Impact of palm oil mill effluent on the soil in Upkom- Bende forest reserve, Abia state, Nigeria

The palm oil industries in southeastern Nigeria is a major agro-enterprise. This study examined the impact of the palm oil mill effluent on the soil in Ukpom Bende Forest Reserve Abia State, Nigeria with the objective of assessing the impact of palm oil mill effluent (POME) on soil physiochemical properties in Ukpom Forest Reserve. A Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) was employed. Three topsoil samples were collected at a downslope distance of 10m, 20m, and 30m respectively with 3 replicates each and control (Non-polluted site) of 100m away from study site. Total of 9 samples and control were collected and taken to soil laboratory in National Root Crop Research Institute Umudike, Abia State to analyzed the soil particle matter size, Organic carbon, Organic matter, Total nitrogen, Available phosphorous, Exchange cations (Na, K, Ca, Mg), Electrical conductivity and EA that affect the percentage (%) of sand and silt of the soil. Result revealed pH, Ca2+, Mg2+ and % silt significantly increases (p<0.05) along the slope 10-30m, while % BS, EC, P, K, Na, EA, ECEC, % OC, % OM, and % sand significantly decreases along the slope 10-30m, and the % clay is seen constant along the slope of 10-30m. However, EC, P, % OC, % OM, % N, % silt, % clay, K+ and EA increases significantly (p<0.05) compared to control site, while pH, Ca, Mg, % BS, ECEC, Na and %sand decreases significantly(p<0.05) compared to the control sites. Result revealed that POME causes deterioration of soil physicochemical properties and increase soil acidity. Therefore, we recommend that adequate treatment and proper disposal of POME should be promoted and awareness carried to the rural oil palm processors.Keywords: Effluents, palm processing, soil quality and soil concentratio

Development And Evaluation Of Complementary Foods Based On Soyabean, Sorghum And Sweet Potatoes Flours Blends

Introduction:The study evaluated the nutrient, antinutrient and sensory properties of complementary food (gruels) based on fermented soyabean, sorghum and sweet potatoes flour blends. Methodology: The soyabean, sorghum and sweet potatoes were subjected to different fermentation periods, 24, 48 and 72hr. The unfermented flour samples served as the control, the fermented flour were used to prepare gruels. The chemical and sensory properties of the gruels were analyze using the standard assay method. The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics to determine the mean and standard deviation. Result: Based on the result, there was increase in the protein content of the gruel made from the 48hr fermented flours relative to the control (46.78 to 56.15%). There were decreases in the fat content of the gruel on the 24 and 72hr fermentation period when compared with the control (14.01 to 5.55 and 6.98%) respectively. Relative to the control fermentation increase the ash and fiber level at 72hr period (2.01 to 4.94) and 1.64 to 3.25) the carbohydrate content was increased on the 24hr fermentation period respectively. The tannin and phytate levels were drastically reduced due to fermentation. The gruels based on 48 and 72hr fermented composites were much more acceptable when compared with the 2hr and the control. As judged by the results, fermentation improved the nutrient composition of the gruels. Conclusion: These gruels can serve as a good complementary food that can substitute the popular maize gruel (pap) which is the commonly available complementary food especially in rural areas. Keywords:Development, Evaluation, Complementary Foods,Soyabean-Sorghum-Sweet Potatoes, Flours Blend

Glycaemic response of four mango fruits consumed in Enugu State

Background: Mango fruit is a delicious juicy drupe, commonly consumed in Nigeria. It is a seasonal fruits that is consumed by all. However, diabetic patients sometimes are afraid of spike in their blood sugar after consuming fruits of which mango is one of them. Evidenced based dietary counselling and nutrition eduction of the public requires such an empirical study to establish evidence. Objectives: This study examined the glycemic response, glycemic index and glycemic load of four mango fruits consumed in Nsukka, Enugu state. Methodology: Samples of four mango varieties (Opioro, Alphonso, Haden, and Sweet) were randomly selected from different markets in Nsukka, Enugu state, Nigeria. These samples were thoroughly washed in warm water to remove gums. The edible portion of the mango (alphonso, haden and sweet mango was consumed with the peels, while the peel of opioro mango was remove before consumption). The weight of each variety that will give about 25g available carbohydrate was used as the test meal. Voluntary human subjects who were informed about the research were used and withdrawal at any stage was allowed. Ethical approval given by Research Ethics Committee University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Ituku-Ozalla. Available carbohydrate was determined using standard method. The glycemic response was done using the FAO protocols. Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) was used to present the data obtained while analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the means and turkey HSD test was used to separate the means. Results: Available carbohydrate was highest in Sweet mango (6.18g). Alphonso mango significantly (p<0.05) had the least effect on blood glucose levels. The glycemic index of the samples was 33 for Opioro, 4 for Alphonso, 15 for Haden and 39 for Sweet mangoes. The glycemic load ranged from 5.18 in Haden mango to 6.18 in Sweet mango. Conclusion: The study revealed that Alphonso mangoes could be used in planning diets for people with metabolic diseases like diabetes mellitus

