Improper treatment of hospital wastes is currently attracting considerable attention due to their infectious and hazardous nature. This study assessed the generation, composition, isolation and identification of bacteria in waste from a tertiary hospital in Abeokuta, Southwestern Nigeria. The quantity of waste generated daily in the hospital was determined for 4 months (2 months each in wet and dry seasons). The wastes were later segregated and categorized into general, infectious, highly infectious, pharmaceutical, pathological, chemical and sharp waste in line with the World Health Organization specifications. Samples of hospital wastes from six selected sections within the hospital were collected and subjected to microbiological examinations. The microorganisms isolated from the waste were identified using deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) extraction and sequencing. The total quantity of waste generated in the hospital during the study period was 13,101.32 kg (6894.92 and 6206.40 kg for wet and dry seasons, respectively). The waste generated per day was 106.51 kg, whereas the quantity of waste generated per bed per day and the quantity of waste generated per patient per day were 0.35 and 0.24 kg, respectively. The DNA extraction and sequencing confirmed the presence of Alcaligenes faecalis, Lysinibacillus fusiformis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus thuringiensis in the hospital waste. Wastes generated in the hospital were hazardous, and physical composition and classification of the medical waste did not vary with season.

This study investigated the concentration of glyphosate in water (groundwater and surface), soil (top and sub) on cassava and maize farms within 3 farm settlements (Akufo, Ilora and Otiri Ipapo) from Ido, Oyo and Iseyin Local Government Areas of Oyo state, Nigeria. Samples of Top and sub soil were taken from the farms while water was collected from wells (groundwater) and streams (surface water) around each farm settlement using standard methods. Crops (cassava and Maize) samples were collected from each of the selected farm after harvest. The samples were collected over a six-month period to reflect seasonal variation. The glyphosate levels were determined using HPLC-FLD after liquid-liquid extraction technique for water and soxhlet extraction for soil crops The pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS) values for groundwater were within the WHO limits while values recorded for surface water were above the WHO limits. The phosphate and nitrate values were high in surface water compared to groundwater. High concentration of the exchangeable cations were recorded at the top soil for all the farms with values ranging from 4.0 ± 0.1 to 8.2 ± 0.0 for Ca2+, 2.9 ± 0.0 to 5.1 ± 0.1 for Mg2+, 0.3 ± 0.2 to 0.55 ± 0.0 for Na+, and 0.32 ± 0.0 to 8.2 ± 0.0 for K+. the residual concentration of glyphosate taken from wells and taps (groundwater) were within the maximum concentration of glyphosate in drinking water (0.7 mgL-1). Glyphosate concentrations observed were higher in soil samples from all farm settlements during wet season compared to dry, higher concentrations were also observed in surface water during wet season (August) compared to dry, with Akufo farm settlement having the highest concentrations of 29.40 ± 0.83 mgL-1. The glyphosate residues were also higher in cassava (0.3 ± 0.0 mgKg-1) compared to maize (0.07 ± 0.08 mgKg-1) across each farm settlement. Generally, the higher concentrations observed during wet season in both soil and water samples were as a result of active farm activities during wet season and run off respectively. If herbicide usage is not properly monitored within these settlements, it can pose a threat to aquatic animals and humans around the settlements, thus a sustainable and conservative farming is advised.

Qualitative interpretation of aeromagnetic maps involves the visual inspection and pattern analyses of produced maps to identify potential geological structures in the magnetic field by processing the dataset to characterize the Earth's magnetic variations and map subsurface geological structure which is important to tackle the challenges of resource management, environmental assessment and infrastructure design in the study area. This technique has been employed to a part of Abeokuta metropolis of Ogun state, Southwestern Nigeria, using high resolution aeromagnetic dataset acquired from the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA). Pre-processing analyses such as data transformation, map re-projection and power spectrum plot were performed on the dataset to minimize noises and remove unwanted variations. The application of Reduction to Magnetic Equator (RTE) filter was to remove asymmetries in the data and position the peaks of magnetic anomalies over their sources while the Gaussian (low pass) filter was aimed at improving the signal-to-noise ratio. Low magnetic zones indicated by blue colours from the total magnetic fields possibly reveal the sedimentary intrusions into the area, intermediate magnetic regions having green, yellow and red colourations suggest transition zones and the Northeastern portion of the maps indicated with pink colours correlate to the core basement regions. Derivative filters are applied as enhancement techniques to accentuate the inferred linear subsurface structures interpreted as cracks, fractures, lineaments, etc. These structures are predicted mineral entrapments or fault lines whose NE-SW orientation conforms to the Pan African Orogeny and they can aid environmental assessments generally.

