bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Acacia glauca (wild dividivi).
Authors: Pasiecznik Nick
Published: March 2021

A shrubby species (to 5 m tall) from tropical America, where it is common in parts of southern Central America and on many West Indian Islands, in particular on Curacao and Barbados. Since its introduction in the 1920s, it has become naturalized in the Philippines and Indonesia. Its habit is similar to shrubby forms of Leucaena leucocephala (the two species are sometimes confused, but the twigs of A. glauca are more reddish and its pods shorter and more rounded).
Gliricidia sepium (gliricidia).
Authors: Rojas-Sandoval Julissa
Published: March 2021

G. sepium is an extremely versatile, fast-growing, nitrogen-fixing agroforestry tree that is adaptable to a wide range of humid and sub-humid climates and soil conditions including moderately acid and infertile. It is extremely easy to propagate and manage in a wide diversity of different smallholder farming systems to provide a multiplicity of high quality products and services and is a true multipurpose tree. It is one of the commonest and best-known trees in Central America and now has a pantropical distribution cultivated in villages, farms, backyards and along fence lines, paddy bunds, roadsides and terrace boundaries. It is probably the most widely cultivated multipurpose agroforestry tree after Leucaena leucocephala (Simons and Stewart, 1994) and has become increasingly popular due to the problems caused to Leucaena by the psyllid defoliator, Heteropsylla cubana. However, its value and benefits are not universally accepted as there is still debate over the quality of G. sepium forage.
Hibiscus elatus (blue mahoe).
Authors: Rojas-Sandoval Julissa
Published: March 2021

The Caribbean tree H. elatus, known as blue mahoe or majagua, is a highly valued, fast-growing timber species that has adapted to a wide range of sites and is often used in reforestation. It produces excellent timber for high-grade furniture, but can also be used as a windbreak. Ease of germination results in successful plantation establishment. It could be grown on a larger scale as a plantation crop but suffers from epicormic branching and sweep. H. elatus is also grown for ornamental and shade purposes and is the national tree of Jamaica.
Pinus pinaster (maritime pine).
Authors: Pasiecznik Nick
Published: March 2021

P. pinaster plantations have long been cultivated in the Mediterranean basin region (both Europe and North Africa), particularly to stabilise sand dunes, coastal areas and on low fertility soils; the tree has also been a major source of resin as well as general purpose timber. Its major disadvantages are its high susceptibility to fire, and the low quality of the resin compared to that from other pine species. Major research is needed into thinning procedures, especially in the Mediterranean region.
Spathodea campanulata (African tulip tree).
Authors: Rojas-Sandoval Julissa , Acevedo-Rodríguez Pedro , Pasiecznik Nick
Published: March 2021

S. campanulata is a medium-size tree up to 35 m tall and 175 cm in diameter. It is indigenous to Africa where it extends along the west coast from Ghana to Angola and inland across the tropical rain forest region to southern Sudan and Uganda. It grows naturally in secondary forests in the high forest zone and in deciduous transition and savanna forests. In Uganda, it is one of the trees that colonizes grasslands. It grows well in areas with an even distribution of rainfall but will tolerate a dry season of up to six months. It grows on a wide variety of sites, from poorly to excessively drained, but prefers fertile, deep and well-drained loams.
Syzygium cumini (black plum).
Authors: Pasiecznik Nick
Published: March 2021

S. cumini is a large evergreen tree 13 to 30 m tall. It is widely distributed in India, in all except the most arid regions, and its natural distribution probably includes Myanmar, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia and Australia. However, it is widely cultivated in the tropics and subtropics (including China, Africa, Brazil, Florida (USA) and the Caribbean).
Syzygium jambos (rose apple).
Authors: Rojas-Sandoval Julissa , Acevedo-Rodríguez Pedro
Published: March 2021

S. jambos is considered one of the best, if not the best, Syzygium fruit; however, low yield, susceptibility to bruising and short shelf life are serious handicaps. Therefore, it is to be expected that it will remain a home garden tree, appreciated for its ornamental value as much as for its fruit. There is scope for the rose apple as an agroforestry species in denuded areas where soil conservation is important. In addition to producing timber, the stand could be used for the essential oil in the leaves, the pectin in the fruit, or as forage for bees. S. jambos is widely distributed pantropically, but is often rare where introduced and has now only limited economic value. S. jambos has been spreading on oceanic islands where it is viewed with concern because of its perceived high impact on biodiversity. S. jambos casts a heavy shade, is able to regenerate under forest canopy, and is often found in monotypic stands. It is poorly dispersed and as a result it does not spread rapidly further a field. Once established it reduces plant species richness but tends to favour some native species and produces a habitat conducive to some endemic bird species.
Bixa orellana (annatto).
Authors: Ventosa Eduardo
Published: March 2021

