Equilibrium and kinetic studies on the removal of mordant black 11 dye from aqueous solution and real tannery effluents using CuFe2O4/Ac nanocomposites

Copper ferrite activated carbon nanocomposites (CFACNC) has been used as adsorbent for the removal of mordant black 11 dye from aqueous solution and real tannery effluents. The nanocomposites was characterized using Fourier Transform infrared (FTIR), Brunauer–Emmet–Teller (BET), Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Transmission electron microscope (TEM). Batch adsorption experiments were investigated and the effects of various parameters were studied and their optimum conditions were then applied on the selected real tannery effluents. The study showed that the maximum adsorption capacities for dye onto CFACNC at pH 4 were found to be 0.73 and 4.13 mg/g for tannery A and B respectively. Langmuir isotherm described the adsorption of dye onto CFACNC while kinetic studies followed pseudo second-order.Keywords: Adsorption, tannery, effluents , dy

Comparison of some preconcentration methods for certain metal ions in human milk and yogurts

Five samples each of yogurts and human milk were separately collected, deproteinized, pre-concentrated differently with 1% 8-hydroxyquinoline, 1% ammonium pyrrolidine-dithiocarbamate (APDC) and extracted with methyl-isobutylketone (MIBK). Activated carbon powder in HNO3 was also used. The extracts obtained were analyzed using atomic absorption spectrometry for some metal ions. In yogurts, the powdered activated carbon in HNO3 exhibited the highest complexing ability with values of 0.04–0.17, 335–476, 1.52–3.82, 0.08–0.27, 0.09–0.28, 1.31–8.78 and 888–12693 mg/L concentration for Zn2+, Mg2+, Mn2+, Cr3+, Cu2+, Fe3+ and Ca2+, respectively. The concentrations of Zn2+, Mg2+, Mn2+, Cr3+, Cu2+, Fe3+ and Ca2+ ions were determined to be in the range of 0.02–0.03, 1.10–9.47, 0.05–0.11, 0.02–3.08, 0.01–0.87, 0.47–18.08

ANTI-FUNGAL ACTIVITIES OF m-IODOBENZOIC ACID AND SOME OF ITS METAL DERIVATIVES ON BREAD MUCOR

The anti-fungal activities of alkali and alkaline earth metal iodobenzoates were studied. Calcium iodobenzoate exhibited the highest anti-fungal activities of 74.60% inhibition for 15 ppm while sodium iodobenzoate exhibited the least inhibition of 61.64%. An optimum concentration of all the metal complexes for inhibition was found to be 75 ppm. Although the use of these metals complexes as food preservatives may only be fungi-static and not fungi-toxic, their use in bread preparation might extend the shelf life of bread from 24 hours to 96 hours. KEY WORDS: Anti-fungal activities, Alkali metal iodobenzoates, Alkaline earth metal iodobenzoates, m-Iodobenzoic acid, Bread mucor Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2005, 19(2), 301-306

Evaluation of some heavy metals loading in dust fall of three universities motor parks in Western Nigeria

The high density of vehicles that run to and fro University campus to town has become of great concern for assessment of health status of the ambient air around the Universities motor parks. Moreover, some of the University’s parks are unpaved while the paved ones are old and unmaintained. Dust fall samples in parks of Universities of Ilorin, Ibadan and Kwara State University were collected for five months spanning from 1st November 2014 to 31st March, 2015 using open bucket sampler based on ASTM D 1739 of 1998 (2010). A 0.1 g of dust sample was digested with 20 ml of HNO3, HClO4 and HF in ratio of (3:2:1) respectively and heavy metals (Mn, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, and Ni) were analysed using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Buck Scientific model 210 VGP). Results of heavy metal concentrations showed decrease in the following order: 1479.75, 1255.68, 241.50, 128.00, 85.25, and 9.63 mg/kg for Mn, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cu and Cd respectively for University of Ibadan. The decreased in concentrations of heavy metals obtained for University of Ilorin motor park dust-fall were found to be 1145.75, 797.75, 219.63, 133.51, 58.25 and 23.13 mg/kg for Mn, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cu and Cd respectively. For Kwara State University, decrease in the following order: 778.5, 323.88, 259.38, 101.38, 34.38, and 4.63 mg/kg for Mn, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cu and Cd respectively were obtained. Generally for the three sites used, the heavy metal concentrations decreased in the following order: Mn>Zn>Pb>Ni>Cu>Cd. This implies that dust-fall in the parks are heavily loaded with some heavy metals that are of concentrations above Romania standard threshold limit for Cd and Pb while concentration values obtained for Ni are higher than US- EPA values (75 mg/kg). The regulatory agent or management should ensure that the roads are paved and there should be intermittent wetting of the roads with water.Keywords: Dust Fall; Heavy Metals; University Motor Park

