Determination of performances of natural organic polymers for colour removal from simulated wastewater: Coagulation-adsorption kinetics and mathematical modelling approach

In this study, coagulation-flocculation efficiencies of Natural organic polymers (NOPs) were evaluated for the decolourisation of anionic synthetic dye in wastewater. The proximate composition, structure, and surface morphology of the Brachystegia eurycoma coagulant (BEC) and Vigna subterranean coagulant (VSC) were analysed using standard official methods, Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spec­troscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. The order of removal efficiency was VSC > BEC with an optimum of 97.7% and 82.0% respectively, at pH 2, 200 mgBECL-1 and 200 mgVSCL-1 coagulant dosage, 100 mgL−1 dye concentration, 480 min, and 303 K. The values of K and α obtained for BEC and VSC were 1.65 E-02 Lmg-1min-1, 1.2 and 1.76 E-04 L/mg-1min-1, 2.2 respectively. The coagulation time (Tag) of 22.42 min and 27.92 min for BEC and VSC respectively as deduced from the plot showed a rapid coagulation process. The kinetics of coagulation-flocculation demonstrate that the process conforms with a pseudo-second order model with correlation coefficient R2 > 0.990, suggesting that chemisorption is the rate-controlling phase. It also reveals that particle adsorption on polymer surfaces occurs mostly as a monomolecular layer. The experimental data was well predicted by the cross-validation test, with mean relative deviation modulus (M%) of 0.223% and 1.829% for BEC and VSC, respectively.  In conclusion, the coagulants studied added meaningful progress in wastewater treatment via coagulation-flocculation while showing significant adsorption features. Additionally, the application of kinetics and modelling in separation processes involving particle transfer should be considered a prerequisite in water treatment processes

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance.

Investment in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing in Africa over the past year has led to a major increase in the number of sequences that have been generated and used to track the pandemic on the continent, a number that now exceeds 100,000 genomes. Our results show an increase in the number of African countries that are able to sequence domestically and highlight that local sequencing enables faster turnaround times and more-regular routine surveillance. Despite limitations of low testing proportions, findings from this genomic surveillance study underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic and illuminate the distinct dispersal dynamics of variants of concern-particularly Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron-on the continent. Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve while the continent faces many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Synthesis, characterization and antimicrobial evaluations of mixed ligand complexes of sulphamethaxole and metronidaxole with some transistion metals (Zn, Co, Cu and Fe) in water methanol medium

Sulfamethoxazole and metronidazole are antibiotics use for the treatment of various bacterial infections. Their use as ligand is very prominent in formation of metal complexes. The transition metal complexes are synthesized by reaction of Sulfamethoxazole and metronidazole with metals such Mn(II), Cu(II), Fe(II) and Ni(II). The synthesized metal complexes are tested as antibacterial and antifungal. The antimicrobial activity of the complexes displays good potency against some microorganism such as Xanthomonas axonopodis, Streptococcus faecalia, Salmonella entrica, Claribacter michiganense, Xanthomonas phaseolin for bacteria and S.roofisii, M.phonoides, C.lindimuthianum for the fungi, it is revealed that all copper complexes show stronger antibacterial activity than the free drugs. The spectroscopic properties of the complexes were investigated using UV/visible and FT-IR which show metal-charge from 3d to 3s transition in which the transition state shows that they are octahedral geometry and their coordination site respectively. Their percentage yield was moderately high and producible. The complexes synthesized have higher inhibitory activities than the free ligand. The drug resistance in microbes is resulting in the incompetence of available drugs to care for the infections. The thermal analysis shows that the complexes are stable

Synthesis, characterization and antimicrobial evaluations of mixed ligand complexes of sulphamethaxole and metronidaxole with some transistion metals (Zn, Co, Cu and Fe) in water methanol medium