Soil transmitted helminth (STH) infections are among the most common human infections worldwide with over 1 billion people affected. Many estimates of STH infection are often based on school-aged children (SAC). This study produced predictive risk-maps of STH on a more finite scale, estimated the number of people infected, and the amount of drug required for preventive chemotherapy (PC) in Ogun state, Nigeria. Georeferenced STH infection data obtained from a cross-sectional survey at 33 locations between July 2016 and November 2018, together with remotely-sensed environmental and socio-economic data were analyzed using Bayesian geostatistical modelling. Stepwise variable selection procedure was employed to select a parsimonious set of predictors to predict risk and spatial distribution of STH infections. The number of persons (pre-school ages children, SAC and adults) infected with STH were estimated, with the amount of tablets needed for preventive chemotherapy. An overall prevalence of 17.2% (95% CI 14.9, 19.5) was recorded for any STH infection. Ascaris lumbricoides infections was the most predominant, with an overall prevalence of 13.6% (95% CI 11.5, 15.7), while Hookworm and Trichuris trichiura had overall prevalence of 4.6% (95% CI 3.3, 5.9) and 1.7% (95% CI 0.9, 2.4), respectively. The model-based prevalence predictions ranged from 5.0 to 23.8% for Ascaris lumbricoides, from 2.0 to 14.5% for hookworms, and from 0.1 to 5.7% for Trichuris trichiura across the implementation units. The predictive maps revealed a spatial pattern of high risk in the central, western and on the border of Republic of Benin. The model identified soil pH, soil moisture and elevation as the main predictors of infection for A. lumbricoides, Hookworms and T. trichiura respectively. About 50% (10/20) of the implementation units require biannual rounds of mass drug administration. Approximately, a total of 1.1 million persons were infected and require 7.8 million doses. However, a sub-total of 375,374 SAC were estimated to be infected, requiring 2.7 million doses. Our predictive risk maps and estimated PC needs provide useful information for the elimination of STH, either for resource acquisition or identifying priority areas for delivery of interventions in Ogun State, Nigeria.

Abstract Background: Soil transmitted helminth (STH) infections are among the most common human infections worldwide with over 1 billion people affected. Many estimates of STH infection are often based on school-aged children (SAC). This study produced predictive risk-maps of STH on a more finite scale, estimated the number of people infected, and the amount of drug required for preventive chemotherapy (PC) in Ogun state, Nigeria. Methods: Georeferenced STH infection data obtained from a cross-sectional survey at 33 locations between July 2016 and November 2018, together with remotely-sensed environmental and socio-economic data were analyzed using Bayesian geostatistical modelling. Stepwise variable selection procedure was employed to select a parsimonious set of predictors to predict risk and spatial distribution of STH infections. The number of persons (preschoolers, SAC and adults) infected with STH were estimated, with the amount of tablets needed for preventive chemotherapy.Results: An overall prevalence of 17.2% (95 % CI: 14.9, 19.5) was recorded for any STH infection. Ascaris lumbricoides infections was the most predominant, with an overall prevalence of 13.6% (95% CI: 11.5, 15.7), while Hookworm and Trichuris trichiura had overall prevalence of 4.6 % (95% CI: 3.3, 5.9) and 1.7% (95 % CI: 0.9, 2.4), respectively. The model-based prevalence predictions ranged from 5.0 % to 23.8 % for Ascaris lumbricoides, from 2.0 % to 14.5 % for hookworms, and from 0.1 % to 5.7 % for Trichuris trichiura across the implementation units. The predictive maps revealed a spatial pattern of high risk in the central, western and on the border of Republic of Benin. The model identified soil pH, soil moisture and elevation as the main predictors of infection for A. lumbricoides, Hookworms and T. trichiura respectively. About 50% (10/20) of the implementation units require biannual rounds of mass drug administration (MDA). Approximately, a total of 1.1 million persons were infected and require 7.8 million doses. However, a sub-total of 375,374 SAC were estimated to be infected, requiring 2.7 million doses. Conclusion: Our predictive risk maps and estimated PC needs provide useful information for the elimination of STH, either for resource acquisition or identifying priority areas for delivery of interventions in Ogun State, Nigeria.

