Preparation, Characterization, and Chemically Modified Date Palm Fiber Waste Biomass for Enhanced Phenol Removal from an Aqueous Environment.

The date palm tree is extensively cultivated in Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia, generating a large amount of waste in the form of leaves, seeds, and fibrous materials. This study examined the feasibility of using raw date palm fiber (RDPF) and NaOH chemically modified date palm fiber (NaOH-CMDPF) obtained from discarded agricultural waste for the removal of phenol in an aqueous environment. The adsorbent characterization was performed by using different techniques, i.e., particle size analysis; elemental analyzer (CHN); and BET, FTIR, and FESEM-EDX analysis. The FTIR analysis revealed the presence of various functional groups on the surface of the RDPF and NaOH-CMDPF. The results showed that chemical modification by NaOH increased the phenol adsorption capacity that was well-fitted by the Langmuir isotherm. Higher removal was obtained with NaOH-CMDPF (86%) than with the RDPF (81%). The RDPF and NaOH-CMDPF sorbents' maximum (Qm) adsorption capacities were more than 45.62 mg/g and 89.67 mg/g and were comparable to the sorption capacities of various other types of agricultural waste biomass reported in the literature. The kinetic studies confirmed that the adsorption of phenol followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic process. The present study concluded that the RDPF and NaOH-CMDPF were eco-friendly and cost-effective in promoting sustainable management and the reuse of the Kingdom's lignocellulosic fiber waste material.

Site-specific management of salt affected soils: A case study from Egypt.

In Egypt all agricultural practices are generally applied uniformly without taking spatial variability into consideration, which is not efficient and may be more expensive than site-specific management approach. This is based on accurate assessment of within-field variation and on field delineation into homogeneous zones to be submitted to differential management. Multivariate geostatistics allows to assess and model the spatial variation of a set of soil attributes influencing management. The objective of this paper was to propose an approach for determining spatially variable rate application (VRA) of leaching water, to control soil salinity, and of fertilizer to improve productivity while reducing environmental impact. The research was conducted in an experimental 3.1-ha field in Egypt and the following soil attributes were measured: electrical conductivity (ECe), available nitrogen (N), available phosphorus (P), available potassium (K) and organic matter content (OM). Ordinary cokriging was applied to produce thematic maps of soil attributes and the appropriateness of the linear model of coregionalization was evaluated with cross-validation. Spatial maps of the five soil variables were classified into three isofrequencies classes and the mean values were calculated for each class. These values were then compared with critical reference values to assess the local soil requirements for reducing soil salinity and/or improving soil fertility. The results showed that the estimations of soil attributes were unbiased and accurate. Only for ECe and available nitrogen site-specific management would be preferable because it would reduce the agricultural costs for both soil reclamation (saving water used to leach salts) and improvement of soil N fertility in comparison with the traditional uniform methods. The proposed approach, though producing encouraging results, would require improvements in the determination of the threshold values used to plan salt leaching and soil fertilization.

Antibiotic use and resistance in animal farming: a quantitative and qualitative study on knowledge and practices among farmers in Khartoum, Sudan.

Antibiotic resistance is a major emerging global public health threat. Farmers in the Khartoum state are believed to misuse antibiotics in animal farming leading to daily exposure to resistant bacteria and antibiotic residues. Hence, farmers are at potential risk exposure to bacteria, zoonotic infection and toxicity. We hypothesized that farmers' misuse of antibiotics could be due to their ignorance of the importance of optimal use of antibiotics, the potential health hazards and the economical waste associated with antibiotic misuse practices. In the present study, we investigated knowledge and practices among farmers regarding antibiotic use and resistance. For this purpose, a cross-sectional study was conducted in Khartoum state where data were collected from 81 farmers using structured interviews. Data were analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively. Fifty-two per cent of farmers were uneducated or had studied for < 6 years. The majority reported antibiotic use for treatment and prevention while only 5% stated use for growth promotion. Antibiotic group treatment for both sick and healthy animals was commonly practiced among most farmers. The most commonly used group of antibiotics was the quinolones, which was reported by one-third. Only 30% of the farmers had heard of antibiotic resistance and provided their definition. Almost half were not aware of the commonly transferred zoonotic infections between humans and animals. The farmers consume 1-2 meals/day from their own farm products. A significant association between low education, poor knowledge of farmers on antibiotic use, antibiotic resistance and zoonotic infections was found. This association may play a vital role in the present practiced misuse of antibiotics. Our findings on farmers' practices could be used as baseline information in defining the gaps related to antibiotic use and resistance in animal farming in Sudan. It can thus serve as a foundation for future interventions.

Prevalence of mastitis in imported Friesian cows in Sudan.

Three hundred twenty-two lactating Friesian cows were examined for mastitis by different diagnostic techniques. The predominant pathogens encountered were Staphylococci, Streptococci, Corynebacterium and Escherichia coli spp.

The pathological and biochemical effects of feeding fermented leaves of Cassia obtusifolia 'Kawal' to broiler chicks.

Fermented leaves of Cassia obtusifolia 'Kawal' were mixed in the food of broiler chicks at concentrations of 25, 50 and 100 g/Kg and then fed to chicks from 1 day to 8 weeks of age. Growth rate was depressed in relation to the concentration of Kawal. Lesions of an inflammatory-degenerative type were seen in the proventriculus, intestine, liver, heart, lungs and kidneys, their severity increasing with the amount of Kawal eaten. These were accompanied by similar increases in the activities of lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, glutamate oxaloacetate and glutamate pyruvate transaminases and in the concentrations of bilirubin, potassium, phosphorus, total lipids and carotenes in the blood and dose-related decreases in total protein, albumin, cholesterol, globulin, sodium, calcium and alkaline phosphatase in the blood. Birds fed on Kawal tended to become anaemic but white blood cell counts increased. It is concluded that Kawal even at an inclusion rate of 25 g/Kg is unacceptable as a protein supplement.

The effect of oxytetracycline on growth and lipid metabolism in poultry.

The effect of oxytetracycline at doses of 0.291, 0.461, 0.922, 1.383 and 1.844 g/l in drinking water on the growth rate, lipid metabolism, GOT, GPT, calcium and magnesium was studied on one-day-old chicks and laying hens (Gallus domesticus). Oxytetracycline at a dose of 0.461 g/l increased body weight gain in one-day-old chicks. Oxytetracycline had no effect on hepatic triglyceride and phospholipid levels while cholesterol levels were decreased in one-day-old chicks and increased in laying hens. Oxytetracycline tended to decrease serum cholesterol and to increase serum triglyceride concentrations while its effect on serum phospholipids were inconsistent. Oxytetracycline, although inconsistent, tended to increase GPT and GOT activities in both young chicks and laying hens. Higher doses of oxytetracycline resulted in fatty changes in the hepatocytes and cells of the kidney tubules and lungs in both young chicks and laying hens. With the exception of hepatic phospholipids, all other parameters were higher in laying hens than in young chicks.

The effect of oxytetracycline on the fat content and fatty acid composition of the egg yolk.

The effects of oxytetracycline (OXT) at doses of 0.291, 0.461, 0.922, 1.383 and 1.844 g/l in drinking water on the egg quality and on the fat content and fatty acid composition of egg yolk were studied. OXT had no effect on egg weight, yolk weight or shell thickness. Increasing availability of OXT in water reduced cholesterol and triglyceride in the egg yolk while it had no effect on the phospholipid content. OXT at higher doses favoured unsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids relative to saturated fatty acids in the yolk.