Phytoremediation of cadmium-polluted soils with Ipomoea asarifolia (Desr.) Roem. & Schult

Phytoremediation is an alternative method for restoring soils polluted with heavy metals which is cost-effective and environment-friendly. The present study evaluated the potential of Ipomoea asarifolia to remediate  soils experimentally-amended with Cadmium. The plant was grown on soils amended with 0, 1500, 2000, and 2500 mg CdCl2 salt. The salt was mixed with small portions of the soils and made upto 3kg salt/soil mixtures each. These were applied into 4 separate polythene-pots labelled; A, B, C and D respectively. Sample A containing 3kg non-amended soil (without Cd) served as the control. The concentrations of Cd applied to the soils were therefore; 0, 306.61, 408.82 and 511.02 mg//kg soils in the samples A-D respectively. Atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) was used to analyse the bioaccumulation of Cd in the plant’s parts, over three harvesting phases of the study period. The results revealed that I. asarifolia is a good phytoaccumulator as it accumulated a total biomass of 0.23 ± 0.63, 272.85 ± 1.99, 377.40 ± 0.63 and 459.48 ± 0.60 mg/kg Cd from the amended soils A-D respectively. The Transportation Indices; RTI and STI for translocation of Cd to the plant’s stems and leaves were both greater than 1 (TI >1), indicating that the plant has a phytoextraction potential for Cadmium. These results therefore, suggest that I. asarifolia could be effective in phytoremediation of Cadmium-polluted environments.Keywords: Heavy metals, cadmium, pollution, phytoremediation, Ipomoea asarifoli

Isolation and Identification of Bacteria Associated with Pre and Post Processing of Groundnut Cake in Sokoto State, North-Western Nigeria

This study was conducted to assess the bacterial contamination between the groundnut cakes and paste obtained from Rural areas (Bodinga, kware) and that obtained within the metropolis at Urban areas (Arkilla and ‘Yargoriba) of Sokoto metropolis. A total of 8 samples of ready to eat groundnut cake and pastes were purchased, 4 of which were cake packaged in polythene and 4 paste packaged in plastic rubbers. The samples were analyzed microbiologically using standard procedures. Bacteria species associated with the samples collected from the rural areas were identified as Bacillus lentus, B. megaterium, B. licheniformis, Listeria monocytogene, Staphylococcus aureus while those associated with samples collected from the urban areas were identified as Bacillus lentus, B. megaterium, B. licheniformis, Listeria monocytogene, Staphylococcus aureus and S. hominis. There was higher bacteria count on samples from rural areas compared to those from urban areas. This might be as a result of unhygienic practices during the processing of the product which may range from methods of obtaining and quality of raw materials including sources of water, packaging, handling and distribution of the finished product to the final consumers. Based on these, it is recommended that Producers of groundnut cake should use good hygienic places, raw material and equipment to reduce the risk of microbial contamination. Keywords: Isolation, Identification, Bacteria, Processing, Groundnut DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/10-12-03 Publication date:June 30th 202

Phytoremediation potential of Ipomoea asarifolia on lead polluted soils

This study evaluated the potential of Ipomoea asarifolia to remediate lead (Pb) polluted soils. The plant was grown on soils amended with varying levels of Pb in different polythene pots and atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) was used to analyse the accumulation of Pb in roots, stems and leaves of the plant within three harvesting phases of the study period. The results revealed that the plant accumulated a total biomass of 308.13mg, 392.07mg and 482.21mg Pb from 328.24 ± 2.33mg/kg, 433.03 ± 0.59mg/kg and 537.25 ± 0.92mg/kg Pb-polluted soils respectively. The Transportation Indices for Pb translocation to the different parts pf the plant showed that I. asarifolia has both RTI and STI of less than 1 (TI<1) for Pb, indicating that the plant has both phytoaccumulation and phytostabilisation potential for Pb in soils polluted with the heavy metal. The results therefore, suggest that the plant could have potential for phytoremediation of PbKey words: Phytoremediation, pollution, Ipomoea asarifolia, heavy metal, lea

Nutritional and anti-nutritional analyses of Hura crepitans seeds cultivated in Sokoto North L.G.A, North-North-Western Nigeria

The proximate, minerals constituents and anti-nutritional factors of Hura crepitans seeds were evaluated. The results of the proximate analysis showed that 3.13%, 4.00%, 7.83%, 33.17%, 17.30%, 8.17%, 29.53% were the percentage composition of moisture, ash, crude lipid, crude protein, fibre and carbohydrate respectively. The calorific value was obtained to be 485.85±7.22 kJ/kg. The anti-nutritional analysis showed that phytate had the highest concentration of 20.28±0.90 while oxalate has the lowest concentration of 0.017±0.15 mg/100g dry weight respectively. The mineral analysis of Hura crepitans seed also indicates that K has the highest value of 238.33 mg/100g dry weight while Cd with a value 0.71±0.01 mg/100g dry weight has the least. The result shows that the H. crepitans seeds if properly utilized can serve as good source of minerals.Keywords: Anti-nutritional, Hura crepitans, Proximate, Mineral, Nutritiona