Comparative analysis on the effect of heavy metals: a case study of selected states in Nigeria

In the toxicological aspect, uncontrolled amount of heavy metals is deadly, to the environment and its inhabitants. To complicate issues, reviewed work has revealed that technological advancement is one of the key sources of heavy metals. This can lead to outbreak of diseases, decrease of life span, cancer, and other related effects. Providing sustainable environment, the concentration of these metals need to be periodically regulated. This research studies the effect of some selected heavy metals (Fe, Cd, Cu, Ni, Cr, Pb, Zn and Mn) in Kano State Nigeria, using Atomic Absorption spectroscopy (AAS). The results were compared with other related work conducted in some states across Nigeria (Akwa Ibom, Kwara, Kaduna, and Bauchi States) and standard international values (WHO, FAO, SEPA and US EPA). The parameters analysed were; Concentration, Bioaccumulation (Plant concentration factor –PCF), Transfer factor (TF), Daily Intake of Metals (DIM), and Health Risk Index (HRI). Statistical package (SPSS) was used, to establish the relationship between these metals in all the sites. The result showed that there were substantial absorption of these metals by the plants and the consumers. Children were more exposed than adults in terms of DIM and the HRI. The comparison showed sequential order in the parameters investigated. All the biological samples exhibited Phytoremediation quality with the TF>1, this will aid in having sustainable environment to the resident and citizen of the state in particular and the nation in general, as well as serving as an impetus for the initiation of safe comprehensive remedy of the subject matter. The PCF for all the samples varied across states and plants.Keywords: AAS, Adults, ANOVA. Children, Concentration, DIM, HRI, PCF, Phytoremediatio

Densitometric analysis of Radiation Absorbed Dose to Patients Undergoing Chest X-ray Examination in a Government Owned Hospital, Kano-Nigeria

Chest X-ray is one the most frequently required diagnostic procedures used in clinical practice to produce an image of organs, tissues and bones of the body with a significant impact on collective dose. However, the radiation dose received by patients from this procedure is likely to show large variations within and among radiodiagnostic centres. This could be traced to be lack of imaging protocols and a lack of local or national diagnostic reference levels. Although the radiation doses resulting from the X-ray procedures are usually measured in terms of effective dose entrance surface dose using electronic personal dosimeter (EPD), pocket dosimeter, thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD), film badges, and optically stimulated luminescent dosimeter (OSLD). For the sake of radiation protection, densitometric analysis was used to evaluate medical exposure for chest radiographs to determine the radiation doses using a point optical densitometer; PTW-DensiX with a range of 0 to 4.0 optical density. The hospital where this study was carried out is in Kano State. A total of sixty (60) chest radiographic films were collected from the hospital and the optical density of each radiographic film was measured five times at different spots. The mean optical density was obtained and converted by a mathematical relation to absorbed radiation dose in cGy. The results obtained in this study show that the mean absorbed X-ray dose was 0.78 ± 0.13 cGy and is low compared to the previous study held for hospitals in Osun State. Also, when compared with the excess dose of 0.10 Gy recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection, it was evident that radiological practice especially as it relates to chest radiographs at the hospital in Kano is within the recommended practice. Keywords: Absorbed dose, Densitometer, Optical Density, Radiation, X-ra

Association of copy number variations in complement factor H-Related genes among age-related macular degenerative subjects

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most widely recognised cause of irreversible vision loss and previous studies have suggested that the advancement of wet AMD is influenced by both modifiable and non-modifiable elements. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) and copy number of variations (CNVs) have been associated with AMD in various populations, however the results are conflicting. Our aim is to determine the CNVs of Complement Factor H-Related genes among Malaysian subjects with wet AMD. 130 patients with wet AMD and 120 healthy controls were included in this research. DNA was extracted from all subjects and CNVs of CFH, CFHR1 and CFHR3 genes; determined using quantitative real-time PCR and were compared between the two groups. A consistent association was observed between CFH gene and wet AMD susceptibility (P < 0.05). The age-adjusted data suggests a possible increased risk of AMD disease (P < 0.05). No correlation was detected between CNVs and wet AMD for the remaining genes after we compared the frequencies of mean for that gene. An association was observed between CFH CNVs and wet AMD in the Malaysian population, however, strong evidence of a link with wet AMD was not found. Further investigative studies are needed using larger sample sizes to elucidate the role of CNVs in AMD pathogenesis