Despite the crucial role played by informal markets in food distribution globally, the sector is ... more Despite the crucial role played by informal markets in food distribution globally, the sector is ignored and marginalized. This study examined vegetable traders, the trading infrastructure available to them in the market, and how they conduct their businesses to explain the high food safety challenges in the sector. This paper is based on a survey, a learning journey, and transformation labs with market traders in Kumasi, Ghana. The study revealed that most traders were self-employed women with low education who worked for long hours. Access to electricity, water, refrigerators, and storage facilities was limited in the market. Vegetable spoilage was the highest cost associated with their trade. Due to the high spoilage rate, the traders sold the best vegetables at high prices and sold the bruised and rotten vegetables to local eateries and animal farms. The women made no losses through these strategies but used unsafe food handling practices and highly-priced wholesome vegetables. ...
Dyes are usually present in trace quantities in the treated effluents of many industries. The eff... more Dyes are usually present in trace quantities in the treated effluents of many industries. The effectiveness of adsorption for dye removal from waste waters has made it an ideal alternative to other expensive treatment methods. This study investigates sorption properties of Tectona grandis, Ceiba pentandra and Terminalia superba sawdust for the adsorption of Vat Yellow-4, Vat Red-1 and Natural dyes in water bodies. Physical parameters of the wood sawdust and textile dye such as pH and moisture content were determined. The dye removal capacities of the various wood species were also calculated. The pH of the dyes and wood sawdust ranged from 5.93 to 9.47; and 5.06 to 8.59 respectively. The moisture content (%) also ranged from 3.00 to 4.00 with an average of 3.50. The dye removal percentage (%) by Tectona grandis, Ceiba pentandra and Terminalia superba wood sawdust were respectively found to range from 18.39 to 44.46, 9.24 to 46.65 12.66 to 63.56 for the adsorption of the various dye ...
This study evaluated the nutritional and medicinal properties of seeds from Adansonia digitata (B... more This study evaluated the nutritional and medicinal properties of seeds from Adansonia digitata (BSF) and Balanite aegyptiaca (DDSF) plants. Proximate chemical composition, mineral elements composition, flavonoids, phenolics, antioxidant capacity, and anti-inflammatory properties were studied. Results obtained revealed that DDSF had the highest moisture, crude fat, and crude protein content of 7.66 %, 42.80 %, 20.37 %, respectively, whilst BSF gave the highest ash, crude fibre, and carbohydrate content. Elemental analysis revealed BSF had the highest Mg content (313.65 mg/100g) and DDSF gave the highest Ca content (118.62 mg/100g). Additionally, DDSF gave the highest total phenolics (18.89 mg TAE/ 100 g), total flavonoids (8.80 mg QE/ 100 g) as well as the highest total antioxidant capacity of (19.62 mg AAE/ 100 g) dry of extract. Based on results obtained in this study, seeds obtained from the Adansonia digitata and Balanite aegyptiaca could be a potential source of functional food ...
The need for a green and more environmentally friendly energy production has led to recent resear... more The need for a green and more environmentally friendly energy production has led to recent research into the use of natural products in the production photovoltaic cells. In this study, TiO2-based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were fabricated using photo-sensitizers made from ten natural dyes extracted from different plant parts (i.e. seeds, stalks, peels and flowers) of some selected plants and using candle soot carbon as a counter electrode. The chemical composition of the materials was determined using basic phytochemical screening assays. The extracted dye materials were characterized using UV and IR methods after which they were used in developing DSSCs. The DSSCs were then characterized under AM 1.5 illuminations to measure their photo-electrochemical properties. The dyes containing carboxyl and hydroxyl functional groups showed weak to large absorption under the visible light (400-700 nm) irradiation. The photo-electrochemical performance of the various cells gave an eff...
