Federal University of Technology

Consolidated biosaccharification (CBS) of lignocellulosic biomass is evolving as a strategy to overcome biomass recalcitrance and enhance bioconversion efficiency. However, low yield of enzyme cocktail from lignocellulolytic microorganisms poses a challenge to the process. It is therefore important to identify and explore microbial sources that can produce high titers of lignocellulolytic enzymes, and develop strategies for improved enzyme induction. This study investigated the lignocellulolytic enzyme system of Bacillus subtilis CFB‐09 using a combination of agro‐residues and pure celluloses as co‐substrates under submerged fermentation. The activity of cellulases, hemicellulases, and ligninolytic enzymes in cell‐free extracts was determined. The multienzyme crude extracts obtained were used to hydrolyze unpretreated corn cob and sugarcane bagasse in a modified CBS process. The results showed that B. subtilis CFB‐09 produced high yields of cellulases (144.85 U mg⁻¹ protein endoglucanase, 104.4 U mg⁻¹ protein exoglucanase, and 793.5 U mg⁻¹ protein β‐glucosidase) and hemicellulases (27.5 U mg⁻¹ protein xylanase and 583 U mg⁻¹ protein β‐xylosidase) at 48 h, as well as ligninolytic enzymes (294.25 U mg⁻¹ protein laccase, 1110.2 U mg⁻¹ protein lignin peroxidase, and 304.78 U mg⁻¹ protein manganese peroxidase) at 72 h on corn cob. Consolidated biosaccharification resulted in a 3.5‐fold increase in the yield of reducing sugar from corn cob (0.99 mg/mL) at pH 7.0 and 50 °C, above the yield obtained from sugarcane bagasse (0.28 mg mL⁻¹). The findings indicate that B. subtilis CFB‐09 could produce high yield of lignocellulolytic enzymes in a timely manner by deconstructing untreated corn cob through CBS, resulting in improved yields of reducing sugars for biofuel production.

The demand for sustainable, high-performance materials has led to increased interest in bio-based composites. However, optimizing the mechanical properties of such materials for engineering applications remains a challenge. This study addresses this gap by developing and characterizing an epoxy-based biocomposite reinforced with sugarcane bagasse particles, focusing on the influence of cyclic thermal treatment on its properties. The bagasse particles were chemically treated with 1 M NaOH to remove impurities, improve interfacial bonding with the epoxy matrix, and enhance the overall composite performance. The treated particles j were pulverized to 470 µm and incorporated into the epoxy matrix (0–20 wt%) using the hand layup method. The composites were divided into untreated and thermally treated groups, with the latter subjected to cyclic thermal treatment (100 °C for 3 h over 7 days). Mechanical, wear, and water absorption properties were evaluated, while fractured surface morphologies were analyzed using SEM. Results revealed that cyclic thermal treatment significantly enhanced the composites’ performance, with the 15 wt% heat-treated composite showing optimal properties: density of 1.102 g/cm ³ , flexural strength of 29.13 MPa, ultimate tensile strength of 103.50 MPa, impact strength of 3.49 kJ/m ² , hardness of 64.70 HS, and wear indices of 0.034 mg. These findings demonstrate that alkali treatment and cyclic thermal treatment synergistically enhance the performance of bio-composites, making them suitable for diverse applications, including automotive, aerospace, and other engineering fields.

Background Hepatitis B is one of the major global health issues, which presents a particularly severe challenge within the confines of African prisons, characterized by high rates of transmission and limited access to adequate healthcare. The prevalence of Hepatitis B in these settings represents a silent crisis. Objective This research highlights the critical public health emergency posed by Hepatitis B in African prisons, underscoring the need for urgent intervention and comprehensive strategies. Methods A comprehensive literature search was conducted to investigate the public health challenges posed by Hepatitis B in African prisons. The search focused on peer‐reviewed articles, policy documents, and original literature published from 2000 to 2024. Databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were utilized. Results The prison environment, marked by overcrowding, inadequate sanitation, and high‐risk behaviors, fosters the rapid spread of Hepatitis B. The transmission is further exacerbated by limited access to vaccination, insufficient screening programs, and a lack of awareness among inmates and prison staff. Consequently, the incidence of Hepatitis B in African prisons is significantly higher than in the general population, creating a reservoir of infection that poses a broader public health threat upon prisoners' release. Addressing this crisis requires a multifaceted approach. Conclusion This research calls for immediate and sustained action to mitigate the Hepatitis B crisis in African prisons. By prioritizing this issue within public health agendas, we can reduce transmission rates, improve health outcomes for inmates, and protect broader community health. The urgency of addressing Hepatitis B in African prisons cannot be overstated, as it represents a critical juncture in the fight against infectious diseases in marginalized populations.

