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Effect of chemical oxygen demand on the ability of some cover crops to prevent mineral accumulation in a sandy vineyard soil irrigated with augmented winery wastewater
No full textThesis (MTech (Agriculture))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology.During the past years government regulations concerning winery effluent became stricter to protect the environment. Wineries are continually improving wastewater management and finding appropriate ways to reduce cellar effluent. Due to water scarcity in South Africa, it could be a huge advantage if winery effluent could be used as irrigation water for vineyards. If the industry can re-use the untreated wastewater, it will not only save a huge amount of irrigation water, but it will also be able to get rid of the vast amount of cellar effluent.
Grape production plays a major role in agriculture worldwide. The world production of grapes worldwide in 2013 was 751 MgL. South Africa is the 9th biggest wine producer in the world with 10 X 10HL of wine.
In the earlier years of wine production in South Africa, the small volumes of winery wastewater did not have a negative impact on the environment but with the increased volumes over the last years, the possibility of contamination of the soil and the environment has increased. Government decided to regulate the irrigation of cellar effluent with the National Water Act of 1998 as approved by the Department of Water Affairs (DWAF).
There are different ways to get rid of cellar effluent. One successful way is by constructed wetlands where plants are used to break down minerals which could be detrimental to the environment. This is a successful way to get rid of cellar effluent but could take up to six weeks before the mineral contents can be broken down by the plants. Another way is to use bio-reactors to break down the contents of the cellar effluent, but this is expensive.
Wastewater consists of important nutrients needed for plant growth such as macro-nutrients like N, P, K and micro-nutrients like Fe, Zn, Mn and Cu and a substantial amount of organic matter. If cellar water, just like domestic wastewater is used for irrigation the farmer can save water when he uses less fertiliser, because of the high nutrient content in the cellar effluent.
If cover crops such as oats (Avena sativa L. cv. Pallinup) in winter and pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) in summer can be used to remove excess cations, as well as unwanted chemicals such as toxic metals from the soil, it may result in effluent water with a higher chemical oxygen demand (COD) level than the current legal limitations that can be used to irrigate the vineyard. The aim of this project was, therefore, to determine the ability of oat and pearl millet cover crop to remove excess minerals from the soil irrigated with augmented water at different COD levels, without a negative effect on growth and yield of the vineyard or wine quality. Field trials were carried out in a Cabernet Sauvignon/99 Richter vineyard established on a sandy soil at the Goudini Cellar near Rawsonville
Strategies for the National Assembly to ensure the effective implementation of the National Development Plan of South Africa
No full textThesis (MTech (Public Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology.The primary objective of this study was to contribute evidence and analysis that the administration of Parliament and structures such as portfolio committees can utilise during their oversight activities to ensure the successful implementation of the National Development Plan (NDP). In this regard, this study endeavoured to shed light on the current legislative, oversight and public participation practices of the National Assembly with respect to the executive.
In particular, the study considered the strengths and weaknesses of the many ways in which Parliament pursues its mandate, through its oversight methods such as debates, questions, portfolio committee oversight activities, and legislation, amongst others. As such, the study’s recommendations are geared towards strengthening the capabilities of Parliament to deliver improved outcomes and, in so doing, raise the level of accountability within and throughout the institution.
A number of gaps and weaknesses in the way in which Parliament executes its mandate were found. Significantly, accountability – which is the axis around which the roles of Members of Parliament and Parliament itself revolves – has been significantly weakened by competing political agendas. The highly political context and the proportional representative system influence the autonomy and commitments of Parliament.
The NDP (2012:45) holds that “accountability is essential to democracy and that the accountability chain should be strengthened from top to bottom”. Serious questions emerged about the ability of Parliament to hold the executive to account. Capacity constraints which pertain to both members and staff and the building of coalitions (external expertise) were factors that require attention
A model for the development of slow tourism in South Africa using the economic resources of the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens
No full textThesis (MTech (Tourism and Hospitality Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2015.The concept and knowledge of slow tourism within the context of South Africa is limited. Very little local literature is available on this new, emerging niche form of tourism. International research on this topic, including the practise, development, implementation and promotion of slow tourism, has grown during the last decade. This study investigates the meaning, understanding and definition of slow travel and tourism, and how slow tourism differs from other alternative tourism types. International and local case studies where slow tourism was implemented successfully, were assessed. Slow tourism is considered an antithesis to mass tourism. Tourism role-players and visitor groups have become more environmentally conscious in how they develop, promote and consume tourism products. Sustainable and responsible tourism practices are the forefront of the slow tourism phenomenon which induces the demand and the supply chain of tourism products emphasised by ethical values. Slow tourism focuses on the concept of time spent at the destination, liberating the visitor from the angst and stress brought about by today's fast-paced lifestyles. Attention is directed at the visitor experiencing a qualitative more than a quantitative experience, found in a unique nature-based setting with the after-effects of feeling relaxed and rejuvenated. Slow tourism is centred on building good relationships with the local community, preservation of and an appreciation for the environment, and the production and consumption of local and responsibly-sourced products.