B. orellana is a small, bushy tree 2-8 m tall, with maximum diameter at breast height 10-30 cm (Hensleigh and Holaway, 1988). The main product is a non-toxic organic dye obtained from the fruits, known as annatto or bixin. This dye is used commercially in foods, cosmetics, textiles, polish, wax and stains; locally it is used as an insect repellent and as a body paint. The bark exudes a gum and contains fibres which may be twisted into a cordage; the seeds and leaves have medicinal properties (Lemmens and Wulijarni-Soetjipto, 1991; Anon, 1986). B. orellana originated in tropical America (Hensleigh and Holaway 1988) and is now widely planted and naturalized in the tropics (Quisumbing 1951; Backer and Brink, 1963; Quimbo, 1980; Lemmens and Wulijarni-Soetjipto, 1991). It is a light-demanding species and grows well in warm, humid climates which are free from frost and strong winds (Lemmens and Wulijarni-Soetjipto, 1991). This species requires uniformly distributed rainfall, unless the land is irrigated (Bayot, 1986). B. orellana is often intercropped with agricultural crops, and is also grown as an ornamental bushy tree. B. orellana may be propagated from seeds. The pods are harvested once they begin to show a tinge of red or when they begin to split (Hensleigh and Holaway, 1988). Average annual yields of dry seed have been reported as 4.5-5 kg/tree or about 350-700 kg/ha (Brown, 1957; Hensleigh and Holaway, 1988). Seeds are soaked in water or scarified in order to enhance germination, and may be planted in nursery beds or directly in the field. However, propagation from cuttings is often more favourable, as cuttings from high-yielding cultivars yields may bear fruit within two years (Lemmens and Wulijarni-Soetjipto, 1991). This species can also be propagated by air layering. B. orellana grows well without fertilizers, provided the young plants are weeded.
Approximate Killing symmetries in non-perturbative quantum gravity
Authors: Brunekreef J , Reitz M
Published: March 2021

We study the notion of approximate Killing vector fields in several toy models of non-perturbative two-dimensional quantum gravity. Using the framework of discrete exterior calculus, we show how to formulate quantum observables related to such approximate Killing vector fields. Using these methods, we aim to investigate symmetry properties of the space–time geometry produced by the quantum gravitational model at hand. Since we expect quantum fluctuations to dominate at small scales, our goal is to construct a scale-dependent notion of symmetry that might be used to determine whether the emergent (semi-)classical geometry admits any approximate Killing symmetries. We have evaluated one particular choice of such an observable on three ensembles of discrete geometry. We find that the method is useful in the setting where fluctuations are small, but that more work is needed before these ideas can be applied in the deep quantum regime.
Polarized photoluminescence spectroscopy in WS2, WSe2 atomic layers and heterostructures by cylindrical vector beams*
Authors: Wu Lijun , Ge Cuihuan , Braun Kai , He Mai , Liu Siman , Tong Qingjun , Wang Xiao , Pan Anlian
Published: March 2021

Due to the large exciton binding energy, two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) provide an ideal platform for studying excitonic states and related photonics and optoelectronics. Polarization states lead to distinct light-matter interactions which are of great importance for device applications. In this work, we study polarized photoluminescence spectra from intralayer exciton and indirect exciton in WS2 and WSe2 atomic layers, and interlayer exciton in WS2/WSe2 heterostructures by radially and azimuthally polarized cylindrical vector laser beams. We demonstrated the same in-plane and out-of-plane polarization behavior from the intralayer and indirect exciton. Moreover, with these two laser modes, we obtained interlayer exciton in WS2/WSe2 heterostructures with stronger out-of-plane polarization, due to the formation of vertical electric dipole moment.
Antiferromagnetic spin dynamics in exchanged-coupled Fe/GdFeO3 heterostructure*
Authors: Li Na , Tang Jin , Su Lei , Ke Ya-Jiao , Zhang Wei , Xie Zong-Kai , Sun Rui , Zhang Xiang-Qun , He Wei , Cheng Zhao-Hua
Published: March 2021

We investigate the ultrafast spin dynamics of an antiferromagnet in a ferromagnet/antiferromagnet heterostructure Fe/GdFeO3 via an all-optical method. After laser irradiation, the terahertz spin precession is hard to be excited in a bare GdFeO3 without spin reorientation phase but efficiently in Fe/GdFeO3. Both quasi-ferromagnetic and impurity modes, as well as a phonon mode, are observed. We attribute it to the optical modification of interfacial exchange coupling between Fe and GdFeO3. Moreover, the excitation efficiency of dynamics can be modified significantly via the pump laser influence. Our results elucidate that the interfacial exchange coupling is a feasible stimulation to efficiently excite terahertz spin dynamics in antiferromagnets. It will expand the exploration of terahertz spin dynamics for antiferromagnet-based opto-spintronic devices.
A pigment ratio index based on remotely sensed reflectance provides the potential for universal gross primary production estimation
Authors: Wu W , Epstein H E , Guo H , Li X , Gong C
Published: March 2021

Gross primary production (GPP) estimation usually involves a priori assumptions about biome-specific rules or climate controls, which hampers an objective analysis of driving mechanisms. Observation-based methods that are biome-invariant and globally uniform are thus highly desirable. To facilitate this, a reflectance index representing the ratio of chlorophyll to total pigments (R
chl) was proposed to consider the variation of energy conversion efficiency driven by different pigment contents in the canopy. Experiments based on simulated reflectance spectra showed that R
chl could explain over 83% of chlorophyll ratio dynamics. A model was then developed which approximates GPP as the product of R
chl, the normalized difference vegetation index, the near-infrared reflectance, and the photosynthetically active radiation. The model is simple, fast, with definite physical meaning and independent of climatic parameters such as temperature and humidity. Validated with over one hundred thousand field measurements, the model exhibited comparable accuracy to biome- and climate-based GPP models (r = 0.74 for both types of models), demonstrating satisfactory performance. It also achieved significantly better results compared with a regression model excluding R
chl, which emphasizes the important role of R
chl. By avoiding circular analyses in mechanism studies on GPP variations, this model may extend our previous understanding of global terrestrial carbon uptake.
Application of spectral imaging for safety inspection of fresh cut vegetables
Authors: Cho B K
Published: March 2021

