Adsorption study of utilizing calabash Crescentia cujete) seed in the removal of heavy metals from industrial wastewater

This work was carried out to assess the physicochemical parameters and removal of heavy metals from industrial wastewater by activated carbon prepared from calabash seed. Some physicochemical parameters of the wastewater that assessed are pH, temperature, and turbidity, BOD, COD, TS, TDS and TSS. Adsorption studies on the effects of contact time, pH and adsorbent doses on the removal of heavy metals were investigated. The pH and temperature of granite industrial wastewater were 7.5 and 32.5 respectively which are within the permissible limit of WHO (7-8.5 and 32 oC). The wastewater sample shows extremely high turbidity of 2.5 mg/l, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) of 430 mg/l, chemical oxygen demand (COD) of 283 mg/l, total solid (TS) of 45 mg/l, total dissolved solid (TDS) of 655 mg/l and total suspended solid (TSS) of 965 which are above permissible limit of WHO. The maximum adsorption capacity of Zn (99%) and Fe (88%) were observed at pH 8 and 12 respectively. The pseudo-fist order and pseudo-second order kinetic models were used to fit the kinetic data of the adsorption process, and the result obtained showed that pseudo-second order kinetic model was able to fit the generated adsorption data from the heavy metals considered in this research work due to the regression coefficient R2 of 0.997 value obtained. The study reveals that granite industrial wastewater effluent is one of the industries responsible for polluting the surrounding aquatic environment.Key words: Kinetic study, calabash seed, adsorption, heavy metals, wastewate

Adsorption of Mn(II) and Co(II) ions from aqueous solution using Maize cob activated carbon: Kinetics and Thermodynamics Studies

The adsorption of Mn(II) and Co(II) ions from aqueous solution was investigated using batch adsorption experiment at room temperature. The effect of pH, contact time, metal ion concentration and temperature were evaluated. The residual concentrations of the metal ions were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The results showed that maximum removal of Mn(II) and Co(II) ions occurred at pH 9. Some physico-chemical and spectroscopic characterization of the adsorbents were done such as moisture content, ash content, bulk density, volatile matter, iodine number, point of zero charge (PZC), XRF, and FTIR. The moisture and ash content of MCAC adsorbent were found to be 9.85±0.06 and 5.5±0.1% respectively. The bulk density was found to be 0.37±0.01g/m3, iodine number of 367.66±30 mg/g and PZC of 6.8. The SEM micrograph shows particle grains and jelly like rough surfaces, FTIR analysis results show different functional group in the MCAB adsorbent such as O-H, C=O, and C=C stretching. Kinetic study shows that the pseudo-second order kinetic model best described the adsorption of metal ions. The equilibrium data fitted Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin adsorption isotherms, in each case, the Langmuir model appears to have better regression coefficients than the Freundlich and Temkin. Thermodynamics investigation showed that Gibb’s free energy change (ΔG) was negative indicating that the adsorption of Mn(II) and Co(II) ions by maize cob activated carbon were feasible and spontaneous. The positive value of enthalpy change (ΔH) implies that the reaction was endothermic while positive value of entropy change (ΔS) implies an irregular increase in the randomness at the solid/solution interface of the adsorbent during the adsorption process.Keywords: Adsorption, Heavy metals, Kinetics, Thermodynamic

Synthesis and Characterization of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticle for the Adsorptive Remediation of Petrochemical Effluents

The zinc oxide nanoparticle was synthesized via precipitation method. It was characterized using SEM-EDX, FTIR and TEM for morphology, elemental, functional groups and internal structure respectively. The physicochemical behaviour of a refinery effluent was assessed. The untreated raw refinery effluent from the point of discharge contained very high concentrations of pollutants for all the parameters, ranging between, pH (6.52-6.82), Turbidity (10-12 NTU), conductivity (266-289μs/cm), COD (116-138 mg/l), BOD (14-18.5 mg/l), DO (7.5-15.6 mg/l), TDS (436-486 mg/l), TSS (127-133 mg/l), Oil and grease (14.8-16.3 mg/l), sulphate (113-125 mg/l) and chloride (240-280 mg/l). The effluent was treated with ZnO nanoparticle and reduced the pollutants to the normal permissible limit set by WHO, FEPA and NESREA standard for portable water. The treated effluent sample showed values ranging between, pH (6.55-6.6), Turbidity (4.2-4.5 NTU), conductivity (245-246 μs/cm), COD (39-40 mg/l), BOD (10 mg/l), DO (5.6-10.4 mg/l), TDS (151-183 mg/l), TSS (24-28 mg/l), Oil and grease (7.3-9.5 mg/l), sulphate (100 mg/l) and chloride (200 mg/l). The heavy metals profile that was investigated are Fe, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd and Cr of which were found above the WHO and FEPA permissible limit, however, on the contact with the adsorbent therefore reduced the metals to the permissible limit. It can be ascertain that ZnO nanoparticle can be used as an effective adsorbent for the treatment of petrochemical effluent