Within this context, this study aims at developing a slow tourism model for South Africa, using the economic resources of the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens (KNBG). It investigates the literature of slow tourism at United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) protected sites, parks and at KNBG. Botanical gardens are considered a place of recreation and leisure, taking time out to relax and enjoy the open green spaces. Moreover, the dissertation points out the elements that are required to develop slow tourism at a destination and the role of tourism policies which set the framework for managing and growing tourism sustainably. A qualitative research methodology was employed to collect the primary data, using the grounded theory approach at KNBG, which was the study site. Qualitative data were obtained through observing visitors, in-depth interviews with visitors and KNBG management. The results and findings from the analysis indicate a shift towards people slowing down, the need to connect with nature to feel less stressed and finding value in slow tourism activities such as those found at KNBG. A slow tourism model was developed based on the literature review and findings of the primary data that was collected.South African National Biodiversity Institut
Writing pedagogy of the news report genre across the intermediate phase in one school
No full textThesis (MTech (Education))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2015.Writing pedagogy of the News Report genre across the Intermediate Phase in one school. The low levels of writing proficiency that are experienced by students is a global
phenomenon and South Africa is no exception (DBE, 2008; 2013). The NEEDU Report
(2012) and Hendricks (2007, 2008) argue that insufficient extended writing takes place in
South African classrooms, resulting in limited textual and linguistic progression across
grades. According to Hendricks (2007, 2008) and Dornbrack and Dixon (2014) little research around writing pedagogy has been carried out in South Africa, particularly on how genres or text types are taught and extended across the grades. This research examines the teaching of the News Report genre across the Intermediate Phase in one school, the discourses and positioning of literacy by the three teachers and how these are translated into practice. This study is underpinned by the notion of literacy as a social practice which Street (2003) and Prinsloo (2013) propose is not merely a technical and neutral skill but that it occurs in social practice not only through formal schooling but within a social context which has a direct bearing on it. Themes that emerge from the semi-structured interviews conducted with the three teachers include inadequate information on writing in the CAPS documents, an “overloaded” writing curriculum, a lack of pre-service/ in-service training, gaps in espoused pedagogy and the impact of teachers’ writing histories on their conceptualization of writing and espoused pedagogy.
Classroom observations of writing lessons on this genre reveal the dominance of a skills
discourse by two of the teachers. However, the third teacher who clearly articulated her own writing history as being “fraught and contested” illustrates evidence of a socio cultural writing pedagogy which deeply engages her students (Ivanic, 2004)
Modelling and testing smart aileron servo tabs : developing simulation tools for smart materials
No full textThesis (DTech (Mechanical Engineering))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2015.This dissertation addresses the development and the testing of a simulation tool to be used to predict the behaviour of smart material/structures. Along with the development of the simulation tool, a new form of the model describing the behaviour of shape-memory alloy was developed and implemented. The proposed model was developed based on the existing cosine model, conventionally used in literature, but it uses hyperbolic tangent functions. The hyperbolic tangent function was chosen so as to allow the simulation of any range of temperatures. Experiments were performed to obtain the parameters to be used in the simulation and to validate the numerical results. Two different simulations were performed: a one dimensional FEA analysis with a two dimensional orientation (NiTi SMA wire simulation) and a three dimensional FEA analysis (NiTi SMA plate) [Msomi and Oliver, 2015]. Alongside the FEA analysis, two experiments were performed with the purpose of obtaining the material parameters to be used in FEA analysis and to compare the FEA results to the experimental results.Airbus Compan
The effects of the wild african potato (hypoxis hemerocallidea) supplementation on streptozotocin-induced diabetic wistar rats reproductive function
No full textThesis (MTech (Biomedical Technology))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2015.Diabetes mellitus (DM) has been reported to be one of the greatest global public health threats. Statistics of the fertility status of modern society has linked increased DM to a decrease in fertility rates. Hyperglycaemia is characteristic of DM that results in a disturbance of proteins, lipids and carbohydrate metabolism leading to an increase production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In the case where ROS overwhelms antioxidant mechanisms, the body goes into state of oxidative stress (OS). OS plays a vital role in the progression of DM which leads to dysfunction and damage of various organs including that of the reproductive system. Os has shown to cause damage to the sperm membraneby oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA’s) as the sperm membrane are rich in PUFA’s. This damage contributes to reduced sperm motility, concentration, morphological abnormalities and the sperms ability to fuse with the ZP of the oocyte. DM has been observed to cause testicular degeneration by interrupting sertoli cell production and maintenance thus resulting in a disturbance of the normal functioning of the reproductive system. Experimental studies have targeted more natural sources for treating DM and its complications of the reproductive system. Plants and natural dietary substances have shown to have high antioxidant contents that combat DM induced oxidative