Pollution

An activated carbon modified by impregnation with manganese (IV) oxide nanoparticle was prepared and used in for the adsorption of methyl orange (MO) from aqueous solution. Effect of operational parameters such as initial solution pH, contact time, initial dye concentration was studied. The prepared adsorbent shows good adsorption at a wide range of pH (2-10) beyond which adsorption reduces significantly. The maximum adsorption capacity was obtained at 60 min (37.00mg/g). On the thermodynamic point of view, the adsorption process was found to enthalpy-driven. Pseudo-second order kinetic model with Langmuir isotherm model best describe the adsorption process.

Abstract The levels of Organochlorine Pesticides (OCPs) in plastic resin pellets were determined with the objective of assessing the status of OCP pollution in the marine ecosystem of selected beaches in Ghana (namely Art Centre, Sakumono, Osu Castle, Labadi, Korle-Gonno, Independence Square and Tema Mighty beaches). The plastic pellets were subjected to Soxhlet extraction and the extracts analyzed using Gas Chromatograph coupled with electron capture detector. High concentrations of Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane compounds (DDTs) were recorded followed by Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCHs), Chlordane compounds (CHLs), Hexachlorobenzene (HCB), Aldrin, Dieldrin, Endrin (DRINs), alpha-endosulphan, beta-endosulphan, endosulphan sulphate (Endosulphans) and Methoxychlor. Analysis of the virgin pellets recorded no organochlorine pesticides present. However, plastic pellets collected from all seven beaches were found to contain OCPs with the highest recorded on the Art Centre beach with a total OCP concentration of 106 ng/g. Plastic pellets collected on the Labadi beach recorded the lowest OCPs with a concentration of 20.2 ng/g. The accumulation of OCP residue on the plastic resin pellets suggests that it can be used as a tool for monitoring marine pollution. Key words: Plastic resin pellets, organochlorine pesticides, beaches, concentration, Ghana.

A geoelectric investigation involving sixteen vertical electric soundings with maximum current electrode spacing of 650m was carried out at Obiaruku, Delta State, Nigeria and environs. This was aimed at determining the effect of seasonal variations of aquifer characterization and resistivity data. The resistivity data got from the survey is interpreted by curve matching and computer iteration techniques where the geological model parameters and curves were obtained. Three to six geological layers were observed within the whole locations. The results show that there was a slight difference in the apparent resistivity values between wet and dry seasons which could be attributed to the degree of wetness (especially the topsoil) experienced during the rainy season. The aquifers, number of layers, curve type and shape, layer thicknesses are approximately the same values for both rainy and dry seasons.

The dairy waste, whey protein was modified by reaction with phthalic anhydride. The phthalated whey protein (PWP) and its mixture with bagasse, and corn cob were prepared. Such mixtures were used for removal of heavy metals (Pb, Cr, Cd, Ni, Cu, Fe and Zn) by batch adsorption method from electroplating industrial wastewater. In such a batch adsorption process the above adsorbent materials were used as bed and the parameters; effect of contact time, dosage, a temperature and pH were evaluated. The finding of this investigation reveals that the product natural adsorbents have excellent capacity to remove heavy metals from industrial effluents.

MEPZ, an industrial unit installed at Tambaram, Chennai, developed by the Ministry of Commerce and Industries, Government of India is discharging domestic waste water generated by the workers and treated in the 1.0MLD capacity Sewage Treatment Plant with Moving Bed Bio-film Reactor. In this study, the performance of MBBR technology in removal of Biological Oxygen Demand and suspended Solids have been evaluated by testing the raw sewage and treated effluent at various situations like normal weather condition, heavy organic shock loading, dilution with storm water, when artificial aeration is disturbed due to power failure. The test results showed that the removal efficiency of BOD5 and SS from the domestic waste water in normal weather condition in more than 98%, the efficiency of MBBR has not been affected due to heavy Organic shock loading and the efficiency is about 90% in the disturbance of artificial aeration. The efficiency has been brought to this level by improving the surface area per unit volume of the carrier element as designed by the M/s Anox Kaldnes, a Norway company. It is suggested that the Moving Bed Bio-film Reactor technology could be used an ideal and efficient option for the treatment of domestic waste water, when the available area is minimum