Quaternary trimethyl chitosan-stabilized bismuth nanoparticles (QTMC-BiNPs) with positive surface charges were uniquely synthesized and fully characterized. In the synthesis, Quaternary Trimethyl Chitosan (QTMC), a water-soluble derivative of chitosan (CTS) was prepared using two-step reductive methylation. The new biopolymeric functionalized ligand was further used as capping agent for the synthesis of QTMC-BiNPs which was applied as antibacterial and catalytic agents. The reaction was carried out at room temperature without the use of energy consuming or high-cost instruments. The QTMC and nanocomposites were characterized by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR), attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared, UV–visible, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopic techniques. The topology and morphology of the composites were examined with scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Thermogravimetric and differential thermal gravimetric analysis were also conducted. The degree of quaternization and degree of dimethylation values of 63.33 and 11.75%, respectively obtained for QTMC confirmed that the main product is a quaternary derivative. The average particle size of QTMC-BiNPs was evaluated to be between 30 and 45 nm. The QTMC-BiNPs revealed clear and uniform lattice fringes with an estimated interplanar d-spacing of 0.32 nm confirming the formation of highly crystalline nanocomposites. A further insight into the antibacterial activities of this nanomaterial were carefully examined on Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) using resazurin based microdilution method for Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC). The obtained results revealed that both bacteria pathogens were effectively inhibited/killed by the QTMC-BiNPs at very low concentrations. The MIC of 15.63 and 125 µg/mL were recorded against E. coli and S. aureus, respectively while the MBC of 31.25 and 500.00 µg/mL were estimated against E. coli and S. aureus, respectively. An extensive evaluation of the catalytic capability of the nanocomposites towards the reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol was also carried out with highly promising result.

The study assessed carbon sequestration potential of the identified trees {Gmelina, Mango, Neem, Masquerade, Step and Cassia} along the five selected roadsides in Abeokuta metropolitan. Leaves of the identified trees were plucked, digested in triplicate and analysed for chlorophyll (Ch) A, B and A+B contents using UV-visible spectrophotometer. Obtained data were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics while correlation analysis for relationship between the analysed leaf Ch contents. Results indicated that leaf chlorophyll contents varied. The ranking of tree to metropolitan vehicular emission along roadsides was Neem < Gmelina < Mango < Masquerade tree. Correlation matrix analysis indicated that production of the Ch contents across the roadsides tree species was not alike and might be due to their specific reactions to vehicular emission. In conclusion, the order of Ch contents might be the tree species potential to withstand vehicular pollutants.

Gravity survey is a geophysical tool used to investigate the subsurface by measuring the differences in Earth’s gravitational field. The high-resolution gravity data within latitude 70.00׀ - 70.30 ׀N, and longitude 30.00 ׀- 30.30 ׀E was acquired through Bureau Gravimetrique Internationale (EGM2008). The research work employed the methods of the filtering techniques as well as forward and inverse modelling for data analysis and interpretations. The qualitative results of the gravity anomaly of the field through the regional-residual separation technique and the high pass filters show the local and geologic features of the study area. The low, fairly high and high-density areas are characterized by alluvial, meta-sediments/sedimentary and igneous deposits respectively. The derivative maps aided the locations, boundaries and edges of anomalous bodies, including the transition zones and sedimentary intrusions of the study area. Forward and inverse modeling techniques were applied to profiles (P1-P4) in a quantitative approach, to describe the geometry, density contrast, depth, position, strike, dip and plunge. The depth range of 1268 m to 3111 m was calculated, while the density contrasts of gravity bodies suggest the presence of mineral rocks such as limestone, quartz, gneiss, sandstone, schist, granite, quartzite and gypsum.

