Environmental protection practices include minimizing the level of synthetic chemicals as pesticides in agricultural activities. Reduction of cholinergic and metabolizing enzymes by natural products are safer pest-controlling alternatives... more
Environmental protection practices include minimizing the level of synthetic chemicals as pesticides in agricultural activities. Reduction of cholinergic and metabolizing enzymes by natural products are safer pest-controlling alternatives in food security. Hence, the objective of this study is to assess the ability of Ackee apple (Blighia sapid) stem-bark extract as a potential biological pest control agent to interfere with acetylcholinesterase (AChE), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and biomarkers in brain, liver, and blood of Wistar rat using standard methods. The Wistar rat brain and liver were excised and blood was collected into heparinized tubes at the end of a 28-day experiment for biochemical investigations. Data obtained revealed that the activities of AChE and GST decreased at a dose-dependent rate (P < 0.05). A non-significant difference in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) for all the treated groups and a dose-dependent increase in total protein concentration were detected...
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This study determined the degradation of vegetable oil factory effluent by extracellular lipase obtained from Alcaligenes spp. The extracellular lipase produced by isolated Alcaligenes spp was obtained and concentrated using Glycerol... more
This study determined the degradation of vegetable oil factory effluent by extracellular lipase obtained from Alcaligenes spp. The extracellular lipase produced by isolated Alcaligenes spp was obtained and concentrated using Glycerol before Gel Filtration Chromatography. The partially purified enzyme obtained from the Gel Filtration Chromatography purification showed optimum activity at a temperature of 55° C and pH 7. The enzyme was then concentrated using glycerol prior to treatment. The raw effluent samples (from the vegetable oil factory) were treated with the partially purified enzyme for 20 days. The degradation activity of the enzymes on contaminant concentrations was monitored at every 5 days. A control experiment was also set up for possible natural degradation of contaminants. Effluents were analyzed for metals (Fe, Mn and Zn), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and Lipid Content using the standard method. Data were analysed for graphical presentation using the Microsoft Excel package. Results showed reduction in Fe, Mn, Zn, COD and Lipid Contents between day 5 and 20 as 46.28%, 68.71%, 62.53%, 71.45% and 72.57% respectively. The application of extracellular enzyme in the treatment of the effluent enhanced the degradation of the effluent at a higher percentage than the natural attenuation process of the effluent. This showed the promising bioremediation potential of Alcaligenes spp.
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Faulty board configurations associated with risk management practices are alleged to be the primary sources of most corporate failures. Therefore, experts have suggested that firms should adopt holistic risk management practices. This... more
Faulty board configurations associated with risk management practices are alleged to be the primary sources of most corporate failures. Therefore, experts have suggested that firms should adopt holistic risk management practices. This study investigates the interactive effect of board characteristics with risk management activities on the performance of listed Nigerian non-financial firms. The study is anchored on the agency theory perspective. It is designed as ex post facto inquiry with a population of 113 companies, from which a sample of 96 firms was drawn from firms with a complete set of data. Secondary data were extracted from the NSE Factbook and Thomson Reuter’s DataStream for 2010–2019. The static panel regression technique was utilized to analyze and estimate the interaction between the variables. The findings show that all the independent variables positively impacted ROA of the listed firms. Nevertheless, concerning market evaluation (Tobin-Q), except for board financia...
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Honey has multifaceted nutritional and medicinal values; however, its quality is hinged on the floral origin of the nectar. Taking advantage of the large areas that they cover; honeybees are often used as bioindicators of environmental... more
Honey has multifaceted nutritional and medicinal values; however, its quality is hinged on the floral origin of the nectar. Taking advantage of the large areas that they cover; honeybees are often used as bioindicators of environmental contamination. The focus of the present paper was to examine the quality of honey from within the vicinity of an abandoned pesticide store in Masindi District in western Uganda. Surficial soils (<20 cm depths) and honey samples were collected from within the vicinity of the abandoned pesticide store and analysed for organochlorine pesticide (OCP) residues using gas chromatograph coupled to an electron capture detector (GC-ECD). The mean level of ∑DDTs in all the soil samples was 503.6 µg/kg dry weight (d.w). ∑DDTs contributed 92.2% to the ∑OCPs contamination loads in the soil samples, and others (lindane, aldrin, dieldrin, and endosulfans) contributed only 7.8%. Ratio (p, p'-DDE+p, p'-DDD)/p, p'-DDT of 1.54 suggested historical DDT input in the area. In all the honey samples, the mean level of ∑DDTs was 20.9 µg/kg. ∑DDTs contributed 43.3% to ∑OCPs contamination loads in the honey samples, followed by lindane (29.8%), endosulfans (23.6%) and dieldrin (3.2%), with corresponding mean levels of 14.4, 11.4 and 1.55 µg/kg, respectively. Reproductive risk assessment was done based on the hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) procedure. In our study, the calculated HIs for adults (102.38), and children (90.33) suggested high potential health risks to the honey consumers. Lindane, endosulfan and p, p'-DDD detected in the honey samples at levels exceeding the acute reference dose (ARfD) are known risk factors for spontaneous abortion, reduced implantation, menstrual cycle shortening, impaired semen quality, and prostate cancer in exposed individuals and experimental animal models.