One hundred and twenty samples of drinking water sourced from wells and boreholes from eight local governments that constituted Kaduna south senatorial district of Kaduna state, Nigeria were randomly collected and subjected to Arsenic elucidation using standard laboratory methods. The wells have the following mean results 0.33, 0.35, 0.36, 0.37, 0.28, 0.33, 0.34 and 0.35 mg/L while the result obtained from the boreholes were as follows 0.11, 0.11, 0.17, 0.13, 0.13, 0.16, 0.12 and 0.20 mg/L both from Jeba, Jemaa, Kachia, Kagarko, Kauru, Kaura, Sanga and Zangon Kataf local governments respectively. Both results were found to be above the Maximum Contamination Level of 0.01 mg/L set by World Health Organization (WHO) and agreed by Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) therefore, the two sources were found to be contaminated with abnormal concentration of arsenic and consumers are vulnerable to severe health hazards. The high arsenic concentrations was attributed to both natural and anthropogenic processes such, as erosion, present of rocks in the area, undersurface weathering, toxic chemicals, improper waste and sewage disposal, wastes from industries, agricultural activities and vehicular emissions.

The Objective of this project is to compare the three methods of analyzing Black Carbon in the atmosphere that is British, Cohen and Gagel method. Samples were collected from Ashaiman and Kwabenya in the Greater Accra Region and analysed using mention method. It was observed that there is a good correlation between the Cohen and British method. This is because in most all areas where the Cohen method measures high values for the elemental carbon concentrations; the British method also does the same and the vice versa. This pattern has been observed for both methods in the separate analysis carried out on samples from both site. The Gagel method however, displayed results which did not compare in pattern to either the British or the Cohen methods.

Environmental pollution control using Wetlands for poverty alleviation research was conducted in Nachingwea District at latitude 10° 30' S and Longitude 38° 20' E. The general objective examined the use of wetlands for environmental pollution control and poverty alleviation for Sustainable Development. Specificaly (i)To identify types of wetlands environment at Nachingwea in Tanzania.(ii)To examine the contributions of wetlands in environmental pollution control and poverty alleviation. The research hypotheses:Null (Ho) and the alternative (Ha) hypotheses at a significant level of 0.05. Ho: Wetlands in Rural and Urban localities contribute significantly in environmental pollution control and poverty alleviation. for Sustainable Development. Ha: Wetlands in Rural and Urban localities do not contribute significantly in environmental pollution control and poverty alleviation. Quantitative and qualitative methods were employed. Data collection involved observation, questionnaire, interview and documentary review. Random sampling was used to identify people from each village for the administration of questionnaires and the interview. Data analysis utilised Excel (2007) to construct percentage Tables and online ICT facilities. Results revealed Nachingwea District wetlands for poverty alleviation were in rural localities while for environmental pollution controls were in urban. The results indicated wetlands contribute significantly in environmental pollution control and poverty alleviation. These are through agricultural and mining activities which create employment by food and cash-crops production and livestock for increasing income to alleviate poverty. Aesthetics for tourism, hoabouring migratory birds, fishing and other activities create jobs. It is recommended that the utilization and management of wetlands for production purposes should be considered by the community, policy makers and researchers. This is a strategy in the environmental conservation as a significant area of environmental pollution control and poverty alleviation for Sustainable Development.

Commercially available anion exchange resin, Duolite A 171 (DLE) has been used for the sorption of chromate and fluoride ions from aqueous solutions. DLE resin possesses an enhanced chromate sorption capacity of 202 mg/g in a minimum period of 60 min contact time and 0.6 mg/g for fluoride with 30 min contact time. Sorption capacity (SC) of DLE resin was compared under various equilibrating conditions like effect of pH and co-ions, temperature, contact time, for the removal of chromate and fluoride. The results showed that DLE resin is more selective for chromate rather than fluoride. The chromate and fluoride sorption was reasonably explained using Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used for the determination of functional groups responsible for chromate and fluoride sorption. Various thermodynamic parameters such as ?Gº, ?Hº, and ?Sº have been calculated to understand the nature of sorption. The sorption kinetic mechanism was studied with reaction based and diffusion based models. The sorption process was found to be controlled by pseudo-second-order and intraparticle diffusion models.

Zinc is an essential heavy metal for human diet and it plays a significant role in metabolic process. The accumulation of zinc in different organs of Labeo rohita clearly shows that the accumulation directly proportional to the exposure period. In this work an attempt has been made to study the acute toxicity of heavy metal zinc and the effect of antidotes D-Penicillamine and Ethylene Diamine Tetra Acetic acid (EDTA) on the selected organs of the fresh water fingerlings of Labeo rohita using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. The concentration patterns in the organs of the fingerlings shows that liver is the major site to metal binding and muscle tissue accumulate least metal concentrations. It has also been observed using absorption spectroscopy that the administration of chelating agent D-Penicillamine reduces the zinc concentration in all tissues more effectively than the administration of the chelating agent EDTA.