US-based Nigerian scientist explores green chemistry for cleaner energy and pollution remediation

As the world moves away from fossil fuels due to their non-renewable nature and harmful effects on the environment, scientists are looking for more efficient, safer and more cost-effective energy sources. One of such scientists is US-based Nigerian researcher, Pelumi Adanigbo, an analytical chemist and material scientist, who is working on using green chemistry to remediate pollutants in the environment. A PhD research student at George Mason University, Virginia, Mr. Adanigbo’s work is not only useful for reducing pollution and recovering nature, it is also useful in producing clean energy.

 

The research work involves building a 2D Van dal Waal heterostructure, a structure created by stacking multiple layers of two-dimensional (2D) materials. These structures possess distinct properties and functionalities, and can be used to remove pollutants from the environment.

 

Pelumi Adanigbo has a background in general chemistry and obtained a bachelor’s degree in industrial chemistry. Upon graduation in Nigeria, he joined a production company where he worked as a quality control scientist. His journey as a researcher began at Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo and Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba, both in Ondo State, Nigeria, where he was a lecturer. As a graduate student in Adekunle Ajasin, his research traversed both environmental and material science. He was involved in a couple of studies, including the remediation of environmental pollutants with domestic waste (a waste-to-wealth concept. His focus was on commonly used Agro-pollutants employed by farmers, which leach into surface water and eventually get into the body system. Shortly after arriving the United States, he worked majorly as an analytical chemist before proceeding to pursue his master’s degree in analytical and environmental chemistry. During his time as a master’s student, he had material synthesis research on the side which widened his understanding of material science. Besides his work on pollution remediation, he is also working on fabricating a good catalyst that will support the generation and storage of optimum amount of green and cleaner energy for the future.

 

Today, with more advanced equipment, he is exploring material chemistry on a nanoscale level as a researcher in the United States. Having done some research on a macro-level before now, he better understands that materials tend to behave differently on a nanoscale level.

 

 

Pelumi’s work is applicable in the tackling of pollution and recovery of nature such as soil and surface water. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 24 %. of all estimated global deaths are linked to the pollution of the environment.

 

Whilst Pelumi is currently domiciled in the USA, his research is also very useful back in Africa, especially in his home country. In Nigeria, environmental pollution is increasing as a result of urbanization, industrial activity, agricultural changes, and the adoption of new technologies. Environmental pollution in Africa is complex to resolve due to factors such as widespread poverty, lack of robust environmental regulations, rapid urbanization, reliance on unsustainable energy sources, limited access to clean technology, weak enforcement of existing environmental laws, and a focus on immediate economic needs often outweighing environmental concerns, making it challenging to implement effective pollution mitigation strategies.

 

Green chemistry can help Nigeria curb pollution by designing chemical products and processes that minimize or eliminate the generation of hazardous substances at the source, thereby preventing pollution from entering the environment in the first place. This is useful in the oil and gas industry; a major contributor to both pollution and revenue generation in the Nigerian economy. The Niger Delta region, home to Nigeria’s largest reserves of fossil fuels and one of the most important oil-producing regions in Africa, has been severely affected. The area is abundant in biodiversity, natural resources, extensive river systems, and a complex network of communities whilst hosting several oil fields operated by multinational corporations like Shell, Chevron, and Total.

 

According to the NGO, Climate Justice Central, around 40 million liters of oil spill annually in the Niger Delta, causing widespread contamination of the air, land, and water. Pollution sources include oil spills, gas flaring, refinery effluents, and disturbances from exploration and drilling activities. These operations have detrimental effects on soil and water quality, leading to health and ecological challenges. Despite ongoing concerns, there remains little progress in mitigating these environmental impacts.

 

 

There are hopes that the works of scholars like Pelumi Adanigbo, who originate from Nigeria, can help in mitigating pollution problems in the country, by recovering damaged soil and water content in the environment. However, the young researcher’s story is another sad reminder of Nigeria’s ongoing brain drain, in which bright Nigerians leave the shores of the country and get trained abroad, making valuable contributions to their countries of residence. We continue to hope that Nigeria maximizes its bright minds before losing them all to foreign countries.