Waste to wealth: Industrial raw materials potential of peels of Nigerian sweet orange (Citrus sinensis

Orange fruits have been part of human diet for ages due to its nutritional and medicinal values. But consumption of orange fruits generates orange peel wastes that could bring about environmental pollution if not properly handled. Towards recycling of wastes and avoiding littering and waste-related environmental degradation, this study was carried out to explore the components of orange peels with a view to establishing their raw material potentials. Orange peels cut into small bits were subjected to steam distillation process and the extracted essential oil was put through some chemical characterization procedures for purposes of identifying its components. Ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometric scan of the extract, revealed a single prominent peak at a wavelength of 300 nm, as was also the case with paper chromatography which showed one major band separation. Subsequent infrared spectroscopy for structural configuration gave three main identifiable peaks reflecting structural, functional and group/bond positions: C=C, C-H and =C-H at 1640 to 1680 cm-1, 2850 to 2960 cm-1 and 3100 cm-1 bond positions, respectively, and these tallies exactly with those found in the structure of limonene, thus confirming the later (one of the terpenes), as a dominant component of the orange peel among others that were present in small amounts. Limonene is an essential oil with wide application in industrial and domestic domains. Thus, exploring essential oil is an additional way of evaluating the underlying economic value of citrus due to their usefulness as food nutrient and flavor, and their waste peel is a source of essential oil which is useful in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and other industrial and domestic applications. Processing of citrus peels into essential oils is a sure way of transforming these wastes with great potential for environmental pollution into a resource with great potential for economic prosperity, and also for securing the public health impacts of safer and healthier environment, likely to be obtained from the indirect waste management option so offered.Keywords: Industrial raw materials, Citrus sinensis peels

Prevalence of pediculosis in selected rural areas of Imo State, Nigeria

A study of the prevalence of Pediculus capitis (Head lice) was carried out at some selected primary schools in the rural areas of Imo-State, Nigeria. Infestation was diagnosed by direct inspection of the hair and scalp for the presence of adult head lice, nymph or nits (eggs). A total number of 2080pupils were examined; out of which 208 (10%) were infected with head lice. The prevalence varied across the communities, sex and age groups. In all the schools surveyed, female pupils had the highest prevalence of pediculosis. Infestation also increased with age in both male and female pupils. The public health significance in relation to the infestation of head lice on primary school pupils was highlighted. Possible measure for controlling and preventing pediculosis like initiating a screening program by school administrators in the first week school resumption in September are discussed.Keywords: Pediculosis, head lice, school pupils, rural areas, Nigeri

Physico-chemical and bacteriological quality of rainwater in Egbema, Imo state, Nigeria

Egbema is one of the oil-producing communities in Nigeria and has no access to pipe-borne water, and thus resorts to rainwater as a source of water supply mainly during the rainy season. Physico-chemical and bacteriological quality of rainwater in Egbema was determined with samples harvested directly, from zinc roof, thatched roof and asbestos roof, at different periods of the rainy season namely, Early, peak and late rains. The values of the physico-chemical parameters were on the higher side at the early rains, but moderate (within acceptable range) at the peak and late rains. The values of copper, turbidity, total iron, total hardness and total solids were lowest in rain water harvested directly and highest in that harvested from asbestos roof throughout the rainy period. Generally, the values of the parameters measured in samples from different sources tended to increase in this order: asbestos > thatched roof > zinc roof > direct. The heterotrophic bacterial load was highest at the commencement of rains ranging from 0.45 x 103 cfu/ml to 7.40 x 103 cfu/ml. Also the total coliforms count and fecal coliforms (Escherichia coli) count ranged highest at the early rains between 10 – 22 cfu/100ml and 2 –4 cfu/100ml respectively. The values of heterotrophic bacterial load, total coliforms and fecal coliforms, were within the acceptable range in rainwater samples collected at the peak and late rains. However the bacterial count recorded highest in the samples harvested in the thatched roof and lowest in samples harvested directly direct at the early, peak and late rainy season. This study reveals that rainwater collected at the peak and end of rains from zinc roof and directly if well handled, can be used for drinking and any other domestic purposes. International Journal of Natural and Applied Sciences Vol. 2 (4) 2006: pp. 372-37

Relationship between Malaria Vector Densities in Artificial Container Habitats, Land-Use Changes and Temperature

Urbanisation and land-use changes are believed to be responsible for the rising spread of mosquitoes across the country. Three distinctive study areas were used in this investigation, representing rural, semi-urban and urban areas in Owerri, Imo State. 30 eggs of Anopheles gambiae were bred evenly in six artificial containers, with their daily temperature recorded. There was speedy rate of development in the life stages of Anopheles sp in the urban area with its peak of complete metamorphosis occurring at the 7th day of the study whereas in the rural area, the peak of its complete metamorphosis occurred at the 12th day. Statistically, there existed significant differences between daily temperatures taken at the different study areas and also in the number of mosquito larvae becoming adult at the different study areas. This suggested however, that some factors associated with the urban areas may have facilitated the breeding rate of the Anopheles sp such as houses that radiate heat and other agents that cause global warming like emission of gases from vehicles. The study recommended residential houses to be built far away from commercial areas to avoid exposure to mosquito bites so that the control of mosquitoes may start from the urban areas.Keywords: Malaria, Vectors, Anopheles mosquito, metamorphosis, global warmingNigerian Journal of Parasitology, Vol. 32 [2] September 2011, pp. 283-28