African Journal of Environmental and Waste Management

African Journal of Environmental and Waste Management ISSN 2375-1266 Vol. 11 (2), pp. 001-006, February, 2024. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

The Impact of Improper Hospital Waste Disposal on Public Health in Zonkwa District, Kaduna State’s Zangon-Kataf Local Government Area

Vivan Ezra Lekwot¹*, Blamah Vachaku Nunyi¹, Ezemokwe Ifeanyi¹, Okafor Christian I² and Bawa Adamu³

¹Department of geography and planning University of Jos, Jos Nigeria
²United Nations development programme Juba, South Sudan
³Government Girls’ College Zonkwa.

Accepted 02 October, 2023

Abstract

This study examines public health effects of improper hospital waste disposal. Primary data was collected from households residing in the area. 124 copies of well structured questionnaires were administered to the households. Questions were related to socio-economic characteristics of households and health effects of improper hospital waste management. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive methods. The study result reveals that the disposal of untreated hospital wastes poses an environmental threat and public health risk. Indiscriminate disposal of untreated hospital waste is often the cause for the spread of several infectious diseases. It is also responsible for hospital acquired diseases to the health care personnel who handle these wastes at the point of generation. Apart from the above, a good amount of hospital wastes such as disposable syringes, infusion bags, I.V. fluid bottles etc. are picked up by rag pickers and are recycled back into the market without any disinfection. It is important, therefore, to implement proper environmentally safe mode of disposing hospital wastes.

Keywords: Public health, Hospital waste, Infectious diseases, Waste disposal.

African Journal of Environmental and Waste Management ISSN 2375-1266 Vol. 11 (2), pp. 001-012, February, 2024. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Impact of Metarhizium anisopliae on Physiological and Biochemical Responses in the Fifth Instar of Schistocerca gregaria (Orthoptera: Acrididae)

Shereen M. Elbanna¹*, Nabawia M. Elhadidy², Fayez M. Semida¹,Tayseer Abdel-Rasool³

¹Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt.
²Department of Biology, Faculty of Education, Suez Canal University, El-Areesh, Egypt.
³Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt.

Accepted 02 January, 2024

Abstract

The desert locust is a very destructive herbivore causing considerable loss to crops and pastures in the arid and semi-arid areas of Africa and Asia. M. anisopliae fungus strain is highly specific biopesticides to locusts and grasshoppers, and is safe to non-target invertebrates. To test the effect of M. anisopliae fungi on the Locusts mortality, biochemistry and physiology, fungi at doses 103, 106 and 1012 spores/ml were applied with two different treatment methods; fungi spray and fungi soil application. The insects were treated under either non-starvation and/or starvation conditions. Mortality, total proteins, carbohydrates and lipids contents of insects were measured. All the locust nymphs were susceptible to M. anisopliae, with high mortality rate recorded. The insect enzymes Phenoloxidase, Peroxidase activities were affected, fluctuated between increasing and decreasing by fungi infection. Total insect proteins, carbohydrates and lipids contents were dramatically declined in all treatments. The results indicated physiological and biochemical changes in the locusts in return to fungi infection.

Keywords: Metarhizium anisopliae, Schistocereca gregaria, biopesticides, Biochemical changes, biological control.
 

African Journal of Environmental and Waste Management ISSN 2375-1266 Vol. 11 (1), pp. 001-010, January, 2024. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Urban expansion and vegetal cover loss in and around Nigeria’s Federal Capital City

Ujoh Fanan¹*, Kwabe Isa Dlama¹ and Ifatimehin Olarewaju Oluseyi²

¹Department of Geography and Environmental Management, University of Abuja, Nigeria.

²Department of Geography and Planning, Kogi State University, Anyigba, Nigeria.

Accepted 13 September, 2023

Abstract

Since Abuja became Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory in 1976; it has been experiencing rapid expansion, urbanization and significant changes in its physical landscape. This study used Remote sensing and GIS techniques to identify, mark and measure the extent of change in the various land uses from the Landsat imageries of 1987 and 2001, and Nigeriasat-1 imagery of 2006. The study revealed that while built- up area increased, vegetation cover decreased at an alarming rate. Using population figures of the study area for 1987, 2001 and 2006, the Land Consumption Rate (LCR) and Land Absorption Coefficient (LAC) were determined. Increasing population and expansion in the Federal Capital City (FCC) resulted in land degradation including loss of vegetal cover, indiscriminate waste disposal, contamination of surface water, etc. now clearly visible in the FCC. In view of the important role that vegetation plays as a carbon sink, policy-makers are requested to strictly enforce the existing laws on afforestation and parks establishment and other measures, within and around the FCC in order to achieve a sustainable urban growth and development.

