Emmanuel Otu

  • Professor of Chemistry; Director of MS in Sustainable Management
  • Chemistry Department
  • Ph.D., University of Ottawa, 1990
  • PHONE: (262) 595-2973
  • EMAIL: otu@uwp.edu
Emmanuel Otu
Dr. Emmanuel Otu, Professor of Chemistry, served as the Founding Dean of the College of Natural and Health Sciences from August 1, 2012 to May 31, 2024. Prior to this appointment he was at Indiana University for fifteen years rising through the ranks to full professor in 2005 - he served for three years as Dean of the School of Natural Sciences and seven years as the head of the Department of Chemistry. He was an assistant professor at Purchase College, of the State University of New York System, for four years, serving one year as head of the Chemistry Department. Dr. Otu received his bachelors of science degree in chemistry, with first class honors, from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile-Ife, Nigeria. After a one-year service to the country, he proceeded to a doctoral degree program at the University of Ottawa in Ontario, Canada. He did postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Waterloo, Canada, first in the chemical engineering department for two years and then the chemistry department for one year. Dr. Otu has a global education and professional career. He has been published more than 78 times in the field of hydrometallurgy and separations, recognized both nationally and internationally, and several collaborative opportunities with scientists at the Argonne National Laboratory. Dr. Otu has lived in or travelled within five of the seven continents. He is a member of the American Chemistry Society and Council on Undergraduate Research.

Teaching Interests

Analytical Chemistry;
Instrumentation;
Environmental Chemistry;
General Chemistry

Research Interests

Designing new analytical chemistry schemes.
Application of analytical chemistry in the hydrometallurgical processing of ores for metal recovery.
Designing environmentally benign process methodologies for the recovery of metals, and wastewater and effluent treatment.

Consulting Interests

Selected Publications

: Competitive extraction of lanthanides by solvent extraction using Cyanex 272: Heat Effects,

2011: Competitive extraction of lanthanides by solvent extraction using Cyanex 272: Analysis, classification and mechanism, Separation and Purification Technology (82-90 pp.)

2011: Synergism in the competitive extraction of the lathanides with Cyanex 272, phosphonic and sulphonic acids, Proceedings of the International Solvent Extraction Conference, Santiago, Chile (p 166 (1-6) pp.)

2010: Desorption of Gold from Activated Carbon with Supercritical Carbon Dioxide, Proceedings of the 3rd International Workshop on Process Hydrometallurgy (1-9 pp.)

2008: The thermodynamics of extraction of bismuth by p,p'-di(2-ethylhexyl)ethylene and methylene-diphosphonic acids, Proceedings of the International Solvent Extraction Conference (1139-1144 pp.)

2007: Thermochemistry of the extraction of bismuth (III) with Bis(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric and 2-Ethylhexylphenylphosphonic acids., Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange (241-256 pp.)

2005: Thermodynamics of the extraction of bismuth with mono-2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid, Proceedings of the International Solvent Extraction Conference (206-211 pp.)

2004: Effect of temperature on the synergistic extraction of some lanthanides by 2-ethylhexyl phenylphosphonic acid and micelles of dinonylnaphthalene sulphonic acid, Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange (415-428 pp.)

2004: Thermodynamics of the extraction of lead, copper, cadmium, cobalt and nickel with mono-2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid, Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange (695-712 pp.)

2003: Radioanalytical Techniques and the Characterization of New Separations Reagents., American Chemical Society Symposium Series No. 868 Radioanalytical Methods in interdisciplinary Research. Fundamentals in Cutting-Edge Applications.

2003: Temperature effect on the extraction of Am(III), U(IV) and Sr(II) by dialkyl-substituted diphosphonic acids, Separation Science and Technology (2619-2636 pp.)

2002: The extraction of Americium and Strontium by p,p’-di(2-ethylhexyl) benzene-1,2-diphosphonic acid, Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange (607-632 pp.)

2002: Thermodynamics of the extraction of some metal ions by dialkyl-substituted diphosphonic acids, Proceedings of the International Solvent Extraction Conference (408-413 pp.)

2001: Temperature effects in the extractions of metal ions by dialkyl-substituted diphosphonic acids. I. The Am(III) Case, Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange (885-904 pp.)

