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Corrosion of high carbon steel by bacteria under aerobic and anerobic conditions
Get PDFThis is for the award of Masters of Science (MSc.) Degree in Environmental MicrobiologyThe role of bacteria in the corrosion of high carbon steel under aerobic and anaerobic conditions was investigated using sulphate reducing bacteria and other aerobes. The microbes isolated from the soil included; aerobes (Bacillus species, Pseudomonas species) and anaerobes (Desulfovibriospecies, Thiobacillusspecies). The role of bacteria in the corrosion of high carbon steel was estimated using the weight loss technique and the electrochemical potential measurement technique. Eighteen samples of a high carbon steel of known compositions were exposed to sulphate reducing bacteria under different environments (aerobic, anaerobic and control). The physical and chemical changes were examined and monitored on weekly basis for six weeks. It was observed that the coupons immersed in the media with sulphate reducing bacterium underwent fast activation and numerous corrosion sites were formed on the surfaces. The average corrosion rate for six weeks (42 days) period of time as determined by the weight loss method and electrochemical testing were found to be 0.0004595mm/year, -0.712mV in aerobic environment, 0.0005646mm/year, -0728mV in anaerobic environment and 0.0004458mm/year, -0702mV in the control or reference environment (distilled water environment). High carbon steel was found to corrode more only in the anaerobic environment. In view of this, high carbon steels were found to be relatively more corrosion resistant than mild and medium carbon steels and may be suitable for application in industries such as the petrochemical industry
Online book sales application
Get PDFThis thesis is for the award of Master's of Science (M. Sc.) of Information Management of TechnologyAn online book store is an electronic medium in which books can be bought by customers at their own comfort. The online business transaction can be business to business, business to consumer, consumer to consumer or consumer to business. It also pertains to any form of business transaction in which the parties interact electronically rather than by physical exchanges or direct physical contact. The application provides the user with a catalog of different books available for purchase. The primary goal of this study buys and sells goods and services online. The problem of the study is that customers are not satisfied with the mode of payments, customers do not know the preferable web site to purchase book and they are not safe because of faceless sellers. This work aim at developing an application for Online Book Sales, which will solve the problems by getting the aggregate percentage of customers who preferred online stores and the best book site to buy books, to know the most preferred product purchase and also provide a satisfied mode of payment for customers. The research methodology used is explorative study which includes primary data and secondary data. The sample size chosen are 50 customers of Powell’s Books, Ebay, Abe Books, Amazon, Book Scouter and Cash4Books. The survey is based on questionnaire method. A Comparative Analysis on customer’s Preferences towards online book sales such as Powell’s Books, Ebay, Abe Books, Amazon, Book Scouter, and Cash4Books. In order to develop an application for online book sale, using a backend database, a middle tier of Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS), a web browser as the front end client, Cascading Style Sheet (CSS), Active Server Pages (ASP).NET, Visual Basic (VB).NET as the programming language, Structural Query Language (SQL) Server Database and WAMP (Windows/Apache/MySQL/PHP) as the local server. The development of this work results are most of the customers are satisfied with the mode of payment, easy return facilities are enjoyed by most of the customers, due to privacy policies provided, almost all the customers feel safe while shopping online, customers feel that products are delivered to them on time and customers most frequently purchase academy books than other categories of books. The benefit of this work if implemented will improve cost control, improve high rate of success, security and quick delivery
Novel non-parametric assessment of heavy metals in coated card wastes
Get PDFThis is an original research article with figures and tablesNon-parametric tests were applied for the first time to coated mobile card waste in order to determine the correlation within risk assessment and instrumentation. The AAS concentrations of all the metals were higher than their XRF concentrations except in Al and Ag metals. Cr had the highest distribution pattern while Ag metal had the lowest respectively. The target hazard quotient (THQ) for all metals were below minor hazard level. On the contrary, only Fe and Zn were below the Oral reference dose (RfD) value and the daily metal intake (DMI) respectively. The WilcoxonMann-Whitney test showed no significant difference between the concentration of the metals in XRF and AAS analysis results but identified the unusual behavior of Ag and Al metals; hence it depicted that both AAS and XRF analysis results were not sensitive to detect the different metal concentrations in the cards. Hence, similar coating specifications are utilized. The Kruskal Wallis test and Spearman correlation coefficient showed that the results from AAS and XRF were significantly different. Hence it showed that instrumentation showed sensitivity of metal concentrations from the recharge cards. This correlated with THQ, DMI, health risk index (HRI) risk assessment parameters that different coating specifications were used causing different values at same sampling points. Therefore, the results established that non-parametric tests are good analytical tools
Port service quality study of Nigerian sea ports
Get PDFThe article has table and figureThis study is focused on service quality assessment in the Nigerian ports with Western and Eastern port zones as study areas. It discovered the level of satisfaction derived by port users by evaluating expectations and perceptions at the ports using some selected analysis tools to test raised hypothesis. This evaluation was based on the service quality model as developed by Parasuraman within the core dimensions of Empathy, Responsiveness, Tangibles, Reliability and Assurance. The attributes of expectations and perceptions raised within these dimensions were addressed with two hypotheses. H1 (Hypothesis one) and H2 (Hypothesis two) were addressed with the results of Factor Analysis which identified the significance port users attach to service quality dimensions and their respective attributes
