Benue State University

About: Benue State University is a education organization based out in Makurdi, Benue, Nigeria. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Achievement test. The organization has 820 authors who have published 729 publications receiving 6323 citations.

Heavy Metals in Contaminated Soils: A Review of Sources, Chemistry, Risks and Best Available Strategies for Remediation

Abstract: Scattered literature is harnessed to critically review the possible sources, chemistry, potential biohazards and best available remedial strategies for a number of heavy metals (lead, chromium, arsenic, zinc, cadmium, copper, mercury and nickel) commonly found in contaminated soils. The principles, advantages and disadvantages of immobilization, soil washing and phytoremediation techniques which are frequently listed among the best demonstrated available technologies for cleaning up heavy metal contaminated sites are presented. Remediation of heavy metal contaminated soils is necessary to reduce the associated risks, make the land resource available for agricultural production, enhance food security and scale down land tenure problems arising from changes in the land use pattern.

Removal of heavy metals from a contaminated soil using organic chelating acids

Abstract: Changes in heavy metal speciation and uptake by maize in a soil before and after washing with chelating organic acids, citric acid, tartaric acid and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid were assessed. A sandy loam was collected from the vicinity of the Benue industrial layout, Makurdi, Nigeria and spiked with a quinternary mixture of nickel, copper, zinc, cadmium and lead nitrates to achieve higher levels of contamination. Batch soil washing experiments performed on 1.0 g portions of the spiked soil using 0.05 M chelating agents at a solid:liquid ratio of 1:25 showed that washing efficiencies varied in the order: ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid> citric acid> tartaric acid with metal extraction yields typically following the sequence, copper> nickel> zinc> cadmium> lead. Sequential extractions proposed by the European Communities Bureau of Reference method used to assess the redistribution of heavy metal forms in the soil showed that apparent metal mobilities were reduced upon soil washing. Citric acid removed most of the metals hitherto associated with the exchangeable and reducible fractions; tartaric acid, the exchangeable metal pools; and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, the non-residual metal pools. Heavy metal assay of harvested biomass of maize grown on unwashed and washed soil samples indicated that metal transfer coefficients, decreased in the order of treatment: ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid

Linking organizational trust with employee engagement: the role of psychological empowerment

Abstract: Purpose – This study aims to investigate the relationship between organizational trust, psychological empowerment, and employee engagement. In addition, the study seeks to test the moderating role of psychological empowerment on the relationship between trust and engagement. Design/methodology/approach – Hierarchical regression analyses were carried out on a sample of 715 employees from seven commercial banks and four pharmaceutical companies in south-eastern Nigeria who participated in the survey. Findings – The results showed that organizational trust and psychological empowerment were predictors of work engagement. There was a moderating effect of empowerment on the relationship between trust and engagement. Research limitations/implications – The findings show that organizational trust and psychological empowerment that predict positive job behaviour in Western cultures are also critical in understanding Nigerian workers ' positive organizational behaviour such as work engagement. Practical implicatio...