Biosand Filtration as a Green Approach to Septic Tank Effluent Management in a Tertiary Institution in Ghana

Sewage and household effluents at some institutions in Ghana have been discharged into the ocean for years. Thisdegrades environmental media and is detrimental to ecological systems. The Three Local Plastic Barrel-Biosand Filter (TLPB-BSF) is an innovation on the slow sand filter that has been used to prevent discharge of raw sewage into the environment. The study aimed to test the performance of a modified BSF on sewage tank effluent and assess suitability of the filtrate for non-drinking purposes at a tertiary institution renamed KOTU to maintain confidentiality. Method: A filtration system made of three modified interconnected BSF was constructed on-site, with last filter connected to a storage tank. The modification was the provision of an additional media (charcoal) in the second barrel. Two sample collections were made from the system one week apart. The pre-filtrate samples were raw septic tank effluent (STE) and the samples obtained after running system was Biosand filter effluent (BSFE). Samples were analysed for physical and microbiological parameters at designated laboratories. Measured values of the parameters in pre-filtrate and filtrate samples were compared with EPA (Ghana) reference values. The removal efficiency of a parameter was computed as the difference between pre-filtrate and filtrate values expressed as a percentage of the pre-filtrate value. Results: Most of the effluent parameters from the BSF were within the EPA standards, while others were unacceptable. Removal efficiencies obtained for the parameters were: Ni trogen (83.3%), Phosphorus (89.5%), Total Suspended Solids (71.3%), Total Dissolved Solids (66.2%), Total coliform (99.9%), Faecal coliform (99.7%) and E. coli (97.6%). Conclusion: BSF is effective for upgrading physical and microbial quality of sewage at household and institutional level, prior to discharge in the environment. It produced a filtrate that met most of EPA standards for irrigation of non-edible crops

Domestic Solid Waste Management in a Rapidly Growing Nigerian City of Uyo

This paper investigated domestic waste management procedures in the fast growing Nigerian city of Uyo. The city of Uyo was demarcated into three Zones A, B and C respectively representing high, medium and low income residential areas. The quantity and classes of waste generated in the city were measured. Using questionnaire, relevant information on waste storage, collection, disposal and re-cycling were obtained. The result showed a marked variation in domestic waste types generated across the three zones reflecting the income levels of the inhabitants. The highest total weights were generated in the middle income zone while the lowest values were reported in the low income zone where waste storage in polythene bags was also common. Daily collection of waste was confirmed in the high income zone whereas waste littering characterized by overfilled receptacles was common in the middle and the low income zones respectively. Waste dumping in drain/gutters was the major feature of zones B and C and because less reusable materials formed a greater part of the waste generated in this zone, the activities of scavengers dropped compared to Zone A where more reusable waste was generated. A number of recommendations were made to help improve domestic waste management in the city. These included, among others, the closure of all waste dump sites without liners and the establishment of sanitary landfills for the city in addition to encouraging both private agencies and informal labour waste collection activities

A Robust Iterative Approach for Solving Nonlinear Volterra Delay Integro–Differential Equations

This paper presents a new iterative algorithm for approximating the fixed points of multivalued generalized α–nonexpansive mappings. We study the stability result of our new iterative algorithm for a larger concept of stability known as weak w2–stability. Weak and strong convergence results of the proposed iterative algorithm are also established. Furthermore, we show numerically that our new iterative algorithm outperforms several known iterative algorithms for multivalued generalized α–nonexpansive mappings. Again, as an application, we use our proposed iterative algorithm to find the solution of nonlinear Volterra delay integro-differential equations. Finally, we provide an illustrative example to validate the mild conditions used in the result of the application part of this study. Our results improve, generalize and unify several results in the existing literature.The authors are grateful to the reviewers and editors for their useful comment swhich helped to improve this work

Spectrum of heart diseases in a new cardiac service in Nigeria: An echocardiographic study of 1441 subjects in Abeokuta

