Analysis of Heavy Metals Contamination and Quality Parameters of Groundwater in Ihetutu, Ishiagu

The levels of some quality parameters and heavy metals in groundwater inIhetutu minefield of Ishiagu were analyzed in four seasons (rainy, late rainy,dry, and late dry), in order to evaluate the deterioration of the groundwaterqualities in the area. Pb-Zn mining and several other related activities havebeen going on for several decades in Ihetutu, and thus render the groundwater resources in the area less available for consumption, through toxic chemical substances expected to be constantly discharged to the groundwater bodies from the mines and other domestic wastes. The aim of this study was thus to determine the levels of heavy metals and other physico-chemical properties in the groundwater, to assess its suitability for drinking and other domestic purposes in Ihetutu. Samples were collected from dug-wells and underground water platforms, and analyzed using standard procedures, for their physico-chemical properties and heavy metals levels. Results obtained for the various seasons ranged as pH = 6.80-8.72, EC = 190.00-1120.00 µS/cm, alkalinity = 4.20-30.60 mg/L, TDS = 105.00-567.00 mg/L, TH = 8.00-44.00 mg/L, Cl- = 26.00-126.00 mg/L, Cu = 0.00-0.30 mg/L, Zn = 0.00-0.42 mg/L, Fe = 0.00-3.93 mg/L, Mn = 0.00-0.59 mg/L, and Pb = 0.00-0.43mg/L. Average levels of analyzed parameters in study area were: pH = 7.56,EC = 424.06 µS/cm, alkalinity = 17.88 mg/L, TDS = 218.69 mg/L, TH =21.88 mg/L, Cl- = 54.31 mg/L, Cu = 0.20 mg/L, Zn = 0.51 mg/L, Fe = 2.55mg/L, Mn = 0.32 mg/L, Pb = 0.38 mg/L. Mean levels of most parameters were found to be within standard guidelines/limits but were above control levels, giving an indication of deterioration of the groundwater qualities in the area. Also, seasonal concentrations of most parameters, including the heavy metals were in the order of LDS>DRS>LRS>RNS. Heavy metals mean concentrations also trended in the order of Fe>Zn>Pb>Mn>Cu. Correlations among heavy metals were all positive, with the strongest between Cu and Pb (r = 0.921) while the least was between Cu and Mn (r = 0.176).ANOVA showed no statistically significant differences among sampling stations in study area, as p-values (0.757) was higher than the significance level (α=0.05). Comparison of the results with control values, indicated cases of deterioration of the groundwater quality in the study area. This confirmed that the groundwater resources in the area were adversely affected by wastes and discharges from the mining activities and several other sources including domestic wastes

Phytoremediation and Bioconcentration of Mineral and Heavy metals in Zea mays Inter-planted with Striga hermonthica in Soils from Mechanic Village Wukari

Phytoremediation involves the use of plants to remediate contaminated sites. This study evaluates the effect of phytoremediation on mineral and heavy metal concentration in agricultural soil within the vicinity of mechanic village Wukari using Zea mays interplanted with Striga hermonthica (SMV-MS), Zea mays alone (SMV-M), Zea mays inter-planted with Striga hermonthica alongside the application of fertilizer (SMV-MSF) and Zea mays alone alongside fertilizer application (SMV-MF). The bioconcentration of mineral and heavy metal and their translocation factors from the root to shoot of maize plants were estimated using empirical models. The result reveals that the efficiency of phytoextraction of the mineral and heavy metals were within the range: P (3.12 – 44.71 %), K (16.89 – 96.32 %), Mg (0.013 – 94.12 %), Mn (2.31 – 99.98 %), Si (20.92 – 52.07 %), Zn (2.74 – 21.65 %), Pb (10.44 – 100 %), Cd (0.75 – 42.85 %), Fe (7.42 – 98.57 %) and Al (19.14 – 98.69 %) respectively. The mean root and shoot bioconcentration factors (BCFs) of K, Mg, Mn and Al were greater than one indicating higher accumulation of the elements in the root and shoot of the maize plants. The root BCF of the elements was generally in the order: Mn > K > Mg > Cd > S i > Al > P > Fe > Zn > Pb while the shoot BCF was in the order: Mn > K > Mg > Al > Fe > Cd > S i > P > Zn > Pb. The mean root to shoot translocation factors (TF) of P, Mn, Zn, Pb, Cd, Fe and Al were greater than one indicating effective translocation of the elements from the root to shoots. The translocation factors were generally in the order: Fe > Al > Pb > Mn > Zn > P > Cd > Mg > S i > K

Application of GC/MS Quantitation in the Adsorption of Herbicide by Sorbents from two Abundant Nut Shells

Abstract: Economically viable remediation technique based on adsorption by locally made Groundnut shells (GS) and Sheanut shells (SS) biosorbents was proposed to improve the ecological system. Samples were employed to investigate the removal of organochlorine herbicide (atrazine) from waste water as it was evidently proven. GC/MS quantitation experiment based on external standard method was performed and demonstrated over 95% atrazine removal. The equilibrium study showed that SS/A/25 adsorbed up to 66.324% Atrazine. The entire filters however shows a good competitive adsorption (18.736-22.977gdm -3 ) but lower than the commercially available M&B reference carbon, with uptake of 23.731 out of 25.00gdm -3 . Adsorption of herbicide at different level by the different sorbent was linked to their activating agent and physicochemical parameters such as density (0.125-0.496) and porosity (0.833-0.975) which were determined based on swellings. Other parameter investigated include sorption capacities (q e ).The major results support the conclusion that the sorted Agro-wastes has the potential to serve as extractants adsorbents in remediation process

