Phosphate and Nitrate Removal from Aqueous Solution by Carbonated and Uncarbonated African Nutmeg (Monodora Myristica) Shell

This study was aimed at investigating the possibility of using Monodora myristica shell for the absorption of phosphate and nitrate from wastewaters.  Four categories of the shell (untreated raw shell, treated raw shell, untreated carbonated shell and treated carbonated shell ) were used for the investigation. Three different concentrations (2.5 %, 5 % and 10 %) of the respective shells were used for the study. The results revealed that none of the different modifications of the shell had phosphate absorption capacity. All the different shell modifications showed remarkable nitrate absorption capacity from solution.  The findings also revealed a saturation time of 3 h for nitrate absorption at shell concentrations of 5 % to 10 % and a saturation time of 5 h at shell concentration of 2.5 %. At the end of 3 h contact time, nitrate concentration in the presence of the untreated carbonated shell was  observed to decrease from 231.47 mg/L to 63.10 mg/L and 28.57 mg/L, at shell concentrations of 5 % and 10 %, respectively. In the presence of the treated carbonated shell, after 3 h contact time, nitrate levels showed significant decreases from 231.47 mg/L to 169.99 mg/L and 56.83 mg/L, respectively. Similarly, after 3 h contact time, nitrate levels in the presence of the untreated and treated shells showed decreases from 231.47 mg/L to  167.63 mg/L and 158.81 mg/L, and from 231.47 mg/L to 56.83 mg/L and 45.59 mg/L, at shell concentrations of 5 % and 10 %, respectively. The study was able to give an insight into the potential use of the Monodora myristica shell as a bio adsorbent in nitrate removal from wastewaters. Keywords: Absorbent Monodora myristica, nitrate, phosphate, wastewate

The Role of Ripe Musa sapientum (Plantain) Peels in the Removal of Phosphorus and Nitrogen from Aqueous Solution

The effluents that are generated from wastewaters are major contributors to various water pollution problems. The aim of this study was to investigate the applicability and feasibility of using plantain peel in the removal of phosphorus and nitrogen in aqueous solutions, using four different modifications of the peel at three (2.5%, 5 % and 10 %) different concentrations. Although some measure of phosphate absorptions were observed in the presence of some of the peel medications, remarkable nitrate removals were observed in the presence of all the peel modifications used. In the presence of the untreated carbonated sample, after a 5 h contact period,  nitrate levels were shown to decrease from the initial concentration of 297.80 mg/L to 174.46 mg/L, 196.57 mg/L and 221.91 mg/L, at 2.5 %, 5 % and 10 % peel concentrations, respectively. Nitrate levels after a 5 h contact time in the presence of the treated carbonated peel revealed a decrease from 297.80 mg/L to 144.21 mg/L, 174.33 mg/L and to 202.10 mg/L, at 2.5 % 5 % and 10 % peel concentrations, respectively. Also, after a 5 h contact time, nitrate levels in the aqueous solution in the presence of the  treated raw peel were observed to change from an initial level of 297.80 mg/L to 280.60 mg/L, 164.58 mg/L and 151.98 mg/L, at peel concentrations of 2.5 %, 5 % and 10 %, respectively. The study was able to reveal the potential of using this agro-waste for use in the bioremediation of polluted wastewater effluents. Keywords: Nitrogen, phosphorus, plantain peels, wastewate

The Role of Ripe Musa sapientum (Plantain) Peels in the Removal of Phosphorus and Nitrogen from Aqueous Solution

Abstract The effluents that are generated from wastewaters are major contributors to various water pollution problems. The aim of this study was to investigate the applicability and feasibility of using plantain peel in the removal of phosphorus and nitrogen in aqueous solutions, using four different modifications of the peel at three (2.5%, 5 % and 10 %) different concentrations. Although some measure of phosphate absorptions were observed in the presence of some of the peel medications, remarkable nitrate removals were observed in the presence of all the peel modifications used. In the presence of the untreated carbonated sample, after a 5 h contact period, nitrate levels were shown to decrease from the initial concentration of 297.80 mg/L to 174.46 mg/L, 196.57 mg/L and 221.91 mg/L, at 2.5 %, 5 % and 10 % peel concentrations, respectively. Nitrate levels after a 5 h contact time in the presence of the treated carbonated peel revealed a decrease from 297.80 mg/L to 144.21 mg/L, 174.33 mg/L and to 202.10 mg/L, at 2.5 % 5 % and 10 % peel concentrations, respectively. Also, after a 5 h contact time, nitrate levels in the aqueous solution in the presence of the treated raw peel were observed to change from an initial level of 297.80 mg/L to 280.60 mg/L, 164.58 mg/L and 151.98 mg/L, at peel concentrations of 2.5 %, 5 % and 10 %, respectively. The study was able to reveal the potential of using this agro-waste for use in the bioremediation of polluted wastewater effluents

