ABSTRACT:The effect of waste paper on biogas production from the co-digestion of fixed amount of cow dung and water hyacinth was studied at room temperature in five batch reactor for over 60 days. Waste paper addition was varied for a fixed amount of cow dung and water hyacinth until maximum biogas production was achieved. Biogas production was measured indirectly by water displacement method. The production of biogas showed a parabolic relationship as the amount of waste paper (g) increased with a goodness of fit of 0.982. Maximum biogas volume of 1.11liters was observed at a waste paper amount of 17.5g which corresponded to 10.0% total solids of the biomass in 250ml solution. Thus, an optimum waste paper amount of 17.5g needs to combine with 5g of cow dung and 5g of water hyacinth in 250ml of water for maximum biogas production. Similar equivalents in kilograms and tonnes can be utilized in large-scale production of biogas which can provide decentralized source of fuel for university laboratories and also local supply of energy for electricity production. Also, the air pollution problems associated with open burning of waste papers can be eliminated. The biogas process has established to be cheap and practically feasible. @ JASEM The anaerobic digestion of organic materials has long been used to generate useful resources, which have been harnessed for the use of mankind. Biogas, which is one of the byproducts of anaerobic digestion, comprises about 60% methane and 40% carbon dioxide. It has been used as a source of fuel in countries like India, China, Sweden, Bangladesh etc. for lighting and cooking purposes. In addition co-digestion of organic waste with sludge or cow dung has been mentioned in the works of Anhuradha et al (2007) and Godliving (2007) with improvements in biogas production. Apart from biogas, useful soil conditioner and manure have been obtained from the slurry residual after anaerobic digestion. Organic sources of biogas generation abound in the environment and these are well documented in literature. Works of authors like Jain et al (1981), Dunlop (1978) and Jash and Basu (1999) have studied biogas generation from animal and agricultural wastes. Biogas, being a renewable source of energy has the potential of supplementing other available energy sources in a bid to encouraging the principles of sustainable development, and reduces the practice of total dependence on fossil oil that are finite. This research work explores a suitable way to use organic waste in the environment -cow dung, which constitutes a serious problem in abattoirs, served as useful raw material for this research, because it contains the necessary micro-organism (acid formers and the methane formers) for biogas production. Waste paper at dumpsites from administrative offices, educational institutions etc, was another raw material. Finally, water hyacinth, which is rich in nitrogen and other essential nutrients (Mark and Ken, 2006) usually responsible for clogging water ways, affecting navigation, fishing and recreational ...

Pumping test data from twelve boreholes in Azare area were analysed to determine the hydraulic properties of the aquifers, and the availability of water to meet the conjugate demands of the increasing population.

ABSTRACT:The pharmacological effects of intraperitoneal administration of different doses of vanadium pentoxide (V 2 O 5 ) on the histological and sperm parameters of male guinea pigs were investigated. Also investigated were the effects of oral pretreatment with different doses of vitamin E (a known protein kinase C inhibitor) on the V 2 O 5 -induced responses of the testis and liver of male guinea pigs. In n = 5 experiments, vanadium pentoxide in the dose range of 4.5-12.5mg/kg caused destruction of the testicular and liver architecture. This was characterized by a reduction in spermatogonia, destruction of seminiferous tubules, necrosis of the testicular tissues, necrosis of liver cells, fatty cells infiltration and vacoulation. Oral administration/ pretreatment with vitamin E in the dose range of 500-2000I.U caused a reversal of the vanadium pentoxide -induced histological damages of the testis and the liver cells. Furthermore, in n = 5 animals experiments, Vanadium pentoxide (4.5-12.5 mg/kg/) caused a statistically significant increase in the percentage basal cell death, from 5.0 to 75.0 ± 1.0%, reduction in sperm motility from 90.0 to 31.0 ± 3.9%, reduction in sperm count from 80.0 x10 6 cells/ml to 25.0± 4.0 x 10 6 cells/ml and alteration in the spermatic cell morphology ( i.e. causing a change in the cellular structure of sperm cells and an increase in abnormal cells count) of the male guinea pigs. These inhibitory effects were significant at P < 0.05 (ANOVA). These effects were all dose-and time-dependent and may have a role in oxidative pathology of vanadium pentoxide. @ JASEM

