Dr. Ernestine Atangana is a Senior Researcher at the Centre for Environmental Management, University of the Free State (UFS), Bloemfontein, South Africa. She obtained her honors and master’s degrees from the Department of Chemistry at the UFS. He obtained her PhD degree in “Environmental Science” at the Central University of Technology, Free State. She has presented and participated in international and local conferences within South Africa. She has been a reviewer of more than 15 internationally accredited journals from 2016 to- the present.Her research interest includes sampling, Toxicology, Treatment, Statistical analysis, and Statistical modeling. Dr. Ernestine Atangana is currently busy with one PhD co-supervision, a Doctor of Philosophy majoring in Geohydrology, at the Institute for Groundwater Studies, UFS. Three master Thesis MSc is majoring in Integrated Water Management and Environmental Management at the Center for Environmental Management, UFS. Dr. Ernestine Atangana is involved in the TIA Seed funding project of Wastewater Treatment in Western Cape, South Africa, Since 2013 she has published more than 15 articles in 8 internationally accredited journals of applied chemistry, Environmental science and pollution, and water Science.

EDUCATION

2019: Philosophiae Doctor (Ph.D. – Environmental Science)

2013 – 2014: Master of Science (M.Sc. – Chemistry)

Bachelor of Science Honours: (BSc. Hon.- Chemistry)

BSc (Bachelor of Science) (B.Sc.- Biochemistry and Chemistry)

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

 Attended and completed various courses to enhance education and professional skills in various fields.

• Environmental management courses
• Academic Writing courses
• Statistics computer courses
• Critical Thinking for Better Judgment and Decision-Making
• HR for Non-HR Managers (Short Learning Programme)
• Executive Leadership

Since 2021, I have published more than 15 peer-reviewed articles in the multidisciplinary fields of Environmental Science, Water Resources Management, Material Chemistry, Sustainability Science, Wastewater Treatment, Hydrogeology, Environmental Modelling, and Waste Management. My research focuses on water quality assessment, groundwater potential mapping, environmental risk analysis, wastewater remediation using biopolymer and chitosan-based materials, sanitation and sustainability modelling, and environmental pollution control. These studies have been published in internationally recognized mostly in  Q1–Q2 journals In addition, I have reviewed several manuscripts for high-impact international journals, contributing to research development in environmental sustainability, hydrogeochemistry, wastewater treatment, environmental chemistry, and sustainable resource management.

• Mwetulundila, A.L., Atangana, E. Comparative GIS-Based Ensemble Machine Learning for Groundwater Potential Mapping and Hydrogeological Controls in the Arid Stampriet Transboundary Aquifer System, Namibia. Earth Syst Environ (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41748-026-01116-4 Q1
• Kumalo, F.I.; Mugudamani, I.; Atangana, E.; Gumede, T.P. Recent Developments in Cellulose/Chitosan Biopolymer Composites for Winery Wastewater Treatment and Reuse: A Review. Materials2025, 18, 5028. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18215028. Q1
• Atangana, E., Meskini, M., Ajiboye, T.O., Ogugua, S.N., Gryzenhout, M., Swart, H. and Oberholster, P.J., 2025. Synthesis and Effect of Covalent Crosslinking Agents (Aldehyde Groups) on Properties of Maize Corn Cob Cellulose-Chitosan Gel Beads and Antimicrobial Assay. Waste and Biomass Valorization, pp.1-15. (Springer, impact factor (IF 2.6) Q3.
•  Atangana, E & Ajiboye, T, Mafolasire, A, Ghosh, S & Hakeem, B. (2025). Adsorption of Organic Pollutants from Wastewater Using Chitosan-Based Adsorbents Polymers.17.502. 10.3390/polym17040502. (MDPI impact factor (IF 4.2) Q1.
• Atangana Ernestine and Rodrigue G. Batogna Assessment and Evaluation of SurfaceWater Quality and Human Health Risk in the Inkomati River Catchment Basin, South Africa. CSIAM Trans. Appl. Math., 1-26.Q2
• D Aiyambo, E Atangana, R Batogna. Assessing the current ICT waste management strategies among consumers: an empirical study for Windhoek, Namibia. Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management, 1-19.Q2
• D Aiyambo, E Atangana, A Ruswa, UP Ejoke. Assessment of awareness, consumption,and disposal behavior of information and communication technology waste among consumers in Windhoek, Namibia. Discover Sustainability 6 (1), 548. Q2
• Dzhangi, T.R. and Atangana, E., 2024. Evaluation of the impact of coal mining on surface water in the Boesmanspruit, Mpumalanga, South Africa. Environmental Earth Sciences, 83(6), p.159. (Springer, impact factor (IF 2.8) Q2
• Magagula, M., Atangana, E. and Oberholster, P., 2024. Assessment of the Impact of Coal Mining on Water Resources in Middelburg, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa: Using Different Water Quality Indices. Hydrology, 11(8), p.113. (MDPI, impact factor (IF 4.2) Q1.
• Atangana, E., 2023. An indices-based water quality model to evaluate surface water quality: A case study in Vaalwaterspruit, Mpumalanga, South Africa. Journal of African Earth Sciences, 205, p.105001. (Elsevier, impact factor (IF 2.2) Q2.
• Atangana, E. and Oberholster, P.J., 2023. Assessment of water, sanitation, and hygiene targets and theoretical modeling to determine sanitation success in sub-Saharan Africa. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 25(11), pp.13353-13377. (Springer, impact factor (IF 4.7) Q2. 
• Atangana, E., 2022. With the continuing increase in COVID-19 in Sub-Saharan African countries, will sustainable development of goal 1 ever be achieved by 2030? Sustainability, 14(16), p.10304. (Impact factor (IF 3.3), Q1. 
• Atangana, E. and Oberholster, P.J., 2021. Using heavy metal pollution indices to assess water quality of surface and groundwater on catchment levels in South Africa. Journal of African Earth Sciences, 182, p.104254. (Elsevier, Impact factor (IF 2.2), Q2

