Levels of awareness and concentrations of heavy metals in the blood of electronic waste scavengers in Nigeria

Background - Electronic waste (e-waste) contains both valuable and hazardous materials. E-waste scavengers specialize in the collection and crude recycling of waste electronics to retrieve valuable metals, which are then sold. These activities provide an income for scavengers, but also expose them to toxic heavy metals such as lead (Pb) and copper (Cu). Objectives - The aim of the present study was to investigate the level of awareness and concentrations of heavy metals (Pb, Cu, zinc (Zn) and manganese (Mn)) in the blood levels of e-waste scavengers at Jakande dumpsite, Alaba International Market, Lagos, Nigeria. Methods - Material and data were collected by empirical survey with the use of a questionnaire to obtain information from e-waste scavengers. Blood samples of the scavengers in the present study (30 adult males exposed to recycling processes) were collected and concentrations of heavy metals were determined through acid digestion and the use of an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AGILENT 55B AA, 2010). Results - The geometric means of blood levels of Pb, Cu, Zn and Mn were 11.0, 33.85, 126.15 and 19.38 µg / dL, respectively. High concentrations of Pb and Mn (11.0 and 19.38 µg / dL) were found in the blood samples, while Zn and Cu (126.15 and 33.85 µg / dL) showed low concentrations. The maximum blood level of lead (BPb) (24.0 µg / dL) was extremely high compared to the maximum BPb of occupationally exposed males. Statistical analysis of the questionnaires showed that all of the respondents were male, and more than half (56.7%) were between 21-30 years of age and had been involved in recycling of e-waste for 1-5 years. The results showed that 83% of the respondents were aware that hazardous fractions in e-waste require special treatment, while 76.7% were aware of the possible negative impact on their health. Conclusions - Lack of education, poverty and lack of effective enforcement of e-waste management and regulations are the major contributors to the current situation and thus scavengers carry on with their activities unhindered. The authors recommend the use of protective clothing, sensitization visits and awareness campaigns on the safe disposal of hazardous components

Suitability of local binder compositional variation on silica sand for foundry core-making

The use of local oils, namely groundnut oil, cotton seed oil and palm oil with Nigeria local clay and silica sand for the production of foundry cores has been investigated on varying composition. Addition of cassava starch, local clay, oil and moisture to sand are used to produce strong and efficient core. These oils were tested and it was found that the three could be used to produce foundry cores. The best composition was found to be core comprising 2.5% starch, 2.5% clay, 8% oil, 8% moisture and 68% sand and baked at 150oC for 1 h 30min. The tensile strength of the core were as high as 600 KN/m2

LED-based indoor positioning system using novel optical pixelation technique

At present, about 47 million people worldwide have Alzheimer's disease (AD), and because there is no treatment currently available to cure AD, people with AD (PWAD) are cared for. The estimated cost of care for PWAD in 2016 alone is about $236 billion, which puts a huge burden on relatives of PWAD. This work aims to reduce this burden by proposing an inexpensive indoor positioning system that can be used to monitor PWAD. For the positioning, freeform lenses are used to enable a novel optically pixeled LED luminaire (OPLL) that focuses beams from LEDs to various parts of a room, thereby creating uniquely identifiable regions which are used to improve positioning accuracy. Monte Carlo simulation with the designed OPLL in a room with dimensions 5m × 5m × 3m is used to compute the positioning error and theoretical analysis and experiments are used to validate the time for positioning. Results show that by appropriate LED beam design, OPLL has a positioning error and time for positioning of 0.735 m and 187 ms which is 55.1% lower and 1.2 times faster than existing multiple LED estimation model proximity systems

Design of improved IR protocol for LED indoor positioning system

In this work, we design an infrared protocol (IRP) for light emitting diode (LED) based indoor positioning. The designed IRP compensates for the shortcomings of other existing protocols when applied to the multiple LED estimation indoor positioning model (MLEM). MLEM uses overlap of LED beams to increase accuracy of positioning. The overlap sets up a multipoint-to-point optical communication channel. The existing protocols which are designed for point-to-point links, when modified to suit the MLEM overlapping region, show a high positioning time between 3 s and 4.5 s. These values are not desirable for real time tracking. A new protocol is therefore designed to reduce the positioning time. The protocol is implemented in an experimental MLEM design using ATmega 328 microcontroller hardware. The experimental results show the new protocol reduces the positioning time to 0.5 s

Optical boundaries for LED-based indoor positioning system

Overlap of footprints of light emitting diodes (LEDs) increases the positioning accuracy of wearable LED indoor positioning systems (IPS) but such an approach assumes that the footprint boundaries are defined. In this work, we develop a mathematical model for defining the footprint boundaries of an LED in terms of a threshold angle instead of the conventional half or full angle. To show the effect of the threshold angle, we compare how overlaps and receiver tilts affect the performance of an LED-based IPS when the optical boundary is defined at the threshold angle and at the full angle. Using experimental measurements, simulations, and theoretical analysis, the effect of the defined threshold angle is estimated. The results show that the positional time when using the newly defined threshold angle is 12 times shorter than the time when the full angle is used. When the effect of tilt is considered, the threshold angle time is 22 times shorter than the full angle positioning time. Regarding accuracy, it is shown in this work that a positioning error as low as 230 mm can be obtained. Consequently, while the IPS gives a very low positioning error, a defined threshold angle reduces delays in an overlap-based LED IPS

