Biostimulation of Immobilized Microbes in a Fixed-Bed Bioreactor towards Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Water Remediation Using Compost Tea and Egg Shell Powder

The need to satisfy the ever increasing petroleum demand coupled with the availability of enough crude oil reserves to meet demand for several decades to come makes petroleum contamination a globally important subject. Bioremediation has emerged as an efficient treatment option for the remediation of organic contaminants including petroleum owing to the failure of physico-chemical treatment options to address petroleum contamination. The current study targeted the application of compost tea (CT) and egg shell powder (ESP) solution at various levels as nutrient amendments/bio-stimulants for hydrocarbon-eating microbes attached to support media surfaces in a fixed-bed bioreactor system. CT and ESP were characterized to be rich in essential nutrients including N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na and C. CT and ESP application at four levels each recorded appreciable boosts in microbial numbers and TPH removal across applied levels. CT application recorded 23.49±2.20 to 29.36±0.79 % boost in TPH removal and 17.03±3.01 to 61.07±2.26 % boost in microbial mass. Boosts in TPH removal assumed the order 3200 ml 1600 ml 800 ml 400 ml. ESP application similarly recorded 27.56±2.62 to 29.57±0.90 % boost in TPH removal and 17.50±1.60 to 24.43±2.05 % boost in microbial mass. Recorded TPH removal boosts assumed the trend 20 g/l 10 g/ l 2.5 g/l 5 g/l

Residual Levels of Heavy Metal Contaminants in Cattle Hides Singed with Scrap Tyre and Firewood Fuel Sources: a Comparative Study in the Wa Municipality of Ghana

The present study compared the residual levels of heavy metals in cattle hides obtained from the Wa Municipal abattoir (in the Upper West Region of Ghana) singed using scrap tyres and firewood as fuel sources. Heavy metals of interest included As, Cu, Fe, Pb and Cd. Residual levels of these metals were measured by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer AA 220. Scrap tyre singed hides in general recorded the highest concentrations of As, Cu, Fe, Pb and Cd than firewood singed hides and unsinged hides. Scrap tyre singed hides recorded significant increments in metal levels in the range of 312.50 - 811.11 %, 221.95 - 599.56 %, 236.21 - 366.57 %, 1408.82 - 1600.00 % and 1275.00 - 2875.00 % respectively for As, Cu, Fe, Pb and Cd. Firewood singed hides similarly recorded considerable increments in metal levels ranging from122.22 - 375.00 %, 202.44 - 280.63 %, 120.44 - 302.51 %, 1251.43 - 1361.73 % and 462.50 - 1837.50 % respectively for As, Cu, Fe, Pb and Cd. As, Pb and Cd maximum and minimum levels recorded for scrap tyre singed hides, firewood singed hides and unsinged hides all exceeded respective maximum permissible limits of 0.05 mg/kg, 0.1 mg/kg and 0.05 mg/kg. Cu and Fe maximum levels were below the respective maximum permissible thresholds of 20 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg. The present study essentially brought to bear the unwholesome state of cattle hides being consumed within the Wa Municipality of the Upper West Region of Ghana

Genetic identification of three exhumed human remains at a hospital in Ghana: a forensic case report

DNA identification is very important in cases of high decomposition of dead bodies, in which the bodies cannot be identified by physical means.To compare the results of DNA typing, it is necessary to have related subjects with which to perform comparative analyses. Such tests are normally performed by comparing DNA profiles from people known to be immediate family members of the presumptive victim, such as parents or children because they share half of their genetic material with the unidentified.We report on how DNA analysis was used to solve a case of mixed-up bodies at a local mortuary in Ghana, West Africa. Two families and three buried human remains were in contention in this case. The first body (E9) was buried three months before exhumation. The second body (E11) was buried two and a half months before exhumation whiles the third body (E10) was buried a month before exhumation. Exhibit E5 was taken from an alleged child of the deceased, E11. Toenails of the exhumed bodies were sampled by a pathologist and used for DNA extractions using the QIAamp DNA Investigator Kit. Profiles from relatives were generated for comparison purposes. All samples gave a quality amount of genomic DNA after quantification. DNA was amplified with a GlobalFiler PCR amplification kit. Profiles from relatives were generated for comparison purposes.The human remains (exhibit E11) cannot be excluded as the biological father of the child (exhibit E5) because they share common alleles at all 23 genetic loci. The applicable combined paternity index was 17218125604.492 assuming a prior probability of 0.5. The probability of paternity is 99.99999999%. Based on this relationship testing, one of the bodies was successfully identified and handed over to the family for re-burial

Effects of COVID-19 disease on PAI-1 antigen and haematological parameters during disease management: A prospective cross-sectional study in a regional Hospital in Ghana.

BackgroundIndividuals with COVID-19 experience thrombotic events probably due to the associated hypofibrinolysis resulting from the upregulation of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) antigen. This study evaluated plasma PAI-1 antigen levels and haematological parameters before treatment and after recovery from severe COVID-19 in Ghana.Materials and methodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted at Sunyani Regional Hospital, and recruited 51 patients who had RT-PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2. Participants' sociodemographic data and clinical characteristics were taken from the hospital records. Venous blood was taken before COVID-19 treatment commenced for FBC, PAI-1 and ferritin assays. FBC was assessed using an automated haematology analyzer, whilst plasma PAI-1 Ag and serum ferritin levels were assessed with sandwich ELISA. All the tests were repeated immediately after participants recovered from COVID-19.ResultsOf the 51 participants recruited into the study, 78.4% (40) had non-severe COVID-19 whiles 21.6% (11) experienced a severe form of the disease. Severe COVID-19 participants had significantly lower haemoglobin (g/dL): 8.1 (7.3-8.4) vs 11.8 (11.0-12.5), pConclusionPlasma PAI-1 Ag level was higher among severe COVID-19 participants. The COVID-19-associated inflammation could affect red blood cell parameters and platelets. Successful recovery from COVID-19, with reduced inflammatory response as observed in the decline of serum ferritin levels restores the haematological parameters. Plasma levels of PAI-1 should be assessed during the management of severe COVID-19 in Ghana. This will enhance the early detection of probable thrombotic events and prompts Physicians to provide interventions to prevent thrombotic complications associated with COVID-19