Petroleum pollution of coastal areas such as Nigeria's Niger Delta is increasingly alarming. After an oil spill, aquatic organisms, including indigenous microbial communities are affected, leading to an increased abundance of oil degraders in the affected environment. During the last decade, microbial ecology research has shifted from cultivation and characterization of individual environmental isolates to metagenomics studies that are focused on the characterization of community dynamics and composition. In this study, we determined the indigenous bacterial community in water bodies polluted with crude oil in Delta State, Nigeria by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS). Oil hydrocarbon composition was determined by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry analysis (GC-MS) and the physical-chemical dynamics were assessed using standard procedures. Results revealed Proteobacteria (76.9%), Bacteroidetes (8.5%) and Firmicutes (1.1%) as the dominant phyla. GC-MS data revealed different petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations across the seasons and locations sampled. The indigenous bacterial community included the prevalence of oil degrades with Methylotenera as the major genus. This study suggests that Methylotenera could be a useful agent for bioremediation in the Niger Delta.

Background Ascariasis, Trichuriasis and Hookworm infections poses a considerable public health burden in Sub-Saharan Africa, and a sound understanding of their spatial distribution facilitates to better target control interventions. This study, therefore, assessed the prevalence of the trio, and mapped their spatial distribution in the 20 administrative regions of Ogun State, Nigeria. Methods Parasitological surveys were carried out in 1,499 households across 33 spatially selected communities. Fresh stool samples were collected from 1,027 consenting participants and processed using ether concentration method. The locations of the communities were georeferenced using a GPS device while demographic data were obtained using a standardized form. Data were analysed using SPSS software and visualizations and plotting maps were made in ArcGIS software. Results Findings showed that 19 of the 20 regions were endemic for one or more kind of the three infections, with an aggregated prevalence of 17.2%. Ascariasis was the most frequently observed parasitic infection in 28 communities with a prevalence of 13.6%, followed by hookworm infections with a prevalence of 4.6% while Trichuriasis was the least encountered with a prevalence of 1.7%. The spatial distribution of infections ranges between 5.3-49.2% across the regions. The highest and lowest distribution of overall helminth infections was recorded in Egbado South and Egbado North respectively. Nine regions had infection status between 20.0%-49.2%, while 10 regions had infection status between 5.3%-15.8%. Conclusion This study provides epidemiological data on the prevalence and spatial distribution of ascariasis, trichuriasis and hookworm infections which will add to the baseline data and guide the public health officers in providing appropriate control strategies in the endemic communities.

There is an increasing global concern for adverse effects of inorganic fertilizer and pesticides applied to agricultural soils. This study investigated metal speciation in soil and health risk assessment of Jute mallow (Corchorus olitoriuos) from a farm settlement in Ikorodu, Lagos State. Soil samples were collected according to the set standard procedure, sequentially extracted and analyzed for selected heavy metals using standard methods. Results showed that chromium (Cr) was associated with reducible fraction (Fe-Mn) for top soil, while cadmium (Cd), manganese (Mn), and copper (Cu); lead (Pb) and nickel (Ni); and Cr were predominantly bound to carbonate, reducible and residual mineral components respectively for sub-soil. The results of Contamination Factor (CF), Contamination Degree (CD), Pollution Load Index (PLI) and Geoaccumulation Index (Igeo) showed that the soil samples were not polluted for all the investigated metals. The Cd level in the soil (13.54 ± 1.21 mg·kg﹣1) and vegetables (0.83 ± 0.05 mg·kg﹣1) were above the USEPA critical permissible limit of 3.0 mg·kg﹣1 and 0.1 - 1.2 mg·kg﹣1 respectively. The daily intake of estimated selected heavy metals from the vegetable ranged from 8.8 × 10﹣03 to 1.4 × 10﹣02 for adult and 3.8 × 10﹣03 to 1.1 × 10﹣02 for children while the Hazard Quotient (HQ) for adults ranged from 5.4 × 10﹣05 to 1.1 × 10﹣01 and that of children ranged from 8.3 × 10﹣03 to 1.4 × 10﹣02. The cancer risk (CR) values of heavy metals in the soil ranged from 1.02 × 10﹣11 to 9.90 ×

