A Case for Adoption of Industry-Wide Application of Solar Disinfection of Packaged Drinking Water Before Distribution in Nigeria

The study makes a case for adoption of an industry-wide application of solar disinfection (SODIS) in the disinfection of packaged water at the production stage. To do this, 60 samples, comprising 12 brands of bottled water and 18 brands of sachet-packaged water were randomly purchased from street vendors in Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria and investigated. One sample was hidden from sunlight while the other sample was exposed to a day of sunlight before the two samples were subjected to microbial analysis for the determination of total coliform (TC) using the method of multiple-tube fermentation technique (MPN). Results show that 63% of packaged water vended in Nsukka is not fit for consumption. The risk of contamination is about 44% higher in sachet water when compared with bottled water (relative risk = 1.44). Exposing packaged water to a day of sunlight reduces the risk of consuming contaminated water by about 97% (relative risk reduction value = 0.97). Advocacy of industry-wide application of SODIS may hold the key to ending widespread contamination of packaged water and the resulting life-threatening illnesses that have decimated the population of developing countries

Contaminant removal from enclosed atmospheres by regenerable adsorbents

A system for removing contaminants from spacecraft atmospheres was studied, which utilizes catalyst-impregnated activated carbon followed by in-situ regeneration by low-temperature catalytic oxidation of the adsorbed contaminants. Platinum was deposited on activated carbon by liquid phase impregnation with chloroplatinic acid, followed by drying and high-temperature reduction. Results were obtained for the seven selected spacecraft contaminants by means of three experimental test systems. The results indicate that the contaminants could be removed by oxidation with very little loss in adsorptive capacity. The advantages of a catalyst-impregnated carbon for oxidative regeneration are found to be significant enough to warrent its use

Indigenous Description of Soils in Some Communities in Emuoha Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria

Local people and small holder farmers have knowledge of their land based on soil and land characteristics that remain largely unknown to the scientific community. It is therefore important for researchers to understand farmers’ knowledge of soil classification and management. A study was carried out using a semi structured questionnaire to elicit indigenous knowledge of soil description from households in three different communities (Rumuche, Isiodu and Eliberada) in Emuoha Local Government Area of Rivers State. It was found that farmers’ soil classification was based mainly on top soil colour, texture and other criteria such as erodibility, drainage and crop yield. The fertility rating of the different soil was established from laboratory analysis of the soils.Keywords: indigenous knowledge, soil description, ethnopedologyJournal of Agriculture and Social Research (JASR) Vol. 11, No. 1, 201

Antibiotic Susceptibility Pattern of Extended Spectrum Betalactamase (ESBL) Producers and other Bacterial Pathogens in Kano, Nigeria

Purpose: To evaluate the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of various bacterial pathogens including extended spectrum betalactamase (ESBL) producers in Kano, Nigeria.Method: A total of 604 consecutive clinical samples obtained from Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Kano between January and July 2010 were analyzed for bacterial pathogens using standard microbiological techniques for the isolation and identification of pathogens. Antibiotics susceptibility tests including, ESBL screening and confirmation, were carried out by disc diffusion technique using Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) criteria.Results: Ten different types of bacteria genera were observed from nine different clinical samples. E. coli was the most frequently isolated bacteria (30.5 %) followed by Staphylococcus aureus (21.3 %). ESBL producers showed high-level resistance against the quinolones, aminoglycoside and cotrimoxazole but were sensitive to carbapenems and levofloxaccin. Non-ESBL organisms showed increased resistance to amoxicillin-clavulanate, ceftazidime, cotrimoxazole, tetracycline and amoxycillin. The prevalence of ESBL producers was 12.8 %. E. coli, Klebsiella pneumonia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed ESBL production of 17.3, 14.9 and 10.0 %, respectively.Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that regular surveys should be carried out in this locality to provide baseline data that would always be of clinical relevance in the treatment of patients and to detect the emergence of multiple antibiotic resistance strains.Keywords: Antibiotic Susceptibility, Multiple antibiotic Resistance, Extended Spectrum Betalactamase, Bacterial Pathogen

Safety Perception and Implications for Sustainable Air Transport Business

This study was an attempt to understand travellers’ perceptions of safety provision at one of the local airports in Nigeria, and the resultant effect on the airport patronage. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were employed to compare the opinions of male and female travellers at the airport. The study was conducted prior to the closure of the airport in late 2019. The result shows that travellers perceived available safety provision at the airport to be average in efficiency and that this has resulted to average patronage at the airport. This is completely the opinion of travellers. The study was also able to understand that there are some challenges deterring the airport from getting the needed level of safety provision. However, observations at the airport revealed that the Federal Government of Nigeria is currently revamping the standard of the airport to meet international best practice in airport management. The airport has been closed (shortly after this study) for some months now (still closed as at June 2020) to enable for timely and successful completion of the ongoing renovations and upgrading at the airport. The study has implications for safety contribution to airport management and efficiency in developing nations

Fire Safety in High-Rise Buildings: Is the Stay-Put Tactic a Misjudgement or Magnificent Strategy?

Historically, fire incidents in high-rise buildings reveal that Fire and Rescue Services frequently rely on the stay-put tactic (i.e., occupants of high-rise buildings should remain in their apartments) during an inferno. Recent fire occurrences in high-rise buildings reveal that there are two opposing viewpoints on the stay-put tactic. First, the understanding that the stay-put tactic is a beneficial practice used to protect, control, and facilitate smooth evacuation of occupants during fire incidents. Second, the argument that the stay-put tactic is a misjudgement and futile strategy that leads to fatalities, particularly in high-rise buildings. The aim of this study was to provide awareness and understanding of fire and rescue services use of the stay-put tactic in high-rise buildings. We attempted to answer the questions: is the stay-put tactic a misjudgement or magnificent strategy? The study adopted phenomenological research strategies with various focus groups consisting of seasoned firefighters and survivors with first-hand accounts of stay-put instructions in high-rise buildings. The study also scrutinised three case studies of fire incidents in high-rise buildings in two countries. The study revealed that the stay-put tactic is obsolete; with the potential to cause catastrophic misjudgement, mostly during conflagrations in high-rise buildings. There is a need to advance research on the use of artificial intelligence communication systems and infrared image detectors camera to enhance quick and smooth fire evacuation in high-rise buildings

Evaluation of techniques for removal of spacecraft contaminants from activated carbon

Alternative techniques for the regeneration of carbon contaminated with various spacecraft contaminants were evaluated. Four different modes of regeneration were evaluated: (1) thermal desorption via vacuum, (2) thermal desorption via nitrogen purge, (3) in-situ catalytic oxidation of adsorbed contaminants, and (4) in-situ non-catalytic oxidation of adsorbed contaminants