Application of the sustainable livelihoods framework to the analysis of the Provincial Growth and Development Plan of the Eastern Cape: a case study of the Massive Food Production Programme in Nkonkobe Municipality and Buffalo City Municipality
- Authors: Dirwayi, Tafadzwa P
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Poverty -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural poor -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Food supply -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Food security -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc Agric (Agricultural Economics)
- Identifier: vital:11159 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/353 , Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Poverty -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural poor -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Food supply -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Food security -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: The Government of the Eastern Cape Province introduced the Massive Food Production programme, which is a cornerstone within the agrarian reform initiative of the Provincial Growth and Development Plan (PGDP). The programme has been going on for more than seven years, however little has been documented on its impact. The main objective of the study was to investigate the impact of the Massive Food Production Programme on the livelihoods in Nkonkobe Municipality. This study did not only investigate its impact on the participants but also assessed its impact on the recipient communities. Accordingly, the specific objectives of the study were to investigate the impact of the Massive Food Programme on the asset base of participants, the general livelihood activities, and the livelihood outcomes. Among other livelihood activities, the study made an in-depth investigation on the impact of the Massive Food Production Programme on maize crop production. This is because the Massive Food Production was aimed at maize crop production. Previous studies investigated on the indicators of success that can be used to measure the impact of this programme. After the wide-ranging evaluation of views, arguments and research findings, a model to measure impact of the programme was designed. The asset base improvement was used as the proxy of impact. Nine factors were selected from the principal component analysis of the many factors that were taken to affect participation. Three other dummy variables to proximate location, participation and group turnover were added to the regression model that was developed to measure impact. The DFID Sustainable Livelihood Framework was used to investigate the impact of the Massive Food Production Programme. This approach was used in both conceptualizing the study and the selection of variables. The DFID Sustainable Livelihood Approach was selected because unlike the CARE or UNDP Sustainable Livelihood models, it was designed for such purposes. Data collection was accomplished through observation, interviewing, and focus group discussions. The researcher also made use of project annual reports on change of livelihoods, baseline survey reports, project log frame, internal reports, work plans, budgets and mid-term evaluation reports as sources of secondary data. v The research findings were analysed using several analytical procedures, including the conventional descriptive statistics, principal components analysis, and linear regression analysis. The use of the different types of analysis was driven by the research questions under investigation and the theories on which they are based, and by the available data. The study revealed that to some extent the Massive Food Production Programme has managed to improve the asset base of the farmers. However, its impact on ensuring food security is still debatable. Findings of the study revealed that most of the participants and the non-participants communities experienced food shortages in the last season 2007/8 for at most three months. The study revealed that the highest agricultural income is from livestock sales. The varying locations showed the potential of livestock production. It is recommended that development agencies consider livestock production as an agricultural strategy with immense potential for enhancing sustaining rural livelihoods
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Applied Agricultural Biometry: AGB 321
- Authors: Odeyemi, A , Tyler, J
- Date: 2009-11
- Language: English
- Type: Examination paper
- Identifier: vital:11974 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1010338
- Description: Applied Agricultural Biometry: AGB 321, degree examination November 2009.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2009-11
Applied Entomology: ENT 221
- Authors: Mdlangu, T , Fasi, N N
- Date: 2010-11
- Language: English
- Type: Examination paper
- Identifier: vital:17897 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1011072
- Description: Applied Entomology: ENT 221, degree examination November 2010.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2010-11
Applied Extension and Rural Development: AGX 322
- Authors: Lategan, F S , Stevens, J B
- Date: 2010-02
- Language: English
- Type: Examination paper
- Identifier: vital:17682 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1010083
- Description: Applied extension and rural development: AGX 322, supplementary degree examination February 2010.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2010-02
Applied extension and rural development: AGX 322
- Authors: Lategan, F S , Stevens, J B
- Date: 2009-11
- Language: English
- Type: Examination paper
- Identifier: vital:17691 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1010092
- Description: Applied Extension and Rural Development: AGX 322, degree examination November 2009.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2009-11