Food safety remains a critical issue and receiving increasing attention in both developed and developing countries. Fresh-cut vegetables may contain foreign objects such as small plastic pieces or biological contaminants (bugs and worms). In order to comply with requirements for product safety and maintain consumer confidence, there is a need for high-throughput, non-invasive technique for foreign objects detection in and real-time sorting of fresh-cuts. In this work, a liquid crystal tunable filter (LCTF) based spectral imaging system in the spectral range from 420 nm to 730 nm has developed and integrated with a conveyor unit. A software-interface was developed to collect the selected band images of moving samples and real time image processing for potential foreign materials detection on fresh cut vegetables. Spectral images throughout the whole spectral region were first collected for both fresh-cuts and foreign materials. The optimal wavebands for discriminating between foreign materials contaminated and sound fresh-cut were investigated. The optimal wavebands for each fresh-cut were selected and thus the developed system was used in multispectral imaging mode. Image processing algorithms were developed for detection of all potential foreign materials in fresh cut processing. The obtained results demonstrate that several kinds of foreign materials can be detected effectively despite being similar in color or nearly transparent. The ultimate advantage of a developed system is that it can be used either as in fluorescence mode or for collection of multispectral images in visible regions.
Analysis of land resources balance in Nusa Tenggara Timur Province
Authors: Putri R F , Rokhim A A , Prakosa M G , Hastari N R F , Adhesti Y M P , Junaedi R N , Ramdani H P , Omar R C
Published: March 2021

Land is an abiotic component that plays a role in providing space for human activity. Land utilization and land use will always be related to population development. If the population continues to grow, the need for land will continue to increase which means the population pressure on the land will also increase, while the land has limited properties. Nusa Tenggara Timur province is a province that has a population of about 4.3 million people with a total area of approximately 4.9 million hectares of which 1.7 million hectares are forests. This research is conducted with the aim of knowing and analyzing land-based resource balance of land resources in the province of East Nusa Tenggara so that it can be concluded about the supporting power of land in East Nusa Tenggara province. The balance of land resources in 2007-2012 and 2013-2017 showed that there was a reduction in an agricultural land area of 11,162 Ha, while non-agricultural land increased by 9,962 Ha. Agricultural land is reduced in the form of plantation land, while the increase in the field of rice fields, moor, and fields. The support of East Nusa Tenggara province has decreased by 0.01 annually due to increasing population. Urban areas such as Kupang City have a lower value for land capacity (DDL) than rural areas.
Economic development of south coastal region Purworejo Regency based on superior commodities
Authors: Puspitaningrum I N , Sudrajat
Published: March 2021

The diversity of superior potential that exists in the southern coastal region of Purworejo Regency is one of the basic capital in economic development. However, the reality is the diversity of superior commodity potentials from the agricultural sector has not become a basis in the economic development of the southern coastal region of Purworejo Regency. Based on this, the research is focused on examining various types of potential commodity as a basis in the economic development of the southern coastal region of Purworejo Regency. The data used in this study are secondary data. Secondary data were obtained through institutional studies from local government agencies. Data were analyzed using the LQ, Shift share and SWOT models. The results of the study found that there are various types of superior commodities that will be the basis for the development of the southern coastal region of Purworejo Regency.
Input orientation and output orientation: which one is more challenging? A study of agricultural co-operative
Authors: Siregar A P , Waluyati L R , Jamhari  , Dewi M P , Rohman M A A , Samsudin A , Masitoh D
Published: March 2021

Co-operatives have unique characteristics that are not found in other entities; namely, members are the owner and the user or consumer of its product. Therefore, Co-operative members have the right to determine the direction of co-operative development and at the same time, get optimal service from the co-operative. Every year, the co-operative holds an annual member meeting, and at that moment, the remaining income is distributed based on the contribution of each member. In connection with that matter, co-operatives need to earn positive income to serve members sustainably. To achieve a business surplus, a strategy is needed whether to optimize input or output optimization. The objective of this study is to measure the level of efficiency of agricultural co-operatives compared to other types of co-operatives from the perspective of input orientation and output orientation. The analytical method used is descriptive-analytical, using data from the Central Statistics Agency from 2010 to 2019. Data analysis uses Data Envelopment Analysis with the assumption of Variable Return to Scale. The results showed that based on input and output orientation, agricultural co-operatives were relatively inefficient compared to other co-operatives year by year. Between the two orientations, it is recommended that agricultural co-operatives choose output orientation to achieve its goal.
Rice cultivars responses to different salinity levels at coastal agricultural land of Yogyakarta
Authors: Kurniasih B , Hasanah U , Muflikhah N , Tohari
Published: March 2021