Finite size effects near the onset of the oscillatory instability

A system of two complex Ginzburg - Landau equations is considered that applies at the onset of the oscillatory instability in spatial domains whose size is large (but finite) in one direction; the dependent variables are the slowly modulated complex amplitudes of two counterpropagating wavetrains. In order to obtain a well posed problem, four boundary conditions must be imposed at the boundaries. Two of them were already known, and the other two are first derived in this paper. In the generic case when the group velocity is of order unity, the resulting problem has terms that are not of the same order of magnitude. This fact allows us to consider two distinguished limits and to derive two associated (simpler) sub-models, that are briefly discussed. Our results predict quite a rich variety of complex dynamics that is due to both the modulational instability and finite size effects

Chemical composition of 'Akara' (fried groundbean paste) developed from fermented and germinated groundbean (Kerstingiella georcarpa) and maize (Zea mays) blends

The chemical composition of ‘akara' based on untreated, fermented and germinated groundbean (GB) and maize (M) flour blends were investigated. The GB and M were germinated for 48h and 72h, respectively. The chemical content of the untreated and treated (fermented and germinated) flours were analysed using standard assay techniques. These flours were blended in a ratio of 70:30 (GB:M) on protein basis and used to prepare ‘akara' balls. Cowpea and unblended groundbean ‘akara' balls served as controls. The protein content of the controls (BEK and GBK) were higher than those of the other blends. However, the GBK protein value (22.02%) was significantly higher than that of BEK (control) as well as the other blends (13.89 to 17.55%).The ash values for the products were similar except that of germinated GB and M ‘akara' (1.11%). The other blends and their controls had lower fat against the high value for the germinated (GB) and (M) blend (20.20%). Fermented GB/M ‘akara' had higher carbohydrate (70.26%) than others. The iron for the control (BEK) (24.64mg) was different from those of the GB alone and its blend ‘akara' (p 0.05). As judged by the result unsupplemented GB ‘akara' (GBK) or its blends could be promising snacks that would contribute nutrients in school and some home meals. Keywords: fermentation, germination, blends, ‘akara', nutrient Agro-Science Vol. 6 (1) 2007: pp. 56-6

Correlational Analysis of Distribution Cost and Freight Characteristics of Manufactured Goods (Case Study of Unilever Nigeria Plc)

Abstract This study determined the relationship and extent between the cost of d istribution of the goods manufactured and the quantity of the goods/ weight of the goods in question which inturn create a need for a further research to determine the optimized distribution flo w so as to reduce wastage and increase revenue. Data was collected by the ad ministration of questionnaire to a total of 107 respondents of two major plants of Unilever Nigeria Plc in the South East zone of Nigeria. Analysis was carried out on the data collected using a regression and correlation to establish the statistical relationship between the dependent variable (distribution cost) and the independent variables X 1 and X 2 (weight of the goods and the quantity of the goods) respectively. A positive correlation coefficient(r) value of 0.983 was discovered, indicating a high positive relationship between the variable was discovered. Obviously, an increase in the quantity or weight of the goods must lead to an increased cost of distribution. This prompted a need for the further study in determining an optimal solution to cost of distributution in comparison to quantity/ weight of goods distributed

Appraising of Monte Carlo forecast in nonlinear econometric models

In the study, Monte Carlo (stochastic) and deterministic forecast have been carried out. Though, as would be expected, there is reasonable gain in efficiency in the Monte Carlo forecast over the deterministic procedure. The extent of this gain depends on the relative dispersion criterion used

Modelling dispersion in laminar and turbulent flows in an open channel based on centre manifolds using 1D-IRBFN method

Centre manifold method is an accurate approach for analytically constructing an advection-diffusion equation (and even more accurate equations involving higher-order derivatives) for the depth-averaged concentration of substances in channels. This paper presents a direct numerical verification of this method with examples of the dispersion in laminar and turbulent flows in an open channel with a smooth bottom. The one-dimensional integrated radial basis function network (1D-IRBFN) method is used as a numerical approach to obtain a numerical solution for the original two-dimensional (2-D) advection-diffusion equation. The 2-D solution is depth-averaged and compared with the solution of the 1-D equation derived using the centre manifolds. The numerical results show that the 2-D and 1-D solutions are in good agreement both for the laminar flow and turbulent flow. The maximum depth-averaged concentrations for the 1-D and 2-D models gradually converge to each other, with their velocities becoming practically equal. The obtained numerical results also demonstrate that the longitudinal diffusion can be neglected compared to the advection