Chemistry groups in Tanzania

ISP Chemistry supports one research group at Department of Chemistry, University of Dar es Salaam:

• Analytical and Environmental Chemistry

Analytical and environmental chemistry

The current industrialisation drive in Tanzania has led to rapid increase of miscellaneous industries in the country. These circumstances have introduced new uninvestigated problems relating to chemical substances. Previous studies have shown alarmingly high levels of chemical contaminants in food, industrial products, materials and environmental matrices in the country. So far, very few types of contaminants have been investigated.

ISP supported the research group 2004-2008, when it was paused because of conditions in the Sida-ISP agreement. Support started again in 2021.

Objectives

The overall goals of the research group:

• To improve the conditions and techniques for carrying out research and postgraduate training in chemical analyses.
• To carry out chemical analyses of food, industrial materials, environmental samples and samples from human beings to determine the properties, compositions, distribution, effects and fates of chemical species.
• To develop techniques for removal/reduction of chemical contaminants in food and environmental samples.
• To improve production and dissemination of high-quality research results.
• To promote the use of research results and outcomes by the society/stakeholders (communities, industries, decision-makers, etc.) and for development.