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Exposure to bioaerosols poses significant health risks to occupants of buildings, especially in tropical areas due to its climatic characteristics that favour airborne bacterial growth. This study investigated the levels and composition... more
Exposure to bioaerosols poses significant health risks to occupants of buildings, especially in tropical areas due to its climatic characteristics that favour airborne bacterial growth. This study investigated the levels and composition of indoor and outdoor airborne bacteria in residential buildings in Benin Metropolis. Air samples were collected from forty-five randomly selected houses across the five local government areas in Benin City using the passive sampling technique. The culture-dependent 16S rRNA gene technique was utilized in theidentification of the bacterial isolates. The results revealed that the mean concentrations of the indoor and 3 3 outdoor total bacteria varied from 476.1 to 939.3 CFU/m3 and 181.1 to 373.2 CFU/m3 in the wet season, 335.0 3 3 to 457.2 CFU/m3 and 387.2 to 627.8 CFU/m3 in the dry season, respectively. The concentration of indoor and outdoor airborne bacteria varied significantly (P=0.001) during the wet and dry seasons. Basic Local Alignment Search...
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Onchocerciasis is a disease transmitted by blackfly vector of the genus Simuliumdamnosum complex having public and socio-economic consequences. The abundance of blackfly is directly linked to fluvial ecosystems in both tropical and... more
Onchocerciasis is a disease transmitted by blackfly vector of the genus Simuliumdamnosum complex having public and socio-economic consequences. The abundance of blackfly is directly linked to fluvial ecosystems in both tropical and non-tropical countries of the world. This study assessed the ecology of blackfly breeding sites in two tributaries of River Ogun located in Olokemeji and Lisa villages, Ogun State. A total of eighteen water samples were collected for physicochemical analysis during high rainfall (May, June and July), low rainfall (August, September and October) and dry season (November and December) with mean rainfall values of 163.17, 88.03 and 8.95 mm, respectively, in both tributaries. Physicochemical parameters such as temperature (oC), electrical conductivity (EC), pH, total solids (TS), dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total suspended solids (TSS), hardness (H), sulphate (SO4), phosphate (PO4), alkalinity, acidity, nitrate (NO3) and total dissolved solids (TDS) were analysed using standard laboratory methods. Digestive enzymes were analysed using 1 g of frozen gut of Simulium larvae grounded with 20 ml of 0.067 g of potassium hydrogen and 20 ml of 0.1 M sodium reagent. A total of 766 and 482 samples of Simulium larvae were collected from Olokemeji and Lisa tributaries using Eppendorf tubes. The zooplanktons collected from Olokemeji and Lisa tributary were 904 and 802, while phytoplanktons collected from Olokemeji and Lisa tributary were 635 and 582 during the study period. Data obtained were analysed using both descriptive analysis and T-test. The results obtained for the physicochemical parameters were 28.7 °C, 137.5 µS/cm, 6.3, 248.1 mg/L, 58 mg/L, 108.8 mg/L, 90.8 mg/L, 2.24 mg/L, 2.24 mg/L, 30.76 mg/L, 42.35 mg/L, 1.99 mg/L, 2.07 mg/L and 2.55 mg/L for Temperature, EC, pH, TS, DO, BOD, TSS, H, SO4, PO4, alkalinity, acidity, NO3 and TDS, respectively. There were significant (p < 0.05) differences between the means of EC, pH, TS, TDS, TSS and hardness of Lisa tributary, and water samples were also viewed under an electron microscope for zooplanktons and phytoplanktons. The values of species diversity which were greater than 0.5 indicated that the species were abundant and evenly distributed. There were significant (p < 0.05) differences between the tributaries in all the digestive enzymes except amylase content. The regression analysis between TSS, nitrate, sulphate, phosphate, acidity, hardness, TS, pH and Simulium larvae abundance showed a positive correlation, R2 with values of 0.828, 0.994, 0.948, 0.933, 0.986, 0.997, 0.889 and 0.981, respectively. The R2 values between Simulium larvae abundance with phytoplanktons and rainfall have values of 0.868 at p < 0.01 and 0.911 at p < 0.05.
