Dr. Norah Basopo
- Courses: 0
- Website: http://www.nust.ac.zw
OCCUPATION: Senior Lecturer
QUALIFICATIONS: BSc UZ, Z'bwe; GradDipToxicol RMIT, Aus., MAppSc Toxicol, RMIT, Aus;
PhD, NUST,Z’bwe; PGDHE, NUST, Z’bwe
OFFICE: SW161
EXT:
EMAIL: norah.basopo@nust.ac.zw
RESEARCH INTERESTS: My research interests and expertise are in the field of Biochemical Ecotoxicology. I am motivated by the desire to contribute to the conservation and protection of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. My research focuses on assessing the levels and effects of anthropogenic pollutants on water resources and terrestrial environments. I employ techniques such as gas chromatography, UV-vis spectrophotometry and atomic absorption spectrometry to analyse levels of chemical pollutants in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. I exploit biochemical markers to assess the effects of pollutants like pesticides, heavy metals, pharmaceutical products, personal care products, e-waste, antiseptics (UV/Vis), hormones and steroids, flame retardants, veterinary medicines and perfluoronated compounds, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on aquatic and terrestrial biota.
PUBLICATIONS: Djarova T., Masanganise, K. and Basopo N. 1998. Lactic acid changes in ostrich meat under various conditions of storage and treatment with different feed supplement in Zimbabwe. Proceedings of the Second International Scientific Ratite Congress. De Jongh's Printers S. Africa.
Basopo, N. and Naik YS. (2012) Inhibition of esterases of the freshwater snails Helisoma duryi and Lymnaea natalensis by mixtures of pesticides. International Journal of Environmental Protection, 292): 27-30.
Basopo N, Mumbamarwo L, Mkandla D and Naik YS. (2014) Pollutant mixtures as stressors of selected enzyme activities of the aquatic snail Helisoma duryi. Journal of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology 6(4): 27-37.
M Ndabambi, N Basopo, LC Nkiwane & YS Naik (2015) The molluscicidal efficacy of methanol extracts of Pterocarpus angolensis, Sclerocarya birrea, Pappea capensis and Commiphora africana against Lymnaea natalensis and Helisoma duryi, African Journal of Aquatic Science, 40:107-108, DOI: 10.2989/16085914.2015.1024605
Basopo N and Naik YS. (2015) Toxicological effects of technical grade and formulated pesticides on esterase activity in freshwater snails H. duryi and L. natalensis. Annals of Biological Research, 6 (12):37-42. ISSN 0976-1233
Basopo N and Ngabaza T. (2015) Toxicological effects of chlopyrifos and lead on the aquatic snail Helisoma duryi. Advances in Biological Chemistry, 5: 225-233.
Majaya R.D., Tapfuma, D .,Mnkandla, S., Basopo, N. (2016). Toxicological Effects of Differently Polluted Dam Waters Spiked with Pesticides on Freshwater Snails Lymnaea natalensis. International Journal of Chemistry 8(3); 1-8. DOI:10.5539/ijc.v8n3p1. ISSN 1916-9698
Brock, G. Mnkandla,S. and Basopo, N. (2016). An assessment of the extent of bovine milk pollution by DDT used in public Health in Zimbabwe. Journal of Applied Science and Research 4 (4);16-22. ISSN 2348-0416.
Basopo N and Naik Y.S. (2016). Carbaryl and dimethoate induced alterations of the antioxidant defense system in two freshwater pulmonate snails Helisoma duryi and Lymnaea natalensis. Annals of Biological Research 7 (9):1-8. ISSN 0976-1233.
Mnkandla S., Ndebele D, Teta C and Basopo N. (2016). Effects of industrial effluent on aquatic organisms: a study using zebra fish (Danio rerio) as a model of evaluation.
African Journal of Science and Research 5(5):07-11. ISSN 2306-5877.
