Determination of the constituents and suitability of Azara barytes for industrial applications

Azara baryte was analyzed and had an average specific gravity of 4.3g/cm3 and loss on ignition of 1.71wt%. Atomic Absorption spectrometery was used to determine the Fe2O3,Al2O3 and BaO contents. SiO2 and SO3 were determined by gravimetry while CaO, MgO, Na2O and K2O were determined by flame photometry. The percentage average values for the chemical oxides in the baryte samples were BaO (57.29wt%), SO3(25.99wt%), CaO(1.40wt%), MgO(0.40wt%), Fe2O3(3.46wt%), Al2O3(0.97wt%), Na2O(2.82wt%), K2O(0.30wt%) and SiO2(6.23wt%). These results indicate that Azara baryte lies within the range for use in glass production and as a filler or extender in paint and rubber production, but will require further beneficiation in order to be a suitable component of oil drill mud.Keywords: Azara Baryte, Specific gravity, Gravimetery, Atomic Absorption Spectrometery. Flame photometry

A study of the physico-chemistry and mineralogy of Agbaja clay for its industrial application

Agbaja clay was analyzed for its physico-chemical and x-ray properties to ascertain its suitability for ceramic, refractory and other industrial applications. The clay was found to be predominantly composed of Al2O3 (38.68%), SiO2 (39.47%) alkali oxides (0.61%). It had a pH value of 6.61, an Atterberg Plasticity Index of 15.45%. X – ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis showed kaolinite as the main mineral phase while Halloysite and Illite were the accessory minerals present. Agbaja clay is suitable for use in the production of super-heat duty refractory materials and vitreous ceramic wares. It is also suitable for use in the paper, rubber, plastic and pharmaceutical industries. The clay color changed from milk white to light grey upon firing.Keywords: Agbaja Clay, Atterberg Plasticity Index, X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffractio

Measurement of Radon Concentration in Water Sources around Ririwai Artisanal Tin Mine Kano State, Nigeria

In this work liquid scintillation analysis was used to measure the concentration of 222Rn in three sources of water around Ririwai Artisanal Tin mine. The annual effective dose due to 222Rn concentration in surface water source and Domestic water were also determined. The result shows that the tailing bearing water has the highest 222Rn concentration of 3.04±0.14 Bq/L followed by surface water source with 222Rn concentration of 2.51±0.13 Bq/L while the Domestic water has the lowest 222Rn concentration of 2.23±0.11 Bq/L. The results also indicated that the annual effective dose due to the 222Rn concentration is higher in surface water with 13.05±0.55 mSv/year than in Domestic water with 11.11 ± 0.44mSv/year. The mean 222Rn concentration obtained in this work is lower than 10.00Bq/L recommended by WHO and UNSCEAR. Also in this study the annual effective dose obtained is lower than the maximum permissible of 0.1mSv/year recommended by UNSCEAR. Keywords: Radionuclide, activity concentration and annual effective dos

Promjene serumskih proteina, hematološki i neki biokemijski pokazatelji u sahelske koze tijekom bređosti

The effects of pregnancy on haematological and some biochemical parameters were studied using 30 (25 pregnant of known gestational age, while five animals remained as cycling non-pregnant control) Sahel does aged between 1½ to 2½ years and managed under controlled conditions. Their weights ranged between 14 to 25 kg. Red blood cell and the white blood cell counts were the only haematological parameters that showed a significant (P0.05) in the other biochemical parameters determined, namely: Na, Ka, Ca, Total proteins, FFA, Urea, Creatinine, AST, ALT, and Alkaline phosphatase. The present study indicates that haematological and mineral imbalances are unlikely to occur during pregnancy in Sahel does when properly managed.Učinci bređosti na hematološke i neke biokemijske pokazatelje istraženi su na 30 (25 bređih s poznatim trajanjem bređosti i pet kontrolnih nebređih) sahelskih koza u dobi od 1,5 do 2,5 godine držanih pod kontroliranim uvjetima. Njihove mase kretale su se od 14 do 25 kg. Od hematoloških pokazatelja jedino je broj crvenih krvnih stanica i broj bijelih krvnih stanica bio značajno promijenjen (P0,05) u koncentraciji drugih određivanih biokemijskih pokazatelja: Na, Ka, Ca, ukupnih proteina, FFA, mokraćevine, kreatinina, aspartatne aminotransferaze (AST), alaninske aminotransferaze (ALT) i alkalne fosfataze. Istraživanje pokazuje da se tijekom bređosti pravilno držanih sahelskih koza ne javljaju promjene hematoloških pokazatelja i sadržaja minerala

