MANDATE

Physical and Chemical Oceanography Equipment

Research projects in Physical & Chemical Oceanography:

Physical Oceanography:

Presently, the main thrust of research in physical oceanography targets the monitoring and acquisition of basic oceanographic data for description of our coastal waters. These include Sea Surface Temperature (SST), Salinity/Conductivity, pH, Alkalinity, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Waves and Tides, etc.  Meteorological data include Air temperature, Rainfall, Relative humidity, Pressure, Evapo-transpiration, Hours of Sunshine, Insolation, Cloud cover, wind (speed and direction), etc. In offshore waters data collection includes vertical profiling for temperature, salinity, currents (speed and direction), DO, nutrient status etc using bottle-cast, thermographs, XBTs, or CTD.

The processing, storage and retrieval of oceanographic data accumulated since 1975 necessitated the establishment of an Oceanographic Data Bank in 1991. The data bank aimed at serving as a depository for National Oceanographic information which could be available for scientific research, industrial and technological development, planning and decision-making in relevant areas.  The format adopted is that of the Inter-governmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO.  The format ensures that the data centre can receive and exchange data with other National Oceanographic Data Centres in the IODE network.

Chemical Oceanography:

Early research efforts investigated the nutrient status and primary productivity of brackish and coastal waters.  In response to perceived degradation of coastal waters, a large-scale study of near shore waters, especially Lagos lagoon, was initiated in1981.  This examined the discharge of complex industrial and domestic effluents and their impact on the shallow brackish water ecosystem.  Tar ball loading on marine beaches in the Lagos area were also quantified as an index of oil pollution in marine and coastal waters.  Microbiological examinations of the water and food resources have been included for information on safety of sea food consumed by the local populace.  Laboratory static bioassays using petroleum products were further employed to establish toxicity and susceptibility of marine organisms to potential pollutants upon exposure to them in marine ecosystems.

Other studies investigated pond chemistry for water quality in fish farming as a response to addressing problems in pond management.

CONSULTANCIES SERVICES:

As a result of activities carried out over the years, consultancy capabilities have been acquired in the following areas:

Planning, costing and execution of oceanographic surveys;

Planning, execution, reportage and reviews of Environmental Impact Assessments;

Ship-board collection of environmental samples;

Analyses of environmental samples for contaminants;

Design and execution of semi-static bio-assays;

Water Quality criteria for Aquaculture.

The acquisition of these skills justified the investment of government in this sector and is a veritable means of sustainability.

Various staff members are increasingly involved in consultancies locally for the public and private sectors and regionally/internationally for the IGCC/GCLME, UNEP/WACAF, UNIDO, etc

Within the overall mandate of the Institute, the department is responsible for research into:

• The effects of pollution on Nigerian coastal waters and its prevention
  
• The nature of the marine environment, including weather forecasting,
  and the topography of the seabed and the deposits on or under the seabed.

The department has three sections namely:

• Physical Oceanography

• Chemical Oceanography
   
• Instrumentation
                                    Our Profile

ONGOING PROJECTS

• Sub-project 1:  Deep-water Oceanography of Nigerian waters.
   
• Sub-project 2.1: A study of the physical and chemical characteristics of Lagos Lagoon
   

• Sub-project 2.2: A study of the physical and chemical characteristics of Ologe Lagoon.
   

• Sub-project 2.3: A study of the physical and chemical characteristics of Bonny Estuary.
   

• Sub-project 3.2: Determination of the levels of organ chlorine pesticides and petroleum hydrocarbons in fishes of commercial importance from Nigerian marine and estuarine environments.

Highlights of past achievements:

1.   The spatio-temporal variability in oceanographic parameters around the Lagos
      Harbour entrance has been established. Vertical profiles of some offshore
      locations within the Nigerian territorial waters have been measured.  The
      information acquired could be used as benchmark for the evaluation of quality,
      elucidation of changes and peculiar phenomenon, prediction of trends,
      judicious management of coastal resources and the provision of basic data for
      various marine civil engineering and related works. 

2.   An understanding of the distribution of physico-chemical characteristics in
      space and time coupled with other relevant information are sine qua non for the
      rational exploitation of resources (e.g. fish and shrimps) within a sustainable
      framework.  For example Sea Surface Temperature (SST) data is critical for the
      exploitation of Tuna resources as well as the elucidation of climatic events
      which    are based on the interactions and exchanges between the Upper
      Ocean and lower atmosphere.

3.   Data collected in collaboration with the Nigerian Navy can be used for defence
      and other operational purposes e.g. location of submarine canyons, detailed
      knowledge of bathymetry, etc.

 4.  Land-Based Sources and Activities (LBSA) contributing to domestic and
      industrial pollution in Lagos near shore waters have been documented in the
      last two decades. Such data is required to determine the health of the Lagos
      lagoon in terms of contamination by critical pollutants and the safety of seafood
      exploited from the multipurpose aquatic resource.

5.  The effects of domestic and industrial effluents on the benthic communities in
     the lagoon have been established through long-term monitoring. This information
     is invaluable for evaluating the impact of anthropogenic activities on aquatic
     ecosystems and especially on their bio-diversity.

6.  The toxicity ranking of prominent heavy metals and the susceptibility ranking of
     some estuarine organisms have been established under the programme. This
     provided the identification of heavy metal species to be targeted for control as
     well as bio-indicator organisms in environmental management schemes.

7.  A Sea board training on “Marine Pollution Monitoring Techniques in the GCLME
     region” was conducted from 4-9 September 2006 on behalf of UNIDO/GCLME
     for young environmental scientists from the region, as further proof of the
     Institute’s commitment to environmental protection, and operational observance
     of environmental safeguard procedures and regulations and her desire to share
     same with participating countries within the region.

Home | About us | Contact us| Departments | Newsletters | Events

Powered by Learning Systems International Ltd.