OYEKUNLE, John A.O., PhD.
Rank: Professor
Office: Room 115 (Second Floor, White house), Department of Chemistry, OAU, Ile-Ife.
Email: oyekunle@oauife.edu.ng ; biola4jaaoo@yahoo.com
Profile:
John Oyekunle holds a B.Sc. (Ed) Chemistry degree from Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo (Obafemi Awolowo University, Ondo Campus), which he obtained in 1987. After working in the public sector for a few years, he then returned to Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, where he bagged his M.Sc and PhD in 2001 and 2008, respectively, working in the area of Analytical Chemistry. Dr. Oyekunle joined the services of the Chemistry Department, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, in 2003.
Dr. Oyekunle started showing distinct academic merits from his undergraduate days, which led to the award of Best Chemistry Student in Part IV (OAU, Ondo Campus), 1986/87. In 2005, he was one of the recipients of a 4 month Southern and Eastern Africa Network of Analytical Chemists (SEANAC) award to visit University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana, for research collaboration.
Dr. Oyekunle is a member of the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria and Chemical Society of Nigeria.
Area of Specialisation / Research Interest:
His research interest covers three broad areas of Analytical Chemistry work.
The first aspect deals with determination of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) namely: Organochlorine Pesticides (OCPs), Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and Polychloro Biphenyls (PCBs) in Environmental samples such as surface and underground waters, soil, sediments and fish using state-of-the-art instrumentations such as Gas Chromatograph Flame Ionization Detector (GC-FID) and Gas Chromatograph Electron Capture Detector (GC-ECD).
The second aspect is focused on the environmental trace metal levels in various matrices. This involves speciation and determination of trace metals in water, soil, sediments and general biota. Methods to reduce levels of heavy metal pollutants in effluents using locally sourced adsorbents, local and other conventional coagulants have also been proffered.
The third aspect is concerned with the extraction and physicochemical characterization of non-conventional seed oils and development of lubricating oils and biofuels from such non-conventional oils.
Selected Publications:
(i) Oyekunle, J.A.O. and Omode, A.A. (2008). Chemical composition and fatty acid profile of the lipid fractions of selected Nigerian Indigenous Oilseeds. Int. J. Food Properties, 11(2): 273 – 281.
(ii) Asubiojo, O.I., Adebiyi, F.M., Ayenimo, J.G., Olukoko, O.O. and Oyekunle, J.A.O. (2009). Chemical analysis of tobacco cigarette for organochlorine insecticides and heavy metal composition, Toxicological and Environmental Chemistry, 91(4): 611 – 618.
(iii) Ogunfowokan, A.O., Oyekunle, J.A.O., Gabriel, O.D., Durosinmi, L.M. and Akinjokun, A.I. (2009). Speciation study of lead and manganese in roadside dusts from major roads in Ile-Ife, Southwestern Nigeria. Chemistry and Ecology, 25(6): 405 – 415.
(iv) Oluyemi, E.A., Oyekunle, J.A.O. and Olasoji, S.O. (2009). A comparative study of the removal of heavy metal ions from synthetic wastewaters using different adsorbents. Adsorption Science and Technology, 27(5):493 – 501.
(v) Oyekunle, J.A.O. Ogunfowokan, A.O. Torto, N. and Akanni, M.S. (2011) Determination of organochlorine pesticides in the agricultural soil of Oke-Osun farm settlement, Osogbo, Nigeria. Environ Monit Assess. 177: 51 – 61.
(vi) Oyekunle, J.A.O., Ogunfowokan, A.O., Torto, N. and Akanni, M.S. (2011). Levels of heavy metals in agricultural soils of Oke-Osun farm settlement Osogbo, Nigeria. Journal of International Environmental Application and Science, 6(4): 483 – 496.
(vii) Ogunfowokan, A.O., Oyekunle, J. A. O., Torto, N. and Akanni, M. S. (2012). A study on persistent organochlorine pesticide residues in fish tissues and water from an agricultural fish pond. Emir. J. Food Agric. 24 (2): 165-184.
(viii) A.S. Adekunle, O.O. Odukoya, J.G. Ayenimo, J.A.O. Oyekunle, W.O. Doherty, B.B. Mamba and M.S. Akanni (2012). Removal of Heavy Metals from Industrial Effluents by Water Hyacinth (Eichornia crassipes), Journal of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, 4(11): 203-211.
(ix) J.A.O. Oyekunle, A.S. Adekunle, A.O. Ogunfowokan, M.S. Akanni and O.S. Coker (2012). Agama Lizard: A Potential Biomarker of Environmental Heavy Metal Pollution Assessment, African Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 6(12): 458 – 463.