Background: Tobacco smoking is one source of heavy metals exposure in the general population. Tobacco smoke has toxic, genotoxic, and carcinogenic properties and has been linked to fatal pregnancy outcomes. Aim: This research was carried out to investigate the concentration of Copper (Cu), lead (Pb) and Zinc (Zn) in different cigarette brands sold in Keffi main market of Nasarawa state and compare with recommended standard. Study Design: To determine the presence of heavy metals in different brands of cigarette sold in Keffi main Market, Nasarawa State, Nigeria and compare them with relevant authorities’ standard. Place and Duration: The study was carried out in the department of physics, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nasarawa State, Nigeria between March 2018 and November, 2018. Materials and Methods: Ten brands of cigarette were purchased from Keffi main central market using random sampling. The cigarettes were expose to sun light for 3 hours until they became dry. The filters and papers of the cigarettes were removed after drying and the tobacco content were pulverized using agate mortar and pestle. The processed samples were packaged in a well labelled polyethylene bag. A total of ten samples (one sample per brand) were analyzed using XRF spectrometry. Results: The range of Cu, Pd, and Zn concentration in ten brands of cigarette were (14.30 to 64.30 mg/kg), (5.43 to 10.55mg/kg), and (12.05 to 160.45 mg/kg) respectively. The brand with the highest concentration of Cu, Pb, and Zn are St. moriz (160.45 mg/kg), London (10.55 mg/kg) and Benson (64.30 mg/kg) respectively, while the lowest concentration found in Bohem (12.05 mg/kg), Excel (5.43 mg/kg), and Yes (14.30 mg/kg) respectively. Conclusion: The concentration of Cu, Pd, and Zn are high in most of the cigarette brands. Concentration of Pb are above the recommended limit reported in the United Kingdom (1.35mg/kg) and Korea (0.74 mg/kg). Concentration Cu and Zn are also high in the cigarette brands.

Reinforcement steel bars are often exposed to the atmosphere before use in concrete structures. This exposure results in corrosion of these reinforcement bars. Corrosion of reinforcement bars is a common form of degradation of reinforced concrete structures. The electrochemical attack affects the mechanical properties of steel rebars. This study analysed the effect of exposing reinforcing steel bars to the atmosphere. The bars were divided into two; one part was exposed to the atmosphere for a period of four months during the rainy season while the other was unexposed. Afterwards; some mechanical, corrosion and metallographic tests were carried out on the steel samples. The results obtained showed that the hardness, impact strength and ductility increased with exposure while the yield and tensile strengths decreased with exposure. The exposed bar had high corrosion rates than the unexposed bar in 1M hydrochloric acid (HCl) while in 1M sodium chloride (NaCl), the corrosion rates for both the exposed and unexposed bars did not follow a particular trend

In this study, an investigation of radiofrequency power density distribution around GSM mast in Keffi town, Nigeria was determined. Radiofrequency meter (Electrosmog ED- 155A) was used to measure the EM radiation at 50, 70, 90,110, 130, 150, 170, and 190 m away from mobile base stations. A total of fifteen mobile base stations were randomly selected in Keffi town covering about four network providers (MTN, Globacom, Etisalat, and Airtel), according to their proximity to buildings, number of antennas mounted on their masts, how close they are to other base stations and the population density around them.The result reveal that MBS5 was found to have the highest value of average power density compared to that of the remainder, with a contribution of about 16% (2908.38 µW/m2). The least contribution was recorded in MBS3 with only about 1% (173.71 μW/m2). The other MBS with significant contribution are MBS6 (15%), MBS11 (15%), MBS10 (13%), MBS8 (13%) and MBS13 (11%) with average power densities of 2878.72μW/m2, 2767.28μW/m2, 2385.43 μW/m2, 2382.70 μW/m2, and 1996.36 μW/m2 respectively. The findings reveal that the measured values of power densities across all the sites are well below the RF radiation exposure safety limit set by International Commission on Non-ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) when compared with the findings in this study. Therefore, RF radiation exposure from mobile base stations in Keffi town may pose no health risk to the people living within the area.

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