The comparative insecticidal and residual efficacy of sniper and alpha cypermethrin in the control of Blattella germanica (L.) (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae) infestation
May 2014
Blattella germanica (German cockroach) is an urban insect pest in Nigeria due to an increase in strains that are resistant to the commonly used insecticides. The purpose of this study was to determine which of the insecticides used by pest control professionals are still effective. The insecticidal efficacies of dichlorvos (organophosphate-called sniper©) and alpha cypermethrin (a pyrethroid called alpha action...
Assessment of pond effluent effect on water quality of the Asuofia Stream, Ghana
May 2014
The study was done to assess the effects of potential pond effluent on the physico-chemical parameters of the receiving streams. Forty two (42) samples were collected from five ponds, upstream and downstream stations of the receiving stream for a period of six months. In situ measurement was conducted for physical parameters using a portable multi-parameter water quality meter (HANNA, HI9828). Samples were collected and...
Assessment of the energy recovery potentials of solid waste generated in Akosombo, Ghana
May 2014
The main attributes of waste as a fuel are water content, calorific value, and burnable content. The study was conducted to evaluate the energy recovery potential of solid waste generated in Akosombo. A total of twelve (12) samples were collected from the township in December, 2012 (dry month) and May, 2013 (Wet month). Samples were weighed and segregated into organic and inorganic components. The organic component was...
The next generation feedstock of biofuel: Jatropha or Chlorella as assessed by their life-cycle inventories
May 2014
Promising energy crops such as Jatropha curcas Linnaeus (JCL), which are planted on marginal lands, or microalgae such as Chlorella, which are cultivated in ponds located on mudflats or deserts, have been regarded with high hopes to solve the shortage of food crops and increase the amount of biodiesel (fatty acid methyl ester, FAME) production. However, the annual yields of biomass and transport fuels (t/ha) of both are...
Variations in abiotic conditions of water quality of River Osun, Osun State, Nigeria
May 2014
Seasonal variations in physicochemical properties of the surface water of River Osun in Osogbo, Nigeria, were investigated from May to August 2012 and November to February, 2012/2013. The water body of the mentioned river received water and wastes from the other effluences. Physicochemical parameters were determined in triplicate at three different points of the river, across the two seasons of the year. The points were...
Land degradation in Northern Nigeria: The impacts and implications of human-related and climatic factors
May 2014
Northern Nigeria despite its promising agricultural potential, is currently not enjoying economic bloom like its Southern counterpart as a result of political, religious, ethnic and socio-economic factors. The degradation of land and its resulting impact on other agricultural resources may have further exacerbated the economic and social conditions of the region. The perceived encroachment of Nigeria’s Savannah...
Determinants of domestic water consumption in a growing urban centre in Osun State, Nigeria
April 2014
Household access to potable water is required for sanitation and general well-being. This challenge is under the influence of variables that play both temporal and spatial roles. This research examines the determinants of domestic water use in Iwo, Osun State, Nigeria. Ten households each were randomly selected from ten of the fifteen political wards in the town for the administration of 100 copies of questionnaire....
Assessment of heavy metals concentration in soils around oil filling and service stations in the Tamale Metropolis, Ghana
April 2014
This study was conducted to assess the level of heavy metals contamination of soil around oil filling and service stations in the Tamale Metropolis. Soil samples were collected from various oil filling and service stations. Elemental analysis of samples was conducted using atomic absorption spectrometer at Atomic Energy Laboratory, Accra. The metals concentrations ranged from 2.37 to 15.00 mg/kg for Cr; 0.01 to 0.03...
Batch adsorption of heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Fe, Cr and Cd) from aqueous solutions using coconut husk
April 2014
This study was carried out to evaluate the efficiency of metals (Cu, Fe, Pb, Cr and Cd) removal from mixed metal ions solution using coconut husk as adsorbent. The effects of varying contact time, initial metal ion concentration, adsorbent dose and pH on adsorption process of these metals were studied using synthetically prepared wastewater. The percentage removal of metals increased with increasing weight (0.4-1.2 g)...
Benthic macroinvertebrate community of a fourth order stream in Kashmir Himalaya, India
April 2014
The study was conducted in order to determine the abundance of benthic macroinvertebrates in Doodhganga stream passing through Brenwar forest (Yousmarg) Kashmir. Altogether 6 orders under 2 phyla namely: Arthropoda and Annelida were recorded from the stream. Inspite of the torrential flow of the stream, the hard substrata like boulders and cobbles provided a stable habitat for diverse number of macroinvertebrates. The...