Quantitative and Qualitative Assessment of Phytochemicals in Methanolic Extracts of Hurricane Weed ( Phyllanthus amarus Schumach. &Thonn) Plant

The phytocomponents of the leaf and root extracts of Phyllanthus amarus (Euphorbiaceae) were studied. The constituents of the leaves and roots were identified and quantified by using GC-MS. Result from the phytochemical analyses showed the presence of saponins, tannins, phenolics, anthocyanins, and glycosides in both leaves and root of the plant. Alkaloids and triterpenoids were, however only absent in the root of P. amarus but present in the leaves of the plant. Flavonoids, coumarins and steroids were absent in the leaves but present in the root part. The mean concentration of the phytochemicals investigated in leaves are 0.73\ub10.01%, 1.85\ub10.03%, 1.12\ub10.01%, 1.80\ub10.01%, 1.59\ub10.50%, 0.13\ub10.10%, and 0.86\ub10.01%, for saponins, tannins, phenolics, anthocyanins, alkaloids, triterpenoids, and glycosides respectively, while the mean concentration of the phytochemicals investigated in roots are 0.91\ub10.01%, 1.53\ub10.03%, 0.70\ub10.01%, 2.97\ub10.10%, 2.47\ub10.03%, 0.62\ub10.01%, 0.90\ub10.01% and 2.02\ub10.10% for saponins, tannins, phenolics, steroids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, glycosides and coumarins respectively. Furthermore, the GC-MS analysis of methanol extracts of the leaves and root of P. amarus revealed the presence of three medicinally important bioactive compounds, which are: 9-Octadecenoic acid which has percentage of abundance of 92.23% and 82.46% in leaves and roots of the plant respectively, followed by n-Hexadecanoic acid and Tetradecanoic acid with their corresponding percentage of abundance of 7.7% and 17.54% for leaves and root. These analytical results suggest the plantto possess a significant role in phyto-medicine. The importance of this plant was discussed in line with the role they play in ethnomedicinal life of the people

MERS coronaviruses from camels in Africa exhibit region-dependent genetic diversity

International audienceMiddle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) causes a zoonotic respiratory disease of global public health concern, and dromedary camels are the only proven source of zoonotic infection. Although MERS-CoV infection is ubiquitous in dromedaries across Africa as well as in the Arabian Peninsula, zoonotic disease appears confined to the Arabian Peninsula. MERS-CoVs from Africa have hitherto been poorly studied. We genetically and phenotypically characterized MERS-CoV from dromedaries sampled in Morocco, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, and Ethiopia. Viruses from Africa (clade C) are phylogenetically distinct from contemporary viruses from the Arabian Peninsula (clades A and B) but remain antigenically similar in microneutralization tests. Viruses from West (Nigeria, Burkina Faso) and North (Morocco) Africa form a subclade, C1, that shares clade-defining genetic signatures including deletions in the accessory gene ORF4b. Compared with human and camel MERS-CoV from Saudi Arabia, virus isolates from Burkina Faso (BF785) and Nigeria (Nig1657) had lower virus replication competence in Calu-3 cells and in ex vivo cultures of human bronchus and lung. BF785 replicated to lower titer in lungs of human DPP4-transduced mice. A reverse genetics-derived recombinant MERS-CoV (EMC) lacking ORF4b elicited higher type I and III IFN responses than the isogenic EMC virus in Calu-3 cells. However, ORF4b deletions may not be the major determinant of the reduced replication competence of BF785 and Nig1657. Genetic and phenotypic differences in West African viruses may be relevant to zoonotic potential. There is an urgent need for studies of MERS-CoV at the animal-human interface