Utilization of Different Emulsifying Agents in the Preparation and Stabilization of Emulsions

Abstract The ratio of emu lsify ing agents used to achieve stability is very important. In th is study effect of surfactant HLB and concentration on the emulsion stability were investigated. The time required for the two liquids to separate, creaming volume and microscopic observation were used to assess the emulsion stability. Emu lsifiers used in this study are based on their chemical structures and include synthetic, natural and finely dispersed solid particles emulsifiers. It was observed that the optimal surfactant concentration for oil/ water emulsion long-term stability were 20% wt/vol. soap in the oil phase and 0.1% wt/vol. detergent in the continuous phase. Higher concentration of soap had a destructive effect on oil/water emu lsion stability wh ich correlated with the observation that interfacial film strength at the oil/water interface decreases as the detergent concentration increases. Methanol added to the inner aqueous phase exerted an osmotic pressure that caused diffusion of o il into aqueous phase and increased oil/water emulsion v iscosity through an increase in the volume fraction of the primary oil/water emu lsion. These types of viscosity increase impose a destabilization effect because of the likelihood of rupture of the outer and continuous phase droplets

Green Synthesis of Copper Chitosan Nanoparticles for Controlled Release of Pendimethalin

Aim: In a bid to reduce the environmental impact from the use of herbicides, chitosan was used for the synthesis of copper nanoparticles and the controlled release formulations (CRFs) of pendimethalin copper-chitosan nanoparticles (Pend-CuCtsNPs). Methodology: The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FT-IR), Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Energy-dispersive x-ray (EDX). Average crystalline size of the nanoparticles was estimated from the Debye- Scherrer’s equation. Results: The yield of the synthesized CuCtsNPs increased linearly with the weight of the starting material with percentage yield of 93.8% for the 0.8% chitosan matrix. Encapsulation efficiency of the nano-formulation fell within 57.5 and 92.7%. The aqueous release studies of Pend-CuCtsNPs, monitored for 96 hours in a batch release mode were carried out in three different pH media and percentage herbicide released for all composites showed that the release in pH 5.5 (acidic) medium was higher and the lowest release was recorded for pH 7.0 (neutral) medium. There was a statistically significant difference between pH groups and time as determined by UNIANOVA (p < .005). Conclusion: Findings from this study however shows that there is a controlled release of pendimethalin using nano-formulation over the conventional herbicide application

Protein and Amino Acid Composition of Water Melon (Citrullus Lanatus) Seeds

The protein and amino acids composition of seeds and pulp of watermelon, Citrullus lanatus were analyzed using Kjeldahl method and ion-exchange chromatography (IEC) respectively. The protein contents (% dry matter) of seeds and pulp were found to be 24.23 and 1.05% respectively. The results of amino acids analyses indicated that glutamic and aspartic acid were the most abundant amino acids in the samples. The total essential amino acids (TEAA) in seeds and pulp were 40.82 and 23.42 g/100g protein respectively, while total nonessential amino acids (TNEAA) were (42.18 and 23.82 g/100g protein), total acidic amino acid(TAAA) were 22.08 and 11.42 g/100g protein and total basic amino acids (TBAA) were 18.28 and 8.58 g/100g protein respectively. These results show that the seeds have an attractive amino acids profile, indicating their potential for use as a future food supplements. Keywords: Watermelon, seeds, amino acid, protein, food supplement

Estimation of the type of adsorption, sorbent saturation capacities and heat of sorption of poultry dropping activated carbon animalis

This study involved the estimation of the type of adsorption, sorbent  saturation capacities and heat of sorption of poultry dropping activated carbon. The work utilized two recent isotherm models; the Temkin model gave values of B, relating to the heat of sorption (between 355 to 793 KJ/mol). The R-D model provided the mean free energy values as ED = 0.717-2.254 KJ/mol, which were indication of physical adsorption (E

Performance assessment and isotherm modeling of dye uptake by h3po4 and zncl2 modified activated carbon animalis from poultry droppings

Activated carbon animalis was prepared from poultry droppings by H3PO4 and ZnCl2 activation at 5 and 15 minutes dwells time. Four different isotherms were used to model data obtained from adsorption of textile dye from waste water. Applicability of the models followed the trend; Langmuir (R2 = 0.87-0.989) > Radushkevich – Dubinin (R2=0.731-0.973)> Frendhich (R2=0.735-0.967) > Temkin (R2=0.742-0.951). The Langmuir separation factor (RL) revealed thefavorable nature of the adsorption. Samples, activated at longer time with ZnCl2 gave the best quality carbon with high saturation capacity (qD), high mean free energy (ED) and high maximum capacity (qm), but least adsorption energy (BD). Adsorption was majorly monolayer on uniform strategies, with no transmigration of adsobate. The overall results in this assessment indicate that percentage dye removal ranged between 28-63.60%, 38-76.00%, 33.58-50.40% and 24.83-76.00% for pd/A/5, pd/A/15, pd/z/5 and pd/z/15 respectively. This is an indication that, the Poultry waste biomass can be a good precursor for generating adsorbent for uptake of multicomponent organic solute.Keywords: Isotherm modeling, activated carbon, poultry dropping, textile dye