At present, the coastal sandy soil in special region of Yogyakarta has developed to be a potential agricultural field. Salinity has become one main obstacle in this specific field. The research aimed to examine the growth and yield responses of three rice cultivars in several salinity levels in this coastal sandy soil. The research was carried out in Srigading and Baros Villages, Bantul District of Yogyakarta Special Region, Indonesia. A split plot design was applied, with salinity levels (0.1; 1.0 and 2.5) dS.m−1 as main plot and rice varieties (IR 64, Situbagendit and Dendang) as sub plot. The treatments were replicated three times. The results showed that there was hardly significant difference in most of the growth and yield variables in IR 64 and Situbagendit. However, at 2.5 dS.m−1 Dendang (the salt resistant rice) performed the highest chlorophyll content. With salinity up to 2.5 dS.m−1, there was an increase in stomatal conductance, shoot dry biomass and grain yield. Overall, adding salinity up to 2.5 dS. m−1 in coastal sandy soil promoted better growth and yield of rice. However, with higher salinity levels, grain yields decreased. The decrease in grain yield was larger in salt resistant variety, than in salt sensitive varieties.
Profile of thyroid hormone in male Layer chickens given by testosterone
Authors: Yuneldi R F , Airin C M , Saragih H T S S G , Astuti P
Published: March 2021

The aim of the study was to evaluate the administration of Testosterone toward growth, levels of Triiodothyronine (T3) and Thyroxine (T4) in male Layer chicken. Forty male Layer chickens strain Isa Brown was used in this study. Chickens were divided into 2 groups, control and treatment groups (given commercial testosterone) at a dose of 3 mg/kg body weight/day for 5 weeks. The results showed the growth of chickens treated by Testosterone increased significantly from week 1 to week 5 with a range between 59.43 ± 0.76 grams to 332.50 ± 0.79 grams, (P < 0.05). However, due to treatment differences, the results obtained that the administration of Testosterone cannot accelerate the growth of male Layer chickens (P > 0.05). Even in the week 3 and week 4, the growth rate is lower than the control. The levels reduction of T3 start from 4.91 ± 0.98 ng/mL to 1.38 ± 0.09 ng/mL, while T4 levels start from 1.01 ± 0.85 ug/mL to 0.84 ± 0.21 ug/mL. It could be concluded that the administration of testosterone can reduce T3 and T4 levels but cannot accelerate the growth rate of male Layer chickens.
Remote sensing for coral reef and seagrass cover mapping to support coastal management of small islands
Authors: Lazuardi W , Wicaksono P , Marfai M A
Published: March 2021

Coral reefs and seagrass are critical coastal resources due to their role in the ecosystem benefits for the coastal environment in terms of biodiversity, coastal protection, fisheries, and tourism. It is therefore important to preserve and protect these species. Coral and seagrass percent cover mapping is a simple approach to assess coral and seagrass condition. The application of remote sensing of coral and seagrass percent cover mapping is very challenging with respect to performance and accuracy. This research aims to utilize remote sensing data for coral and seagrass percent cover mapping. Linear and machine learning regressions (RF and SVM) were used to develop a coral and seagrass percent cover model from a Sentinel-2 MSI images. The Sentinel-2 MSI images were transformed into deglint, water column (DII), principal component, and mean texture analysis as input bands for the model. The results showed that coral percent cover mapping accuracy is relatively low (RMSE = ±17%) due to various problems, limitations, and an inaccurate model, whereas the results of the seagrass percent cover map had higher accuracy, with RMSE ±11%. The results obtained indicate that the seagrass percent cover map is suitable for use as basic information to support coastal management. However, the coral percent cover map is not an optimal information source due to its low accuracy.
Bathymetry mapping using PlanetScope imagery on Kemujan Island, Karimunjawa, Indonesia
Authors: Wulandari S A , Wicaksono P
Published: March 2021

Bathymetrical information plays an important role in the management of coastal resources such as fisheries and shipping lanes, and is basic information of coastal resources besides benthic habitat. The extraction of satellite data for bathymetry mapping or SDB (Satellite-Derived Bathymetry) has emerged as an effective method to obtain information in terms of cost and time. Kemujan Island is an island with unique geomorphology and thus selected as a study area for bathymetry mapping. The method applied single band and band ratio methods on PlanetScope imagery. PlanetScope was chosen because it has high spatial and temporal resolution. The image used was acquired on June 30, 2017. The results show that linear regression is more representative than SVR-based modeling, with the best single band modeling from the (ln) Green band and the best band ratio modeling from the ratio transformation of Blue (ln)/(ln) Green. Single band had higher correlation and accuracy than band ratio (0.89 and 0.66, respectively) and RMSE value of 0.78 and 0.96, respectively. However, based on bathymetry profiling, the results of band ratio modeling are more appropriate as the single band method cannot afford to minimize the effect of various bottom types.
Relationship the physical quality of residential environment with Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) in toddlers at West Semarang sub-district in 2019 using high resolution remote sensing image
Authors: Dewi N A , Widayani P
Published: March 2021