Factors Affecting Microfinance Banks Credit Supply to Farmers in Imo State

The study examined the factors affecting microfinance banks credit supply to farmers in Imo State, Nigeria. Specifically the study identified the socioeconomic characteristics of the beneficiaries; the amount of credit supplied to the farmers and identified the constraints affecting the performance of microfinance banks in lending to agriculture in the study area.Data were collected with the aid of two sets of structured questionnaire administered to 136 loan beneficiaries and 26 microfinance banks using purposive and simple random techniques. Data collected were analyzed with the use of descriptive statistics and multiple regression models. The result indicated that the mean of the credit supplied by the microfinance banks to the farmers was N163,212.50. The result of the multiple regression showed that variables for average farm income, loan period, gender and distance were significant at 1% and 5% levels and are important factors affecting supply of credit by microfinance banks in the study area. It is concluded that there is need for microfinance banks to help look into conditions for granting loans to farmers, so that the poorest of the poor will be able to take advantage of the productivity enhancing technologies that abound in agriculture. Keywords: Microfinance, farmers, lending, credit

Estimation of rural households’ demand for selected staple foods in Enugu State

Estimation of household food demand patterns and elasticity is often conceived as an important prerequisite for designing, predicting and analysing agricultural policy impacts. Based on this fact, this study sets out to estimate the food demand of rural households in the study area with a view to identifying its determinants and responsiveness to price and household food expenditure. The study employed a multi-stage sampling technique in the selection 254 rural households in Enugu state and the primary data collected were analysed using Descriptive statistics and Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System (QUAIDS) model. The result of the descriptive statistics showed that the mean age, household size, and years of education of the sampled rural households were 49.7±13.30, 7.0 ± 3.02, and 13.96±3.96. The result of the QUAIDS model revealed that all the expenditure elasticity for the selected staple food items were positive and hence, regarded as normal goods and In terms of magnitude, all the staple food items except rice and yam have expenditure elasticity less than one and are therefore, regarded as necessities. Own price elasticity were all negative as expected in both uncompensated and compensated price elasticity estimates. The Marshallian cross price elasticity estimates also revealed that almost all the selected staple food items have positive cross-price elasticity values indicating that they are net substitutes while the Hicksian/compensated cross price elasticity revealed that majority of the selected staple food items have negative cross-price elasticity values indicating that they are complements. However, the study further revealed that price, total food expenditure, sex, age, marital status, years of education, household size and household head income were the key determinants of the rural household demand for the selected staple food items in the study area. Based on the foregoing, the result of this study should inform the design of food security related policies aimed at improving the nutritional status of the poor and vulnerable households in the country.Keywords: QUAIDS, Food Demand, Elasticity, Household

Remediation of aqueous solution of cypermethrin and chlorpyriphos using derived adsorbent from Jatropha curcas

