The study investigated the effect of crude oil pollution on the heavy metal content and gene expr... more The study investigated the effect of crude oil pollution on the heavy metal content and gene expression of Mucuna pruriens. Varying amounts of crude oil (0ml, 200ml, 400ml, 800ml and 1000ml) were used to pollute 10kg bags of loam soil, onto which Mucuna pruriens seeds were planted for 8 weeks. Data were collected for heavy metal content of plant tissues and GST gene expression. The highest heavy metal content of the plant tissue was observed at the 800ml treatment (0.0135 g kg-1, 0.074 g kg-1, and 0.0211 g kg-1) and the least was observed for the control treatment (0.0049 g kg-1, 0.034 g kg-1 and 0.0142 g kg-1), thus showing percentage increments of 175.51%, 117.65%, and 48.59% for the copper, zinc, and nickel content respectively. This showed that the increment of crude oil pollution in the soil led to a seemingly dose-dependent increment of heavy metal content of the plant tissue. The normalized expression levels of the target gene (GST) in the calibrator (control) sample “A”, and that of the treated/polluted (test) sample “B” were established as 0.150726 and 0.145592 respectively; and, it was established that there was no significant change in the normalized expression levels of the target gene (GST) in both the control (calibrator) sample and the treated/polluted (test) sample. Crude oil treatment of M. pruriens, despite showing reductions in the morphological parameters and increments in the heavy metal content of the tissues, didn’t affect the expression of the target GST gene, as was evident in the absence of significant difference in the normalized expression levels of the target gene (GST) in both the control (calibrator) sample and the treated/polluted (test) sample. Considering the resilience of M. pruriens and its ability to adapt to the high amounts of crude oil in the soil, it is advised that it be employed in the possible phyto-extraction of crude oil and/or phyto-remediation in crude oil polluted soils.
International Journal of Environment and Climate Change
Morphological, anatomical and epidermal studies were carried out on two species of Araceae, Cyrto... more Morphological, anatomical and epidermal studies were carried out on two species of Araceae, Cyrtosperma senegalense (Schott) Engl. and Alocasia macrorrhizos L. to investigate the taxonomic value of their similarities and differences. Morphological features were visually observed. Fresh specimens were dehydrated, wax embedded, mounted, microscopically observed and micrographed. Basic similarities were found in their leaf shape, venation, inflorescence and spathe, seeded fruits, scattered vascular bundles, possession of aerenchyma, and presence of stomata on the abaxial and adaxial leaf surfaces. Conversely, the presence of prickles and sparseness of raphide idioblasts containing a raphide bundle each in C. senegalense distinguishes it from A. macrorrhizos which has abundant raphides. Phytochemical screening shows differences in their alkaloids, saponin, triterpenoids, steroids and glycosides contents. Though these preliminary studies yielded data that revealed their relationship and ...
The Open Institute of the African BioGenome Project empowers African scientists and institutions ... more The Open Institute of the African BioGenome Project empowers African scientists and institutions with the skill sets, capacity and infrastructure to advance scientific knowledge and innovation and drive economic growth.
Africa, a continent of 1.3 billion people, had 326 researchers per one million people in 2018 (Sc... more Africa, a continent of 1.3 billion people, had 326 researchers per one million people in 2018 (Schneegans, 2021; UNESCO, 2022), despite the global average for the number of researchers per million people being 1368 (Schneegans, 2021; UNESCO, 2022). Nevertheless, a strong research community is a requirement to advance scientific knowledge and innovation and drive economic growth (Agnew, et al., 2020; Sianes, et al., 2022). This low number of researchers extends to scientific research across Africa and finds resonance with genomic projects such as the African BioGenome Project (Ebenezer, et al., 2022).The African BioGenome project (AfricaBP) plans to sequence 100,000 endemic African species in 10 years (Ebenezer, et al., 2022) with an estimated 203,000 gigabases of DNA sequence. AfricaBP aims to generate these genomes on-the-ground in Africa. However, for AfricaBP to achieve its goals of on-the-ground sequencing and data analysis, there is a need to empower African scientists and inst...
Asian Journal of Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
The genotoxic potentials of two water-based oilfield chemicals on edible aroids were investigated... more The genotoxic potentials of two water-based oilfield chemicals on edible aroids were investigated. Five accessions of Colocasia eculenta and three accessions of Xanthosoma maffafa were exposed to graded concentrations of sodium azide and potassium chromate; while the accessions without any chemical additive were used as controls. Results revealed that the peak periods of cell division were recorded between 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm in both the treated and control accessions. Metaphase cells increased after prophase cells and continued mostly between 10.00 am and 4.00 pm. Variations observed with the treatments included: shifts of metaphase peaks, high percentages of prophase cells, high intensity of cytoplasmic staining and induction of micronuclei among others. Sodium azide was observed to be a stronger genotoxic substance than potassium chromate. Accession NCe 001 had the highest survival rate while NCe 002 recorded the least rate of survival. Statistical evidence revealed that the di...
This paper reviews the mechanistic and genetic effects of spilt crude oil and associated drill si... more This paper reviews the mechanistic and genetic effects of spilt crude oil and associated drill site chemicals on some Nigerian plants. Methods that range from morphological and physical observations, physico-chemical, anatomical, cuticular to cytological and cytogenetic analyses were reviewed. Quality data on various negative consequences of exposure of plants to pollution and contamination by crude oil-related pollutants were x-rayed. Proper legislation, monitoring and enforcement of sound environmental Laws by stakeholders were advised. Government collaboration with research institutions in order to keep abreast with new research findings was suggested as a way to help strengthen, manage and reinforce environmental Laws in order to protect our sources of food.