Household-scale environmental health in the Ezulwini Valley, Swaziland
April 2014
An environmental health assessment of 210 households located in four communities in the Ezulwini Valley, Swaziland, is summarized. The assessment focused on household-scale environmental health in the context of four key resource sectors: drinking water, energy, solid waste and human waste, with availability and perceived adequacy considered for each sector. The survey was administered in the field by small teams of...
Determination of some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) associated with airborne particulate matter by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method
April 2014
In this study, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) associated with airborne particulate pollutants of aerodynamic size 10 μm (PM10) were studied for three months, from October to December 2010 in the Vanderbijlpark area. Some PAHs are highly carcinogenic and could be more harmful when combined with inhalable PM10. A dual E-Sampler which combines the light scatter and the gravimetric filter methods was used. A 10...
Molecular characterization of intestinal protozoan parasites from children facing diarrheal disease and associated risk factors in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire
March 2014
Diarrheal diseases are very common in children under 5 years and may lead to a delay of physical and mental development. Despite this knowledge, data on diarrheal diseases and socioeconomic determinants are still scarce in Côte d’Ivoire. This study is then conducted with the objective to fill part of this gap and specifically assess link between infant diarrhea occurrence and some major socio-environmental...
Histopathological and biochemical disrupting effects of Escravos crude oil on the liver and heart in Chinchilla rabbits
March 2014
The benefit of exploration and exploitation of crude oil to the Nigerian economy is not without its negative consequences. Apart from the indirect exposure to crude oil due to spillage, the consumption of this crude oil by the rural populace living in oil rich regions as traditional medicine for illnesses have evoked local and international concerns. The aim of this study was to investigate the histological and...
Basement and alluvial aquifers of Malawi: An overview of groundwater quality and policies
March 2014
This paper highlights the quality of groundwater in basement and alluvial aquifers of Malawi through literature assessment. Groundwater in these aquifers serves about 60% of Malawian population. Alluvial aquifers yield high groundwater in excess of 10 L/s and more mineralized than basement aquifers. The values from literature are presented as ranges. The geochemical quality of both aquifer types are classified as good....
Prospects and challenges of vermiculture practices in southwest Nigeria
March 2014
The prospect of vermiculture in the south-western coast of Nigeria was studied. One hundred and two respondents were interviewed in the three coastal towns of Badagry, Epe and Igbokoda. The results show that 94% of respondents made use of earthworms as fish bait, 37% buy their worms and 57% collected by themselves. The respondents, who buy, however, noted that their suppliers do not breed the worms but search for them...
A new model of dynamic of plant biodiversity in changing farmlands: Implications for the management of plant biodiversity along differential environmental gradient in the Yellow River of Henan Province in the spring
March 2014
The intermediate disturbance hypothesis (IDH) is often used as a model or investigating the linkages between disturbance intensity and biodiversity. However, the relationship between plant diversity and disturbance gradient makes it difficult to compare data from different researches and draw general models. It is importance to assess the relationship between disturbance gradients and herbaceous species diversity in the...
Heavy metals concentration in various tissues of two freshwater fishes, Labeo rohita and Channa striatus
February 2014
Heavy metals like cadmium, zinc, copper, chromium, lead and mercury were measured in the various tissues of Labeo rohita and Channa striatus and in the water samples collected from the Kolleru Lake, Andhra Pradesh during 2009-2010. The concentrations of heavy metals in the different organs of fishes varied. In L. rohita, the concentrations of heavy metals were in the order of liver > kidney > gills > muscles...
Assessment of environmental responses to land use/land cover dynamics in the Lower Ogun River Basin, Southwestern Nigeria
February 2014
This study investigates the pattern of land use/land cover change in the Lower Ogun River Basin between 1984 and 2012. Two sets of topographical maps, a Landsat-5 TM image of 1984, Landsat-7 ETM+ of 2000 and a Google Earth image of 2012 were used for the study. The topographical maps and satellite images were digitally processed using ILWIS 3.2™ software and exported to ArcGIS 9.3™ for further processing and...
Comparison of plant nutrient levels between compost from Sky loo and Fossa alterna toilets
February 2014
Recent scholars have highlighted the benefit of harvesting compost from eco-san toilets for application as plant nutrients. However, levels of nutrients in eco-san compost may vary depending on the type of toilet and also the type of top soil in a particular geographical region. This study compared levels of nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, calcium and sodium between compost from Sky loo and Fossa alterna toilets....
