Biodegradation of carbofuran in soils within Nzoia River Basin, Kenya.

Carbofuran (2,3-dihydro-2,2-dimethylbenzofuran-7-yl methylcarbamate) has been used within the Nzoia River Basin (NRB), especially in Bunyala Rice Irrigation Schemes, in Kenya for the control of pests. In this study, the capacity of native bacteria to degrade carbofuran in soils from NRB was investigated. A gram positive, rod-shaped bacteria capable of degrading carbofuran was isolated through liquid cultures with carbofuran as the only carbon and nitrogen source.

The dissipation of carbofuran in two soils with different pesticide application histories within Nzoia River Drainage Basin, Kenya.

The dissipation of carbofuran from soils within the Nzoia River Drainage Basin in Kenya was studied under real field conditions for 112 days. Results showed significantly enhanced dissipation of carbofuran with half life (DT50) values of 8 days (p = 0.038) in soils with prior exposure to carbofuran compared to 19 days in soils with no application history.

Tuning the surfaces of palladium nanoparticles for the catalytic conversion of Cr(VI) to Cr(III).

This work reports the feasibility of using Pd nanoparticles as innovative catalysts in the conversion of reducible contaminants from toxic to benign forms. Cr(VI) is a known carcinogen while the trivalent chromium salts are believed to be non-toxic. The ability of Pd nanoparticles to catalyze the rapid reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) using reactive sulfur intermediates produced in situ was therefore studied.