Amaranthus hybridus waste solid biofuel: comparative and machine learning studies.

The diminishing supply of fossil fuels, their detrimental environmental effects, and the challenges associated with the disposal of agro-waste necessitated the development of renewable and sustainable alternative energy sources. This study aims at developing bio-briquettes from Amaranthus hybridus waste, with cassava starch as a binder; both are agricultural wastes. Before and following delignification, alkali-treated Amaranthus hybridus (TAHB) and untreated (UAHB) briquettes were evaluated in terms of combustion and physicochemical parameters. FTIR and SEM were utilized to monitor the morphological transformation and bond restructuring of TAHB and UAHB samples. EDXRF was used to assess the Potential Toxic Elements (PTEs) composition and environmental friendliness of both TAHB and UAHB. Furthermore, Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) and fuzzy c-means (FCM) clustering machine learning models were used to optimize the production process and predict the efficiency of bio-briquettes. After delignification, a lower lignin value of 11.47 ± 0.00% in TAHB compared to 12.31 ± 0.01% (UAHB) was recorded. Calorific values of 10.43 ± 0.25 MJ kg-1 (UAHB) and 12.53 ± 0.30 MJ kg-1 (TAHB) were recorded at p < 0.05. EDXRF results showed a difference of 0.016% in Pb concentration in both samples. SEM reveals morphological restructuring, while FTIR reveals a 4 cm-1 difference in the C-O stretch. The root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), and mean absolute error (MAE) gave values of 0.0249, 2.104, and, 0.0249; (MAE, training) and 0.0223 (MAE, testing) respectively. This shows that the model's predictions match the reality, thereby suggesting a strong agreement between the predicted and experimental data. The finding of this study shows that delignification-disruption improved the solid biofuel's ability to burn cleanly and sustainably.

Thermally modified nanocrystalline snail shell adsorbent for methylene blue sequestration: equilibrium, kinetic, thermodynamic, artificial intelligence, and DFT studies.

In recent years, the quest for an efficient and sustainable adsorbent material that can effectively remove harmful and hazardous dyes from industrial effluent has become more intense. The goal is to explore the capability of thermally modified nanocrystalline snail shells (TMNSS) as a new biosorbent for removing methylene blue (MB) dye from contaminated wastewater. TMNSS was employed in batch adsorption experiments to remove MB dye from its solutions, taking into account various adsorption parameters such as contact time, temperature, pH, adsorbent dosage, and initial concentration. SEM, EDS, XRD, and FTIR were used to characterize the adsorbent. The study further developed and adopted adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) and density functional theory (DFT) studies to holistically examine the adsorption process of MB onto the adsorbent. EDX and FTIR confirm the formation of CaO with a sharp peak at 547 cm-1, and C-O and O-H are present, as well. SEM and XRD show an irregularly shaped highly crystalline nanosized (65 ± 2.81 nm) particle with a lattice parameter value of 8.611617 Å. The adsorption efficiency of 96.48 ± 0.58% was recorded with a pH of 3.0 and an adsorbent dose of 10 mg at 30 °C. The findings from the study fit nicely onto Freundlich isotherms, with Qm = 31.7853 mg g-1 and R2 = 0.9985. Pseudo-second-order kinetics recorded the least error value of 0.8792 and R2 = 0.9868, thus indicating chemisorption and multilayer adsorption processes. The exothermic and spontaneous nature of the adsorption process are demonstrated by ΔH° and ΔG°. The performance of the ANFIS-based prediction of removal rate, which was demonstrated by a root mean square error (RMSE) value of 2.2077, mean absolute deviation (MAD) value of 1.1429, mean absolute error (MAE) value of 1.8786, and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) value of 2.0178, revealed that the ANFIS model predictions and experimental findings are in good agreement. More so, DFT provides insights into the molecular interactions between MB and the adsorbent surface, with a calculated adsorbate-adsorbent binding affinity value of -1.3 kcal mol-1, thus confirming the ability of TMNSS for MB sequestration. The findings of this study highlight the promising potential of thermally modified nanocrystalline snail shells as sustainable and efficient adsorbents for MB sequestration.

