Ecological risk assessment of some heavy metals in roadside soils at traffic circles in Gombe, northern Nigeria

The study evaluated the levels of some heavy metals in the roadside soils at different traffic circles using geo-accumulation index, ecological risk and Hakanson method to assess the overall ecological risk and identify ecological potential risk of heavy metals pollution. The top soil samples were collected at three different traffic circles from edge and at 50 m distance from the roadside, and analysed for heavy metal (Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn) using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The mean concentrations of heavy metals (mg/kg) ranged from (15.0 - 45.07) Pb, (0.35 - 2.60) Cd, (19.05 - 38.0) Cu and (58.10 - 101.0) Zn. The abundance of metals was found in declining order: Zn > Pb > Cu > Cd. The metals concentrations were found to be higher in the soil samples from edge due to high traffic volume and human activities, and there was significantly decrease in concentration with increase in roadside distance. The Geoaccumulation index (Igeo) examined in this study revealed that soil samples from edge and 50 m distance from the roadside were polluted with cadmium. Ecological risk assessment carried out showed that the metals posed low ecological risk and cadmium contributed 66.63 - 94.21% of the total potentially ecological risk.Keywords: Assessment, Ecological risk, Heavy metals, Roadside soi

Biopolymer nanocomposites: Their mechanical, thermal, and gas barrier properties for food packaging

The food packaging industry is the largest sector of the plastic industry, accounting for 40% of the total (conventional) plastic demand. Conventional plastic packaging has significant practical advantages, in protecting packaged foods from contamination and the loss of food quality. Plastics are made up of repeating small units called 'monomers' that bind together to form the long chains called 'polymers' However, conventional plastics have detrimental effects human health, wildlife, and the environment. Many developing countries are overwhelmed with the plastic waste emitted to the oceans. Indonesia is the second biggest emitter of plastic waste, after China. Biodegradable plastics (bioplastics, green plastics) are an alternative for saving our environment. Bioplastics or biopolymers, are made from at least 60% natural materials, mostly of plant based origin, but they have several drawbacks: (i) lower mechanical properties; (ii) bad thermal stability; (iii) relatively low gas barrier properties. This lab-based study investigates the enhancements to mechanical, thermal and gas barrier properties of bioplastics through addition of nanocomposites derived from clay minerals (nano clay). The resulting product was examined under Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). This paper summarizes the clay concentrations and mixing temperature conditions that are required for the enhancement of bioplastics

Nutritional Analysis of Three Commonly Consumed Varieties of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) in Bauchi State, Nigeria

Three sorghum samples (yellow, red, and white sorghums) were analyzed for their proximate, vitamin (B1, B3, B6) and mineral element (Mg, Na, K, Ca, Fe, Zn, Cu and Mn) compositions. Vitamins and mineral compositions were determined using HPLC and AAS respectively. The results of the proximate analysis revealed that there was no significant difference (p ≤ 0.05) in the ash, crude fibre, crude protein and carbohydrate content of the three samples. The difference in the moisture and fat content were significant (p ≤ 0.05). The moisture content of white and red sorghum and white and yellow sorghums was significantly different (p ≤ 0.05) while the difference in the moisture of red and yellow sorghums was not significant (p ≤ 0.05). The fat content of white and red sorghum are significantly different (p ≤ 0.05) while the difference between the fat content of white and yellow and red and yellow sorghums were not significant (p ≤ 0.05). White sorghum has higher percentage of moisture and fat 11.90±0.36 & 9.26±1.81 respectively. Red sorghum has higher percentage of ash and protein 2.32±0.68 & 6.08±0.40 respectively. Yellow sorghum has higher percentage of fibre and carbohydrate 2.41±1.44 & 73.53±1.87 respectively. The HPLC vitamin analysis showed that sorghum has low vitamin B1 (thiamine), B3 (niacin), B6 (pyridoxine) content and did not meet the recommended dietary allowance of the world health organization, although red sorghum was richer in all the vitamins analyzed, followed by yellow sorghum and then white sorghum which has the lowest vitamin content. The AAS results for the mineral elements revealed that all the three sorghum varieties contains all the mineral elements analyzed except for white sorghum which does not show any trace of copper. Statistical analysis on the mineral elements of the three sorghum showed that there were no significant difference (p ≤ 0.05) in all the mineral elements analysed with respect to each of the samples except for calcium that showed a significant difference (p ≤ 0.05). The difference in the calcium content between white and red sorghum and red and yellow sorghum was significant (p ≤ 0.05) while the difference was not significant (p ≤ 0.05) between the white and yellow sorghum. It was also found that the three sorghum varieties are richer in potassium, zinc and sodium and low in the other mineral elements analyzed. The proximate analysis revealed that sorghum samples contain appreciable nutrient contents and vitamin analysis shows that red sorghum is nutritionally more valuable than the white and yellow sorghum. Keywords: Mineral elements, Proximate Composition, Sorghum and Vitamin