stress. This study explored the effect the Hypoxis hemerocallidea (H. hemerocallidea) supplementation on testicular and epididymal tissue, sperm motility and reproductive hormones in male wistar rats. The experiment were conducted for 6 weeks and the rats (230-260 grams) were randomly divided into 5 groups (n=12 per group). Diabetes was induced in 3 of the 5 groups. The first group was the normal control group (A), second the diabetic control group (B), third was the diabetic group treated with 800mg/kg H. hemerocallidea (group C), fourth the diabetic group treated with 200mg/kg H. hemerocallidea (group D) and fifth the non-diabetic group supplemented with 800mg/kg H. hemerocallidea (group E). Blood glucose showed a significant increase in the diabetic group when compared to the normal control and treated groups. H. hemerocallidea showed improvement in sperm motility and sperm morphology more at 800mg/kg when compared to diabetic group and diabetic group treated with 200mg/kg. Body, testicular and epipidymal weights of diabetic control were significantly lower when compared to the other groups. Testicular and epididymal Malondialdehyde levels were decreased in normal control, diabetic groups treated with different doses of H. hemerocallidea and the non-diabetic group supplemented with H. hemerocallideaon comparing with the diabetic control group. Antioxidants such as Superoxide dismutase, Catalase and total Glutathione activity was observed to be dosage dependent in certin groups but most showed a significant increase when compared to the diabetic control group. The total antioxidant capacity was measured using Oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and Ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP); increase was observed when normal control group and treated groups were compared to the diabetic group. Testosterone and estradiol levels were also increased when the normal control group and treated groups were compared to the diabetic control group.
Based on our findings it can be concluded that H. hemerocallidea supplementation can potentially be used to counteract deleterious effects of DM on the male reproductive system
Electrochemical polychlorinated biphenyls immunosensor based on functionalized polyaniline nanocomposite
No full textThesis (MTech (Chemistry))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2015.Immunosensors are analytical devices comprising antibody (Ab) molecules intimately integrated with electronic physicochemical transducers. Abs are responsible for specific recognition of an analyte so called antigen (Ag) while transducers are responsible for the conversion of chemical changes brought about by Ab-Ag interactions into measurable and processable signal. Amongst the many analytical tools, immunosensors have shown outstanding performance in applications in fields such as clinical diagnostics, agricultural purposes and environmental monitoring. They have come in place of the many conventional analytical methods which showed a number of disadvantages; high cost and longer time of operation, and requirement of highly knowledgeable personnel. On the other hand, immunosensors have shown potential to overcome these constraints. Their advantages include possibilities of portability, miniaturization, and simplified procedures. Of the possible fields of immunosensor applications, this study focussed on the environmental aspect. The safety of the environment is good for the well-being even though there are still some environmental threats that exist. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have reportedly been found to be some of the potential substances to pose such threats due to their toxic and persistent behaviour. In this study, we have developed an electrochemical immunosensor as an analytical tool for the analysis and monitoring of PCBs. The development was based on the use of silver nanoparticles-doped polyaniline (PANI/Ag NPs) for modification of an electrode as a process for fabrication of the transducer. The PANI/Ag NPs composite was deposited on the glassy carbon (GC) and platinum (Pt) electrodes by oxidative electropolymerization of aniline in the presence of Ag NPs in 1 M HCl using cyclic voltammetry (CV) by ramping the potential from -0.1 to 1.4 V at 50 mV/s. The composite was then characterized and evaluated as a potential material for electrochemical transduction. Evaluation was on electroactivity, which is the main property of interest for materials used in the fabrication of electrochemical devices. The PANI composites were characterized using spectroscopic (FTIR), microscopic (TEM) and electrochemical CV techniques. Results confirmed the formation of PANI in its emeraldine form and the presence of Ag NPs. Characteristic functional groups and peaks of PANI were observed in FTIR and CV respectively. TEM micrograms showed one dimensional nanofibric tubes and crystalline-like structure of the composite. The incorporation of Ag NPs was indicated by the transition from the amorphous (PANI) to crystalline (PANI/Ag NPs) structure accompanied by increase in size as well as smoothness of the tubes. EDS-TEM counts increase of the chlorine (Cl) peaks is due to the closeness of these peaks to those of Ag, thus confirming incorporation of Ag NPs
Characterisation of Bambara groundnut (Vigna Subterranean (L.) Verdc.) Non-starch polysaccharides from wet milling method as prebiotics
No full textThesis (MTech (Food Technology))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2015.The aim of this study was to characterise the physicochemical, rheological, prebiotic and
emulsion stabilising properties of four varieties (black-eye, brown-eye, brown and red) of
Bambara groundnut (BGN) extracted using the modified wet milling method. A relatively high
yield of BGN dietary fibres was obtained with soluble dietary fibres (SDFs) ranging from 15.4
to 17.1% and insoluble dietary fibres (IDFs) ranging from 12.0 to 15.6%. Black-eye and
brown-eye dietary fibres showed superiority in terms of swelling capacities, water holding
capacities, oil binding capacities, antioxidant properties as well as thermal stabilities than red
and brown dietary fibres. In addition, black-eye and brown-eye dietary fibres were
characterised by higher lightness (L*), redness (+a*), yellowness (+b*), chroma (C*) and hue.