Adsorptive removal of antibiotic pollutants from wastewater using biomass/biochar-based adsorbents.

This study explores adsorptive removal measures to shed light on current water treatment innovations for kinetic/isotherm models and their applications to antibiotic pollutants using a broad range of biomass-based adsorbents. The structure, classifications, sources, distribution, and different techniques for the remediation of antibiotics are discussed. Unlike previous studies, a wide range of adsorbents are covered and adsorption of comprehensive classes of antibiotics onto biomass/biochar-based adsorbents are categorized as ß-lactam, fluoroquinolone, sulfonamide, tetracycline, macrolides, chloramphenicol, antiseptic additives, glycosamides, reductase inhibitors, and multiple antibiotic systems. This allows for an assessment of their performance and an understanding of current research breakthroughs in applying various adsorbent materials for antibiotic removal. Distinct from other studies in the field, the theoretical basis of different isotherm and kinetics models and the corresponding experimental insights into their applications to antibiotics are discussed extensively, thereby identifying the associated strengths, limitations, and efficacy of kinetics and isotherms for describing the performances of the adsorbents. In addition, we explore the regeneration of adsorbents and the potential applications of the adsorbents in engineering. Lastly, scholars will be able to grasp the present resources employed and the future necessities for antibiotic wastewater remediation.

Microplastics toxicity, detection, and removal from water/wastewater.

The world has witnessed massive and preeminent microplastics (MPs) pollution in water bodies due to the inevitable continuous production of plastics for various advantageous chemical and mechanical features. Plastic pollution, particularly contamination by MPs (plastic particles having a diameter lesser than 5 mm), has been a rising environmental concern in recent years due to the inappropriate disposal of plastic trash. This study presents the recent advancements in different technologies for MPs removal in order to gain proper insight into their strengths and weaknesses, thereby orchestrating the preparation for innovation in the field. The production, origin, and global complexity of MPs were discussed. This study also reveals MPs' mode of transportation, its feedstock polymers, toxicities, detection techniques, and the conventional removal strategies of MPs from contaminated systems. Modification of conventional methods vis-à-vis new materials/techniques and other emerging technologies, such as magnetic extraction and sol-gel technique with detailed mechanistic information for the removal of MPs are presented in this study. Conclusively, some future research outlooks for advancing the MPs removal technologies/materials for practical realization are highlighted.

Environmental health impacts and controlling measures of anthropogenic activities on groundwater quality in Southwestern Nigeria.

Groundwater is the major source of drinking water in virtually all the regions of Nigeria, including the southwestern region. It is an indispensable source of drinking water that many individuals are dependent upon for daily activities in Nigeria. However, the spontaneous rise in various forms of industrialization and other anthropogenic activities of man within the southwestern region has immensely polluted these water sources. This calls for tremendous and actionable concern because of the health implications associated with the intake of contaminated water. This study aims to thoroughly disentangle the major impacts of anthropogenic activities on the quality of groundwater in the southwestern region of Nigeria through extensive reviews of literature and conceptualization of scientific and research data on the field. Unlike previous reviews, the major sources of groundwater pollution in the region were discussed extensively to set the tone for the x-raying of the subject. The study also showed major long-standing pollution cases in the region with graphical, tabular, and pictorial illustrations of some of the groundwater parameters and at the same time proposed controlling measures to enable eidetic understanding of the concepts and contribution to knowledge. In the last part of the work, we recommend improving the existing groundwater assessment techniques in Southwestern Nigeria. Regular monitoring of groundwater in Nigeria should also be encouraged to establish its quality status.

Ecological assessment of Black Fly (Simuliumdamnosum, Sensulato) breeding sites in two tributaries of Ogun river, Ogun state, Nigeria.

