Prof HI Atagana

Expertise

• Environmental biotechnology, microbial ecology, science education

Qualifications

• PhD. Environmental Microbiology
• M.Sc. Environmental Microbiology
• B.Sc. (Hons) Botany
• Certificate in Education (NCE)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Management
• Diploma in Project Management
• Certificate in Nucleic Acid Manipulation
• Certificate in Environmental Law
• Certificate in Integrated Environmental Management (IEM)

NRF Rating

Currently teaching

Microbial Ecology, Microbial Taxonomy, Microbial Physiology, Microbial Diversity, Environmental Biotechnology, Bioremediation Technology, Industrial Microbiology and Science Education.

Fields of academic interests

• Microbiological quality of freshwater
• Endophyte assisted phytoremediation of soil polluted by organics and metals.
• Bioremediation of soil and water contaminated with organic and inorganic pollutants.
• Biological treatment of municipal, mine and industrial wastewater.
• Microbiological treatment of heavy metal contamination.
• Eco-toxicology.
• Science education.       

Books

1. Atagana, H. I. (2004). Bioremediation of soil heavily contaminated with creosote by co-composting with poultry manure and sewage sludge. Bac-Min Conference Proceedings. Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Bendigo, Australia. November 8-10, 2004.
2. Atagana, H. I., Haynes, R. J. & Wallis, F. M. (2001). Bioremediation of creosote contaminated soil by indigenous soil fungi. In: Magar, V., von Fahnstock, F.M. and Leeson, A. (eds), Ex Situ Treatment Technologies.Battelle Press, Columbus, Ohio.        
3. Atagana, H. I., Haynes, R. J. & Wallis, F. M. (2000). Bioremediation of creosote contaminated soils. In: Wickramanayake,G., Gavaskar,A., Gibbs,J. and Means,J. (Eds), Case studies in the remediation of chlorinated and recalcitrant compounds. Battelle Press, Columbus.

Journal articles

1. Ruth S. Sokolo, Harrison I. Atagana and Nedie P. Akani (2020). Effects of heavy metals in well water on biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbon by consortia of bacteria and fungi. African Journal of Microbiology Research. Vol. 14(11), pp. 637-643, DOI: 10.5897/AJMR2020.9435
2. Emmanuella. C. Nnabuo-Eguzozie, Harrison. I. Atagana, Rasheed. A. Adeleke, EGUZOZIE, K. U.(2020). Optimization of  PO₄^2- and  NO₃^2- Concentration in Benthic Epilithic Diatom Cultures as Biological Indicators in Predicting the Trophic Status of the Swartpruit River, South Africa. Applied Ecology and Environmental Research. 18: (6) 7607-7625. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15666/aeer/1806_76077625
3. R.O. Anyasi, H.I. Atagana and R. Sutherland (2019). Comparative study of the colonization of Chromolaena and tobacco plants by Bacteria  safensis CS4 using different methods of inoculation. Pak. J. Biol. Sci., 22: 309-317.
4. Anyasi, R.O. & Atagana, H.I. (2019). Endophyte: Understanding the Microbes and its Applications. Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences. DOI: 10.3923/pjbs.2019.
5. Anyasi, R.O. Atagana, H.I. & Sutherland, R. (2019). Identification and characterization of PAH-degrading endophytes isolated from plants growing around a sludge dam, International Journal of Phytoremediation, DOI: 10.1080/15226514.2018.1556585
6. Zikhathile, T. & Atagana, H.I. (2018). Challenges Facing Home-Based Caregivers in the Management of Health Care Risk Waste. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15 (12), 2700. DOI: org/10.3390/ijerph15122700
7. Sokolo, R., Atagana, H.I. & Akani, N. (2018). Molecular Characterisation of Culturable Aerobic Hydrocarbon Utilising Bacteria and Fungi in Oil Polluted Soil at Ebubu-Ejama Community, Eleme, Rivers State, Nigeria. Journal of Advances in Biology & Biotechnology, 18(4): 1-7, 2018; Article no. JABB.43507
8. Anyasi, R.O. & Atagana, H.I. (2018) Profiling of plants at petroleum contaminated site for phytoremediation. International Journal of Phytotechnologies.Vol.20:4,pp. 352-361. DOI: 10.1080/15226514.2017.1393386.                                             
9. Ubani, O & Atagana, H.I. (2018). Measuring the effect of co-composting Crude Oil sludge with pig, cow, horse and poultry manures on the degradation of selected Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons. Archives of Environmental Protection. Vol. 44 no. 1 pp. 77–86. DOI 10.24425/118184.
10. Anyasi, R.O. & Atagana, H.I. (2017). Assessing People’s Behavior towards Recycling, a Case of Upper Claremont South Africa. International Journal of Environmental & Science Education, Vol. 12, pp. 1751-1764.
11. Obi, L., Atagana, HI., & Adeleke, R. (2016). Isolation and characterisation of crude oil sludge degrading bacteria. SpringerPlus, Vol. 5, pp. 1-13. DOI 10.1186/s40064-016-3617-z
12. Gobaw, G.F. & Atagana, H.I. (2016) The relationship between students’ biology laboratory skill performance and their course achievement. Problems of education in the 21st century, Vol. 72, pp 6-15.
13. Gobaw, G.F.& Atagana, H.I. (2016). Assessing Laboratory Skills Performance in Undergraduate Biology Students. Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 5(3), 113-122.
14. Gobaw, G.F.& Atagana, H.I. (2016). Analysis of Undergraduate Biology Laboratory Manuals of Ethiopian Universities. International Journal of Biology Education, 5(1), 34-49.   
15. Ubani, O., Atagana, H.I. Thantsha, M.S. & Adeleke, R (2016). Identification and characterisation of oil sludge degrading bacteria isolated from compost. Archives of Environmental Protection, Vol. 42 no. 2 pp. 67–77
16. Ubani, O., Atagana, H.I., Thantsha, M.S. and Adeleke, R. (2016). Characterisation of oil degrading bacteria from tailored compost containing crude oil sludge. Indian Journal of Biotechnology, Vol 15, pp 243-250.

