Treatment of Brewery Waste Water in a Fluidized Bed Digester

This study examined anaerobic fluidized- bed reactor performance employed to treat brewery waste water in terms of treatment efficiency on COD and BOD5 reduction under different hydraulic retention time (HRT). It employed a fluidized-bed digester, with liquid volumetric flow rate of 1.7 x 10-6m3/s, superficial velocity of 0.0012 m/s and 0.00026m/s which achieved the velocity  required to fluidize 20g activated carbon bed of height 0.03m with 0.384 voidage. The pressure drop across the fluidized-bed was calculated to be 1.848 N/m2. The COD and BOD5 concentration reduction efficiencies were monitored .The results obtained indicate that as HRT increases, the concentration of COD and BOD5 initially at 7137.67 COD mg/l and 2177 BOD5 mg/l decreased to final concentration of 1845.92 mg COD/l and 154.17 mg BOD5/l respectively at10h. The COD and BOD5 reduction efficiencies were observed to be 74.1% and 92.9% at the 10h HRT. The experimental data obtained for COD reduction in this work was used for determination of kinetic parameters from modified mixed-flow equation based on Michaelis-Menten’s kinetics and the correlation coefficient was  0.944 .The maximum substrate utilization rate, rmax and the Michaelis-Menten’s constant, KM, were determined to be 301.5 mg COD/l. h and 1345 mg COD/l respectively. Correction factor (F) of 1.1 when applied to the data will fitted simple mixed flow Michaelis Menten kinetic model well. The deviation from typical Michaelis Menten kinetic model can be attributed to acclimatization time required for effective digestion, flow dynamics in the reactor and existence of multi-organism media which would have promoted other side reactions. Organisms identified from the anaerobic digester include clostridium spp, peptococcus anaerobus, bfidobacteriums spp, desulphoribrio spp, corynebacterium spp, lacto. Keywords: Anaerobic decomposition; Brewery wastewater; Fluidized-bed reactor; Modified Michaelis-Menten’s kinetics

Factors Affecting Biogas Production during Anaerobic Decomposition of Brewery effluent- wastewater in a Fluidized Bed Digester.

This  work determined the dependency of biogas and carbon (iv) oxide production on microbial concentration X (Cfu/l), hydraulic retention time (HRT), ratio of total volatile fatty acid (TVFA) and total alkalinity K, during anaerobic decomposition of brewery effluent wastewater in a fluidized-bed reactor system. The volume of biogas and carbon (iv) oxide produced were monitored as the treatment time progressed. For  brewery waste water volume of 2 litres treated in the bioreactor, the volume of biogas rich in methane, produced in this work was described as s-curve with initial volume of biogas produced as 0.003l  at 4h HRT and maximum volume of 0.0045l at 8 h HRT.Similarly,0.0033l of carbon(iv)oxide was recorded at 2 h HRT and it achieved its maximum of 0.0042l at 8 h HRT. Total microbial count was conducted on the reactor sample water. The maximum concentration of the gases recorded at 8 h HRT corresponded to the favourable operating environment and good system stability ratio  (VFA/Alkalinity)<0.5 achieved. Key words: Anaerobic decomposition, brewery wastewater, fluidized-bed reactor, Biogas, carbon (iv) oxide

Soul Mate Selection Among Adolescents: The Kinetics and Health Perceptions and Interpretations

Soulmate is a brother/sister relationship, practiced and known by many people but just a few especially adolescents understand the exact meaning hence the need to provide adequate information regarding the selection. Adolescents have the tendency to deviate from social norms in search of identity and most often unsure of themselves as most of their experiences rest in the hands of their peer groups. Soulmate comes in form of stranger, healing, wrecking ball, twin and true love soulmates. These are highlighted in the elements of soulmate as one who makes you feel entirely whole, healed, and intact like no piece is missing. Adolescents make selection on the basis of physical attractiveness, economic and social status, age, religion. Finding a true soulmate result in having a feeling of security and protection, falling in love, sharing the same life goals, respect for each other’s differences and opinions. However, wrong mate choices could result in social and health consequences such as prostitution, medical problems and suicide. Kinetics and Health strongly emphasize on aesthetics, general wellness including spiritual wellbeing as strong indices of wellness which could be cached on during mate selection. Conclusively, mate selection is a matter of destiny ordered by God but as two loving people who have settled for each other’s strength or weakness, the decision is yours. The recommendation among others is that adolescents should be counseled to focus selection of mate on attitude as against physical attributes and made a priority among undergraduate students due to growing cases of rape in Nigeria.Key Words: Soulmate, Adolescent, Kinetics and Health DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/79-06 Publication date:August 31st 202

Comparative efficacy of three plant extracts for the control of leaf spot disease in fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis Hook F.)