Onchocerciasis is a disease transmitted by blackfly vector of the genus Simuliumdamnosum complex having public and socio-economic consequences. The abundance of blackfly is directly linked to fluvial ecosystems in both tropical and non-tropical countries of the world. This study assessed the ecology of blackfly breeding sites in two tributaries of River Ogun located in Olokemeji and Lisa villages, Ogun State. A total of eighteen water samples were collected for physicochemical analysis during high rainfall (May, June and July), low rainfall (August, September and October) and dry season (November and December) with mean rainfall values of 163.17, 88.03 and 8.95 mm, respectively, in both tributaries. Physicochemical parameters such as temperature (oC), electrical conductivity (EC), pH, total solids (TS), dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total suspended solids (TSS), hardness (H), sulphate (SO4), phosphate (PO4), alkalinity, acidity, nitrate (NO3) and total dissolved solids (TDS) were analysed using standard laboratory methods. Digestive enzymes were analysed using 1 g of frozen gut of Simulium larvae grounded with 20 ml of 0.067 g of potassium hydrogen and 20 ml of 0.1 M sodium reagent. A total of 766 and 482 samples of Simulium larvae were collected from Olokemeji and Lisa tributaries using Eppendorf tubes. The zooplanktons collected from Olokemeji and Lisa tributary were 904 and 802, while phytoplanktons collected from Olokemeji and Lisa tributary were 635 and 582 during the study period. Data obtained were analysed using both descriptive analysis and T-test. The results obtained for the physicochemical parameters were 28.7 °C, 137.5 µS/cm, 6.3, 248.1 mg/L, 58 mg/L, 108.8 mg/L, 90.8 mg/L, 2.24 mg/L, 2.24 mg/L, 30.76 mg/L, 42.35 mg/L, 1.99 mg/L, 2.07 mg/L and 2.55 mg/L for Temperature, EC, pH, TS, DO, BOD, TSS, H, SO4, PO4, alkalinity, acidity, NO3 and TDS, respectively. There were significant (p < 0.05) differences between the means of EC, pH, TS, TDS, TSS and hardness of Lisa tributary, and water samples were also viewed under an electron microscope for zooplanktons and phytoplanktons. The values of species diversity which were greater than 0.5 indicated that the species were abundant and evenly distributed. There were significant (p < 0.05) differences between the tributaries in all the digestive enzymes except amylase content. The regression analysis between TSS, nitrate, sulphate, phosphate, acidity, hardness, TS, pH and Simulium larvae abundance showed a positive correlation, R2 with values of 0.828, 0.994, 0.948, 0.933, 0.986, 0.997, 0.889 and 0.981, respectively. The R2 values between Simulium larvae abundance with phytoplanktons and rainfall have values of 0.868 at p < 0.01 and 0.911 at p < 0.05.

Evaluating quality of soils formed on basement complex rocks in Kaduna State, northern Guinea savanna of Nigeria.

A few investigations have been done regarding the soil quality index (SQI) for various locations, soil types, and states. Still, little has been reported regarding SQI for both surface and control sections, especially for the Northern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria. Due to the subsurface property pedogenic influence on soil function, it is crucial to assess SQI using surface and subsurface properties as both properties influence soil productivity. We investigated the potentials of choosing a minimum data set for soil quality indicators and assess soil quality (SQ), using both surface and entire soil pedon data for the soils on the basement complexes. Both additive and weighted soil quality indices and different scoring methods (linear and non-linear) were used in evaluating SQ. Out of the twenty-three soil properties subjected to PCA, eight indicators (TEB, clay, silt, K, EA, EC, BD, and Fe) were selected as the minimum data set (MDS). There was not much difference in the calculated soil quality using the non-linear additive (SQI-NLA), linear additive (SQI-LA), linear weighted (SQI-LW), and non-linear weighted (SQI-NLW) for the soils as they were all rated low (SQI < 0.55). The estimated SQI for the control section had relatively higher values than the surface soil, thus suggesting the need to incorporate both surface and entire soil profile properties in assessing SQ as both are important in integrating the relationship between soil properties and management goals which eventually provides complete information that affects the production of crops.

