Particulate matter is the term given to the tiny particles of solid or semi-solid material found in the atmosphere as suspended mixtures. The chemical complexity of airborne particles makes it imperative to consider the composition and sources of selected primary and secondary particulates deemed to be of health concern. Primary particulates are introduced into the atmosphere from a variety of natural and anthropogenic sources. Secondary particulates tend to form in the atmosphere as a result of chemical processes. 1,2 Urban particulate pollution has been recognised as a major problem in emerging mega-cities in Nigeria such as Lagos, Kano, Abuja, Aba and Port-Harcourt as a result of their rising Background. Over the past 30 years, various studies in Nigeria have monitored atmospheric particulate matter loads and elemental composition of ambient air around diverse receptor sites. Objectives. A comparative discussion of the different sampling techniques, pre-treatment and analytical methods employed between 1985 and 2015. Methods. Air pollution indices from studies covered in this review were compared to relevant guideline standards such as the World Health Organization (WHO) 24-hr guideline and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)'s National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) daily permissible limits for fine particles of less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter (PM 2.5) and coarse dust particles with a diameter of 10 micrometers (PM 10) in ambient air. In addition, the sources of data for the average concentrations for PM 2.5 , PM 10 and related metallic elements during 1985-2015 were assessed. Attempts were also made to compare varied particulate matter loads of atmospheric micro-environments in Nigeria with comparable microenvironments in selected cities around the world. Discussion. Results showed that PM 2.5 concentration ranged from 5-248 µg/m 3 , while PM 10 concentration ranged from 18-926 µg/m 3 , revealing that about 50% of the particulate matter loads in Nigeria exceeded both the WHO (25 µg /m 3 , 50 µg/m 3) and NAAQS (35 µg/m 3 , 150 µg/m 3) guideline limits for PM 2.5 and PM 10 respectively. PM 2.5 /PM 10 ratios for the selected studies fall below the WHO guideline (0.5-0.8), suggesting that Nigerian aerosols are mainly made up of coarse, rather than fine particles. In addition, the order of the average highest concentrations of metallic elements for PM 2.5 were magnesium (Mg) > strontium (Sr) > potassium (K) > zinc (Zn) > iron (Fe) > sodium (Na) > aluminium (Al) > chlorine (Cl) > lead (Pb) > silicon (Si), while those of PM 10 were Sr > Zn > Fe > Mg > calcium (Ca) >Na > Pb > manganese (Mn) > K > Al. Conclusions. Seasonal variation of particulate matter loads revealed higher concentrations during the dry season than during the rainy season. In addition, particulate matter loads in rural areas were generally lower than in urban areas. Wind-blown dust from the Sahara Desert is the major contributor to particulate matter loads in northern zones of the country, while sea spray and crust...

This study evaluated the hydrogeochemical attributes and quality of groundwater resources in Ngbo, Ohaukwu Area Council of Ebonyi State, Nigeria in order to determine whether boreholes in the area were suitable for potable uses. Eleven groundwater samples were collected from hand-dug boreholes between February and March, 2013. The physiochemical parameters of the samples were then analyzed to determine electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, total alkalinity, major cations and anions, and trace metals. The quality of these characteristics was evaluated by comparing them to the Nigerian Institute of Standards, the Bureau of Indian Standards and the World Health Organization standards for drinking water quality. Mass abundance of the major ions was in the order of Mg 2+ > Ca 2+ for cations, Cl-> SO 4 2-> NO 3-> PO 4 3for anions and Fe > As > Mn > Cu > Zn > Cr > Ni > Pb > Cd for trace metals. Correlation analysis revealed both positive and negative correlations among the parameters. Also, one-way ANOVA tests revealed that no significant differences existed between physiochemical parameters (F = 1.004 < Fcrit =1.977), major cations and anions (F =0.547 < Fcrit =2.008) and trace metals (F = 0.772 < Fcrit = 1.940) regardless of the sampling location. Groundwater in the area was generally hard, alkaline and highly mineralized, making it unsuitable for drinking in some places due to high total hardness and TDS; but it was generally suitable for irrigation purposes. It is recommended that boreholes be flushed regularly to aid in the removal of mineralized deposits, and that regular hydrogeochemical studies be conducted in order to detect future deterioration of water quality.

Soil pollution by trace metals is one of the major global environmental challenges facing us today. Extraction methods are key to predicting plant uptake of trace metals from soil. This work seeks to compare the extraction efficiencies of EDTA, DTPA, HNO 3 /HClO 4 and HCl/HNO 3 used in the digestion of soil samples collected from 11 different locations (7 farmlands, 2 waste dumpsites and 2 sections of a mechanic workshop) within Abakaliki metropolis, between August and September 2007. Concentrations of 7 selected trace metals (Pb, Zn, Mn, Ni, Cd, Cu and Fe) were determined in the digested soil samples using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The concentrations (mg/kg) range, irrespective of sampling sites were: Pb (2

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Metastasis is the most frequent cause of mortality in cancer patients and symptoms related to a secondary deposit are a common form of presentation in malignancies. Cancers of the prostate commonly present with metastasis to the vertebrae, and less commonly to the lungs and liver. Metastasis to soft tissue is extremely rare and a highly unlikely form of presentation. However, with rising cancer rates in the developing world, secondary tumors should be excluded when soft tissue masses are encountered.