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ABSTRACT:The study aimed at phytochemical screening, elemental and proximate composition of two varieties of Cyperus esculentus (tiger nut) big yellow and small brown nuts using standard methods. The phytochemicals tested for were alkaloid, saponin, tannin, glycoside, flavonoid, steroid and resin. All the aforementioned phytochemicals with the exception of resin were present in the two varieties. The elements tested for were Na, Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn, K and Fe. The result shows big yellow variety had higher Na, K, and Ca with mean values 70.8 mg/Kg, 3694.43 mg/Kg and 372.2 mg/Kg respectively. Both samples had equal Fe, Zn and Mn contents of 21.0 mg/Kg, 8.3 mg/Kg and 1.67 mg/Kg respectively. Small brown variety had higher Mg content (308.3 mg/Kg). The proximate analysis show brown yellow variety had higher ash, crude protein and crude fiber contents with values of 1.85%, 2.75% and 9.25% respectively. While small brown variety had higher moisture and fatty acid contents of 4.25 % and 15.2% respectively. Considering the potential nutritive and health benefits of the underutilized tiger nuts, it is suggested that utilization of tiger nut products (such as biscuits, flour and milk etc.) should be encouraged so as to ameliorate the problem of protein-calorie malnutrition in children, since it is rich in nutritional contents.

This work aimed at assessing the concentrations of heavy metals in the surface water of BompaiJakara drainage basin. The points of sampling were designated as A, B, C, D, E, and F. Acid-washed (1L) plastic bottles were used in collecting the water samples, which were then digested using nitric acid (HNO 3 ). The digested samples were analyzed for Fe, Cr, Cu, Zn and Pb using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (Model IL250). The seasonal sequence of heavy metals concentrations showed Zn>Fe>Cr>Cu>Pb and Fe>Zn>Cr>Cu>Pb in dry and wet seasons respectively, while that of annual was Cr>Fe>Zn>Cu>Pb. The results showed that all of the five elements analyzed have concentrations well above the FEPA, WHO, AWWA, CCME standard limit for effluents discharge into surface. There was an observed seasonal variations in which dry season had a relatively higher heavy metals concentration, but not statistically significant at P≤0.05. This study underscores the need for the government to establish water catchments management agency for the purpose of protecting the basin ecologically and health wise, bearing in mind the socio-economic potentialities the basin has on the populace utilizing it and the nation in general.

This paper revisits the controversial issues bedevilling classification of the parasitic protozoa as a result of varying interest by different scientists belonging to protozoology and parasitology axes. In recent years, the availability of a number of molecular markers has made it possible to analyse relationships between protozoa that would not have been possible using morphological characters alone. Three terms are currently widely used: Protozoa, Protoctista, and Protista. However, parasitologists tend to be very conservative and the term Protozoa is now almost universally used by scientist working with those parasitic unicellular organisms that infect humans and domesticated animals. With the creation of 5 kingdoms, status of Protozoa was raised to that of a kingdom, which formerly was a Phylum. Thus, the subordinate groups automatically became Phyla. The increase in the number of parasitic protozoa recorded from humans and the accumulation of knowledge about their biology led to the creation of taxonomic and other groupings at the subgenus and subspecie levels. Corliss (1994) in his scheme has used both traditional and contemporary approaches and has attempted to retain familiar names as far as possible. It is important that any classification should reflect modern thinking about the classification as a whole, while retaining sufficient traditional material so as to permit every reference to information retrieval systems

But there was no significant difference at P≤0.05. There was significant negative correlation between zooplankton abundance and temperature, pH and TDS at P≤0.05. This study revealed that physicochemical fluctuations was negative impact on the zooplankton species richness and abundance, thus, the need for the government to establish catchment management agency in order to curtail the menace that disrupt the aquatic ecosystem.