Applied Extension and Rural Development: AGX 322
- Authors: Lategan, F S , Stevens, J B
- Date: 2009-02
- Language: English
- Type: Examination paper
- Identifier: vital:17679 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1010080
- Description: Applied Extension and Rural Development: AGX 322, supplementary degree exmaination February 2009
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2009-02
Applied Extension and Rural Development: AGX 332
- Authors: Lategan, F S , Stevens, J B
- Date: 2008-11
- Language: English
- Type: Examination paper
- Identifier: vital:17684 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1010085
- Description: Applied Extension and Rural Development: AGX 332, degreee examination November 2008.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2008-11
Applied Remote Sensing: GIS 502
- Authors: Tyson, C , Thompson, M
- Date: 2009-11
- Language: English
- Type: Examination paper
- Identifier: vital:17918 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1011163
- Description: Applied Remote Sensing: GIS 502, Honours examination November 2009.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2009-11
Applied Remote Sensing: GIS 502
- Authors: Tyson, C , Palmer, A R
- Date: 2010-11
- Language: English
- Type: Examination paper
- Identifier: vital:17924 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1011175
- Description: Applied Remote Sensing: GIS 502, Honours examination November 2010.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2010-11
Applied Time Series Analysis: STS 502
- Authors: Ndege, J O , De Waal, P J
- Date: 2011-06
- Language: English
- Type: Examination paper
- Identifier: vital:11973 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1010337
- Description: Applied Time Series Analysis: STS 502, Honours examinatino June 2011.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2011-06
Appraisal of experimental performance and modelling of an on-farm dairy milk bulk cooler: Fort Hare Dairy Trust, South Africa
- Authors: Mhundwa, Russel
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Milk -- Cooling Milk -- Cooling -- Equipment and supplies Milk tanks -- Specifications
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/4671 , vital:28487
- Description: South Africa contributes approximately 0.5 percent to the total world milk demand and is the third largest producer of fresh cow milk in Africa after Sudan and Kenya. In comparison to any other enterprise, the cost of milk production is influenced by numerous factors, that in turn affect the profitability of the farm enterprise; however one of such factors is high electricity cost. In this regard, there is need for efficient operation of the milk processing plant at all stages and at the same time maximising on product quality and minimising on the cost of production including energy. At the dairy farm, milk handling mainly commences as the milk leaves the cow udder at 35°C–37°C and must be cooled rapidly to a storage temperature of 4°C in a bid to stop microbial activity. The cooling of the milk can be done directly by the bulk milk cooler (BMC) from 37°C to the required storage temperature of 4°C or it can be done successively through pre-cooling. The process of pre-cooling involves the use of a heat exchanger where in most instances the plate heat exchanger (PHE) is used as the pre-cooler (PC) thereby leading to energy savings in a dairy facility. Cooling of milk involves significant amount of energy and it could account for about 20 percent of the total energy consumed on a farm. The aim of the research was to develop mathematical models that could be used to predict the electrical energy performance and capture the cooling saving of an on-farm direct expansion bulk milk cooler (DXBMC) during the milk cooling process. Accordingly, data acquisition system (DAS) was designed and built to accurately measure the power consumption of the BMC, temperature of raw milk, room temperature, temperature of cold water, relative humidity and ambient temperature. The volume of milk produced per day was extracted from the daily records on the farm. In addition, the temperature sensors were connected to a four channel HOBO data loggers which were configured to log at every five-minutes interval. The results were analysed and the mathematical models were developed using MATLAB. The statistical Toolbox in MATLAB was used to rank the predictors according to their weight of importance using the ReliefF Algorithm test. The results showed that on average, the daily electrical energy consumed by the BMC at the two milking times was higher during the peak period (127.82 kWh and 93.86 kWh) than the off-peak period (48.31 kWh and 43.23 kWh). On average, the electricity used for cooling of milk on the dairy farm was 17.06 kWh/m3 of milk. The average monthly electricity used per cow on the farm was 8.03 kWh/cow which translated to an average of 0.26 kWh/cow/day The average specific energy consumption of the cooling system per litre of milk cooled was 0.02 kWh/L and was almost constant throughout the whole period of monitoring. Furthermore, the BMC was able to cool 57.33 L/kWh during the off-peak period which increased by 7.7 percent to 62.13 L/kWh during the peak period. Furthermore, mathematical models represented as multiple linear regression (MLR) models were built and developed using the experimental data. The developed mathematical models had good agreement with the experimental data as evidenced by the correlation coefficients of 0.922 and 0.8995 along with 0.935 and 0.930. The ReliefF Algorithm test revealed that the volume of milk was the principal contributor to the energy consumption of the BMC for both the morning (AM) and afternoon (PM) milking period. The Relative Prediction Error (RPE) was used to evaluate the suitability of the developed models. In this light, the AM off-peak model had RPE of 18.54 percent while the PM off-peak model had 14.42 percent. In addition, the AM peak and PM peak models had RPE of 19.23 percent and 18.95 percent respectively. This suggested that the MLR models for the off-peak and peak milking periods (both AM and PM) had acceptable prediction accuracy since the RPE values were between 10 percent and 20 percent. The findings from the experimental study showed that the coefficient of performance (COP) of the AM milking period was higher (2.20) than that of the PM milking period of the BMC (1.93). Increase in the milk volume led to an increase in the COP such that the peak period with higher milk volumes recorded a high COP increase of 12.61 percent and 19.81 percent for the AM and PM milking periods respectively.