PRELIMINARY BIBLIOMETRICS OF PLANT-DERIVED HEALTH FOODS OVER THE LAST DECADE IN THE SCOPUS DATABASE

A growing interest in the medicinal values of foods can be assessed by the rapidity of research publications on foods that exert health benefits. Many foods that are of health benefit to humans, irrespective of their origin (plants, animals) and subjected level of processing (fermentation, cooking, warming, freezing, vacuumpackaging), are variously designated in scientific literature based on their biofunction. Plant-based foods’ application vagaries, momentum, and research orientation regarding their health functionality awareness are scarcely studied by bibliometrics from a global perspective. Therefore, a bibliometric search was performed on the Scopus database from 2011 (January) to 2021 (April) using a range of search keys covering reports of conceptualized consumable plant-derived foods with health-promoting potential. A total of 362,309 documents on medicinal foods of plant origin were obtained from the database. The data were obtained in comma-separated values (CSV) format and analyzed with Microsoft Excel tools. Of the total documents from the Scopus database on the study, 8.01% (29,036) were contributed by African researchers. Comparatively, lead contributors (global; Africa) by group disciplines include biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology (118,896; 8,236); pharmacology, toxicology, and pharmaceutics (104,530; 8,581); agricultural and biological sciences (99,053; 9,610), respectively. Similarly, lead contributors by country include China (73,977), India (44,898), USA (44,582), and Nigeria (4,680). This observation shows a higher research propensity towards plant-derived medicinal foods in populous nations due to factors like dietary culture, an increase in vegan and health-nutrition enthusiast populations, and the emergent concerns with the therapeutic use of synthetic pharmaceuticals. The analyzed results gave insights into the research orientation of plant-based foods that promote human health on a global stage and provide future research directions. Knowledge of the various application of plant-based foods may potentiate the United Nations Sustainable Goals initiative on responsible consumption (SDG 12), and health and wellbeing (SDG 3) among the global population

PRELIMINARY BIBLIOMETRICS OF PLANT-DERIVED HEALTH FOODS OVER THE LAST DECADE IN THE SCOPUS DATABASE

A growing interest in the medicinal values of foods can be assessed by the rapidity of research publications on foods that exert health benefits. Many foods that are of health benefit to humans, irrespective of their origin (plants, animals) and subjected level of processing (fermentation, cooking, warming, freezing, vacuumpackaging), are variously designated in scientific literature based on their biofunction. Plant-based foods’ application vagaries, momentum, and research orientation regarding their health functionality awareness are scarcely studied by bibliometrics from a global perspective. Therefore, a bibliometric search was performed on the Scopus database from 2011 (January) to 2021 (April) using a range of search keys covering reports of conceptualized consumable plant-derived foods with health-promoting potential. A total of 362,309 documents on medicinal foods of plant origin were obtained from the database. The data were obtained in comma-separated values (CSV) format and analyzed with Microsoft Excel tools. Of the total documents from the Scopus database on the study, 8.01% (29,036) were contributed by African researchers. Comparatively, lead contributors (global; Africa) by group disciplines include biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology (118,896; 8,236); pharmacology, toxicology, and pharmaceutics (104,530; 8,581); agricultural and biological sciences (99,053; 9,610), respectively. Similarly, lead contributors by country include China (73,977), India (44,898), USA (44,582), and Nigeria (4,680). This observation shows a higher research propensity towards plant-derived medicinal foods in populous nations due to factors like dietary culture, an increase in vegan and health-nutrition enthusiast populations, and the emergent concerns with the therapeutic use of synthetic pharmaceuticals. The analyzed results gave insights into the research orientation of plant-based foods that promote human health on a global stage and provide future research directions. Knowledge of the various application of plant-based foods may potentiate the United Nations Sustainable Goals initiative on responsible consumption (SDG 12), and health and wellbeing (SDG 3) among the global population