CLARKE EDWIN ORITSEWEYINMI

Fisheries

At the Fisheries department office

Appointment on Visitation important

Topic: Ecology / Ecotoxicology

Description:

My research interest includes topics in Aquatic Ecology, Eco-toxicology, Pollution and Conservation Biology. I have had several foci: I am interested in physical aquatic habitat disturbance like Sand mining and its impact on the local fishery; Alpha/Beta diversity and Species richness including taxa biodiversity inventory in the Lagos Lagoon Complex through the study of plankton population dynamics, Fin and Shell fishes. I have also focused, on the impact of anthropogenic activities on aquatic food organisms (Commercially important Fin and Shell fishes) of the Lagos coastal region including the adjoining Badagry Creeks and Rivers like R. Owoh, R. Majidun and R. Ogun. I have studied the influents into these water bodies which have continued unabated with a mixture of domestic, agricultural and industrial contaminants cum pollutants. I focused on Pesticide bio-accumulation in commercially important fin and shell fishes. Elucidating biotic responses to anthropogenic impact on aquatic habitats through studying the dynamics of plankton population is important because of its direct coupling with water quality, fish production and eventual (societal) qualitative protein efficiency. The quality of water and nutrients it contains may have a great impact on algal quality, density, distribution and the grazing zooplankton population which together, are important primary sources of food to fish fry and thus, recruitment into the fished stock. The effects of pollutants depend on interval of exposure and dosage. Consequently, human health implications of consuming wild fish needs investigation. Thus, my further research interest would include continuous monitoring of these non-easily degradable chlorinated hydrocarbons, with a view to inhibiting extensive ecological health hazards and stimulating maintenance and well-being of the Lagos coastal aquatic resources through policy direction. Further study would include pathology and epidemiology to ascertain the structural / functional deviation from norms of body systems (organs cum body fluids) and also investigate the incidence, distribution and possible control of certain related, pesticide-bio-accumulation ailments in the local consumers.

#	Certificate	School	Year
1.	Ph.D (Fisheries (Aquatic Ecology))	Lagos State University.	2006

Assessment of Persistent Organochlorine Pesticide residues in Water, Sediment and Macrophyte (Sacciolepis africana) in Ibeshe stream, Ikorodu Lagos.

Introduction:

Untreated wastewater effluents from industries are in most cases discharged into the adjoining environment with aquatic habitats mostly used as sink and this has become a phenomenon of great concern due to its impact on environmental health and safety.

Aims and objectives: 

This study investigated the concentration of some physico-chemical parameters, heavy metals and organochlorine pesticide residues in water, macrophyte (Sacciolepis africana) and sediment samples along Ibeshe stream in Lasori village, Ikorodu Lagos State.

Materials and methods:

Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer was used to measure the levels of heavy metal elements while the concentrations of OCPs were determined by gas Chromatography (model 5890) using Electron Capture Detector.

Results:

The level of heavy metals increased in the order of water, macrophyte (Sacciolepsis africana) and sediments. When the results were compared with WHO set limits Zn, Cd and Fe were found to be high in water and sediment sample. Also, in this study, the presence of 20 OCPs residues were detected in the water and sediment of the stream.

Contribution to knowledge: 

There was  evidence of bio-accumulation of heavy metals and OCPs in S. africana with alarming levels that are higher than WHO limits, therefore posing potential risk for inhabitants that depend

CLARKE EDWIN is a Professor at the Department of Fisheries

CLARKE has a Ph.D in Fisheries (Aquatic Ecology) from Lagos State University.