ARI is an acute infectious disease that attacks one or more parts of the airways from the nose to the alveoli. Toddlers who tend to be static, reflecting the physical quality of the environment in which they live. This study aims to: (1) map the physical quality of the residential environment from high-resolution remote sensing images; and (2) knowing relationship between the physical quality of residential environment and ARI cases in toddlers. The method used to map the physical quality of residential environment is the Spatial Multi Criteria Evaluation (SMCE) and Pearson Correlation method used to determine the relation between the physical quality of residential environment and ARI cases. The results of the image interpretation accuracy test are 90.96%, which indicates that remote sensing images can be used to extract data on the physical quality of residential environments that have an effect on ARI disease. Pearson correlation test result is 0.454 which indicates a moderate relationship. Analysis of the distribution pattern of ARI in toddlers with Nearest Neighbor Analysis resulted in a ratio value of 0.48; the z-score value is -22.6 and the p-value is 0.0, which means that the pattern of ARI in toddlers in West Semarang is clustered.
Calculating quantities of ice gel for cooling of fresh-cut melon in temporary storage box during distribution
Authors: Wardhani N S K , Sabarisman I , Anoraga S B
Published: March 2021

Temperature reduction can be done by adding a cooling media, one of which is ice gel. The use of ice gel as a cooling medium should take notice of the load heat during distribution because the load of heat that is removed by ice gel is limited. The calculation of the required heat load that needed to be removed to determine the amount of ice gel required during distribution. The calculations include the heat load of the storage box, the heat load of the fruit, and the heat load of the fruit respiration. The temporary storage box is made of thermotec heat shield material and has 3 shelves. This study uses fresh-cut melon as a sample of stored fruit. The result of calculating the ice gel needed in the distribution and storage for the top shelf and middle shelf respectively as many as 3 ice gel and the bottom shelf is 2 of ice gel 0.496 grams to storage 22 fresh-cut melon-sized 60 grams.
Spatial distribution of agriculture commodity in Cilacap Regency
Authors: Rifani A , Nugroho A D , Winaryo  , Tyas D W , Masduqi E , Topo A H , Hidayanti R , Masithah R A , Romadhon R D , Sulissetiyo T , Reniningsih
Published: March 2021

The agricultural commodities in Cilacap Regency has potential to meet the local needs. This research is intended to describe the type, quantity and location of commodity in Cilacap Regency. The analysis models used in this research are GIS, LQ, and study literature. The study showed that Cilacap Regency has excellent potential in food crops, horticulture, plantation, and animal husbandry commodities. Food crops commodities include rice, corn and soybeans. Horticultural commodities include orange, mangosteen, papaya, banana, and chili. Plantation commodities include rubber, coconut, nutmeg, cloves, and coffee. Animal husbandry commodities include cow, goat, duck, broiler, and chicken. Agropolitan commodities are spread in several sub-districts in Cilacap Regency with a variety of biodiversity in adequate land area. The distribution of locations are Dayeuhluhur, Cimanggu, Majenang, Wanareja, Karangpucung, Gandrumangu and Cipari Districts.
Automatic water level monitoring system based on computer vision technology for supporting the irrigation modernization
Authors: Kuswidiyanto L W , Nugroho A P , Jati A W , Wismoyo G W , Murtiningrum  , Arif S S
Published: March 2021

Measurement of water level in the irrigation channel is required to calculate the irrigation discharge so that crops can be irrigated precisely. Large irrigation areas require a real-time and accurate monitoring system that cuts operational costs. In a previous study, ultrasonic technology has already been developed and implemented. However, during the actual operation, visual verification is needed. To address the problem, an automatic water level monitoring system based on visual appearance using computer vision technology is developed. The image-based system works by automatically capturing canal gauge, identifying canal gauge in an image using colour detection method, measuring the length of the pixel of canal gauge, and convert it to an actual water level. As a result of the performance test, five photos were taken in 24 hours. One image was accurately measured by the microcomputer. This is because the intensity of sunlight affects the colour of the canal gauge so that the microcomputer incorrectly or inaccurately identifies the canal gauge length. A pre-calibration is needed to find a specific colour range for specific light intensity. Also a robust, less colour sensitive such as night vision imagery needs to be developed to overcome luminescence problems.
A study on physicochemical parameters of fish pond effluents: A case study of Umudibia fish farm
Authors: Ibearugbulam H O , Ugwu E I , Ekeleme A C , Njoku C E , Amanamba E C , Ezebuiro V , Ibe O P , Igwegbe EW
Published: March 2021

This study investigated the physicochemical characteristics of fish pond effluents. Four (4) effluent samples were collected at two-day intervals from a fish pond located at Umudiba Nekede, Owerri, and analyzed to ascertain their characteristics. The physiochemical parameters assessed are the temperature, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, total dissolved solids, turbidity, ammonia, total hardness, alkalinity, pH, and electrical conductivity. The result revealed the following ranges for the physicochemical characteristics: temperature (23.0 to 25.9°C), pH (6.24 to 3.1), total alkalinity (43.1 to 50.4mg/l), total dissolved solid (27.9 to 95.2 mg/l), total hardness (19.7 to 21.5mg/l), turbidity (12 to 170 NTU), and electrical conductivity (137.6 to 144.3 μmhos/cm). The result of the study indicated that the effluents from the fish pond could constitute a threat to the ecology of the aquatic water bodies if not properly treated before discharge.
Health Risk Assessment of Groundwater in Omu-Aran, Nigeria
Authors: Elemile O O , Ibitogbe E M , Adewumi J R , Folorunso O P , Osueke C O
Published: March 2021