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Particulate Matter (PM) is a major air pollutant in the Nigeria atmospheric environment. This study has reviewed PM pollution in all the geopolitical zones in Nigeria. Published works relating to PM pollution in Nigerian cities were... more
Particulate Matter (PM) is a major air pollutant in the Nigeria atmospheric environment. This study has reviewed PM pollution in all the geopolitical zones in Nigeria. Published works relating to PM pollution in Nigerian cities were accessed and analysed. Data collected showed a high total concentration of total suspended particle (TSP) varying between 1,033 to 40,000 µg/m 3 and also a PM10 concentration range of 118.3 -132.0 µg/m3. Most of the reported PM mass concentrations in Nigeria were higher than the annual World Health Organization (WHO) standards of 90 µg/m3 for TSP and the USEPA standard of 40 µg/m 3 for PM10. In terms of apportionment, the mostly used receptor models were Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Chemical Mass Balance (CMB). The major emission sources identified by these models were traffic, industry, soil, sea spray and biomass burning. The source apportionment study conducted in Lagos showed marine and crustal matter as the highest PM sources contributing ...
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Snacks or junk foods are a form of relatively small, packaged, ready-to-eat fast foods, usually taken not as a regular, but as a stopgap. However, contamination of snacks with trace elemental impurities may pose serious health risk to... more
Snacks or junk foods are a form of relatively small, packaged, ready-to-eat fast foods, usually taken not as a regular, but as a stopgap. However, contamination of snacks with trace elemental impurities may pose serious health risk to consumers. The main objective of the present study is to assess the toxicological risk of trace elements TEs (Co, Cu, Fe, and Zn) in commonly consumed snack/junk foods from Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, Southwest, Nigeria. A total of sixty snack food samples were purchased and assayed in replicates for Co, Cu, Fe, and Zn using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Trace elements data were manipulated for simple descriptive and inferential statistics. The toxicological risk of metals was estimated for average daily dose (ADD), hazard quotient (HQ), hazard index (HI), and cancer risk (CR). Results showed Fe as the most abundant TE in the snacks showing insignificant mean concentrations ( p > 0.05) varying from 38.10 ± 1.98 mg kg −1 (potato chip) to 71.25 ± 14.68 mg kg −1 (cashew nut). Cashew nut had the highest amounts of the TEs. The HQs of Co in all the snacks except corn flakes consumed by children were greater than the threshold limit of 1.0, indicating non-carcinogenic adverse effects. The CRs of Co in all the food samples exceeded the acceptable limit of 1.0 × 10 −4 , suggesting possible development of cancer by the consumers. Co is a trace metal of health issues in the snack/junk foods. This study therefore recommends periodic monitoring and toxicological assessment of metals in snacks, especially the raw materials and processing feedstocks.
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Groundwater is a major source of drinking water in many rural and urban areas of developing nations. Pollution of groundwater from diverse sources is an issue of concern due to inherent health problems. This study assessed the possible... more
Groundwater is a major source of drinking water in many rural and urban areas of developing nations. Pollution of groundwater from diverse sources is an issue of concern due to inherent health problems. This study assessed the possible contamination source to groundwater quality in the basement rocks of Osun State, South-Western Nigeria using multivariate analyses of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Cluster Analysis (CA). The secondary data from 536 wells across the 30 Local Government Areas in the State were collected from the Rural Water and Environmental Sanitation Agency (RUWESA). The groundwater data include pH, temperature, turbidity, oxido-reduction potential, total dissolved solids, electrical conductivity, total alkalinity, magnesium hardness, calcium hardness, total hardness, free chlorine, total chlorine, chloride, fluoride, nitrate, nitrite, iron, manganese and zinc. The data were subjected to simple and inferential statistics using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS vs. 21.0). The mean results of groundwater parameters such as nitrate and Mn were higher than the World Health Organisation (WHO) limits of 0.4 and 10 mg/L, respectively. The results of the PCA and CA revealed possible sources of pollutants to the groundwater quality as weathering of bedrocks, leachate from septic tanks and dumpsites, runoff of materials, hardness, nutrients from agricultural lands, and chlorine pollution.