Provision of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) resources has been advocated as necessary add-on strategy for sustainable control of soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) alongside annual mass drug administration (MDA) of albendazole to endemic communities.This study investigated the burden of STH and status of WASH resources in eight rural communities in Aiyedaade LGA, Osun State, Nigeria.Four of the communities were supported with improved water and hygiene resources (Category A), and another four supported only with improved water resources (Category B).Two hundred and sixteen (216) fresh stool samples were collected from consenting community members and screened for Ascaris lumbricoides, Hookworm and Trichuris trichiura infections using ether concentration method.The status and condition of WASH resources were determined using questionnaire and physical observation.An overall prevalence of 35.2% was observed for any STH infection.Species' prevalence of Ascaris lumbricoides, Hookworm and Trichuris trichiura prevalence was 33.8%, 22.7%, and 0.5% respectively.Intensity of STH infection was significantly higher in Category A communities than in Category B communities.The prevalence of STH in Category A communities was higher (42.0%) than that in Category B communities (30.1%).There were significant differences (p = 0.000) in STH infections between the two categories.The status of improved water supply was not significantly different (p = 0.3153) in the two categories.Knowledge, attitude, and practices about STH, its transmission and control were low in both categories of communities.These results imply that current implementation of WASH which tends to focus on resource distribution, equity, and coverage, is unlikely to impact on STH transmission and control.Therefore, it is necessary for WASH providers to consider STH transmission control in their planning and implementation

This study investigated air pollutants associated with quarry activities and the variation of the pollutants with distance from the drilling section. Air pollutants were monitored with the use of automatic air samplers with the exception of ozone (O3) which was determined by iodometric method. All sampling were replicated three times. The data obtained were subjected to descriptive statistics, analysis of variance and correlation. Means were separated using Duncan Multiple Range test. Carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide were detected while sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and O3 were below detection limit. Suspended particulates were the most significant of the air pollutants analyzed. Crushing section had the highest concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 with 0.231 ± 0.018 mg/m3 and 0.130 ± 0.010 mg/m3 respectively followed by the drilling section with 0.074 ± 0.066 mg/m3 for PM10 and 0.065 ± 0.045 mg/m3 for PM2.5. The mean levels of the total suspended particulate decreased significantly (p < 0.05) with distance from the crushing section to Jagun village.

This study examined the impact of an oil spill on soil characteristics and heavy metal content of vegetation. Soil and vegetation were sampled using a 1 metre square quadrant at distances of 1 m, 10 m, 20 m and 30 m from the oil spill. After vegetation identification, they were separated into leaves, stems and roots. Analysis of soil characteristics and heavy metals (Pb, Cd and Zn) content of the vegetation was carried out. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and ANOVA. Calopogonium mucunoides, Axonopus compressus and Sida acuta were identified. Leaves had higher heavy metals content followed by stems and roots. Concentrations of heavy metals in the soils with respect to distances were in the order of 1 m > 10 m > 20 m > 30 m. Soil organic carbon content ranged from 18.75 – 27. 30 g/kg. The soils heavy metal concentrations ranged from 0.10 – 0.18 mgCd/kg, 0.34 – 0.46 mgZn/kg and 0.28 – 0.44 mgPb/kg.