Effect of malaria parasite on platelet among pregnant women in Owerri, Imo State Nigeria
Get PDFA research article with tablesMalaria is a formidable global parasitic infection that presents a major health challenge in Tropical countries especially among pregnant women and children. It has a profound alteration or reduction effects on hematological parameters such as platelets in pregnant women. The study was carried out to determine the effects of Plasmodium falciparum on platelets of pregnant women in Owerri, Imo state Nigeria. A total of one hundred and fifty (150) blood samples of pregnant women were collected at Holy Rosary hospital Emekuku in owerri. The blood samples were screened for malaria infection using thick and thin Giemsa blood films. Results showed that 50 (33.33%) were positive for malaria parasite showing significant signs, with visible fever accompanying the infections. Normal platelet number ranges from 150 X 109/ L; 400 X 109/L. The association of hematological parameters and diagnosis of malaria infection among people living in malaria endemic areas were retrieved. The most commonly changed parameters are platelet count. Presence of thrombocytopenia in pregnant women from endemic areas was useful as supportive diagnostic criteria for malaria in cases with low levels of parasite number. Therefore, when used with other clinical and microscopy parameters, it can significantly improve malaria diagnosis and timely treatment for malaria infection
Physicochemical analysis and mineralogical composition of Enugu coal In Nigeria for potential utilization
Get PDFA research articleThe abundance of coal in certain regions of Nigeria had been described as an alternative energy solution. The potential information obtained from the physicochemical and mineralogical characterization of coal samples in such regions has enabled scientist and government to make well informed decisions. Coal samples were obtained from Okpara Mine in Enugu state Nigeria and subjected to proximate, ultimate and mineralogical analyses. The results showed that the coal had uneven particle distribution with higher content of fixed carbon and lower amount of hydrogen and volatile matter. The mineral analyses showed that the coal was rich in silicon and aluminum. The rank was bituminous coal that can be utilized for power
generation, steel industry, glass manufacturing and thermite proces
The performance of marine insurance firms in Nigeria: An augmented SWOT aalysis
No full textThe article has tables and figuresThe performance of Nigeria insurance industry has been ranked below global standards and which ranking has implications on risk management in the maritime shipping sector. In this paper, the performance and operating environment of a sample of insurance firms (with marine risk portfolios) were empirically examined. Secondary data on earned premium income, indemnity paid, management expenses and total expenses representing performance indices of these firms over a period from 1974-2013 were collected for analysis of their operational performance. Qualitative data were also extracted from existing literature for Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis to determine the attributes of operating environment of the insurance firms. An Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) model tests on the performance indices showed that the insurance firms earned more premium than indemnity paid out during the study period. Their management expenses however, exceeded amount of indemnity paid. In terms of challenges facing the firms, the SWOT analysis revealed prevalence of poor quality service delivery to insurance customers, customer distrust, inadequate technical manpower and unfavourable macro-economic environment. Prospects for growth of the industry were found favourable due to introduction of local content policy/cabotage shipping Acts and upgraded risk management framework. The paper recommends that more specific policy interventions be directed at complete removal of impediments in the operating environment of marine insurance firms since their performance outcome has implications on viability of shipping and related maritime businesses
Comparative study of effects of electrode materials and catholyte on simultaneous generation of bioelectricity and waste water treatment
No full textThe article tables and graphical presentationsImprovement of the parameters which limit the harvest of energy in microbial fuel cell (MFC) is paramount to increase its output and promote commercial application of the technology. Six dual chamber MFCs with either potassium permanganate or potassium ferricyanide as electron acceptor and various combinations of carbon and copper rods as electrodes produced maximum open circuit voltage (OCV) of 0.97V, 1.23V, 1.34V, 0.75V, 1.03V and 0.63V. The power density (at Rext = 1000Ω), which increased with decreasing external resistance until 200Ω beyond which it decreased, peaked at 79.27mW/m2 (105.7mA/m2), 156.32mW/m2 (148.4mA/m2), 92.29mW/m2 (114.0mA/m2), 60.94mW/m2 (92.6mA/m2), 39.94mW/m2(75.0mA/m2) and 14.21mW/m2(44.70mA/m2) for the MFCs. Similarly, coulombic efficiency (CE) were 69%, 84%, 74%, 76%,72% and 5.10%, while COD removal were 65%, 51%, 47%, 83%, 48% and 49%. Above results indicated that potassium permanganate outperformed potassium ferricyanide, while use of carbon as both electrodes was better than other blends copper and/or carbon used in the study. Lactobacillus spp., Corynebacterium spp., Streptococcus spp., Proteus mirabilis, Enterobacter spp., Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas spp., Bacillus spp., Aeromonas spp., Micrococcus lyteus, Corynebacterium spp.,Cladosporium, Aspergillus versicolour, Candida albicans, A. flavus, Aspergillus nidulans, Trichoderma spp. and Aspergillus fumigatus were microorganisms isolated from the piggery wastewater. Further studies using cheaper, more sustainable materials with better effects on the setup are necessary