The study investigated the effect of crude oil pollution on the heavy metal content and gene expr... more The study investigated the effect of crude oil pollution on the heavy metal content and gene expression of Mucuna pruriens. Varying amounts of crude oil (0ml, 200ml, 400ml, 800ml and 1000ml) were used to pollute 10kg bags of loam soil, onto which Mucuna pruriens seeds were planted for 8 weeks. Data were collected for heavy metal content of plant tissues and GST gene expression. The highest heavy metal content of the plant tissue was observed at the 800ml treatment (0.0135 g kg-1, 0.074 g kg-1, and 0.0211 g kg-1) and the least was observed for the control treatment (0.0049 g kg-1, 0.034 g kg-1 and 0.0142 g kg-1), thus showing percentage increments of 175.51%, 117.65%, and 48.59% for the copper, zinc, and nickel content respectively. This showed that the increment of crude oil pollution in the soil led to a seemingly dose-dependent increment of heavy metal content of the plant tissue. The normalized expression levels of the target gene (GST) in the calibrator (control) sample “A”, and that of the treated/polluted (test) sample “B” were established as 0.150726 and 0.145592 respectively; and, it was established that there was no significant change in the normalized expression levels of the target gene (GST) in both the control (calibrator) sample and the treated/polluted (test) sample. Crude oil treatment of M. pruriens, despite showing reductions in the morphological parameters and increments in the heavy metal content of the tissues, didn’t affect the expression of the target GST gene, as was evident in the absence of significant difference in the normalized expression levels of the target gene (GST) in both the control (calibrator) sample and the treated/polluted (test) sample. Considering the resilience of M. pruriens and its ability to adapt to the high amounts of crude oil in the soil, it is advised that it be employed in the possible phyto-extraction of crude oil and/or phyto-remediation in crude oil polluted soils.
International Journal of Environment and Climate Change
Morphological, anatomical and epidermal studies were carried out on two species of Araceae, Cyrto... more Morphological, anatomical and epidermal studies were carried out on two species of Araceae, Cyrtosperma senegalense (Schott) Engl. and Alocasia macrorrhizos L. to investigate the taxonomic value of their similarities and differences. Morphological features were visually observed. Fresh specimens were dehydrated, wax embedded, mounted, microscopically observed and micrographed. Basic similarities were found in their leaf shape, venation, inflorescence and spathe, seeded fruits, scattered vascular bundles, possession of aerenchyma, and presence of stomata on the abaxial and adaxial leaf surfaces. Conversely, the presence of prickles and sparseness of raphide idioblasts containing a raphide bundle each in C. senegalense distinguishes it from A. macrorrhizos which has abundant raphides. Phytochemical screening shows differences in their alkaloids, saponin, triterpenoids, steroids and glycosides contents. Though these preliminary studies yielded data that revealed their relationship and ...
The Open Institute of the African BioGenome Project empowers African scientists and institutions ... more The Open Institute of the African BioGenome Project empowers African scientists and institutions with the skill sets, capacity and infrastructure to advance scientific knowledge and innovation and drive economic growth.
Africa, a continent of 1.3 billion people, had 326 researchers per one million people in 2018 (Sc... more Africa, a continent of 1.3 billion people, had 326 researchers per one million people in 2018 (Schneegans, 2021; UNESCO, 2022), despite the global average for the number of researchers per million people being 1368 (Schneegans, 2021; UNESCO, 2022). Nevertheless, a strong research community is a requirement to advance scientific knowledge and innovation and drive economic growth (Agnew, et al., 2020; Sianes, et al., 2022). This low number of researchers extends to scientific research across Africa and finds resonance with genomic projects such as the African BioGenome Project (Ebenezer, et al., 2022).The African BioGenome project (AfricaBP) plans to sequence 100,000 endemic African species in 10 years (Ebenezer, et al., 2022) with an estimated 203,000 gigabases of DNA sequence. AfricaBP aims to generate these genomes on-the-ground in Africa. However, for AfricaBP to achieve its goals of on-the-ground sequencing and data analysis, there is a need to empower African scientists and inst...
Asian Journal of Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
The genotoxic potentials of two water-based oilfield chemicals on edible aroids were investigated... more The genotoxic potentials of two water-based oilfield chemicals on edible aroids were investigated. Five accessions of Colocasia eculenta and three accessions of Xanthosoma maffafa were exposed to graded concentrations of sodium azide and potassium chromate; while the accessions without any chemical additive were used as controls. Results revealed that the peak periods of cell division were recorded between 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm in both the treated and control accessions. Metaphase cells increased after prophase cells and continued mostly between 10.00 am and 4.00 pm. Variations observed with the treatments included: shifts of metaphase peaks, high percentages of prophase cells, high intensity of cytoplasmic staining and induction of micronuclei among others. Sodium azide was observed to be a stronger genotoxic substance than potassium chromate. Accession NCe 001 had the highest survival rate while NCe 002 recorded the least rate of survival. Statistical evidence revealed that the di...
This paper reviews the mechanistic and genetic effects of spilt crude oil and associated drill si... more This paper reviews the mechanistic and genetic effects of spilt crude oil and associated drill site chemicals on some Nigerian plants. Methods that range from morphological and physical observations, physico-chemical, anatomical, cuticular to cytological and cytogenetic analyses were reviewed. Quality data on various negative consequences of exposure of plants to pollution and contamination by crude oil-related pollutants were x-rayed. Proper legislation, monitoring and enforcement of sound environmental Laws by stakeholders were advised. Government collaboration with research institutions in order to keep abreast with new research findings was suggested as a way to help strengthen, manage and reinforce environmental Laws in order to protect our sources of food.
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