Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) exposure is among the leading air pollutants associated with diverse adverse health effects due to their persistent, bio-accumulative and toxic characteristics. Children are most affected by these pollutants, yet studies directly related children to these pollutants are scarce in Nigeria. In this study, blood and urine from 36 children between the ages 4-14 years were collected as per sterile procedures by a licensed phlebotomist from the antecubital fossa into BD vacutainer tubes® while a mid-stream urine sample into acid-washed 120 mL BD vacutainer urine cups and stored in refrigerator at –4˚C for 6 hours, then each 5 mL was extracted with 10 mL of pentane and analyzed for 15 PAHs using GC-MS. Results revealed that PAHs concentrations (53.48 to 70.8 μg/dL) in blood was lower than in urine (94.98 to 115.04 μg/dL). Mean values had no significant (p>0.5) differences between schools, possibly due to the fact that all schools were experiencing similar anthropogenic disturbances. At 5% level of significance, positive and strong correlationships (r=0.83, r=0.73) were observed for fluorene-fluoranthene (FLa) and benzo (a) anthracene-FLa respectively in blood samples. Two and three rings PAHs had generally low concentrations in both blood and urine. Despite being the most distributed compound, the concentration of dibenzo (a,h) anthracene was highest for urine than in blood. Urine PAHs showed higher concentration of carcinogenic PAHs than blood. Elimination ratios (ER) such as for acenaphthene (0.06) and anthracene (Ant; 0.11) were considered low while values such as for FLa (1.36) and indeno [1, 2, 3-cd] pyrene (1.55) were considered high ER. Trends in elimination ratios showed close similarity. In conclusion there was elevated PAHs in blood and urine of children with consequent high carcinogenic and then non-carcinogenic risks. This research is significant in setting the stage for more detailed work at same time alerting policy makers on the need for urgent mitigation steps that will reduce children exposure to this class of dangerous pollutants.

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Heavy metals (HM) have been a global concern for its toxic and detrimental effect on the environment especially when it exceeds the permissible limit through anthropogenic activities like kaolin mining. Kaolin mining has improved the economic wellbeing of the local people through employment and otherwise; and at the same time attached with environmental consequences that threatens the livelihood of the community members. This study was carried out to ascertain the concentrations of selected heavy metals in kaolin mined soils and water body and its pollution density using single pollution indices such as contamination factor (CF), geo-accumulation (Igeo) and ecological risk factor (Er ). Soil sample were collected from three different kaolin mined sites labelled (A,B and C) also surface water samples were collected from upper and down streams of Iyi-ugbohoroAmaudara, both samples were digested and elemental analysis was carried out using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS UNICAM 919 model). The concentration of the metals in three different kaolin mined soil samples ranges from Pb(40.00, 52.00 and 55.09 mg/kg) Cr(45.01, 70.00 and 71.00 mg/kg) Ni( 32.10, 50.50 and 51.00 mg/kg) Cd( 2.16, 6.25 and 6.15 mg/kg) Co( 19.68, 57.06 and 56.00 mg/kg) Se(1.06, 0.50, and 1.00 mg/kg) Mn(0.001, 0.01 and 0.01 mg/kg) Hg( 2.01, 2.00 and 2.50 mg/kg) As( 1.07, 1.10 and 1.05 mg/kg) and Cu(33.01, 60.00 and 57.5 mg/kg). Results from single pollution indices used for the selected heavy metals from kaolin mined soil, samples (A,B and C) showed that Mn, As, Cr, Ni and Cu indicated low to moderate contamination factor while Cd, Se, Co and Hg indicated high to very high contamination factor in all the samples. The distribution trend of heavy metals concentrations in the upper and down streams of the river body during wet season, showed that there were significant difference between upper and down streams while dry season showed variations in significant differences between the upper and down streams of some of the heavy metals. The study therefore concludes that kaolin soils are contaminated with heavy metals as a result of kaolin deposit and its mining activities. The single pollution indices used for the study pointed out that Cd, Se, Co and Hg are very high in the kaolin soils. The surface waters of Iyi-ugbohoroAmaudara River at the study area are polluted with heavy metals as a result of kaolin mining activities in the area; more especially during wet season of the study. Consequently, these outcomes would pose a toxic effect to both fauna and flora and possibly threatens the aquatic lives and the local populace.

The morbidity and mortality from malaria are still unacceptably high in the developing countries, especially among the vulnerable groups like pregnant women, despite all control efforts. The knowledge about the preventive measures of malaria is an important preceding factor for the acceptance and use of malaria preventive measures by community members. Therefore, this study assessed the knowledge and practices malaria among pregnant women in