The production and leaf quality of Fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis hook f) in Nigeria are threatened by leaf spot and blight. The comparative efficacy of Siam weed (Chromolaena odorata (L.), Utazi leaf (Gongronema latifolium and Bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina) and a synthetic fungicide (Forcelet) against the mycelia growth of the leaf spot pathogen (Phoma sorghina), leaf spot disease, growth and yield of fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis hook f) was studied in vitro and in vivo. In 2013 and 2014. The experiments design for the in vitro experiment was Completely Randomize Design (CRD) with six replicates and Randomize Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replications in the in vitro study. All plant extracts consistently inhibited the growth of P. sorghina in vitro, and suppressed leaf spot development by between 26.2 and 53.54% in 2013 and by between 26.3 and 51.79% in 2014 under field conditions. Leaf and pod yield were also enhanced, C. odorata leaf extract was significantly (p≤0.05) superior to all other treatments followed by V. amygdalina whose effect did not differ significantly (P≥ 0.05) from Forcelet in all the parameters measured. These results show that leaf extracts of C.odorata and V. amygdalina could be used for the control of leaf spot disease and enhanced yield in fluted pumpkin. Keyword: Efficacy, Plant extract, Control, Leaf spot disease, Yield

Demand Response for Caborhydrate and Food Insecurity Dynamics in Imo State, Nigeria

Demand for cabohydrate food stuffs responds its accesibility and unsteady price regime, thus food insecurity dynamics in Imo State. The study investigated a cheap and steady market demand for carbohydate foodstuffs in the state using 50 weekly observations on mean own prices, quantities demanded of both gari and rice as substitute from the management of Owerri Market Traders Assocition (OMATA) between January to December 2012. Data were analysed using simple decriptive statistics, charts and econometric tools. In general terms gari had a normal demand behaviour between June and August but abnonormal during festival periods. All the Error correction vectors -0.0545, -0.444 and -0.425 for Ekeonunwa, Relief and Ihiagwa demand models respectively were statistically significant ( ). Therefore, the speed of adjustment of lagged prices to long-run actual demand were completed in the next period, hence food insecurity flunctuates. Lagged own price of gari is negative and inelastic in all the models except that of Ihiagwa market (1.277). Gari is thus a normal goods in all the markets but has a more than 0.28% proportionate increase in demand with a unit decrease in its own price in Ihiagwa market. Therefore, food security will be achieved if there is a more effort to reduce the price of gari in Ihiagwa market. Rice is better subtitute to gari in Relief than the rest of the markets, hence increase in supply of rice in Relief market is imperative for food security in the area. The study therefore, recommends a steady reduced price conditions in both Relief and Ihiagwa markets for rice and gari respectively to ensure increased returns and supply for sellers and steady food security in the state. Keywords: Demand, Response, Food Security, Carbohydrate, Markets and Error Correction Vector

A Study of the Effect of Electrode Gap on the Production of Hydrogen from Aluminium/Copper Fuel Cell

In this work, we investigated the effects of electrode gap spacing on the amount of hydrogen produced in Aluminium/Copper Fuel Cell and its efficiency. Aluminium/Copper materials were used as the electrodes because of their high performance in the electrolyser systems while Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) was used as electrolyte. 10% concentration of potassium hydroxide was used throughout the experiment. The electrode spacing of 5mm and 10mm were used. It was observed from the graph that 5mm electrode spacing produced maximum efficiency of 29.7% and 10mm electrode spacing produced 17.7% efficiency. This implied that hydrogen production was highly dependent on electrode gap distance. The smaller the gap between the pair of electrodes, the more hydrogen was produced and the more efficient is the system

