Unisa 2008 Research Report - University of South Africa

ecotoxicology,
Bio-oRganic and
natuRal pRoducts
ReseaRch
This is a multidisciplinary field of study
that deals with the environmental effects
of natural and synthetic chemicals in the
biosphere. The field of ecotoxicology
includes concepts arising from disciplines
such as toxicology; biology and molecular
biology; analytical, inorganic and organic
chemistry; physiology; ecology; genetics;
microbiology; biochemistry; immunology;
nanochemistry; environmental (soil,
water and air) sciences; and economics.
These are a selection of some of the
fascinating research programmes with
this research area:
bIo-oRgAnIc ReseARch
PRof. m mPhAhLeLe
Due to rapid spread of drug-resistant diseases
and the reluctance of international pharmaceutical
consortiums to invest in diseases conned to
poor countries, the main thrust of this research
programme is on the synthesis and structural
property studies of organic compounds with
potential anti-cancer, anti-tuberculosis, antimalarial
and anti-depressant activities. Furthermore,
indigenous knowledge on the nutritional,
medicinal, agrochemical and cosmetic applications
of plant-based products is fast disappearing in our
communities because it is not well documented.
The programme has therefore also ventured into
plant-based compounds (phytochemistry and
ethnopharmacology research) to provide chemical
and biological information on the nutritional,
medicinal, agrochemical and cosmetic applications
of indigenous plants.
nATURAL PRodUcTs
PRof. m nIndI
can only be administered in specific circumstances
for therapeutic purposes, but under strict control.
The veterinary drugs of interest include antibiotics,
anthelmintics, and anabolic steroids, which are
commonly abused in the animal
producing industry for nancial benet. Many
of these compounds are a health hazard to
consumers if consumed as residues in foods.
Researchers continue to develop methods for
known and unknown compounds, as the challenges
of food safety requires the enforcer to be
on the forefront in the detection of newly developed
drugs.
eco-bIoInoRgAnIc chemIsTRy
ReseARch PRof. f TAfesse
The main objectives of the research programme
in eco-bioinorganic chemistry is to formulate cost
effective, efficient and environmentally friendly
decontaminating agents that may be used in
decontamination protocols or in the case of
accidental spill of chemicals.
A research programme dealing with food safety is
concerned with developing rapid, selective and
sensitive methods of detection and characterisation
of chemical and veterinary drug residues in
foods of animal origin. Veterinary and chemical
drugs with anabolic effects are used for therapeutic
and prophylactic purposes, as well as for
improved breeding efficiency, although most of
them are banned in most developed countries and
ecoToxIcoLogy
PRof. oR AwofoLU
The programme on ecotoxicology focuses mainly
on the monitoring and analyses of chemical
pollutants in the ecosystem (water, atmosphere
and soil) and their degradation using chemical
methods, micro-organisms or higher plants to
lead to environmental decontamination.
38