Fuzzy logic modeling of bioaccumulation pattern of metals in coastal biota of Ondo State,Nigeria

The accumulation patterns of ten metals in tissues of plant, Eichornia crassipes, and fishes, Hydrocynus forskahlii and Oreochromis mossambicus, were modeled with simple fuzzy classification (SFC) to assess toxic effects of anthropogenic activities on the coastal biota. The plant sample was separated into root, stem, and leaves and the fishes into bones, internal tissues, and muscles. They were analyzed for As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, V, Fe, Mn, and Zn after wet oxidation of their dried samples. The results were converted into membership functions of five accumulation classes and aggregated with SFC. The classification results showed that there was no metal accumulation in the plant parts while the fishes were classified into low accumulation category. The internal tissues of the fishes had higher metal accumulation than the other parts. Generally, Fe and Mn had highest concentrations in the biota but are natural to the area and may not constitute significant risk. Cr had the highest transfer and accumulation from the coastal water into the aquatic lives and may be indicative of risk prone system being a toxic metal. Metal contaminations in the zone had not significantly accumulated in the biota making them less prone to risk associated with metal accumulation.     

低C/N比污水生物脱氮所需外加碳源量的确定

利用中试规模实验装置,探讨了现有活性污泥工艺改造成间歇曝气生物脱氮工艺的实践中,碳氮比(C/N)对废水生物脱氮效率、脱氮反应速度的影响,分析了脱氮容量,确定了所需外加碳源量.      

Evaluation of aquifer vulnerability and the protective capacity in some oil producing communities of western Niger Delta

Oil spills have become a major environmental hazard constituting serious social problems in Nigeria, especially in the oil producing communities. The spills contaminate the aquifer if the subsurface layers are not protected. Geoelectric technique of geophysical investigation has been used to evaluate the protective capacity of six oil producing communities: Oleh, Olomoro, Uzere, Afiesere, Ekakpamre and Uvwiamuge in the western Niger Delta. A total of 139 vertical electrical sounding (VES) using the Schlumberger electrode configuration were occupied in these communities. The longitudinal conductance maps delineated areas with poor (<0.1 mho), weak (0.1–0.19 mho), moderate (0.2–0.69 mho) and good protective capacity (0.7–4.9 mho). The study has shown that the protective capacity of most parts of the communities studied is poor with Uvwiamuge and Ekakpamre communities not protected hence the aquifer in these oil producing communities are vulnerable to contamination by hydrocarbon in the event of pollution. Hence proper environmental protection measures have been suggested to safeguard the aquifer from pollution by hydrocarbon in the event of spillage.     

Quantitative analysis of toxic halogenated contaminants in Oluyoro stream of Nigeria

Analysis of organic contaminants is reported for the Oluyoro stream located in the South-Western Nigeria. Using gas chromatography methods with flame ionization, electron capture and mass spectrometer detectors, alarming levels of organic pollutants including alkanes, alkenes, alcohols and alkyl halides were detected. Remarkably, toxic halogenated organic substances such as 4,4′-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (4,4′-DDT), 4,4′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (4,4′-DDD), beta-benzenehexachloride (beta-BHC), heptachlor epoxide, endrin aldehyde and endrin ketone are found to be at 15,820, 6,176, 1,155, 336, 24 and 13 times, respectively, more than the permitted levels of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA). Furthermore, 4,4′-DDD, a probable human carcinogen, and methoxychlor are detected for the first time when compared to the last report published in 1992. Activities such as high influx of domestic and industrial wastes to the stream have drastically increased the concentrations of these halogenated contaminants. Results presented in this article provide important information for potential future effects of these contaminants on human health and the integrated environment in the region.     

Fuzzy comprehensive assessment of metal contamination of water and sediments in Ondo Estuary,Nigeria

A more reliable methodology for evaluating metal contamination of coastal water and sediments using fuzzy comprehensive assessment (FCA) is presented by this study. Ten metals (As, Cd, Cu, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, V and Zn) were investigated in water and sediments from ten sampling sites and formulated into fuzzy matrix based on three contamination classifications of pristine, moderately enriched and extremely impacted categories using regulatory limits as criteria. The products of the matrices from membership function of the observed data and the weight matrices generate indices that classify the degree of metal impact on the sites. The results of the FCA show that the estuary is negatively impacted by metals in a range of 45.5–75.1% membership in the extremely impacted category with potential adverse effects on the ecosystem of the neighbouring Atlantic Ocean. The crude oil exploration activity at site 1 is the major source input of the metals beside Fe and Mn which are natural to the geological structure of the area while domestic waste discharges contribute notably to metal contamination in some sites.     

污泥基生物炭对餐厨垃圾厌氧消化产甲烷及微生物群落结构的影响

为考察污泥基生物炭对餐厨垃圾厌氧消化的影响,以餐厨垃圾为基质,设置4种不同接种比(inoculum to substrate ratio, ISR)的批次实验,以得到不同酸化程度的厌氧消化体系;检测空白组、餐厨垃圾对照组和生物炭实验组的产甲烷情况和微生物群落结构的变化。结果表明:当ISR=2时,生物炭对餐厨垃圾厌氧消化效果不明显;当ISR=0.5时,生物炭使其停滞期缩短28.9%左右;ISR越小,生物炭对酸化停滞时间缩短以及产甲烷速率提高的效果越明显。同时,生物炭可以促进Chloroflex,Proteobacteria,Bacteroidetes的生长,从而提高厌氧消化中间产物的产生。当ISR较大时,厌氧消化系统的产甲烷途径以乙酸利用型为主,投加生物炭可以促进乙酸型产甲烷;随着ISR减小,产甲烷途径有逐渐向氢利用型转变的趋势,同时Methanosacrina逐渐替代Methanosaeta利用乙酸产甲烷。本研究结果可为污泥基生物炭在餐厨垃圾厌氧消化的实际应用提供参考。     

Fuzzy logic-based modeling of the impact of industrial activities on the environmental status of an industrial estate in Nigeria

Industrial growth is being attributed with adverse environmental effects and has necessitated stricter environmental management policies. Formulating such policies is limited by the difficulty in understanding the trends of monitoring data. This study is aimed at the application of fuzzy comprehensive assessment (FCA) to integrate environmental contaminants in Agbara industrial estate, Nigeria, to measure the extent of impact of industrial activities on the host community. Samples of water, plants (Pteridium aquilinum, Sacciolepis africana, and Panicum maximum), soil, and sediments were collected within the estate. Water samples were analyzed for quality parameters using standard methods. Metals (Co, Cr, Cd, Cu, and Mn) were investigated in all the samples using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The data were modeled with FCA. The results showed Cr as the major contaminant (34–252?µgL^?1). High phosphate contributed to large plant growth in the area. FCA results showed that water samples were in the pristine classification; sediment samples were extremely impacted. The vegetation growth and the sediment precipitation were responsible for the cleaning-up of the pollutants discharged downstream. The FCA of the plants indicated high metal bioaccumulation and not only showed the plants’ phyto-remediation potential but also that the metals may pose threats to human health through the food web. The activities in the estate are contributing contaminants to the environment with potential negative effects.