COAST

Heavy metal levels in sediment and Callinectes sapidus of Okerenkoko waterfront, Delta State, Nigeria

2025-01-28T16:19:15+00:00

Effluent deposition increases sediment pollution. Information on heavy metal (HM) levels of Okerenkoko Waterfront (OWF) are limited. This study investigated the present levels of HM in OWF and their impacts on Callinectes sapidus. Spatially, OWF was stratified into three stations (1, 2 and 3) based on proximity to key industrial activities, while monthly stratification covered April to July, 2023. Sediment and C. sapidus samples were collected monthly, air-dried at room temperature and preserved in Bouin's fluid respectively. Samples were digested and concentrations of HM (Iron and Copper) mg/Kg determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics and ANOVA at α _0.05 Spatially, significantly highest (11.64 ± 0.05 0.11; 3.41 ± 0.32) and least (4.99 ± 2.03; 3.26 ± 0.72) levels of iron and copper recorded in sediments occurred in 1 and 3, while it ranged from 5.02 ± 3.03 to 13.18 ± 0.11 and 7.10 ± 1.46 to 18.19 ± 0.38 for copper and iron in May and July respectively. Spatially, highest (8.49 ± 1.64) and least (4.57 ± 1.17) levels of iron in the stomach of C. sapidus occurred in 3 and 1, while it ranged from 10.13 ± 4.19 to 14.94 ± 2.33 in June and July. Copper concentration ranged from 1.12 ± 0.01 to 5.15 ± 2.09 in May and July in the
stomach of C. sapidus. Concentrations of HM recorded exceed recommended limits. Survival of C. sapidus in OWF has been threatened. Results obtained could serve as baseline reference.

Applications of statistics and probability to enhance the reliability And maintenance strategies for corroded pipelines

2025-01-27T16:09:26+00:00

Pipeline load carrying capacity and safety are often reduced by corrosion and associated damage. The prediction of future defects and the pipeline's remaining lifetime are obtained by using consistent assessments of corrosion rates. However, its modelling often involves simplifications and assumptions to compensate a lack of data, imprecision and vagueness, which cannot be justified completely and may, thus lead to biased results. To overcome these issues, an imprecise probabilities approach is proposed for reliability analysis, decision-making, risk-based design and maintenance. It is shown how this approach can improve the practise using B31G, Modified B31G, DNV-101 and Shell-92 failure pressure models. In addition, a robust and efficient probabilistic framework for optimal inspection and maintenance schedule selection for corroded pipelines is proposed. Optimal solution is obtained through only one reliability assessment removing huge computational cost of reliability-base optimization and generalised probabilistic methods and in turn, making the analysis of industrial size problem feasible.

Chemical composition and free radical scavenging activities of Volatile essential oil from Chassalia kolly from Nigeria

2025-01-27T16:19:47+00:00

Chassalia kolly is a shrub that belongs to the family Rubiaceae. It is used in the treatment of skin infections, typhoid and fever in traditional medicine practice. In this study, essential oil extracted from the leaves of Chassalia kolly was analysed for its chemical constituents and investigated for antioxidant activities. Leaves of Chassalia kolly were collected at Ibadan, Nigeria's Oyo State. Hydrodistillation method was used to extract essential oil from the leaves of Chassalia kolly. Analysis using the gas chromatography mass spectroscopy technique was used to determine the essential oil's chemical composition. Using the 2, 2-Diphenyl-1 picryl hydroxyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity technique, the antioxidant activities of the essential oil were investigated at dosages ranging from 200 to 25 μg/ml. The major constituents identied by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS) examination are curcumene (5.8%), 1,8 cineole (3.76%), nerolidol (5.48%) and α-farnesene (5.07%). Minor elements such as linalool (1.00%), caryophyllene (1.63%) and phytol (1.09%) were also found. The antioxidant test showed that the essential oil had a moderate percentage of radical scavenging activity of 18.61% when its radical scavenging activity at a concentration of 200 μg/ml was compared to the standard ascorbic acid at the same dosage. The ethnomedicinal uses of Chassalia Kolly may be due to the presence of these chemical constituents in the essential oil extracted from the leaves.

Effect of application methods of Trichoderma asperellum on the control of white mold disease (Sclerotium rolfsii) of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum MILL)

