Browsing by Author "Ibrahim, Umar"

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    Assessment of Heavy Metals Concentration in Swampy Agricultural Soil of Nasarawa West, Nigeria
    (Department of Physics, Nasarawa State University Keffi, 2019-01-18) Abdullahi, Abbas Auta; Ibrahim, Umar; Abubakar, Abdullahi Mundi; Mustapha, Mohammed Idris; Sarki, Usman Musa
    Aim: This research was carried out to investigate the concentration of heavy metals in swampy agricultural soil of Nasarawa west, Nigeria. Study Design: To compare the swampy soil heavy metal concentrations with regulatory standard or allowable values by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other National and International standards. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Physics, Nasarawa State University Keffi between January, 2018 and October, 2018. Methodology: Ten soil samples from each of thefive sampling locations (Karu, Keffi, Kokona, Nasarawa, and Toto) were randomly collected. A total of fifty (50) soil sampleswere collected within the period of one week. The collected samples were stored in polyethylene bag and labeled properly and taken to the Center for Energy Research and Development (CERD) at Obafemi Awolowo University Ile- ife Osun State, Nigeria. At CERD, elemental analysis was carried out for the fifty sample using X- ray fluorescent spectrometry analyzer. Results: The range of mean concentration of Zn, As, Cd, Pb, Fe, Ni, and Cu (in KR, KF, KK, NS, and TT locations) are 243.60- 502.80 mg/kg, 7.40- 37.00mg/kg, 260.90- 524.50 mg/kg, 167.80 336.60 mg/kg, 20222.90- 58170.50 mg/kg, 342.20- 555.10 mg/kg, and 266.60- 515.90 mg/kg respectively. The average mean of all the sample locations are found to be higher than the WHO allowable concentration limits of As (20 mg/kg), Pb (100 mg/kg), Cd (3 mg/kg), Zn (300 mg/kg), Fe (n.a), Ni (50 mg/kg), and Cu (100 mg/kg)respectively. There is high concentration Zn, As, Cd, Pb, Fe, Ni, and Cu in the swampy soil. Conclusion: The results indicates that the swampy agricultural soils of Nasarawa west (Karu, Keffi, Kokona, Nasarawa, and Toto) are contaminated with toxic metals (Zn, As, Cd, Pb, Fe, Ni, and Cu).
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    Comparative analysis of the energy content of methane from cow dung manure and poultry manure
    (Department of Physics, Nasarawa State University Keffi, 2019-04-11) Yusuf, S.D.; Ibrahim, Umar; Yahaya, S.
    Owing to the fact that life depends entirely on reliable and adequate supply of energy, the energy supply in Nigeria is inadequate due to limited generation of power with no improvement in sight. Her power situation affects the manufacturing, service and residential sectors of the economy which in turn affects the country’s economic growth. This study is a comparative analysis of the energy content of methane from cow dung and poultry manure using the biogas digester. Using 4g of dry samples of cow dung and poultry manure with 25ml of distilled water and 0.124g of yeast to function as a catalyst in order to facilitate the fermentation of the substrate, the biogas digester was set-up and the temperature was maintained at 40 – 560C while the gas was collected using the downward delivery method. Results shows that the average biogas production from cow dung and poultry manure were respectively (0.195dm3/day) and (0.151dm3/day). While, the percentage of methane in biogas were 18.60% cow dung and 21.36% poultry manure. Even though the poultry manure showed higher energy values in the first ten (10) days, the average energy content of methane obtained were cow dungmanure (1.195kJ/day) and poultrymanure (1.065kJ/day). However, energy content from animal waste especially cow dung can be harnessed; they can serve as alternative sources of energy that can support peak load and reduce over dependent on hydro to help boost the Nigerian economy.
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    DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF A TWO AXIS SOLAR MAXIMUM POWER POINT TRACKING USING PIC16F877A MICRCONTROLLER BASED SYSTEM
    (Department of Physics, Nasarawa State University Keffi, 2016-09-01) Loko, A.Z.; Bugaji, A.I.; Ewa, I.I.; Ibrahim, Umar; Kwaha, B.J.
    Today, most of the streetlights in Nigeria use solar energy to operate; however, streets and road within cities of Nigeria experience street black out as night goes by due to minimum power tracking of sunlight during the day time thereby resulting to low or slow charging of backup systems (battery). Consequently, this research focus on the design and implementation of a maximum power tracking using the PIC16F877A microcontroller and dc motors for two dimensional sun tracking under different temperature, humidity and irradiation and extract maximum available power from photovoltaic (PV) panel that would serve as an alternative solution towards solving the issue of street blackout. This paper also covers the designing and construction of the Solar Tracking mechanical structure together with the associated electronic circuits and two DC motors. One DC motors is mounted to control the rotation part, while the second one is to control the tilting part. Four pairs of Light sensors Cadmium sulphide (CdS) were installed for detecting the light source position. The PIC16F877A is programmed using C language in microC PRO for PIC. The sensor values, temperature of the day are transmitted to the PC for monitoring purpose. A working system was finally demonstrated to validate the design.