Pollution of groundwater by bathroom, laundry and kitchen effluent has been documented to have non-desirable health and environmental effects. There is little information about the quality of groundwater and associated health effects in Omu-Aran. The present research therefore meets the need to investigate the levels of heavy metals, the pollution effects, and the long term human health risk effect on local inhabitants in Omu-Aran. Thirty water samples were collected from five hand dug wells (HWs) in different parts of Omu-Aran spanning a period of three months and the heavy metal parameters were determined using standard protocol. The non-carcinogenic risk was evaluated using hazard index (HI) according to United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) risk assessment method. Data analysis were carried out by the use of descriptive statistics. From the result, mean values and SD of heavy metals in the water samples obtained from selected HWs ranged from 0.16 ± 0.13 to 0.29 ± 0.18 mg/L, 0.29 ± 0.02 to 1.36 ± 0.07 mg/L, 0.00 ± 0.00 to 0.72 ± 0.04 mg/L, 0.00 ± 0.00 to 0.51 ± 0.09 mg/L, 0.01 ± 0.01 to 5.26 ± 0.07 mg/L, and from 0.03 ± 0.01 to 12.96 ± 2.82 mg/L for Al, Fe, Mn, Cr, Cu, and Zn respectively. The heavy metals were all above the WHO limits except Pb and Fe. The hazard index values ranged from 1.406 to 10.075 indicating significant non-carcinogenic risk. The findings of the study, has shown that there is considerable amount of heavy metal pollution which stems from anthropogenic sources. There was no observable risk via dermal pathways based on hazard quotient values while non-carcinogenic risk via ingestion was observed for all the locations. There is therefore a need to bring awareness to the community for the purpose of ensuring safety of its active water sources.
Effectiveness of Moringa Oleifera and Blends of Both Alum and Moringa as Coagulant in the Treatment of Dairy Wastewater
Authors: Elemile O O , Eze N E , Ogedengbe K
Published: March 2021

Food processing industries can cause some serious problems for the environment through the discharge of wastewater. There is little information on the effectiveness of Moringa Oleifera (MO)seeds on the treatment of dairy wastewater, this study therefore evaluated the effectiveness of MO seeds and blends of both alum and MO in the coagulation of diary wastewater. Wastewater collected from oriental food industry limited was kept in a 10L capacity plastic container covered using a black polyethene bag containing ice blocks and conveyed to the laboratory where it was kept in a refrigerator. Six different beakers (Nos 0-5) were filled with 200 mL of wastewater and different doses of the selected coagulant (alum, MO and a blend of both) was added to the six beakers ranging from 0-10mL at an increment of 2mL to treat the wastewater. The beaker with number 0 served as the control (no dosage) and this whole process was applied to both coagulants. This test was carried out at a settling time of 1 hour. The physicochemical characteristics of the treated dairy wastewater were determined using the standard methods. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and ANOVA. The analysis indicated that the raw wastewater had values of 932 NTU, 1690.99 mg/L, 7.2 and 685 mg/L for turbidity, BOD, pH and TSS respectively. The results revealed that at an optimum dosage and settling time of 10mL and 1hr respectively, the TSS removal efficiencies of 88.76, 82.63 and 86.42 % were obtained for blend of moringa and alum, alum and moringa respectively. The three types of coagulants did not have much effects on the BOD and there were no significant differences in the values. The use of the blend of moringa and alum is effective in the treatment of dairy wastewater.
Water Quality of Selected Sachet Water Brands Sold in Sango-Ota, Nigeria
Authors: Ayegbo K S , Ogundipe K E , Olimaro G , Ajimalofin A D , Akinwumi I I
Published: March 2021

Clean and safe water drinking is essential for the attainment of the United Nations sustainable development goals. The study assessed the physical and chemical parameters of ten (10) brands of sachet water sold at Sango-Ota in Ogun State, Nigeria. The physical parameters (temperature, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS), power of hydrogen (pH) and turbidity) and chemical parameters ((calcium (Ca), potassium (K), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe) and chloride (Cl)) of the sachet water samples were determined. The physical parameter tests were analysed using Hanna Instruments (Model HI 98130). The compliance of the physico-chemical parameters of the samples with the drinking water standard requirements of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Nigeria Standard Drinking Water Quality (NSDWQ) was analysed. The pH values of the samples were within the range 6.5-8.5, in conformity with the WHO and NSDWQ standard for drinking water. The electrical conductivity ranged from 0.02 - 0.06 µS/cm, falling within the permissible limit (1000 µS/cm) of WHO standard. The TDS of 0.01 - 0.03 mg/l were within the recommended permissible limit (1000mg/l) recommended by WHO. Similarly, the TDS, TSS and Turbidity were within the recommended permissible limits of the WHO. For the chemical parameters, the concentrations of K, Cu, Mn, Zn, Mg, Fe and Cl in the sachet water samples were within the WHO permissible limits of drinking water. However, some brands had their Ca concentrations above the WHO drinking water permissible limit. Generally, all the brands of sachet water samples studied were considered safe for drinking.
Vulnerability Assessment of Groundwater Contamination from an Open dumpsite: Labete Dumpsite as a Case study
Authors: Olaoye R A , Afolayan O D , Adewale R , Ogundairo T O
Published: March 2021

