Archives-February 2017

The hexavalent chromium present in waste water has adverse affect on aquatic life and humans. Various methods are available for the removal of hexavalent chromium includes chemical precipitation, ion exchange, reduction, electrochemical precipitation, solvent extraction, membrane separation, evaporation, foam separation and biosorption. Among these, biosorption is one of the low cost separation technique for the removal of chromium using agricultural waste as adsorbents which are cheap and readily available and also has the advantage of practical replacement to conventional processes. The kinetic models and adsorption isotherms for the efficient removal of hexavalent chromium are presented from various sources. The present review elaborate the findings of hexavalent chromium removal with the maximum metal uptake, adsorption parameters using agricultural wastes as adsorbents

Good agricultural practices (GAP) are Practices that address environmental, economic and social sustainability for on-farm processes and result in safe and quality food and non-food agricultural products. In simple language, GAP stands on four pillars (economic viability, environmental sustainability, social acceptability and food safety and quality). In recent years, the concept of GAP has evolved to address the concerns of different stakeholders about food production and security, food safety and quality, and the environmental sustainability of agriculture. These stakeholders include governments, food retailing industries, farmers and consumers who seek to meet specific objectives of food safety, food production, production efficiency, livelihood and environmental benefits. Adoption of a sustainable practice means that the farmer has accepted the idea as good and that he intends to include it in the ongoing program of land preparation, planting, and harvesting. In other words, adoption is the implementation and continued use of an agriculture practice. This is an important difference from trial or experimentation, because a farmer might try a sustainable practice and abandon that practice. Adoption of sustainable practices by farmers is the key to transforming agriculture into a long-term, sustainable system. How far sustainability can be achieved in a democracy depends greatly on farmers’ voluntary acceptance of sound land use practices. Individual decisions are shaped by the availability of technical information and the appropriate machinery, seeds, and other inputs necessary to implement sustainable agricultural practices. This paper reviews literature on the good agricultural practices that promote sustainable food security.

Service learning is a method of teaching where students apply their academic skills and knowledge to address real-life needs in their own communities. Service learning is a pedagogical strategy that facilitates a student's growth in academics, social maturity, critical thinking, and communication, collaboration, and leadership skills. This educational opportunity possesses enormous potential to move higher education in the direction of civic involvement by taking the classroom into the community. Student experienced stronger positive effects on critical thinking, degree plans, sense of control over their own academic success, and preference for higher-order cognitive tasks

The present paper analyses words and phrases in sexual discourse among university students in Kenya in order to determine men’s patriarchal language attitudes. Using Foucault’s (1978) theory of discourse analysis and Feminist Theory, the study shows power differences in male and female sexual discourse. Results revealed that males use powerful language which promotes patriarchal tendencies. This paper may help reduce exploitation and discrimination of women.

Agriculture is the major economic activity in Kenya contributing up to 24 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (GoK, 2014). According to Odhiambo et al. (2004), agriculture is the most important sector in the Kenyan economy. This is because it provides employment opportunities, source of foreign exchange earner, and food provision besides offering linkages with the other sectors of the economy. Moreover, agriculture is among the six key sectors identified to deliver a 10 percent economic growth per annum as envisaged under the economic pillar of the Kenya Vision 2030. The country aims at promoting an innovative, commercially oriented, and modern agricultural sector (Kenya Vision 2030). Animal genetic resources are used to accommodate both short and long term benefits for improved livelihoods. Structured breeding programmes provide a key to increase production levels and product quality, increase productivity and cost efficiency, maintain genetic diversity and support the conservation and sustainable utilization of specific breeds. For sustainable breeding strategies to take place there is a need for long term planning and commitment. For conservation or improvement of a breed or population for a given purpose the choice of breeding strategy is determined by a number of factors and is giving the framework for design of more detailed breeding programmes for specific populations.

In this analysis , experimental values of densities (?) and dynamic viscosities (?) in the binary mixtures of n-hexane, n-heptane and n-octane with diethyl malonate are reported over the whole range of mixture composition at T = (303.15, 308.15, 313.15 and 318.15) K. From these data, deviations in viscosity (??) and excess Gibbs free energy of activation of viscous flow (?G*E) have been evaluated. These results were fitted to Redlich–Kister polynomial equations to estimate the fitting coefficients and standard deviation. The results of the viscosity composition are discussed in the light of various viscosity equations suggested by Grunberg-Nissan, Katti-Chaudhri, Heric-Brewer and Hind et al. The deviation of the experimental values of the viscosity of the mixture from the mole fraction mixture law rules, are found to be negative and follow the order n-hexane < n-heptane < n-octane. The experiments on the constituted binaries are analyzed to discuss the nature and strength of intermolecular interactions in these mixtures.

We discuss two dark energy models on LRS Bianchi Type-I magnetized anisotropic space –time with a variable equation of state (EoS). The EoS for dark energy is found to be time dependent and its existing range for derive models is in good agreement with the recent observations. Using the suitable condition, the anisotropic models approach to isotropic scenario. We also find that during the evolution of the universe, the EoS parameter for DE changes from to in first model whereas from to in second model which is consistent with recent observations. The cosmological constant is found to be a positive decreasing function of time and it approaches a small positive value at late time (i.e. the present epoch) which is corroborated by results from recent supernovae Ia observations. The physical and geometric properties are also discussed.

The present study was undertaken to obtain some reliable informations about the bio - medicinal values and the use of, especially the traditional medicinal use of the mangroves located at the villages near to Pichavaram sea shore. A short survey was conducted with the villagers. After planning , the study team was constituted , and the villagers were interviewed. The gathered informations were recorded. It was possible for us to share our views with the villagers and obtain the valuable informations about the medicinal use of the mangroves. From our attempt made on the short survey about the biomedicinal values of the mangrove plant species distributed at villages near Pichavaram sea shore, we came to know that the villagers totally depend up on the mangroves for their healthy life run. Pertain to the present study topic, we could able to understand that , these villagers traditionally using the mangrove to treat many of their health problems . Among various mangrove species located in different areas of the Pichavaram mangrove forest, Rhizophora apiculata, R.mucronata, Avicennia marina, A.officinalis and Suaeda maritima are the mangrove species often used by the villagers to treat their ailments.The Villagers have strong feel and sentiments on these mangroves , which is inseparable from them .

The ever-increasing energy consumption, fossil fuels costs and exhaustible nature and worsening of global environment have created a boom to renewable energy based generation system. Among the renewable energy sources, solar and wind energy are infinite and high potential sources. Thus the fusion of these two energy system is best suited for the reduction of fossil fuel in energy generation. When is connected to grid, it causes power quality problem because of its fluctuating nature. This proposed work describes the methodology for improving power quality of the grid system interfaced with hybrid wind-solar system. The proposed topology is validated through dynamic simulation using the MATLAB/Simulink Power System Toolbox.

The importance of primary education in promoting efficiency, security and national development in Nigeria cannot be underrated. This cannot be overstressed because this level of education is the basic foundation to other levels of education. This paper examines scope of primary education in Nigeria, it’s objectives and various reforms in the education sector as it relates to the effectiveness of primary education. This paper explains the concept of national security and national development as it relates to primary education. This paper further discusses the relevance of primary education in promoting national security and development as well as efficiency. It concludes by proffering possible solutions on how to improve on the primary education system in Nigeria.