| 1 |
Author(s):
Adesogan, S.O., Sasanya, B.F, Makinde, O.J.
Page No : 1-8
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Assessing the Quality of Surface Water for Direct Rural Water Supply: A Case Study of Osun River, Nigeria
Abstract
Water is one of the most essential resources for life and living. Yet,
many of our surface water bodies in Nigeria are under constant unabated
attack of anthropogenic pollution. This study assessed the level of
pollution of Osun River to determine the suitability of the river for
domestic water supply. Samples from eight (8) different tributaries to
Osun River were taken and analysed using standard procedures. The
physical, chemical and biological parameters (TDS, Turbidity, Colour,
Temperature, Chloride, Conductivity, Lead, Iron, Hardness, Nitrate, pH,
Total Coliform , E. Coliform and Biological Oxygen Demand ) were
compared with the Federal Environmental Protection Agency Standards
and also subjected to statistical analysis (two way ANOVA and
Correlation analysis). The Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) was
further used to explain the differences between the means. TDS, Turbidity,
Colour, Temperature, Chloride, Conductivity, Lead, Iron, Hardness,
Nitrate, pH were within permissible limits while the biological
parameters indicate very high organic pollution. The highest Biological
Oxygen Demand of 390mg/l, Total Coliforn Count of 330mg/l and
Escherichia coli form count of 175mg/l were recorded for the
IjebuJesha tributary. Statistical analysis showed significant difference
between the physical and chemical parameters considered, but no
difference between the parameters for each of the sampling points. The
biological parameters showed significant difference for both the
parameters and the sampling points since F>3.74 and P<2.76 and P<<0.05 for the sampling points. The correlation
between the parameters for all the sampling points gave high correlation
values which ranges between 0.5343 and 0.9972 as expected since the
sampling points are all distant tributaries to a common source. Osun
river has high level of organic pollution load and cannot be used directly
without appropriate biological treatment.
| 2 |
Author(s):
Ogungbile, P, Akande, J. A, Ogunbode, T. O, Odekunle, O..
Page No : 9-20
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Assessment of Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Water in Agodi Reservoir, Ibadan, Nigeria
Abstract
Physico-chemical analysis of water in Agodi Reservoir in Ibadan, Oyo
State was carried out in the rainy and wet seasons using standard methods.
The mean values of the parameters measured were compared with the
WHO permissible concentrations. One-way ANOVA was used to test for
location differences and seasonal variations. The mean values of Total
Suspended Solids (TSS) 280.46mg/L, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)
o
o
420.25mg/L, Temperature (T C) 27.71 C, pH 7.58 Electrical
2
Conductivity (EC) 213.34µs/cm, Sulphate (SO ) 0.03mg/L, Phosphate
4
3
4
(PO ) 0.04mg/L, Nitrate (NO ) 0.03mg/L, Chloride (Cl) 0.03mg/l, Total
3
Hardness (TH) 190.07mg/L, Alkalinity (Alk) 183.44mg/L, Dissolved
Oxygen (DO) 7.84mg/L, Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
0.54mg/L and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) 86.00mg/L were
recorded. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed no significant
difference in the mean values of all the parameters except for BOD at the
test locations. Seasonally, there was no significant difference in the two
seasons except in TH. Compared to WHO recommended limits,
Temperature TH and COD were above the recommended limits for
drinking water. In conclusion, the values obtained for other parameters
were within the recommended values of WHO for survival of organisms
in an aquatic ecosystem.
| 3 |
Author(s):
Abdullahi, A.S., Zangina, A.S..
