CURRENT RESEARCH UNDERTAKEN BY STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY Dr. Ronnie Frazer-Williams (Associate Professor)

  1. Establishing and Improving Air Pollution Monitoring
  1. Identification of air pollution elements in Lichens as bio-indicators in major cities in Sierra Leone by XRF and AAS methods

Project Duration: 2018 – 2019, with a possibility to extend

Objectives

The project aim to achieve the following objectives:

  • Compare efficiency between AAS and XRF  methods in analyzing the metals
  • Identify hotspots of air pollutants around major cities in the country
  • Identify and categorize air pollutants within the countries major cities
  • Identify the most abundant air pollution element in our cities
  • Provide information that will help support national database of air pollution inventory in the country

Other Personal Research Projects, self sponsored

  1. Solid Waste Management – characterizing waste fractions,
  2. Waste water, wastewater treatment and recycling – treatment options
  3. Water quality analysis – assessing pollutant levels and the cleanliness of drinking, ground and surface waters
  4. Persistent Organic Pollutants chemicals – investigating and analysis dealing with  PCBs, pesticides, UPOPs etc

Adams Kamara, Department of Chemistry

HUMAN HEALTH AND RELATED ISSUES

  1. Determination of Mercury in Skin Lightening Products.
  2. Screening for Bromine in household items (furniture, kitchen utensils) and vehicles to investigate the possible presence of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE’s). 

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING

  1. Monitoring of Air Quality from Precipitation Chemistry.
  2. Assessment of Potential Contaminated Sites:

(a) Screening for Bromine in potential contaminated soil to investigate the possible presence of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE’s).

(b) Assessment of the fate of mercury in potential contaminated environment (ASGM areas in Sierra Leone)

Mrs Hannah Kargbo

Production of biodiesel from used/waste cooking oil by transesterification reaction and conversion of plastic wastes to bio-oil by pyrolysis.

Chracterisation of air particulate matter in Freetown

Mr Anthony Karim

Studies on local salts

Mr Foday Thullah

Studies of caffeine levels in active and some brands of imported and locally made caffeinated drinks in Sierra Leone

Dr Lamin Kamara

Research on medicinal Chemistry with specific reference to traditional local plants

Mr Ansumana Addulai

Studies on local materials used in brewing