• CHE4807- Environmental Chemistry IV

• Microwave-assisted and microextraction sample preparation methods.
• Adsorptive removal and degradation.
• Nanotechnology. 
• Desulphurization of fuel oils.
• Environmental and food chemistry.
• Water remediation. 

Prof Mketo’s research group is focusing on developing environmentally friendly methods for extraction of targeted analytes prior to spectroscopic or chromatographic determination in food, petrochemicals and/or environmental samples. The group is also exploring the used of industrial and agricultural waste to produce novel nanomaterials for adsorptive removal/degradation of pollutants and for recovery of valuable elements (REEs and PGMs) from various matrices. After the recent food poison outbreak in South Africa, the group saw the need to develop sensors for a rapid monitoring of pesticides and mycotoxins in various food samples. The research group’s main goal is to reduce environmental pollution (SDG 6), improve food safety (SDGs 1&2) and to provide clean and affordable energy (SDG 7) in the African Continent at large.

• J Kiwanuka, P. N Nomngongo, N. Mketo, Ultrasound-assisted magnetic dispersive solid phase microextraction combined with ICP-OES for determination of mercury in fuel oils, Scientific Reports (2025) ACCEPTED.
• R Rukaramato, D Babatunde, T Madanhire, N Mketo, NP Magwa, Nanocellulose-based materials for the removal of metal ions, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, dyes, and other pollutants from aqueous environments: A review, Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry (2025) ACCEPTED.
• S Salami, M Sihlahla, B.S Dladla, N. Mketo, Common additive potent organic toxicants in energy drinks: An in-depth review of their health impacts, sample preparation methods, and chromatographic quantification techniques, Trends in Food Science & Technology (2025) ACCEPTED.
• S Mdluli, P. N Nomngongo, N. Mketo, Synthesis and characterization of Fe3O4@Al2O3-1- (2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol for preconcentration of trace metals in fuel oils prior to inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy analysis, Petroleum Science and Technology (2025) ACCEPTED.
• P. Dlangalala, N. S. Mdluli, M. Sihlahla, N. Mketo, Development of UAD-ICP-OES method for determination of multi-element in wine beverages: Evaluating human health risk assessment and method greenness index, Food Analytical Methods, (2025) ACCEPTED.
• O. Otun, N. Mketo, Facile one-step preparation of Ni-doped MIL-53(Fe) metal-organic framework for efficient hybrid supercapacitor performance, New Journal of Chemistry, (2025) ACCEPTED.
• J Kiwanuka, P. N Nomngongo, N. Mketo, Rapid and greener vortex-assisted deep eutectic solvent-based dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction for spectroscopic determination of Hg in fuels, Green Analytical Chemistry, (2025) ACCEPTED.
• D Mukendi, O. S Salami, N. Mketo, An In-Depth Review of Molecularly Imprinted Electrochemical Sensors as an Innovative Analytical Tool in Water Quality Monitoring: Architecture, Principles, Fabrication, and Applications, Micromachines, (2025) ACCEPTED.
• M Chauke, T. S Munonde, N. Mketo, A critical review of the anti-biofouling properties of biogenic-based silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) embedded on polymer membranes for wastewater treatment, Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, (2025) ACCEPTED.
• V Sengane, M. Sihlahla, P. N Nomngongo, N. Mketo, Greener and rapid magnetic solid phase microextraction method using Fe3O4@ Al2O3/AC for chromatographic determination of neonicotinoid pesticides in vegetable oils, Advances in Sample Preparation, (2025) ACCEPTED.
• Mahlaule-Glory, E. D Moema, M. Thatyana, N. C Hintsho-Mbita, N. Mketo, Adsorption studies on the removal of lead ions by magnetic cellulose nanocrystals as an eco-friendly nanoadsorbent derived from maize waste, International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry, (2024) ACCEPTED.
• V Sengane, M. Sihlahla, P. N Nomngongo, N. Mketo, Application of deep eutectic solvent based dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction method followed by HPLC-DAD for quantification of selected neonicotinoid pesticides in vegetable oils, 207 (2024) 111984.
• K Munjanja, O. S Salami, K. N Mashale, P. N Nomngongo, N. Mketo, Multivariate Optimization of a Green Microwave-Assisted Hydrogen Peroxide Digestion of Vegetable Oils and Subsequent Elemental Determination Via Inductively Coupled Plasma–Optical Emission Spectrometry, Food Analytical Methods (2024) 1-11.
• E Zikalala, S. Azizi, L. S Mpeta, R. Ahmed, A. Dube, N. Mketo, A. A Zinatizadeh, T. Mokrani, M. M Maaza, Green synthesis of reduced graphene oxide using Persea americana mill. extract: Characterization, oxygen reduction reaction and antibacterial application, Diamond and Related Materials, 149 (2024) 111560.
