Seasonal variation in physico-chemical properties of groundwater around Karu abattoir

This study examined the effect of seasonal variation on the physical, chemical and biological properties of groundwater around Karu abattoir. Water samples were collected from different wells at different distances around the abattoir comprising Group A (within abattoir), Group B (60m from abattoir) and Group C (200-300m from abattoir) for wet and dry seasons. Parameters analysed are temperature, turbidity, TDS, TSS, pH, DO, BOD, total hardness, conductivity, iron content, nitrate, sulphate, E.coli and faecal streptococci. Result of the analyses showed that all the parameters have higher concentration during the wet season than in the dry season in all the Groups, except for BOD, sulphate and iron. Paired sample t-test results revealed that parameters such as TDS, conductivity,DO, nitrate, sulphate and iron have no significant variation in all the Groups. Most of the parameters have their mean values within the WHO standards in both seasons; however mean values for TSS, E.coli and faecal streptococci are higher than the guideline provisions, while DO does not meet the recommended values in both seasons; and BOD values are higher than WHO standard. The study concluded that the water, especially from Groups A and B, are more polluted during the wet season and recommended that it must be adequately treated if it is to be used for drinking.Keywords: Seasonal variation, Groundwater, Abattoir, Effluents, Water qualit

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Spatial Variation in Groundwater Pollution from Abattoir Effluents in Karu, Abuja, Nigeria

This study assessed the spatial pollution of groundwater around Karu abattoir by the abattoir effluents by analysing the physical, chemical and biological parameters of water samples collected from different wells at different distances around the abattoir comprising Group A (within abattoir), Group B (60m from abattoir) and Group C (200-300m from abattoir). Parameters analysed were temperature, turbidity, TDS, TSS, pH, DO, BOD, total hardness, conductivity, iron content, nitrate, sulphate, E.coli and faecal streptococci. Result of the analyses showed that the concentrations are higher in Group A water samples, and reduced slightly in the Group B and then the Group C samples, for parameters such as temperature, turbidity, TDS, TSS, BOD, sulphate, iron content, E.coli and faecal streptococci. Values for the concentration of electrical conductivity, total hardness and nitrate were inconsistent across the Groups; Group A samples were more acidic and the acidity reduces with distance from the abattoir; they also have reduced DO but the values increased slightly with Groups B and C. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) at P≤0.05 showed significant variation in the concentration of the parameters except for temperature, turbidity, pH and electrical conductivity which showed no significant variation. The parameters were at different compliance level with the WHO and NSDWQ standards. The study therefore concluded that the water in Groups A and B, was not fit for drinking unless adequately treated. It was recommended that there is the need for the treatment of the abattoir effluents before discharging them into the environment.Keywords: Spatial variation, Groundwater, Pollution, Abattoir, Effluents, Water quality

The role of inflammation in the metabolic syndrome

Aims and Objectives: The aim of this study is to determine the plasma levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in adult Nigerians with the metabolic syndrome and to determine the relationship between components of the metabolic syndrome and CRP in adult Nigerians. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional analytical study of 50 adult men and women with metabolic syndrome and 50 age- and sex-matched men and women without metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome was defined based on the National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III) criteria. Written informed consent was obtained from the participants. Blood pressure and anthropometric measurements were taken and venous blood was collected after an overnight fast. The Ethics Committee of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria approved the study protocol. Comparisons of the continuous variables and the categorical variables were done using the Student's t-test and Chi-square test, respectively. Regression analysis was used to determine the associations between the variables. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: The study subjects differed in some clinical and laboratory parameters such as diastolic blood pressure (P = 0.048), waist circumference (P = 0.002), body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.012), waist/hip ratio (P = 0.023), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (P = 0.012), and insulin resistance (P = 0.042). There was a statistically significant increase in the inflammatory marker, CRP (P = 0.019), cytokines, IL-6 (P = 0.040), and TNFα (P = 0.031) between the subjects with and without metabolic syndrome. There was also a positive significant association between CRP, waist circumference, and insulin resistance and a negative significant association between CRP and HDL in metabolic syndrome (P < 0.05). Conclusion: This study reports increased plasma levels of the inflammatory cytokines, IL-6, TNFα and in the inflammatory marker and CRP in metabolic syndrome. Understanding the role of inflammation in the metabolic syndrome may provide novel strategies for the management of metabolic syndrome and related disorders