Monitoring the land-use and vegetation cover changes in the Kainji Lake Basin, Nigeria (1975-2006)
February 2014
This paper demonstrates the use of remotely sensed data and geographic information system (GIS) techniques for monitoring the land-use and vegetation cover changes in the Kainji Lake Basin between 1975 and 2006- a period of thirty one (31) years. Since 1968 when Kainji Lake was constructed, various activities such as agriculture, deforestation, irrigation, fishing and construction of roads and bridges have taken place....
Histopathological changes induced by copepoda parasites infections on the gills of economically important fish mugilidae (Liza falcipinnis and Mugil cephalus) from Ganvie area of Lac Nokoue, Republic of Benin
February 2014
Histopathological changes induced by copepods parasitic infection on the gills of economically important fish, Mugil cephalus and Liza falcipinnis from Ganvie area of Lac Nokoue were examined from December 2011 to July 2012. Histopathological changes shows that the nature of damage observed in the gill of both M. cephalus and L. falcipinnis remained the same. Histopathological observation reveals serious damage of...
A multi-method analysis of forest fragmentation and loss: The case of ward 11, Chiredzi District of Zimbabwe
February 2014
Forest fragmentation and loss seriously affect biodiversity. There is need to monitor and assess forest fragmentation and loss in communal areas for effective biodiversity management. In this study, we analysed the extent of forest fragmentation and loss in ward 11, Chiredzi district of Zimbabwe over a 14 year period (1989 to 2003). A multi-method design was adopted for triangulation and verification purposes. This...
Characterization of groundwater quality in Oran Sebkha basin
February 2014
Growing populations and increasing industrialization causes increase in living standard, which result in decrease in the quality of water and may put stresses on natural waters by impairing both the quality of the water and the hydrological budget. This research aimed at determining the origin of the chemical elements of groundwater from the Oran Sebkha basin. It applied the inverse geochemical modeling to derive the...
The relationship between landscape planting patterns and perceived safety in urban parks in Tabriz, Iran
February 2014
The relationship between plants and perceived safety in residential areas has been argued by landscape researchers, but there is inadequate or no relevant literature available on the effect of plants in urban parks’ safety. Therefore, a photo-questionnaire survey was conducted among urban park users in Tabriz, Iran to gauge the perceived safety of landscape scene with diverse types of texture to discover its...
Performance evaluation of constructed wetlands: A review of arid and semi arid climatic region
February 2014
Aiming at environmental pollution control through the use of constructed wetlands systems (CWs) in arid and semi arid climatic region, a detailed review of CWs was undertaken. Given the practical application and simplicity of the technology, principles for building phytotechnology-ecohydrology environment used for wastewater remediation is appropriate. The ability of wetlands to filter, absorb and metabolize suspended...
Promoting a low cost energy future in Africa
February 2014
With a large part of the population not having access to modern energy services in their daily life, energy poverty remains one of the most pressing development challenges on the African continent. Africa’s fossil fuel resources as well as its renewable energy potential can serve as the means to achieve this. For Africa’s social and economic development in the 21st century, however, the benchmark for these...
Removing carbon dioxide from a stationary source through co-generation of carbonate/bicarbonate: The case of Mugher cement factory
January 2014
The cement industries alone emit 5% of the world’s total green house gases. In Ethiopia, the current CO2 emission from this sector is about five fold of the countries overall CO2 emission in 2002. Mugher cement factory (MCF), a case study plant in this paper, alone emits 463,844 tons of CO2/year on average based on emission test and mass balance performed. Yet it accounts for less than 3% of the current CO2...
Evaluation of allelopathic effect of Eclipta alba (L.) Hassk on biochemical activity of Amaranthus spinosus L., Cassia tora L. and Cassia sophera L.
January 2014
A study was conducted to assess the magnitude of suppressing ability of Eclipta alba (L.) Hassk. on some selected weeds of Aligarh namely, Amaranthus spinosus L., Cassia tora L. and Cassia sophera L. The research finding was conducted to evaluate the effect of aqueous leaf leachate and organic fractions of donor plant on biochemical activities (carbohydrate content, chlorophyll content and protein content). The result...
Heavy metal bioaccumulation and biomarkers of oxidative stress in the wild African tiger frog, Hoplobatrachus occipitalis
January 2014
Human activities can have dramatic effects on animal populations around urban areas with heavy metal contamination being a primary cause of harm. Amphibians, as residents of aquatic systems and with their semi-permeable skin are especially susceptible to heavy metal contamination. To better understand the effect of heavy metals on Wild African Tiger frogs (Hoplobatrachus occipitalis) and the resulting production of...
