Contamination and Possible Health Risks of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Soil and Crops from Cultivated Floodplains of Some Rivers in Ekiti State, Southwest Nigeria

The demand for food in Nigeria has increased pressure on land use including floodplains despite possible contamination from the river catchments. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the contaminations and possible health risk of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil from Irintan (Ogbese), Omi-Eye (Erio) and Egbigbu (Ayetoro) cultivated floodplains in Ekiti State, Nigeria using standard techniques. The soil samples were collected from 0-30cm depth at 5m, 25m and 45m perpendicular distances to the river course at lower, middle and upstream. The crop samples randomly collected on the floodplains were Talinum triangulare, Caspicum annum and Zea mays from each farm. Samples were appropriately treated and analyzed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and results used to estimate the possible health risk. PAHs concentration at each of the farm sites was found to be more than their corresponding controls.The ∑PAHs (µg/kg) in soil ranged 0.62-3.20, 0.38-2.33 and 0.09-1.75 at Irintan (Ogbese), Omi-Eye(Erio) and Egbigbu (Ayetoro) floodplains respectively and these values were categorized unpolluted. The ∑PAHs (µg/kg) was 1.24, 0.64 and 21.15 for T. triangulare, 2.62, 2.76 and 18.43 for C. annum and 0.70, 1.78 and 1.31 for Z. mays at Irintan, Omi-Eye and Egbigbu floodplain respectively. All the Benzo (a) pyrene equivalent concentration were less than the cancer screening value except in T. triangulare and C. annum at Egbigbu floodplain suggesting possible carcinogenic health concern in T. triangulare and C. annum at the floodplain. There could be a cause for concern for the consumption of these food crops by the exposed population

Green synthesis of iron (III) oxide (Fe3O4) Nanoparticles Using Citrus sinensis Peel Extract for the Removal of Ciprofloxacin in Water

Ciprofloxacin is a widely used antibiotic that can contaminate water sources and pose environmental and health risks. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to explore the green synthesis of iron (III) oxide nanoparticles using Citrus sinensis peel extract for the removal of ciprofloxacin in water using standard techniques. The adsorption of ciprofloxacin on the nanoparticles was investigated under different conditions, such as pH, initial concentration of adsorbate, contact time, and different adsorbent doses. The adsorption data were fitted to different isotherm and kinetic models to understand the adsorption mechanism and parameters. The results of characterization revealed the particles to be of nanocrystalline structure with a cubic crystal shape, negative surface charge, and a high thermal stability with elemental composition primarily of Fe and O; it has z- average of 42.60, with Fe-O bond at 693.30cm-1 and UV-Visible absorbance at 221nm.  The maximum adsorption capacity with ciprofloxacin was 29.21 mg/g (97.45%) at pH of 7 and room temperature of 25 °C. The results of the adsorption data indicated that the adsorption followed the Langmuir isotherm model and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, suggesting a monolayer adsorption on a homogeneous surface with a finite number of identical sites. The synthesized nanoparticles showed a high efficiency and selectivity for the removal of ciprofloxacin from water, demonstrating it potential as an eco-friendly and low-cost adsorbent for water purification

Perceived academic performance as an indicator of risk of attempted suicide in young adolescents

This study investigated perceived academic performance and self-reported suicidal behavior in adolescents (n=2,596), mean age 13 years, from 27 South Australian high schools. Groups perceiving their academic performance as failing, below average, average and above average were significantly different on measures of self-esteem, locus of control, depressive symptoms, suicidal thoughts, plans, threats, deliberate self-injury, and suicide attempts. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that failing academic performance (compared to above average) is associated with a fivefold increased likelihood of a suicide attempt, controlling for self-esteem, locus of control and depressive symptoms. Teachers should note that a student presenting with low selfesteem, depressed mood and perceptions of failure may be at increased risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and need referral for clinical assessment

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

Investment in SARS-CoV-2 sequencing in Africa over the past year has led to a major increase in the number of sequences generated, now exceeding 100,000 genomes, used to track the pandemic on the continent. Our results show an increase in the number of African countries able to sequence domestically, and highlight that local sequencing enables faster turnaround time and more regular routine surveillance. Despite limitations of low testing proportions, findings from this genomic surveillance study underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic and shed light on the distinct dispersal dynamics of Variants of Concern, particularly Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron, on the continent. Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve, while the continent faces many emerging and re-emerging infectious disease threats. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

A year of genomic surveillance reveals how the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic unfolded in Africa

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Emergence and spread of two SARS-CoV-2 variants of interest in Nigeria.

Identifying the dissemination patterns and impacts of a virus of economic or health importance during a pandemic is crucial, as it informs the public on policies for containment in order to reduce the spread of the virus. In this study, we integrated genomic and travel data to investigate the emergence and spread of the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.318 and B.1.525 (Eta) variants of interest in Nigeria and the wider Africa region. By integrating travel data and phylogeographic reconstructions, we find that these two variants that arose during the second wave in Nigeria emerged from within Africa, with the B.1.525 from Nigeria, and then spread to other parts of the world. Data from this study show how regional connectivity of Nigeria drove the spread of these variants of interest to surrounding countries and those connected by air-traffic. Our findings demonstrate the power of genomic analysis when combined with mobility and epidemiological data to identify the drivers of transmission, as bidirectional transmission within and between African nations are grossly underestimated as seen in our import risk index estimates

A year of genomic surveillance reveals how the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic unfolded in Africa.

The progression of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic in Africa has so far been heterogeneous, and the full impact is not yet well understood. In this study, we describe the genomic epidemiology using a dataset of 8746 genomes from 33 African countries and two overseas territories. We show that the epidemics in most countries were initiated by importations predominantly from Europe, which diminished after the early introduction of international travel restrictions. As the pandemic progressed, ongoing transmission in many countries and increasing mobility led to the emergence and spread within the continent of many variants of concern and interest, such as B.1.351, B.1.525, A.23.1, and C.1.1. Although distorted by low sampling numbers and blind spots, the findings highlight that Africa must not be left behind in the global pandemic response, otherwise it could become a source for new variants