ABSTRACT:The effect of waste paper on biogas production from the co-digestion of fixed amount of cow dung and water hyacinth was studied at room temperature in five batch reactor for over 60 days. Waste paper addition was varied for a fixed amount of cow dung and water hyacinth until maximum biogas production was achieved. Biogas production was measured indirectly by water displacement method. The production of biogas showed a parabolic relationship as the amount of waste paper (g) increased with a goodness of fit of 0.982. Maximum biogas volume of 1.11liters was observed at a waste paper amount of 17.5g which corresponded to 10.0% total solids of the biomass in 250ml solution. Thus, an optimum waste paper amount of 17.5g needs to combine with 5g of cow dung and 5g of water hyacinth in 250ml of water for maximum biogas production. Similar equivalents in kilograms and tonnes can be utilized in large-scale production of biogas which can provide decentralized source of fuel for university laboratories and also local supply of energy for electricity production. Also, the air pollution problems associated with open burning of waste papers can be eliminated. The biogas process has established to be cheap and practically feasible. @ JASEM The anaerobic digestion of organic materials has long been used to generate useful resources, which have been harnessed for the use of mankind. Biogas, which is one of the byproducts of anaerobic digestion, comprises about 60% methane and 40% carbon dioxide. It has been used as a source of fuel in countries like India, China, Sweden, Bangladesh etc. for lighting and cooking purposes. In addition co-digestion of organic waste with sludge or cow dung has been mentioned in the works of Anhuradha et al (2007) and Godliving (2007) with improvements in biogas production. Apart from biogas, useful soil conditioner and manure have been obtained from the slurry residual after anaerobic digestion. Organic sources of biogas generation abound in the environment and these are well documented in literature. Works of authors like Jain et al (1981), Dunlop (1978) and Jash and Basu (1999) have studied biogas generation from animal and agricultural wastes. Biogas, being a renewable source of energy has the potential of supplementing other available energy sources in a bid to encouraging the principles of sustainable development, and reduces the practice of total dependence on fossil oil that are finite. This research work explores a suitable way to use organic waste in the environment -cow dung, which constitutes a serious problem in abattoirs, served as useful raw material for this research, because it contains the necessary micro-organism (acid formers and the methane formers) for biogas production. Waste paper at dumpsites from administrative offices, educational institutions etc, was another raw material. Finally, water hyacinth, which is rich in nitrogen and other essential nutrients (Mark and Ken, 2006) usually responsible for clogging water ways, affecting navigation, fishing and recreational ...

ABSTRACT:The effects of the methanolic extracts of the leaves of Phyllanthus amarus on the hormonal parameters of male Guinea pigs were investigated. The phytochemical screening of the leaves of Phyllanthus amarus was also carried out. The hormonal parameters investigated are testosterone, Leutinizing and Follicle stimulating hormone. The methanolic extract of the Phyllanthus amarus leaves (50-800mg/kg) caused a statistically significance increase ( P < 0.001, ANOVA) in the level of Testosterone of the male Guinea pigs, from 2.3 ± 0.06 to 3.9 ± 0.05, 4.3 ± 0.6 and 2.8 ± 0.6 after the 7, 14 th and 21 st day of the administration of the extracts respectively . The highest increase was obtained after 14 th day of treatment (4.3 ±.05). These effects were very comparable to the effects of Vitamin E on the testosterone of male Guinea pigs, which were obtained to be 3.0 ± 0.01, 3.1 ± 0.16 and 2.4 ± 0.30 for 7, 14 th and 21 st day respectively. These effects were dose-and time-dependents. The optimum effects (4.3 ±.05) were obtained at 400mg/kg of Phyllanthus amarus. Furthermore, the methanol extracts of Phyllanthus amarus (800mg/kg) caused an insignificant change in the levels of Leutenizing (LH) and Follicle stimulating (FSH) hormones from 3.1±0.22 and 1.6±0.50 to 3.0 ±0.08 and 1.5 ± 0.13 respectively. These effects were also comparable to the effects of Vitamin E on these hormones. Finally, the phytochemical screening of the leaves of Phyllanthus amarus revealed the presence of flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, terpenoids, steroids, saponins and cardiac glycosides. This may support or justify the claims on the use of the aerial part of this plant by traditional medicine practitioners to increase/improve libido and reproductive function in men. Although further studies need to be done to investigate the contribution of the seeds of this plant in the improvement of libido in men; also to isolate and characterize the active principles in the leaf extracts. @ JASEM