UI Don Advocates Derivatisation as Key to Advancing Analytical Chemistry and National Development

A Professor of Analytical and Environmental Chemistry at the University of Ibadan, Professor Gregory Olufemi Adewuyi, has advocated greater application of chemical derivatisation techniques in advancing scientific research, drug detection, environmental monitoring and industrial innovation in Nigeria.

He made the call while delivering the 627th Inaugural Lecture of the University of Ibadan on behalf of the Faculty of Science.

The lecture was titled, “From Bench to Bedside: The Transformative Power of Derivatisation.”

Professor Adewuyi said “bench to bedside” captures the journey from laboratory innovation to practical applications in medicine, healthcare, environmental monitoring and public health, noting that his research focused on the intersection of chemistry, medical science and the environment.

He explained that derivatisation is a chemical technique that modifies compounds to make them more suitable for analysis by improving properties such as volatility, solubility, thermal stability and reactivity.

He added that it provides a chemical bridge between an analyte and its measurable signal, transforming substances that are difficult to analyse into forms with improved analytical properties, by making analytes amenable to techniques such as Gas Chromatography and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography.

The don disclosed that derivatisation has wide applications across environmental science, forensic science, medical and pharmaceutical sciences, and food science, ranging from detecting pollutants in water and soil to identifying drugs and metabolites in biological fluids.

He stated that the technique supports the analysis of pollutants, drugs, metabolites, food components, residues and contaminants using chromatographic methods such as Gas Chromatography (GC) and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).

The Professor of Analytical and Environmental Chemistry highlighted the industrial application of his research, disclosing that his work had culminated in the development of a bio-based wax inhibitor, which received patent recognition from the Federal Republic of Nigeria in June 2026 and was registered in July 2026.

He explained that the invention involves converting castor oil, a renewable Nigerian resource, into a multifunctional additive capable of reducing wax deposition, crude-oil viscosity and pour point, while improving flow characteristics and contributing to corrosion mitigation in crude-oil pipelines.

According to him, the development demonstrates the potential of indigenous resources to produce high-value specialty chemicals for industrial applications and underscores the importance of collaboration among universities, industries and research institutions.

Professor Adewuyi submitted that Analytical Chemistry remains important to modern science and industry because it provides the tools needed to separate, identify and quantify matter.

He said that this generates information useful for protecting human health, ensuring the safety of food and medicines, supporting agriculture, advancing drug development and safeguarding the environment.

The lecturer, therefore, advocated improved support for analytical research and infrastructure, noting that the power of Analytical Chemistry was rooted in derivatisation.

He also called for support for universities to develop independent power systems, including off-grid and hybrid solar systems, while also advocating campus-wide energy audits and improved energy efficiency.

The Inaugural Lecturer called for improved access to analytical-grade reagents, high-purity solvents and certified reference materials, noting that limited local availability, customs duties, port clearance delays and foreign-exchange challenges continued to affect research activities.

He recommended stronger inter-departmental resource sharing through a central database of chemicals, reagents and equipment available across the University, noting that departments such as Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmacy could share resources and reduce the duplication of purchases.

The Don also advocated innovative collaboration among researchers, stressing that academic success should not be measured solely by the number of publications but also by technologies created, problems solved, intellectual property generated, industries strengthened and societal impact achieved.

He restated the need for increased and more accessible research grants to enable researchers to move discoveries from laboratories to prototypes, technologies and commercially viable products.

Professor Adewuyi also urged the Federal Government to strengthen funding for universities and support the local production of chemicals, analytical materials and other scientific resources, advocating greater investment in green chemistry research to reduce industrial pollution and carbon emissions, as well as stronger support for recycling and waste-to-wealth initiatives.

The don further recommended that state governments should include professional chemists on boards and committees responsible for environmental protection, energy policy and the formulation and implementation of environmental regulations, explaining that they possess the scientific expertise required to understand pollutants, monitor environmental quality, evaluate chemical risks and develop evidence-based solutions.

The lecture was the 23rd in the series for the 2025/2026 academic session.