Basopo, N., Muusha, Y and Mnkandla, S. (2017). The Effects of Sub Lethal Levels of Lead on Acetylcholinesterase Activity in the Rock Pigeon, (Columba Livia).
Zimbabwe Journal of Science and Technology 12:1-7. e-ISSN 2409-0360
Mnkandla, S.M., N. Basopo, N., Siwela A.H . (2019) The Effect of Persistent Heavy Metal Exposure on Some Antioxidant Enzyme Activities and Lipid Peroxidation of the Freshwater snail, Lymnaea natalensis. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-019-02693-z
Mnkandla, S.N., Siwela A.H., N. Basopo (2019). Effects of chronic exposures of selected heavy metals on the glutathione S-transferase activity of freshwater snails Lymnaea natalensis in Zimbabwe. Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science. URL:http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/ajas
Basopo, N., Muzvidziwa, A. (2020). Assessment of the effects of atrazine, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and dimethoate on the freshwater fish (Oreochromis mossambicus): A case study of the A2 farmlands in Chiredzi, in the South Eastern part of Zimbabwe. Environmental Science and Pollution Research.
https://doi.org/ 10.1007/s11356-019-06569-x. ISSN 0944-1344
Change JB, Siwela AH, Basopo N. (2020) Biochemical effects of effluent pollutants from coal mining activities on the freshwater snails, Helisoma duryi. J Environ Chem Toxico. 4 (2); 1-4.
Halifeli Kolobe, Sanele Mnkandla and Norah Basopo. 2020. An assessment of the uptake of selected heavy metals, antioxidant response and lipid peroxidation in Spinacia Oleracea vegetables, cultivated on soil from a coal mining area in Matabeleland North Region of Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe Journal of Science & Technology 15:12-22. e-ISSN 2409-0360
. Basopo N, Ndebele D and Chitsa RT. 2022. A comparison of selected heavy metals in soils mixed with domestic and industrial sludges and assessment of effects of the sludge pollutants on oxidative stress markers of the African kale (Brassica oleracea var acephala) grown using sewage sludge manure. African Journal of Environmental Science and Technology 16(10):363-372. ISSN: 1996-0786
Basopo Norah, Ndebele Donald and Kutywayo Nyasha. 2022. An assessment of toxic effects of chemical toxicants on biochemical markers in the freshwater snail Helisoma duryi exposed to different water samples from a gold mine. Research Journal of Chemistry and Environment 26 (11): 1-10.
Ndlovu, R. and Basopo, N. (2022) Pesticide-Induced Alterations of Esterase and Antioxidant Enzymes of Aquatic Organisms Oreochromis mossambicus and Xenopus laevis. Advances in Biological Chemistry, 12, 292-305. https://doi.org/10.4236/abc.2022.126023
Change JB, Siwela AH, Basopo N. (2023). Oxidative Stress Associated with Pollutants from Coal Mining Activities on Aquatic Plants: A Case Study of Hwange, Matabeleland North, Zimbabwe. Biomarkers Journal, 09(01):1-8. doi: 10.35841/2472-1646.23.09.001
Mnkandla, S.M., Mosoabisane, M.F.T., Basopo, Otomo PV. (2024) Mycofiltration of Aqueous Iron (III) and Imidacloprid Solutions, and the Effects of the Filtrates on Selected Biomarkers of the Freshwater Snail Helisoma duryi. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-023-01049-3
Book Chapter
Basopo, N. . and Ngabaza, T. (2021) The effects of chlorpyrifos and lead on the antioxidant enzyme system of the aquatic snail Helisoma duryi. Current Advances in Chemistry and Biochemistry Vol. 1. pp. 74–84. doi: 10.9734/bpi/cacb/v1/7019D.
Basopo, N. (2023) A Research Journey with Biochemical Toxicology in Zimbabwe in The International Science Programme 2001–2021, 20 Years of Continued Development. Wind, Ödeshög, Sweden, ISSN 0502-7454.
ISSN-978-91-513-1724-3