Nasarawa State is located in north central Nigeria and it is known as Nigeria's home of solid minerals. It is endowed with barite, copper, zinc, tantalite and granite. Continuous releases of mining waste and tailings into the biosphere may result in a build-up of radionuclides in air, water and soil. This work therefore aims to measure the activity concentration levels of primordial radionuclides in the soil/sediment samples collected from selected mines of the mining areas of Nasarawa State. The paper also assesses the radiological and radio ecological impacts of mining activities on the residents of mining areas and their environment. The activity concentrations of primordial radionuclides ((226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K) in the surface soils/sediment samples were determined using sodium iodide-thallium gamma spectroscopy. Seven major mines were considered with 21 samples taken from each of the mines for radiochemistry analysis. The human health hazard assessment was conducted using regulatory methodologies set by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, while the radio ecological impact assessment was conducted using the ERICA tool v. 1.2. The result shows that the activity concentrations of (40)K in the water ways of the Akiri copper and the Azara barite mines are 60 and 67% higher than the world average value for (40)K, respectively. In all mines, the annual effective dose rates (mSv y(-1)) were less than unity, and a maximum annual gonadal dose of 0.58 mSv y(-1) is received at the Akiri copper mine, which is almost twice the world average value for gonadal dose. The external hazard indices for all the mines were less than unity. Our results also show that mollusc-gastropod, insect larvae, mollusc-bivalve and zooplankton are the freshwater biotas with the highest dose rates ranging from 5 to 7 µGy h(-1). These higher dose rates could be associated with zinc and copper mining at Abuni and Akiri, respectively. The most exposed terrestrial reference organisms are lichen and bryophytes. In all cases, the radio ecological risks are not likely to be discernible. This paper presents a pioneer data for ecological risk from ionizing contaminants due to mining activity in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Its methodology could be adopted for future work on radioecology of mining.
The aim of study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of Cochlospermum tinctorium against ten (10) strains of antibiotic resistant food-borne pathogens Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogene. Ten (10) strains of antibiotic resistant food-borne pathogens Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogene procured from Microbiology Research Laboratory Usman Danfodiyo University Sokoto. The roots of Cochlospermum tinctorium were collected from the rock side in Dambu Gomo, Zuru Local Government Area of Kebbi State, Nigeria. The roots were washed, air-dried and milled to powder using mortal and pestle and sieved to obtained fine powder. Maceration was used for extraction using methanol as solvent. The antibacterial activity of the plant was determined on Mueller Hinton agar using agar well diffusion method. Minimum concentration (MIC) and minimum inhibitory concentration (MBC) of plant extract was also determined. Thin layer chromatography and column chromatography was employed for separation and fraction of different compounds in the plant extract. The fractions were screened for antibacterial activity and active fractions having high antibacterial activity were subjected Gas Chromatography Mass Spectoscopy (GC-MS) analysis. The result of methanol extraction yield 5.17% extracts. The methanol extract of Cochlospermum tinctorium was effective in inhibiting the isolates at high concentration of 10 mg/mL. The results thin layer chromatography revealed four spots with Rf values 0.02, 0.37, 0.44 and 0.80 respectively. The GC-MS analysis of the active methanol extract of Cochlospermum tinctorium root powder revealed the existence of major peaks 1-(+)-Ascorbic acid 2,6-dihexadecanoate (R.T: 13.666), Diethyl phthalate (R.T: 10.440), Undecyl acetate (R.T: 10.007), 3-tetradecanone (R.T: 9.793), 3-hexadecanone (R.T: 12.427). It therefore concluded that the root of Cochlospermum tinctorium has immense potential to be used in the area of pharmacology as it possess antimicrobial activity against the antibiotic resistant food-borne pathogens, thus could be exploited as alternative antimicrobial drugs.
Background Mining for precious metals is detrimental to the composition of soil structure and microbial diversity distribution and is a health risk to human communities around the affected communities. This study was aimed at determining the physical and chemical characteristics and diversity of bacteria in the soil of local mining sites for biosorption of heavy metals. Results Results of physical and chemical characteristics showed mean pH values and percentage organic carbon to range from 7.1 to 8.2 and 0.18 to 1.12% respectively with statistical significance between sampling sites (P ≤ 0.05). Similarly, cation exchange capacity, electrical conductivity, moisture, total nitrogen, and carbon/nitrogen ratio (C:N) in the soil ranged between 1.52 to 3.57 cmol/kg, 0.15 to 0.32 ds/m, 0.14 to 0.82%, 0.10 to 0.28%, and 1.7 to 4.8 respectively. The highest heavy metal concentration of 59.01 ppm was recorded in soils obtained from site 3. The enumeration of viable aerobic bacteria recorded the highest mean count of 4.5 × 106 cfu/g observed at site 2 with statistical significance (P ≤ 0.05) between the sampled soils. Alcaligenes faecalis strain UBI, Aeromonas sp. strain UBI, Aeromonas sobria, and Leptothrix ginsengisoli that make up 11.2% of total identified bacteria were able to grow in higher amended concentrations of heavy metals. The evolutionary relationship showed the four heavy metal–tolerant bacteria identified belonged to the phylum Proteobacteria of class Betaproteobacteria in the order Burkholderiales. Heavy metal biosorption by the bacteria showed Alcaligenes faecalis strain UBI having the highest uptake capacity of 73.5% for Cu. Conclusion In conclusion, Alcaligenes faecalis strain UBI (MT107249) and Aeromonas sp. strain UBI (MT126242) identified in this study showed promising capability to withstand heavy metals and are good candidates in genetic modification for bioremediation.
The contents of the Lanthanides, which are Rare Earth Elements (REE), that show consistent patterns under changing geochemical conditions in uranium ore have been studied. The objective is to determine the nuclear forensic parameters inherent to the various uranium ore samples collected from parts of northern Nigeria using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) analytical technique for the purpose of baseline data generation and nuclear forensic application. The REE fingerprint obtained in this study suggests that the uranium is of uraninite/pitchblende granitic (vein-type) origin. The REE concentrations varied from 0.011 ± 0.000 ppm to 2.337 ± 0.082 ppm for Riruwai, 0.001 ± 0.000 ppm to 0.035 ± 0.002 ppm for Mika-I, 0.002 ± 0.000 ppm to 0.357 ± 0.007 ppm for Mika-II and 0.001 ± 0.001 ppm to 0.159 ± 0.005 ppm for Michika. A positive correlation between the REEs showed symmetrical chemical properties as well as their overall presence in the samples. The normalised REE/Cl-Chondrites pattern show Light Rare Earth Elements(LREE) enrichment, Heavy Rare Earth Elements (HREE) fractionation with a negative Europium (Eu) anomaly. The ΣLREE/ΣHREE ratio presented varied values for the samples while a negative value of 143Nd/144Nd ratio (0.512638) in the Chondritic Uniform Reservoir (CHUR) ε Nd(-0.64285) suggested LREE uniformity and radiogenic origin.
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