Pre-weaning growth of lambs under village management system in Konni Local Government Area of Tahoua State in Niger Republic

This study evaluated the pre-weaning growth performance of a total of 144 lambs from 118 dams selected purposively from cooperating farmers’ flocks in Gabastawa and Gumbi villages in Konni Local Government Area of Tahoua State in Niger Republic. Body weight of the lambs was assessed weekly, using the hanging type weight-balance, for a period of 12 weeks. Prior to the weekly weighing, each of the lambs was identified, using plastic number tags, on the bases of breed, sex, birth type, location of flock, nutritional status and parity of dam which were recorded on the lambs’ record card. Data collected was analyzed using SPSS software package (SPSS, 1995); and student's t-­‐test as well as Duncan’s new multiple range tests were used for mean separations. Results of the study revealed that mean bodyweight of lambs increased from 2.56±0.75 kg at one week after birth to 10.25±1.80 kg at 12 weeks after birth. Mean body weight gain of the lambs was 641 g week-­‐1 (or 91.5 g day-­­‐1). The lambs’ pre-­‐weaning body weight changes produced a linear regression equation; Y = 0.598x + 3.518; and R2 = 93%. Of the various factors considered, only nutritional status of dam showed significant (P < 0.05) effect on the lambs’ pre-weaning body weights. Lambs from dams that had adequate nutrition weighed significantly (P < 0.05) heavier from week 2 (5.99±2.5 kg) to week 12 (13.14±2.2 kg); followed by those lambs from dams that had moderately adequate nutrition from week 6 to 12 and than those from the dams that had inadequate nutrition from week 2 (3.55±1.9 kg) to week 12 (8.83±2.0). It can be concluded that the pre-weaning growth performance of lambs in this study was comparable to those obtained under on-­‐stationand the results underscore the importance of adequate nutrition as a major factor that influences lambs pre-­‐weaning growth performance under the village production system. Hence, adequate nutrition of dams should be ensured to improve the pre-weaning growth of the lambs and overall productivity of sheep in the study area.Key words: Pre-weaning growth, Lambs, Traditional management system, Niger Republi

Optimal Control Strategies and Cost Effectiveness Analysis of a Malaria Transmission Model

In this paper, a non-linear model with three control parameters for household of malaria has been study. The disease free equilibrium is obtained and the basic reproduction number is computed using the next generation matrix. We carry out cost evaluation of the model to optimize the cost of the intervention in the objective functional using Pontryagins’s Maximum Principle (PMP). We apply the optimal control strategy to investigate and analyze the optimal cost for controlling the transmission of malaria using treated bednets, treatment and indoor residual spray as parameters. Numerical simulation has been carry out using Runge-Kutta of order four to calculate the incremental cost effectiveness ratio () for the implementation of various combinations of the parameters to determine the most cost effective strategy that check the spread of the disease. Our findings show that the most cost-effective strategy to check the spread of malaria is strategy F (the combination of treatment of infected individuals and indoor residual spray parameters). Keywords: Optimal Control, Malaria Transmission, Cost-Effectiveness, Treated Bednets, Treatment, Indoor Spra

Studies on physico-mechanical behaviour of kenaf/glass fiber reinforced epoxy hybrid composites

In this study, various treated, untreated, and treated kenaf/glass fiber composites were fabricated using epoxy resin. A portion of kenaf fibers were subjected to treatment with alkali, sub-portion was taken for benzoyl peroxide and potassium permanganate prior to composite fabrication. This treatment on the composite material was undertaken to achieve improved modification of the interface between the matrix and fiber bond. A portion of the glass fiber was used for enhancing the mechanical properties of the hybrid composite. The tensile strength, flexural, density, water absorption and chemical resistance of the composites were analyzed using standard methods. FTIR was conducted on the fiber to ascertain the chemical treatment on the fibers, FESEM was used for the morphological study. The results obtained showed that the tensile and flexural strength improved from 46.45-298.3 kgf, and 10.5-54.7 kgf, respectively, in the composite samples. Chemical resistance of the kenaf fiber treated potassium permanganate composite improved compared to the untreated fiber composite in both cases. The density and water absorption properties of the composites were found to decrease in the treated fibers compared to untreated fiber composites, this treated composites showed less water absorption and density. The FTIR result revealed that reaction has taken place between the fiber and the treatment reagent. Hence, fiber modification has improved the properties of the composites due to increase in fiber-matrix interaction.                     KEY WORDS: Chemical properties, Epoxy resin, Hybrid, Kenaf, Mechanical strength, Natural fiber   Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2021, 35(1), 171-184. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v35i1.1