The importance of modulated gravity in the nonlinear dynamics of Newtonian fluids flowing through a permeable Darcy porous medium in achieving fluid buoyancy control, porous media dynamics, and microgravity studies, which are important for environmental science and space exploration, is growing, particularly in the context of triple‐diffusive convection. However, limited information is available on the dynamics of Newtonian fluids undergoing triple‐diffusive convection through permeable media when modulated gravity is introduced, particularly using the Ginzburg–Landau technique. In this case, the fluid convective system is subjected to vertical gravitational vibrations. The physical system considered involves a porous layer, stretched indefinitely in the x ‐direction, sandwiched between two parallel plates at z = 0 and z = d . The temperature and concentration of the bottom plate are higher than those at the top plate due to heating, salting, and saturation of the porous layer with Newtonian fluid from below. The gravitational acceleration is time‐dependent, consisting of both a constant gravity term and a time‐dependent oscillatory component. The amplitude of gravity modulation is assumed to be small, relevant to practical applications. The presence of a third diffusive component increases the critical thermal Darcy–Rayleigh number required for the onset of convection, demonstrating that triple‐diffusive convection has a higher threshold than double‐diffusive convection. The modulation amplitude () plays a critical role in the behavior of disturbance amplitude, demonstrating that significant variations in convection characteristics are contingent upon the presence of gravitational modulation.

Yellow turmeric (YT) Curcuma longa L., is a terpenoid derivative with therapeutic prospects. The molecular interaction of its methanolic extract with the diabetic linked enzyme, α-glucosidase was investigated using multi-spectroscopic approaches under simulated physiological intestinal conditions. Antidiabetic activities of YT were assessed by α-glucosidase inhibition assay and its antioxidant capacities are examined by DPPH and ABTS assay. The results indicated that YT quenches the intrinsic fluorescence of α-glucosidase following a mixed quenching mechanism accompanied by a hydrophobic (ΔS° > 0 and ΔH° > 0), endothermic, spontaneous and entropy-driven process that was mainly Tryptophan gated. The enzyme's structural conformation was compromised, as revealed by synchronous and UV-absorption spectroscopy. The extract showed more potent inhibition against α-glucosidase with an IC50 value of 153 µg/mL and relatively DPPH and ABTS scavenging activity. This study provides preliminary data for the plant's potential use in the management of hyperglycemia and α-glucosidase implicated pathological conditions.

The classical continuous univariate probability distributions, which contain one or two parameters, have been observed to break down when complexities exist in the structure of a data set such as when outliers are present, alongside observations centered around the mean. When a data set exhibits heterogeneity or exists in a multi-component form and it becomes impossible to use a single probability distribution to capture the distinct components of the data set, using a composite distribution to model the data set becomes plausible. This situation has led to the formulation of various hybrid or composite models where each component of the hybrid model handles the specific part of the data set that it is well suited for. Furthermore, the approach or method used in the formulation of these hybrid models plays a vital role in determining how meaningful the results obtained from them are. Several approaches or methods for formulating hybrid distributions have appeared in the literature, each with their own pros and cons. We present in this paper a general two-component hybrid model for fitting heterogeneous heavy-tailed data sets with tails to the right. The functional form of the two-component hybrid family is specified by the probability density function (pdf), cumulative distribution function (cdf) and the quantile function. Three members of the family using three different distributions for the right tail are presented. A formal method based on maximum likelihood for the estimation of the parameters of the models belonging to the family is also presented. A Monte Carlo simulation study is carried out to determine the efficiency of the estimation method. An application to a real data set in finance is performed.

