Health
UNILAG don unveils paint coatings to curb lead poisoning
Johnson Idowu
The Head of the Department of Microbiology, University of Lagos, Prof Olayide Obidi, has unveiled bio-based coating solutions developed with nanotechnology to help address health and environmental risks associated with the use of lead in paints.
Obidi disclosed this while delivering her inaugural lecture, titled “From Micro to Nano: The Colourful Voyage of an Industrial Microbiologist,” at the Ade Ajayi Auditorium, UNILAG campus, Lagos, on Wednesday.
The don said her interest in paint research and development led her to explore solutions to challenges facing the Nigerian paint industry, particularly the use of lead to extend the shelf life of paints.
She described lead as a cumulative neurotoxin associated with serious health conditions, including developmental problems, organ failure and death.
Obidi said her research had resulted in the introduction of nanomaterials for use in the Nigerian paint industry.
She said a comparative evaluation of conventional biocides and green-synthesised nanoparticles for microbial inhibition showed significant improvement in controlling paint microflora through nanotechnology.
“I therefore introduced the use of nanomaterials for the Nigerian paint industry.
“We have successfully produced the first bio-based solutions for coatings. These have been patented and are ready to be commercialised,” she said.
The professor stressed the need for stronger collaboration between universities and industries, saying research should translate into solutions that benefit society.
“There is a need to bridge the ever-widening gap between academia and industry. Therefore, research should not end in the laboratory. It should be commercialised and beneficial to humanity,” she said.
She also called for better-equipped laboratories to support innovative and groundbreaking research.
“It is an understatement to say that laboratories are needed. Innovative, ground-breaking research can only be carried out in well-equipped laboratories,” Obidi said.
The don further called for increased investment in protective nanocoatings technology to facilitate its development and adoption.
She said technological research should also align with the efforts of the government, research councils and regional development agencies.
Obidi urged relevant stakeholders to provide the financial and institutional support required to move nanocoating research from the laboratory to commercial production.
She noted that the commercialisation of the patented bio-based coating solutions could help strengthen the paint industry while providing safer alternatives and promoting technological development in Nigeria.
Speaking at the event, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof Folasade Ogunsola, described the lecture as a thought-provoking discourse that demonstrated the progression of scientific inquiry from microbiology to materials science and nanotechnology.
Ogunsola said Obidi’s research had contributed to a better understanding of paint spoilage, microbial deterioration and the shelf life of paint, particularly against the growing use of water-based formulations.
She noted that although water-based paints offered environmental advantages over solvent-based formulations because of concerns about volatile organic compounds, their aqueous nature could make them more vulnerable to microbial attack.
According to her, the challenge provided an important platform for Obidi’s research into safer and more sustainable solutions.
The vice-chancellor said Obidi’s research had also extended beyond the paint industry to the marine sector, where she examined the effects of biofilms on hydrodynamics and the use of antifouling agents.
She added that the researcher’s work on industrial effluents had demonstrated the potential of biosynthesised nanoparticles for removing heavy metals.
Ogunsola described the movement of some of Obidi’s research outcomes from the laboratory towards practical application, including patents arising from the work, as significant contributions to industrial development.
She also commended Obidi’s contribution to teaching and student supervision, as well as her establishment of the Society for Girls STEM Education, which she said reflected her commitment to encouraging young girls to pursue opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Ogunsola said, “Today’s inaugural lecture has offered us more than an account of scientific discoveries. It has shown us the possibilities that arise when research is connected to industry, environmental concerns, and the needs of society.”
She congratulated Obidi on what she described as an informative and excellent inaugural lecture, adding that the don had made significant contributions to the Faculty of Life Sciences and the university.
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