Impact of Aisami Solid Waste dumping site, Kano Metropolis, Nigeria on the quality of ground water of the neighbouring environment

Open dumping and uncontrolled landfilling of solid wastes are the most widely practiced waste disposal methods in many cities of the less-developed regions, especially those in sub Saharan Africa. These practices are unsustainable and pose a major threat to the environment and public health. Of particular concern is the leachate produced at the disposal sites, which is concentrated with biological and chemical substances that could contaminate the soil, surface and groundwater sources in the environment. The effects of leachate percolation on the quality of groundwater sources is of great concern especially in sub Saharan Africa, where untreated self-supply groundwater options represent a major source of water supply for many inhabitants. Given this perspective, the physicochemical characteristics of some groundwater samples from wells around a major waste disposal site; Aisami in Kano metropolis, Nigeria, were examined. The samples were collected from the north, east, south and west directions around the disposal site and analysed for parameters that include: pH, turbidity, total dissolved solids, electrical conductivity, total alkalinity, total hardness, Ca+2, Mg+2, Na+, K+, NO3-, SO4(2-), Cl-, Cu+2, Fe+2 ,Mn+2, Pb, Zn, and Cr. Significant concentrations of most parameters were revealed, often above the WHO recommended thresholds. Accordingly, some measures were highlighted towards protecting, preserving and sustaining groundwater quality as a strategic source of water supply in the area and beyond

Assessment of phytoremediation potential of Telfaira occidentalis in the removal of Cu, Cd, and Pb in contaminated soil along River Salanta

A Field study was carried out to examine the phytoremediation potential of some plants metals (Cd, Cu and Pb) in contaminated soils along Sallanta river, Kano. A total of one hundred and eighty (100) samples comprising of 40 (soils), 20 (effluents), and 40 (plant parts) of T. 0ccidentalis were analyzed. 0.50g of the plant tissue and 1.0g of soil sample and 50mL of the effluent sample were digested using triacid digestion method and the levels of the metals were determined by the use of atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The mean levels of the metals in plants and soils from contaminated and control sites were found to be in the sequence of Cu (27.08±3.15)> Cd (24.57±8.25)>Pb (3.00±0.52) and Cu (10.10±2.50)> Cd (2.80±0.05)>Pb (2.00±0.63) respectively. The contamination factor (CF) of all the metals in the plants were found to be in the sequence of Cd (8.35±1.53)> Cu (2.52±1.20)>Pb (1.50±0.21). The results showed that these plants can be used for the phytoextraction of the metals from contaminated soils. The values of bioaccumulation and translocation factors were also found to be more than one in almost all cases. From these results it could be recommended that the three plants investigated would be ideal for phytoremediation in multi-metal contaminated soils

Studies on mosquito density in urban Kano: a study to calculate larval indices in municipal area of Gwale, Kano, Nigeria

The study is carried out to standardize larval indices namely House Index, Container Index and Breteau Index and also to identify the major breeding sources of mosquitoes in the residential environment in and around the Gwale Local government area of  Kano, Nigeria. A cross-sectional study by selecting 50 houses randomly from the 6 wards of Municipality was employed. Every water holding container indoors and outdoors were counted and searched for larval presence and noted on a pretested format. In this study, 300 houses were surveyed in 21 days out of which 94.33% (283 houses) were found to have potential sources for mosquito breeding. All the entomological indices were found to be above the critical level. House Index = 28.67%; Container Index = 12.14%; Breteau Index = 64.00% showing high chances for outbreaks of mosquito borne diseases. The area is prone to mosquito borne disease like malaria and therefore warrants interventions from the competent

The effect of washing with water and detergent on increasing the shelf life of pepper (Capsicum annum) on sale at Rimi and Tarauni markets of Kano State, Nigeria

Sample of pepper was collected from two selected vegetable markets and used to determine the most effective method of increasing shelf life of pepper. In the research two treatment methods used by marketers of vegetables washing with water and detergent were compared. The results showed that five fungal colonies were isolated from pepper samples obtained from the study aeas. The five fungal colonies isolated from the two markets have the following frequency of occurrence A. niger 17 ( 28.3 %) A. fumigatus 12 (23.3%), R. stolonifer 12 (20.0%), A. flavus 09(15.05%) and Mucor spp 08 (13.3%). Out of the total 60 fungal colonies isolated in the two markets, more colonies were counted from water wash pepper 37 ( 61.0%), while lower colony counts were recorded from detergent washed pepper in the two locations 23 ( 38.3%). It is clear therefore that, this investigation has established fewer fungal colonies counted from detergent washed samples in the two markets is that washing of pepper with detergent is more effective in increasing the shelf life of pepper by removing the surface contaminant micro-organisms