Synthesis and Characterization of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticle for the Adsorptive Remediation of Petrochemical Effluents

The zinc oxide nanoparticle was synthesized via precipitation method. It was characterized using SEM-EDX, FTIR and TEM for morphology, elemental, functional groups and internal structure respectively. The physicochemical behaviour of a refinery effluent was assessed. The untreated raw refinery effluent from the point of discharge contained very high concentrations of pollutants for all the parameters, ranging between, pH (6.52-6.82), Turbidity (10-12 NTU), conductivity (266-289μs/cm), COD (116-138 mg/l), BOD (14-18.5 mg/l), DO (7.5-15.6 mg/l), TDS (436-486 mg/l), TSS (127-133 mg/l), Oil and grease (14.8-16.3 mg/l), sulphate (113-125 mg/l) and chloride (240-280 mg/l). The effluent was treated with ZnO nanoparticle and reduced the pollutants to the normal permissible limit set by WHO, FEPA and NESREA standard for portable water. The treated effluent sample showed values ranging between, pH (6.55-6.6), Turbidity (4.2-4.5 NTU), conductivity (245-246 μs/cm), COD (39-40 mg/l), BOD (10 mg/l), DO (5.6-10.4 mg/l), TDS (151-183 mg/l), TSS (24-28 mg/l), Oil and grease (7.3-9.5 mg/l), sulphate (100 mg/l) and chloride (200 mg/l). The heavy metals profile that was investigated are Fe, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd and Cr of which were found above the WHO and FEPA permissible limit, however, on the contact with the adsorbent therefore reduced the metals to the permissible limit. It can be ascertain that ZnO nanoparticle can be used as an effective adsorbent for the treatment of petrochemical effluent

Bio-oxidation of a low grade chalcopyrite ore by mixed culture of acidophilic bacteria

A study on the extent of biooxidation of a low grade Chalcopyrite ore using a mixed acidophilic bacterial consortium predominantly of the Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans strain has been carried out.  The influence of additive and pH on the bio-oxidation of the ore has been examined. The results of the investigations showed that bio-oxidation was enhanced by the addition of nutrient broth at lower pH. The enhancement in biooxidation of a chalcopyrite ore was 54% and 19% with and without addition of broth in 10 days incubation time, respectively. The study showed that at a lower pH (≤ 4.0), the biooxidation of the ore was higher in presence of broth. Consequently, in presence of nutrient broth, the concentration of Fe and Cu leached were 1200 mg/L and 350 mg/L; and without nutrient broth yielded 580 mg/L and 220 mg/L, respectively within 10 days of incubation and decreases afterwards

Comparative Analysis of Pre and Post-migration Livelihood Outcomes of Households with Absentee Heads in Osun State, Nigeria

Migration is often linked with a deleterious impact on rural area production and development. Although, the change of location for better opportunities also affect the lives and livelihoods of the migrant households’ in the rural communities. The study was a comparative analysis of the pre and post-migration living outcomes of absentee households’ heads in Osun State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure involving the simple random sampling was used to select 120 absentee household heads. Data collected with interview schedule was subjected to descriptive statistics, t-test and correlation analyses. Findings showed that more men (76.7%) migrated, leaving women to become the interim household heads. It was found that migrants have a higher average monthly income level (₦44,400). Prior to migration, most families were in the lower financial well-being category (83.3%), while only 55% remained in that category after migration. This follows the result of the t-test which revealed that a significant difference (t=0.00; p<0.05) exists between the well-being of migrant’s household before and after migration. Thus, it was concluded that unless the rural push factors are removed, rural-urban migration will continue at an increasing rate because benefits and opportunities acquired in the process influence the well-being of the rural households. The study recommends that enabling environment, facilities and opportunities should be created in the rural communities to transform livelihoods and improve the wellbeing of the people via interventions by national and international agencies

