The presence of pesticide residues in water and soil sediments have been identified as a major public health concern and a hazard with potential adverse effects on human health capable of engendering chronic diseases, endocrine disruption, cancer, and other toxic effect. This was the submission of a Professor of Environmental Chemistry at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA, Ademola Aiyesanmi while delivering the 173rd inaugural lecture of the University. The lecture held on Tuesday, 8th October 2024.
He said studies carried out by his team in some parts of Ondo and Ekiti states, revealed that concentration of diazinon (organophosphorus pesticide) measured in soil were high, while organophosphorus pesticide residues in water and sediments in sampled rivers showed that all analyzed samples were contaminated. He said, “high concentrations of some of these contaminants in the soil are of great concern because of the potential danger they may pose to the soil organisms and their possible translocation into edible parts of crops, particularly vegetables which are commonly intercropped with cocoa in most farms in Nigeria.”
Aiyesanmi, who spoke on the topic, “Environmental Quality Monitoring: Act Taken Beyond Rhetoric”, said “pesticide residues refer to the traces of chemicals (insecticides, herbicides, rodenticides, and fungicides) that remain on or in food after they have been applied to crops. These residues can also be found in soil, water, and non-target organisms. Some of these pesticides residues including Aldrin, chlordane, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, HCB, DDT, are part of the listed ‘dirty dozen’ persistent organic pollutants (POPs) identified by the Stockholm Convention.”
The don, a former Dean of the School of Sciences (SOS) and School of Physical Sciences (SPS) recommended a regular review of existing environmental regulations and standards in the country for more stringent ones, based on monitoring data and scientific research, adding that such should also address emerging pollutants in our environment, including microplastics, pharmaceuticals and personal care products, perfluorinated compounds, endocrine disrupting chemicals, nanomaterials and plasticizers.
Recommending further, Aiyesanmi said “cultivation of lands proximal to waste dumpsites should be discouraged as crops from such farms are vulnerable to contamination with potentially toxic metals and organic compounds, which may have adverse effects on the health of consumers of the produce.”
The don called on all industries impacting negatively on the environment to be mandated to develop and implement robust environmental monitoring programmes to assess and mitigate the environmental impacts of their operations, complying with regulatory requirements and industry standards. He said industries should also engage in capacity building by investing in the training and education for staff involving in monitoring activities, ensuring they have the necessary skills and knowledge to collect, analyze, and interpret data accurately.
The don also re-echoed the ban on polystyrene (Styrofoam) single-use plastic by some states in the country, and recently by the Federal Executive Council in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to halt the menace of plastic pollution in the country. He said the step should go beyond the rhetoric and be properly legislated with enforcement at all levels of governance.
Professor Aiyesanmi called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to establish Environmental Monitoring Centres with functional analytical laboratories in each of the six geopolitical zones of the country, to be saddled with the responsibility of regular monitoring programmes, covering key parameters such as air quality, water quality, soil health, biodiversity, and climate indicators. He added that the programmes of the Centres should be coordinated by the National Environmental Standards and Regulation Enforcement Agency (NESREA), should be systematic, scientifically rigorous, and adapted to local and regional environmental conditions. The monitoring centres should be adequately funded, with the laboratories equipped with state-of-the-art analytical instruments, and data management systems to collect, process, and disseminate data effectively.
In her opening remarks at the lecture, the Chairman and Vice Chancellor, Professor Adenike Oladiji described Professor Aiyesanmi as a thorough bred academic with proven track record in teaching and research activities. She said he has churned our high-flying graduates and keep adding value in his field of study in addition to taking FUTA to higher grounds in his endeavours within and outside the university. She said the lecture will further broaden people’s knowledge on how to tackle environmental problems ravaging the society.