• Ncube, M. Thatyana, Y. Tancu, N. Mketo, Quantitative analysis and health risk assessment of selected heavy metals in pet food samples using ultrasound assisted hydrogen peroxide extraction followed by ICP-OES analysis, Food and Chemical Toxicology, 192 (2024) 114915.
• J Kiwanuka, P.N Mahlambi, P.N Nomngongo, N. Mketo, Novel Microwave Assisted-Hydrogen Peroxide Digestion of Coal and Fuel Oils Using Methionine as a Capping Reagent for the Determination of Mercury by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES), Analytical Letters, (2024) 1-14.
• Ncube, Y. Tancu, N. Mketo, A greener, rapid and accurate microwave-assisted hydrogen peroxide digestion method for ICP-OES determination of heavy metals in pet food samples, Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 131 (2024) 106201.
• S Mgiba, V Mhuka, N.C Hintsho-Mbita, N. Mketo, Quantitative analysis of organosulphur compounds in crude oil samples using magnetic solid phase extraction based on Au-Fe3O4 adsorbent and gas chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometry, Chemical Papers, (2024) 1-14.
• E Zikalala, S Azizi, F. T Thema, K. J Cloete, A. A Zinatizadeh, T Mokrani, N. Mketo, M. M Maaza, Modification of graphene-based nanomaterials with gamma irradiation as an eco-friendly approach for diverse applications: A review, FlatChem (2024) 100662.
• S Mdluli, P. N Nomngongo, N. Mketo, Ionic liquid assisted extraction induced by emulsion breaking for extraction of trace metals in diesel, gasoline and kerosene prior to ICP-OES analysis, Heliyon, 5 (2024).
• S Mdluli, C. D Knottenbelt, P.N Nomngongo, N. Mketo, Microwave-assisted hydrogen peroxide digestion followed by ICP-OES for determination of metals in selected fuel oils, Scientific Reports, 14 (2024) 2362.
• G Mabena, P.N Nomngongo, N. Mketo, Selective and precise solid phase extraction based on a magnetic cellulose gold nanocomposite followed by ICP-OES analysis for monitoring of total sulfur content in liquid fuels, RSC Advances, 14 (2024) 27990-27998. 
• B.K. Munjanja, P.N. Nomngongo, N. Mketo, Organochlorine pesticides in vegetable oils: An overview of occurrence, toxicity, and chromatographic determination in the past twenty-two years (2000–2022), Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 64 (2024)10204-10220.
• N.M. Masanabo, O. Zinyemba, N. Mketo, A greener microwave-assisted extraction method       for rapid spectroscopic determination of selected metals in river and freshwater sediment  certified reference materials, 10.1080/03067319.2018.1559306.
• N. R. Biata, G. P. Mashile, J. Ramontja, N. Mketo, P. N. Nomngongo, Application of ultrasound-assisted cloud point extraction for preconcentration of antimony, tin and thallium in food and water samples prior to ICP-OES determination, Journal of Food Composition and Analysis 76 (2019) 14-21.
• N.M. Ngoepea, Z. Mbita, M. Mathipa, N. Mketo, B. Ntsendwana, N.C. Hintsho-Mbita, Biogenic synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using Monsonia burkeana for use in photocatalytic, antibacterial and anticancer applications. Ceramics International 44 (2018) 16999-17006.
• N. Mketo, P.N. Nomngongo, J.C. Ngila, Environmentally friendly microwave-assisted sequential extraction method followed by ICP-OES and ion-chromatographic analysis for rapid determination of sulphur forms in coal samples. Talanta 182 (2018) 567-573.
• N.R. Biata, K.M. Dimpe, J. Ramontja, N. Mketo, P.N. Nomngongo, Determination of thallium in water samples using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES)  after ultrasonic assisted-dispersive solid phase microextraction, Microchemical Journal 137 (2018) 214–222.    
• N.R. Biata, L. Nyaba, J. Ramontja, N. Mketo, P.N. Nomngongo, Determination of antimony and tin in beverages using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry after ultrasound-assisted ionic liquid dispersive liquid-liquid phase microextraction, Food chemistry 237 (2017) 904-911.
• N. Mketo, P.N. Nomngongo, J.C. Ngila, Effect of different dilute alkaline extracting reagents on coal desulphurization under microwave radiation. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24 (2017),  19852–19858.
• N. Mketo, P.N. Nomngongo, J.C. Ngila, An overview on analytical methods for quantitative determination of multi-element in coal related samples, TRAC 85 (2016) 107-116.
• N. Mketo, P.N. Nomngongo, J.C. Ngila, Development of a novel and green microwave- assisted hydrogen peroxide digestion method for total Sulphur quantitative extraction in  coal samples prior to inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy and ion  chromatography determination, RSC Adv. 5 (2015) 38931-38938.
• N. Mketo, P.N. Nomngongo, J.C. Ngila, Evaluation of different microwave-assisted dilute acid extracting reagents on simultaneous coal desulphurization and demineralization, Fuel, 163 (2016) 189-195.
• N. Mketo, P.N. Nomngongo, J.C. Ngila, An innovative microwave-assisted digestion method  with diluted hydrogen peroxide for rapid extraction of trace-elements in coal samples  followed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, Microchemical J., 124 (2016)  208.