Publications by authors named "Wanjeri V"

Pollution in marine creeks has been increasing due to anthropogenic activities and has been a global concern. Limited research has been conducted on pharmaceuticals in marine sediment and macroalgae in African countries. In the present study, the levels of pharmaceuticals were assessed in surface sediment and different species of macroalgae (ulvophyceae; Cladophora sudanensis, Chaetomorpha crassa, Chaetomorpha indica, Enteromorpha kylinii, Ulva reticulate, Ulva lactuca and Cladophora sibugae) in Mombasa peri-urban creeks (Tudor, Makupa and Mtwapa creek) and Gazi bay during dry and wet seasons.

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Article Synopsis
  • Ocean acidification (OA) poses a threat to marine life, particularly affecting calcifying invertebrates like cockles (Anadara antiquata), but little research exists on its impact along the Kenya Coast.
  • The study analyzed the physiological and biochemical responses of Anadara antiquata to varying pH levels (7.90, 7.60, and 7.30) over an 8-week period to simulate future ocean conditions.
  • Findings revealed that while condition index remained stable across pH levels, survival slightly decreased at pH 7.30, and there were minor changes in lipid peroxidation, suggesting some cellular damage, but glycogen and protein levels remained unaffected, highlighting potential biomarkers for assessing OA impacts.
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Marine litter surveys were carried out to determine the role of mangroves as a sink for litter. General litter density in the mangroves was 0.088 ± 0.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study examined the levels and distribution of pharmaceutical residues in peri-urban creeks along the Kenya coast, specifically Mombasa and Gazi Bay, focusing on compounds like acetaminophen, antibiotics, and antiepileptics.
  • The highest concentrations of residues were found in Tudor Creek, with acetaminophen and nevirapine being the most frequently detected compounds.
  • Ecological risk assessments indicated that some pharmaceuticals posed low to medium risk, while nevirapine presented a medium to high ecological risk to local marine ecosystems, highlighting the need for further research on these substances in marine environments.
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Litter surveys were carried out in August and September 2020 to determine the contribution of Sabaki River and estuary in modifying the quantities of litter entering the oceans. The river discharged 0.035 items ms translating to an estimated annual litter flux of between 6,622,560 and 614,952,000.

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Floating marine litter (FML) surveys were conducted in the near shore waters of Mombasa, Kilifi and Kwale Counties of Kenya through trawling using a manta net. A mean density of 26,665 ± 2869 items km composed of 34.8% hard plastic, 40.

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Six marine litter standing stock surveys were carried out to determine the influence of monsoon on the temporal abundance and composition of macro-litter in Mkomani beach, Mombasa Kenya. Foam (0.073 items m) and plastic (0.

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Baseline study of natural (Be, Pb, Ra, Th, Ra, K) and anthropogenic (Cs) radionuclides was carried out in two cores collected from Sabaki River estuary (Kenya, Indian Ocean). There was no exponential decrease of excess Pb down the cores, which did not allow dating and determination of heavy metal pollution history. The use of Cs as a time marker was not possible due to its low fallout rates in East Africa.

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The contribution of COVID-19 pandemic to marine litter pollution was studied in Mombasa, Kilifi, and Kwale counties of Kenya, in June 2020 (100 days following the first confirmed case in Kenya). Standing stock surveys were conducted in 14 streets and 21 beaches while 157 transects were surveyed for floating litter. COVID-19 related items contributed up to 16.

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Po in marine sediment from three peri-urban creeks in Mombasa was analyzed by alpha spectrometry in order to determine its baseline contamination levels. The mean Po activity in marine sediment from Mtwapa, Tudor and Makupa creeks were 18.67 ± 1.

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Multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) was fixed onto the surface of a magnetic silica (FeO@SiO) substrate via chemical vapour deposition (CVD). Acetylene gas was used as the carbon source and cobalt oxide as the catalyst. The chemical and physical characteristics of the materials were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman spectroscopy (RS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherm.

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