The study focused on assessment of removal of cypermethrin and chloropyriphos in aqueous solution using activated carbon made from Jatropha Curcas. Batch adsorption experiments were carried out under different conditions of parameters such as pH, contact time, adsorbent dosage, and initial concentration of the adsorbate on pesticide adsorption. The adsorption data were described by Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption model. Adsorption capacity of 92.73% and 92.26% of chloropyriphos and cypermetrin respectively were removed by 2g of the adsorbent per 50 cm3 of initial concentration of 0.78 mg/l and 1.50 mg/l chloropyriphos and cypermetrin respectively .This was achieved at 90 min of the contact time and at optimum pH of 6.3.The study demonstrates that the activated carbon made from Jatropha Curcas can be effective in the adsorption of these two pesticides from water bodies. Equilibrium experiment results show that adsorption isotherms of cypermethrin and fit better to Freundlich adsorption isotherm while chloropyriphos fit better on the Langmuir adsorption isotherm.Keywords: remediation, pesticides, Jatropha Curcas, cypermethrin, chloropyriphos, Langmuir and Freundlich equatio

Effects of the European Union Micro Project Programme on the poverty status of food crop farmers in Imo State, Nigeria

The study evaluates the effects of the European Union Micro Project Programme (MPP6) on the poverty status of food crop farmers in Imo State. Primary data were collected with structured and validated questionnaire from one hundred and ninety eight farmers comprising of farmers in the beneficiary and non-beneficiary communities. The analytical tools used for the study include; descriptive statistics and the Foster, Greer and Thorbecke (FGT) model. The FGT poverty measure showed that the poverty headcount for households in the beneficiary and non-beneficiary was 52 and 60 respectively; indicating that incidence of poverty was higher among households in the non benefitting communities than households in the benefitting communities. Thus the European Union should establish more infrastructural facilities particularly in the non-benefitting communities as this will bring about the development of the rural communities.Keywords: Micro project programme, Poverty and Small scale farmer

Loan Accessibility and Repayment Performance of Livestock Farmers under the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund in Southeast, Nigeria

The study analysed livestock farmers’ accessibility and repayment performance to lending institutions under the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund in Southeast, Nigeria. Two states (Ebonyi and Imo states) were purposively chosen as   representative of the five Southeast states. Primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered on 195 loan beneficiaries that were selected through simple random sampling technique. Descriptive statistics, logit and multiple regression analysis techniques were used in data analysis. The result showed that the lending institutions were able to meet 53.7% of the credit demand of the farmers, while their repayment performance was 90.1%. The logit analysis showed a “Percentage Correct” of 71.8% with age, marital status, educational level, farming experience, collateral value and total income as significant factors influencing accessibility to credit demand. The multiple regression analysis on factors influencing the farmers’ loan repayment showed that amount borrowed, age, educational level, household size, livestock value and total income  as significant variables at 5% level of probability influencing their loan repayment. The Federal Government of Nigeria is advised to fashion and enforce a programme for livestock development under the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund that will guarantee credit to livestock farmers. This will assist in enhancing the farmers’ accessibility to the much needed credit thereby making animal protein available at reasonable prices to people. Keywords: Livestock, Loan Accessibility, Repayment Performance, Credit Guarantee, Southeast

Risk Aversion among Farmers of the National Program for Food Security in Imo State Southeast Nigeria

The study examined the relationship between the socioeconomic variables and risk aversion coefficients of farmers of the national program for food security in Imo State. Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used to select 76 respondents. Questionnaire and interview schedule were the instruments used to collect data. Descriptive statistics, risk aversion index and econometric tool were used to analyze data. The result which shows that the respondents have a mean age of 56 years, mean formal education of 10 years, mean household size of 9 persons, mean farm experience of 29 years and a male dominated farming enterprise is an indication of favourable socioeconomic features of the farmers. Majority of the farmers were risk averters as they had negative risk coefficients. Farm size, number of contact with extension agents, amount of available capital, and amount of farm income were found to influence the risk coefficient of the farmers in the state. Since farmers attitude to risk have been identified as major determinants of the rate of participation in new technologies among the farmers and of the outcome of agricultural development programs, risk attitude of rural farmers should be considered in intervention policies aimed at ensuring the success of rural development programs. Keywords: farmers, risk, aversion, attitude, coefficients, food security, program