Archives-December 

The aim of the present study is to treat the textile effluent using Continuous Stirred Tank Electrochemical reactor [CSTER]. RuO2 coated Ti and stainless steel were used as an anode and cathode respectively. The influence operating parameter such as effluent flow rate, initial effluent concentration, current density and initial pH of the effluent has been studied for the color removal of the effluent. The maximum color removal has been achieved at lower flow rate, lower initial effluent concentration and higher current density and alkaline pH. An artificial neural network (ANN) model has been developed to predict the performance of percentage color removal by electro oxidation process based on experimental data obtained in a laboratory using Continuous Stirred Tank Electrochemical reactor. A comparison between the predicted results of the designed ANN model and experimental data matches well for the 4-3-1 net work.

This study applies multivariate statistical technique to understand the hydro-geochemistry characteristics of pollutants along River Kaduna. Fourteen key monitored parameters that accurately represent the water quality during the rainy season (May-August) were provided by the Kaduna State Water Board. Cluster analysis (CA) grouped the sampled parameters into three independent classes (turbidity (TUR), conductivity (COND) and twelve parameters). As such, correlation of COND and TUR is worked out with the rest of the analyzed parameters based on the result generated in the CA. The findings indicate an excess concentration of TUR and COND with no significant relationship with other observed parameters. This finding is an indication that water quality parameters poses hidden complex characteristics that can only be simplified and understood when subjected to multivariate statistics and effort should be put by stakeholders to checkmate the concentration of the dominant pollutants.

This survey achieved in the city of Kindu and his/her/its peripheries have for objective to contribute to the knowledge of the Non Woody Forest products of plant origin, exploited in the biotopes surrounding the city of Kindu, the Nyoka locality, the Bilundu village and the Muyengo village in order to bring the actors to an exploitation responsible for these very important natural resources for their survival. In a specific manner it is about identifying the Non Woody Forest products exploited in the forests of Kindu and his/her/its vicinity and determined their biotopes of exploitation. For what is the collection of the data on the land, the used methodology had been based on the approach ethnoécologique, while leading an investigation on the Non Woody Forest products of the forests of Kindu and his/her/its vicinity. The investigation had concerned the exploiting permanent residents of the city of Kindu (Kindu city, Katako village, Shenge village, District Lwama), of the Bilundu village on the Kibombo road, the Nyoka village and the Muyengo village on the Kalima road. We had pulled at least 25 at random% of the households producers and to manage them the questionnaire elaborated to this effect. This collection of data was achieved as organizing some interviews to the course of which us had filled the cards. Therefore, the unit of sampling is the household of operators and consumers to the level of the survey sites and, our sample was of 697 individuals. The results showed that the species the more exploited like wild food plant in the biotopes of the Nyoka locality is Amaranthus viridis (LINNE), either 31%, followed of Colocasia antiquorum, var. esculenta, either 25% or Xanthosoma sagittifolium, 19%. In the biotopes of the Muyengo village, it is the species Amaranthus viridis that is the more harvested (34%), followed of Colocasia antiquorum (19%) and of Xanthosoma sagittifolium (11%). One also found that in the biotopes of the Bilundu village, one harvests the species more Dioscorea prehensilis (30%), followed of the species Amaranthus viridis (15%) and of the species Pteridium aquilinum (12,4%). Among the wild food plants harvested in the different biotopes of the city of Kindu, the species Amaranthus viridis is the more exploited, either 26%, followed of Xanthosoma sagittifolium, 16% and of the species Colocasia antiquorum and Talinum triangularis (11% for every case). In the Nyoka locality, 40% of forest operators harvest the PFNL of plant origin in the forest, 28% find them in fallows and 19% in the fields. In Muyengo, 38% in the forest, 29% in the fallows and 20% in the fields. In the Bilundu village, 37% of forest operators tell to find the Non Woody Forest products of plant origin in the forest, 23% in the savanna and 20% recover them in fallows. And for the city of Kindu, 37% of operators harvest these resources in the forest, 23% in the savannas and 20% in the fallows.

Avian influenza, especially highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), poses global threat not only for poultry but also for public health. To control avian influenza expediently, rapid, sensitive, and specific detection method is therefore of high importance. Here we compared the sensitivity and specificity of real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) and nucleic acid sequence based amplification assay - microplate detection method (NASBA-MDM), with chicken embryo infective dose 50 (EID50). Additionally, we compared two cell culture systems, namely chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF) and Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells for virus detection. rRT-PCR and NASBA-MDM could detect about 0.1 EID50 virus. Both methods showed negative results for pathogen other than avian influenza viruses (AIVs) tested, indicating that they are sensitive and specific. In contrast, both cell systems could detect viruses about 1 EID50 in presence supplementary trypsin. rRT-PCR and NASBA-MDM could generate result within few hours. However, NASBA-MDM was more laborious than rRT-PCR. MDCK cells were found more sensitive when compared with CEF, but less sensitive than chicken embryo. However, cell cultures may serve as an alternate tool for virus isolation. Both molecular methods tested here may be applicable for rapid, early, and specific detection of AIVs. The usefulness of the various methods utilized here may be further appraised in terms of virus typing, antigenic subtyping and pathotyping.

