Associated petroleum hydrocarbons and heavy metals of an oil spilled site in the Niger Delta, Nigeria

Soil samples were collected from an oil polluted site in the Niger - Delta, of the southern region of Nigeria, and were analyzed for petroleum hydrocarbons and heavy metals, which may have been introduced to the soil as a result of the oil spillage that was incidence at the site. The total extractable hydrocarbon content (THC) of 1.13×105±2.91 ×104 mg/kg of the affected soil revealed a high level of petroleum hydrocarbon contamination that far exceeds compliance limits. The gas chromatographic analyses conducted on the samples showed significant contamination in the n-C12 - n-C17 range, especially the n-C13 and n-C17 fractions, and pristane being more abundant than phytane. It also showed a significant concentration of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with naphthalene which may actually be oxidized before many saturates which are the most prone to biodegradation and attenuation, whileindeno 1, 2, 3 cd pyrene was the most abundant. The results also depicted a substantial concentration of the benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylene (BTEX) fractions with 1, 3, dichlorobenzene as the most abundantfraction while o-xylene had the least concentration. Heavy metals were detected in varying concentration in polluted soils. Zinc had the highest concentration of 9.84 ± 0.93mg/kg while Arsenic had the least concentration of 0.12± 0.04mg/kg. These results suggest that as at the time of sample collection, the spilled oil was still fresh on site. Thatpristane was more abundant than phytane inferred an oxic depositional environment of a probable non-waxy, marine derived organic matter and a phytoplankton input for the spilled oil

Evaluation of the Phytochemical Properties of Eucalyptus Citriodora Exudates and its Potency as Coagulant in Water Purification

This research work was carried out with the aim to investigate the phytochemical properties and the effectiveness of Eucalyptus citriodora exudates as coagulant for water purification and to compare the effectiveness of this plant extract as coagulant to alum (standard conventional coagulant) and this was done using Completely Randomized Design with loading doses from 0.02g - 0.10g of the extract and alum as standard coagulant. The phytochemical screening was carried out on the plant extract of Eucalyptus citriodora exudates according to the methods as described by Sofowora for testing phytochemical compounds. The following parameters namely; pH, TDS, turbidity, and electrical conductivity of the pond water used were determined before and after coagulation in this study. From the results obtained, the phytochemical properties analysed in this research work indicated that carbohydrate, glycoside, saponins, tannins, flavonoids, resins, proteins and terpenoids were found to be present in high concentration in this plant extract. Alkaloids and steroids were observed to be present in medium concentration, oil was seen in low concentration while reducing sugar and acidic compound were absent in this plant extract. The values obtained in this study indicated that Eucalyptus citriodora exudates showed 86.39% reduction in TDS at optimal dosage of 0.10g but showed increase in turbidity as dosage increases. The pH values (6.6-7.4), electrical conductivity (567-621 µՏ/cm) and TDS (100-455 mg/L) obtained in this study for the water purification were in the recommended range of permissible limits by WHO and USEPA except for turbidity values (45-85 NTU) which were above the set standard for drinking water quality. Keywords:Phytochemical properties, Eucalyptus citriodora exudates, Alum, Coagulation and Water purification DOI: 10.7176/CMR/14-4-03 Publication date:October 31st 2022

Unsteady/Steady Hydromagnetic Flow of Reactive Viscous Fluid in a Vertical Channel with Thermal Diffusion and Temperature Dependent Properties

The problem of unsteady as well as steady hydromagnetic natural convection and mass transfer flow of viscous reactive, incompressible and electrically conducting fluid between two vertical walls in the presence of uniform magnetic field applied normal to the flow region is studied. Thermal diffusion, temperature dependent variable viscosity and thermal conductivity are assumed to exist within the channel. The governing partial differential equations are solved numerically using implicit finite difference scheme. Results of the computations for velocity, temperature, concentration, skin friction, rate of heat and mass transfer are presented graphically to study the hydrodynamic behavior of fluid in the channel

Combined effects of thermal-diffusion and thermal radiation on transient MHD natural convection flow in a vertical channel

Papers presented to the 11th International Conference on Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics, South Africa, 20-23 July 2015.This study investigates the transient MHD natural convection flow of viscous incompressible electrically conducting fluid in a vertical channel formed by two infinite vertical parallel plates in the presence of thermal-diffusion and thermal radiation. Analytical solutions for energy and momentum equation are derived using perturbation method for steady state operating condition for small value of radiation parameter. The time dependent energy and momentum equations under relevant initial and boundary conditions are solved using implicit finite difference method. The effects of the various involved parameters on the skin friction and Nusselt number at the channel surfaces are discussed. A series of numerical experiments shows that the time required to reach steady state velocity, temperature is directly proportional to the Prandtl number of the working fluid for fixed values of other controlling parameters.One of the authors Isah Bala Yabo is thankful to Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto for financial support.am201

Bioremediation of Glyphosate Polluted Soil using Fungal Species

Glyphosate is an organophosphate compound used as herbicide in agricultural farms. It partly contributes to xenobiotic contamination of soil samples. Issues of toxicity and persistence have given rise to the need for its control in soils. The present study sought to bio-remediate glyphosate soil contamination using fungal cultures. Fungal isolates were obtained from glyphosate polluted soil and were screened for glyphosate utilization capacity. Isolates were identified using microscopy and molecular typing of the sequenced ITS-region. The best two degraders were made choice isolates used for the bioremediation study. They were used singly and in consortium for the bioremediation process monitored over a four-week period. Isolates obtained from the polluted soil sample are Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus terreus, Aspergillus tamari, Fusarium oxysporium and Aspergillus flavus. Aspergillus terreus and Fusarium oxysporium were the best glyphosate degraders and gave residual glyphosate values of 21.17 ug/ml and 17.22 ug/ml respectively. Their bi-culture degradation gave a residual glyphosate value of 8.87 ug/ml with 91.41 % degradation. This study thus shows that glyphosate soil pollution can be controlled with fungal cultures and can thus be said to be amenable to bioremediation process