The Role of Intense Upper Hybrid Resonance Emissions in the Generation of Saturn Narrowband Emission

Twenty high-inclination ring-grazing orbits occurred in the final period of the Cassini mission. These orbits intercepted a region of intense Z-mode and narrowband (NB) emission (Ye et al., 2010, ) along with isolated, intense upper hybrid resonance (UHR) emissions that are often associated with NB source regions. We have singled out such UHR emission seen on earlier Cassini orbits that also lie near the region crossed by the ring-grazing orbits. These previous orbits are important because Cassini electron phase-space distributions are available and dispersion analysis can be performed to better understand the free energy source and instability of the UHR emission. We present an example of UHR emission on a previous orbit that is similar to that observed during the ring-grazing orbits. Analysis of the observed plasma distribution of the previous orbit leads us to conclude that episodes of UHR emission and NB radiation observed during the ring-grazing orbits are likely due to plasma distributions containing loss cones, temperature anisotropies, and strong density gradients near the ring plane. Z-mode emissions associated with UHR and NB emission can be in Landau resonance with electrons to produce scattering or acceleration (Woodfield et al., 2018, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-07549-4)

High body fat percentage among adult women in Malaysia: the role of lifestyle

Body fat percentage is regarded as an important measurement for diagnosis of obesity. Theaim of this study is to determine the association of high body fat percentage (BF%) andlifestyle among adult women. The study was conducted on 327 women, aged 40-59 years,recruited during a health screening program. Data on socio-demography, dietary intake andphysical activity were collected through validated questionnaires. BF% was measured usingInBody 270 Body Impedance analyzer machine. Association between lifestyle factors andbody fat percentage were investigated using multiple linear regression, adjusted for age andbody mass index (BMI). Intake of protein, calcium and physical activity on householdintensity were the predictors of high BF%.Keywords: body fat; obesity; women; Malaysia; lifestyle

Petroleum hydrocarbon assessment in the wastewaters of petrochemical special economic zone and sediment benchmark calculation of the coastal area - northwest of the Persian Gulf

Petrochemical industries can potentially impact the environment due to their activities and products. This case study has considered adverse effects of petrochemical industries that are located inside the PETZONE with respect to the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and total petroleum hydrocarbon in wastewater effluents. The average concentrations of ∑PAHs group I and II were lower than the guideline values, thus the effluents of the study area can be considered unpolluted. Also, the average concentration of TPH was lower than the guideline value at all almost stations except the effluent outlets of the Razi and Imam Khomeini petrochemical (BI-PC) companies which are proximal to Khowr-e Musa Bay. Thus, they may have an adverse impact on the aquatic ecosystem of the Bay. Therefore, the concentration of TPH was monitored in the sediments of the Bay (around the PETZONE coastal area) which was relatively moderate compared in the study area. Also, the sum of Chronic Potency Ratio of PAHs in sediments showed that the chronic benchmark was not more than the guideline at all stations (it is exceeded when the sum exceeds 1.0) except in the vicinity of the Aromatic effluent outlet of BI-PC. Thus, the chronic benchmark at this station indicates that it has the potential to cause a chronic effect on sediment-residence organisms like crabs, clams and worms. Moreover, PAHs concentration level in this station approached the NOAA sediment quality guideline value (ERL) of 4000 (ng/g dry weight)