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Leachate is a major threat to groundwater quality and ecosystem. The present study adopted four selected coagulants (inorganic: Al2(SO4)3 [Alum], FeCl3, FeSO4; biological: Moringa oleifera) and a complexing agent... more
Leachate is a major threat to groundwater quality and ecosystem. The present study adopted four selected coagulants (inorganic: Al2(SO4)3 [Alum], FeCl3, FeSO4; biological: Moringa oleifera) and a complexing agent (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid EDTA) to remediate leachates collected from two dumpsites in Abeokuta. The leachate samples were subjected to chemical and heavy metal analyses using the American Public Health Association (APHA) standard method. The data obtained were evaluated for simple descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) using SPSS for Windows. The results indicated that except for Fe and Ni, metal values in both raw and treated leachates were generally higher than the permissible standard of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA). The study revealed that despite treatment, the values of metals in treated leachates were still issues of environmental concerns. The reduction data revealed substantial removal of EC and TDS (100%), Cl- (87-95 %...
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Compost technology can be utilized for bioremediation of contaminated soil using the active microorganisms present in the matrix of contaminants. This study examined bioremediation of industrially polluted soil using the compost and plant... more
Compost technology can be utilized for bioremediation of contaminated soil using the active microorganisms present in the matrix of contaminants. This study examined bioremediation of industrially polluted soil using the compost and plant technology. Soil samples were collected at the vicinity of three industrial locations in Ogun State and a goldmine site in Iperindo, Osun State in March, 2014. The compost used was made from cow dung, water hyacinth and sawdust for a period of twelve weeks. The matured compost was mixed with contaminated soil samples in a five-ratio pot experimental design. The compost and contaminated soil samples were analyzed using the standard procedures for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (TN), phosphorus, exchangeable cations (Na, K, Ca and Mg) and heavy metals (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn and Cr). Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) seeds were also planted for co-remediation of metals. The growth parameters of Kenaf plants were observed weekly for a period of one month. Results showed that during the one-month remediation experiment, treatments with 'compost-only' removed 49 ± 8% Mn, 32 ± 7% Fe, 29 ± 11% Zn, 27 ± 6% Cu and 11 ± 5% Cr from the contaminated soil. On the other hand, treatments with 'compost+plant' remediated 71 ± 8% Mn, 63 ± 3% Fe, 59 ± 11% Zn, 40 ± 6% Cu and 5 ± 4% Cr. Enrichment factor (EF) of metals in the compost was low while that of Cu (EF=7.3) and Zn (EF=8.6) were high in the contaminated soils. Bioaccumulation factor (BF) revealed low metal uptake by Kenaf plant. The growth parameters of Kenaf plant showed steady increments from week 1 to week 4 of planting.
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Background: Contamination of groundwater could result in serious and irreparable health problems for consumers. This study assessed the water quality and human health implications of metals in packaged groundwater from Abeokuta and... more
Background: Contamination of groundwater could result in serious and irreparable health problems for consumers. This study assessed the water quality and human health implications of metals in packaged groundwater from Abeokuta and Sagamu, southwestern Nigeria. Methods: One hundred and forty bags of the packaged groundwater were purchased and analyzed for physical and chemical parameters using standard procedures, while metals were determined using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrophotometry. Risk assessment of metals was estimated using hazard index (HI), hazard quotient (HQ), and cancer risk (CR). Water quality index (WQI) was also evaluated. Results: The observed physical and chemical parameters, except Mn and Fe, in the packaged groundwater samples were observed to be within the permissible limits of the World Health Organization. The WQI data indicated suitability for drinking purposes. The health risk data indicated high HQs > 1.0 for Ca (for adults and ch...
