Isolation and characterization of nanocrystalline cellulose from cocoa pod husk (CPH) biomass wastes.

In this paper, cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were isolated from the cellulose extracted from cocoa pod husk waste, followed by characterization using XRD, FT-IR, TGA, SEM and TEM to determine its crystallinity, structural properties, thermal characteristics, morphology and dimensions respectively. The result revealed that the cocoa pod husk amorphous segments containing hemicelluloses and lignin were extensively removed with increasing chemical treatments leading to increased purity, crystallinity index and thermal stability of the extracted materials. The diameter, length and crystallinity index of the CNC isolated from the CPH are 10-60 nm, 41-155 nm and 67.

Occurrence and antibiogram signatures of some Vibrio species recovered from selected rivers in South West Nigeria.

Vibrio species, widely distributed in water environments, has emerged as a prominent cause of water and food-related disease outbreaks posing significant risk to human and animal health worldwide. About 40% of presumptive isolates recovered from four selected rivers in Southwest Nigeria and, established as Vibrio species genus through polymerase chain reaction techniques., were subjected to antibiotic susceptibility testing against a panel of 18 commonly used antibiotics.

Incidence and antimicrobial susceptibility fingerprints of Plesiomonas shigelliodes isolates in water samples collected from some freshwater resources in Southwest Nigeria.

Plesiomonas shigelloides, is an emerging and significant enteric pathogen in water having implication in both localised and gastrointestinal infections with characteristic of displaying high resistance against commonly used antibiotics. This study evaluated the prevalence of Plesiomonas shigelloides and their antibiogram fingerprints in water sample collected from four rivers in South-western Nigeria. In all, 148 presumptive Plesiomonas shigelloides isolates was recovered from the rivers out of which 66 (44.

Concentrations and Human Health Risk of Heavy Metals in Rivers in Southwest Nigeria.

Background: Rivers are the most vital freshwater resources in the world. In Southwest Nigeria, anthropogenic activity stresses the quantity and quality of water resources.

Methods: The present study examined the concentrations and human health risk of five heavy metals (manganese (Mn), arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb)) in selected rivers in Southwest Nigeria.

Concentrations of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) in Water from Asunle Stream, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

This study assessed the concentrations of polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) in stream water obtained from Asunle stream, an adjoining stream of the Obafemi Awolowo University dumpsite. Water samples were collected for a period of eight months from six different locations comprising of a spot upstream in an uphill area relative to the refuse dumpsite and five others downstream along the stream course. The sampled waters were extracted with dicholoromethane using liquid-liquid extraction method and cleanup was carried out with silica gel.

High level leaching of heavy metals from colorful ceramic foodwares: a potential risk to human.

Ceramic foodwares are among the products used by people on daily basis without being cautious of exposures to heavy metals through possible leaching from the glaze ceramics. This study investigated the levels of heavy metals found in some commonly used ceramic foodwares in Nigeria with the aim of determining levels of human exposures through the use of the ceramics. To achieve this, acid digestion was carried out for the total metal concentrations and leaching tests were done using 4% acetic acid as a leaching agent.

Assessment of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in sediment of Asunle stream of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

Assessment of levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) from the sediment of Asunle stream, an adjourning stream of the Obafemi Awolowo University dumpsite, has been carried out. Sediment samples were collected from the stream at six locations for a period of 8 months, composed of 4 months each of wet (May-Aug) and dry (Nov-Feb) seasons. Soxhlet extraction was employed for the isolation of all the target compounds from the sediment samples.

Speciation study of the heavy metals in commercially available recharge cards coatings in Nigeria and the health implication.

This work assessed levels of heavy metals exposure from silver coatings of mobile phones recharge cards of three major companies (designated as A, B and C) with price denominations 100, 200 and 400 from companies A, B and C respectively, which were carefully scratched using a plastic scraper into a glass tube. The coatings were acid digested for total metal concentration, while speciation experiment for Mn, Cu, Cd and Pb was carried out. Total metals and speciation analysis were done using AAS and XRF techniques.

Determination of organochlorine pesticides in the agricultural soil of Oke-Osun farm settlement, Osogbo, Nigeria.

This study was conducted to evaluate the levels and seasonal variations of some organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in the cultivated land of Oke-Osun farm settlement, Osogbo, Nigeria. A field sampling programme was conducted in the rainy and dry seasons for 4 months each resulting in the analysis of a total of 40 samples. Soil samples collected at 20-m intervals were air-dried to a constant weight, sieved through a mesh of 2.