Research Area

• Analytical chemistry
• Food and environmental analysis
• Chemical toxicology

Research Interests

Current research interest focuses on developing chromatographic and mass spectrometric methods:

• to identify and quantify toxic chemicals for food safety and environmental testing
• to study chemically/physically-induced damage to biological macromolecules such as DNA, RNA, protein, etc. that is related to human diseases
• to investigate the biological consequence of external stimuli by using a systematic metabolomics approach

Recent Publications

• Guo W, Yu JZ, Chan W*, (2023) Face Mask as a Versatile Sampling Device for the Assessment of Personal Exposure to 54 Toxic Compounds in Environmental Tobacco Smoke. Chem Res Toxicol., 36(7): 1140-1150.
• Au CK, Jason Chan KK, Chan W*, Zhang X, (2023) Occurrence and stability of PCMX in water environments and its removal by municipal wastewater treatment processes. J Hazard Mater., 445: 1-9. 
• Zhang J, Chan CK, Pavlović NM, Chan W*, (2023) Effects of Diet on Aristolochic Acid-DNA Adduct Formation: Implications for Balkan Endemic Nephropathy Etiology. Chem Res Toxicol. 36(3): 438-445.
• Au CK, Ham YH, Chan W*, (2023) Bioaccumulation and DNA Adduct Formation of Aristolactam I: Unmasking a Toxicological Mechanism in the Pathophysiology of Aristolochic Acid Nephropathy. Chem Res Toxicol. 36(2): 322-329.
• Sun Z, Guo W, Chan CK, Jin L, Griffith S, Yu JZ, Chan W*, (2022) Polyurethane Foam Face Masks as a Dosimeter for Quantifying Personal Exposure to Airborne Volatile and Semi-Volatile Organic Compounds. Chem Res Toxicol., 35(9): 1604-1613.
• Kwok HC, Chan W*, (2022) Wheatgrass (Triticum aestivum) as an Efficient Phytoremediation Plant for Aristolochic Acid-Contaminated Water and Arable Soil. ACS Agricultural Science & Technology., 2(3): 639–645.
• Zhang J, Chan KK, Chan W*, (2022) Synergistic Interaction of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, Phthalate Esters, or Phenol on DNA Adduct Formation by Aristolochic Acid I: Insights into the Etiology of Balkan Endemic Nephropathy. Chem Res Toxicol., 35(5): 849–857.
• Ham YH, Pan G, Chan HW, Chan W*, (2022) LC-MS/MS Quantitation of Formaldehyde-Glutathione Conjugates as Biomarkers of Formaldehyde Exposure and Exposure-Induced Anti-Oxidants: A New Look on an Old Topic. Chem Res Toxicol., 35(5): 858–866.
• Chan W*, Jin L, (2022) DNA-Protein Cross-Links Formed by Reacting Lysine with Apurinic/Apyrimidinic Sites in DNA and Human Cells: Quantitative Analysis by Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Coupled with Stable Isotope Dilution. Anal Chem., 94(2): 803-810.
• Jin L, Griffith S, Sun Z, Yu JZ, Chan W*, (2021) On the Flip Side of Mask Wearing: Increased Exposure to Volatile Organic Compounds and a Risk-Reducing Solution. Environ Sci Technol., 55(20): 14095-14104.
• Chan W*, Guo W, Yu JZ, (2021) Polyurethane-Based Face Mask as a Sampling Device for Environmental Tobacco Smoke. Anal Chem., 93(41): 13912-13918.
• Chan CK, Xiong L, Pavlović NM, Chan W*, (2021) Determination of Aristolochic Acids in Soil, Water and Herbal Plants in Medicinal Plant Cultivation Areas: An Emerging Environmental Contaminant Worth Concerning. ACS Agric Sci Technol., 1(5): 522-528.
• Chan W* and Ham YH, (2021) Probing the Hidden Role of Mitochondrial DNA Damage and Dysfunction in the Etiology of Aristolochic Acid Nephropathy. Chem Res Toxicol., 34(8): 1903-1909.
• Guo W, Zhang J, Sun Z, Orem W.H, Tatu CA, Radulović NS, Milovanović D, Pavlović NM*, and Chan W*, (2021) Analysis of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Phthalate Esters in Soil and Food Grains from the Balkan Peninsula: Implication on DNA Adduct Formation by Aristolochic Acid I and Balkan Endemic Nephropathy. Environ Sci Technol., 55(13): 9024-9032.
• Chan W*, Jin L, Sun Z, Griffith S,* Yu JZ*, (2021) Fabric Masks as a Personal Dosimeter for Quantifying Exposure to Airborne Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons. Environ Sci Technol., 55(8): 5128-5135.
• Chan CK, Chan KKJ, Liu N*, Chan W*, (2021) Quantitation of Protein Adducts of Aristolochic Acid I by Liquid Chromatography−Tandem Mass Spectrometry: A Novel Method for Biomonitoring Aristolochic Acid Exposure Cells. Chem Res Toxicol., 34(1): 144–153.
