Selected Publications

The department is engaged in research in applied Chemistry and other interdisciplinary fields. Currently members in the department do research in water quality, agriculture related Chemistry and energy production and usage, using funds from National and international funding agencies. In most of these projects undergraduate students are involved to assist them develop excellent laboratory skills, and work on independent research. Some of the work has been either published or presented at local and international conferences. The following are some of the recent works that have been published and presented at different forums

1. Sola, P., Mvumi, B.M., Ogendo, J.O., Mponda, O., Kamanula, J.F., Nyirenda, S.P., Belmain, S.R. and Stevenson, P.C. (2014). Botanical pesticide production, trade and regulatory mechanisms in sub-Saharan Africa: making a case for plant-based pesticidal products. Food Sec. 6: 369-384.
2. Maliwichi-Nyirenda, C., Maliwichi, L.L. and Kamanula, J.F. (2014). Plants used for pest management in Malawi, pp. 295-302. In: A. Gurib-Fakim (ed.), Novel Plant Bioresources: Applications in Food, Medicine and Cosmetics, First Edition, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
3. Kamanula, J.F., Zambasa, O. and Masamba, W.R.L. (2014) (in press). Quality of Drinking Water and Cholera prevalence in Ndirande Township, City of Blantyre, Malawi. Journal of Physics and Chemistry of the Earth. DOI: 10.1016/j.pce.2014.09.001
4. Wanda E., (2014). Hydrochemical monitoring of irrigation water quality in Mzimba District, Northern Malawi, Malawi Journal of Science and Technology Volume 10: ISSUE 1 | 2014, 93-101. Available online at www.chanco.unima.ac.mw.
5. Holm R., Wanda E.M., Kasulo V., Gwayi S., (2014). Identification of the potential opportunities, barriers, and threats within the sector in taking up sanitation as a business: rural sanitation in Nkhata Bay District (Malawi), Waterlines Vol. 33 No. 3. Available online at http://dx.doi.org/10.3362/2046-1887.2014.026, ISSN: 2046-1879 (print) 2046-1887.
6.  Holm, R., Kasulo, V., Wanda, E., (2014). Identification of funding mechanisms for private sector participation in the provision of rural household sanitation facilities, in Nkhata Bay District (Malawi), Sustainable Sanitation P r a c t i c e, Issue 20, 07/2014. Available online at www.ecosan.at
7. Holm, R., Kasulo, V., Wanda, E., (2014). Why lending institutions are not willing to provide rural sanitation and hygiene financial services (Malawi). Habitat International. (In press.)
8. Msilimba G., Wanda E.M., (2013). Microbial and geochemical quality of shallow well water in high-density areas in Mzuzu City in Malawi, Physics and Chemistry of the Earth 66 (2013) 173–18 available online at journal homepage:www.elsevier.com/locate/pce.
9. Wanda E.M., Gulula L.C., Phiri A. (2013). Hydrochemical assessment of groundwater used for irrigation in Rumphi and Karonga districts, Northern Malawi, Physics and Chemistry of the Earth 66 (2013) 51–59 available online at journal omepage:www.elsevier.com/locate/pce.
10. Wanda E.M., Gulula L. C.,  and Phiri G. W., (2012) Determination of characteristics and drinking water quality index in Mzuzu City, Northern Malawi (12th WaterNet/WARFSA/GWP-SA Symposium-Harnessing the Rivers of Knowledge for socio economic development, climate adaptation and environmental sustainability)- Physics and Chemistry of the Earth 50–52  92–97 available online at journal homepage:www.elsevier.com/locate/pce.
11. Wanda E.M., Gulula L.C. and Phiri G., (2012). An appraisal of public water supply and coverage in Mzuzu City, northern Malawi (12th WaterNet/WARFSA/GWP-SA Symposium-Harnessing the Rivers of Knowledge for socio economic development, climate adaptation and environmental sustainability)- Physics and Chemistry of the Earth 50–52  175-178 available online at journal homepage:www.elsevier.com/locate/pce.
12. Wanda E.M. and Holm R.  (2012). The Case for More Water Quality Data: Improving Decision Making in Malawi, IEEE Global humanitarian technology conference, October 21-24, 2012, Seattle, Washington USA, Renaissance Seattle Hotel.
13. Luhana C.B., Xiang-Jie Bo, Ju J., Li-Ping Guo, (2012) “A novel enzymatic glucose sensor based on Pt nanoparticles-decorated hollow carbon spheres-modified glassy carbon electrode”, J nanopart. Res.,14,1158
14. Stevenson, P.C., Nyirenda, S.P., Mvumi, B.M, Sola, P., Kamanula, J.F., Sileshi, G.W., and Belmain, S.R (2012). Pesticidal plants: A viable Alternative Insect Pest Management Approach for Resource-poor Farming in Africa. In Opender et al., Botanicals in Environment and Food Security, Scientific Publishers, Jodhpur, India. (Book chapter, pp. 212-238)
15. Belmain, S.R., Amoah, B.A., Nyirenda, S.P., Kamanula, J.F. and Stevenson, P.C. (2012). Highly Variable Insect Control Efficacy of Tephrosia vogelii Chemotypes. J. Agric. Food Chem, 60, 10055-10063.
16. Kamanula, J., Sileshi, G., Belmain, S.R., Sola, P., Mvumi, B.M., Nyirenda, G.K.C., Nyirenda, S.P. and Stevenson, P.C. (2011). Farmers’ Insect Pest management practices and pesticidal plant use in the protection of stored maize and beans in Southern Africa. International Journal of Pest Management 57 (1): 41-49.
17. Wanda E.M., Monjerezi M., Mwatseteza J.F., Kazembe L.N., (2011) .Hydro-geochemical appraisal of groundwater quality from weathered basement aquifers in Northern Malawi, Physics and Chemistry of the Earth 36 (2011) 1197–1207 available online at journal homepage:www.elsevier.com/locate/pce.
18. Nyirenda, S.P., Sileshi, G.W., Belmain, S.R., Kamanula, J.F., Mvumi, B.M., Sola, P., Nyirenda, G.K.C. and Stevenson, P.C. (2011). Farmers’ ethno-ecological knowledge of vegetable pests and pesticidal plant use in northern Malawi and eastern Zambia. African Journal of Agricultural Research .
19. Muzemu, S. Mvumi, B.M., Nyirenda, S.P.M., Sileshi, G.W., Sola, P., Kamanula, J.F., Belmain, S.R. and Stevenson, P.C. (2011). Pesticidal effects of indigenous plants extracts against rape aphids and tomato red spider mites. African Crop Science Proceedings, Vol. 10, pp. 169-171.