FACULTY OF LIFE SCIENCES

Water is humanity's lifeblood, flowing across all forms of life, culture and economies around the world, it is a human right and a common development denominator for shaping a better future. Clean water is necessary for life, health, and development. It plays a critical role in sustaining ecosystems, supporting agriculture, promoting sanitation, and safeguarding public health. Every type of life depends on water, and thankfully, there is an abundance of water on Earth that will never run out of supply. Despite the optimistic outlook presented above, water scarcity can and frequently does exist, and this trend will only worsen as the world's population grows. Water quality values aren't definite; instead, they are measured according to guidelines from authorized bodies. The quality of drinking water is unequivocally linked to public health. Access to safe and clean water is a fundamental human right and is essential for preventing a significant burden of disease worldwide. Physical parameters influence the aesthetic quality of water and indirectly indicate the presence of pollutants. Water intended for domestic use must be free from pathogenic organisms such as Salmonella, Vibrio cholerae, and Escherichia coli. Ohovbe is a semi-urban area where residents rely primarily on boreholes and wells for drinking and domestic purposes. The socio-demographic data of residents of Ohovbe community were obtained, water access and availability data and also their health status and awareness. The physicochemical and bacteriological parameters of water samples were also analyzed. To safeguard public health, residents should be encouraged to boil or filter their drinking water before consumption, and local authorities should ensure regular monitoring of water sources to maintain compliance with WHO standards

This study was carried out to determine the variation in keratometric reading using autorefractor before and after cataract surgery in St Teresa Specialist and Laser Eye Center, Edo State. This
was a prospective study of one hundred (n = 100) cataract patients (50 males and 50 females) aged between 35-98 years, scheduled for cataract surgery between November to January 2022. Autorefractor (with in built keratometer ) was used to measure the flat meridian (K1) and steep meridian (K2). Cornea astigmatism (CA) was gotten by taking the difference in both meridian. The data collected was analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 22.0 and Descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation) was used to summarize the variables. There was a statistically significant variation in K1 and K2 values before cataract surgery, one and four weeks after cataract surgery.( p<0.001 for K1 before, one week and four weeks after surgery, also p<0.001 for K2 before surgery ,one week and four weeks after surgery.)The study also showed that there was no significant difference in the cornea astigmatism (CA) before the surgery and one week after the surgery(p=0.412). There was significant difference in CA before the surgery and four weeks after the surgery (p=0.010).There
was also a significant difference in CA one week after the surgery when compared to four weeks after the surgery (p=0.008). From the study, it was revealed that there is a statistically significant
variation that exists in K1 and K2 values before and after cataract surgery as well as cornea astigmatism.

Ethnomedicine or traditional systems of medicines have suggested means to increase the body’s natural resistance to microbial infections. A number of medicinal plants have been reported to possess antimicrobial activities. This study aimed at determining phytochemical constituents, proximate composition, and the antibacterial activity of aqueous extract of Costus afer (Monkey Sugarcane) on clinical isolates such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The plant samples were collected from a farmyard in Ughelli, Delta State. Samples were air dried for ethanol and aqueous extraction, using standard method. The antibacterial activities of the ethanol and aqueous extract of Escherichia coli,Klebsiella pneumonia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, were determined by the disc diffusion method. The result of this study revealed the presence of phytochemical constituents including; flavonoids (2.69 ± 1.53), saponins (4.86 ± 0.23), alkaloids (1.93 ± 0.11), tannins (88.96 ± 5.77) and phenols (59.70 ± 3.29). Proximate analysis revealed the moisture content 22.4%, ash content was 11.2%, crude fibre content was 3.9%, crude protein content was 8.0%, crude fat content was 0.7%, while carbohydrate content accounted for 53.8% of its total composition. The study investigated the determination of Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC), and the identification of bacterial isolates, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The antibacterial activity of aqueous extract of Costus afer on clinical isolates such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed that the organism was not sensitive to the aqueous extract. The bacterial isolates showed greater resistance to commercially available antibiotics against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the susceptibility test. Antioxidant assays such as the DPPH radical scavenging activity, Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP), and Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) were conducted to assess the extract’s free radical scavenging ability.