This study investigated effect of vehicular emission on heavy metals levels along selected roads of different traffic densities in Abeokuta, Nigeria. Roadside dusts were randomly collected from both sides of the roads and digested. The digested sample solutions were then analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) for the determination of Pb, Cd, Zn and Ni concentrations. Replicate analyses were carried out on each sample. Data were subjected to descriptive statistics and analysis of variance. Means were separated using Duncan’s Multiple Range (DMR) test. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to determine the relationship between the metals. The mean concentrations of the metals were found to follow the decreasing order: Pb > Zn > Ni > Cd. The road with significantly (P < 0.05) higher traffic density had significantly (P < 0.05) higher levels of the metals investigated. There was significant (p < 0.05) positive correlation between the metals. Key words : Heavy metals, Roadside, Dust, Traffic density

In order to study the mechanisms responsible for cadmium (Cd) detoxification in Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L), the growth and antioxidative responses of the plant grown on a Cd polluted soil were investigated Kenaf seeds were grown in artificially contaminated soils containing increasing concentrations of Cd as CdCl2 (0, 150, 300, 450 and 600 mg Cd kg (1)) for 14 weeks in a screenhouse Growth parameters (plant height and stem girth), Cd concentration, oxidative lipid peroxidation, glutathione (GSH) content, activity of antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) were measured using established techniques Cd inhibits growth as shown by decrease in plant height and stem girth at all concentrations used compared with control Plant Cd concentrations increased with soil Cd concentrations, with maximum Cd uptake being 73 37 +/- 8 82 mg kg (1) dry weight at 600 mg Cd kg (1) The content of malondialdehyde (indication of lipid peroxidation) showed a significant (p<0 05) increase in Kenaf shoots at 150 and 300 mg Cd kg (1) level of treatment, while the content of non-enzymatic antioxidant, GSH, showed a significant (p< 0 05) depletion at all treatment levels compared with control Activity of SOD was increased while the activities of CAT and APX were inhibited at all Cd concentrations used Results show that Cd induces oxidative stress in Kenaf and that both enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants play significant roles in Cd detoxification in Kenaf

This study investigated effect of soil textures and Lead (Pb) concentrations on the growth, fibre yields and Pb absorption of kenaf. Screenhouse experiment was conducted in the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (UNAAB) Ogun State, Nigeria. Top soils were collected from Murtala Victoria Botanical Garden, Epe, Lagos State, Nigeria and UNAAB Teaching and Research Farm. Ten-litre plastic pots were filled with 10kg soil. Experimental design was a 2 x 5 factorial in Randomized Complete Block Design replicated three times. Two soil textures and five levels of Pb concentration (as Lead nitrate): 0, 150, 300, 450 and 600 mgPb/kgsoil. Growth and yield parameters were collected. Lead levels in plant and soils were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Data obtained were analysed using descriptive statistics and analysis of variance. UNAAB soil had pH of 6.3 and sandy loam texture while Epe soil had pH and texture of 5.3 and sand respectively. Control had significantly (P<0.05) higher stem girth, plant height, bast and core yields while 600mg/kg had the least in the two soils. Increased in the Pb concentration resulted in the increased in Pb absorption; Epe soil had better absorption of 89.87mg/kg than UNAAB soil with 78.17mg/kg.

This study investigated effect of soil textures and cadmium (Cd) concentrations on the growth, fibre yields and Cd absorption of kenaf. Screen-house experiment was conducted in the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (UNAAB), Ogun State, Nigeria. Top soils were collected from Murtala Victoria Botanical Garden, Epe, Lagos State, Nigeria and UNAAB Teaching and Research Farm. Ten-litre plastic pots were filled with 10 kg soil. Experimental design was a 2 × 5 factorial in RCBD replicated three times. Two soil textures and five levels of Cd concentration (as Cadmium nitrate): 0, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5 and 6.0 mgCd/kg soil. Growth and yield parameters were collected. Cd content of plants and soils were determined using AAS and analyzed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA and correlation. UNAAB soil had pH of 6.3 with sandy loam texture while Epe soil had pH and texture of 5.3 and sand respectively. Control had significantly (P<0.05) higher plant height, stem girth, bast and core yields while 6.0 mg/kg had the least in the two soils. The more the concentration of Cd applied, the higher was the absorption by kenaf in the two soils. Kenaf planted in Epe soil had better absorption than UNAAB soil. There was significant (p < 0.01) positive correlation between Cd applied and Cd absorbed by kenaf.