Assessment of Noise Exposure of Sawmill Workers in Southwest,Nigeria

Economic wood processing employs the use of industrial machines for cutting, shaping, milling, and sawing timber, thereby leading to the generation of high levels of noise. Published data from empirical studies have categorized noise as an environmental hazard of global significance. Furthermore, noise exposure limits for different industries and all the industrial machines available has not been formally established as it presently exists in developed nations around the world. Therefore, this study assessed the daily exposure of sawmills workers to noise in Southwestern Nigeria. Reconnaissance surveys were first carried out in Osun, Oyo, Ondo, Ekiti, Lagos, and Ogun States to select sawmills that were fully operational and fit for the study. Two fully functional sawmills in two cities of each State were eventually selected for data collection, making a total of 24 sawmills, while the Circular Machines (CM), Planer Machines (PM), and Band-saw Machines (BM) were the machines in each sawmill considered. Two machines each of CM, PM, and BM were considered in each sawmill, making a total of forty-eight (48) machines each of CM, PM, and BM. Sound data were collected between 7 am and 7 pm each day for six days (between Monday and Saturday) using Extech 407732 sound level meter and all stabilized measurements were taken three times at different intervals. The data collected were in three different periods: Machine No-work Period (NP_m), Machine Idle Period (IP_m), and Machine Working Period (WP_m). A two–way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was carried out at P < 0.05 to determine whether there is a significant difference in the sound level average before and after the break, for both the idle and working periods of the three machines considered. This was also done to determine whether there is a significant difference between the sound level average of the results collected during idle and working periods of the three machines. Noise Pollution Levels (L_np) ranged from 83.20 dB (PM) to 107.65 (BM) and 93.42 (CM and PM) – 116.00 (BM) respectively, while IP_m also gave the least noise pollution level of 95.79 dB and WP_m gave the highest level of 102.88 dB. The results revealed that all the machines’ L_np values in the working period are more than the 90 dB acceptable limit the recommendation value of 90 dB while 89.6% of CMs, 75% of PMs, and 89.6% of BM had their L_np above 90 dB in the idle period respectively. The minimum and the maximum noise dose levels for IP_m, WP_m and overall are 0.09 (BM) and 2.37 (CM), 0.50 (CM), and 4.77 (PM) and 0.69 (BM) and 6.64 (PM) respectively. The study found out that the fundamental contributing factors to the high noise levels in sawmills are poor machine maintenance, use of old and obsolete machines, poor housekeeping strategy, limited space, workers’ negligence, lack of PPE, and lack of occupational safety training. The study recommends that proper workplace practices such as use of personal protective equipment, new and modern machines, training, and occupational safety programmes be implemented in the considered sawmills.     

Experimental assessment of heat transfer and pressure drop of nanofluid as a coolant in corrugated channels

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - Over the last few decades, tremendous consideration is drawn towards corrugation surfaces because of their advantages over the improvement in thermal...     

Evaluation of the quality of colour changes of complexometric indicators in the titration of copper (II) with EDTA by tristimulus colorimetry

The quality of colour changes of the indicators hematoxylin, 4(2-pyridylazo)resorcinol (PAR), xylenol orange, pyrocatechol violet, chromazurolS and eriochrome cyanineR in the complexometric titration of copper(II) with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) were studied with the help of tristimulus colorimetry, utilising a comparative study of the parameters SCD (specific colour discrimination), CIE La^*b^* 1976 and LABHNU 1977. Hematoxylin was found to be the best indicator among those studied. A screened indicator, viz. PAR + malachite green (52), was developed to enhance the quality of colour transition at the end-point and the accuracy of the titrimetric determination.     

The use of Omega Chrome Fast Blue 2G in the microdetermination of some metals

Summary Omega Chrome Fast Blue 2G has been found to be a suitable indicator for the detection of the equivalence point of calcium, magnesium and manganese in the presence of cadmium, nickel, and aluminium, when they are masked by the addition of cyanide or triethanolamine. It is also a suitable indicator for the back titration of aluminium using calcium or magnesium as a back titrant.This dye has also been found to be a suitable reagent for the colorimetric determination of calcium, magnesium, manganese and thorium.     