Hydrocarbon Biodegradation Potential of Cyanobacteria in Oil Polluted Soil

Petroleum hydrocarbon is one of the most common environmental pollutants in Nigeria and other countries. Its debilitating effects on arable lands and water bodies have far reaching consequences to agriculture and aquatic life. Several bioremediation strategies have been developed over the years in a bid to manage this type of pollution. Cyanobacteria are a group of microorganisms possessing the potential to be harnessed as bioremediation alternatives. This study sought to conduct bioremediation of crude oil polluted oil usung cyanobacteria. Organisms were isolated from crude oil polluted soil and were identified using molecular typing. A 200 ml portion of broth cultures of organisms was used singly and in consortium in different set ups to bio-remedaite the polluted soil samples. Gas chromatography was used to monitor the residual total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) in each set up for a period of thirty days. Microcystisholsatica, Chlorella kessleriand Anabaena cicadae were identified from polluted soil samples. Chlorella kessleri gave a 94.10% TPH loss, while Anabaena cicadae gave 91.10% and their co-culture set up gave a 95% TPH loss and the control experiment had 2.10% TPH loss. Temperature of the reacting systems was mesophilic and the pH was at weak acid range. This study thus has shown that cyanoremediation of petroleum hydrocarbon pollution of soil is possible and efficient and should be adopted more often

Predictive In-Vitro Evaluation of Food Effect on The In-Vivo Performance of Chlorpropamide Tablet

This study compared the disintegration time and dissolution profile of the hypoglyceamic drug product, chlorpropamide marketed in Nigeria as Chlorbinese in simulated gastric fluid (SGF), simulated intestinal fluid SIF, and in food modified gastric fluid (FMSGF) and intestinal fluid (FMSIF) as a measure of the effect of dosing condition on in-vivo drug performance. Various quality control parameters including weight uniformity, tablet hardness, disintegration, friability and assay were assessed prior the dissolution profile determination. Food containing media was prepared by blending 1.3ml full cream fat containing milk and 25mg of soluble starch  added to 500ml and 300ml of SGF and SIF to make FMSGF and FMSIF respectively, mimicking human gastric and intestinal content after drug administration. The in-vivo performance of the drug at the dosing conditions was also determined using 24 healthy volunteers with post dosing administration of drug and blood sampling at time intervals. The titrimetric and spectrophotometric assays gave 99.37% and 104.12% of chlorpropamide content respectively (P<0.05). No significant differences were observed between the disintegration time for FMSGF, SGF, SIF and FMSIF being (5s, 4s ,4s and 6s) respectively at P<0.05. There was no significant difference in the percentage drug release in FMSIF compared with SIF (40% v 35%) similarly there was  no difference in the release rate for media simulating dosing conditions in the stomach revealing (28% v 28%) release at P<0.05. There was no significant difference in the change in blood glucose level in the volunteers with respect to the dosing conditions P<0.05.Dosing conditions did not affect the drug release and blood glucose reduction of chlorpropamide tablet

Monoculture Solid Phase Degradative Potential of Congo red by Aspergillus Niger and Aspergillus Flavus

Mycoremediation is a great technology and can be exploited for the bioremediation of dyes contaminated soil and also to reclaim wastewater. Fungal strain isolated from local Tie and Dye factory in Awka was examined for their dye-degrading potentialsand it was found to be capable of degrading Congo red under its optimized medium and growth conditions using solid (agar) phase biodegradation analysis, it is an employable approach for textile effluent degradation to less toxic components. The effect of independent variables such as time, temperature, and pH on decolorization efficiency was constant and put into perspectives. The biodegradation of Congo Red was demonstrated by decolorization of solid state dye-minimal culture medium, the extent of degradation was measured to be directly proportional to fungal growth which was determined by monitoring the growth of the 2 fungal isolates(Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus) diameterin of this dye-minimal containing various concentration (0.1%, 0.01%, and 0.001%) of dyes formulation. The biodegradation of the dye was related to its decolorization during growth of fungi and Apergillus niger showed a degradation potential of about 81% while Aspegillus flavus showed a potential of 62%. There was increase in decolorization diameter along with increase in incubation time. While performing the process optimization studies for the decolorization of the dye-maximum decolorization was observed at room temperature and under static conditions. It was found that the isolated fungal strain was considered to be well adapted, resistant and highly acclimatized to dye contaminated soils showing the decolorization of Congo red dye

Transient Heat Transfer Flow in a Channel with Porous Medium and Periodic Suction

Abstract: In the present paper, we investigate an unsteady heat transfer flow of a viscous, incompressible, electrically conductive fluid through a porous medium with periodic suction and temperature oscillation. The dimensionless governing equations are solved using perturbation technique. The analytical expressions for the velocity, temperature, shear stress and Nussetl number of the fluid have been obtained. The effects of various parameters on the flow field have been discussed with the help of graphs and tables

Effects of Unsteady Flow Past An Infinite Vertical Plate With Variable Velocity, Temperature and Constant Mass Flux

The effects of unsteady flow past an infinite vertical plate with variable temperature and constant mass flux are investigated. Laplace transform technique is used to obtain velocity and concentration fields. The computation of the results indicates that the velocity profiles increase with increase in Grashof numbers, mass Grashof numbers and time. For combined parameters, the velocity field is increasing with increase of mass Grashof number and decreases with increasing Grashof, Schmidt and Prandtl numbers. Similarly, concentration profile is decreasing with increasing Schmidt number.Keywords: unsteady flow, infinite vertical plate, variable temperature, constant mass flux