Analysis of Pollution of River Challawa by Industrial Effluents

No Abstrac

Engineering geological Characterization of Basement Rocks for Construction Aggregates: A Case Study of Kajuru Area Kaduna, Nigeria.

The microstructure, mineralogical composition and analysis of chemical constituent of rock samples were evaluated as part of the research on the quality and suitability of rocks in Kajuru, Kaduna State, Nigeria as sources of aggregate for construction. Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection (ASTER) Global Digital Elevation Model (GDEM) in Global mapper software was used to visualize three dimensional perspectives (3D) of the study area and quantities of major oxides present in Rock samples were determined using x-ray florescence machine called X-supreme 8000. The microstructural characteristics of rocks such as mineralogy, structure, textural and distributions of minerals in the matrix were studied using a petrographic microscope. The rock predominantly consists of porphyritic granites and gneisses with minor quartz vein and quartzofeldpathic pegmatite intrusions. The high silica contents are confirmed from microscopic studies that elucidated the prevalent mineral specie to be felsic component - quartz and feldspar with interlocking grain boundary. The studies revealed mica, microcrack and fracture in some of the rock type which will invariably affect their engineering performance. It is therefore recommended that physicomechanical evaluation be carried out on the rock aggregates to establish the strength of aggregate and the link between physicomechanical properties and geological characteristics of the rock. Keywords: Basement rocks; microstructure; mineralogical composition; petrograph

Socio-Economic Importance of Tree Nursery Enterprises in Lagos State, Nigeria

There is a growing interest to understand the role of tree nursery enterprises in Nigeria and the horn of Africa. Tree nursery  enterprises, which are vital economic activities in major cities of Nigeria and particularly in the city of Lagos are not adequately studied and well documented. Therefore, this study seeks to fill a gap in understanding the socioeconomic importance and profitability potential of tree nursery enterprises. Multistage sampling technique with a 3-stage design was adopted in this study using aquantitative data collection techniques through the use of structured questionnaire administered to 120 nursery entrepreneurs. Data were analyzed using descriptive, inferential, and budgetary analysis. The result revealed that tree nursery entrepreneurs are literate, mostly male in their youthful age. Furthermore, the total annual revenue earned by the respondents was ₦1,712,222.22 with a mean annual net income of ₦1,458,038.72 while the return per naira invested was ₦5.71. This shows that tree nursery enterprise is profitable in the study area. However, most entrepreneurs were faced with shortage of land for establishments of tree nursery in the study area. Therefore, appropriate actions in reducing cost of land lease/purchase are recommended to encourage new entrepreneurs and strengthen the sector’s development. Keywords: Entrepreneur, Environment, Nursery enterprises, Profitability, Socio-economic and Tree seedlings