Utilization of Decane, Heptane, Petrol and Hexadecane by Fungi Isolated from Engine Oil Contaminated Soil in Ilorin

Fungi with hydrocarbon degrading capabilities were isolated from spent engine oil contaminated soil obtained from five automobile workshops in Ilorin, Nigeria. Preliminary analysis of degradation of the hydrocarbon was performed using Mineral Salts Medium (MSM). The organisms identified include Aspergillus sp., Blastomyces dermatitidis, Cladophialophora bantiana, Mucor circinelloides, Phaeoacremonium parasiticum, Rhizopus arrhizus, Neosartorya fischeri, Cladosporium sp. and Microsporium furrigenum. They were identified based on their morphological and cultural characteristics. Findings from this study showed Aspergillus sp. and Mucor circinelloides were able to degrade hexadecane, heptane, decane and petrol as sole carbon and energy source within 20days. Hydrocarbon utilization rate ranged from 0.020 to 0.284 for heptane, 0.0120 to 0.4965 for decane, 0.079 to 0.340 for hexadecane and 0.023 to 0.268 for petrol. Measurement of optical density and pH was carried to determine hydrocarbon degradation by fungi. The results of this study shows that fungi can play important roles in the effective clean-up of hydrocarbon contaminated soils thereby making them environmentally friendly.Keywords: Engine Oil, Fungi, Soil, hydrocarbons.

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries