Occupational exposure in automobile repair workshops: toxicological effects of contaminated soil in Wistar rats.

Background: Automobile repair workshops contribute immensely to the generation of soil and water contamination. This study was conducted to compare the soil microbial load, heavy metals, and consequent toxicological effects, in three (3) automobile mechanic sites.

Method: Soil samples were randomly collected from 3 different auto mechanic workshop in Abeokuta town of Ogun-State, Nigeria.

Water safety, antifungal-resistant aflatoxigenic aspergillus flavus and other pathogenic fungi in a community hand-dug wells.

Aim: To investigate hand-dug well water used for drinking and domestic purposes in a rural community in Southwest Nigeria for water safety and fungal presence as well as to determine the antifungal resistance and aflatoxigenic potentials of isolated fungi.

Methods And Results: Water samples were analysed for risk of contamination, bacteriological and mycological parameters using a standard sanitary survey checklist and microbiological culturing. Isolates were identified and subjected to antifungal resistance profiling using the diffusion method for susceptibility testing of filamentous fungi.

Reduction of aflatoxin in freshly harvested maize using solar dryers.

Background: Aflatoxin-contaminated grain consumption over the years has been known to result in serious health hazards for its consumers. The present study investigated the effects of harvest seasons and drying methods on aflatoxins in freshly harvested maize. A 2 × 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 factorial design was used; two harvesting seasons (dry and wet), maize varieties (P3966W, P4063W and P4226), moisture contents (0.