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Aspects of the feeding biology of the copepod Pseudodiaptomus hessei (Copepoda: Calanoida) under culture conditions
- Authors: Mzozo, Ziyanda
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Copepoda Microbial ecology Fishes -- Feeding and feeds
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/4727 , vital:28502
- Description: This study aimed to investigate the feeding behaviour of the calanoid copepod, Pseudodiaptomus hessei, particularly whether it prefers to feed on a planktonic or benthic food source. The effect of different microalgae species on the feeding preference, ingestion, and gut evacuation rate were investigated. Two microalgae species (Isochrysis galbana and Tetraselmis suecica) were used, to test gut fullness and gut evacuation of P. hessei. The copepods were starved for 6 h and allowed to feed on monalgae diets, I .galbana and T. suecica, and a 1:1 binary diet mixture of T. suecica and I. galbana. The gut fullness and gut evacuation rates were determined by observing under the dissecting microscope and gut content percentage was recorded (as 0, 25, 50, 75 or 100 percent) along with copepod sex. Copepods that feed on T. suecica fill their gut after 30 min, while those that feed on I. galbana do so after 40 min. There was a significant difference (p= 0.02) between sexes with males filling their gut faster than females. However, copepods that fed on I. galbana evacuated their gut content completely after 30 min, while those fed on T suecica evacuated theirs after 40 min. There was no difference between males and females for gut evacuation. Even though there was high gut fullness rate when P. hessei was feeding on T. suecica, I. galbana is recommended as the best mono-algae diet to culture P. hessei. The feeding behaviour of P. hessei was investigated, as to whether it prefers to feed on a planktonic or benthic food source. Copepods were starved for 3 h and then allowed to feed on two microalgae species (I. galbana and T. suecica), one presented as a benthic and other as planktonic. Controls included swapping the modes of presentation for each algae species. Ingested microalgae species were quantified using real-time PCR, with threshold cycles interpreted as relative abundance ratio (planktonic microalgae divided by benthic microalgae species). Pseudodiaptomus hessei preferred to feed on planktonic food sources initially as there was a difference between planktonic and benthic ingested food (p=0.026). Copepods shifted from planktonic to benthic food sources after 80 min of feeding planktonically. Planktonic food sources were the preferred choice for P. hessei regardless of microalgae species offered. The results from this study also confirm that P. hessei feed on a benthic food source during the day under culture conditions. This information can be used as baseline information for aquaculturists to rear the species as live feed for marine fish larvae.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Assessing farmers’ aspirations and goals to expand irrigation crop production from homestead gardens to irrigation plots in Mhlontlo Local Municipality
- Authors: Finiza, Tabisa Nomava
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Crops irrigation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Farms, Small -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc Agric (Agricultural Economics)
- Identifier: vital:11209 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1016173 , Crops irrigation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Farms, Small -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: Most land is still state owned and is granted to users through traditional authorities. Even though the government has undertaken some programmes to reduce rural poverty and has initiated land reform programmes, improved service delivery and formed new water rights legislation in rural areas, the problem of low crop production still persists among South African farmers. The study was undertaken to identify different farmers’ aspirations and goals for expanding their crop production from homestead gardening to irrigation plots in Mhlontlo Local Municipality, in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. The central problem is that smallholder farmers are not expanding their scale of crop production even though they have access to natural capital which includes land and water. The broad objective of the study was to determine the aspirations and goals of farmers to expand irrigation crop production from homestead gardens to irrigation plots. The specific objectives of the study were to assess factors that addressed smallholder farmers’ aspirations and goals to expand crop production, to identify challenges that smallholder farmers encountered in expanding from homestead gardens to irrigation plots and to determine the current state of homestead gardens and irrigation plots. A list of 20 goals were identified from the field survey with 54 homestead food gardeners and 50 smallholder irrigation farmers