Pesticides are the group of chemicals used in agriculture for the control of weeds, insects, pathogens, nematodes, rodents, etc. Globally, among the pesticide’s application, herbicides occupy the major share (52%) followed by insecticides (24%) and fungicides (23%). Though the pesticides application is helpful in global food production, the indiscriminate application of pesticides in agriculture severely affects not only the soil but also the water bodies and the surrounding ecosystem. It causes environmental pollution, deterioration of soil, plant, and animal health, and negative impact on climate change. In this review, the interplay between pesticides application, soil health, carbon sequestration, and climate change is being discussed. Similarly, the role of soil microorganisms in mitigating the negative effect of pesticides has been highlighted. The review also recommends certain future course of action and mitigation strategies.

Pesticides are a diverse range of chemical substances that play a pivotal role in modern agricultural practices by effectively eradicating insects, pests, and weeds. These substances are deliberately introduced into the environment to prevent, discourage, manage, or eradicate populations of insects, weeds, rodents, fungi, or other harmful pests. Their widespread application has become an integral component of contemporary agricultural and health strategies. However, improper use and disposal of pesticides have resulted in pesticide pollution, raising concerns about its detrimental impacts on human health and the delicate balance of ecosystems. These pesticide residues can cause acute or chronic adverse health effects such as headaches, dizziness, cancer, and reproductive imbalances as well as contribute to climate change. Therefore, this report discusses the uses and side effects of pesticides on human health and the environment on a global scale and also recommends the use of natural pesticides as an alternative to synthetic pesticides for a sustainable environment.

This review examines the ecotoxicological effects of pesticides on non-target organisms, focusing on pollinators, beneficial insects, and wildlife. It explores the direct and indirect impacts of pesticide exposure, particularly the role of neonicotinoids in the decline of pollinator populations. The review addresses how climate change exacerbates these impacts through altered temperature regimes, changes in precipitation patterns, and increased rates of pesticide degradation. These environmental changes increase species vulnerability and contribute to geographical variations in the severity of pesticide effects. The discussion highlights species particularly susceptible to the combined stressors of pesticides and climate change, highlighting the complex interactions leading to population declines and ecosystem disruptions. It explores region-specific variations and stresses the importance of tailored mitigation strategies. Case studies of successful mitigation efforts provide valuable insights into best practices and strategies that can be adapted to other contexts. The review summarizes key findings, suggesting critical areas for future research and potential policy changes to better safeguard biodiversity and ecosystem services. It emphasizes the importance of implementing robust protection measures for non-target organisms to ensure the preservation of biodiversity and the sustainability of ecosystem services in the face of ongoing environmental changes.

The dynamic shift in plant biodiversity and concurrent loss of bioresources in the modern era indicate many significant impactful factors such as climate change, anthropogenic/human-related factors in deforestation, industrialization, and prevailing agricultural practices, especially with substantial investment in the application of chemical herbicides to control the competitive impact of noxious weeds. While a neutral existence of crop-weed communities is possible with the interplay natural biochemical or physiological reactions, any efforts to alter this balance, such as soil tillage and weed management methods in agricultural production, promotes inequalities and a massive loss of crop bioresources. Programmed death mechanisms employed by herbicides to either eradicate or suppress the growth and development of unwanted plants through target and non-target sites of action cause a significant shift in ecological composition and abundance within crop-weed communities. The resultant outcome promotes the prevalence of herbicide-resistant invasive plant species in which plant diversity is narrowed down to peculiar groups of plants or, in the process, favors elimination and restriction of agronomical growth and physiological development of endangered/threatened crop species. The growing concern of herbicide resistance is enormous and aided by (i) alteration in herbicide mechanisms of action, (ii) gene flow/drift in genetically modified crop varieties to other crops, and (iii) acquired resistance due to the heavy intensity of chemical usage, among other factors. Critical and strategic examinations to curb the spread of such resistance in crops or weeds communities should be implemented to conserve the vast richness of ecological bioresources and control the dynamism of plant shift in favor of biodiversity conservation.