Response of Broiler Birds to Choline Chloride in Semi Arid Sokoto, Nigeria

A study was carried out to evaluate growth performance and carcass characteristics of broiler birds fed with varying level of choline inclusion in their diets; T1 (control), T2 (10g/10kg) and T3 (20g/10kg). A total of 225 marshall broiler chicks were randomly divided into three (3) treatment group of 75 birds each. Each group was divided into five (5) replicates of fifteen (15) birds each laid in a completely randomized design. Feed and water was supplied ad-libitum and the experiment lasted for 49 days. The total feed intake (1316.75-14442.18) (24437.13-31999.76) for starter and finisher respectively, body weight gain (6227.30-8241.20) (10956.64-14182.96) for starter and finisher respectively, feed conversion ratio (1.73-2.26) (2.21-2.48) for starter and finisher respectively. Many (thigh, wings, back) of the carcass parameters measured were not significantly (p>0.05) affected by the treatments but significant difference (p<0.05) was observed in drum stick, breast and neck.  However, significant difference (p<0.05) was also observed in gizzard, liver and bile, heart, lungs, legs and head. There was significant difference (p<0.05) in primal cuts per live weight, primal cuts per dressed weight, organs per live weight and organs per dressed weight. In view of the results obtained, it can be concluded that treatment two (10g/10kg) performed better in terms of total body weight (TBW) and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Also in the carcass characteristics, treatment two performed better in terms of breast yield, drumstick, percentage of primal cuts from live weight (P/LW) and percentage of primal cuts from dressed weight

Phytoremediation of Lead and Chromium using Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) in Contaminated Soils of IBB University, Lapai, Nigeria

Heavy metals are known to have adverse effect on ecosystem and human health when ingested beyondtolerant limit as such phytoremediation utilizes plants to remediate metal polluted areas. The objectives of this study is to evaluate the potentials of sunflower in phytoremediation of chromium and lead from contaminated soil and to examine the rate of accumulation in roots, stems and leaves of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). Results showed that the plant has high concentration of Pb (1.77 mg/kg) at 10 and 12 (WAP) and there was no significant difference in the absorption rate throughoutthe experimental period, while at 2 WAP low concentration of Pb (1.52 mg/kg) was observed. The accumulation rate in the plant parts shows significant difference (p&lt;0.05) at 2 and 6 WAP. The roots recorded the highest accumulation rate of both Pb and Cr 2.04 mg/kg and 1.60 mg/kg respectively, while the leaves recorded the least values 1.12 mg/kg and 0.09 mg/kg of Pb and Cr respectively. From results obtained heavy metal accumulation in sunflower was observed to be in the form leaves&lt;stems&lt;roots. Finally, sunflower has demonstrated to be a good absorber of Pb and Cr. Hence, it can be used in the phytoremediation of heavy metal contaminated soils

Evaluation of Heavy Metal Concentration in Drinking Water Collected from Local Wells and Boreholes of Dutse Town, North West, Nigeria

Water samples collected from Dutse Town, Jigawa State, were studied and analyzed for heavy metals. A total of 48 samples were collected from 24 different sampling sites in Dutse town namely: FUD, Gidan Dubu Yadi, Bakwato 1, Bakwato 2, Tashar Danwake, Fatara, Kargo, Garu/Emir palace, Fagoji 1, Fagoji 2, Zai, Jigawa Sarki, Kachi, Limawa, Galamawa, Dasina, Takur Adua, Jigawar Tsada, Takur Site, Dan Masara, Mopol Base, G-9 Site and Aminu Kano Way/Cikin Gari. The samples were studied and analyzed for eight (8) heavy metals namely; Cadmium (Cd), Cobalt (Co), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), Lead (Pb), Mercury (Hg) and Nickel (Ni). The results obtained were compared with the international standards. The samples were analyzed at the Central Laboratory, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS) was used in this study and the average concentration of these heavy metals  are 0.0034, 0.0409, 0.0151, 1.8241, 0.01471, 0.2731, 2.2829 and 0.0433 mg/l for Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Pb, Mn, Hg and Ni respectively. Among the analyzed heavy metals, Cd, Co, Cu and Ni were below the recommended level set by United State Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and World Health Organization (WHO) while Fe, Pb, Mn and Hg were higher than the recommended level set by USEPA and WHO for safe drinking water. This imply that the water collected from these sampling areas were contaminated with heavy metals which may have serious health hazard to the people using such water for drinking and other domestic activities. Keywords: Heavy metals, Wells, Boreholes, Drinking Water, Dutse Tow