in the different villages of the Mhlontlo Local Municipality. Random sampling was used to select the farmers who were asked to score the identified farm enterprise goals in terms of their relative importance. The goals were categorised into five factors using Gasson goal ranking methods which ranked goals on the basis of intrinsic, expressive, instrumental, and social criteria. The next step was to determine the standard deviations and means of the ranked goals. Descriptive statistics was then used to profile the farmers according to such factors as age, gender, years of farm experience, types of plot, the availability of water and land for crop production, the income farmers generate from the sale of crops produced and these are cross-tabulated with their goal rankings. The Logit model was used to estimate the probability that farmers would belong to a particular goal ranking and performance category. The logit model was also used to identify the factors that influence the expansion of the cropped area. The results revealed that maize production and land size where significant at 1%. Age and type of irrigation used were also positively significant at 1%. The results also revealed that the adoption of agricultural technology by smallholder irrigation farmers and homestead food gardens contributed to better quality produce.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
Assessing the impact of primary agricultural co-operative membership on smallholder farm performance (crops) in Mnquma Local Municipality of the Eastern Cape Province
- Authors: Mzuyanda, Christian
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Agriculture, Cooperative -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Cooperative marketing of farm produce -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Producer cooperatives -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Farms, Small -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc Agric (Agricultural Economics)
- Identifier: vital:11231 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1021285 , Agriculture, Cooperative -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Cooperative marketing of farm produce -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Producer cooperatives -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Farms, Small -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
Assessing the vulnerability of resource-poor households to disasters associated with climate variability using remote sensing and GIS techniques in the Nkonkobe Local Municipality, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
- Authors: Chari, Martin Munashe
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Climatic changes -- Forecasting Natural resources -- Remote sensing Droughts -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/2425 , vital:27837
- Description: The main objective of the study was to assess the extent to which resource-poor households in selected villages of Nkonkobe Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa are vulnerable to drought by using an improvised remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS)-based mapping approach. The research methodology was comprised of 1) assessment of vulnerability levels and 2) the calculation of established drought assessment indices comprising the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) from wet-season Landsat images covering a period of 29 years from 1985 to 2014 in order to objectively determine the temporal recurrence of drought in Nkonkobe Local Municipality. Vulnerability of households to drought was determined by using a multi-step GIS-based mapping approach in which 3 components comprising exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity were simultaneously analysed and averaged to determine the magnitude of vulnerability. Thereafter, the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to establish weighted contributions of these components to vulnerability. The weights applied to the AHP were obtained from the 2012 - 2017 Nkonkobe Integrated Development Plan (IDP) and perceptions that were solicited from key informants who were judged to be knowledgeable about the subject. A Kruskal-Wallis H test on demographic data for water access revealed that the demographic results are independent of choice of data acquired from different data providers (χ2(2) = 1.26, p = 0.533, with a mean ranked population scores of 7.4 for ECSECC, 6.8 for Quantec and 9.8 for StatsSA). Simple linear regression analysis revealed strong positive correlations between NDWI and NDVI ((r = 0.99609375, R2 = 1, for 1985), 1995 (r = 0.99609375, R2 = 1 for 1995), (r = 0.99609375, R2 = 1 for 2005) and (r = 0.99609375, R2 = 1 for 2014). The regression analysis proved that vegetation condition depends on surface water arising from rainfall. The results indicate that the whole of Nkonkobe Local Municipality is susceptible to drought with villages in south eastern part being most vulnerable to droughts due to high sensitivity and low adaptive capacity.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Assessment of antibacterial potentials of Garcinia Kola seed extracts and their interactions with antibiotics
- Authors: Sibanda, Thulani
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Drug resistance in microorganisms , Garcinia , Antibiotics , Medicinal plants
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc (Microbiology)
- Identifier: vital:11242 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/71 , Drug resistance in microorganisms , Garcinia , Antibiotics , Medicinal plants