The assessment of leachate impact on groundwater is very crucial to human health and its environment. This research work aimed at assessing Labete dumpsite and its effects on groundwater integrity in the vicinity of the dumpsite. Soil samples were collected for leachate analysis at a depth of 0.5m from the earth’s surface within the proximity of the dumpsite. Four different groundwater samples (GW1-GW4) were collected at radial distances from the dumpsite. Collected water samples were analyzed to examine their Cr, Fe, Cd, Pb, Zn, and Cu ions content. Physicochemical and bacteriological analysis were also considered and measured against NSDWQ and WHO standards for drinking water. The results showed that the level of groundwater contamination is directly proportional to the depth of the water table (collection) and the distance of the dumpsite from the shallow wells. GW1 and GW2 groundwater samples were not fit for consumption unless adequately treated.
Effect of varying concentrations on the yield of activated carbon produced from African star apple
Authors: Abatan G , Busari A , Odunlami O , Alao G , Oni B A , Ayoola A , Abraham D
Published: March 2021

Activated carbon has been developed using different techniques and activating agents. The activation of carbon is done using different chemical, physical, and bio activating agents. This activating agent gives various outcomes of the activated carbon depending on the structure of the cursor used. The increase in population has also brought about a significant increase in waste generated. In this work, we were able to produce activated carbon from African star apple seed using the seed, husk, and shell. This work was carried out using a furnace at 500 C. The carbon produced was then activated using different concentrations of Phosphoric acid (H3PO4), which are 0.2M, 0.4 M, 0.6 M, 0.8 M and 1.0 M. Whole seed which was impregnated with 0.2 M gave the highest yield of 87.192%. The amount of activating agent used did not determine the yield.
Evaluation of Solid Waste Storage and Disposal Practices in Nsukka, Enugu State
Authors: Nnaji C C , Afangideh B C , Udokpoh U U , Nnam J P
Published: March 2021

Poor waste management has remained a nagging environmental issue for many developing countries. This paper examined the mode of solid waste storage and disposal in Nsukka, with the aim of providing and synthesizing data needed for waste management planning and policy making. A total of three hundred (300) well-structured questionnaires were administered to households cutting across ten communities to generate quantitative data on demographics as well as waste storage and disposal practices. The qualitative methods such as oral interviews, observation surveys, and secondary data were also employed. An initial environmental quality assessment of the selected households showed that 58.5% of houses surveyed were littered with waste and 71% had bushy surrounding. The study reveals that the distribution of waste storage container sizes are: 0 – 5 L (4%), 6 – 10 L (43%), 11 – 20 L (51%) and > 21 L (2%). It was also observed that the prevalent types of waste storage containers in Nsukka are: plastic bins (49%), polythene bags (15%) and cartons (10%) with volume ranging from 0.1 to 0.625m3. The remaining twenty-six (26%) was distributed among other unconventional waste storage types. Eighty-eight percent (88%) of the residents in the study area can access waste dumps within a radius of 1 km or five minutes walking distance. The waste storage containers in the study area were of varying types and capacities which makes waste management more tasking. Indiscriminate solid waste disposal is necessitated by perceived non proximity of waste dumps to residents. Door to door services should be provided to residents by integrating private sector into waste management. Material such as aluminum should be used in manufacturing of waste containers because of it lightweight and durability.
Integration of Magnetic Data and Geo-Spatial Analysis for Characterising Aquiferious Yields in New Estate, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State
Authors: Omeje M , Adewoyin O O , Joel E S , Emenike P C , Omeje U A , Johnson M O
Published: March 2021

This study was conducted to understand the possible causes of abortive boreholes along the New Estate in Covenant University. The conceptual model predicted the two groundwater characteristics of weathered and the unweathered zones. The V-shape curve revealed two groundwater anomalies with high and low curves. The peak anomaly indicates the higher resistivity, presumed to be the geological structures of unsaturated features in the area. The sink V-shape curve indicate an anomaly with groundwater features, presenting low resistivity values attributed to be water bearing formation that will be viable for groundwater potential. The Iso-resistivity contour map identified possible groundwater features. The first Iso-resistivity column is a region of aquitard with a semipervious in nature that could transmit water in a slower rate. The second groundwater feature in column 2 is a perch aquifer that could enhance the main aquifer due to interconnectivity and pore pressure of downward-upward migration in confined hydrogeological aquifer setting. Column 3 depicts a complete impermeable feature of aquifuge or aquiclude of subsurface structure with rich in clay sediments or stratum of sediments found at the depth range of 30 m to 270 m. The forth groundwater column indicates a promising water bearing formation, probably sandy in nature with a depth range of 210 to 300 m and thickness of about 90 m. The spatial analysis identified the two locations along the survey areas to be suitable for productive boreholes as well as the trending of the groundwater in the area to be Northwestern Southeast direction. Consequently, the model could be a guide to organize site data, understand site processes and screen for applicability of drilling. These multiple methods of geophysical, spatial analysis and conceptual model could be used a tool for mapping hydrocarbon bearing formation.
Strength evaluation of agro waste particle board with melted pure water sachet as the binding agent
Authors: Atoyebi O D , Orogbade B O , Aladegboye O J , Adebiyi J A
Published: March 2021

