July 2012

Climate variability; enhancing adaptive utilization of browse trees for improved livestock production among agro-pastoralists communities in Southern Zambia

  Agro-pastoralists whose sources of livelihood depend on rain-fed agriculture are very vulnerable to ecological disturbance due to increasing climate variability. They are unable to adequately feed their animals in times of extreme weather conditions of floods and droughts thereby causing a disruption in their major source of livelihood. This study analyzed the feeding strategies employed by agro- pastoralists...

Author(s): O. C. Chibinga, N. R. K. Musimba, M. M. Nyangito, J. Simbaya, M. T. Daura

July 2012

Removal of heavy metals from aqueous media using native cassava starch hydrogel

  Graft copolymers of cassava starch and acrylonitrile were synthesized in aqueous solution using ceric ammonium ion as the initiator. Saponification of grafted copolymer was done by reaction with sodium hydroxide and precipitated with methanol. Grafting was confirmed byFourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The grafted copolymer and the hydrolyzed graft copolymer (hydrogel) were used as sorbent...

Author(s): L. O. Ekebafe, D. E. Ogbeifun and F. E. Okieimen

July 2012

Monitoring the levels of toxic air pollutants in the ambient air of Freetown, Sierra Leone

  The ambient air quality in Freetown, Sierra Leone was investigated for the first time for toxic air pollutants. We investigated the levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), suspended particulate matter (SPM) and carbon monoxide (CO) and considered the implication of air quality and health risks. Particulate samples for PM2.5 and PM2.5 to10fractions were collected from four sites, and analyzed...

Author(s): Eldred Tunde Taylor,  and Satoshi Nakai