Key words: Urbanization, habitat fragmentation, land consumption rate, land absorption coefficient, landuse/cover change.

African Journal of Environmental and Waste Management ISSN 2375-1266 Vol. 11 (1), pp. 001-006, January, 2024. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Factors driving urban expansion in Nigeria’s Federal Capital City

Kalpesh Ishnava¹, V. Ramarao², J. S. S. Mohan³* and I. L. Kothari³

¹Ashok and Rita Patel Institute of Integrated studies and Research in Biotechnology and Allied Sciences (ARIBAS), New Vallabh Vidynager-388121, Gujarat, India.

²Departemnt of Genetic and Plant Breeding, University of Agricultural Sciences, G. K. V. K Campus, Bangalore-560065, Karnataka, India.

³Department of Biosciences, Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar-388120, Gujarat, India.

Accepted 27 September, 2024

Abstract

Since historic times, human beings were basically in need of plants for satisfying their daily requirements like food, shelter, clothes and medicine. Due to close relationship with environment they established a distinctive system of knowledge concerning the utilization of plants. The human and animal life depends on the life supporting plant species surrounding the area. It has now become a concern of the modern world to preserve and gather all information and utility of these plant species. This paper highlights the study of ecologically important and life supporting plant species growing in Little Rann of Kachchh, a unique ecosystem and natural heritage site for wild ass. During this study about 108 plant species (44- herbs, 35- grasses, 12-shrubs, 10-trees and 7-climbers) have been observed in the study area. The most common species belong to dominant families like Poaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Papilionaceae, Cyperaceae and Chenopodiaceae. The fringe area is covered mainly with Prosopsis juliflora. However, islands (bets) are mostly covered with Suaeda fruticosa and Suaeda nudiflora. The plants species like Salvadora persica, Salvadora oleoides, P. juliflora, Tamarix aphyll, Urochondra setulosa are ecologically important. The plant species like Crotolaria burhia, Capparis decidua, Commiphora wightii, S. persica, S. oleoides, Cyperus bulbosus and Pentatropis spiralis etc are life supporting plants.

Key words: Little Rann of Kachchh, life supporting plant, ecology.

African Journal of Environmental and Waste Management ISSN 2375-1266 Vol. 10 (5), pp. 001-010, May, 2023. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Exploring the Interplay between Agro-ecology and Groundwater Utilization: A Case Study

S. M. Shirazi*, Shatirah Akib, Firas A. Salman, U. Johnson Alengaram and Mohammed Jameel

Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Accepted 30 August, 2022

Abstract

Groundwater is an important source of irrigation and public supplies in Bangladesh. It is the main source of water available in Trishal upazila during dry season. The experimental soils were heterogeneous ranging from clay to silty clay loam. The results indicated that on an average soil pH, percentage nitrogen, organic carbon and sulphur were low and phosphorous was high in all land types. The lowest water level dropped below 8 m for 2 to 3 months in almost every year for all the location studied. The depths of water table in peak period of dry season (November to March) in Sutia River and in large, medium and small ponds were 0.95, 1.33, 0.45 and 0.00 m, respectively due to lowering of groundwater table. This situation eliminated the possibility of use of shallow tube wells (STWs) or other surface mounted suction mode pumps in Trishal upazila. Due to heavy abstraction of groundwater, many environmental consequences have been encountered during 20 years. Sowing time, pisciculture and growth of aquatic plants were seriously hampered. Likewise, oxygen deficiency in ponds, scarcity of water for domestic animal, and soil cracking in critical period occurred. Due to low humidity and relatively high temperature prevailing in the study area, the shallow rooted plants and vegetation which are not irrigated were drastically affected as evidence from field survey results. This might cause ecological imbalance in Trishal upazila.

Key words: Groundwater, water quality, environment, agro-ecology, crop, soil.