Variation of soil properties under different landscape positions and land use in Hunkuyi, Northern Guinea savanna of Nigeria.

The food insecurity problem in developing countries has been linked to rapid rates of soil loss and decline in fertility in tropical environments which are characterized by insidious topography. This study was conducted to assess the relationship between topographic positions, land use, and soil characteristics. Three slope classes were considered with six pedons; two on each slope position were opened, described, sampled, and analysed for morphological and physicochemical properties. The results showed that the soils were deep to very deep with drainage improving from HK1 soils (very poorly drained) to HK3 (well-drained). The mean sand fraction ranged between 320 and 740 g kg-1, while bulk density had values between 1.20 and 1.80 M gm-3. The cation exchange capacity (CEC) of the soils with values from 5.6 to 10.4 cmol (+) kg-1 was generally lower on the surface than the subsurface soils. The different landscape positions alongside variation in land use substantially influence variations in soil properties of the study area. The influence of topography was noticed for sand values and soil reaction (pH) along the slope, as mean pH values were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher for HK1 compared with HK2 and HK3. Intensive cultivation of soils due to rainfed and irrigated land use on middle slope position (HK2) alongside its strong slope gradient resulted in significant variation in total exchangeable bases (TEB) ((P ≤ 0.05), base saturation (P ≤ 0.05), available P ((P ≤ 0.01), and exchangeable Ca and Mg (P ≤ 0.05).

Effects of industrialization on groundwater quality in Shagamu and Ota industrial areas of Ogun state, Nigeria.

In recent years, there has been an increasing ecological and global public health concern associated with environmental contamination by heavy metals on groundwater resources especially in the developing countries. Hence, this study assessed the impacts of industrialization on the quality of groundwater in Shagamu and Ota industrial areas of Ogun State, Nigeria between the period of July and December 2018, covering both wet and dry season. A total of 80 samples was collected from the industrial areas while a total of four control samples was also collected from the residential areas of the study locations across both wet and dry season using a random sampling technique. The water samples were then analyzed in the laboratory for their physico-chemical parameters (using standard procedures) and heavy metals using the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The results were evaluated for descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS for Windows version 20.0. The mean range of values for the measured parameters was: pH (4.35-9.42), EC (18.50-684.0 µScm-1), hardness (3.83-396.06 mg/L), Ca2+ (0.18-138.75 mg/L) and that of heavy metals concentrations in the water sample were: Pb (0.003-0.199 mg/L), Cd (0.002-0.013 mg/L), Ni (0.004-0.259 mg/L), Cr (0.002-0.54 mg/L), Mn (0.015-1.940 mg/L), Fe (0.02-2.01 mg/L), Cu (0.012-0.72 mg/L), Zn (0.004-0.500 mg/L). A comparison of the obtained results with the World Health Organization standards (for drinking water) revealed that the levels of pH, Ca, Pb, Ni, Mn, Fe, Cd, and Cr were higher than the prescribed values. It was observed that groundwater sources for the dry season in both Ota and Shagamu have higher heavy metal concentrations that are above the permissible limits than the wet season, implying that more industrial activities were probably conducted during the dry season under the sampling period. The result of the heavy metals was in the magnitude according to the trend Fe > Mn > Cu > Cr > Zn > Ni > Pb > Cd. This study revealed that these industrialized areas contained high concentrations of heavy metals which can cause health disorders and behavioral defects. Thus, the water in the study locations is not suitable for consumption without prior treatment. It is therefore, recommends that the water in the study locations should be treated before were used for various domestic purposes, and the construction of the boreholes and dug wells are proposed here to follow proper siting regulations.

Rhodamine B dye sequestration using Gmelina aborea leaf powder.

