Distribution pattern of some heavy metals in the dust particulates of Funtua Textile Limited, Katsina, Nigeria

The sequential extraction of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Pb in industrial dust particulates collected in ten different sections/Departments of Funtua textile limited and the control site from Dikke village was carried out in order to ascertain the percentage of bioavailable fractions. Analyses of metals in the extracts were done using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (FAAS). The sequential extractions showed that significant amount of Cu25.87(O1) to 92.73% (E1) was associated with non-residual and 0.09 (E1) to 56.94% (O2) organic bound fractions; similarly, Cd was also associated with the non- residual fractions across the sites with values 42.22(W2) to 97.78% (E2). Cr and Ni exhibited the highest percentage of 73.46(W1) to 100.00 % (W2) and 23.64 (E2) to 77.26 % (S1), respectively. Pb in the particulate dust samples was significantly associated with the non-residual fraction and carbonate bound fraction with range of 21.71(D)–61.68(S2) % across the sites. This study revealed contamination of the particulates dust especially with Cu, Cr and Pb; this implies health risks to human, living or carrying out daily activities along the corridors of this industry.Keywords: Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry, Funtua textile, Heavy metals, Particulates dust, Sequential extractio

Heavy Metals Pollution Status of Sediments of Ahmadu Bello University Dam, Zaria-Nigeria

Pollution status of the sediments of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) dam, Zaria-Nigeria, was assessed. Twenty-four samples were collected from specified stations and analyzed for the concentrations of Ni, Pb, Cd, Co, and Cr, using Atomic Absorption Spectrometer. The concentrations of the analyzed heavy metals ranged between 1.162±0.006(A) and 49.878±0.685(K); 53.262±0.075(H) and 105.546±0.842(I); 2.427±0.001(F) and 3.343±0.002 (J); 1.083±0.006(A) and 0.100±0.002(H); 7.572±0.042(E)) and 27.222±0.053 mg/kg (K), respectively. All values were below the permissible limits declared by World Health Organization (WHO) (2006). Pollution load index (PLI) and geo-accumulation index (I-geo) were employed to assess the pollution status of the dam across the sampling stations. The PLI values obtained across the sampling stations ranged between 5.94×10-7 (A)and8.19×10-5 (K).The I-geo found for the concentrations of Ni, Pb, Cd, Co and Cr in the sediments ranged between -6.597(A) and -1.173(K); -3.564(H) and -2.2.577(I); -5.715(F) and -5.297(L); -5.893(D & E) and - 4.047(J) respectively. Results obtained indicate that none of the sampling stations was polluted. The data obtained was subjected to statistical analysis (ANOVA) and P values > 0.05 obtained for the analyzed metals indicate that there were no significant differences in the concentrations of the analyzed metals across the sampling pointsKeywords: ABU dam, Sediments, Heavy metals, Pollution index (PLI), Geo-accumulation index (I-geo

Genetic Diversity of Selected Upland Rice Genotypes (Oryza sativa L.) for Grain Yield and Related Traits

Seventy-seven upland rice genotypes including popular cultivars in Nigeria and introduced varieties selected from across rice-growing regions of the world were evaluated under optimal upland ecology. These genotypes were characterised for 10 traits and the quantitative data subjected to Pearson correlation matrix, Principal Component Analysis and cluster analysis to determine the level of diversity and degree of association existing between grain yield and its related component traits. Yield and most related component traits exhibited higher PCV compared to growth parameters. Yield had the highest PCV (41.72%) while all other parameters had low to moderate GCV. Genetic Advance (GA) ranged from 9.88% for plant height at maturity to 41.08% for yield. High heritability estimates were recorded for 1000 grain weight (88.71%), days to 50% flowering (86.67%) and days to 85% maturity (71.98%). Furthermore, grain yield showed significant positive correlation with days to 50% flowering and number of panicles m-2. Three cluster groups were obtained based on the UPGMA and the first three principal components explained about 64.55% of the total variation among the 10 characters. The PCA results suggests that characters such as grain yield, days to flowering, leaf area and plant height at maturity were the principal discriminatory traits for this rice germplasm indicating that selection in favour of these traits might be effective in this population and environment

A Rapid Method of Crude Oil Analysis Using FT-IR Spectroscopy

This study determines the viability of the use of Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy as a substitute to traditional petroleum geochemical methods for crude oil characterisation. IR spectra of Crude oil sample containing a mixture of both degraded (sample 151) and non-degraded (sample 145) oils at different concentrations were determined. The IR fingerprints agree with results obtained from GC analysis. Partial least square regression analysis was used to predict saturates for omitted mixtures (10 and 80% 151) and also saturates of five other samples (i.e. 145, 149, 172, H1 and AL10) within acceptable error limits. It therefore, follows, that although some improvements might still need to be made, FTIR spectroscopy can indeed be a viable, simple, cheaper and faster technique of crude oil characterisation compared with the traditional fractionation methods.Keywords: FTIR-ATR spectroscopy; GC-MS; Partial least squares (PLSR). Rapid analysis

Assessment of heavy metals bioavailability in dumpsites of Zaria Metropolis, Nigeria

The objectives of this study was to investigate the chemical fractionation, mobility and bioavailability of Cd, Cu, Mn, Pb and Zn in refuse waste soils of some dumpsites in Zaria metropolis. The heavy metals in the waste soils samples were sequentially extracted and measured using atomic absorption spectrometry. Mean of total extractable metals in the samples analysed for Cd, Cu, Mn, Pb and Zn ranged from 25.86 – 95.71, 1.70 – 446.43, 141.92 – 423.22, 39.9 – 739.10, and 122.45 – 511.57 mgKg-1 dry weight, respectively. Cd and Pb were mostly found to be in the mobile phase of the samples indicating that the metals are potentially more bioavailable to the environment than the other metals studied. Overall, the order of mobility and bioavailability of the metals is Cd > Pb > Zn > Mn > Cu

Levels of Lambda-Cyhalothrin and polychlorinated biphenyls residues in some herbal remedies from Northwest Nigeria

The study determined the presence and concentration of chloride, phosphate, lambda-cyhalothrin and polychlorinated biphenyls PCBs by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry method to discern contamination of selected herbal remedies. Sampling was carefully carried out in Northwest Nigeria. The chloride and the phosphate were found to be in the concentration ranges of non-detected –141.8mg/kg and 4.6 – 40.2mg/kg, respectively. The congeners 2,2',5,5'-tetrachlorobiphenyl and 2,2',3,4,4',5,5'-heptachlorobiphenyl were not detected in any sample while the highest concentration of the PCBs was recorded for 2,3,3',4,4',5- hexachlorobiphenyl in one sample. Other three congeners were detected at varied concentrations in different percentages of the samples. The pesticide lambda cyhalothrin was not detected in any sample.Keywords: Herbs, contamination, polychlorinated biphenyls, lambda-cyhalothrin, concentratio