Petrology and Geochemistry of Calc-Silicate Schists and Calc-Silicate Reaction Bands in the Jakura Marble, Western Nigeria

The Jakura Marble deposit is located ca. 50 km northwest of Lokoja, southwestern Nigeria. Calc-silicate schists occur as intercalations and lenses within the marble. The schists consist of hornblende, biotite, actinolite, plagioclase, quartz, accessory epidote, sphene, zircon, chlorite and apatite. Calc-silicate reaction bands developed at the contacts between the marble and calc-silicate schists consist of diopside, plagioclase, scapolite, late actinolite and epidote.Chemically the calc-silicate schists are characterized by relatively high CaO, MgO, Cr, Ni, Sr, La, Ce and Nd contents compared with the mica schist regionally associated with the marble as well as the Post-Archean Australian Shale (PAAS). Relative to the ultramafic schist the calc-silicate schists are characterized by higher contents of K2O, Ba, Pb, Rb, La and Ce and lower MgO, CaO, Fe, Na2O, Cr and V. The calc-silicate reaction bands have higher contents of CaO and Sr and lower concentrations of K2O, Rb, Ni, and Ba relative to the calc-silicate schists; and relatively higher SiO2, TiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, MgO, Na2O, K2O and P2O5 and lower CaO contents compared to the marble.These features suggest that the protoliths of the calc-silicate schists were admixtures of carbonate material with some ultramafic detritus, and the reaction band was produced by diffusion of elements from the calc-silicat schists into the marble contact zone.Keywords: Jakura, Calc-silicate Schists, Calc-silicate Reaction Bands, Marble, Geochemistr

Comparative Adsorption of Spiramycin on Veegum®, Activated Charcoal and Garcinia kola Heckel (Guttiferea) Seed

Purpose: To investigate the adsorptive interaction of Garcinia kola with spiramycin, since the kola is widely chewed as a tonic and spiramycin attains high concentrations in saliva.Methods: Spiramycin solutions of different concentration were added to a fixed mass of Garcinia kola (200 mg), activated charcoal or Veegum®. Shaking was carried out at room temperature after which the dispersion was filtered and the filtrate assayed for residual drug concentration. The process was repeated under different equilibrium conditions of pH and ionic strength. The adsorption data obtained for the three adsorbents were analyzed using Langmuir and Freundlich’s plots.Results: At neutral pH, drug adsorprtion by Garcinia kola, activated charcoal and Veegum® were 67, 54 and 71 %, respectively; differences in adsorption was not significant (p = 0.09). However, the other two adsorbents exhibited adverse adsorption characteristics in terms of negative adsorption capacity (-5.78 mol.kg-1) and constant (-1141 mol-1L). For each of the adsorbents, pH and ionic strength affected the extent of adsorption, due to their effect on adsorbent surface charge. Correlation with Langmuir and Freundlich relationships were poor, the correlation coefficient for the latter being 0.97, 0.894 and 0.351 for Garcinia kola, Veegum® and activated charcoal, respectively.Conclusion: The study reveals that Garcinia kola significantly adsorbs spiramycin under alkaline conditions comparable to salivary pH, and therefore should not be taken concurrently with the drug in order to minimize reduction in drug levels.Keywords: Garcinia kola, Spiramycin, Adsorption, Antidote, Interaction, Langmuir plot, Freundlich’s plo

A qualitative study of the feasibility and community perception on the effectiveness of artemether-lumefantrine use in the context of home management of malaria in south-west Nigeria