Geophysical study of saline water intrusion in Lagos municipality
January 2014
Saline water intrusion presently constitutes serious concerns in the Lagos municipality just like many other coastal cities, thus necessitating its intervallic study. The present study involving 52 borehole logs (consisting of natural gamma and electrical resistivity components) was aimed at delineating intruded and vulnerable zones. Saline water columns defined by low resistivity values in the range of 0.1 and 20...
Geographic information system planning and monitoring best practices for West Africa
January 2014
Phenomenal increases in the number and sizes of urban settlements across the West African coastal region are leading to massive reclamation of swamps and destruction of natural ecosystems. Poor urbanization policies, inefficient planning and monitoring technologies are evident. The consequences include some of the worst types of environmental hazards. Best urbanization practices require integrated planning...
Assessment of some heavy metals and physicochemical properties in surface soils of municipal open waste dumpsite in Yenagoa, Nigeria
January 2014
The current study was designed for the assessment of lead, cadmium and chromium and some physicochemical properties of soils collected from an open dumpsite in Yenagoa, Nigeria. Surface soil samples at two depths (0-10 and 10-20 cm) were randomly collected at the dump field and control site, and were analyzed for physicochemical parameters and contamination by lead, chromium and cadmium using standard analytical...
Heavy metal content of selected African leafy vegetables planted in urban and peri-urban Nairobi, Kenya
January 2014
African indigenous vegetables planted along Nairobi Rivers are suspected to absorb metals from industrial and domestic effluent. Ten (10) of the commonest vegetables in Kenyan markets grown along these rivers and the soils in their rhizosphere from 25 sites were analyzed for Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd and Cr. Soils were air-dried then leached using 0.05 M EDTA, filtered and analysed in AAS. Vegetables were oven-dried, ground, ashed...
Rainfall variability and rubber production in Nigeria
January 2014
The role of rainfall in plant could not be overemphasized because rainfall determines the amount of moisture present in the soil which is ultimately made available to plants. The aim of this paper was to determine the variability of rainfall and its effect on rubber production in Nigeria. Towards achieving this aim, time series data from 1971 to 2009 were collected on mean annual rainfall and total annual rubber...
Climate change and decline in water resources in Kikuletwa Catchment, Pangani, Northern Tanzania
January 2014
The sensitivity of hydrology and water resources to climate variation in Kikuletwa Catchment, Pangani Basin, northern Tanzania was assessed using 30 years of river level and climate data as well as questionnaire, focused group discussion (FGD) and participant observation. The results show a significant association between mean annual river level for Kikuletwa River and mean annual rainfall in the past thirty years. The...
Reginol interpretation of river Indus water quality data using regression model
January 2014
Water samples were collected from river Indus over 591 km2 from Kashmor to Keti Bandar/Shah Bandar in the province of Sindh, Pakistan, during 2008 and 2009 on seasonal bases. These samples were analyzed for 12 water quality variables including physical and chemical parameters. Then correlation study was carried out and correlation co-efficient “r” was determined using correlation matrix to identify the...
Evaluation of the performance of improved sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L. LAM) varieties in Bayelsa State, Nigeria
January 2014
This study was conducted using randomized complete block design with three replications each in two locations (Amassoma Wilberforce Island and Yenagoa, Bayelsa State) to evaluate the performance of improved sweet potato varieties (Ex-Igbariam, TIS 8164, 199004-2 and TIS 87/0087 including Kukunduku local) from March to June 2010. There were significant differences among varieties at both locations and across locations...
Quantification of the potential for biogas and biogas manure from the selected fruit wastes in Addis Ababa city, Ethiopia
December 2013
In this paper, the overall potential of biogas and biogas manure from the selected fruit wastes in the city of Addis Ababa was estimated (quantified). The prediction is based on the characterization and biogas yield results in a related study, using structured questionnaire and checklists during field survey. This study has shown a survey of the major sources of the fruit wastes and compiled the number of...
Health risks for population living in the neighborhood of a cement factory
December 2013
In order to assess the health risks associated with the manufacturing of Portland cement for the population living in the neighborhood of a cement industry in Khrew, Kashmir, India, particulate matter and trace gas samplings were done between March and December 2011 in the cement affected area. The main parameters considered for study included suspended particulate matter (SPM), respirable suspended particulate matter...
Influence of salinity on soil chemical properties and surrounding vegetation of Awe salt mining site, Nasarawa State, Nigeria
December 2013
This study was carried out to monitor and document the influence of salinity on soil chemical properties and surrounding vegetation of Awe salt mining site, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. The soil samples were collected randomly from the salt mining site and 10 m away from the site (control) at 5, 10, 15 and 20 cm depths, respectively, with three replications each. The soil samples were air dried, sieved and the physical and...
