No abstract

Quarry workers are commonly afflicted with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). This health problem has been recognized as a significant threat to the quarry workers' safety but is rarely reported, particularly in Nigeria. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of MSDs and their associated factors among quarry workers. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted, and data were collected using a self-administered Standard Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. A total of 266 participants were selected through systematic random sampling method among male and female quarry workers in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. The data were analysed using SPSS version 26, and descriptive statistics were used to determine the prevalence and types of MSDs. Simple and multiple logistic regressions were used to identify the factors associated with MSDs. Results: The results revealed that majority of the respondents (89.8%) had MSDs, with the most common types being lower back pain (83.1%) and elbow pain (45.9%). Based on multiple logistic regression modelling, BMI (Adjusted OR 0.17, 95% CI 0.06,0.55, p ¼ 0.003), age (Adjusted OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.07, 1.23, p < 0.001), work experience (Adjusted OR 2.08, CI 1.00, 4.30, p ¼ 0.049), Vibration exposure (Adjusted OR 0.45, CI 0.27, 0.74, P ¼ 0.002), working hour (Adjusted OR 6.84, CI 0.84, 53.4, p ¼ 0.007) and break time (Adjusted OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.91,0.98, p ¼ 0.006) were significantly associated with MSDs. Conclusion: MSDs are prevalent among the quarry workers in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Thus, there is an urgent need to increase the workers' and employers' awareness of appropriate ergonomic and personal measures needed to improve the workers' safety and well-being.

Particular communities are discarding banana (Musa acuminata) peels as household and industrial food waste. It is high in nutritive value and a healthy source of food to consume. This study aims to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of M. acuminata peels against four types of Gram-positive bacteria, namely, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes. The extract of M. acuminate peel was prepared using a soxhlet apparatus for ethanolic extract and rotary evaporator to concentrate the ethanolic extract. Antimicrobial activity was carried out on the extract using agar disc diffusion technique; the inhibitory zones were recorded in millimetres. Results showed that the disc diffusion method of ethanolic extract of M. acuminata peel was not effective against all the Gram-positive bacteria strains. This result indicated that M. acuminata peel did not pose any potential antimicrobial effect against Gram-positive bacteria. However, further study should be carried out using different extraction method and concentration in order to evaluate antimicrobial activity.

Objective: The purpose of this work is to develop and validate an appropriate solvent solution and quantitative thin layer chromatography (TLC) method for determining the aflatoxins content of chicken feeds and dietary grains. Materials and Methods: To obtain the optimal mobile phase, samples were extracted with methanol/water (3:1) + 5% sodium chloride and partitioned using several solvent systems using preparative TLC. Camag TLC scanner 3 was used to scan the TLC plates at 366 nm and quantify them using JustTLC software. The method was tested for linearity, specificity, accuracy, precision, sensitivity, and robustness in accordance with ICH recommendations, and then utilized to screen 132 Nigerian poultry/food samples for total aflatoxins (TAFs). Results: The best separation of aflatoxins was achieved using acetonitrile and dichloromethane (3:17) mobile phase over an average run time of 45 min, resulting in linear calibration curves ( R 2 > 0.99) in the concentration range limit of quantitation (LoQ) to 50 ng/spot with a limit of detection of <2.0 ng/g and a LoQ of <4.0 ng/gm for all aflatoxins in all spiked samples. When the proposed TLC method was compared to an optimized high-performance liquid chromatography method, an excellent linear regression was obtained ( R 2 > 95%). Seventy seven (58.33%) of the 132 samples examined were positive for aflatoxins, with mean values ranging from 3.57 ± 2.55 to 37.31 ± 34.06 ng/gm for aflatoxin B1 and 6.67 ± 0.00 to 38.02 ± 31.52 ng/gm for TAFs, respectively. Conclusions: The results demonstrate the feasibility of using the suggested TLC method in conjunction with a novel solvent solution (free of carcinogenic chloroform) for the rapid and accurate measurement of TAFs in foods/feeds.