018. New Orleans, LA : 02/05/18-02/08/18: Poster.
Schwehr, K. A., Chiu, M. - H., Kamalanathan, M., Xu, C., Sun, L., Lin, P., et al. (2018). Insights on Does oil aggregate or emulsifyion with added dispersant? Results from measurements of surface tension, FTIR, and microscopy of Formation from colloidal EPS protein-polysaccharide interactions with oil and/or dispersants are added. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2018. New Orleans, LA : 02/05/18-02/08/18: Poster.
Schwehr, K. A., Chiu, M. - H., Kamalanathan, M., Xu, C., Sun, L., Lin, P., et al. (2018). Insights on Marine Oil Snow or Emulsion Formation from Protein-Polysaccharide Interactions with Oil and Dispersant from Surface Tension and Microscopy. In Ocean Sciences Meeting 2018. Portland, OR : 02/11/18-02/16/18.
Sun, L., Chiu, M. - H., Xu, C., Lin, P., Schwehr, K. A., Bacosa, H., et al. (2018). The effects of sunlight on the composition of exopolymeric substances affecting the aggregates formation during oil spills. In Ocean Sciences Meeting 2018. Portland, OR : 02/11/18-02/16/18: Poster.
Sun, L., Chiu, M. - H., Xu, C., Lin, P., Schwehr, K. A., Bocosa, H., et al. (2018). The effects of sunlight on the composition of exopolymeric substances affecting aggregate formation during oil spills. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2018. New Orleans, LA : 02/05/18-02/08/18: Poster.
White, A. R., Jalali, M., Bacosa, H., Kamalanathan, M., Sun, L., Xu, C., et al. (2018). The effect of EPS composition on the aggregate formation on a crude oil drop interface. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2018. New Orleans, LA : 02/05/18-02/08/18: Poster.
Wozniak, A. S., Obeid, W., Xu, C., Zhang, S., Santschi, P., Quigg, A., et al. (2018). Rapid degradation of marine snow-associated oil during mesocosm simulations of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill event revealed by FTICR MS. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2018. New Orleans, LA : 02/05/18-02/08/18: Poster.
Xu, C., Lin, P., Sun, L., Schwehr, K. A., Xing, W., Yard, A., et al. (2018). Effects of Water-Accommodated Fraction of Macondo Oil and Corexit on Oil Transport in Mesocosm Experiments. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2018. New Orleans, LA : 02/05/18-02/08/18: Poster.
Yard, A., Passow, U., Chin, W. - C., Chiu, M. - H., Xu, C., Lin, P., et al. (2018). Comparison of Exopolymeric Substances (EPS) with Transparent Exopolymeric Particles (TEP) in Mesocosms Contaminated with Oil. In 2018 Texas A&M University at Galveston Student Research Symposium. Galveston, TX : 04/17/18-04/19/18: Poster.

2017

Chiu, M., Zhang, S., Xu, C., Passow, U., Santschi, P., Quigg, A., et al. (2017). Potential Impact of Corexit on Marine Microgels. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2017. New Orleans, LA : 02/06/17-02/09/17: Poster.
Kamalanathan, M., Xu, C., Sweet, J., Beaver, M., Zhang, S., Whitaker, E., et al. (2017). Microbial activity in Chemically Enhanced Water Accommodated Fraction of Surrogate Oil from BP Oil Spill. In ASLO 2017 Aquatic Sciences Meeting. Honolulu, HI : 02/26/17-03/03/17.
Passow, U., Sweet, J., Chiu, M., Chin, W., Zhang, S., Xu, C., et al. (2017). The Role of Corexit for the Formation of Sinking Marine Oil Snow. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2017. New Orleans, LA : 02/06/17-02/09/17.
Santschi, P. H., Xu, C., Zhang, S., Schwehr, K. A., Lin, P., Sun, L., et al. (2017). Effects of Water-Accommodated Fraction of Macondo Oil and Corexit on Sinking Marine Snow Formation and Oil Transport in Three Mesocosm Experiments. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2017. New Orleans, LA : 02/06/17-02/09/17.
Schwehr, K. A., Xu, C., Zhang, S., Agueda, O., Beaver, M., Jackson, C., et al. (2017). Surface Tension and Chemical Composition of Exopolymeric Substances, EPS: Insights into Mechanisms of Aggregate Formation and Carbon Removal. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2017. New Orleans, LA : 02/06/17-02/09/17.
Sun, L., Xu, C., Zhang, S., Lin, P., Schwehr, K. A., Quigg, A., et al. (2017). Light-induced Aggregation of Bacterial Exopolymeric Substances. Gulf of Mexico. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2017. New Orleans, LA : 02/06/17-02/09/17: Poster.
Wozniak, A. S., Obeid, W., Xu, C., Zhang, S., Santschi, P., Quigg, A., et al. (2017). Identifying oil/marine snow associations and oil transformations in mesocosm simulations of the Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill event. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2017. New Orleans, LA : 02/06/17-02/09/17.
Xu, C., Zhang, S., Beaver, M., Lin, P., Sun, L., Schwehr, K. A., et al. (2017). Microbially-mediated exopolymeric substances production, composition and regulation of Macondo oil transport in two contrasting environments. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2017. New Orleans, LA : 02/06/17-02/09/17.