Page No : 11-20
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Challenges and Dichotomies of Misconceptions on Environmental Effects of Mobile Base Stations
Abstract
Mobile phone base stations have become a common sight around cities
and along highways. The extensive use of mobile devices has led to increased
installations of base stations and high voltage overhead power lines. This
has led to public environmental health concern and potential health effects
of exposure to electromagnetic fields. The exponential growth in the use
of mobile phone base stations has raised global concerns about the base
stations and prompted researches on different aspects of environmental
health issues of exposure to radiofrequency- electromagnetic ?elds (RF
EMF) among others. This paper determined the challenges and dichotomies
of misconceptions on environmental effects of Mobile Base Stations (MBS)
in the country as well as possible solutions to enable proper laws and
policies that will guide subsequent installations of MBS to avoid issues of
environmental health. Available literature review and SWOT analysis
targeting stakeholders showed that disparities and overlaps in government
functions, laws and regulations concerning the telecommunications industry
brought about controversies and misconceptions as regards the activities
of the industry. The setback (m) of the MBS and NIR emission levels are
some factors where these disparities occur. It should be noted that there
are no specific standard and regulatory bodies or agencies dedicated for
the regulation and management of mobile telecoms Health, Safety and
Environmental (HSE) challenges in Nigeria. This appears to be the same
in many parts of the world especially the less developed countries. This is
largely due to the diverse and multi-disciplinary nature of the HSE related
hazards or issues. In Nigeria, telecoms HSE related issues are generally
handled by appropriate Ministries and/or their designated agencies/
departments. However, not one agency has come out with detailed
telecoms-related occupational health and safety specific hazards or
environmental aspects/management requirements or guidelines. It is
recommended that all stakeholders in the sector should move towards
reconciling these discrepancies, as this will go a long way in clearing the
misconceptions
| 4 |
Author(s):
Olukoya, E.O, Ana, G.R.E.E, Oloruntoba, E.O..
Page No : 21-27
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Groundwater Contamination Levels in Residential Areas having close Proximity with Fuel Filling Stations in two Local Government Areas of Ibadan
Abstract
Levels of groundwater contamination with monocyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (Benzene, Toluene, Ethyl-benzene, and Xylene) and
some heavy metals (Lead and Chromium) were assessed in residential
areas having close proximity (1-20m radius) with fuel filling stations in
two Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Ibadan. The fuelling stations
in the study areas (Ibadan Southwest and Southeast LGAs) were
grouped into five natural clusters and samples were collected from the
neighbourhood of one fuelling station in each cluster based on its
proximity to residential dwelling. Groundwater samples were collected
in amber coloured bottles (500 ml) from two groundwater sources, most
of which were well water (10 – 17m deep) located within and/or around
the fuelling stations. Samples were transported to the laboratory and
analysed (using spectrophotometric method) for possible contaminants
which included Benzene, Toluene, Ethyl-benzene, Xylene, Lead, and
Chromium. Results were analysed using descriptive statistics and were
compared with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Standards
Organization of Nigeria (SON) guideline limits. Mean concentrations of
Benzene, Toluene, Ethyl-benzene, and Xylene (BTEX) in groundwater
were 4.5±1.7, 4.5±1.7, 4.4±1.7, and 4.7±1.9mg/l respectively. These
were way beyond (about 400 times) the WHO permissible limits of
0.01, 0.7, 0.3, and 0.5mg/l respectively. Also, the mean concentration of
Lead was high (1.31mg/l) compared with the WHO and SON
permissible limits of 0.01mg/l.This study showed that the quality of
groundwater sources in residential areas around fuel filling stations of
the selected study areas was grossly contaminated with hydrocarbons
(BTEX) and lead, making it seriously compromised and unsafe,
especially for drinking by neighbouring residents
| 5 |
Author(s):
Nwachukwu, G.T., Ana, G.R.E.E., Ohia, C.M.D..
Page No : 29-36
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Seasonal and Environmental Factors Influencing Malaria Parasitaemia amongst Under- Five Children in Elele, Rivers State, Nigeria
Abstract
The influence of seasonal and environmental factors on malaria parasite
prevalence was investigated in Elele community, Rivers State, Nigeria.
A total of 180 children, aged < 5years were studied and their mothers
(women within the reproductive age group)were also recruited as
respondents) in the Dry Season(DS) and Rainy Season (RS)
respectively. Malaria parasite prevalence was significantly higher in the
dry (87.2%) than in the rainy season (62.8%) (P<0.05). There was no
significant difference between median parasite density in both seasons.
