Background:In Rivers State, Nigeria, Indigenous communities of Ebocha-Obrikom have nearly worst drinking water quality in the province with concerns extending from worsening water quality to deficiency of support from oil companies operating in the environment. The minute water is suspected, or recognized of being unsafe or hazardous to human consumption, community people are likely to be positioned under a wasted health.Objectives:To compare water quality parameters in the vicinity of Gas Flaring Area of Ebocha-Obrikom of Rivers State with that of the recommended standards.Methods:The research utilized standard analytical procedures. All sampling, conservation, transportation and analysis followed standard procedures described in APHA (2012). All the samples collected were transported to the laboratory through keeping in an icebox to prevent degradation of the organic substances.Results:Result depicts that Turbidity, DO, BOD, COD, TSS, Magnesium, Iron, Cadmium, Lead, Chromium, and Nickel exceeded the desirable limit meant for drinking purpose as well as could potentially pose threats toward human society. Hence, remain unsuitable for drinking, as the inhabitants were more vulnerable for their total lifetime period of exposure through continuous consumption of unsuitable drinking water.Conclusion:It is recommended that the local government environmental health officers and other regulatory agencies frequently monitor the levels of these pollutants within the area and also ensure strict adherence to guidelines to ensure a healthy environment. As exposure to the above stated parameters can have a remarkable impact on human health living in the vicinity of the gas flaring area by drinking water around the study area; thus, groundwater needs to treated before using for household purpose or drinking. Thus, this study would help in decision making for stakeholders and relevant authorities in the execution of reasonable groundwater management strategies and remediation plans in the area to protect public and environmental health.

Background: Oil and natural gas extraction have produced environmental pollution at levels that affect reproductive health of indigenous populations. Accordingly, polluted drinking water from physical, chemical and heavy metals can result in serious health problems, like anemia, kidney failure, immunosuppression, neurological impairments, gastrointestinal as well as respiratory irritation, skeletal system abnormalities, liver inflammation, liver cancer, cardiovascular diseases after chronic exposure and other cancer diseases with negative health effects. These diseases types remain associated to high amounts of heavy metal elements such as lead, chromium, zinc, copper, cadmium, manganese as well as nickel etc. Objectives: Compare differences in water quality parameters in the study area (determine the level of pollutions in the different sites). Methodology: The investigation made use of standard analytical methodologies. All sampling, conservation, transportation as well as analysis followed the usual APHA procedures (2012). To prevent degradation of the organic substances, all obtained samples were transferred to the laboratory, while keeping in an icebox. Results: Result shows that during wet season, the mean values obtained for water quality parameters were significantly lower in site 9 compared with that obtained in other sites (p<0.05) with the exemptions of temperature, DO, BOD, COD, acidity, TH, TDS, K, Mg, Zn, Mn, Cd, Pb, Cu, Cr, NH3, NO2, NO3, Ni though slightly lower in most cases in site 9 were not significantly different (p>0.05) and both alkalinity and SO4 which were significantly higher in site 9 than site 1 (p<0.05). Result obtained during dry season reveals that there is no remarkable difference in pH, acidity, Pb and Ni between the nine sites (p>0.05) while other water quality parameters were significantly lower in site 9 than other sites excluding Cl and Mg which were both significantly higher in site 9 than site 8 (p<0.05). Conclusion: To guarantee quality groundwater supply for various purposes in Nigeria's core Niger Delta region, extra efforts must be taken to fully understand hydrogeochemical features and its suitability. Thus, this study will aid in the development of a quantitative understanding of the effects of diverse causes on groundwater level fluctuations in any aquifer around the world. Also, this analysis reinforces a valuable resource for researchers, activists and public officials seeking to help enhance community awareness, planning and performance. The verdicts would remain a valuable guideline for policymakers, the Ministry of Water Resources and development practitioners, as this highlights the requirement for suitable approaches toward mitigating toxic element of water resources contamination in the core Niger Delta toward safeguarding health of the public from carcinogenic as well as non-carcinogenic risks.

