Molecular identification of some wild Nigerian mushrooms using internal transcribed spacer: polymerase chain reaction.

Identification of fungal species based on morphological characteristics is tedious, complex, prone to errors, and thus cannot be completely relied upon. In this study, internal transcribed spacers (ITS 1 and 4)-polymerase chain reaction was employed to amplify DNA of 19 mushroom isolates collected at Environmental Pollution Science and Technology farm, Ilesa, Southwest Nigeria. The PCR amplification of ITS1 and 4 of the mushrooms isolates yielded approximately 850 bp.

Determination of levels of some metal contaminants in the freshwater environments of Osun State, Southwest Nigeria: A risk assessment approach to predict health threat.

This study evaluated levels of heavy metals and macro-elements in ten major rivers in Osun State, Southwest Nigeria. Triplicate water samples collected from selected rivers were analyzed for metal pollutants by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Concentrations were obtained as follows: iron: 60-960 μg L; manganese: ND - 3 μg L; chromium 0-2100 μg L; aluminium: 0-800 μg L; copper: 0-1350 μg L; zinc: 10-650 μg L; calcium: 6400-232000 μg L and magnesium: 2000-71000 μg L but lead was not detected.