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Groundwater is an important drinking water source in many developing countries of the world. Contamination of this important resource could lead to serious and irreparable health implications for the consumers. This study, therefore,... more
Groundwater is an important drinking water source in many developing countries of the world. Contamination of this important resource could lead to serious and irreparable health implications for the consumers. This study, therefore, assessed the water quality index (WQI), levels and human health risk of metals in packaged/sachet groundwater collected from Abeokuta and Sagamu, Ogun state Nigeria. One hundred and forty bags of packaged groundwater from different sampling sites were analysed for metals using inductively coupled plasma - optical emission spectrophotometry (ICP-OES). Packaged groundwater data were analysed for simple descriptive and inferential statistics. Human health risk assessment of metals through consumption of packaged groundwater was evaluated for hazard index (HI), hazard quotient (HQ), and cancer risk (CR). Most of the packaged groundwater parameters were within the permissible limits of the World Health Organization except Mn (1118 ± 1719–1727 ± 2218 µg/L) an...
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Climate change is one of the most serious environmental challenges facing our planet today. The present study assessed the awareness, knowledge level and perception of the impacts of climate change, and adaptation methods implemented by... more
Climate change is one of the most serious environmental challenges facing our planet today. The present study assessed the awareness, knowledge level and perception of the impacts of climate change, and adaptation methods implemented by rural people in the Southwestern Nigeria. A total of 1200 copies of the structured survey questionnaire were randomly administered across the three states. The questionnaire was used to elicit information on various issues such as socio-demographic characteristics, climate change awareness, knowledge, and perception by the respondents. The data collected were subjected to descriptive statistics (mean, frequency and percentage). The results showed that about 90–93% of the respondents from the three states claimed to know about climate change. Most respondents opted for the use of certified seeds as an important adaptation strategy against climate change. Many respondent believed that individuals could do something to adapt to climate change, while som...
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The aim of this study was to assess nitrogen oxides (NOx) dispersion from the main stacks of a cement factory in Doroud, Iran. The SCREEN3 software and Gaussian plume model were applied to predict and to compare the on-site NOx... more
The aim of this study was to assess nitrogen oxides (NOx) dispersion from the main stacks of a cement factory in Doroud, Iran. The SCREEN3 software and Gaussian plume model were applied to predict and to compare the on-site NOx concentrations to provide relevant information on its emissions and dispersion. The results showed that within a radius of 400-650 m from the source, the estimated NOx concentrations were higher than the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for human health protection. Therefore, a distance higher than 650 m at downwind direction of the source was recommended for human settling and activities.
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Groundwater is a sustainable resource that provides potable water for millions of people. Contamination of this resource may, therefore, pose serious health threats to consumers. This study aimed at assessing the effects of waste... more
Groundwater is a sustainable resource that provides potable water for millions of people. Contamination of this resource may, therefore, pose serious health threats to consumers. This study aimed at assessing the effects of waste sanitation facilities on water quality index and health risk of groundwater resources in Abeokuta markets, southwestern Nigeria. Fifty hand-dug wells at varying distance of 10–81 m to the waste sanitation facilities from ten markets in the Abeokuta metropolis were seasonally monitored at wet and dry seasons. Five hand-dug wells from a community with no waste sanitation facility were sampled to serve as a control. Groundwater samples were collected and analysed for physical and chemical parameters using the standard methods. Data were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics. Water quality index and health risk assessment (non-carcinogenic hazard quotient [HQ], and cancer risk [CR]) were estimated in groundwater. Significantly higher levels of tot...
The present study investigated environmental impacts of cement production on surface water quality and vegetation around the vicinity of the industry. A two-year study was conducted covering both wet and dry seasons. Water samples were... more
The present study investigated environmental impacts of cement production on surface water quality and vegetation around the vicinity of the industry. A two-year study was conducted covering both wet and dry seasons. Water samples were collected from Akinbo River where the Cement industry discharges its liquid waste/effluents. Samples were analysed for physical and chemical parameters using standard procedures. The vegetation around the factory was studied for chlorophyll, plant density, basal areas and heights of woody species. The study also assessed the health impacts of cement production activities on the workers and the residents around the factory. The health assessment was based on the hospital information obtained from two clinics in the nearby villages. The water quality results revealed high concentrations of Ca and Fe. All the trees sampled around the study area had small basal areas and short heights. There was also a significant reduction in the chlorophyll contents of ...