- Description: The antibacterial potency of the extracts of the seed of Garcinia kola (bitter kola) was investigated in this study against a panel of referenced, environmental and clinical bacterial strains. The killing rates of the active extract as well as their potential for combination antibacterial therapy with standard antibiotics were also elucidated using standard procedures. The aqueous and acetone extracts of the seed were screened for activity against 27 bacterial isolates. The aqueous extract exhibited activity mainly against Gram positive organisms with Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 5 mgml-1 – 20 mgml-1, while the acetone extract showed activity against both Gram negative and Gram positive organisms with MIC values ranging from 10 mgml-1 - 0.156 mgml-1. The acetone extract also showed rapid bactericidal activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 with a 3.097 Log10 reduction in counts within 4 hours at 0.3125 mgml-1 and a 1.582 Log10 reduction against Proteus vulgaris CSIR 0030 at 5 mgml-1 after 1 hour. In addition, the aqueous, methanol and acetone extracts of the seeds also exhibited activity against four clinical strains of Staphylococcus isolated from wound sepsis specimens. The MIC values for the aqueous extract were 10 mgml-1 for all the isolates while the acetone and methanol extracts had lower values ranging from 0.3125 - 0.625 mgml-1. The acetone extract was strongly bactericidal against Staphylococcus aureus OKOH3 resulting in a 2.70 Log10 reduction in counts at 1.25 mgml-1 within 4 hours of exposure and a complete elimination of the organism after 8 hours. The bactericidal vi activity of the same extract against Staphylococcus aureus OKOH1 was weak, achieving only a 2.92 Log10 reduction in counts at 1.25 mgml-1 (4× MIC) in 24 hours. In the test for interactions between the acetone extract of the seeds and antibiotics, synergistic interactions were observed largely against Gram positive organisms using the FIC indices, (indices of 0.52 - 0.875) with combinations against Gram negatives yielding largely antagonistic interactions (indices of 2.0 to 5.0). Synergy (≥ 1000 times or ≥ 3 Log10 potentiation of the bactericidal activity) against both Gram negative and Gram positive organisms was detected by time kill assays mainly involving the antibiotics tetracycline, chloramphenicol, amoxycillin and penicillin G. Combinations involving erythromycin and ciprofloxacin consistently gave antagonistic or indifferent interactions. We conclude that the acetone extract of Garcinia kola seeds possess strong bactericidal activities against both Gram positive and Gram negative organisms and can be therapeutically useful in the treatment of bacterial infections including the problematic staphylococcal wound infections. In addition, the acetone extract can be a potential source of broad spectrum resistance modifying compounds that can potentially improve the performance of antibiotics in the treatment of drug resistant infections.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
Assessment of antibiotic production by some marine Streptomyces isolated from the Nahoon Beach
- Authors: Ogunmwonyi, Isoken Nekpen Henrietta
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Streptomyces , Actinobacteria , Gram-positive bacteria , Antibiotics , Antibiotics -- Testing , Drug resistance in microorganisms
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc (Microbiology)
- Identifier: vital:11243 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/264 , Streptomyces , Actinobacteria , Gram-positive bacteria , Antibiotics , Antibiotics -- Testing , Drug resistance in microorganisms
- Description: Rapidly emerging strains of bacteria resistant to most advanced antibiotics have become issues of very important public health concern. Research currently directed towards marine actinomycetes presents a vast potential for new compounds that could be able to safely and effectively target resistant species. In this regard, ten putative Streptomyces strains isolated from the Nahoon beach were selected and assessed for antibiotic production and activity against a wide range of bacteria including reference strains, environmental strain and clinical isolates. The ethyl acetate extracts of the putative Streptomyces isolates showed activities against at least 6 and up to 26 of the 32 test bacteria. Inhibition zones were found to range between 9-32 mm diameters at a concentration of 10 mg/ml. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the crude extracts ranged from 0.039 - 10 mg/ml and the least minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) demonstrated was 0.625 mg/ml against a reference strain Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538. Time kill kinetics of all extracts revealed bacteristatic and bactericidal activities. Average Log reductions in viable cell counts for all the extracts ranged from 0.86 Log10 and 3.99 Log10 cfu/ml after 3 h interaction and 0.01 Log10 and 4.86 Log10 after 6 h interaction at MIC, 2 × MIC, 3 × MIC and 4 × MIC concentrations. Most of the extracts were speedily bactericidal at 3 × MIC and 4 × MIC resulting in over 50 % elimination of most of the test bacteria within 3 h and 6 h interaction. The partial characterization of the crude extracts by IR spectral analysis revealed possibility of terpenoid, long chain fatty acids and secondary amine derivatives compounds in the extracts. It is therefore recommended that further investigation should address the relationship between the structure of the active component of the extracts and the broad spectrum activity, as well as a rapid method for large scale production and purification and whether this group of antibiotics has any application in managing human infectious disease.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Assessment of bioflocculant production by some marine bacteria isolated from the bottom sediment of Algoa Bay
- Authors: Cosa, Sekelwa
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Flocculants , Bacteria -- South Africa -- Algoa Bay
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc (Microbiology)
