Rivers State University of Science and Technology

About: Rivers State University of Science and Technology is a education organization based out in Port Harcourt, Rivers, Nigeria. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Threatened species. The organization has 1826 authors who have published 1833 publications receiving 15183 citations.

Environmental Crises in Nigeria and Extraterritorial Judicial Achievements: A Wake-Up Call for Nigerian Courts?

Abstract: The decisions of extraterritorial courts have left much to be desired about the efforts of the judiciary at the national level to assert itself in the fight to tackle environmental crises. While access to court has been one of the notable barriers to securing environmental justice in Nigeria, alternative pathways have been established through which litigants find access to courts in furtherance of environmental justice which they would otherwise have been deprived of. One such pathway is the recourse to foreign courts. Nigerian courts can draw some lessons from the stance of foreign courts in dealing with environmental cases.

Handling and Hygiene Practices of Food Vendors in Rivers State University and Its Environment

Abstract: The study assessed handling hygiene practices of food vendors in Rivers State University and its environment. A survey research design was adopted for the study while the population consisted of food vendors who prepare and sell ready-to-eat foods in the study area. Snowball sampling technique was used for the study and a total of thirty food vendors constituted the sample size for the study. A self-assessment form was used for data collection and data analyzed with frequency, percentages and Pearson’s correlation. The result showed that majority of the food vendors had no access to portable water and the operating environment untidy. Most (60%) of the food vendors appeared clean and 70% of them use personal protective clothing while 70% and 97% of them handled foods and money with bare hands while serving food. Storage of cooked food was properly kept in covered containers by 70% of the vendors while 60% of the vendors did not separate raw and cooked foods. Seventy seven (77) percent of vendors did not keep cold foods in refrigerators or ice boxes as to maintain the temperature of the food. Only 40% of the food vendors covered unused utensils while 57% of them did not clean utensils properly after use. The study found out that all the food vendors washed utensils with cold soapy water and 90% of the vendors re-used water for washing utensils.

Biochemical and Enzyme Responses in Rabbits Experimentally Fed Crude Oil Contaminated Diets

Abstract: Ovuru, S.S., Berepubo, N.A., Nodu, M.B. and Dambo, L.B. 2003. Biochemical and enzyme responses in rabbits experimentally fed crude oil contaminated diets. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 24: 169–176. Thirty experimental rabbits were fed sublethal levels of crude oil (0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15 or 0.20%) in their diets for 84 days and their blood assayed for Cortisol, glucose, total protein, albumin, amylase, alkaline phosphatase, alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase. Activities of these parameters showed a progressive increase with increasing concentration of crude oil indicating significant differences (P<0.05) between controls and crude oil treated animals. The elevated biochemical changes indicate that ingestion of crude oil fractions imposed a physiological and homeostatic stress in the animals.

Corrosion Effects on Residual Structural Capacity of Resins / Exudates Inhibited Steel Reinforcement Flexural Beam

Abstract: The study investigated the effects of corrosion on the residual structural steel bar capacity of resins/exudates inhibited and non-inhibited reinforced concrete beam members. Steel reinforcements were coated with moringa oleifera lam resins/exudates from trees extract (Inorganic inhibitors), embedded into concrete beam members and exposed to sodium chloride medium representing laboratory harsh saline marine environment. Corrosion acceleration potential test was conducted on 27 samples of non-corroded, uncoated and coated resins/exudates paste thicknesses of steel bar and simulated for 60 days, after 30 days, initial concrete cured. Results obtained showed corrosion potential presence on uncoated members with cracks and spalling. Further recorded results on non-corroded flexural strength test of failure load 29.09%, midspan deflection 28.30%, tensile strength 12.03% and elongation 31.50%, for coated beam members, failure load 29.42%, midspan deflection 27.42%, tensile strength 12.09% and elongation 31.80%, for corroded beam members, failure load decreased by 22.50%, midspan deflection increased by 39.30%, tensile strength decreased to 10.17% and elongation by increased 46.30%. The entire experimental results showed that corroded specimens has lower flexural load, higher midspan deflection, lower tensile strength and higher elongation due to loss of steel bar fibre from degradation effect from corrosion, inhibitors served as protective coating against corrosion, but no strength was added to steel members.