Effect of abattoir effluent on the physical and chemical properties of soils

The effect of abattoir effluent on the physical and chemical properties of soils was investigated under natural environment in pot experiment at Ambrose Alli University Teaching and Research farm, Ekpoma, Nigeria. A composite soil sample was used in the experiment. The soil was treated to seven rates of abattoir effluent (viz. 0, 25, 50, 100, 125 and 150 ml/kg soil). The treatments were laid out in randomised complete block design replicated three times. The physical and chemical properties of the soil were determined before pollution and at the end of the experiment, 5 weeks after pollution. Results obtained revealed that abattoir effluent increased pH, available P and micronutrients (Zn, Mn and Fe) significantly in the soil whilst exchangeable cations were reduced significantly when compared to the control.     

The Effects of Application of Poultry Manure to Crude Oil Polluted Soils on Maize (Zea Mays) Growth and Soil Properties

A Figaro-type gas sensor system was investigated for the monitoring of volatile organic contaminants (VOC) in the exhaust gas from a soil vapor extraction (SVE) process. Benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylene (BTEX), and their mixtures, were tested as representative contaminants. Reasonably good correlation factors >0.98 were obtained between the GC analyses and the sensor responses for each component, and for the total gas concentrations. Although the composition of the exhaust gas from SVE process, as well as the amount of each component, change with time, the sensor can be used to estimate the residual amount of contaminants by measuring the total concentrations in the exhaust gas. The sensor can be utilized as a valuable tool for the monitoring of SVE process by indicating when the operation to remediate a contaminated site should be stopped. The proposed ceramic gas sensor system may be a good alternative to existing methods, because it can satisfy the essential monitoring necessities of SVE processes, and has many advantages over other fully equipped instrumentation, as a cost-effective device, with long-term monitoring stability.     

An Assessment of the Effects of Crude Oil Pollution on Soil Properties, Germination and Growth of Maize (Zea Mays) using Two Crude Types – Forcados Light and Escravos Light

The effect of crude oil pollution on soil properties, germination and height of maize (Zea mays) was investigated under natural environment in three separate pot experiments. Two crude oil types--Forcados light and Escravos light were used. In Experiment 1, the effect of crude oil application on germination using high pollution levels of 5, 15, 25 and 40 mL kg(-1) of soil was assessed. In Experiment 2, the effect of crude oil application on maize plant height using the same pollution levels was assessed. The last experiment (Experiment 3) was used to test for the effects of crude oil application on maize plant height using lower levels of pollution (1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 mL kg(-1) of soil). Soil samples were collected before, during and after the experiment and analyzed for some physical and chemical properties. Results obtained showed variation in chemical properties of soil. % organic matter increased from 1.34 to 2.62% in polluted soils. Available P decreased from 15.00 ppm in control to between 7.34 and 5.42 in soils polluted with 'high' levels of crude oil. Statistical analysis of height data showed that crude oil inhibited the growth of maize at high pollution levels. High levels of pollution also inhibited germination and for Escravos light there was no germination at 40 mL kg(-1) soil level of crude oil pollution.