- Identifier: vital:11244 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/404 , Flocculants , Bacteria -- South Africa -- Algoa Bay
- Description: Several problems concerning the use of conventional synthetic flocculants has necessitated the need for alternative cost effective, safe and efficient bioflocculants from microorganisms inhabiting many environments, particularly those from unusual environments. Hence, this study assessed bioflocculant production by three marine bacteria isolated from the bottom sediment of Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Analysis of the 16S rDNA sequences led to their identification as Halobacillus sp. Mvuyo, Virgibacillus sp. Rob and Oceanobacillus sp. Pinky. Several factors affecting the production and activity of the bioflocculant(s) were studied. Halobacillus sp. Mvuyo produced bioflocculant optimally with glucose (76%) and ammonium chloride (93%) as sole carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively and at neutral pH and in the presence of Ca2+. On the other hand, Virgibacillus sp. Rob preferred glucose (70.4 %) and iron sulphate (74%) as carbon and nitrogen source respectively; an alkaline pH (12.0) and Fe2+. Oceanobacillus sp. Pinky produced bioflocculant optimally when sucrose (80%) and peptone (72.4 %) were used as carbon and nitrogen source respectively, at neutral pH, and in the presence of Ca2+ cation. The chemical analyses of the partially purified bioflocculants revealed that the bioflocculants produced by Halobacillus sp. Mvuyo and Oceanobacillus sp. Pinky were glycoproteins, while that produced by Virgibacillus sp. Rob was a polysaccharide. We thus conclude that Halobacillus sp. Mvuyo, Virgibacillus sp. Rob and Oceanobacillus sp. Pinky hold promise as producers of new and efficient bioflocculant(s). We recommended development of process conditions for large scale production of the bioflocculants followed by their detailed characterization, as well as pilot scale assessment of the applicability of the purified bioflocculant in water/wastewater treatment and other industrial uses
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Assessment of bioflocculant production by two marine bacteria isolated from the bottom sediment of marine Algoa Bay
- Authors: Ntozonke, Ncedo
- Date: 2015
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc (Microbiology)
- Identifier: vital:11298 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1021290
- Description: Bioflocculants are polymers, mostly, of microbial origin which floc out suspended particles from liquid medium. The ability of these biopolymers to remove suspended particles from solutions is termed bioflocculation, and the efficiency of flocculation activities depends on the characteristics of the flocculants. In comparison with conventionally used flocculants, bioflocculants have the advantage of being safe (no toxic effects known), biodegradable and harmlessness to the environment. The study assessed production of bioflocculant by two marine bacteria from the bottom sediment of marine environment. The 16S rDNA was used for identification, and the two bacteria species were identified as Enterococcus hirae and Bacillus thuringiensis. Factors affecting the production and activity of the bioflocculants produced by these two organisms were studied. The bacteria optimally produced bioflocculant with fructose (91.7%) and urea (91%) as sole carbon and nitrogen sources respectively. Mg2+ (87%) and Ca2+ (86%), likewise, served as best cation sources on the production of the bioflocculant at pH 5(93%). Additionally, the flocculating activity of the bioflocculant increased with the addition of Mg2+ (81%) and Na+ (81%), and the highest flocculating activity was at pH 5 of the kaolin clay. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) shows that the bioflocculant is a glycoprotein. The second bacterium (Bacillus thuringiensis) produced bioflocculant optimally when the media had mixed nitrogen sources (Urea, ammonium chloride and tryptone (67%)) and glucose (85.65%) as a sole carbon source, also Ca2+ (74.6%) was the best cation that induced the production of bioflocculant. After purification, the bioflocculant flocculated optimally in alkaline pH 12 (81%) in the presence of Mn2+ (73%) and Ca2+ (72.8%). Chemical analysis of the bioflocculant revealed it to be a polysaccharide. Both bioflocculants flocculate efficiently and can be used to replace synthetic flocculants in water treatment, wastewater, in downstream processing, and processing of food and chemicals and other industrial uses of flocculants. Challenges though (i) are to develop conditions for large scale production of the bioflocculant, (ii) to do further characterization of the both bioflocculants (iii) to assess the bioflocculants for treatments of water/wastewater, and to apply it in various industrial processes.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
Assessment of plants used for the treatment of cattle wounds and myiasis in Amatola Basin, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
- Authors: Soyelu, Oluseyi Temitope
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Domestic animals -- Parasites , Insect pests -- Control , Cattle -- Health -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Screwworm -- Biological control , Traditional medicine -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Medicinal plants -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc Agric (Animal Science)
- Identifier: vital:11160 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1000986 , Domestic animals -- Parasites , Insect pests -- Control , Cattle -- Health -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Screwworm -- Biological control , Traditional medicine -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Medicinal plants -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2010