Copper is one of the heavy metal which is essential but shows some toxic effects in high concentration. It has been found high copper uptakes lead to kidney, brain damage and death also. This study investigated copper degradation by a group of copper-resistant bacteria isolated from sea-water. Copper resistant bacteria, Bacillus pumilus Strain PD3 was isolated, which showed maximum copper-resistance at 150 mg l-1 Cu (II).Using the isolated bacteria bioremediation experiments were performed, varying the copper concentration from 10-100 mg l-1 and solution’s pH 3-6 at different time intervals. 45-54% copper degradation was obtained at pH 6, 50 mg l-1 and 47 hours. The result indicated that these isolated bacteria have a good potential in Copper degradation from aqueous solution.

Studies on pathogenecity of Meloidogyne incognita on Green gram, Phaseolus aureus were carried out in relation to different concentration of Azolla pinnata, a biofertilizer with reference to growth parameters of host plant and reproductive parameters of nematode pathogen. Amendments of Azolla resulted reduction in nematode infection and increment in growth characteristics of host plant. Azolla treated plants showed excessive shoot and root growth over infected untreated control plants. The growth increment was directly proportional to the dosage of Azolla amendments Reproductive parameters studied were also significantly affected by Azolla treatment. A progressive reduction in root – knot index, number of egg masses, eggs/egg mass, soil population and reproductive factor was recorded in different concentration of Azolla treatment. Alteration in protein content of plant tissue in response to Azolla treatment reveals that plants were put up resistance against nematode infection.

This paper presents the economic feasibility study for the implementation of Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) system in Malaysian. BIPV is a relatively new technology which is being introduced by the Malaysian government as a step to encourage the use of renewable energy in reducing the dependence on fossil fuel energy which is becoming scarce from time to time. The objective of this study is to evaluate the possibility of BIPV system to be implemented in Malaysia in terms of financial feasibility. As a result of this study, it is found that BIPV faces a stiff challenge which holds the technology to expand further. The current situations make the BIPV system is not feasible economically to be implemented in Malaysia. However, this does not limit the implementation of this technology in future. This problem can be overcome by the support of government by introducing a better policy which might be able to stimulate and create a conducive environment for BIPV to expand.

Physico-chemical parameters of brackish and freshwater of the New Calabar River were studied between October to December, 2016, using standard methods. The comparative results showed the mean temperature (27.77±0.170 and 28.00±0.180C), pH (7.12±0.01 and 6.23±0.03), total dissolved solids (2657.00±24.0mg/L and 9.90±0.14mg/L), salinity (6269.95±67.25mg/L and 7.19±0.04mg/L), dissolved oxygen (6.34±0.06mg/L and 6.09±0.01mg/L), biochemical oxygen demand (17.53±0.11mg/L and 51.06±0.20mg/L) for brackish and freshwater respectively. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed a significant difference (p < 0.05) in pH, TDS, TSS, DO, BOD and COD whereas temperature showed no significant difference (p > 0.05) when both water bodies are compared. The physico-chemical parameters from both water bodies were favourable for fish production although some were to a large extent above the WHO limits. The study revealed the need for continuous pollution monitoring and management programme of surface water in Rivers State and Nigeria as a whole.

One of the pressures of human population on the planet is the rapid and unbridled growth of cities. In the cities, the concepts of sustainability and sustainable urban development are on the basis of ecological, economic and socio-political, cultural, and spatial dimensions and contrast of these dimensions. In recent decades, many indicators have been developed to investigate the stability of the cities and one of the best indicators in this field, is the ecological footprint. The purpose of this study is to evaluate sustainable transportation of Tehran applying ecological footprint model and Compare the ecological footprint of urban subway and road transport system. The results of the study showed that the ecological footprint of Tehran transportation is equal to 3348734.16 global hectares while Tehran's biological capacity to absorb the carbon released in the transport sector is equal to 9664.2(gha). Also, the carbon footprint of metro transit system is equal to 12,428 global hectares and the carbon footprint of road system transportation is equal to 3,323,152 global hectares and the produced carbon in road transport system, per kilometer, is 85 times larger than the produced carbon in the Metro system. The ecological footprint of Tehran transportation points to the deterioration of the current situation and it is clear that the policies of transport development are unsustainable and the current transport patterns will make Tehran uninhabitable in the near future. In such conditions, for the development of sustainable transport system based on environmental criteria, a low-carbon transport, transit-oriented development (TOD), and the creation of Green corridor could be some tools for sustainable development in the transportation sector of Tehran.

D.H.Lawrence is considered to be the most original writer of the first half of this century. He belongs to a period which was “a rich period of creative innovation and experiment in English Literature”. The novels of Lawrence have emphasized the meaning of sex and its important role in human behaviour ever since the beginning of literature, man has always been reluctant to talk about sex. Sex has always been a taboo. Lawrence wants men and women to think sex fully, completely, honestly and cleanly. Thus he expects the human race to have a proper respect for sex.