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    Global Solar Irradiance over Keffi Town and its Environs, Nasarawa State, Nigeria
    (Department of Physics, Nasarawa State University Keffi, 2020-06-01) Mamman, Andah; Ibrahim, Umar; Dauda, Samson Yusuf; Musa, Bilya Abubakar; Ma'aji, U.M.
    The need to model energy generation has been on the increased, because of the rising needs of the power for use by large and small scale users. In this study, the assessment of global solar irradiance over Keffi and its environs, Nasarawa State, Nigeria was determined. A simple random sampling technique was used to select twelve locations in Keffi and its environs, Nasarawa State Nigeria for the measurement of global solar irradiance. Three 12V, 5W solar panels were used and a measurement interval of three hour daily (12.00pm to 3.00pm) was made using the Secondary Standard Pyranometer placed on the top of the panels. The continuity in the assembled system was measured using an Avometer. A model based on Angstrom-Prescott Regression Equation: ���� = ��0 [�� + �� ( �� �� )]was developed to calculate the solar irradiance for Keffi and its environs. The regression constants ‘a’ and ‘b’ were obtained to be 0.58 and 0.002 respectively by simple arithmetic. The highest value of the measured monthly average daily global solar radiation value was observed in the month of February (26.07 MJ/m2) while the lowest value was observed in the month of August (12.63 MJ/m2) with an average value of 19.24 MJ/m2. The extraterrestrial solar radiation was found to range from 24.43 MJ/m2 in December to 53.60 MJ/m2 MJ/m2 in February with average value of 37.97MJ/m2. The developed model can be used to predict solar radiation in Keffi and its environs, Nasarawa State
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    Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Swampy Agricultural Soils in Nasarawa West, Nigeria
    (Department of Physics, Nasarawa State University Keffi, 2018-12-01) Ibrahim, Umar; Abubakar, Aisha Kana; Abdullahi, Abbas Auta; Mustapha, Mohammed Idris; Abdullahi, Mundi Abubakar
    In this study, the health risk caused by heavy metals in swampy agricultural soil of Nasarawa west was assessed. A total of 50 soil samples from five local government of Nasarawa west (10 from each) were collected and analyzed for Asernic (As), Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Nikel (Ni) and Zinc (Zn) present in the samples using XRF Spectrometry at Center for Energy Research and Development (CERD) in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile lfe. Osun State, Nigeria. Measured concentrations of these heavy metals were then used to calculate the health risk for adults and children. The result show that the concentrations are in the order of Ni> Cd> Zn>Pb>As which are all below the permissible level except for As which appear to be higher than the permissible levels. The Hazard Index (HI) of all the pathways for adults and children were found to be 1.55 and 12.19 respectively. These values are greater than 1 which is the tolerance level for both adults and children. These makes non- carcinogenic effects significant to the adult’s population and pose serious non- carcinogenic effect on children in those areas. The carcinogenic risk values were found to be both higher than acceptable values. This implies that there is a probability that 1 adult in about 10,000 may be affected.
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    Variation of Solar Radiation in Akwanga, Nasarawa State, Nigeria
    (Department of Physics, Nasarawa State University Keffi, 2020-06-05) Mamman, Adah; Ibrahim, Umar; Dauda, Samson Yusuf; Mustapha, Mohammed Yusuf; Paul, Bartholomew
    One of the major environmental problem is the long-term changes in the Earth’s climate. In this study, the variation of solar radiation for Akwanga zone, Nasarawa State, Nigeria were determined. Twelve locations were carefully selected where there is no sunshine and wind obstruction. Three 12V, 5W Solar panels (poly) were used and a three-hour daily measurement interval (12.00 pm to 3.00 pm) was made using the Secondary Standard Pyranometer placed on the top of the panels. Angstrom-Prescott Regression Equation was used to estimate the output. The continuity in the assembled system was measured using an Avometer. The result revealed that the highest monthly average daily global solar radiation was observed in the month of April (25.2 MJ/m2) followed by June (22.94 MJ/m2), and march (22.42 MJ/m2), while the lowest was observed in the month of August (12.04 MJ/m2) followed by July (13.57 MJ/m2), and September (14.26 MJ/m2) in the locations selected. The solar radiation intensity was found to range from 156.44 W/m2 to 293.84 W/m2 with the mean value of 220.04 W/m2. The highest total global solar radiation value of 25.2MJ/m2 was observed in April while the lowest value of 12.04 MJ/m2 was observed in October. The extraterrestrial solar radiation were found to range from 16.72 MJ/m2 in March to 29.90 MJ/m2 in April with average value of 22.89MJ/m2. The atmospheric transmission coefficient over the year is found to range from 0.5 in July and October to 1.3 in June and October. The investigation reveal that there is bright sun shine in the study area which confirms high atmospheric transmission coefficient or clearness index throughout the year in this study.