Distribution of actinomycetes in oil contaminated ultisols of the Niger Delta (Nigeria)

The distribution of actinomycetes in oil contaminated sandy loam ultisols of the Niger Delta region of Nigeria was studied to aid in understanding the effect of hydrocarbons on indigenous microbial population in tropical soils. The average total counts of actinomycetes in all the oil samples analysed was 103 cfu/g. Higher counts of actinomycetes were observed during the dry season than during the wet season. The counts of hydrocarbonoclastic actinomycetes correlated positively with the total count of actinomycetes.The actinomycetes were generally restricted to the top soil(0-10 cm soil depth) although a seemingly deeper(down to 40 cm soil depth) distribution was noticed in the dry season. The isolates included oil degrading species of Actinoplanes, Norcadia,Streptomyces and Streptosporangium. Their high oil utilization ability indicates their positive potential and role in the bioremediation of oil-spilled soils.     

Lead levels in Chromolaena odorata (Compositae) along rural and urban roads in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

ＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＣｈｒｏｍｏｌａｅｎａｏｄｏｒａｔａ（Ｅｕｐａｔｏｒｉｕｍｏｄｏｒａｔｕｍ），ｃｏｍｍｏｎｌｙｃａｌｌｅｄ“ｓｉａｍｗｅｅｄ”ｗａｓｉｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｅｄｉｎｔｏＮｉｇｅｒｉａａｂｏｕｔ３０ｙｅａｒｓａｇｏ．Ｉｔｉｓａｓｔｒｏｎｇｌｙｓｃｅｎｔｅｄ，ｄｉｆｆｕｓｅ，ａｎｄｒａｐｉｄｌｙｇｒｏｗｉｎｇｈｅｒｂｔｈａｔｃａｎａｔｔａｉｎａｈｅｉｇｈｔｏｆ３－０ｍｅｔｅｒｓｏｒｍｏｒｅ．Ｉｔｉｓｌｏｃａｌｌｙｃａｌｌｅｄ“ｏｗｏｔｏｗｏ”ｂｅｃａｕｓｅａｔｉｔｓｄｅｂｕｔｉｔｗａ…     

Ecological risks of phenolic endocrine disrupting compounds in an urban tropical river

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The distribution of emerging organic contaminants in drinking water sources in Africa is a subject with very scanty data and information. In order to...     

Distribution of actinomycetes in oil contaminated ultisols of the Niger Delta (Nigeria)

ＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＡｃｔｉｎｏｍｙｃｅｔｅｓ(ｆｉｌａｍｅｎｔｏｕｓｂａｃｔｅｒｉａ)ｃｏｎｓｔｉｔｕｔｅａｇｒｏｕｐｏｆｍｉｃｒｏｏｒｇａｎｉｓｍｓｔｈａｔｉｓｗｉｄｅｌｙｄｉｓｔｒｉｂｕｔｅｄｉｎｓｏｉｌ.Ｐｌａｔｉｎｇｅｓｔｉｍａｔｅｓｇｉｖｅｖａｌｕｅｓｒａｎｇｉｎｇｂｅｔｗｅｅｎ 10 5ａｎｄ 10 8ｃｏｌｏｎｙｆｏｒｍｉｎｇｕｎｉｔｓ(ｃｆｕ) ｐｅｒｇｒａｍｏｆｓｏｉｌｉｎｔｅｍｐｅｒａｔｅｚｏｎｅａｌｔｈｏｕｇｈｌｏｗｅｒｖａｌｕｅｓｈａｖｅｂｅｅｎｒｅｃｏｒｄｅｄｉｎｔｈｅｒｅｇｉｏ…     

Bioamendment of petroleum contaminated ultisol: effect on oil content, heavy metals and pH of tropical soil

ＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＭｏｓｔｓｏｉｌｐｏｌｌｕｔｉｏｎｓｉｔｕａｔｉｏｎｓｉｎｖｏｌｖｅｓｅｖｅｒａｌｐｏｌｌｕｔａｎｔｓａｃｔｉｎｇｓｉｍｕｌｔａｎｅｏｕｓｌｙ .Ｔｈｅｐｒａｃｔｉｃａｌａｓｓｅｓｓｍｅｎｔｏｆｔｈｅｏｖｅｒａｌｌｔｏｘｉｃｉｔｙｈａｓｔｈｅｒｅｆｏｒｅｒｅｍａｉｎｅｄａｍａｊｏｒｐｒｏｂｌｅｍ .ＡｍｏｎｇｔｈｅｎｅｇａｔｉｖｅｅｆｆｅｃｔｓｏｆｅｘｐｌｏｒａｔｉｏｎａｎｄｐｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎａｃｔｉｖｉｔｉｅｓｉｎｏｉｌｐｒｏｄｕｃｉｎｇｃｏｍｍｕｎｉｔｉｅｓｉｎＮｉｇｅ…     

The South African Experience of Conservation and Social Forestry Outreach Nurseries

Outreach nurseries are favored conservation and social forestry tools globally, but, as with many integrated conservation and development programs (ICDPs), they do not always produce anticipated results. A synopsis of the experience of South African practitioners is provided in this study of 65 outreach nurseries. South African outreach nurseries frequently include financial objectives, creating additional challenges in simultaneously attaining conservation and socioeconomic goals. Progress was hindered by biophysical problems (e.g., lack of water, poor soils, etc.) as well as the harsh socioeconomic conditions facing most communities in which nurseries had been established. Attaining financial viability was challenging. Business management skills were often restricted, and few viability studies included adequate market research. Costs to community participants were usually high, and benefits were limited. Conservation objectives were frequently lost in the struggle to attain financial viability. The management of social processes also proved challenging. Although small scale and relatively straightforward compared with many ICDPs, nurseries usually require substantial institutional support, including a range of technical, business, and development services. Project time frames need to be reconsidered, as practitioners estimate that it takes 5–10 years for nurseries to start meeting objectives, and donors and implementing agencies often operate on 2–3-year project cycles. Detailed viability studies are essential, incorporating a social probe and an assessment of potential impacts of projects on community participants. Progress needs to be continuously evaluated to enable institutions and community participants to adapt to changing conditions as well as ensure that the spectrum of objectives are being achieved.     

Phytoextraction potential of Sporobulus pyramidalis found in an abandoned battery industry environment in Nigeria

The levels of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, Sb and V) in Sporobulus pyramidalis plant species from an abandoned battery industry environment were determined during the wet and dry seasons as follows: The ranges in metal concentrations during the wet and dry seasons were 0.002, 0.420, 0.036 and 36.10?µg?g^?1, respectively. The coefficients of variation for the metals during wet and dry seasons ranged between none to 151.724% and 13.838–214.935%, respectively. The results showed higher levels of the metals in S. pyramidalis during the dry than wet season. Results obtained from both wet and dry season when compared with background values, Federal Environmental Protection Agency and other international standards revealed that the plant species accumulated high levels of these heavy metals which was evident in concentrations exceeding maximum tolerable limits. The health implications of consuming this plant and any other plant or crop within this environment are discussed.     

Anaerobic degradation of 4‐chlorophenol under denitrifying conditions with nitrate as the only electron acceptor

A denitrifying bacterium was isolated from activated sludge after enrichment on 4‐chlorophenol under anoxic, denitrifying conditions, and the microbial degradation of 4‐chlorophenol by this bacterium, with nitrate as the only electron acceptor, was investigated. The bacterium was capable of degrading up to 5 mM 4‐chlorophenol with stoichiometric release of chloride under denitrifying conditions. Anaerobic degradation of 4‐chlorophenol was dependent on nitrate as an electron acceptor. Nitrate (10 mM) severely inhibited the growth by the toxic effect of the accumulated nitrite. The optimum nitrate concentration for cell growth and chlorophenol degradation was 6 mM.