Determination of Sulphur (IV) Oxide in Ilorin City, Nigeria, During Dry Season

Ambient concentrations of sulphur (IV) oxide (SO2) have been determined in the city of Ilorin, Nigeria between mid February and mid Novembers 2003. SO2 levels were found to vary significantly with the traffic density and human activities. There was a significant difference (P = 0.05) between the SO2 concentrations at two sites (high and low traffic volume areas); however, there was no significant difference (P= 0.05) between high traffic/medium population density and medium traffic/high population density areas. The regression analysis indicated a strong correlation (r= 0.94) between the concentration of SO2 pattern and the hourly average traffic volume in all the sites. Average level found for the city was 59.3 \ub1 1.9ppb, which falls within the limits of the United States Environmental Protection Agency guidelines for air quality standards. Atmospheric pollution being one of the most dominant problems associated with urbanization, urban areas are associated with high density of industries and transport networks, among other infrastructure, which generate a wide range of air pollutants .@JASE

Direct reaction measurements with a 132Sn radioactive ion beam

The (d,p) neutron transfer and (d,d) elastic scattering reactions were measured in inverse kinematics using a radioactive ion beam of 132Sn at 630 MeV. The elastic scattering data were taken in a region where Rutherford scattering dominated the reaction, and nuclear effects account for less than 8% of the cross section. The magnitude of the nuclear effects was found to be independent of the optical potential used, allowing the transfer data to be normalized in a reliable manner. The neutron-transfer reaction populated a previously unmeasured state at 1363 keV, which is most likely the single-particle 3p1/2 state expected above the N=82 shell closure. The data were analyzed using finite range adiabatic wave calculations and the results compared with the previous analysis using the distorted wave Born approximation. Angular distributions for the ground and first excited states are consistent with the previous tentative spin and parity assignments. Spectroscopic factors extracted from the differential cross sections are similar to those found for the one neutron states beyond the benchmark doubly-magic nucleus 208Pb.Comment: 22 pages, 7 figure

The magic nature of 132Sn explored through the single-particle states of 133Sn

Atomic nuclei have a shell structure where nuclei with 'magic numbers' of neutrons and protons are analogous to the noble gases in atomic physics. Only ten nuclei with the standard magic numbers of both neutrons and protons have so far been observed. The nuclear shell model is founded on the precept that neutrons and protons can move as independent particles in orbitals with discrete quantum numbers, subject to a mean field generated by all the other nucleons. Knowledge of the properties of single-particle states outside nuclear shell closures in exotic nuclei is important for a fundamental understanding of nuclear structure and nucleosynthesis (for example the r-process, which is responsible for the production of about half of the heavy elements). However, as a result of their short lifetimes, there is a paucity of knowledge about the nature of single-particle states outside exotic doubly magic nuclei. Here we measure the single-particle character of the levels in 133Sn that lie outside the double shell closure present at the short-lived nucleus 132Sn. We use an inverse kinematics technique that involves the transfer of a single nucleon to the nucleus. The purity of the measured single-particle states clearly illustrates the magic nature of 132Sn.Comment: 19 pages, 5 figures and 4 table

19Ne levels studied with the 18F(d,n)19Ne\u3csup\u3e*\u3c/sup\u3e(18F+p) reaction

A good understanding of the level structure of 19Ne around the proton threshold is critical to estimating the destruction of long-lived 18F in novae. Here we report the properties of levels in 19Ne in the excitation energy range of 6.9 ≤ Ex ≤ 8.4 MeV studied via the proton-transfer 18F(d,n)Ne* reaction at the Holifield Radioactive Ion Beam Facility. The populated 19Ne levels decay by breakup into p+18F and α+15O particles. The results presented in this manuscript are those of levels that are simultaneously observed from the breakup into both channels. An s-wave state is observed at 1468 keV above the proton threshold, which is a potential candidate for a predicted broad Jπ = 1/2+ state. The proton and α partial widths are deduced to be Γp = 228 ± 50 keV and Γα = 130 ± 30 keV for this state. © 2012 American Physical Society