Paper presentations

1. Maduike, S. and Atagana, H. (2019) Effect Of Multimedia Computer Instructional Package On Tvet College Students’ Understanding Of Mechanical Properties Of Steel. Unisa ISTE Conference on Mathematics, Science and Tecnology Education. 21-25 October 2019.
2. T.S. Zikhathile and H.I. Atagana (2019) Assessment On Management Practices And Knowledge Of Community Health Workers On Health Care Risk Waste. 17^th International Wastemanagement and Landfill Symposium. 30 September – 04 October 2019. Forte Village/Santa Margherita di Pula, Italy.
3. E. C. Nnabuo-Eguzozie, H. I. Atagana, R. A. Adeleke (2019) Benthic epilithic diatom community structures and their relationship to water chemistry of Swartspruit River, North West Province, South Africa. 29^th Annual International Conference on Soil, Water, Energy, & Air, San Diego, CA, USA. March 18-21 2019.
4. Linda U. Obi, Harrison I. Atagana and Rasheed A. Adeleke (2018) Potential Microbial Drivers Of Biodegradation Of Crude Oil Sludge In Compost. 28th Annual International Conference on Soil, Water, Energy, & Air, San Diego, CA, USA. March 19-22, 2018.
5. Linda U. Obi, Harrison I. Atagana and Rasheed A. Adeleke (2018) Compost bioremediation of crude oil sludge with anionic and nonionic surfactants. 7^th European Bioremediation Conference & 11^th ISEB Conference, Chania, Greece, June 25 – 28, 2018
6. T.S. Zikhathile and H.I. Atagana (2018). Health Care Risk Waste Generated in Domestic Settings through Home Health: A Review of the Health and Environmental Impact in South Africa. In Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Advances in Science, Engineering, Technology and Healthcare (ASETH-18), Nov. 19-20, 2018 Cape Town, South Africa.
7. Anyasi, R.O. & Atagana, H.I. (2017). Assessment of Plants at Petroleum Contaminated Site for Phytoremediation Proceedings of the International Conference of Recent Trends in Environmental Science and Engineering (RTESE'17) Toronto, Canada – August 23 – 25, 2017.
8. Anyasi, R.O. & Atagana, H.I. (2016). Endophytes: An Indicator for Improved Phytoremediation of Industrial Waste Proceedings of the 23rd WasteCon Conference, Johannesburg, South Africa, October 17-21, 2016.
9. Ubani, O & Atagana, HI (2015). Measuring the effect of co-composting oil sludge with pig, cow, horse and poultry manure on the degradation in selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons concentrations. World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology (Environmental Science & Engineering Conference) Paper Code ww2910. Los Angeles, USA. 28-29 September 2015.