A thesis presented to The Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University o... more A thesis presented to The Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, in partial fulfilment for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry, 2015
Background: The recovery of phenolic compounds is seen as an arduous task because phenolic compou... more Background: The recovery of phenolic compounds is seen as an arduous task because phenolic compounds are available as free aglycones, as sugar or ester conjugates, or as polymers with several monomeric components. Furthermore, phenolic compounds do not disperse evenly and may be connected to cell walls, carbohydrates, or proteins. This study looks at the optimization of factors that affect the efficiency for the extraction of phenolic compounds from the stem-bark of Funtumia elastica. Methods: Five independent variables (solvent concentration, time, the temperature, solid-liquid ratio, and pH) of the extraction process were selected. Single factor analysis as well as the response surface method was used to evaluate the impact of the selected factors on the total phenolic content. The effect of the extraction factors on the phenolic content was statistically significant (p <0.05). For the response surface method, a five/factor, five/level central composite design used, and a fitte...
Funtumia africana and Funtumia elastica belong to a group of invaluable plants used in managing a... more Funtumia africana and Funtumia elastica belong to a group of invaluable plants used in managing a wide range of diseases in West Africa. This study aimed at assessing the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of extracts of the stem bark of F. africana and F. elastica. The dried, milled stem barks of F. africana and F. elastica were extracted with water and 70% ethanol by cold maceration. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoids, and tannins were determined using standard methods. The extracts were tested against bacterial and fungal pathogens, namely; Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, and Candida albicans. The zone of inhibition, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), activity index, and the total antimicrobial activity of the extracts on the organisms were evaluated. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids, reducing sugars, anthocyanins, t...
ABSTRACTThis article reports the rapid screening and identification of the triacylglycerol conten... more ABSTRACTThis article reports the rapid screening and identification of the triacylglycerol content of shea butter fat, palm kernel oil, and peanut oil sold in the local Ghanaian market for their characterization and identification. Samples were dissolved in chloroform with 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid as the matrix. After subjecting the samples to matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight/mass spectrometry, the spectra obtained showed the characteristic triacylglycerols as sodium adducts. Seven major triacylglycerol species were identified as dipalmitoyl olein, palmitoyl diolein, palmitoyl stearoyl olein, linoleoyl diolein, triolein, stearoyl diolein, and distearoyl olein in all three samples. Palmitoyl linoleoyl olein and tristearin were also identified. Oxygenated triacylglycerols and other species from the fragmentation of triacylglycerols were also obtained. The presence of the oxygenated triacylglycerols and the triacylglycerol fragments may be a result of poor handling and production p...
Rising rates of urbanisation in Africa, without attendant improvements in critical infrastructure... more Rising rates of urbanisation in Africa, without attendant improvements in critical infrastructure, have occasioned gaps in the provision of basic services in cities across the continent. Different systems and scales of service delivery — decentralised and centralised, public and private — coexist and often compete in urban spaces but rarely connect in ways that ensure the needs of the poorest are met. Our paper interrogates the value of transdisciplinary research for bringing actors in these systems together to co-produce knowledge for inclusive and sustainable outcomes. Drawing on empirical data from two complementary projects in four African cities, we demonstrate the possibilities for facilitating this kind of knowledge co-production among system actors in the food, water and energy domains. We show, through a comparative approach, elements of the co-production process that enable more responsive engagement by traditionally detached policy actors. From our findings, we generate a...
This study sought to explore the medicinal properties of extracts obtained from C. edulis seeds. ... more This study sought to explore the medicinal properties of extracts obtained from C. edulis seeds. The seeds were obtained from farms in the Upper East Region of Ghana, dried and milled into coarse powder. Petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and methanol were used to extract the bioactive compounds present in the seeds by the cold maceration method. Antioxidant properties of the extracts were evaluated using the Phosphomolybdenum and DPPH free radical scavenging assays. The Folin-Ciocalteu assay was used to estimate the total phenol content and carrageenan-induced paw oedema model in chicks employed for the anti-inflammatory effects. The results showed that methanol extract had the highest antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities while the petroleum ether extract showed the least activity. The anti-inflammatory activity of the methanol extract (31.3% oedema inhibition at 300 mg/kg body weight) was however lower than diclofenac (54.04% oedema inhibition at 100 mg/kg body weight), the re...
