The Heavy metal Pollution Index (HPI), Metal Index (MI) and the Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) contents of crude oil-polluted Ochani River in Ejamah-Ebubu community were investigated using physicochemical properties, Heavy Metal Analytic Method (AAS), GC-MS method and heavy metal pollution model. The results showed that Ochani River sampling station 2 (ORPS 2) had highest values of temperature, conductivity, turbidity, total solid (TS), total dissolved solid (TDS), Total Suspended Solid (TSS), Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and nitrates with values as (32oC, 260 µScm-1, 42NTU, 460 mg/L, 526 mg/L, 400 mg/L, 15 mg/L, 10 mg/L, 25 mg/L and 7.5 mg/L respectively) compared to Ochani River sampling station 1 (ORPS 1) with values as (30oC, 200 µScm-1, 38NTU, 400 mg/L, 500 mg/L, 380 mg/L, 13 mg/L, 9.0 mg/L, 22 mg/L and 6.8mg/L respectively). However, these values of ORPS 1and 2 were higher than the unpolluted water sample (UWS) and WHO standard limits. Heavy metals obtained in Ochani River were rankedas Fe > Cu >Pb> Zn > Cr > Cd >As. The values obtained from crude oil polluted water samples were highest when compared with the values obtained of the UWS and WHO standard limit. The heavy metal pollution index of Ochani River was calculated as 402.32 mg/L which was higher compared with the critical pollution index value of 100. The metal index obtained was 49.88mg/L showing that the water quality classified to be seriously polluted. The Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) components present in Ochani River include fluorene, naphthalene, dibenzyl(a,h)anthracene, benzo(k)fluoranthene and benzo(a)pyrene. However, these values of PAH components obtained were highest in ORPS 2 compared to ORPS 1. No PAH content was detected in UWS. However, the values of PAH obtained in both ORPS 1 and 2 were higher compared with WHO standard limit. In conclusion, Ochani River which is an important river used for irrigation and domestic activities by the populace in that community, is highly polluted with heavy metals and carcinogenic PAHs. We therefore recommend that Ochani River is unsafe for drinking, domestic and agricultural activities of the community where it is sited.
Enormous quantities of plant biomass are generated annually, as agricultural wastes. Lignocellulose is the main structural constituent of plants and represents the primary source of renewable organic matter on earth. This study was carried out to evaluate the lignocellulose composition, proximate and selected physicochemical characteristics of some selected plant-based substrates for biogas production. The substrates were: Corn cobs, Rice straw and Water hyacinth (Eichhorniacrassipes). They were collected, cut, dried for 72 hours at 320C, milled and subjected to hemicellulose, lignin and cellulose compositional analyses, using the standard Sox let extraction method. Standard methods were employed for proximate and physicochemical analyses. Results of the compositional evaluation showed that corn cob has the highest percentages of cellulose (42.0%), while extractives content was least (2.18%) in Rice straw. For the proximate analysis, the percentage carbohydrates (24.22) and ash (24.40) were highest in rice straw, while fat content had the least values of 0.65% recorded in corn cobs. The results of the physicochemical analysis showed that Rice straw had the highest values of TS (94.55%) and phosphorus (928.57mg/kg), Corn cob had the highest TVS (85.53%) and organic carbon (50.46%) while Water hyacinth recorded the highest Nitrogen content (2.33%). They are good substrates for energy generation, and lignocellulosic biomass holds a huge potential to meet the current energy demand of the modern world. The knowledge of the lignocellulosic composition of the biomass would help in choosing appropriate pretreatment measures to achieve better hydrolysis which would translate to higher biogas yield.