ANTIOXIDANT AND HEPATOPROTECTIVE POTENTIALS OF STEMONOCOLEUS MICRANTHUS HARMS (FABACEAE) STEM BARK EXTRACT

Objective: This study evaluated the antioxidant and hepatoprotective activities of the methanol-dichloromethane (1:1) extract of Stemonocoleus micranthus Harms (Fabaceae) stem bark (SME).Methods: In vitro ferric reducing power, hydrogen peroxide and α, α-diphenyl–β–dipicryl–hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assays, were used to determine the antioxidant activity of SME (25, 50, 100, 200 and 400 µg/ml). Also the effects of SME (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) on liver enzymes alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-inducedhepaticoxidative damage were studied in rats.Results: The results showed that SME (25-400 µg/ml) significantly (P<0.01) reduced iron III (Fe3+) to iron II (Fe2+) with 400 µg/ml eliciting 135.4% reducing power. The SME demonstrated significant (P<0.01) hydrogen peroxide scavenging with 400 µg/ml eliciting 20.37% activity, comparable to ascorbic acid (20.32%). The SME (25-400 µg/ml) also elicited 77-81% DPPH free radical scavenging, lower than ascorbic acid (25-400 µg/ml) with 83-88% activity. The in vivo study showed that SME protected the rats from liver damage as shown by the reduction of liver enzymes in serum. The SME (400 mg/kg) elicited 7.7, 33.8 and 7.2% inhibition of ALP, ALT and AST respectively. The acute toxicity test revealed that SME has high margin of safety, with oral lethal dose (LD50)>5 g/kg. Phytochemical analyses on the extract revealed the presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, flavonoids, glycosides, proteins, reducing sugars, saponins, resins, steroids, tannins, terpenoids, fats, and oils.Conclusion: The findings suggest that the methanol-dichloromethane extract of S. micranthus stem bark possess antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects.Keywords: Stemonocoleus micranthus, Antioxidant, Hepatoprotective, Albino rats, Ascorbic aci

A Review of the state-of-the-art Ubiquitous Multimedia Sensor Networks

The recent rise in the demand to incorporate multimedia contents such as audio/video and still images over Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) has led to the development of Wireless Multimedia Sensor Networks (WMSNs). Thus several new applications have arisen such as e-Health, environmental monitoring, video surveillance, automated transport systems, traffic control, smart cities and smart grids, home automation etc. The International Telecommunications Unit (ITU) recommendation Section for Ubiquitous Sensor Network (USN) presents the requirements for a platform to numerous number of life services and applications. This envisions a system that will connect all devices on the network ubiquitously with collaborative efforts of many small wireless multimedia and scalar sensors to heterogeneously provide a smart web. This requirement has thrown several new challenges to wireless sensor networks. In this paper, we have given a comprehensive discussion of the Wireless Multimedia Sensor Network (WMSNs) and Ubiquitous Sensor Networks (USNs) architectures and outlined their design challenges. The paper will give the reader a clear view of the researches that are ongoing in multimedia systems ubiquitous sensor networks, and shed the light on the current challenges and future trends. We also hope it will foster discussions and new research ideas among its researcher

Young women's responses to smoking and breast cancer risk information

Current evidence confirms that young women who smoke or who have regular long-term exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) have an increased risk of developing premenopausal breast cancer. The aim of this research was to examine the responses of young women to health information about the links between active smoking and SHS exposure and breast cancer and obtain their advice about messaging approaches. Data were collected in focus groups with 46 women, divided in three age cohorts: 15–17, 18–19 and 20–24 and organized according to smoking status (smoking, non-smoking and mixed smoking status groups). The discussion questions were preceded by information about passive and active smoking and its associated breast cancer risk. The study findings show young women's interest in this risk factor for breast cancer. Three themes were drawn from the analysis: making sense of the information on smoking and breast cancer, personal susceptibility and tobacco exposure and suggestions for increasing awareness about tobacco exposure and breast cancer. There was general consensus on framing public awareness messages about this risk factor on ‘protecting others’ from breast cancer to catch smokers’ attention, providing young women with the facts and personal stories of breast cancer to help establish a personal connection with this information and overcome desensitization related to tobacco messages, and targeting all smokers who may place young women at risk. Cautions were also raised about the potential for stigmatization. Implications for raising awareness about this modifiable risk factor for breast cancer are discussed

Socioeconomic dynamism and the growth of baby factories in Nigeria

Abstract: Illegally breeding babies for marketing purposes otherwise known as “infant commodification” is increasing in Nigeria. This menace is a vice that threatens the lives and wellbeing of babies, young girls, and women. This article investigates through an in-depth review of scholarly publication and media coverages the factors that have contributed to the emergence and growth of the illicit industry in Nigeria. It examines the role of cultural beliefs, social attitudes, and norms as well as the harsh economic conditions of the nation as factors playing pivotal roles in the continual growth of baby farming in Nigeria. Some of these sociocultural factors are social stigmatization of pregnancy outside wedlock, stigmatization of adopted children, and the importance attached to fertility and the demonization of childlessness. The article draws on Emile Durkheim anomie theory and Chambers dimensions of poverty to explain how breakdown within the nation’s socioeconomic structure has a concomitant impact in breading social vices. It concludes by recommending that there is a need to jettison stigmatizing sociocultural beliefs within the nation’s social fabrics. Responsive attitude toward family reproductive issues should be encouraged and finally the activities of health care providers, operators of nongovernmental organizations taking custody of babies and young girls be properly monitored. As well, stringent punishment be meted out to apprehended operators of these baby farms to serve as deterrent to others