• Ham YH, Chan KKJ, Madej D, Lam H, Chan W*, (2020) Proteomics Study of DNA-Protein Crosslinks in Methylmethanesulfonate and Fe2+-EDTA-Exposed Human Cells. Chem Res Toxicol., 33(11): 2739–2744.
• Au CK, Zhang J, Chan CK, Li C, Liu G, Pavlovic NM, Yao J, Chan W., (2020) Determination of Aristolochic Acids in Vegetables: Nephrotoxic and Carcinogenic Environmental Pollutants Contaminating a Broad Swath of the Food Supply and Driving Incidence of Balkan Endemic Nephropathy. Chem Res Toxicol. doi: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.0c00229 
• Pan G, Ham YH, Chan HW, Yao J, Chan W., (2020) LC-MS/MS Coupled with a Stable-Isotope Dilution Method for the Quantitation of Thioproline-Glycine: A Novel Metabolite in Formaldehyde- and Oxidative Stress-Exposed Cells. Chem Res Toxicol. 33(7):1989-1996. doi: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.0c00170.
• Ham YH, Chan KJ, Chan W*, (2020) Thioproline Serves as an Efficient Antioxidant Protecting Human Cells from Oxidative Stress and Improves Cell Viability. Chem Res Toxicol. doi: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.0c00055.
• Chan CK, Tung KK, Pavlović NM, Chan W*, (2020) Remediation of aristolochic acid-contaminated soil by an effective advanced oxidation process. Sci Total Environ. 720:137528. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137528
• Au CK, Chan CK, Tung KK, Zhang J, Chan W*, (2020) Quantitation of DNA Adducts of Aristolochic Acids in Repair-Deficient Cells: A Mechanistic Study of the DNA Repair Mechanism. Chem Res Toxicol. doi: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.0c00004
• Zhang J, Chan CK, Ham YH, Chan W*, (2020) Identifying Cysteine, N-Acetylcysteine, and Glutathione Conjugates as Novel Metabolites of Aristolochic Acid I: Emergence of a New Detoxification Pathway. Chem Res Toxicol. doi: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.9b00488.
• Tung KK, Chan CK, Zhao Y, Chan KKJ, Liu G, Pavlovic NM*, Chan W*, (2020) Occurrence and Environmental Stability of Aristolochic Acids in Groundwater Collected from Serbia: Links to Human Exposure and Balkan Endemic Nephropathy. Environ Sci Technol. 54(3):1554-1561.
• Liu J, Hao C, Wu L, Madej D, Chan W*, Lam H*, (2020) Proteomic analysis of thioproline misincorporation in Escherichia coli. J Proteomics. 210:103541. doi: 10.1016/j.jprot.2019.103541.
• Tung KK, Chan CK, Zhao Y, Chan KKJ, Liu G, Pavlovic NM*, Chan W*, (2019) Occurrence and Environmental Stability of Aristolochic Acids in Groundwater Collected from Serbia: Links to Human Exposure and Balkan Endemic Nephropathy. Environ Sci Technol. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.9b05337.
• Wang Y, Chan K-K, and Chan W*, (2017) Plant uptake and metabolism of nitrofuran antibiotics in spring onion grown in nitrofuran contaminated soil. J Agric Food Chem., 65: 4255-4261.
• Deng K and Chan W*, (2017) Development of a QuEChERS-based method for determination of carcinogenic 2-nitrofluorene and 1-nitropyrene in rice grains and vegetables: A comparative study with Benzo[a]pyrene. J Agric Food Chem., 65: 1992-1999.
• Chan W*, Pavlović NM*, Li W, Chan C-K, Liu J, Deng K, Wang Y, Milosavljević B, and Kostić EN, (2016) Quantitation of Aristolochic Acids in Corn, Wheat Grain, and Soil Samples Collected in Serbia: Identifying a Novel Exposure Pathway in the Etiology of Balkan Endemic Nephropathy. J Agric Food Chem., 64: 5928−5934.
• Wang Y, Wong T-Y, and Chan W*, (2016) Quantitation of the DNA adduct of semicarbazide in organs of semicarbazide-treated rats by isotope-dilution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry: a comparative study with the RNA adduct. Chem Res Toxicol., 29: 1560-1564.
• Liu J, Chan K-K, and Chan W*, (2016) Identification of protein thiazolidination as a novel molecular signature for oxidative stress and formaldehyde exposure. Chem Res Toxicol., 29: 1865-1871.
• Li W, Hu Q, and Chan W*, (2016) Uptake and Accumulation of Nephrotoxic and Carcinogenic Aristolochic Acids in Food Crops Grown in Aristolochia clematitis-Contaminated Soil and Water, J. Agric Food Chem., 64: 107-112.
• Li Y, Liu J, Wang Y, Chan H-W, Wang L*, and Chan W*, (2015) Mass spectrometric and spectrophotometric analyses reveal an alternative structure and a new formation mechanism for melanin, Anal Chem., 7:7958−7963.