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Introduction: Cassava, a naturally flourishing tuberous plant in Nigeria which has been source to varieties of food in its raw, semi-processed, and processed forms has helped reduced poverty and hunger. Cassava in its various food forms contains varying amount of elements like cyanide, copper, selenium, iron, lead, nickel, cadmium and zinc which are essential elements for man, animal and plants but become toxic if the homeostatic mechanisms maintaining their physiological limit are disrupted or their concentration is very high at certain levels. The significant concentration of heavy metals in cassava flour and prolong consumption can damage the health of man. This research work determined the concentration of cyanide and some metal toxicant in cassava flour from Osogbo metropolis. Methodology: Samples were collected across five markets in Osogbo metropolis and analyzed for cyanide, copper, selenium, iron, lead, nickel, cadmium and zinc. Cyanide concentration was determined using UV/visible spectrophotometer, cadmium and selenium using titrimetric methods, while lead, nickel and cadmium were determined using the atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Results: Across all the samples analyzed, the result showed that the ranges of concentration for cyanide was 0.03-0.09mg/kg, copper 0.35-0.62mg/kg, selenium 3.46-5.43mg/kg, iron 0.1-0.6mg/kg, lead 0.01-0.34mg/kg, nickel 0.20-0.49mg/kg, cadmium 0.01-0.05mg/kg, zinc 0.182-0.31mg/kg. The concentration of cyanide, copper, selenium, iron, nickel, cadmium, and zinc are within the NIS permissible limit. Conclusion: The concentration of lead (0.34mg/kg) was found higher in Akindeko market than the NIS permissible limit of 0.1mg/kg for edible cassava flour. Hence, this study clearly advises that there is need for citizen advocacy, continuous monitoring and supervision to improve the hygienic preparation and storage of cassava flour in order to protect man.

Background: Food borne outbreaks have been associated with sourcing unsafe food. Therefore, the first preventative strategy should be to source safe food. Even if the sourced food is safe, measures need to be put in place to ensure that it remains safe during the tra nsfer, storage, preparation and serving activities that follow. An understanding of the ship food supply and transfer chain will help to illustrate the points at which the food can become contaminated en route to the point of consumption. Objectives: The study was conducted in selected sea port in the core Niger Delta to assessed the microbiological quality of food served at different ship galley to crew and passengers and compered it to standard. Methods: Samples of food were taken from three (Port Harcourt Area one (PHSP), Warri (WSP) and Koko (KSP)) seaports within the South-South zone for laboratory analysis to uncover food spoilage microorganisms capable of causing disease outbreak among ship which could result to Trans border diseases. Eleven samples of different ready to eat food were collected from the locations, which included cooked rice; fried fish, irish potato porridge, vegetable soup, griki, pepper soup, fried irish potato, salad and bread were collected randomly. The samples were prepared and analyzed using standard procedures. Mean viable counts of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria were determined, ranging from (13×103cfu/g to 78×104 cfu/g) for ready to eat food. Results: Based on the finding KSP I, KSP J and KSP K food samples had the highest bacterial contamination on food while WSP F, WSP G and WSP H food samples had the least with the following isolates Salmonella spp, Nocardia spp, Shigella spp, Listeria spp, Bacillus cereus, Leuconostoc spp, Acinetobacter spp, Acetobacter spp, campylobacter spp, Clostridium spp and Vibrio spp which revealed that the isolates were susceptible to any of these antibiotics Septrin, Chloramphenicol, Gentamycin, Tarvid, Streptomycin, Reflacin, Augumetin, Ceporex, Nalidixic acid, Ampicillin, Ciproflox, Penicillin and Erythromycin. Conclusion: Thus, ships operators and regulatory body are expected to take all practicable measures to ensure that they do not receive unsafe or unsuitable food and maintain adequate food temperature at all time.