2001: Thermodynamics of the extraction of metal ions by dialkyl-substituted diphosphonic acids. Part II. The U(VI) and Sr(II) Case, Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange (1017-1036 pp.)

2000: Supercritical carbon dioxide elution of gold-cyanide complex from activated carbon, Separation Science and Technology (1879-1886 pp.)

1999: The thermodynamics of synergistic extraction of bismuth by 2-ethylhexyl phenylphosphonic acid and micelles of dinonylnaphthalene sulphonic acid, Thermochimica Acta (117-121 pp.)

1998: The effect of temperature on the synergistic extraction of thorium(IV) and uranium(VI) by 2-ethylhexyl phenylphosphonic acid and micelles of dinonylnaphthalene sulphonic acid, Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange (1161-1176 pp.)

1997: Elution of gold from activated carbon using supercritical carbon dioxide, Separation Science and Technology (1107-1114 pp.)

1997: The synergistic extraction of uranium and thorium by 2-ethylhexyl phenylphosphonic acid and micelles of dinonylnaphthalene sulphonic acid, Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange (1-13 pp.)

1996: Ion chromatography of cyanide and metal cyanide complexes: Review, Journal of International Environmental Analytical Chemistry (81-90 pp.)

1996: Low temperature 31P NMR study of the extraction of lanthanum with 2-ethylhexyl phenylphosphonic acid, Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange (567-583 pp.)

1996: The synergistic extraction of bismuth and zinc by 2-ethylhexyl phenylphosphonic acid and micelles of dinonylnaphthalene sulphonic acid, Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange (247-262 pp.)

1995: Portable thermal pump for supercritical fluid delivery, Analytical Chemistry (212-219 pp.)

1993: Inorganic modifiers in ion pair chromatographic separation of gold cyanide,, Analyst (1277-1280 pp.)

1993: Kinetic modeling of the multi-cycle adsorption of gold on activated carbon in the presence of foulants, Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering (925-933 pp.)

1993: Solid phase microextraction of metal ions, Mikrochimica Acta (41-46 pp.)

1992: Anion exchange chromatography of mixed cyano complexes: separation and determination of gold cyano complexes, Au(CN)2-, Analyst (1145-1149 pp.)

1991: Solvent Extraction with Sulphonic acids, Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange (875-883 pp.)

1991: The thermodynamics of Extraction of some Lanthanide and other ions by 2-ethylhexyl phenylphosphonic acid, Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange (607-621 pp.)

1990: Solvent Extraction with mono-acidic organophosphonic esters, Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange (759-781 pp.)

1990: The thermodynamics of Extraction of some Lanthanide and other ions by dinonylnaphthalene sulphonic acid, Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange (827-842 pp.)

1989: Liquid-liquid Extraction of Some M(II) and M(III) ions with 2-ethylhexyl phenylphosphonic acid,, Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange (1307-1313 pp.)

Research/Creative Awards

2007: Exceptional Leadership Award by the Community of Nigerians in Kentuckiana ,
2006: Featured in WHO’S WHO OF AFRICANS IN AMERICA,
2006: Invited to apply for Editor-in-Chief of the journal, Analytical Chemistry Insights ,
2006: Recommended to be reviewer for Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology ,
2006: Student Learning Enrichment Award,
2005: Indiana University Overseas Travel Award,
2005: Student Learning Enrichment Award,
2004: Distinguished Research and Creativity Award ,
2004: Faculty Research Participant, US Dept. of Energy - Argonne National Laboratory,
2004: Society for Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh Research Award ,
2003: Student Learning Enrichment Award,
2002: Indiana University Overseas Travel Award,
2001: Distinguished Research and Creativity Award ,
2001: Faculty Colloquium on Excellence in Teaching,
2001: Faculty Research Participant, US Dept. of Energy - Argonne National Laboratory,
2001: Indiana University Trustee’s Teaching Award,
2000: Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) Fellows Award,
2000: Faculty Research Participant, US Dept. of Energy - Argonne National Laboratory,
1999: Indiana University Overseas Travel Award,
CHEM 103 - General Chemistry Lab I
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