University of Port Harcourt

The University of Port Harcourt Central Instruments Laboratory (CIL) is currently located in the North Wing, Ground Floor of the Ofrima Building Complex. The Lab was formally established in 2007 under The Office of the Vice Chancellor.

VISION

State –of – the – art ISO compliant Analytical Instruments Laboratory serving the south – south community of academia and industry with reliable fast turn around delivery.

MISSION

• Establishing links with a clientele comprising namely oil and gas companies, petrochemical industries, environmental companies, food and agriculture industries, regulatory agencies, universities and research institutes
• Active participation in determining appropriate fit – for – purpose analytical equipment and methodology for specific needs of clientele
• Carrying out QA/QC compliant analysis of client’s samples and producing results and reports with fast turn – around time

AIM AND SCOPE OF CIL

The mandate is to provide the three pronged services of research, teaching and consultancy.

These services would be rendered to private, public and corporate entities as well as to the University community.

The modus-operandi is receive: (i) already prepared samples (ii) raw samples (iii) analyze  prepared samples (iv) treat unprepared samples and analyze (v) interpret results and present in a report format. The state - of - the – art microanalytical instruments are used to investigate contemporary problems of relevance to the immediate and wider society. A multidisciplinary approach to problem solving is of essence. Some of the research to be executed include pesticide analysis, nutritional biochemistry studies, environmental bioremediation and pollution studies fingerprinting, social-cultural petrographic studies involving ceramics and other historiographic materials, bio/corrosion studies, semi conductor and crystal growth studies and nanomaterials studies, proteomics, metabolomics.

ORGANOGRAM
 

MAJOR ACTIVITIES/PROJECTS/PROGRAMS.

Programs at the Central Instruments laboratory are in the areas of Research, Teaching and Consultancy.

Current Projects.

(i)                 MacARTHUR /IFS EQUIPMENT

Currently CIL is involved with executing a MacArthur funded research equipment grant under the technical support/supervision of International Foundation for Science (IFS). This project code-named PRISM involves procurement and installation of state – of - the – art micro analytical research equipment which include a Varian AAS, a Varian GC, a Varian UV/VIS Spectrophotometer, a Varian HPLC, an Epifluorescence microscope, a microtox bioassay reader, a Petrographic microscope, hand held GPS receivers, a Millipore water purification unit and a refrigerated centrifuge.

(ii)               ETF(TETFUND) EQUIPMENT

CIL is also currently executing an Education Trust Fund (ETF/Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFUND) project. This project is being executed under the PRISM concept. Three major equipment are involved namely an Agilent GC/MS, a COY Laboratory Anaerobic Chamber (Glove Box) and a Zeiss Scanning Electron Microscope equipped with Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). It involves the procurement and installation of the equipment.

(iii)             ISO CERTIFICATION

Plans are in high gear to commence arrangements for getting the CIL ISO certified. This would be a significant event to be executed at the Lab

Potential for Collaboration/Partnership with Industry/Investors.

Through the PRISM concept CIL has already made rounds amongst many universities in Nigeria and Madagascar. These contacts have prospects for collaborative work. The UNEP has visited CIL and indicated willingness to collaborate and partner. The oil and gas industry has indicated willingness to partner with CIL in consultancy services in the areas of production and environmental management.

Contact Information

Director: Professor Gideon O. Abu
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