Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Sorghum (sorghum bicolor) Production, Storage and Disposal in Ilorin, Nigeria

Nigeria is one of the major producers of sorghum grains in the world. The production and storage of the crop consumed resources, both biotic and abiotic and this could lead to some environment burden in form of emissions and pollutions.  Therefore, this study was carried out to assess the environmental life cycle of sorghum, from production to storage and packaging for market using life cycle assessment model (LCA).The life cycle inventory data was collected for production, and storage operations of three scenarios of sorghum namely: storage in jute bags and fumigation in Warehouse (FW), usage of Bio-pesticide (BP) and NSPRIDUST (ND) as protectant. The inventory data collected was based on a functional unit of one hectare of land for production, and one ton of grains for storage operations respectively. The data were analyzed using “Ganzheitliche Bilanz” (GaBi) 8.7 software. Environmental impact categories generated were Global Warming Potential (GWP), Acidification Potential (AP), Eutrophication Potential (EP), Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) and Human Toxicity Potential (HTP).The GWP values obtained for sorghum scenario using FW, BP, and ND were 6.850, 7.930 and 6.890 kg CO2, respectively. The AP values for FW, BP and ND were 0.009, 0.012 and 0.009 kg SO2, respectively, while EP values obtained for FW, BP and ND were 2.180, 3.010 and 2.070 E-3 kg Phosphate, respectively. The ODP values using FW, BP and ND were 8.96, 8.96, and 8.96 E-13 kg R11 respectively, while the HTP values obtained using FW, BP and ND were 4.150, 4.150 and 4.150 kg DCB, respectively.The research showed that the impact values of FW, BP and NS for sorghum scenario had not much difference. The research finding is recommended for environmentalists, grain producers and handlers. Keywords: Life Cycle Assessment, global warming, acidification, eutrophication, ozone layer depletion DOI: 10.7176/JEES/12-8-01 Publication date:August 31st 202

Effects of heating temperature and time on some mechanical properties of Balanites Aegyptiaca nut

Balanites aegyptiaca nuts were pretreated by heating at different temperatures in the range of 30 – 90oC for time durations in the range of 30 – 120 mins. Moisture content of the nuts prior to pretreatment was 4.7 % (d.b.). Some strength properties of the pretreated nuts namely, bioyield, yield and rupture points; bioyield, compressive and rupture strengths; and moduli of elasticity, resilience, stiffness and toughness were determined at lateral and longitudinal axial loading, using a Universal Testing Machine (UTM). Results showed that all the strength properties of the nut decreased with increase in temperature and varied significantly with heating time at different loading orientations. Temperature and heating time range existed within which the nuts exhibited the typical behavior of biomaterials when heated and subjected to compression. After these ranges were exceeded, the nuts’ behavior deviated.         The study suggests that in addition to conditioning balanites aegyptiaca nuts to a moisture level at which they could easily be cracked, further treatment by exposure to heat at a level and for a duration that would not compromise product quality, could be used to enhance energy efficiency. Loading along the longitudinal axis should be applied if the cracking of nut is to be carried out using uniaxial compression

AN APPRAISAL OF SAFETY OF TRACTOR-TRAILER

The tractor-trailer braking system was appraised considering the effect of braking the tractor or trailer alone and also braking the combination of tractor and trailer simultaneously. The study became imperative considering the influx of trailers that are not equipped with the braking system and the danger it poses to the operators and the farm produce. The study employed simple field simulation of the behaviour of each model and further analysis of the system. The result showed that it would be in the best interest of any country importing agricultural trailers to import those equipped with braking system which could be actuated by the hydraulic control of the tractor. This would reduce to the barest minimum dangers associated with operators of tractor-trailer systems, tyres and loss or damage to produce being transported

AN APPRAISAL OF SAFETY OF TRACTOR-TRAILER

The tractor-trailer braking system was appraised considering the effect of braking the tractor or trailer alone and also braking the combination of tractor and trailer simultaneously. The study became imperative considering the influx of trailers that are not equipped with the braking system and the danger it poses to the operators and the farm produce. The study employed simple field simulation of the behaviour of each model and further analysis of the system. The result showed that it would be in the best interest of any country importing agricultural trailers to import those equipped with braking system which could be actuated by the hydraulic control of the tractor. This would reduce to the barest minimum dangers associated with operators of tractor-trailer systems, tyres and loss or damage to produce being transported

Potability Evaluation of Selected River Waters in Ebonyi State, Nigeria

The study focused on the seasonal variation of physiochemical and microbial characteristics of three selected river water in Ebonyi State for human consumption. The three selected rivers studied were Iyioka, Idima and Ubei Rivers. Data were generated using Direct Reading Engineering method (DREM), Gravimetric method, Titrimetric method, Spectrophotometric method, Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometric method, and Total Viable count for physiochemical and microbiological analysis. The generated data was further subjected to statistical analysis using one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) on difference between means of parameters and graphical method to determine the spatial variation of the water quality characteristics. The time variations of the water quality characteristics as compared with the spatial variations showed that for some variables, there was statistical difference between the means of parameters with respect to time and space at various levels of significance. These include Phosphorus (5%), Copper (1%), Iron (5%), Nickel (5%), Cadmium (1%), Salinity (1%), Bacteria (1%) for time variation; and Sulphate (1%), Chemical Oxygen (5%),Nickel (1%), Arsenic (1%), Zinc (1%), Cadmium (1%), Bacteria (1%) for spatial variations during dry season and Chemical Oxygen (5%), Nickel (1%), for spatial variation during rainy season. Based on the World Health Organization and Standard Organization of Nigeria guidelines for drinking water, the results of microbial analysis also indicated that the selected river waters were polluted with disease causing microorganisms, such as E.Coliform, Salmonella, Bacillus Subtilis. Therefore, the river waters are not good for drinking. The consumers of water obtained from the three rivers are likely to suffer the following: typhoid, fever, intestinal problem, diarrhea, skin rash, cholera. Necessary recommendations such as treating the water with bio-sand filter before use, amongst others, were made