Effect of using vegetable oils as quenching media for pure commercial aluminium

This paper presents the effects of rate of heat extraction by groundnut, melon, palm kernel, shea butter and palm oils on the mechanical properties of various samples of pure commercial aluminium heat treated at 200°C, 250°C, 300°C and 350°C. Muffle furnace equipped with digital thermometer and thermocouple was used for the heat treatment. Tensile strength and hardness tests were carried out using Instron Universal Tester and Vickers hardness methods, respectively. Results obtained from the experiment were presented graphically. The results showed that palm kernel oil cools faster at 200°C and 250°C, while palm oil and shea butter oil quench faster at 300°C and 350°C, respectively. Palm kernel oil offers the highest elongation at 200°C, while at 350°C shea butter oil gave the best result. The best among the bio-quenching oils in providing good ductility is shea butter oil at 200°C, while at 300°C and 350°C groundnut oil give the best result. Highest hardness values were obtained from samples quenched in melon oil between 200°C-300°C. However, these values decreased with increased heating temperature probably due to density and viscosity variation with temperature rise. Similar observations were made on most of other samples quenched in other bio-quenching oils used in this experiment. This study shows that these locally available vegetable oils have promising potentials to serve as a possible replacement for non-biodegradable mineral oils in many applications

An Appraisal of the Contributions of Herbalism to Primary Health Care Delivery in South West Nigeria

Herbalism contributes significantly to the primary health care delivery system in the southwest Nigeria through sale and administration of different herbal medicinal preparations which are available in a number of ways like tinctures, herbal wine and elixirs, tisanes, decoctions, macerates, topical, poultices, whole herb consumption, syrup, extracts, inhalation, local rings, incision and rubbing, charm belt, and other charm apparels. Medicines may be hawked by the ambulatory vendors (apothecary) or patients consulting practitioners. Charges are relatively cheap, consultation is prompt and the medicines are reportedly efficacious. Non-exclusion of anybody from patronizing and being organized around people’s needs and expectations, which are two of the key elements of WHO to achieve the ultimate goal of primary health care of better health for all are affectively entrenched in the practice. We adopted and employed basic scientific method, anthropological training skills and study approaches in Humanities to elicit our findings. Government support is highly solicite

Electrochemical studies and sensing of iodate, periodate and sulphite ions at carbon nanotubes/ Prussian blue films modified platinum electrode

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Enhanced proactive planning approach: a crucial to an improved workers’ safety in Western Nigeria small scale industry

This study evaluated managements’ proactive planning approach (PPA) to enhance safety among workers in South-western Nigeria small scale industry (SSI). The main objective was to rate the managements’ efforts at eliminating risk among their employees. By worker participatory and psychological survey approach, three tools were used; workplace observation (visual), management safety culture (questionnaire) and managers interviews (oral). The survey included 200 workers, 120 supervisors and 80 managers, in 82 SSI. Four steps to a safety proactive action plans (PAP), (looking for clues, prioritization of identified potential hazard, making improvements to eliminate the risk and follow up), were rated by employees on a scale from 0 to 5. Paired t-test was used to appraise the significant difference between the managers’ mean scores rated by the supervisors and other workers. 77.1% of workers and 64.2% supervisors rated their managers as either “not done at all” or “poorly done”. Workers’ scores for managers PPA had statistically significantly lower ratings (mean = 1.09, SEM = 0.22) compared to that of the supervisors rating (mean = 1.55, SEM = 0.32), with t (14) = −1.185, p = 0.784. There is a closed poor performance perception gaps, of managers’ PPA, of the two groups of employees. It can be concluded that safety is not emphasized, by managers of SSI, as overriding priority and this may have contributed to high reported injuries among their workforce. Courses to enhance managements’ understanding for inclusion of safety among the leading priorities becomes necessary. This will reduce work-related risks and promotes occupational safety and health among the group of workers

Electrocatalytic properties of prussian blue nanoparticles supported on poly(m-aminobenzenesulfonic acid)–functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes toward the detection of dopamine

Edged plane pyrolytic graphite electrode (EPPGE) was modified with and without Prussian blue (PB) nanoparticles and polyaminobenzene sulphonated single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTPABS) using the chemical deposition method. The electrodes were characterised using microscopy, spectroscopy and electrochemical techniques. Results showed that edged plane pyrolytic graphite-single-walled carbon nanotubes-prussian blue (EPPGE-SWCNT-PB) electrode gave the best dopamine (DA) current response which increases with increasing PB layers

Performance Evaluation of the Effect of Waste Paper on Groundnut Shell Briquette

Current energy shortage and environmental issues resulting from the use of fossil fuels have lead to exploitation of renewable energy resources that includes municipal waste and agricultural residues. These residues are available, indigenous and are environmental friendly but some can not be used directly in combustion process due high moisture content and low volumetric energy unless by briquetting. The study was undertaken to assess the combustion characteristic of binderless briquettes produced from waste paper and groundnut shell. Combustion characteristics investigated were ignition time, burning time, calorific values, burning rate, specific fuel consumption, fuel efficiency and water boiling time. The calorific values of the briquettes ranged from 19.51 - 19.92 MJ/kg, while the thermal efficiency ranges between 13.75 – 21.64%, other results shows that the average burning rate between 0.511 and 1.133 kg/hr and the specific fuel consumption ranges between 0.087 and 0.131 J/g. The recorded boiling time values were between 17.5 and 30.0 minutes for cold start and 15.0 and 20.0 minutes for hot start. The results shows that waste paper and groundnut shell up to 25% in composition composite briquettes were found to have good combustion characteristics which qualify them as alternative to firewood for domestic and industrial energy. However, production of briquettes from waste paper and groundnut shell at mixing ratio of 85:15 was found to comparatively better from all experiment conducted

Voltammetric and impedance studies of phenols and Its derivatives at carbon nanotubes/Prussian bluefilms platinum modified electrode

The electrochemical oxidation of phenol (Ph), 4-chlorophenol (4-ClPh) and 4-nitrophenol (4-NPh) at a platinum electrode modified with and without multi-walled carbon nanotubes/Prussian blue nanocomposite in a pH 7.0 phosphate buffer electrolyte was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and impedance measurements. The modified electrodes were characterised using techniques such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron X-ray dispersive spectroscopy (XRD), cyclic voltammetry (CVs) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS)..

An appraisal of the Nigeria economic recovery and growth plan, 2017-2020

Since Independence and especially since the return to democratic governance in 1999, successive governments have made concerted efforts in economic and development planning. In a bid to revamp the economy already battered by mal-administration, the Buhari’s administration recently launched the Nigerian Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (NERGP) with the broad objectives of restoring growth, building a globally competitive economy and accelerating inclusive growth by investing in the Nigerian people from 2017 – 2021. Against the backdrop of the failures of the previous plans, this study assessed the level of performance in the implementation of the economic plan, with a view to identifying the areas of success or otherwise and made recommendations for the future. The study relied on content analysis with secondary sources of data collection. The paper recommended that the Federal Government through the National Assembly should pass an Act on the NERGP, because one cannot build something on nothing. Also, there is need to expedite actions in passing the Petroleum Industry bill, since one of the key deliverables of the Plan is to reduce petroleum product imports by 60 per cent in 2018.Keywords: Economic, Development, Planning, Development Plan, Implementatio