Identification of Lubricating Oil-Degrading Microorganisms in Oil Polluted Soils from Five Auto- mechanic Workshops in Accra, Ghana

Trichothecium, Trichoderma, Aspergillus niger, Fusarium, and Penicillium spp. from oil contaminated soil from 5 Mechanic Shops in Accra, Ghana showed zones of clearance of oil on Minimum Salt Enrichment Medium (MSEM) Agar seeded with 1000ppm Engen™ Lubricating Oil (ELO), so were counted as presumptive lubricating oil-utilizing moulds. Significant increases (P ? 0.05) in viable counts, fungal dry weights and optical densities; significant decreases (P ? 0.05) in pH’s of pure cultures of the moulds in MSEM+1.0%(v/v) ELO medium at 30°C for 0 - 25 day’s; positive correlations between viable counts and fungal dry weights, viable counts and optical densities, and fungal dry weights and optical densities; and negative correlations between pH and viable counts, and pH and optical densities, confirmed the moulds as lubricating oil consuming fungi with potential for use in bioremediation of oil polluted soils. Aspergillus niger exhibited the highest bioremediation capacity and Trichothecium the least. Keywords: Lubricating Oil, Pollution, Fungi, Bioremediatio

Assessing Municipal Solid Waste Management Practices and Challenges in the Techiman Municipality, Ghana

Managing waste efficiently is essential for building sustainable, livable and healthy communities but this remains a challenge for many municipal governments due to limited municipal budget and other logistical challenges. Such challenges result in ineffective waste collection and disposal. However, identifying the challenges associated with municipal solid waste management often lead to developing solutions to mitigate the problem. This paper assesses the waste management practices and challenges within the Techiman municipality, the regional capital of the Bono East Region. By sampling residents’ perceptions and experiences it was observed that households and patrons were dissatisfied with Techiman’s Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM). Statistically the per capita per day rate of waste generation was 0.48kg/ per capita/per day, being higher than Ghana’s municipal waste generation of 0.40 kg/per capita/per day. Lack of collection of waste from the transfer stations to the landfill sites has resulted in about 67 heaps of uncollected waste in the municipality. The results show that lack of source separation and recycling, broken down trucks, low participation of private sector in waste collection, non-compliance of by-laws, poor road infrastructure leading to the landfill site, and inefficient landfill site have contributed to the waste problem in the municipality. Resorting to source separation, educating the public on waste management bye laws, increasing private sector participation and establishing engineered landfill sites can substantially contribute to sustainable Municipal Waste Management in the Techiman Municipality

Anticonvulsant screening of three novel isomeric forms of 4[(dimethylphenyl) amino]-4-oxobut-2-enoic acid in chicks and mice

Epilepsy is a disorder of public concern and has been widely treated using various pharmacotherapeutic approaches. Despite many breakthrough in its current management, there is no one drug that is devoid of shortcomings particularly toxicity and cost. Advances in pharmaceutical research have led to the need for a structure guided pharmacologic activity of novel compounds. The aim of this study is to evaluate the anticonvulsant activity of three (3) novel isomeric forms of 4[(dimethylphenyl) amino]-4-oxobut-2-enoic acid in chicks and mice. The 3 isomeric forms i.e. {4-[(2, 4- dimethylphenyl) amino]-4-oxobutenoic acid (A), 4-[(2, 5- dimethylphenyl) amino]-4-oxobutenoic acid (B) and 4-[(2, 6- dimethylphenyl) amino]-4-oxobutenoic acid (C)} were subjected to acute toxicity studies using Lorke’s method of 1983 and anticonvulsant screening using Maximum Electro-Shock Test (MEST) and Pentylenetetrazole test (PTZ). The Median lethal doses (LD50) of compounds A, B, and C were estimated to be 775, 1131, and 1131 mg/kg respectively. In the MEST, compound A (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg) and B (75, 150 and 300 mg/kg) did not show protection at all the doses tested, while compound C (75, 150 and 300 mg/kg) showed a 20% protection across all the doses tested. In the PTZ, compound A, B and C showed no protection. In conclusion, all the 3 isomeric forms of 4[(dimethylphenyl) amino]-4-oxobut-2- enoic acid though possessed some level of protection but not significant against MEST and PTZ models.Keywords: Anticonvulsant, Epilepsy, Isomers, MEST, PT

Sero-prevalence of hepatitis b surface antigen (hbsag) among blood donors attending ahmadu bello university teaching hospital (Abuth), Zaria, Nigeria

A study on the sero-prevalence of Hepatitis B surface Antigen among 100 blood donors attending Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital Shika, Zaria, Kaduna Nigeria was carried out in June, 2008 using hepatitis B surface Antigen latex. Higher prevalence rate was observed between the age range of 30 – 39years. No prevalence was observed between 15 – 19 and 45-54years. The findings revealed high prevalence in males as compared to females (p < 0.05)

Potential benefits of genetic modification (GM) technology for food security and health improvement in West Africa: Assessing the perception of farmers in Ghana and Nigeria

We assessed the perception of farmers towards potential adoption of genetic modification (GM) technology for improving health, food security and agricultural productivity using a semi-structured interview. A total sample of 54 small-scale farmers participated in 6 focus group meetings (FGMs) and 23 in-depth interviews at six locations in Ghana and Nigeria (West Africa). Our results reveal that most farmers have a very poor understanding of GM technology which they often misunderstood as traditional plant breeding biotechnology. While most respondents focused on the potential benefits of GM technology including high-yielding varieties, better nutritional value and shorter growing cycle crop traits, only a few respondents were concerned about the potential health and environmental risks of GM technology. Root and tuber crops such as cassava, yam and sweet potato were mostly discussed for health improvement and food security through GM technology. This study emphasizes the need to recognize challenges such as lack of awareness, inadequate training, low level of education and poor extension services among others in introducing new technology including GM technology to resource poor farmers in African countries like Ghana and Nigeria. We conclude that failure to address these challenges will impede the adoption of GM technology. Therefore, Ghanaian and Nigerian government(s) must put in place policy measures to address these problems.Keywords: Food security, health improvement, genetic modification (GM) technology, Ghana, Nigeria, West Africa farmersAfrican Journal of Biotechnology, Vol. 13(2), pp. 245-256, 8 January, 201