Climate Change, Health and Gender: An Overview of Implications on Women

The catastrophic environmental events that characterized the last few decades which include hurricanes, Tsunamis, melting of the glaciers, the rising of the ocean and flooding have shocked the world. These global catastrophes have been caused by numerous factors ranging from deforestation, desertification to the emission of Greenhouse gases. Specifically, the vulnerabilities and health risk posed by climate change to the health of women have been a major concern. It is against this background that this paper presents a descriptive analysis utilizing secondary data to examine the linkage between climate change and health of women. The study finds that vulnerabilities of women to the numerous lives threatening effect of climate have been exacerbated by the insensitive nature of most climate change response programmes and policies. This study concludes that to solve the health implications of climate change on women, goes beyond drafting a special protocol or framework protecting women or drawing new programme for men. Rather a collective efforts of all to act responsively to improve the environment is required. Therefore, the study recommends among others the need to create knowledge based job for women

Minorities and Migration Re-Thinking Ethnic Minority, Resource Rights and the Struggle for Social Justice in Nigeria

Ethnic minority agitations over resource rights has been one of the most persistent and controversial problems in Nigerian politics since pre-independence. As a dynamic and transitional phenomenon rather than a static and permanent feature of the Nigerian political landscape, ethnic minority and resource rights agitations over the years have undergone substantial changes in Nigeria’s politics. Using the secondary data, this study critically examines the origins, nature and trends of ethnic minority and resource rights agitations. It locates ethnic minority and resource rights as a preindependence issue that was exacerbated by post-independence politics. The study concludes that the solution to ethnic minority agitations lays not so much in the creation of more states as it has been previously done but in the entrenchment of social or distributive justice. Similarly, the solution to resource rights lies not in incessant change of revenue allocation formulas but in liberalizing the governance of natural resources. Finally, the study suggests the use of the term “resource rights” rather than “resource control” to better situates the gamut of rights of the Nigerian people

Privatization of Public Enterprises in Nigeria: Critical Success Factors

The persistent quest for social-economic development across the nations of the world occasioned the establishment of public enterprises and subsequent privatization policies/programmes. Countries of Africa, especially Nigeria, established large scale public enterprises with the intention of engendering and pursuing social equity among the populace.  Regrettably however, the public hope and expectations from public enterprises were dashed as the operations of these public enterprises were brazenly characterized with inefficiency, massive corruption, ineptitude, nepotism and gross mismanagement leading  to, not only the collapse of public enterprises, but also to a paradigmatic change of approach to national socio-economic development. Consequently, privatization policy was introduced with the promulgation of Decree No. 25 of 1988 by the then Federal Military Government of Nigeria. The issue of privatization, till date, has remained controversial as it has generated (and it is still generating) a seemingly endless debate among Nigerians. Regardless of the ongoing debate and controversy, government has forged ahead in its privatization exercise. It is against this backdrop that this paper examined the privatization of public enterprises for national development. The paper also traced the evolution of public enterprises, its justification and consequential failure. Furthermore, the paper explored privatization in Nigeria, its implications on economic growth and development as well as the critical success factors of privatization. The paper concluded that privatization of public enterprises is good for our national development if the critical success factors like putting in place proper and implementable regulatory framework, adequate public education, taking cognizance of the interest of the poor, effective monitoring and evaluation, transparency, and accountability (among others) are implemented. Thereafter, the economic objective of harnessing and distributing material resources of the nation to serve the common good (as stated in Section 16, sub-section 2(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999) would have been achieved. Keywords: Public Enterprises, Privatization, Socio-Economic Development, Policies/ Programs, Corruption, Transparency and Accountabilit

Sedimentology and Geochemistry of Weisner Formation, Bartow County, Georgia

The study area is located along Highway 20 east Cartersville Georgia, where outcrops of the Weisner Formation are exposed. The section consists of two main facies, the sandstone facies and shale facies. Parallel lamination and cross stratification are commonly observed sedimentary structures at this location. Petrographic study reveals that the grains in the sandstone are dominantly quartz, and to a smaller extent feldspar and mica. The shale facies is rich in Al2O3 and K2O compared to the sandstone facies. No fossil is observed in any of the two facies. Petrographic studies also indicate igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary source rocks for these clastic rocks. The shale facies is very rich in mica, with muscovite and some kaolinite. Lithologic features and grain size suggest that the Weisner Formation was probably deposited in a shallow marine environment