Mosquito-borne diseases continue to pose significant public health challenges globally. Synthetic insecticides, raise concerns regarding their environmental impact and human health risks. This study evaluates the effectiveness of Crateva adansonii crude extracts against malaria vector Anopheles gambiae. The leaf, stem and root were extracted with ethanol, GC-MS analysis was done and a concentration of 1%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% was used for the bioassay. Mortality data was recoded, and the lethal concentrations were estimated. Bioactive profiling of the crude extracts revealed the presence of hexadecanoic acid, 1-(2-cyclohexyliminocyclopentyl) ethanone, heptadecanoic acid, N-(2-amino-2-oxoethyl) tetradec-2-ynamide and octadecanoic acid for leaf extract. Presence of tetradecane, hexadecane, octadecane, 5-methoxyquinoline-6-carbonitrile, 1-methoxy-3-methylsulfanylbenzene, and Octadecanoic acid was revealed for bark extracts. Additionally, presence of (E)-octadec-6-enoic acid, diethyl bis(trimethylsilyl) silicate, 1-methyl-4-phenyl-5-sulfanylidene-1,2,4-triazolidin-3-one and 3-(furan-2-yl)-4-prop-2-enyl-1 H-1,2,4-triazole-5-thione was revealed for bark extracts. Larvicidal activity recorded 100% larval mortality at 15% and 20% concentrations within 12, 18, and 24 h for the root extracts. 20% concentration of the leaf extract recorded 100% mortality in 6 h. The root extract recorded the lowest lethal concentration against the larvae at 0.04% and 8.07% for LC50 and LC90 respectively at 24 h. Similarly, complete mortality was observed in the leaf and bark extract at 20% concentration in 6 h with the lowest LC50 and LC90 being 1.78 and 14.75 respectively. Ethanolic extract of C. adansonii plant exhibited strong insecticidal activities against malaria vector. Use of plant product as plant-based mosquito control agent will help in reducing the eco-toxic effects of synthetic chemicals.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health risk that could be exacerbated by aquaculture. To effectively address this issue, it is essential to implement AMR surveillance within aquatic systems. The sensitivity, specificity, and traceability of modern molecular diagnostic technologies for AMR make it possible to undertake targeted control measures, such as detecting and quantifying specific infections and associated resistance genes. However, these techniques have limitations, including the need for highly trained technicians to carefully operate expensive and time-consuming equipment that carries the danger of producing false-negative and false-positive results. Effective diagnostic approaches are essential for surveillance to understand the origins and spread of AMR. Despite the promising future of these, we must carefully assess their benefits and drawbacks to find the best approach consistent with the goals of each surveillance program. Insights gained from this will ultimately enhance mitigation methods, helping us to fight AMR in aquaculture. The present chapter aims to summarize culture-based, molecular, and phenotypic methodologies included in AMR surveillance programs for aquaculture, recognizing that the use of specific diagnostic tools for such purpose is not without its own merits and limitations.

