Physico-chemical quality of waters sources from Bibiani and its environs was conducted between No... more Physico-chemical quality of waters sources from Bibiani and its environs was conducted between November, 2009 and April, 2010. This study was undertaken to determine whether physical, chemical and trace metal contamination of water sources in Bibiani is as a result of mining or geochemical and biochemical processes within the environment. Levels of trace metals (Arsenic (As), Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), and Copper (Cu)), physical parameters (pH, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Electrical Conductivity and Temperature) and chemical parameters (Alkalinity, Hardness, Phosphate and Cyanide) in water sources were determined. Water samples were collected from ten sampling points: four surface waters (SW1, SW2, SW3, and SW4) and six groundwater points (GW1, GW 2, GW3, GW4, GW5 and GW6). Mining related contaminants detected in water samples were As (<0.001 to 0.002 mg/l), CN (0.002 to 0.036 mg/l), Mn (0.1 to 0.72 mg/l) and Fe (0.32 to 3.035 mg/l). Groundwater (GW3 and GW4 samples had more Mn...
A thesis submitted to the Department of Chemistry in fulfilment of the requirements for the degre... more A thesis submitted to the Department of Chemistry in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy (Analytical Chemistry), 2005
Abstract Phosphorus (P) is an indispensable natural mineral for biological processes and structur... more Abstract Phosphorus (P) is an indispensable natural mineral for biological processes and structures that support life in plants and animals. P deficiency is the most common nutritional stress of cultivated land in many regions of the world. The aim of this study was to determine the phosphorus (P) sorption characteristics of some soils and derive parameter estimates relevant in the prediction and management of P as well as their relationship to the properties of the soils. Four soil samples (each taken from depths of 0−10, 10−20 and 20−30 cm) were obtained from the Eastern Region of Ghana for this study. An uncultivated virgin land at Huhunya (HV), a cocoa farm in Akwadum (AC), a plantain farm also in Huhunya (HP) and piece of land which had been allowed to go fallow in Huhunya (HF) was used. Measurement of P sorption was conducted by equilibrating air-dried soil (
Cosmetologists may be potentially exposed to high levels of formaldehyde as a result of their exp... more Cosmetologists may be potentially exposed to high levels of formaldehyde as a result of their exposure to formaldehyde released from the various cosmetic products used in the beauty salons. In order to assess the exposure of cosmetologists to formaldehyde, the indoor air in sixty beauty salons across the ten submetros in Kumasi were sampled to determine the formaldehyde levels and the associated noncarcinogenic human health risks. Sampling was done using System Service Innovation Incorporation air sampler model 1000i, and the MBTH spectrophotometric method was used for analysis. The mean levels of formaldehyde concentrations ranged from 88.67 to 170.67 µg/m3. Out of the sixty salons sampled, 36 salons had formaldehyde levels above the WHO permissible limit of 100 µg/m3 for an eight-hour working period and also exceeded the 55 and 9 µg/m3 for chronic and acute reference exposure limit, respectively, set by the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. The results of this stud...
This study evaluates the exposure of the Ghanaian population of the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana to... more This study evaluates the exposure of the Ghanaian population of the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana to formaldehyde through the consumption of fish using 3-Methyl-2-Benzothiazoline Hydrazone method, with trichloroacetic acid as an extracting agent. A total of sixty (60) fish species comprising both local and imported fish were bought from cold stores and fish ponds were analysed. Formaldehyde was found in all the species analysed with concentration ranging from 0.174 to 3.710 μgg−1. However, the levels were still lower than 5 mg/kg, which is the maximum limit established by the Malaysian Food Act and Regulation for formaldehyde in fish. The estimated daily intake values for formaldehyde in the fish species analysed ranged between 4.233 × 10−4 and 3.661 × 10−3 mg/kg BW/day and this was less than the acceptable daily intake of 0.15 and 0.2 mg/kg BW/day suggested by World Health Organization and the United States Environmental Protection Agency for formaldehyde intake, respectively. The res...
Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 2012
In this study, pH, total organic carbon, sulphate concentration and mercury concentrations of sed... more In this study, pH, total organic carbon, sulphate concentration and mercury concentrations of sediment samples from the Volta Lake at Yeji in the northern part of Ghana were determined. The results indicate that pH ranged from 6.32 to 8.21, total organic carbon ranged from 0.17 to 3.02 g/kg and sulphate concentration from 10.00 to 57.51 mg/kg. Total mercury concentrations ranged from 32.61 to 700 ng/g which is below the International Atomic Energy Agency recommended value of 810 ng/g. Humic substance-bound mercury ranged from 81.15 to 481.31 mg/kg in sediments and its two fractions existed as humic acid-bound mercury &gt; fulvic acid-bound mercury with the ratio of humic substance-bound mercury to fulvic acid-bound mercury as 1.62 on the average. Humic substance-bound mercury and the two fractions fulvic acid-bound mercury and humic substance-bound mercury in sediments were favorably determined and found to correlate significantly positive with total organic carbon (r = 0.538) and total mercury (r = 0.574). However, there were poor correlations between SO(4) (2-) concentrations and humic substance-bound mercury (r = -0.391) as well as the two fractions; fulvic acid (r = -0.406) and humic acid (r = -0.381). By assuming that methyl mercury is mostly formed in sediments, these significant relations suggest that the efficiency of mercury being methylated from a given inorganic form depends on the amount, and most likely biochemical composition of total organic carbon in the lake sediment but not the SO(4) (2-) concentration.
ABSTRACT Levels of some heavy metals in soil and vegetation along a major highway in Libya were d... more ABSTRACT Levels of some heavy metals in soil and vegetation along a major highway in Libya were determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. The concentrations of Pb, Cd, Ni, Zn, Cu, Cr and Mn in soil and vegetation all decreased with distance from the road, indicating their relation to traffic. The concentrations of the metals also decreased with depth in the soil profile indicating that the source of the metals was aerial deposition from motor vehicles. Inter-relationships between metals in the soil were highly significant (p &lt; 0.05) suggesting a common source for these metals. Pb and Zn were found to be deposited more than the other metals. Average values for citrus limon leaves were generally 30 - 65 % of those for Olea europaea leaves. In most cases, between 20-40% of the metals was removable by simple washing with water, indicating that a significant, but not predominant fraction of the metals is in the form of easily-removed particulate matter. Discussion of the results of this study is based on statistical treatment of the data.Journal of Science &amp; Technology (Ghana) Vol. 27 (2) 2007: pp. 86-97
Physico-chemical quality of waters sources from Bibiani and its environs was conducted between No... more Physico-chemical quality of waters sources from Bibiani and its environs was conducted between November, 2009 and April, 2010. This study was undertaken to determine whether physical, chemical and trace metal contamination of water sources in Bibiani is as a result of mining or geochemical and biochemical processes within the environment. Levels of trace metals (Arsenic (As), Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), and Copper (Cu)), physical parameters (pH, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Electrical Conductivity and Temperature) and chemical parameters (Alkalinity, Hardness, Phosphate and Cyanide) in water sources were determined. Water samples were collected from ten sampling points: four surface waters (SW1, SW2, SW3, and SW4) and six groundwater points (GW1, GW 2, GW3, GW4, GW5 and GW6). Mining related contaminants detected in water samples were As (<0.001 to 0.002 mg/l), CN (0.002 to 0.036 mg/l), Mn (0.1 to 0.72 mg/l) and Fe (0.32 to 3.035 mg/l). Groundwater (GW3 and GW4 samples had more Mn...
A thesis submitted to the Department of Chemistry in fulfilment of the requirements for the degre... more A thesis submitted to the Department of Chemistry in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy (Analytical Chemistry), 2005
Abstract Phosphorus (P) is an indispensable natural mineral for biological processes and structur... more Abstract Phosphorus (P) is an indispensable natural mineral for biological processes and structures that support life in plants and animals. P deficiency is the most common nutritional stress of cultivated land in many regions of the world. The aim of this study was to determine the phosphorus (P) sorption characteristics of some soils and derive parameter estimates relevant in the prediction and management of P as well as their relationship to the properties of the soils. Four soil samples (each taken from depths of 0−10, 10−20 and 20−30 cm) were obtained from the Eastern Region of Ghana for this study. An uncultivated virgin land at Huhunya (HV), a cocoa farm in Akwadum (AC), a plantain farm also in Huhunya (HP) and piece of land which had been allowed to go fallow in Huhunya (HF) was used. Measurement of P sorption was conducted by equilibrating air-dried soil (
Cosmetologists may be potentially exposed to high levels of formaldehyde as a result of their exp... more Cosmetologists may be potentially exposed to high levels of formaldehyde as a result of their exposure to formaldehyde released from the various cosmetic products used in the beauty salons. In order to assess the exposure of cosmetologists to formaldehyde, the indoor air in sixty beauty salons across the ten submetros in Kumasi were sampled to determine the formaldehyde levels and the associated noncarcinogenic human health risks. Sampling was done using System Service Innovation Incorporation air sampler model 1000i, and the MBTH spectrophotometric method was used for analysis. The mean levels of formaldehyde concentrations ranged from 88.67 to 170.67 µg/m3. Out of the sixty salons sampled, 36 salons had formaldehyde levels above the WHO permissible limit of 100 µg/m3 for an eight-hour working period and also exceeded the 55 and 9 µg/m3 for chronic and acute reference exposure limit, respectively, set by the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. The results of this stud...