Al-Al'âb Al-Lughawiyyah Wa Wazhâifuhâ Fî Tanmiyyah Mahârât Al-Fahm Al-Qirâî Ladâ Muta'allimiy Al-‘Arabiyyah Lughah Tsâniyyah

The study aims to identify the importance of language games and their use developing reading comprehension skills, which are(reading speed, pronunciation accuracy, understanding the semantic meaning of words and sentences, ability to extract the meanings of words from within the text, ability to correct reading errors, ability to construct error sentences for students of third grade of primary school. In dealing with this issue, the current study adopts the applied descriptive approach in procedure and analysis in order to test the content of the success of language games in developing the reading comprehension skills of learners of Arabic as a second language, in particular at the elementary level. Because language games have educational and psychological benefits that are reflected in the students linguistic and personal performance. It helps them to receive lessons with fun, vitality and entertainment and its use shows children a high spirit of competition and participation, and accustoms them to spontaneity in using language in a natural way. Then the researcher concluded that the use of language games in teaching Arabic is a functional direction, and  played an effective role in raising the level of students، comprehensive skills

Implications of inflationary trends on collection development at the University of Ilorin Library, 1976-1985, 2010-2014

This case study discussed inflation and its implication for collection development at the University of Ilorin Library in particular and academic Libraries in Nigeria. Documentary Research Method and Structured Oral Interview techniques were used to examine the records of budgetary allocations and expenditure in the acquisition of books and journals at the University of Ilorin Library between 2010 and 2014. The study identified some problems facing collection development at the university of Ilorin library as a result of inflationary trends. The study therefore posited that inflation-driven library collection development poses great danger to the quality of information resources of the library, the quality of information retrieval by library users, the quality of research and community service mantra of the university. It there recommended that collection development librarian should ensure balanced acquisition with the available funds. Rising number of academic programmes should be controlled in view of the fact that paucity of funds would not be able to go round the myriads of academic programmes satisfactorily. The Federal Government of Nigeria should checkmate inflationary phenomenon on library books and periodicals while textbook writers and publishers should focus more on producing local books/periodicals so that libraries and library clientele would be discouraged from patronizing the more expensive foreign publications.Keywords: Inflation, Collection Development, University of Ilorin, budgetary allocatio

Quantitative and Qualitative Assessment of Phytochemicals in Methanolic Extracts of Hurricane Weed (Phyllanthus amarus Schumach. &Thonn) Plant

The phytocomponents of the leaf and root extracts of Phyllanthus amarus (Euphorbiaceae) were studied. The constituents of the leaves and roots were identified and quantified by using GC-MS. Result from the phytochemical analyses showed the presence of saponins, tannins, phenolics, anthocyanins, and glycosides in both leaves and root of the plant. Alkaloids and triterpenoids were, however only absent in the root of P. amarus but present in the leaves of the plant. Flavonoids, coumarins and steroids were absent in the leaves but present in the root part. The mean concentration of the phytochemicals investigated in leaves are 0.73±0.01%, 1.85±0.03%, 1.12±0.01%, 1.80±0.01%, 1.59±0.50%, 0.13±0.10%, and 0.86±0.01%, for saponins, tannins, phenolics, anthocyanins, alkaloids, triterpenoids, and glycosides respectively, while the mean concentration of the phytochemicals investigated in roots are 0.91±0.01%, 1.53±0.03%, 0.70±0.01%, 2.97±0.10%, 2.47±0.03%, 0.62±0.01%, 0.90±0.01% and 2.02±0.10% for saponins, tannins, phenolics, steroids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, glycosides and coumarins respectively. Furthermore, the GC-MS analysis of methanol extracts of the leaves and root of P. amarus revealed the presence of three medicinally important bioactive compounds, which are: 9-Octadecenoic acid which has percentage of abundance of 92.23% and 82.46% in leaves and roots of the plant respectively, followed by n-Hexadecanoic acid and Tetradecanoic acid with their corresponding percentage of abundance of 7.7% and 17.54% for leaves and root. These analytical results suggest the plantto possess a significant role in phyto-medicine. The importance of this plant was discussed in line with the role they play in ethnomedicinal life of the people. Keywords: Phyllanthus amarus; Phytochemicals; GC-MS; methanolic extract; Phytocomponent