Background Women with disabilities remain highly vulnerable to sexual and reproductive health problems, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where their sexual and reproductive rights, such as access to sexual health information and contraception, are often neglected. This study investigated the spatial patterns of the shared impact of sexual health knowledge and modern contraceptive use among women with disabilities in Africa. Methods We used the most recent Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data involving 16,157 women with disabilities from ten African countries for this study. The data were analysed using both spatial and Bayesian inference to account for the shared component model patterns between sexual health knowledge and modern contraceptive use among women with disabilities while accounting for factors unique to each outcome. Bayesian inference via the Integrated Nested Laplace Approximation (INLA) was used for implementation. Priors for shared effects were set as log-normal distributions, while Gaussian priors were assigned to fixed effects. Intrinsic Conditional Autoregressive (ICAR) priors modelled spatial dependencies between districts, introducing spatial autocorrelation based on shared boundaries. Penalised Complexity (PC) priors controlled precision parameters to balance model complexity. Results The study revealed low sexual health knowledge (ranging from 3% in Nigeria to 27% in Uganda) and modern contraceptive use (ranging from 1% in DR Congo and Chad to 27% in Uganda) among women with disabilities across the countries surveyed. The spatial patterns showed diverse intra-country and inter-country disparities of sexual health knowledge and modern contraceptive use among the women, with lower shared impact observed in Mauritania, Nigeria, Uganda, Chad, and DR Congo relative to Kenya, Malawi, Mali, South Africa, and Rwanda. Factors that influence sexual health knowledge and modern contraceptive use among women with disabilities include education, marital status, place of residence, community literacy level, community socio-economic status, and age. Conclusions and recommendations Sexual health knowledge and modern contraceptive use among women with disabilities in Africa remain low, albeit with varied intra-country and inter-country spatial disparities. Therefore, spatial areas with low sexual health knowledge and modern contraceptive use should be given more attention when implementing measures to promote the use of modern contraceptives among women with disabilities. Promoting sexual health knowledge and modern contraceptive use among women with disabilities in Africa could significantly contribute towards the realisation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal agenda of “leaving no one behind”.

238U, 235U, 226Ra, 228Ra, 87Rb, 40K, 137Cs, 90Sr, and 3H, except for 232Th (which has extremely low solubility in natural water) are soluble in water so they remain in the ocean for a long time. Several of these materials are used as radioactive tracers in oceanographic studies. The study of radiation status in oceans and oceanographic factors influencing the global distribution of marine water is necessary because pollution from offshore petroleum extraction, radioactive element contamination and climate change among other factors threaten seawater and marine life. Oceans and seas were reported to contain radioactive nuclides, which could be small but significant concentrations of anthropogenic, naturally occurring radionuclides and cosmogenic nuclides. Cosmogenic nuclides, waste from nuclear reactors, industrial discharge and weapon testing are major sources from which these radioactive elements enter the ocean. The exposure of the ocean to radioactive nuclides from the decay series of nuclides 238U, 235U and 232Th; the non–decay series of radioactive nuclides 87Rb, and 40K,; cosmogenic nuclide 14C, 7Be, and 3H (nuclides generated by cosmic ray interactions with upper atmosphere gases from space); and the human–made radionuclides 137Cs, 134Cs, 129I, 90Sr, 239Pu, and 99Tc, may cause harmful biological effects on marine ecosystems and organisms. Phytoplankton are autotrophic microscopic marine algae of the plankton community that are important part of the ocean ecosystems. The release of radioactive elements into seas connected to oceans could cause changes in the exposure of marine biota to ionizing radiation. Marine ecosystems contain a diverse array of living organisms and abiotic processes, including sharks, squids, whales, jellyfish, octopuses, and black swallower. Radiation from the sun (sunlight), temperature, nutrients, soil and water are factors that affect the productivity of terrestrial plants. The availability of soil and water is not the issue for phytoplankton. Oceanographic factors influencing the global distribution of marine life in the ocean, including radioactive sources, sunlight, dissolved nutrients, ocean depth, the kind of predators that graze on marine life, tides, changes in the direction and strength of the wind, current, density gradient, salinity, and temperature, are discussed extensively as they affect the productivity of marine life.

This study investigated the properties, namely: surface tension, foam, emulsion, and cloud point of a library of bio‐based surfactants (represented as C n EO m where C is hydrophobic carbon chain and EO is ethylene oxide). The surfactants were derived from ring‐opening alkyl oleate epoxides with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and monomethyl polyethylene glycol (MPEG) of varying chain lengths. Surfactants demonstrated good surface properties having surface tension at critical micelle concentration (CMC) between 35 and 38 mN/m, and recorded CMC values far lower than what was reported for most commercial ethoxylated surfactants. Foamability increased with over 30% foam increase upon increasing agitation speed from 6000 to 11,000 rpm. Branching, hydrophobic carbon chain length, and PEG chain length were seen to impact foamability and foam stability. Foam properties exhibited by the surfactants were found to be superior to those demonstrated by some known commercial nonionic surfactants. Emulsions formed by the oleate ester surfactants were stable over several weeks after formation. Surfactants showed high cloud points, which increased with increasing number of ethylene oxide units. However, the addition of co‐solutes depressed the cloud point in the order Na 2 SO 4 > NaCl > NaNO 2 .