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Echocardiography is a non-invasive, relatively cheap and useful imaging technique for the evaluation of cardiac diseases. The procedure has reliable levels of accuracy.</p> <p>Echocardiography commenced at the Federal medical centre Abeokuta on September 9, 2005.</p> <p>The aim of this study is to report our experience with the procedure, and to define the clinical cases seen in our setting.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This is a retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected data. Echocardiography was performed using Aloka SSD 1,100 echocardiograph equipped with 2.5–5.0 MHz transducer</p> <p>Results</p> <p>During the period of 18 months under review (September 2005–February 2007), 1629 procedures were performed. The reports of 188 echocardiograms were excluded due to poor echo-window, repeated procedure or incomplete report. 1441 reports were reviewed for demographic parameter, indications for the procedure and the main echocardiographic diagnoses.</p> <p>The mean age of the 1441 individuals studied was 54 +/- 14.3 years (15–90). There were 744 men and 697 women. Eight hundred and seventeen subjects (56.7%) had hypertensive heart disease, 53 subjects (3.7%) had rheumatic heart disease while 44(3.0%) had dilated cardiomyopathy. Pericardial diseases, cor-pulmonale, ischaemic heart disease, congenital heart diseases, diabetic heart disease, thyroid heart disease, sickle cell cardiopathy were present in 26(1.8%), 23(1.6%), 9(0.6%), 6(0.4%), 6(0.4%), 6(0.4%), 1(0.1%), and 1(0.1%) respectively. Four hundred and forty nine (31.2%) subjects had normal study.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Hypertensive heart disease was found to be the most prevalent cardiac condition in this study. The relatively frequent diagnoses of rheumatic heart disease, cardiomyopathies and pericardial diseases reflect the impact of infections and infestations on the cardiovascular health of adult Nigerians.</p> <p>We suggest that prevention and treatment of cardiac diseases in our setting should among other things focus on blood pressure control and early treatment of infections causing heart diseases.</p

Effect of simplifications of bone and components inclination on the elastohydrodynamic lubrication modeling of metal-on-metal hip resurfacing prosthesis

It is important to study the lubrication mechanism of metal-on-metal hip resurfacing prosthesis in order to understand its overall tribological performance, thereby minimize the wear particles. Previous elastohydrodynamic lubrication studies of metal-on-metal hip resurfacing prosthesis neglected the effects of the orientations of the cup and head. Simplified pelvic and femoral bone models were also adopted for the previous studies. These simplifications may lead to unrealistic predictions. For the first time, an elastohydrodynamic lubrication model was developed and solved for a full metal-onmetal hip resurfacing arthroplasty. The effects of the orientations of components and the realistic bones on the lubrication performance of metal-on-metal hip resurfacing prosthesis were investigated by comparing the full model with simplified models. It was found that the orientation of the head played a very important role in the prediction of pressure distributions and film profiles of the metal-on-metal hip resurfacing prosthesis. The inclination of the hemispherical cup up to 45 had no appreciable effect on the lubrication performance of the metal-on-metal hip resurfacing prosthesis. Moreover, the combined effect of material properties and structures of bones was negligible. Future studies should focus on higher inclination angles, smaller coverage angle and microseparation related to the occurrences of edge loading. © IMechE 2012

Increasing Shipping in the Arctic and Local Communities’ Engagement : A Case from Longyearbyen on Svalbard

publishedVersio

From cassava to gari: Mapping of quality characteristics and end-user preferences in Cameroon and Nigeria

User's preferences of cassava and cassava products along the value chain are supported by specific root quality characteristics that can be linked to root traits. Therefore, providing an evidence base of user preferred characteristics along the value chain, can help in the functional choice of cassava varieties. In this respect, the present paper presents the results from focus group discussions and individual interviews on user preferred quality characteristics of raw cassava roots and the derived product, gari, ‐ one of the major cassava products in Sub Saharan Africa ‐ in major production and consumption areas of Cameroon and Nigeria. Choice of cassava varieties for farming is mainly determined by the multiple end‐uses of the roots, their agricultural yield and the processing determinants of roots that support their major high‐quality characteristics: size, density, low water content, maturity, colour and safety. Processing of cassava roots into gari goes through different technological variants leading to a gari whose high‐quality characteristics are: dryness, colour, shiny/attractive appearance, uniform granules and taste. Eba, the major consumption form of gari in Cameroon and Nigeria is mainly characterized by its textural properties: smoothness, firmness, stickiness, elasticity, mouldability. Recommendations are made, suggesting that breeding will have to start evaluating cassava clones for brightness/shininess, as well as textural properties such as mouldability and elasticity of cassava food products, for the purpose of supporting decision‐making by breeders and the development of high‐throughput selection methods of cassava varieties. Women are identified as important beneficiaries of such initiatives giving their disadvantaged position and their prominent role in cassava processing and marketing of gari

Employability Skill Development of Mechanical Engineering Students Through Project Based Learning in Vocational High School in South Sulawesi

Abstract: Embedding employability skills in learning requires a learning model that allows effective in improving employability skills of students Learning model that if able to meet these expectations is project based learning. This study aims to determine the contribution of project based learning to employability skills of students of SMK Package Engineering Skills Engineering in South Sulawesi. This research uses quantitative approach with non experimental design with sample size 325 students. Data collection uses questionnaires to obtain data on project-based learning implementation and employability skills. The data of the research were analyzed by using descriptive analysis and regression analysis which previously conducted normality and linearity test. Based on the results of the research is known that the implementation of project based learning model contributes to the development of employability skill students of machining engineering SMK 59.8%