Book chapter

• Ernestine Atangana , Paul J. Oberholster ,Heba Bedair , Ashkan Khalife and Soumya Ghosh. Forecasting the pollution and eutrophic status of the Upper Crocodile West catchment, South Africa, by a random forest regression-based machine learning approach. Book chapter. Resilient Urban Waterscapes: Integrated Strategies for Sustainable Water Management. Springer. U. Chatterjee, A. I. Almulhim (eds.), Urban Waterscapes, Sustainable Development Goals Series, .https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-20649-7_14
• Ernestine Atangana, Ufuoma Ejoke Patience, Paul. Oberholster.  Exploring Biopolymer Adsorbents Treatment Method for Small to Medium-Sized Wine Industries in South Africa. Discover sustainability, Springer, impact factor (IF 2.4) Q2. Book published: Advances in Earth and Environmental Sciences- Volume 2 Environmental Sciences, Chapter No: 12, Chapter DOI:10.1007/978-3-032-27507-3_12
• Mohajane, P., Atangana, E. (2026). Groundwater Geochemistry and Cemetery Leachate Impacts at Langberg Cemetery, South Africa. In: Li, P., Elumalai, V., Wu, J. (eds) Advances in Earth and Environmental Sciences- Volume 1 Earth Sciences. ICEES 2025. Springer Proceedings in Earth and Environmental Sciences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-25210-4_12

Personal Profile 

Over the past three years, I have established a coherent and impactful research programme that integrates environmental chemistry, hydrogeology, and sustainability science. My research focuses on adsorption technologies, water pollution assessment, chemical kinetics, and advanced statistical and computational modelling. In my research, I develop low-cost, environmentally friendly biopolymer adsorbents derived from waste materials such as shrimp shells and maize cobs. These materials are applied to industrial and municipal wastewater treatment, groundwater protection, and water reuse, contributing to pollution control, climate resilience, and sustainable water resource management in Southern Africa.

My research approach is mixed method (Qauntitative and qualitative approaches), combines laboratory experimentation with field-based water quality assessments and advanced analytical techniques. These include water quality indices, multivariate statistics, regression modeling, Monte Carlo simulations, GIS, and machine learning methods such as Random Forest. Through this integrated approach, I have demonstrated the impact of rapid urbanization, industrial effluents, and population growth on water resource degradation, while proposing practical, science-based mitigation strategies. My research philosophy is impact-driven, aiming to bridge science, industry, and society, and incorporates qualitative methods to better understand the socio-economic dimensions of water and waste management.

Since 2021, I have supervised or co-supervised three MSc and two PhD students to completion, with one MSc awarded cum laude. I am currently supervising 17 MSc and 5 PhD students at UFS and CUT, contributing significantly to postgraduate training and capacity development. My publication record between 2022 and 2025 reflects consistent growth, with 10 peer-reviewed journal articles published mainly in Q1 and Q2 journals, as well as three book chapters. My research has achieved substantial recognition, with over 369 citations on Scopus (H-index 10) and more than 794 citations on Google Scholar (H-index 11). I also serve as a lead guest editor for the journal Polymers and regularly review for several high-impact international journals.

I have secured almost R2 million in competitive research funding as Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator, including grants from the TIA Seed Fund (2022–2023), NRF Thuthuka (2025–2027), and NAS Early and Mid-Career Awards (2024–2026). These projects focus on winery and dairy wastewater treatment using biopolymers and groundwater protection, and involve strong collaborations with industry, government, and local communities, including the South African wine industry, dairy farms, and international partners.

I actively participate in national and international conferences across Africa and Europe and contribute to academic committees, workshops, and leadership programmes. My collaborative research extends globally, including partnerships with institutions in the USA, Namibia, and Cameroon, and continues to generate impactful publications, student training, and applied environmental solutions.

Research field of specialization:

Theoretical and Applied Chemistry in Waste and Water Resource Management

        Waste and Resource Management

     Waste management (agricultural, industrial, and household waste)

Biopolymer adsorbents from waste materials

          Environmental Processes and Treatment Technologies

Environmental chemistry

Adsorption mechanisms for water treatment

Chemical kinetics and mechanisms

         Water Quality and Risk Assessment

Water quality and assessment

Health risk assessment

Ecotoxicology

         Analytical, Modelling, and Integrated Approaches

Statistical modeling

GIS and machine learning applications

Integrated laboratory and field studies

          Sustainability and Environmental Impact

Sustainable water management

Urbanization and environmental impact

Socio-economic sustainability factors

Websites/Scholar Identity

GOOGLE SCHOLAR

Ernestine Alabaroaye Atangana - Google Scholar

SCOPUS

Atangana, Ernestine - Author details - Scopus

ORCHID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8950-1711