Chemically prepared activated carbon derived from Gmelina aborea leaves (GALAC) were used as adsorbent for the removal of Rhodamine B (Rh-B) dye from aqueous solutions. The adsorptive characteristics of activated carbon (AC) prepared from Gmelina aborea leaves (GAL) were studied using SEM, FTIR, pH point of zero charge (pHpzc) and Boehm Titration (BT) techniques respectively. The effects of pH, contact time, initial dye concentration and solution temperature were also examined. Experimental data were analyzed using four different isotherm models: Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin-Radushkevich. Four adsorption kinetic models: Pseudo-first-order (PFO), Pseudo-second-order (PSO), Elovich and Intraparticle diffusion models to establish the kinetics of adsorption process. The RhB dye adsorption on GALAC was best described by Langmuir isotherm model with maximum monolayer coverage of 1000 mg g-1 and R2 value of 0. 9999. The EDX analysis revealed that GALAC contained 82.81% by weight and 91.2% by atom of carbon contents which are requisites for high adsorption capacity. Adsorption kinetic data best fitted the PSO kinetic model. Thermodynamic parameters obtained for GALAC are (ΔGo ranged from -22.71 to -18.19 kJmol-1; ΔHo: 1.51 kJmol-1; and ΔSo: 0.39 kJmol-1 K-1respectively) indicating that the RhB dye removal from aqueous solutions by GALAC was spontaneous and endothermic in nature. The cost analysis established that GALAC is approximately eleven times cheaper than CAC thereby providing a saving of 351.41USD/kg. Chemically treated GAL was found to be an effective absorbent for the removal of RhB dye from aqueous solution.

Functionalized locust bean pod (Parkia biglobosa) activated carbon for Rhodamine B dye removal.

Activated carbon prepared from locust bean husk was modified using ortho-phosphoric acid (ALBP) and used to scavenge Rhodamine B (RhB) dye from aqueous solutions. Characteristic features of the adsorbents were investigated using SEM, FTIR, pHpzc and Boehm Titration (BT) techniques respectively. Batch studies were used to determine the influences of contact time, temperature and initial Rh-B dye concentrations. Adsorption data were analysed using four different isotherm models. The maximum monolayer adsorption capacity of 1111.1 mgg-1 was obtained for RhB dye adsorption. The kinetics of the adsorption process was studied using pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order Elovich and intraparticle diffusion models respectively. The experimental data was best described by pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Favourability of the process of adsorption was also established by the separator factor (RL) value ranging from 0 and 1, while the mean energy of adsorption (Ea) was 1.12 kJmol-1 suggesting that the removal of Rh-B dye from aqueous solution followed a physisorption process. For the thermodynamic investigations, the positive values of ΔS (280.956 Jmol-1K-1) indicates the affinity of adsorbent for the Rh-B dye uptake and increase randomness at the solid-solution interface during adsorption of Rh-B dye onto the surface of the active sites of ALBP. The negative value of ΔG (-31.892 to -26.355 kJmol-1) depicts the spontaneity and feasibility of the adsorption process. The cost analysis provides a simple proof that ALBP (42.52 USD per kg) is approximately six times cheaper than Commercial Activated Carbon, CAC (259.5 USD per kg). The present study therefore established the suitability of ALBP for effective removal of Rh-B dye from aqueous solutions.

Abatement of organic pollutants using fly ash based adsorbents.

The presence of organic pollutants in the environment is of major concern because of their toxicity, bio-accumulating tendency, threat to human life and the environment. It is a well-known fact that, these pollutants can damage nerves, liver, and bones and could also block functional groups of essential enzymes. Conventional methods for removing dissolved pollutants include chemical precipitation, chemical oxidation or reduction, filtration, ion-exchange, electrochemical treatment, application of membrane technology, evaporation recovery and biological treatment. Although all the pollutant treatment techniques can be employed, they have their inherent advantages and limitations. Among all these methods, adsorption process is considered better than other methods because of convenience, easy operation and simplicity of design. A fundamentally important characteristic of good adsorbents is their high porosity and consequent larger surface area with more specific adsorption sites. This paper presents a review of adsorption of different pollutants using activated carbon prepared from fly ash sources and the attendant environmental implications. Also, the ways of overcoming barriers to fly ash utilization together with regeneration studies are also discussed.