Despite the crucial role played by informal markets in food distribution globally, the sector is ... more Despite the crucial role played by informal markets in food distribution globally, the sector is ignored and marginalized. This study examined vegetable traders, the trading infrastructure available to them in the market, and how they conduct their businesses to explain the high food safety challenges in the sector. This paper is based on a survey, a learning journey, and transformation labs with market traders in Kumasi, Ghana. The study revealed that most traders were self-employed women with low education who worked for long hours. Access to electricity, water, refrigerators, and storage facilities was limited in the market. Vegetable spoilage was the highest cost associated with their trade. Due to the high spoilage rate, the traders sold the best vegetables at high prices and sold the bruised and rotten vegetables to local eateries and animal farms. The women made no losses through these strategies but used unsafe food handling practices and highly-priced wholesome vegetables. ...
Dyes are usually present in trace quantities in the treated effluents of many industries. The eff... more Dyes are usually present in trace quantities in the treated effluents of many industries. The effectiveness of adsorption for dye removal from waste waters has made it an ideal alternative to other expensive treatment methods. This study investigates sorption properties of Tectona grandis, Ceiba pentandra and Terminalia superba sawdust for the adsorption of Vat Yellow-4, Vat Red-1 and Natural dyes in water bodies. Physical parameters of the wood sawdust and textile dye such as pH and moisture content were determined. The dye removal capacities of the various wood species were also calculated. The pH of the dyes and wood sawdust ranged from 5.93 to 9.47; and 5.06 to 8.59 respectively. The moisture content (%) also ranged from 3.00 to 4.00 with an average of 3.50. The dye removal percentage (%) by Tectona grandis, Ceiba pentandra and Terminalia superba wood sawdust were respectively found to range from 18.39 to 44.46, 9.24 to 46.65 12.66 to 63.56 for the adsorption of the various dye ...
This study evaluated the nutritional and medicinal properties of seeds from Adansonia digitata (B... more This study evaluated the nutritional and medicinal properties of seeds from Adansonia digitata (BSF) and Balanite aegyptiaca (DDSF) plants. Proximate chemical composition, mineral elements composition, flavonoids, phenolics, antioxidant capacity, and anti-inflammatory properties were studied. Results obtained revealed that DDSF had the highest moisture, crude fat, and crude protein content of 7.66 %, 42.80 %, 20.37 %, respectively, whilst BSF gave the highest ash, crude fibre, and carbohydrate content. Elemental analysis revealed BSF had the highest Mg content (313.65 mg/100g) and DDSF gave the highest Ca content (118.62 mg/100g). Additionally, DDSF gave the highest total phenolics (18.89 mg TAE/ 100 g), total flavonoids (8.80 mg QE/ 100 g) as well as the highest total antioxidant capacity of (19.62 mg AAE/ 100 g) dry of extract. Based on results obtained in this study, seeds obtained from the Adansonia digitata and Balanite aegyptiaca could be a potential source of functional food ...
The need for a green and more environmentally friendly energy production has led to recent resear... more The need for a green and more environmentally friendly energy production has led to recent research into the use of natural products in the production photovoltaic cells. In this study, TiO2-based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were fabricated using photo-sensitizers made from ten natural dyes extracted from different plant parts (i.e. seeds, stalks, peels and flowers) of some selected plants and using candle soot carbon as a counter electrode. The chemical composition of the materials was determined using basic phytochemical screening assays. The extracted dye materials were characterized using UV and IR methods after which they were used in developing DSSCs. The DSSCs were then characterized under AM 1.5 illuminations to measure their photo-electrochemical properties. The dyes containing carboxyl and hydroxyl functional groups showed weak to large absorption under the visible light (400-700 nm) irradiation. The photo-electrochemical performance of the various cells gave an eff...