2016

Agueda, O., Beaver, M., Xu, C., Zhang, S., Lin, P., Schwehr, K. A., et al. (2016). Relationships between surface tension and chemical composition of exopolymeric substances (EPS) in the presence of water accommodated fraction (WAF) and Corexit in two contrasting environments: open ocean versus coastal ocean. In American Chemical Society Southwest Regional Meeting 2016 (ACS SWRM-2016). Galveston, TX : 11/10/16-11/13/16.
Agueda, O., Jackson, C., Schwehr, K., Xu, C., Zhang, S., Santachi, P., et al. (2016). The Effects of Surface Tension in Relation to Extracellular Polymeric Substance (EPS) Adhesion to Oil. In 2016 Texas A&M University at Galveston Student Research Symposium. Galveston, TX : 04/19/16-04/20/16: Poster.
Beaver, M., Xu, C., Zhang, S., Lin, P., Schwehr, K. A., Wade, T. L., et al. (2016). Production and composition of exopolymeric substances (EPS) in the presence of water accommodated fraction (WAF) oil and Corexit in two contrasting environments: open ocean versus coastal ocean. In American Chemical Society Southwest Regional Meeting 2016 (ACS SWRM-2016). Galveston, TX : 11/10/16-11/13/16.
Beaver, M., Xu, C., Zhang, S., Lin, P., Schwehr, K. A., Wade, T. L., et al. (2016). Production and Composition of Exopolymeric Substances (EPS) in the presence of Water Accomodated Fraction (WAF) Oil and Corexit in two contrasting Environments: Open Ocean versus Coastal Ocean. In 2016 Gulf Coast Undergraduate Research Symposium. Houston, TX : 10/22/16.
Beaver, M., Xu, C., Zhang, S., Schwehr, K., Santachi, P., & Quigg, A. (2016). Exopolymeric Substances (EPS) Composition of Marine Oil Aggregate produced in a mesocosom experiment mimicking the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. In 2016 Texas A&M University at Galveston Student Research Symposium. Galveston, TX : 04/19/16-04/20/16: Poster.
Doyle, S., Whitaker, E., Steichen, J., Brown, C., Genzer, J., Knapp, A., et al. (2016). Initial analysis of microbial community response to oil and Corexit in coastal water mesocosms. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2016. Tampa, FL : 02/01/16-02/04/16: Poster.
Hatcher, P. G., Obeid, W., Wozniak, A. S., Xu, C., Zhang, S., & Santschi, P. (2016). Identifying oil/marine snow associations in mesocosm simulations of the Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill event using solid-state 13C NMR spectroscopy. In American Chemical Society Southwest Regional Meeting 2016 (ACS SWRM-2016). Galveston, TX : 11/10/16-11/13/16.
Passow, U., Sweet, J., Genzer, J., Schwehr, K., Xu, C., Zhang, S., et al. (2016). Oil, Diatom Exudation and Marine Oil Snow. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2016. Tampa, FL : 02/01/16-02/04/16: Poster.
Sun, L., Xu, C., Zhang, S., Lin, P., Schwehr, K. A., Quigg, A., et al. (2016). Light-induced Aggregation of Bacterial Exopolymeric Substances. In American Chemical Society Southwest Regional Meeting 2016 (ACS SWRM-2016). Galveston, TX : 11/10/16-11/13/16.
Sun, L., Xu, C., Zhang, S., Lin, P., Schwehr, K. A., Quigg, A., et al. (2016). Light-induced Aggregation of Bacterial Exopolymeric Substances. In Inaugural Texas A&M Postdoctoral Research Symposium. College Station, TX : 09/21/16.
Xu, C., Zhang, S., Beaver, M., Lin, P., Sun, L., Schwehr, K. A., et al. (2016). Effects of Water-Accommodated Fraction (WAF) of Macondo Oil and Corexit on Formation of Marine Snow and Their Fate in Mesocosm Experiments. In American Chemical Society Southwest Regional Meeting 2016 (ACS SWRM-2016). Galveston, TX : 11/10/16-11/13/16.