2025-01-27T16:31:08+00:00

A greenhouse study at the Federal University of Technology, Akure's screen house and laboratory of the Department of Crop, Soil, and Pest Management assessed the effectiveness of Trichoderma asperellum under three application methods on growth and control of a tomato white mold disease caused by Sclerotium rolfsii. Dual culture techniques under the prophylactic method recorded 60% inhibition of the mycelia growth of S. rolfsii when T. asperellum was inoculated twenty-four hours before the introduction of S. rolfsii. This was much greater than the 20% mycelial inhibition reported by curative and simultaneous application methods, in which S. rolfsii was introduced first and concurrently with the 5 pathogenic fungus. Trichoderma asperellum at 10 spores/ml was tested as a seed treatment agent, prophylactic, and curative (Foliar) application in relation to application time. Seeds moistened with T. asperellum for five days were transferred into a plastic experiment pot filled with sterilized soil as a seed treatment, whereas the prophylactic method involved foliar application of T. asperellum on healthy tomato seedlings for two weeks, followed by covering the experimental pots with transparent polythene for twenty-four hours before the introduction of S. rolfsii suspension. The curative application involved the initial application of S. rolfsii suspension on soil containing two weeks of healthy tomato seedlings and then covered with transparent polythene for twenty-four hours before the introduction of T. asperellum on the soil surface. The results show that tomato yield increased significantly with seed treatment, while prophylactic application had the greatest antifungal effects with the lowest incidence and severity values.

The Nigerian policy on education, value teaching and the quest for national sustainable development: reflections in Chinua Achebe and Olusegun Oladipo's writings

2025-01-27T16:45:44+00:00

The reality of achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) in Nigeria depends on the collective response to the urgent need to reassess the people's commitment to the Nigerian project; to refocus the national vision in line with the reality of the present state; and to reposition all energies in the path of building a population of individuals who are adequately prepared to take on developmental challenges with clarity of vision and sincerity of purpose. Therefore, this paper focused on the expected impact of education as the knowledge generating and knowledge transmitting industry on the collective construction and realization of individual and common aspirations. It assessed the value content of the National Policy on Education (NPE) 2013 and reflects on the writings of Chinua Achebe and Olusegun Oladipo as theoretical frameworks to propose a form of social reformism which heavily relies on the mental and moral dispositions of individuals as the primary and urgent concern of the Nigerian educational system, especially in the current socio-political and economic dispensation.

Comparative effects of pig slurry and oil-palm bunch ash on soil acidification on tomato plots in Okitipupa, Southwest, Nigeria.

2025-01-27T20:15:21+00:00

The experiment's goal was to lower the soil's acidity by utilizing oil palm bunch ash and pig slurry in combination. At Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology's Teaching and Research Farm
screen house in a completely randomized design (CRD) experiment. Pig slurry and oil palm bunch were added at recommended quantities and rates of 0 g/kg, 500 g/kg, and 1000 g/kg. Nine distinct treatments were developed, along with a control, and each was replicated thrice. Before applying, soil samples from the experimental plots were taken after a 37-day incubation period, and they were examined in a laboratory to assess several indicators of soil fertility. These comprised calcium, magnesium, potassium (K), accessible phosphorus (P), total nitrogen (TN), pH, organic matter content (OM), and cation exchange capacity (CEC). Compared to the control, the experimental results showed a signicant difference in the soil fertility indicators due to the addition of organic amendments. The addition of the amendments changed the pH of the soil and increased the concentrations of EC, CEC, Mg, Ca, Na, OM, N, P, and K, all of which indicate increased soil fertility. The results provide credence to the theory that adding these organic amendments to agricultural soils can help with sustainable soil management techniques. More investigation and long-term eld-scale trials are necessary to conrm the observed effects and determine the implications of organic amendments on soil health and crop yield under actual agricultural conditions.

Geo-electrical evaluation of leachate infiltration into the aquifer of the agirifon dumpsite, Ilutitun Southwest Nigeria

2025-01-27T20:27:45+00:00

The effect of leachate inltration from the Agirifon dumpsite to the aquifer system of Ilutitun was investigated using the Electrical Resistivity methods. The investigation was aimed at determining the geoeletric geometry of leachate plume at the subsurface of the dumpsite. Six traverses were established to cover the entire study area, Dipole-Dipole electrode configuration was employed using electrode separation of 5m and 10 m. The expansion factor n was varied from 1-5meters and 1-10meters respectively. The 2-D resistivity structures delineated virtually a single type of subsurface formation (Coastal Plain Sands) which can be divided into three zones; the topsoil or upper zone made up of sandy clay/clayey sand/sand, the intermediate zone made up of clayey sand/sand and the lower zone majorly made up of sand. The three zones generally transit into one another. The 2-D Resistivity imaging revealed a radial migration of leachate in the range 7.2Ωm in the NW/SW direction of the study area from the topsoil to a depth of 30 m beneath the dumpsite facility. The leachates were observed to have infiltrated through the porous and permeable layers into the subsurface aquifers, subsequently contaminating the underlying groundwater resource. It could therefore be concluded that the leachates produced from the dumpsite has gradually inltrated into the subsurface (shallow and deep) aquifers in the study area.