Heavy metal contamination from mechanic workshops poses a major environmental challenge due to the continuous accumulation of toxic metals in soil, which can affect microbial activities, reduce soil fertility, and pose health risks to humans and other organisms. This study assessed the effectiveness of hydroxyapatite (HAp) and phosphate solubilising bacteria (PSB) (Pseudomonas sp.) in remediating heavy metal contaminated soil collected from a mechanic workshop. The research involved four treatments: soil only (control), soil + PSB, soil + HAp, and soil + PSB + HAp. Microbial counts and heavy metal concentrations (Fe, Cu, and As) were analyzed after incubation. The total heterotrophic bacterial count (THBC) increased from 2.5 × 10⁵ CFU/g in soil treated with PSB alone to 2.75 ± 0.71 × 10⁵ CFU/g in soil treated with both PSB and HAp, indicating enhanced microbial growth due to the combined amendment. The concentrations of iron (Fe) and copper (Cu) decreased significantly in all treated samples compared to the control. Fe reduced from 7561.97 mg/kg in the control to 6197.18 mg/kg in the combined treatment, while Cu decreased from 205.32 mg/kg to 150.19 mg/kg. Percentage reductions of 18.05% (Fe) and 26.85% (Cu) were recorded for the combined treatment, while arsenic (As) was not detected in any sample. These findings demonstrate that hydroxyapatite and Pseudomonas sp. act synergistically to immobilize and reduce heavy metal concentrations in contaminated soils. The combination improves microbial activity, enhances metal precipitation, and reduces the bioavailability of toxic metals. The study concludes that the combined use of hydroxyapatite and phosphate solubilising bacteria is an efficient, low-cost, and environmentally friendly method for remediating heavy metal–polluted soils from mechanic workshops in Nigeria.

River systems are valuable to human beings; meanwhile, they are intensively influenced by human activities. especially urbanization. In this study, we evaluated water quality of Amagba- Okoroma River, Benin City using analysis of water physico-chemical parameters recorded seasonally from March to April 2023 (dry season) and June and July 2023 (rainy season). Three sampling sites were selected along the course of the river from upstream (site 1) to downstream (site 3) associated with various anthropogenic activities. Water samples were collected and anlysed using standard procedure. Of the 21 water physico-chemical parameters anlysed, 5 parameters namely, turbidity (15.5 NTU), pH (5.4), Cr (0.15 mg/L), Cu (0.34 mg/L) and Zn (0.66 mg/L) exceeded the stipulated Nigerian Industrial Standard (NIS) guidelines. The result revealed that 3 parameters, namely, air temperature, water depth, and transparency showed
significant spatial variation across the three sites. Additionally, statistically significant seasonal variation was observed in 2 parameters in dry and rainy season namely, nitrate-nitrogen and sulphate. Water quality index (WQI) results reveal that water samples from each site were rated to be of excellent water quality, however, site 1 upstream had the best quality followed by site 2 and site 3 respectively. To preserve this water resource against pollution, the implementation of stringent guidelines as well as routine biomonitoring are needed to enhance its health status

Climate change has become a significant global threat in the 21st century. This has led to various crises, including irregular precipitation patterns, flooding, melting ice caps, and droughts. These changes are driven by both natural factors and human activities such as greenhouse gas emissions, changes in Earth’s orbit, fossil fuel combustion, and tectonic movements. One of the most critical impacts of climate change is the water supply crisis. This study aim to assess how climate change influences the sustainability of water supply in Agenebode. Data was collected by distribution of one hundred and fifty hard-copy Likert-scale questionnaires to respondents and analyzed using descriptive and correlation statistics through the use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The result shows that there is minimal vulnerability of water supply to climate change, the people do not behave in a way to cope with the impact of climate change, socioeconomic and cultural factor have less influence on domestic water consumption patterns and sustainability and there is little challenges in implementing sustainable water management practices. Therefore, it is seen that the people in the study area have minimal challenges in sustaining domestic water supply in a changing climate. it is recommended that the promotion of climate-resilient infrastructure capable of withstanding floods and droughts is essential for sustainable water management in vulnerable communities

This study was carried out to determine the variation in keratometric reading using autorefractor before and after cataract surgery in St Teresa Specialist and Laser Eye Center, Edo State. This was a prospective study of one hundred (n = 100) cataract patients (50 males and 50 females) aged between 35-98 years, scheduled for cataract surgery between November to January 2022. Autorefractor (with in built keratometer ) was used to measure the flat meridian (K1) and steep meridian (K2). Cornea astigmatism (CA) was gotten by taking the difference in both meridian. The data collected was analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 22.0 and Descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation) was used to summarize the variables. There was a statistically significant variation in K1 and K2 values before cataract surgery, one and four weeks after cataract surgery.( p<0.001 for K1 before,one week and four weeks after surgery,also p<0.001 for K2 before surgery,one week and four weeks after surgery.) The study also showed that there was no significant difference in cornea astigmatism (CA) before the surgery and one week after the surgery(p=0.412). There was significant difference in CA before the surgery and four weeks after the surgery (p=0.010).There was also significant difference in CA one week after the surgery when compared to four weeks after the surgery (p=0.008).From the study,it was revealed that there is a statistically significant variation that exit in K1 and K2 values before and after cataract surgery as well as cornea astigmatism.

