Veronica Wanjeri Wayayi
About me
Veronica Wanjeri is a marine scientist specializing in ocean pollution, climate change impacts, and ecosystem resilience along the Western Indian Ocean. She has worked extensively on projects addressing harmful algal blooms (HABs), ocean acidification, pharmaceutical and microplastic pollution, and their implications for seafood safety and coastal livelihoods. Veronica has been actively engaged in regional and international collaborations, contributing to baseline data generation, monitoring systems, and community-focused resilience strategies. Her work integrates scientific research, policy support, and stakeholder engagement, positioning her as a strong advocate for sustainable marine resource management and climate adaptation in coastal ecosystems.
Veronica Wanjeri is a dedicated marine scientist with expertise in ocean pollution, climate change adaptation, and marine ecosystem resilience within the Western Indian Ocean region. Her work focuses on the intersection of science, policy, and community engagement, with the aim of safeguarding marine resources and improving coastal livelihoods.
She has extensive experience in environmental monitoring and research, with a strong background in investigating marine pollution, including pharmaceutical residues, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and microplastics in seawater, sediments, fish, and macroalgae. Veronica has also contributed significantly to the study of ocean acidification (OA) and its implications for biodiversity, fisheries, and coastal communities. Her research provides critical baseline data that informs management strategies and policy interventions, particularly in Kenya and the broader Western Indian Ocean.
Regionally and internationally, Veronica has been engaged in collaborative initiatives with organizations such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC). Through these partnerships, she has contributed to technical reports, proposals, and policy-relevant outputs that support sustainable marine management and resource mobilization.
Veronica’s professional journey reflects a deep commitment to protecting marine ecosystems while promoting sustainable use of ocean resources. By combining scientific rigor, policy dialogue, and community participation, she continues to advocate for resilient and thriving coastal ecosystems in the face of climate change and environmental stressors.
Degrees:
• Wanjeri VWO, Okuku E, Ngila JC, Ouma J, Ndungu PG. 2025. Distribution of pharmaceuticals in marine surface sediment and macroalgae (ulvophyceae) around Mombasa peri-urban creeks and Gazi Bay, Kenya. Environmental Science and Pollution Research
• Wanjeri, V. W. O., Okuku, E., Ngila, J. C., & Ndungu, P. G. 2023. Effect of seawater acidification on physiological and energy metabolism responses of the common Cockle (Anadara antiquata) of Gazi Bay, Kenya. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 195, 115500
• Wanjeri, V. O. W., Okuku, E., Gachanja, A., Ngila, J. C., and Ndungu, P. G., 2023, Occurrence, distribution, and environmental risk of pharmaceutical residues in Mombasa peri-urban creeks, Kenya: Chemosphere, v. 311, p. 137144.
• Wanjeri, V. W. O., Okuku, E. O., Barsanti, M., Schirone, A., Delbono, I., Owato, G., and Delfanti, R., 2021, Baseline radionuclide and heavy metal concentrations in sediments of Sabaki River estuary (Kenya, Indian Ocean): Marine Pollution Bulletin, v. 164, p. 112033.
• Wayayi, V. W., Okuku, E. O., and Ohowa, B. O., 2021, Distribution of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls present in surface sediments of the Sabaki and Tana estuaries, Kenya: Western Indian Ocean Journal of Marine Science, v. 20, no. 2, p. 57-67.
• Wanjeri, V. W., Gbashi, S., Ngila, J. C., Njobeh, P., Mamo, M. A., and Ndungu, P. G., 2019, Chemical Vapour Deposition of MWCNT on Silica Coated Fe3O4 and Use of Response Surface Methodology for Optimizing the Extraction of Organophosphorus Pesticides from Water: International journal of analytical chemistry, v. 2019.
• Wanjeri, V., Sheppard, C., Prinsloo, A., Ngila, J., and Ndungu, P., 2018, Isotherm and kinetic investigations on the adsorption of organophosphorus pesticides on graphene oxide based silica coated magnetic nanoparticles functionalized with 2-phenylethylamine: Journal of environmental chemical engineering, v. 6, no. 1, p. 1333-1346.
• Wanjeri, V. O., Okuku, E. O., Ohowa, B. O., Kosore, M. C., and Ongore, C. O., 2013, An insight into ecotoxicological significance of PAHs contamination in selected Kenyan estuaries, v. 2, no. June, p. 157-166.
• Kamau, J. N., Ngila, J. C., Kirui, B., Mwangi, S., Kosore, C. M., Wanjeri, V., and Okumu, S., 2015, Spatial variability of the rate of organic carbon mineralization in a sewage-impacted mangrove forest, Mikindani, Kenya: Journal of soils and sediments, v. 15, no. 12, p. 2466-2475.