Malaria parasite prevalence was higher in the individuals that had
stagnant pools of water around their houses in the DS (OR = 12.9, CI=
2.8 – 81.7) and RS (OR= 2.8, CI= 1.2- 6.3). Inhabitants of houses
surrounded by bushes also showed higher malaria parasite prevalence
compared with those from cleaner surroundings. Environmental
sanitation was significantly associated with reduced malaria parasite
prevalence (OR=4.0, CI=1.4-9.7). Anopheles funestus (92.7%) and
A.gambaie (7.3%) were vectors associated with perennial transmission
of malaria in the area studied with A. funestus being predominant. The
unusually higher malaria parasite prevalence in the dry season may be
attributed to the higher indoor resting density of Anopheles funestus in
the dry season. Moreso, lack of environmental sanitation activities may
be significant risk factors for the malaria parasite burden in Elele.
| 6 |
Author(s):
Bubacarr, Jabbie, Uyamadu, Evelyn A.
Page No : 37-50
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Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Mothers on Complementary Feeding among Children aged 6-23 Months at Brikama Gidda
Abstract
Complementary feeding plays a major role in the health and nutrition of
growing children. Here, an attempt has been made to assess the
knowledge, attitude and practice of mothers on complementary feeding
among children aged 6-23 months at Brikama Gidda. The study
adopted a cross-sectional study design and was carried out at Brikama
Gidda among 75 mothers of children 6-23, months which were sampled
by multi-stage sampling. Data was collected using a structured
questionnaire which comprises of both closed-ended and open-ended
questions. Data was cleaned, entered and analysed using Microsoft
excel (Version 07) and R Statistical software (Version 3.3.1).The
respondents were mostly young (mean age 25.89), married (69.3%),
housewives (40%) with mainly secondary level of education (33%).
65.3% of mothers had average knowledge on complementary feeding
out of the six (6) knowledge questions. Attitude to complementary food
was also good as 78.7% of mothers strongly agreed that complementary
food should be given in addition to breast milk after six months. As far
as mothers’ practices of complementary feeding is concerned, 69% of
mothers introduced complementary food to their children at 6 months.
The knowledge, attitude and practices of mothers regarding
complementary feeding is appropriate, but minimal gaps exist.
Therefore, there is a need to educate mothers to ensure better growth and
development of their children. Also, there is a need to conduct longitudinal
research to establish whole array of factors influencing complementary
feeding
| 7 |
Author(s):
Joviah Gonza, David Musoke.
Page No : 65-75
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Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Associated with Medical Examination by Food Handlers in Markets in Entebbe Municipality, Wakiso District, Uganda
Abstract
Abstract
Food-borne illnesses are common among clients of food
establishments in Uganda. One of the reasons for the occurrence of
these illnesses is that many food handlers, including those in the
markets, do not adhere to medical examination which is a crucial
safety practice. This study therefore assessed knowledge, attitudes
and practices associated with medical examination by food handlers in
markets in Entebbe municipality. This was a cross sectional study
employing both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. A
total of 90 food handlers were involved in the study, and six key
informant interviews were conducted. Simple random sampling
techniques were employed to select participants, and the study was
conducted in four markets. Quantitative data were entered in EpiData
version 3.0 and analysed using STATA version 13 involving univariate
analysis, while qualitative data were analysed by thematical analysis.
Among the food handlers who took part in the study, 96.7% (87/90)
were females. The majority of food handlers (93.3%, 84/90) knew
about medical examination, and 83.3% (75/90) knew that undergoing
the procedure prevents food borne illnesses. Most of the food
handlers (78.9%, 71/90) reported having ever undergone medical
examination, with 56.9% (37/65) having been examined twice in the
previous twelve months. Less than half of the food handlers (47.8%,
43/90) strongly agreed that routine medical examination is important
to prevent food borne illnesses, and 43.3% (39/90) agreed that the
six-monthly frequency of examination is appropriate. However,
42.2% (38/90) of the food handlers exhibited negative attitudes
towards medical examination because of the cost of the procedure.