Particle board is a construction material that can be used either for construction form works or house furniture, roofing or insulating materials. Due to its usefulness, this research work is aimed at evaluating the mechanical strength and rheological properties of particle board using agro waste namely corncob (CC) and sawdust(SD) with melted pure water sachet as the binding agent. The use of the pure water sachet or low density polyethylene (LDPE) as the binder was also evaluated, by the use of dual purpose kerosene (DPK) to form the homogenous binder that was used to produce the board. The proportion of LDPE to DPK was 50g to 300ml. Three ratio of the LDPE to sawdust and corncob were used; 2:1, 1½: 1, and 1: 1 in which the ratio of CC to SD was interchanged in proportion of 25%:75%, 50%: 50% and 75%: 25% to make 100% aggregate or combination. The production of the particle board was then made with a dimension of 350mm x 350mm x 10mm. The rheological properties of the binder show that it has adequate viscosity, binding power and strength compatible with the sawdust and the corncob. The results from the physical and mechanical property such as density, water absorption (WA), thickness swelling (TS), modulus of rupture (MR) and the modulus of elasticity (ME) concluded that the particle board type 1:1 had favorable physical properties that are recommended for indoor uses in building.
Household energy consumption within a low-income neighbourhood in Akure, Nigeria
Authors: Olanrewaju S D , Adegun O B
Published: March 2021

Globally, energy consumption represents a major contributor to climate change and global environmental problems. Identifying the potential factors explaining the variability in household energy consumption in buildings aids the development of appropriate energy conservation policies. The analysis of energy in residential sectors captures energy consumed by households to maintain operational functions of their daily lives. This study examines the household energy consumption in a low-income neighbourhood in Akure. Based on the results from a survey of 80 households, this study presents the energy consumption pattern of households in the study area. The study finds that energy is dominated by fossil fuel sources. Predominant proportion of energy consumed is used for cooking. The study concludes by outlining some practical implications for policy and practice.
Building structural health monitoring: a tool for building collapse mitigation
Authors: Ongbali S O , Afolalu S A , Oladipupo S , Akra S , Bello K A
Published: March 2021

Building collapse occurs recurrently worldwide on account of a myriad of variables associated with man or nature whose consequences are loss of life and properties that are sometimes incalculable. This paper aims to appraise the current advances in the topic area to identify and provide a holistic document on building structural health monitoring approaches that are fragmented in the literature to enable practitioners, stakeholders, and inspectors gain insight into the modern and cost-effective methods of building structural health monitoring to alleviate the incessant problem. It appeared that most of the approaches are interwoven and dependent on one another to obtain reliable information on building structural integrity. Apart from the traditional methods of visual inspection and non-destructive assessment of building health monitoring, it appeared the predominant and recent approaches to building health monitoring are analytics or statistics-based, statistics-sensor based, fiber optic framework, fiber optic-sensor network, and sensor-based. Arguments in the literature suggest that the analytics or statistics approach may not provide accurate information on account of the outlier and data corruption. The fiber optic approach is expensive and time consuming compared with the fiber-sensor network method. Finally, the sensor-based building health monitoring is less expensive over other approaches and provides reliable and accurate information on building integrity. Hence, we suggest future research direction should focus on the development and integration of fiber optic-sensor network and sensor-based methods of building health monitoring to improve the accuracy of the methods.
Evaluation of the Free Swell and Physio-chemical Properties of Black Cotton Soil Treated with Bacillus Coagulans
Authors: Eberemu A O , Bassey A B , Osinubi K J
Published: March 2021

The effect of Bacillus coagulans (B. coagulans) on the free swell and physio-chemical properties of black cotton soil (or expansive tropical black clay) was investigated using the Microbial Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP) technique. Black cotton soil was treated with different mix ratios of B. coagulans suspension density (B) and cementation reagent (C) for the volume obtained as product of the liquid limit and a specific weight of soil sample. The mix ratios considered were 25B-75C, 50B-50C and 75B-25C for the treated specimens, while the control specimen was mixed with 100C only. The results obtained show that for treatment of soil with 25B-75C mix ratio, free swell value decreased with increased B. coagulans suspension density from 70.0 % and 50.0 % for the natural and control specimens, respectively, to minimum value of 40.0 %, at B. coagulans suspension density of 2.4 × 109 cells/ml. The cation exchange capacity (CEC) value for the natural and control specimens were 49.7 and 29.6 Cmol/Kg, respectively, while for the treated specimens the values generally decreased a minimum value of 29.0 Cmol/Kg at B. coagulans suspension density of 2.4 × 109 cells/ml. The pH test results initially decreased from 7.4 for the control specimen to a minimum at of 7.37 at B. coagulans treatment suspension density of 1.5 × 108 cells/ml and thereafter gradually increased to 7.51 at peak B. coagulans suspension density of 2.4 × 109 cells/ml. Tests results indicate that treatment of black cotton soil with 25B-75C mix ratio at 2.4 × 109 cells/ml B. coagulans suspension density significantly reduced the free swell value and makes it useable for engineering application.