All four SDFs showed acceptable colour differences with ΔE < 8 ranging from 0.81 to 3.08.
The hydrolysable polyphenolic (HPP) content of SDFs ranged from 6.89 to 20.86 mg/g GAE
and that of IDFs ranged from 10.96 to 14.43 mg/g GAE. All four SDFs differed significantly
(p < 0.05) in their HPP content. BGN IDFs were very low in tannins (< 2.2 mg/g)
An evaluation of the 2010 federation of international Football associations (FIFA) World Cup™ on business establishments : a case study of a suburb in Cape Town
No full textThesis (MTech (Tourism))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2015.Local business concerns and perceptions are generally neglected in relation to
mega-event research, as most studies have, so far, focused on the broader
economic impacts, as well as on the social impacts, and, more recently, on the
environmental impacts of mega-events. South Africa being afforded the
opportunity to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ created much excitement for all,
and especially so for the business market. This is because the market in
question is at the forefront of providing goods and services to the much
anticipated increased number of tourists, whether such goods and services
consist of the provision of accommodation, food and beverage, or entertainment,
as well as ancillary products and services. The focus of the study was on gaining an understanding of the awareness and
the impacts of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ on businesses, especially those
situated within close proximity of the Cape Town Stadium. The study was
conducted three months before, and three months after, the event. The
investigation explores the level of perceptions, attitudes, and experiences of the
businesses in relation to the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, while simultaneously
highlighting their experiences with the event. The primary objective of this
approach was to ascertain whether there were any changes between the initial
perceptions, and the experiences, among businesses in relation to the event.
The five objectives guiding the study involved investigating: (1) business
managers’ and owners’ perceptions and experiences of the event; (2) the
impacts of the World Cup on businesses; (3) the level of business support for the
event; (4) the impacts of leveraging initiatives on businesses; and (5)
recommendations aimed at maximising the opportunities granted by future
mega-events for businesses. During the pre- and post-event study, a total of 145
surveys were administered to the business owners and managers of SMMEs,
using the stratified random sampling method, of which, 72 responded during the
pre-event study and 104 during the post-event study
The role of FTO, ENPP1 and TCF7L2 in the pathogenesis of diabetes in an adult population from Bellville South, Cape Town, South Africa
No full textThesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Technology: Biomedical Sciences in the Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology
2015Background: The Mixed Ancestry population of South Africa has recently been reported to have a higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). However, the genetic risk factors that may contribute to the development of T2DM are currently unknown. We investigated the association of fat mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO), ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase gene (ENPP1) and transcription factor 7-like 2 gene (TCF7L2) with T2DM risk in a community residing in Bellville South, Cape Town.
Methods: Five hundred and sixty six participants (11.7% males) who consented to genetic analyses were genotyped for six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs): ENPP1-rs997509 and -rs1044498, FTO-9941349 and -rs3751812, TCF7L2-rs12255372 and -rs7903146. The SNPs were genotyped using their corresponding Taqman genotyping assays, and validated by automated sequencing. Allele and genotype frequencies were determined and regression analyses was conducted to assess the association of the polymorphisms with T2DM and its related,traits.
Results: Overall and in subgroups defined by diabetes and obesity statuses, there were present no significant differences in the distribution of alleles and genotypes, except for the polymorphisms observed in the FTO and ENPP1 genes. In logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex, body mass index (BMI) and insulin resistance, minor alleles of ENPP1-rs997509 and ENPP1-rs1044498 were associated with risk for T2DM respectively, 4.55 (1.06-19.49) (p=0.041) and 1.81 (1.09-2.98) (p=0.021) assuming a recessive genetic model. Furthermore, the FTO rs9941349 minor allele was associated with the prevalent T2DM under the log-additive model: 1.40 (1.00 to 1.96) (0.049). The TCF7L2 polymorphisms showed no evidence of association with T2DM and/or insulin sensitivity/resistance indicators. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that ENPP1 and FTO polymorphisms may contribute to T2DM susceptibility in this population, confirming previous findings that insulin resistance may mediate the development of the disease in the Mixed Ancestry population group of South Africa