The menace of ravaging infection of trypanosomiases in Africa is of concern in view of the parasites resistance to drug coupled with the cost and extended treatment practice with adverse effect. The prospect of exploiting medicinal plants as alternative in treating illnesses is heightened. This study evaluated the anti-trypanosome activities of the methanol, alkaloid and flavonoid extracts of sarocephalus latifolius leaves. Acute toxicity of the extracts was obtained using the Lorke’s method. In vitro and in vivo analysis of the test plant leaves was determined using different concentrations. The in vitro anti-trypanosome effect of the crude methanol, alkaloid and flavonoid extracts of Sarocephalus latifolius leaf showed that the activity was determined based on dosage with more influence at 4 mg/mL in relation to 0.4 and 0.04 mg/ml. There is significant different (p<0.05) between mice treated with extract and the reference drug. The acute toxicity test was safe as no mortality was recorded at 5000mg/kg of bodyweight of mice. However, in vivo Anti-trypanosome activity of the crude extract at 250 and 500mg/kg bodyweight exposed a trend of increase in the parasite level which was observed when compared with standard control. But, elongation of life in mice was observed. Methanol treatment of mice lasted for about nine (9) days before mortality occurred while, that of alkaloid and flavonoid lasted for about five (5) days respectively subsequent to mortality. Consequently, the in vivo anti-trypanosome activity of methanol, alkaloid and flavonoid extracts did not eradicate the parasite in the blood of the poisoned mice but, appear to have prolonged the life of the treated animal when compared with the infected untreated group. Therefore, methanol extract of Sarocephalus latifolius leaf having the most influence on mice has illustrated more potential in anti-trypanosome activity which can be utilize in controlling African trypanosomiasis.
Biogas technology as an alternative energy source illuminates the need for less dependence on fossil fuel. This study highlights the importance of bacteria and alkaline augmentation on lignocellulose-rich biomass for enhanced biogas production. Three different plant substrates namely: maize cob (MC), rice straw (RS), water hyacinth (WH), were augmented with 10% alkaline (NaOH) and 1000 ml broth culture of isolated bacteria (Bacillus sp), while cow rumen (CR) waste served as inoculum. They were formed into three batches as Batch A (maize cob), Batch B (rice straw) and Batch C (water hyacinth). Hydraulic retention time, temperature and pH were monitored during the experiment while biogas production was obtained daily. The results showed that the highest biogas yield was obtained in bacteria augmented MC (626.265 ml/kg TS) at 28 °C and alkaline augmented WH (498.265 ml/kg) at 25 °C. The least biogas production yield was observed in bacteria augmented WH (290.398 ml/kg TS) and untreated MC (311.939 ml/kg TS) at 35 °C and 38 °C respectively. The methane concentrations of the biogas produced were highest in untreated WH and bacteria augmented RS at 3849 ppm and 8558 ppm, the least was observed in bacteria augmented WH at 1130 ppm. The pH of the slurry were within range as the least was 5.4 and the highest recorded was 7.4. The performance of the substrates indicates that plant substrates are impacted by augmentation. However, characteristics and operational conditions are vital irrespective of the required augmentation utilized to enhance production efficiency.
The study screened the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic PAH in urban city center Owerri, Imo State. Soxhlet extraction-gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (SE-GC-FID) method was used to analyze PAH concentrations in the different environmental component to determine its impact. Result of the physicochemical properties of the spent engine oil polluted soil sample showed that exchangeable base (4.67g/kg), exchangeable acidity (1.25g/kg), organic carbon (6.32g/kg), organic matter (6.45g/kg), percentage nitrogen (0.46%), were higher in the polluted soil when compared to soil collected from a non-polluted agricultural farm. However, the effective cation exchange capacity (9.27g/kg), was lower in the polluted soil sample although, the pH value of the polluted soil was acidic. Result of the water sample collected from urban city center, showed that water sample properties of turbidity and magnesium, had mean values of 9.6±1.10mg/l and 26.7±0.08mg/l, respectively. Five carcinogenic PAH were detected in soil, water and sediment of the study area. The concentration of PAHs detected were within the range of 0.55±0.1 and 0.87±0.11 for sediment and water samples while, spent engine oil polluted sample and Abattoir soil sample were found in the range of 2.25±0.11 and 0.50±0.01 respectively. However, the detection of these carcinogenic PAH obtained from the different sampling point suggest the toxicity propensity of these pollutant.
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