The medical examination status of food handlers in Entebbe municipality
was commendable as most of the food handlers exhibited good
knowledge, and fair practices towards the procedure. Nevertheless,
Entebbe Municipal Council should intensify efforts at sensitization of
food handlers to improve their attitudes towards medical examination
which will further lead to increased uptake of the procedure.
| 8 |
Author(s):
Patience N. Erick , Unangoni Ditsala, Roy Tapera, Bontle Mbongwe.
Page No : 85-97
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Self-Reported Fatigue Among Construction Workers in Gaborone, Botswana
Abstract
Although fatigue has been recognized as a workplace hazard contributing
to reduced productivity and increased worker's compensation costs in the
construction industry, suboptimal epidemiological studies have been
carried out among construction workers in developing countries. The job
task of construction workers often involves heavy workloads, awkward
working postures, and prolonged working hours, which place workers at
increased risk of fatigue. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence
and risk factors of fatigue among construction workers in Gaborone. A
descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among ten construction
companies in Gaborone. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire
was used to gather information on demographic characteristics of
participants, work related factors associated with fatigue and individual's
perception on their company's fatigue management strategies. Chi
squared tests and logistic regression analysis were performed to analyse
the data. The prevalence of self-reported fatigue was 66% (79). Of these,
62% of respondents reported high fatigue whereas 38% reported
borderline fatigue. The strongest predictor of reporting fatigue was taking
energy drinks or coffee to stay awake at work (Adjusted Odds Ratio
(AOR: 2.833, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.290 – 6.219). Social stress
and working for more than 8 hours a day were also significantly associated
with fatigue. Having been trained on fatigue management was associated
with decreased odds of reporting fatigue (AOR: 0.372, 95% CI: 0.157 –
0.883). This study suggests that fatigue is common among construction
workers in Gaborone and multifactorial in nature. Therefore, to help
reduce the prevalence, progression and burden of fatigue among
construction workers in Gaborone, companies must implement and
train workers on fatigue management systems.
| 9 |
Author(s):
Akinola, O. I., Ana G.R.E.E, Adie, G. U.
Page No : 121-128
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Spatio-Temporal Variation of PM-bound Heavy Metals Along a Major Motorway in Ibadan, Nigeria
Abstract
Traffic-related particulate matter (PM ) contributes extensively to
10
ambient air pollution and are reported to be associated with respiratory
illnesses. Populations living along major urban motorways are at higher
risk. This study evaluated levels of PM bound heavy metals along Idi
10
Ape - Iwo busy motorway in Ibadan. Five sampling locations 150
metres apart were purposively selected along the road, namely:
Abayomi Area (AA), Iyana Agbala (IA), Barracks Area (BA),
Agbaakin Layout (AL) and Holiness Junction (HJ). Air samples were
collected at each location at peak periods (7-10am and 1-4pm) for 10
weeks. Traffic density was estimated via manual counting. Filters were
digested using standard methods and extracts were analysed for Pb, Fe,
Cu, Cd, Zn, Cr and Ni using atomic absorption spectrophotometry
technique. Mean traffic density for all locations and vehicles ranged
from 992 – 21149. Daily mean PM for all sampling locations ranged
10
3
from 84.6±41.7 - 122±60µg/m , with levels at least three times higher
3
than WHO guideline limit of 20µg/m . Mean metal concentrations
3
(mg/m ) for all locations were: Pb- 279±149, Fe-2.20±1.97, Cu -
0.0178±0.0090, Cd - 138±37, Zn - 0.428±0.196 and Cr - 0.179±0.06
2
7
with levels higher in order 10 – 10 in magnitude. This suggests a
hazardous PM . There was no regular trends in all parameters in time
10
and space within the study period. Mean metal concentrations increased
proportionally with traffic density for all sampling locations. Policies
on traffic-related pollution become pertinent to reduce these slow
killing pollutants associated with dust and exhaust fumes from
motorways in Nigeria