Hydrogeochemical and anthropogenic influence on the quality of water sources in the Rio del Rey Basin, South Western, Cameroon, Gulf of Guinea
December 2013
This study which focuses on the hydrogeochemical and anthropogenic influence on water sources in the Rio del Rey Basin has provided an insight into the sources of major ions, water mineralisation processes, and the suitability of the water sources for drinking and agricultural purposes. Fifty-one (51) samples (38 groundwater, 9 surface water, 1 tap, 1 reservoir and 2 rainfall events) were analysed for physico-chemical...
Elimination of Cu (II) and Zn (II) ions in mono-element and the bi-element aqueous solutions by adsorption on natural clay of Bikougou (Gabon)
November 2013
This work was undertaken to evaluate the potential of the clay of Bikougou to remove copper (II) and zinc (II) ions (Cu2+ and Zn2+) in mono-element and binary aqueous solutions. The experiments were carried out by employing the batch technique through the variations of pH, clay mass, ionic strength, concentration in metal, temperature and contact time. The quantity of ions coppers (II) or zinc (II) adsorbed increases...
Farmers’ perception of the effects of soil and water conservation structures on crop production: The case of Bokole watershed, Southern Ethiopia
November 2013
Level soil bunds (LSB) and stone bunds (SB) have been widely implemented in Bokole watershed with World Food Programme (WFP) support since 2000-2001. However, the performance of structures against the target has not been studied. This study assessed farmers’ opinion on the effect of soil and water conservation (SWC) structures, particularly level soil bunds and stone bunds, in improving agricultural crop...
Solid waste dumping site suitability analysis using geographic information system (GIS) and remote sensing for Bahir Dar Town, North Western Ethiopia
November 2013
Solid waste dumping is a serious problem in the urban areas because most solid wastes are not dumped in the suitable areas. Bahir Dar Town has the problem of solid waste dumping site identification. The main objective of this study was to select potential areas for suitable solid waste dumping sites for Bahir Dar Town, which are environmentally suitable. The main data used for this study were spot image with a spatial...
Seasonal fluctuations of phlebotomines sand fly populations (Diptera: Psychodidae) in the Moulay Yacoub province, centre Morocco: Effect of ecological factors
November 2013
An entomological survey of phlebotomine sand flies was conducted in the Moulay Yacoub province, central Morocco. An anthropic niche (Ouled Aid) and a wild niche (Zliligh) were selected. Sand flies were collected twice a month between April 2011 and March 2012, using sticky traps and CDC light traps. 3675 specimens were collected (78.3% males/21.7% females) which composed of eight species divided into two genera:...
Groundwater exploitation in the Abakaliki metropolis (southeastern Nigeria): Issues and challenges
November 2013
This paper assesses and evaluates geologically related problems and issues associated with five ‘abortive’ boreholes drilled within the Abakaliki metropolis, southeastern Nigeria. Results of the vertical electrical geophysical soundings (VES), carried out in these borehole locations, show that the underlying Abakaliki Shale Formation in those areas has six layered model. While the uppermost layer has an...
Comparative assessment of air pollution tolerance index (APTI) in the industrial (Rourkela) and non industrial area (Aizawl) of India: An eco-management approach
October 2013
Science for phyto-technologies has got immense application in air pollution science. The present study focuses on the determination of air pollution tolerance indices (APTI) from six common road side plant species growing along industrial (Rourkela) and non industrial area (Aizawl), India. The APTI was determined by synthesizing the four different physiological and biochemical parameters, that is, leaf...
Geographic information system (GIS) and remote sensing for multi-temporal analysis of sand encroachment at Oglet Merteba (South Tunisia)
October 2013
Sand encroachment in South Tunisia is one of the most serious environmental problems. Close to six decades, several irrational human activities are responsible for the increase in the magnitude of sand encroachment. They include overgrazing, denudation of vegetation cover and many other disturbances of the fragile arid ecosystem. Mapping this phenomenon is now essential for a better understanding of the general...
Assessing the contribution of Community-Based Natural Resources Management Programme to environmental sustainability in Ondo State, Nigeria
October 2013
This study assessed Community-Based Natural Resources Management Programme (CBNRMP) for environmental sustainability in Ondo State, Nigeria. Data were gathered through a structured interview schedule from 120 rural dwellers participating in CBNRMP. Data collected were described with descriptive statistical tools such as frequency counts, percentage, mean and standard deviation while...
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