Aiming to help nations execute more informed sustainable water management strategies and make huge impact in the fight against environmental pollution, one scientist is making waves through his advanced analytical techniques and dynamic research approach on organic contaminants.
Analytical Chemist and Environmental Scientist, Nathaniel Bolujoko is developing and validating groundbreaking methods of analysis that are helping to improve sustainability and promote environmental protection.

Bolujoko has continued to release publications that have investigated the occurrence of organic contaminants in surface and groundwater systems across Nigeria, and also revealed how nutrient recovery processes in swine wastewater systems could retain organic contaminants. His fieldwork has been critical in providing information useful for improving the safety of water systems by tracking contaminants and reducing their prevalence. He is also involved in developing affordable adsorbents to track organic contaminants through his groundbreaking research.

He noted that understanding organic contaminants is crucial due to their prevalent use by humans and animals, adding that they could have significant impact on human metabolism when not properly managed.

“Organic contaminants, such as pharmaceutical and personal care products, are widespread in our environment due to their extensive use by humans and animals. Although these contaminants are present in our water at low levels, they have implications for the human health. These contaminants have been linked to health issues, including reproductive disorders, carcinogenicity, malfunction of the central nervous system,”

Bolujoko stated that a major reason for research is to help inform policies that protect the environment and combat the indiscriminate discharge of industrial waste into the environment –

“We cannot control what we do not know. Working as a research assistant at the African Center of Excellence for Water and Environmental Research (ACEWATER) in Redeemers University, I led research initiative that investigated the occurrence of organic contaminants like antibiotics and parabens in surface and ground water. Our findings showed the prevalence of these contaminants. Knowing that these contaminants are present in our water should drive policies to combat their impact,” he said.

Bolujoko acknowledged the role of the authorities in enacting legal frameworks that preserve the health of the people. When it comes to health, he believes that swift action is non-negotiable: “Making environmental protection laws is a practical solution but enforcing them might come with a lot of difficulty because a lot of people resist change. I believe State Governments in Nigeria can enforce environmental protection laws and penalize defaulters. Change is something we must adjust to, especially when it pertains to the protection of our health,”

He added that industries have a crucial role to play in mitigating the negative impact of organic contaminants, by ensuring their waste is treated before being discharged into the environment. Bolujoko also desires to see more industries drive progress by investing in research to explore and implement sustainable and cost-effective waste treatment technologies.

Bolujoko’s outstanding work has not gone without recognition, having earned a prestigious list of Honors and Awards including the ASABE Presentation Excellence Award, the Faculty Council for Gender Equity Student Research Award and the OSU President’s Celebration of Leadership. He has been a part of several esteemed fellowships including the Robberson Summer Dissertation Fellowship, and the OSU Foundation Distinguished Graduate Fellowship.
His many journal publications continue to serve as a point of reference in environmental safety maintenance.

He has co-authored reviews on ‘The fate of antibiotics during phosphate recovery processes’, ‘Occurrence Profiling, Risk Assessment, and Correlations of Antimicrobials in Surface water and Groundwater Systems in Southwest Nigeria’ and ‘The Prevalence and health risk evaluations of mycotoxins in drinking water sources in Nigeria’, amongst several others. These journals have provided valuable insights on the fate of organic contaminants in the environment and offer remedies for analysis of pharmaceuticals in environmental samples.

Professionally, Bolujoko is affiliated with the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors (AEESP), the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) and the American Chemical Society (ACS).

Through his long list of achievements, Bolujoko represents a strong dedication to innovation and creative problem solving in the field of water pollution and pharmaceutical analysis. He has remained committed to creating safe water systems and making pharmaceutical analysis more decisive in the modern age.