Occurrence of phytoplankton in the water and gut of the volta clam (Galatea paradoxa born 1778) from the lower volta estuary, Ghana

The Volta Clam, Galatea paradoxa Born 1778 (= Egeria radiata) occurs in the waters of the Lower Volta Estuary. It is an important source of protein for the inhabitants and fishing for clams is done to supplement income. The clam is eaten whole after frying, boiling, steaming or roasting. The gut contains many microalgae that are resident in the enclosing riverine water. This paper reports the incidence of microalgae (phytoplankton) in the surrounding water and in the gut of the clam with the view to identifying potential toxin-producing ones which constitute the phytoplankton population. The phytoplankton content of the riverine water and in the gut ofthe clam was determined using standard and prescribed methods. Out of the 826 single microscopic phytoplanktons counted from the surface and bottom layers of water, 63.8% belonged to the Chlorophyta, 22.9% to the Bacillariophyta and the remaining 13.3% were Cyanophyta. The  Chlorophyta population was made up of seventeen (17) species belonging to seven (17) genera. Actinastrum, Pediastrum, Phacus and Phytoconia species were detected only in the bottom water whilst Ankistrodesmus, Coelastrum, Chlorella, Euglena, Microspora, Mougeota, Scenedesmus, Spirogyra, Straurastrum and Ulothrix were found in both layers. Spirogyra was the most predominant amongst the Chlorophyta in the surface water consisting 70.6% at this layer and 44.3% of the Chlorophyta population of the bottom water. Cyanophyta belonging to nine genera (Anabaena, Anacystis, Chroococcus, Gomphosphaeria, Lyngbya, Nodularia, Oscillatoria, Phormidium and Stignonema) were isolated in the water. Oscillatoria princeps was the most predominant Cyanophyta at the surface (36.1%) and bottom (52.6%) waters. Members of the Bacillariophyta found at the surface and bottom layers belonged to six (6) genera (Asterionella, Diatoma, Fragilaria, Melosira, Navicula, and Synedra). Members of the Cyanophyta which were isolated from the gut only were Merismopedia elegans, Oscillatoria tenius and Planktothrix agardhii. Practical implications of the findings are discussed

Investigation into the supramolecular properties of fibres regenerated from cotton based waste garments

This paper investigated the supramolecular properties and accessibility of fibres regenerated from cotton-based waste garments and compared to typical lyocell fibres. The supramolecular and accessibility properties of the cotton-based waste garments fibres regenerated from three sources (waste denim garments, easy care finished cotton fabrics and a blend of cotton-based waste garment with wood pulp) were analyzed and compared to the lyocell fibres. The Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and Wide Angle X-ray Diffraction (WAXD) analyses indicated that the fibres from cotton waste garments had supramolecular properties similar to the typical lyocell fibres. The exception was spun from the cotton pulp reclaimed from easy care treated cotton fabrics and maybe related to increased amorphous cellulose content in its structure. The fibre’s accessibility by reagents behaviour correlated well with the supramolecular properties. The results indicate that the waste garment purification process may affect the properties of the pulp and hence the supramolecular properties of the resultant fibres. Further research on the purification and regeneration of fibres from waste garments may lead to the use of cotton waste garments as an alternative feedstock source to the lyocell process