This study investigates the corrosion inhibition potential of ethanol extract from Chrysophyllum albidum (C. albidum) leaves for aluminium in water-in-diesel emulsion (W/D). Aluminium is commonly used in internal combustion engine components due to its lightweight properties but is highly susceptible to corrosion in W/D. To address this challenge, the ethanol extract of Chrysophyllum albidum leaves was evaluated as a natural corrosion inhibitor. Stability studies were performed using the volume ratio of the emulsion layer to the total volume in the measuring cylinder method to assess the practical applicability of the emulsion. The corrosion inhibition performance was evaluated using weight loss measurements, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The stability tests showed that the W/D remained stable for up to 74 h without phase separation. The weight loss data demonstrated a significant reduction in corrosion, with up to 96.88% inhibition efficiency (IE) at a maximum concentration of 2 g/L. AFM imaging revealed a smoother surface on aluminium treated with the extract, with apparent surface roughness and roughness values of 313.2 and 250.9 nm, compared to 332.2 and 267.5 nm for uninhibited aluminium, indicating the formation of a protective layer that reduced corrosion. Also, the FTIR spectra showed clearly that some of the peaks detected in the spectra of the raw ethanol extract of C. abidum were also present in the spectra of the adsorbed film formed on the surface of aluminium, thus confirming the adsorption of the extract constituents on the aluminium surface in W/D. These findings indicate that the ethanol C. abidum leaf extract is an effective, environmentally friendly corrosion inhibitor for aluminium in W/D emulsions. Future study is needed to explore the scalability of the extraction process and the potential for commercial applications of C. abidum leaf extract as a corrosion inhibitor in fuel systems would provide valuable insights into its industrial feasibility.

This chapter delves into the processing techniques for bio-based products in the Global South, emphasizing the intersection of traditional methods and modern advancements. The analysis begins with defining bio-based products and their importance in the context of sustainable development and environmental conservation. It explores the historical background and common traditional methods, particularly focusing on fermentation techniques prevalent in West Africa. The chapter then transitions to modern processing techniques, highlighting their potential to enhance efficiency and product quality while addressing challenges such as economic constraints and technical difficulties. The socioeconomic impacts of these processing activities are examined, noting their influence on small-scale farmers, gender dynamics, and the broader community. The discussion also encompasses the environmental benefits of adopting sustainable practices. The chapter concludes by identifying opportunities for innovation and growth in the bio-based products sector, advocating for policies and investments that support sustainable processing practices. Through this comprehensive analysis, the chapter provides insights into the challenges and opportunities within the processing of bio-based products, offering a pathway toward sustainable development in the Global South.

Soybean is known as a rich source of protein for households and a good raw material for industries. During production and processing of soybean, a lot of energy is lost due to exorbitant cost of input, inefficient energy utilization, inadequate use of human labor, excess heat generation, and so on. In order to minimize the cost of production and processing with optimized outputs, a thermodynamic approach of analyzing the whole system can be employed. This book chapter features the sequential stages in soybean production, namely land preparation, planting, fertilizer application, crop rotation, weed control, harvesting, and storage. The processing aspects include meal processing and utilization, extraction, processing of soybean oil and by-products, and their utilization using modern processing methods. The method of exergy and energy analysis of both the production and processing of soybean through cumulative exergy balances is also presented in this chapter employing direct and indirect energy use. By following the principles and practices outlined in this book, farmers, researchers, and stakeholders can enhance soybean production and contribute to sustainable agriculture to address Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2 and 7. This chapter also discusses the potential for implementing sustainable land management practices and exploring alternative technologies for reducing carbon emissions and optimizing energy-intensive processes.