Water poverty and development imperatives: A defence of ethics for sustainable water resource use and management in Sub-Sahara Africa

2025-01-27T20:36:45+00:00

As the world gathers momentum for the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, it is pertinent for nations and regions to begin to evaluate and address specic challenges to development imperatives. The problem of shortage of quality water for consumption in Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) has been widely discussed by different academic and technical experts using diverse platforms. There are various statistics revealing a gloomy picture of water poverty on the continent despite its relative abundance of natural water resources. While the challenges and the issues that characterize the problem have received critical attention and strategies for better resource management for sustainable provision of quality and adequate water have been suggested, water poverty continues to ravage the region. This research adopted the Secondary Data Analysis method to investigate the fundamentals of the problem. The paper revealed the central roles of unethical human disposition to resource consumption and unregulated consumption pattern in exacerbating the problem of water poverty in Africa. Flagrant abuses and disregard for environmental resource management instruments in pursuit of economic and subsistent opportunities constitute major catalyst for the increasing water poverty in Africa. In light of the above, the paper explored the social justice principle of the blue ethics to contribute to the on-going discussion on water resource management in Africa.

Pollution status and ecological risk of heavy metals in surface water and sediment of the coastal creeks of Ondo state, Nigeria

2025-01-27T20:44:06+00:00

Despite the irreplaceable value of the aquatic ecosystem to livelihoods, the continuous release of heavy metals into the marine environment have remained an issue of global concern due to their bioaccumulation, and potential toxicity in biological systems and humans. This study investigated the Pollution Status and Ecological Risk of Heavy Metals in Surface Water and Sediment of the Coastal Creeks of Ondo State. Water and sediment samples were collected from four stations between June, 2019 and April, 2021. Heavy metals in the samples were analyzed with GBC Savant AA Sigma Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS). The results of the mean level of heavy metals were in the order; Fe>Zn>Cu> Ni> Co>Pb> Cd>Cr for surface water; and Fe> Cu> Co> Ni >Zn > Pb > Cr> Cd for sediment. The single-factor pollution index revealed slight to serious pollution of the water, and low to moderate pollution of the sediment. The degree of contamination (Cd) and the geoaccumulation factors (Igeo) of individual metals were also low. The ecological risk (Er) of individual metal showed low risk in the sediment, except for Cadmium that showed moderate risk (40<Eir ≤ 80) across the stations. On the other hand, the potential ecological risk (RI) revealed low risk (RI <150) of heavy metals in the sediment. The enrichment factors (Ef) for individual metals were greater than 40 (Ef ≥40), which suggests extremely high enrichment of heavy metal in the sediment through anthropogenic sources. This study provided insights into the pollution status of the surface water and sediment of the coastal creeks of Ondo state and it associate potential ecological risks.

Canonical basis interpolation method of solving initial-value problems

2025-01-27T20:53:58+00:00

This paper is focused on the numerical solution of initial-value problems of ordinary differential equations, using Newton's interpolation method and Lagrange method. New canonical polynomials are constructed and used as basis functions. The Lanczos method is adopted for the construction of the polynomials to certain degrees, whereby a recursive relation is developed to generate a set of canonical polynomials. Hence, these Canonical polynomials in combination with the Newton interpolation and Lagrange method are utilized for the approximation of the unknown functions and differential functions in the given differential equations. The effectiveness and efciency of the method is evidently ascertained as it is applied on some test problems.

Appraising the gross radiological content of underground water use for domestic purposes within an ancient tin mining village in Bokkos local government of Plateau state, Nigeria.

2025-01-28T15:14:32+00:00

Water sources are often being polluted by some human activities and natural phenomena, thus adversely affecting the quality of water. Some of the pollutants are Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORMs). One water sample was collected from ten different wells within Butura Kampani. Each sample was taken in a two-liter plastic container. 10ml of concentrated Nitric acid was immediately added into each sample to prevent adhesion of radionuclides with the wall of the container. The samples were counted for gross alpha and beta activity concentration using a proportional counter (MPC 2000) at centre for energy research Zaria. The results obtained showed that gross alpha activity concentrations range from 0.0042±0.00093 Bq/L to 0.13406±0.00050Bq/L with an average value of 0.02714±0.00235Bq/L while the gross beta activity concentrations ranges from 0.01405±0.00245 Bq/L to 0.37883±0.02576Bq/L with an average value of 0.7439±0.00479 Bq/L. The results revealed that the gross alpha and gross beta activity concentrations are below the ICRP and WHO permissible limits of 0.5Bq/L and 1.0Bq/L respectively, for drinking water.

Generalized distribution for bi-univalent functions defined by error and poisson distribution via bell number

2025-01-28T15:52:01+00:00

In the field of geometric function theory, generalized distributions have revealed novel insights and applications, particularly in understanding the behaviour of various complex functions. This paper focuses on estimating bounds for bi-univalent functions within probability distribution series defined by error and Poisson distributions, particularly in relation to the Bell numbers. These distributions are utilized to establish coefficient bounds, which hold significance for both the structural properties of bi-univalent functions and their applications in probability theory. By extending these methods, the study contributes to the broader framework of geometric function theory, where probability distributions offer new tools to analyze and interpret functional bounds. The findings have potential implications in areas requiring complex function estimation, including mathematical physics and statistical modeling.