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In Nigeria ACT use at the community level has not been evaluated and the use of antimalarial drugs (commonly chloroquine (CQ)) at home has been shown to be largely incorrect. The treatment regimen of ACT is however more complicated than that of CQ. There is thus a need to determine the feasibility of using ACT at the home level and determine community perception on its use.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A before and after qualitative study using key informant interviews (KII) and focus group discussions (FGDs) was conducted in selected villages in Ona-Ara local government area. At baseline, 14 FGDs and 14 KIIs were conducted. Thereafter, community medicine distributors (CMDs) were trained in each village to dispense artemeter-lumenfantrine (AL) to febrile children aged 6–59 months presumed to have uncomplicated malaria. After one year of drug distribution, nine KIIs and 10 FGDs were conducted. Participants and key informants were mothers and fathers with children under five years, traditional heads of communities, opinion leaders and health workers.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>None of the participants have heard of AL prior to study. Participants were favourably disposed to introduction of AL into the community. Mothers/caregivers were said to have used AL in place of the orthodox drugs and herbs reported commonly used prior to study after commencement of AL distribution. The use of CMDs for drug distribution was acceptable to the participants and they were judged to be efficient as they were readily available, distributed correct dose of AL and mobilised the community effectively. AL was perceived to be very effective and no significant adverse event was reported. Major concerns to the sustainability of the program were the negative attitudes of health workers towards discharge of their duties, support to the CMDs and the need to provide CMDs incentives. In addition regular supply of drugs and adequate supervision of CMDs were advised.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our findings showed that the use of AL at home and community level is feasible with adequate training of community medicine distributors and caregivers. Community members perceived AL to be effective thus fostering acceptability. The negative attitudes of the health workers and issue of incentives to CMDs need to be addressed for successful scaling-up of ACT use at community level.</p

Structural evolution of precambrian basement rocks of Jebba area, s.w. Nigeria

Geological studies show that the Jebba area, S.W. Nigeria is underlain by metasedimentary and metaigneous rocks including gneisses which have been intruded by Neo-Proterozoic (Pan-African) granitic rocks. The metamorphic rocks including migmatitic gneiss, quartzofeldspathic gneiss, metagreywacke, quartzite, quartz-mica schist and granitic gneiss have been subjected to polyphase deformation. Early, D1, deformation gave rise to recumbent folds associated with axial planar foliation. Later, D2 event produced asymmetrical folds and axial planar crenulation cleavages. The D3 episode was associated with ductile thrusting at deeper crustal levels and D4 with brittle thrusting at upper crustal levels, as well as tight to open folds with subhorizontal axial planes. D5 involved strain localisation along steep, strike-slip faults. Keywords: keJebba area, polyphase deformation, foliations, folds, ductile thrusts, stretching lineations, brittle thrust faults, strike-slip faults Global Journal of Geological Sciences Vol. 6 (2) 2008: pp. 149-15

Structural evolution of bode Saadu area, Southwestern Nigeria

The Bode Saadu area comprises metasedimentary and metaigneous rocks which have been subjected to polyphase deformation and have subsequently been intruded by post-tectonic granitic rocks of probably Pan-African (600 ± 150Ma)age. Five phases of post-sedimentary tectonic deformation have been recognized in the rocks of this area. The first phase was associated with the development of the regional foliation, S1, and tight to isoclinal minor folds. The second phase involved heterogeneous deformation which gave rise to ductile shear zones, extensional and contractional faults. Second phase structures also include minor asymmetrical folds which deform S1 and S0. The third phase produced the dominant major folding on approximately N-S axis including the major Bode Saadu antiform. The fourth phase gave rise to open folds and crenulation of the earlier structures. Late brittle structures include transcurrent faults, both dextral and sinistral, which occasionally occurred in conjugate sets under generally N-S trending, maximum conpressive stress

Geochemistry of granitic rocks in Jebba area, southwestern Nigeria

No Abstract Available Journal of Mining and Geology Vol.40(2) 2004: 95-10

Evaluation of Technological Quality of Meat Produced from Nsukka Local Abattior

The technological quality of raw meat from Nsukka local abattoir was evaluated by analyzing the proximate composition, water holding capacity, pH, Napole yield and sensory colour and texture of longissimus dorsi [LD] and psoas major [PM] of beef and pork. Results show that moisture [71.36 – 72.76%], protein [21.37 – 22.75%], fat[3.81 – 4.36%] and ash [0.80 – 1.30%] contents were within the range known for fresh raw beef and pork. Due to species differences and effect of scalding, pork had significantly lower ultimate pH [5.35 – 5.54] compared to beef [5.83 –5.91]; with 70% of the pork muscles being in the PSE range contrasted with 38% of those of beef. Also due to muscledifferences LD had lower ultimate pH compared to PM, although the differences were not found to be significant [