Sulfamethoxazole and metronidazole are antibiotics use for the treatment of various bacterial infections. Their use as ligand is very prominent in formation of metal complexes. The transition metal complexes are synthesized by reaction of Sulfamethoxazole and metronidazole with metals such Mn(II), Cu(II), Fe(II) and Ni(II). The synthesized metal complexes are tested as antibacterial and antifungal. The antimicrobial activity of the complexes displays good potency against some microorganism such as Xanthomonas axonopodis, Streptococcus faecalia, Salmonella entrica, Claribacter michiganense, Xanthomonas phaseolin for bacteria and S.roofisii, M.phonoides, C.lindimuthianum for the fungi, it is revealed that all copper complexes show stronger antibacterial activity than the free drugs. The spectroscopic properties of the complexes were investigated using UV/visible and FT-IR which show metal-charge from 3d to 3s transition in which the transition state shows that they are octahedral geometry and their coordination site respectively. Their percentage yield was moderately high and producible. The complexes synthesized have higher inhibitory activities than the free ligand. The drug resistance in microbes is resulting in the incompetence of available drugs to care for the infections. The thermal analysis shows that the complexes are stable.</jats:p

Cryptosporidium in Wild Frogs ( Rana spp ) Consumed by humans in Kaduna State Nigeria

ObjectiveTo evaluate the occurrence ofCryptosporidiumspecies in ediblefrogs (Ranaspp) sold at the Hanwa frog market Zaria, Kaduna State,Nigeria.IntroductionSinceCryptosporidiumcan be transmitted by ingestion of infectedfood animals and poorly treated water and by direct contact1it ispossible for infection to occur through ingestion of under cookedfrogs and through handling and processing of infected frogs.In Burkina Faso frogs caught are sold to market-women who treatthe frogs by emptying their bowels and frying in oil before sellingthem, this is not always the case for the Nigerian frog markets wherefrogs are sometimes smoked or dried without necessarily been fried,before consumption2. This may pose a health risk for transmission ofcryptosporidiosis from infected frogs.Presence ofCryptosporidiumoocysts in frogs may by implicationreveal theCryptosporidiumstatus of water bodies from varioussources where the frogs were caught. Water management programmesfor treatment ofCryptosporidiumis difficult as the oocyst is resistantto several disinfectants including chlorine1. The consumption ofsuch treated water in urban areas and untreated water in mostrural communities may expose a great proportion of Nigerians tocryptosporidiosis. Owing to the number of HIV/AIDS patientswho commonly suffer from cryptosporidial enteritis and cough, thecontrol of cryptosporidiosis in animals and man is of public healthsignificance.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted between February andApril, 2016 using intestinal contents from wild capturedRanaspeciesof frogs (n=117), sourced from 8 different locations, from the frogcentral collection, sales and processing point at Hanwa in Zaria. Theintestinal contents from the frogs were examined by staining flotationand sedimentation smears with modified Ziehl-Neelsen stainsfollowed by microscopy and micrometry of the oocysts.ResultsOverall, 35.9% of frogs sampled from the Hanwa frog marketwere positive forCryptosporidiumoocysts. There were moreCryptosporidiumoocysts detected by sedimentation test (28.2%) thanflotation test (23.9%). Although there was no significant statisticalassociation between sex of frogs and oocyst detection (χ2=0.5349,p&gt;0.05); sex wise, female frogs (40%) and frogs within the weightrange 170-219g were more infected withCryptosporidium(66.7%).Oocysts size ranging between 6.10μm -7.00μm, had the highestfrequency of 10 (23.8%). By size 28.2% of the oocysts detectedsuggest infection withC. parvumandC. maleagridis.ConclusionsWe present the first report ofCryptosporidiumoocysts in wildedible frogs (Ranaspp) sold at the Hanwa frog market Zaria, KadunaState, Nigeria. Frog consumption is on the increase in Nigeria, butbaseline information on associated zoonoses is rare. A cross-sectionalstudy conducted between February and April, 2016 using intestinalcontents from wild captured frogs (n=117), sourced from 8 differentlocations using the modified Ziehl-Neelsen stains and micrometryrevealed 35.9% were positive forCryptosporidiumoocysts.Of the oocysts detected 28.2% suggest infection withC. parvumandC. maleagridis,this may constitute a health risk for humans.</jats:p