This study evaluates the exposure of the Ghanaian population of the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana to... more This study evaluates the exposure of the Ghanaian population of the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana to formaldehyde through the consumption of fish using 3-Methyl-2-Benzothiazoline Hydrazone method, with trichloroacetic acid as an extracting agent. A total of sixty (60) fish species comprising both local and imported fish were bought from cold stores and fish ponds were analysed. Formaldehyde was found in all the species analysed with concentration ranging from 0.174 to 3.710 μgg−1. However, the levels were still lower than 5 mg/kg, which is the maximum limit established by the Malaysian Food Act and Regulation for formaldehyde in fish. The estimated daily intake values for formaldehyde in the fish species analysed ranged between 4.233 × 10−4 and 3.661 × 10−3 mg/kg BW/day and this was less than the acceptable daily intake of 0.15 and 0.2 mg/kg BW/day suggested by World Health Organization and the United States Environmental Protection Agency for formaldehyde intake, respectively. The res...
Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 2012
In this study, pH, total organic carbon, sulphate concentration and mercury concentrations of sed... more In this study, pH, total organic carbon, sulphate concentration and mercury concentrations of sediment samples from the Volta Lake at Yeji in the northern part of Ghana were determined. The results indicate that pH ranged from 6.32 to 8.21, total organic carbon ranged from 0.17 to 3.02 g/kg and sulphate concentration from 10.00 to 57.51 mg/kg. Total mercury concentrations ranged from 32.61 to 700 ng/g which is below the International Atomic Energy Agency recommended value of 810 ng/g. Humic substance-bound mercury ranged from 81.15 to 481.31 mg/kg in sediments and its two fractions existed as humic acid-bound mercury &gt; fulvic acid-bound mercury with the ratio of humic substance-bound mercury to fulvic acid-bound mercury as 1.62 on the average. Humic substance-bound mercury and the two fractions fulvic acid-bound mercury and humic substance-bound mercury in sediments were favorably determined and found to correlate significantly positive with total organic carbon (r = 0.538) and total mercury (r = 0.574). However, there were poor correlations between SO(4) (2-) concentrations and humic substance-bound mercury (r = -0.391) as well as the two fractions; fulvic acid (r = -0.406) and humic acid (r = -0.381). By assuming that methyl mercury is mostly formed in sediments, these significant relations suggest that the efficiency of mercury being methylated from a given inorganic form depends on the amount, and most likely biochemical composition of total organic carbon in the lake sediment but not the SO(4) (2-) concentration.
ABSTRACT Levels of some heavy metals in soil and vegetation along a major highway in Libya were d... more ABSTRACT Levels of some heavy metals in soil and vegetation along a major highway in Libya were determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. The concentrations of Pb, Cd, Ni, Zn, Cu, Cr and Mn in soil and vegetation all decreased with distance from the road, indicating their relation to traffic. The concentrations of the metals also decreased with depth in the soil profile indicating that the source of the metals was aerial deposition from motor vehicles. Inter-relationships between metals in the soil were highly significant (p &lt; 0.05) suggesting a common source for these metals. Pb and Zn were found to be deposited more than the other metals. Average values for citrus limon leaves were generally 30 - 65 % of those for Olea europaea leaves. In most cases, between 20-40% of the metals was removable by simple washing with water, indicating that a significant, but not predominant fraction of the metals is in the form of easily-removed particulate matter. Discussion of the results of this study is based on statistical treatment of the data.Journal of Science &amp; Technology (Ghana) Vol. 27 (2) 2007: pp. 86-97
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