Assessment of the polluting effects of the Iponri-Alaka Canal,Lagos State,Nigeria

ABSTRACT

The polluting effects of Iponri-Alaka Canal in Surulere area of Lagos State on the environment have been studied using six sampling points. The study aimed at assessing the effects of exposure to pollutants on humans and other life forms. The quality of air, wastewater and sediments was assessed between March and August 2017. The concentrations of SO₂ and H₂S were measured using MSA Altair 5X. Temperature, pH and DO were measured in-situ using Thermometer, pH meter and Winkler method, respectively. TSS, TDS, TS, TA, TH, BOD, chloride Cl^?, PO₄^3-, SO₄^2- and NO₃^? were determined using appropriate standard methods in the laboratory. EC and some heavy metals (Cr, Pb, Mn, Cd and Ni) concentrations were determined using conductivity meter and Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy, respectively. The results showed that pH, TS, DO and TH were well within the WHO and FEPA maximum limits. EC, SO₄^2- and TDS were observed to be higher than guideline values only at one sampling point. The TSS, BOD, TA, NO₃^? and PO₄^3- were higher than WHO and FEPA guideline limits at all sampling points. Cr was seen to be within, while Pb and Mn were higher than WHO and FEPA guideline values. Cd was higher than guideline values only at two sampling points. Ni was below detection concentration at all the sampling points.

The concentration of SO₂ was seen to be higher than WHO and NESREA guideline values at two sampling points, while H₂S concentration was higher than WHO limit at all the six sampling points.     

An efficient synthesis of 1-H indazoles

The reaction of substituted salicyaldehydes with hydrazine hydrochloride under different conditions gave the corresponding 1-H indazoles. However, the reaction of benzaldehydes with hydrazine hydrate under the same conditions yielded only hydrazones.     

Identification of archaeal proteins that affect the exosome function in vitro

Background  

The archaeal exosome is formed by a hexameric RNase PH ring and three RNA binding subunits and has been shown to bind and degrade RNA in vitro. Despite extensive studies on the eukaryotic exosome and on the proteins interacting with this complex, little information is yet available on the identification and function of archaeal exosome regulatory factors.     

Me2Zn‐Mediated Catalytic Enantio‐ and Diastereoselective Addition of TosMIC to Ketones

The first catalytic asymmetric addition of TosMIC to unactivated ketones is presented. A combination of Me₂Zn and aminoalcohol catalyst promoted the aldol addition/cyclization reaction to render oxazolines possessing a fully substituted stereocenter with excellent yields (up to 92 %), high enantioselectivities (up to 96 %), and complete diastereoselectivity. The chiral oxazolines were then used to give, after a straightforward acid hydrolysis, enantioenriched building blocks bearing tertiary alcohol motifs such as hydroxylaldehydes, hydroxylacids, and hydroxylesters without racemization.     

Fast Navy 2 R as a colorimetric reagent for the determination of copper, manganese and zinc

Summary Solochrome Fast Navy 2R has been found to be a suitable colorimetric reagent for the determination of copper, manganese and zinc either in pure solutions or in mixtures. The range of determination varies between 0.5–4 g/25 ml. Study of the effect of time, temperature, p_H on the determination was carried out. The molecular ratio of the dyemetal complex was investigated using the slope ratio method.Tables for the various determination are given and show that the experimental errors are of satisfactory order. Good results were obtained by the use of EDTA, cyanide or thioglycollic acid to mask the various interfering cations.

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Zusammenfassung Solochrome Fast Navy 2R wird zur colorimetrischen Bestimmung von Kupfer, Mangan und Zink in reinen Lösungen oder in Mischungen empfohlen. Die erfaßbaren Mengen liegen im Bereich zwischen 0,5 und 4 g/25 ml. Die Genauigkeit der Ergebnisse ist befriedigend. Der Einfluß der Zeit, der Temperatur und des p_H-Wertes sowie das Molverhältnis im Metall-Farbstoff-Komplex wurden untersucht. Verschiedene störende Kationen konnten erfolgreich mit ÄDTA, Cyanid oder Thioglykolsäure maskiert werden.

     

The use of Omega Chrome Black Blue G in chelatometric titrations

Summary The reactions of Omega Chrome Black Blue G with a large number of cations is studied. This study has shown in many cases high sensitivity limits of detection of metals. It also showed that this dye can be used as an indicator for EDTA titrations of zinc, cadmium, manganese and lead. It is also a suitable indicator for the step wise titration of calcium and magnesium in blood serum and water.