Funmi Ogundare

A Professor of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Lagos State University (LASU), Kafeelah Abosede Yusuf, has called for the integration of Artificial Intelligence and machine-learning tools into Nigeria’s water governance systems, warning that growing pollution and emerging contaminants pose serious threats to public health and aquatic ecosystems.

Delivering the university’s 123rd inaugural lecture, titled, ‘Preserving Blue to Stay Green: Probing the Mysteries of Water Chemistry for Sustainability’, Prof. Yusuf urged policymakers and regulatory agencies to adopt predictive water quality management systems capable of providing early warning signals and supporting proactive pollution control.

She stressed the need for continuous, data-driven environmental surveillance, investment in advanced analytical laboratories, and the expansion of national standards to include microplastics, nanoplastics and other emerging pollutants.

According to her, “preserving the nation’s blue ecosystems is not merely a scientific obligation but a developmental imperative that requires coordinated efforts among academia, government, industry and communities.”

Presenting findings from years of research in Lagos and Ogun states, the don revealed that while many water quality parameters remain within international standards, persistently high levels of iron pose localised ecological threats by damaging benthic habitats essential for aquatic biodiversity.

She noted that the presence of bioavailable manganese and zinc indicates early signs of ecological stress, warning that sediments, which serve as repositories of historical pollution, could become secondary sources of contamination under changing environmental conditions.

Yusuf disclosed that her studies uncovered a shift from mineral contamination to more complex organic pollution, identifying an unacceptable Incremental lifetime cancer risk in Ologe Lagoon, with dermal contact accounting for more than 98 per cent of the risk.

In Ogun River, she said, researchers documented the emergence of a plastisphere, where phthalate esters and microplastic fibres have become integrated into the aquatic food web and are bioaccumulating in commonly consumed fish species such as Tilapia and synodontis.

“Fibres from domestic laundering and fishing activities are the dominant sources of microplastic pollution, with concentrations increasing threefold during the dry season,” Yusuf stated.

The don further revealed that contamination of household boreholes across the Lagos-Ogun axis by naphthalene at concentrations above World Health Organisation (WHO) limits demonstrates that poor surface water management can compromise underground aquifers.

She also drew attention to what she described as a disinfection gap in Lagos water treatment plants, citing deficiencies in turbidity control, microbial safety and the removal of toxic metals, particularly lead, which she said poses severe neurodevelopmental risks to children.

Yusuf added that studies on fish-smoking practices showed that traditional methods deposit between 18 and 24 times more carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) into food compared with modern techniques, with lipid-rich species such as catfish serving as reservoirs for the harmful substances.

“The detection of microplastics marks a transition into a new era of water pollution, where plastics act as carriers for metals and organic toxins. This emerging challenge threatens both blue ecosystems and green futures,” she said.

To address the challenges, the professor recommended strengthening regulatory enforcement through real-time monitoring systems, promoting a circular water economy, adopting climate-responsive environmental planning and intensifying public awareness and citizen-science initiatives.

“Evidence-based policies, technological innovation and institutional commitment are essential to securing a resilient and sustainable water future for Lagos State and Nigeria,” the don stressed.