A thesis presented to The Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University o... more A thesis presented to The Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, in partial fulfilment for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry, 2015
Background: The recovery of phenolic compounds is seen as an arduous task because phenolic compou... more Background: The recovery of phenolic compounds is seen as an arduous task because phenolic compounds are available as free aglycones, as sugar or ester conjugates, or as polymers with several monomeric components. Furthermore, phenolic compounds do not disperse evenly and may be connected to cell walls, carbohydrates, or proteins. This study looks at the optimization of factors that affect the efficiency for the extraction of phenolic compounds from the stem-bark of Funtumia elastica. Methods: Five independent variables (solvent concentration, time, the temperature, solid-liquid ratio, and pH) of the extraction process were selected. Single factor analysis as well as the response surface method was used to evaluate the impact of the selected factors on the total phenolic content. The effect of the extraction factors on the phenolic content was statistically significant (p <0.05). For the response surface method, a five/factor, five/level central composite design used, and a fitte...
Funtumia africana and Funtumia elastica belong to a group of invaluable plants used in managing a... more Funtumia africana and Funtumia elastica belong to a group of invaluable plants used in managing a wide range of diseases in West Africa. This study aimed at assessing the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of extracts of the stem bark of F. africana and F. elastica. The dried, milled stem barks of F. africana and F. elastica were extracted with water and 70% ethanol by cold maceration. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoids, and tannins were determined using standard methods. The extracts were tested against bacterial and fungal pathogens, namely; Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, and Candida albicans. The zone of inhibition, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), activity index, and the total antimicrobial activity of the extracts on the organisms were evaluated. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids, reducing sugars, anthocyanins, t...
ABSTRACTThis article reports the rapid screening and identification of the triacylglycerol conten... more ABSTRACTThis article reports the rapid screening and identification of the triacylglycerol content of shea butter fat, palm kernel oil, and peanut oil sold in the local Ghanaian market for their characterization and identification. Samples were dissolved in chloroform with 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid as the matrix. After subjecting the samples to matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight/mass spectrometry, the spectra obtained showed the characteristic triacylglycerols as sodium adducts. Seven major triacylglycerol species were identified as dipalmitoyl olein, palmitoyl diolein, palmitoyl stearoyl olein, linoleoyl diolein, triolein, stearoyl diolein, and distearoyl olein in all three samples. Palmitoyl linoleoyl olein and tristearin were also identified. Oxygenated triacylglycerols and other species from the fragmentation of triacylglycerols were also obtained. The presence of the oxygenated triacylglycerols and the triacylglycerol fragments may be a result of poor handling and production p...
Rising rates of urbanisation in Africa, without attendant improvements in critical infrastructure... more Rising rates of urbanisation in Africa, without attendant improvements in critical infrastructure, have occasioned gaps in the provision of basic services in cities across the continent. Different systems and scales of service delivery — decentralised and centralised, public and private — coexist and often compete in urban spaces but rarely connect in ways that ensure the needs of the poorest are met. Our paper interrogates the value of transdisciplinary research for bringing actors in these systems together to co-produce knowledge for inclusive and sustainable outcomes. Drawing on empirical data from two complementary projects in four African cities, we demonstrate the possibilities for facilitating this kind of knowledge co-production among system actors in the food, water and energy domains. We show, through a comparative approach, elements of the co-production process that enable more responsive engagement by traditionally detached policy actors. From our findings, we generate a...
This study sought to explore the medicinal properties of extracts obtained from C. edulis seeds. ... more This study sought to explore the medicinal properties of extracts obtained from C. edulis seeds. The seeds were obtained from farms in the Upper East Region of Ghana, dried and milled into coarse powder. Petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and methanol were used to extract the bioactive compounds present in the seeds by the cold maceration method. Antioxidant properties of the extracts were evaluated using the Phosphomolybdenum and DPPH free radical scavenging assays. The Folin-Ciocalteu assay was used to estimate the total phenol content and carrageenan-induced paw oedema model in chicks employed for the anti-inflammatory effects. The results showed that methanol extract had the highest antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities while the petroleum ether extract showed the least activity. The anti-inflammatory activity of the methanol extract (31.3% oedema inhibition at 300 mg/kg body weight) was however lower than diclofenac (54.04% oedema inhibition at 100 mg/kg body weight), the re...
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