Meteorological conditions play an important role in ambient air pollution by influencing the emissions, transport, formation, and deposition of air pollutants both directly and indirectly. The relationships between meteorological parameters and particulate matter concentrations were investigated in ten (10) randomly selected locations within the University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. The particulates (PM1.0, PM2.5, and PM10), relative humidity (RH), and temperature were quantified using Dienmern DM106A Air Quality Detector, while the wind speed (WS) was monitored using the Holdpeak 866B digital anemometer respectively for four weeks. The ambient temperature and relative humidity and the concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 obtained in this study were 34.1 to 36.1℃; 62.9 to 38.1%; 0.;8 to 1.9m/s 25.9 and 30.5µg/m3 .and 57.0 to 62.2 µg/m3. The values obtained were all above the recommended allowable limits. There were generally weak associations between air pollutants and meteorological parameters (R=-0.261, - 0.282, and -0.271; p<0.001)). The air quality index assessment revealed that the particulate matter AQI status was primarily unhealthy. The high levels of particulate matter obtained in the study call for the urgent need for awareness of air pollution-related health effects and preventive measures to reduce the concentrations of Particulate matter pollution. within the University

Benny seasoning is a cooking powder that is commonly used in Africa for improving the taste, aroma and color of food. The potential health risk from the use of Benny seasoning powder remains unclear. Oxidative stress has been implicated in disease onset. Hence in this study, oxidative parameters were assessed in fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) exposed to Benny seasoning at various concentrations (Control, 0.025 g/mL, 0.05 g/mL and 0.1g/mL)for seven (7) days. A survival study and climbing assay was conducted and the observations obtained from the study showed that with increasing concentration, mortality rate increased and the climbing activity decreased. After homogenization, specific markers of oxidative stress response (Protein, Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase(GPx), and malondialdehyde (MDA)) were assessed. The results showed that there was no significant difference (p<0.05) when control was compared with the treatment groups. However there were alterations (increase and decrease) in all of the markers indicating a response to oxidative stress. Some genes involved in neurotoxicity were observed (SPITZ, WINGLESS, EIGER, FOXO HEDGEHOG, KEAP1) after exposure to Benny seasoning. There were significant differences with increasing concentrations in the expression of thesegenes indicative of neurotoxicity. Further studies may be needed to fully assess oxidativeeffect at the genetic level in order to completely understand the oxidative stress responses of Drosophila melanogaster to Benny seasoning powder

Cadmium and lead represent hazardous heavy metals that present substantial threats to environmental quality and human health worldwide. These metallic contaminants undergo bioaccumulation in living tissues, triggering oxidative damage and multiple pathological manifestations in vital organs. Given the extended biological retention periods of these toxicants, there exists an urgent requirement for efficacious and environmentally sound therapeutic approaches. This research examined how Annona muricata phytowaste extracts influence lead and cadmium tissue accumulation in Wistar rat models.Thirty male Wistar rats (80-100g) were allocated randomly across five treatment cohorts over 90 days. Group I received distilled water (control), Group II was administered lead acetate with cadmium chloride, Group III received zinc (1mg/kg) and selenium (1.5mg/kg), while Groups IV and V were treated with ethanol- based Annona muricata extract at 250mg/kg and 500mg/kg respectively. Heavy metal quantification in splenic, cerebral, and skeletal tissues was performed via atomic absorption spectrophotometry.Results revealed marked metal deposition in untreated subjects, with cadmium elevated by 189% in brain, 115% in spleen, and 102% in bone. Lead increased by 79% in bone, 55% in brain, and 115% in spleen. Zinc-selenium intervention reduced cadmium by 76% (spleen), 67% (brain), and 65% (bone), while lead decreased by 64%, 67%, and 54% respectively. The 250mg/kg EEAM dosage decreased cadmium by 73% across all tissues, with lead reductions of 66%, 46%, and 64%. The 500mg/kg dosage demonstrated superior protection in soft tissues, reducing cadmium by 80% in brain and lead by 75% in spleen, though skeletal tissue showed paradoxical increases suggesting metal mobilization.This investigation validates the therapeutic utility of Annona muricata phytowaste for ameliorating heavy metal intoxication, with protection equivalent to conventional supplementation. The transformation of agricultural by-products into therapeutic resources aligns with sustainable development objectives while addressing environmental contamination.