Ifenna Ilechukwu

University of Port Harcourt · Department of Pure & Industrial Chemistry

This study summarises the status of microplastic research in marine and freshwater specimens in natural museum collections around the world. Abundances, distributions, and types of microplastics in the archived collections are discussed. Museum collections can fill knowledge gaps on evolution of microplastic pollution before and during the Plastice...

Microplastics have become a significant environmental concern. However, information on toxicity of microplastics in terrestrial organisms is limited. In this study, the chronic toxic effects of polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) on the reproductive system and serum antioxidants of male albino Wistar rats fed for 90 days with standard rat feed conta...

This study assessed the seasonal variation in the magnitude of marine litter along the Gulf of Guinea coastline, Araromi seaside, Nigeria with a survey of twenty sampling sites. The total number of litter items collected was 29,029 comprising 7358 and 21,671 items in the dry and rainy season respectively. The average number of items per square mete...

This study evaluated the level of heavy metal pollution in soils within the vicinity of hot mix asphalt (HMA) plants and the health risk consequences of human exposure to the heavy metals. Soil samples collected from two asphalt plants during dry and rainy seasons were analyzed for Cr, Co, Cu, Ni, Mn, Cd, Pb, and Zn with atomic absorption spectroph...

This study investigated the occurrence and abundance of microplastics in surface sediments from four beaches in Lagos State, Nigeria. The beaches are Alpha, Oniru, Eleko and Lekki. Microplastics were taken from the sediments by floatation method. The number of microplastics in 50 g of dry sediment were counted with a photo microscope and results we...

Garri from cassava is one of the most consumed foods in West Africa, hence this research was conducted to examine microplastics (MPs) and potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in garri from Nigeria (West Africa) and Japan. This is the first investigation on MPs in garri samples that has been reported in the literature. The study analyzed both packaged...

Microplastics (MPs) are currently global environmental pollutants, and their associated health risks cannot be ignored. However, research on MP toxicity in mammals is limited. We investigated the effects of polystyrene microplastic (PS-MP) particles on the lipid profile and oxidative stress markers of Wistar rats. Two forms of PS-MP-pristine polyst...

This study investigated the ingestion of microplastics by silver catfish (Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus) from New Calabar River in Niger Delta, Nigeria. Microplastics from the guts of 45 fish were examined with microscope after dissolution with potassium hydroxide. Microplastics, mostly fragments were found in about 56% of the samples at an average o...

https://theconversation.com/pan-african-research-networks-are-needed-to-manage-continents-plastic-pollution-threat-168244

Dr. Eric Okuku will talk on Marine Litter Pollution in Kenya Please register here to be part of our October club talk. https://bham-ac-uk.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_DrOzUVXCTWuN-2wCBO6Lpw

Pan-African Micro and Nano Plastic Network monthly club talk on micro and nano plastic pollution research in Africa.

August monthly club talk of the Pan-African Micro and Nano Plastic Network.

Pan-African Micro and Nano Plastic Network monthly club talk on micro and nano plastic pollution research in Africa.

The occurrence and ecological risk associated with nine pharmaceuticals; Ciprofloxacin, Metronidazole, Amoxycillin, Trimethoprim, Tetracycline, Sulfamethoxazole, Ibuprofen, Diclofenac and Paracetamol were investigated in water and sediments of Usuma Dam, Abuja, Nigeria. The samples were extracted with solid phase extraction and analysed with high p...

This study examined the physicochemical parameters of fish pond water to ascertain if they pose any risk to the environment after disposal. Water samples were collected from metallic, tarpaulin and concrete ponds from Anambra, Imo and Lagos states, Nigeria and analysed for minerals and physicochemical parameters using standard analytical methods. T...

Usuma Dam is the major source of potable water in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria. The physicochemical properties of water and sediment of the dam was assessed in this study to determine its quality. Electrical conductivity, pH, nitrate, phosphate, total dissolved solids, total suspended solids, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, biochemica...

This report is on the occurrence of pharmaceuticals and microplastics in the Usuma Dam, Abuja, Nigeria and also highlights the gaps in the management of medical wastes by hospitals and healthcare centres in Abuja. It was necessitated by the "Stop Don't Drop (Anti-Litter)" campaign of the Stewards of the Environment for Sustainable Change Initiative...

The study focused on the proximate, minerals and phytochemical analysis of the leaves, seeds, seed coats and peels of Irvingia gabonensis and Irvingia wombolu from Uli in Anambra State Nigeria. The minerals concentrations (Ca, Zn, Fe, Mg) were determined with atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS) while sodium was determined with flame photometer. Th...

The concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in sediment samples from the New Calabar River in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria were determined. Grab sediment samples were collected from five stations in the river and analyzed for individual PCB congeners using gas chromatography - mass spectrometer. The Σ 8 PCB (sum of eight congeners)...

This study investigated the status of heavy metals pollution in the sediments of New Calabar River in Rivers state, Nigeria. Grab sediment samples were collected from ten locations and analysed for lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). Geo-accumulation index (Igeo), contam...

Abstract The composition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soils within the vicinities of hot mix asphalt (HMA) production plants in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, was investigated. Soil samples were collected at an increasing distance of 10 m from two HMA plants, at surface (0-15 cm) and subsurface (15-30 cm) depths during dry and wet seasons...

This study investigated the occurrence and sources of aliphatic hydrocarbons (AHCs) in soils within the vicinity of hot mix asphalt (HMA) plants. Soil samples were collected from two HMA plants and analysed with gas chromatography - flame ionisation detector (GC-FID). Sample collection was from both surface (0-15 cm) and subsurface (15-30 cm) soils...

Hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria (HUB) were characterized in soils within a hot mix asphalt (HMA) plant vicinity to ascertain their ability to thrive in such an environment. Soil samples were collected at both topsoil (0-15 cm) and subsoil (15-30 cm) at an increasing distance of 10m from the HMA plant. The physico-chemical parameters and the n-alkane...

Four surface and subsurface soil samples were collected within the vicinity of a hot mix asphalt (HMA) production plant in Igwuruta, Port Harcourt, Nigeria to determine the soil quality. Soil samples were collected at both surface (0-15 cm) and subsurface (15-30 cm) depths at an increasing distance from the HMA plant while the control samples for b...

This study characterised the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in five road paving asphalt samples randomly collected from two hot mix asphalt (HMA) plants in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The Σ16PAHs of the samples ranged from 103.79 mg kg-1 - 190.93 mg kg-1. Naphthalene, acenaphthylene, fluorene and benzo[g,h,i]perylene were not detected in any o...

The physico–chemical characteristics of soils within the vicinity of hot mix asphalt (HMA) production plant in Obigbo, Port Harcourt, Nigeria was evaluated to ascertain the impact of asphalt production on the surrounding soil. Soil samples were collected at both surface (0 – 15 cm) and subsurface (15 – 30 cm) depths at an increasing distance from t...

This study investigates the distribution and sources of aliphatic hydrocarbons (AHCs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) within the vicinity of a hot mix asphalt (HMA) plant in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Five samples were collected at both surface (0-15cm) and subsurface (15-30cm) depths at an increasing distance from the HMA plant and the...

Ten water samples from six randomly selected boreholes, three natural spring water and one sachet water from Nnewi in Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria were collected. Physico-chemical parameters and heavy metals were determined using standard analytical procedures. The result of the physicochemical analysis were obtained...