Email: rialet.pieters@nwu.ac.za
Phone: +27 18 299 2377

SHORT CV  - Dr Rialet Pieters

Rialet was born in 1968 in Heidelberg (Gauteng). She matriculated in 1986 from Potchefstroom Gimnasium in Potchefstroom with six distinctions. She obtained her B.Sc. in 1989, H.E.D. (Post-grad) in 1990 and M.Sc (Zoology) in 1992, all at the then Potchefstroom University for CHE (currently North West University, Potchefstroom campus).

From 1993 to 1995 she was a teacher in Biology and Natural Sciences at Hoërskool Kriel High School and since 1996 she has been lecturer in Zoology at the North West University, Potchefstroom campus. She organized and presented field excursions for students on marine (rocky shore) ecology at Southern KwaZulu-Natal and lectured several courses for both NW University and UNISA: Systematics of the Chordata; Reproduction biology (Embryology and Cytogenetics) [current]; Biology (Zoology division) and Philosophy of Science. She is also involved in lecturing a small theory component of the modules of M.Env.Sci.

She is enrolled for a PhD of which the focus is to establish an analytical capacity in South Africa, using a biological detection system that can detect and monitor dioxins, dibenzofurans and PCBs. South Africa ratified the Stockholm Convention which is proof of the country's intention to manage the concentration of persistent organic pollutants. Very little information on these substances, especially dioxins, dibenzofurans and PCBs is available for South Africa. Also, the cost to chemically analyse for these compounds is very high. Some of the toxic properties exhibited by these three categories of compounds are hormone-modulating actions, disrupting the endocrine or reproductive systems in a range of species, including humans and AhR-mediated toxic responses which include lethality, reproductive and developmental toxicity, immunotoxicity and cancer. The biological detection method involves genetically manipulated cell lines. There are already master students being trained in this research direction.

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RESEARCH INTERESTS -  Dr Rialet Pieters

I started research on the very important topic of persistent organic pollutants (POP's) in South Africa in 2001. The main aim of the current research is to determine the presence and concentrations of selected organic pollutants (polychlorinated dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzofurans and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's) in sediment of selected freshwater water bodies and estuaries. Very little is known about the concentrations of these substances in South Africa. Sources of these pollutants are chemical production processes, for example the production of chlorinated phenols used for the production of pulp and paper. Other sources would be thermal and combustion processes, including incineration of wastes, combustion of solid and liquid fuels and the thermal processing of metals. This is the first survey of its kind in South Africa and will hopefully strengthen South Africa's position in the fulfillment of the international treaties, such as the Stockholm Convention, on the management of POP's .

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CONTACT DETAILS -  Dr Rialet Pieters 

Dr Rialet Pieters
School of Environmental Sciences and Development
Potchefstroom campus
North-West University
Private Bag X6001
Potchefstroom 2520
South Africa

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