Traditional Coping Mechanism and Environmental Sustainability Strategies in Nnewi, Nigeria
Nnewi is situated some 30 kilometres South East of Onitsha in Anambra State in the southeastern part of Nigeria. This highly commercial town has undergone rapid urbanisation and industrialisation within the past two decades, since the end of the 1967–1970 Nigerian civil war. The Igbo community of the study area had traditionally employed bioconversion methods and other indigenous technology to process or recycle bio and non-degradable wastes. Industrialisation has enjoyed priority status in this locality as a requirement for modernisation and economic progress. The rapid urbanisation, aggressive industrialisation, and the attendant uncontrolled population growth have had a deleterious impact on the environment. There is now a wide range of industrial wastes that are released daily into the environment. Effects of these activities on the socio-cultural practices of the people, plant genetic resources and the environment are highlighted. In addition to palliative measures suggested here, a call is made to revisit the successful indigenous waste treatment and management technology formerly practised by the Igbo community. The importance of combining modern biotechnological approaches with the indigenous technology, norms and practices of Nwewi people to effect suitable waste treatment and management, as well as improving the living habits and the education of the people about their environment, is recommended.
Effects of spent lubricating oil on the growth of Capsicum annum L. and Lycopersicon esculentum Miller.
Susceptibility of the hot pepper (Capsicum annum L.) and the tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Miller) to spent lubricating oil was investigated in soils supplemented with concentrations of oil ranging from 1-5% w/w. Treatment of soil with 4 and 5% spent oil consistently inhibited germination of both crops. Eighty-four days after sowing, the mean height and leaf area of C. annum in soil treated with 3% spent oil gave the lowest values. These were 3.14 +/- 0.6 cm and 0.24 +/- 0.01 cm(2) compared with respective values of 19.2 +/- 0.2 cm and 2.9 +/- 0.3 cm(2) for control plants. Premature death was observed in the case of L. esculentum plants treated with all tested strengths of spent lubricating oil.
Some Physical and Chemical Changes in the Soil Brought about by Saturation With Natural Gas
Severe chemical and physical changes may occur in soils saturated with natural gas. Plant growth may be retarded or completely eliminated. A study was made of the profile of four gas-saturated field sites and the adjacent normal soils. Determinations were made for total carbon, available P, pH, exchange-able Mn, exchangeable ferric iron, and exchangeable ferrous iron. At two sites pH titration curves were determined. A sharp inflection in the curve at pH 2 was observed with gas-saturated soils. Substantial increases of total carbon, exchangeable Mn, and exchangeable ferric iron occurred in the gas-saturated soil. Exchangeable ferrous iron increased moderately. Determinations of soil pH and available P gave varied results, but in general showed increases in the gas-impregnated soils. Physical determinations at the two most severely affected sites revealed some increase in water retention and total porosity with a corresponding decrease in bulk density in the gassaturated soils. The disturbed Fe-Mn relationships may be one of the major factors accounting for the frequently observed detrimental influence of gas-saturated soils on vegetative growth. The change in water retention was not considered injurious to the plants.