The Journal of Middle East and North Africa Sciences

04-11

Authors: S. N. O. Ibe; O. Obasi; E. A. Nwoke; C. R. Nwufo; E. O. Osuala; C. O. Ezenwuba; C. O. Amadi; C. I. C. Ebirim

This descriptive study determined the role of significant others in the adoption of exclusive-breastfeeding by nursing-mothers in Imo State, Nigeria. Respondents were made up of 340 nursing-mothers from three selected communities in the state. The target population of the study was all the 405 nursing-mothers with children aged twenty-four months and below. Instruments for data collection were structured questionnaire and Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and the reliability of the instrument was established (r = 0.8). Results of the study revealed that exclusive- breastfeeding practice was generally low, 13.5% in the target communities. Only 7(5.6%), 37(26.4%) and zero (0%) of nursing mothers who were assisted by their mother, mother-in-law, and friend respectively during the months of confinement after childbirth traditionally known as omugwo practiced exclusive-breastfeeding (p <0.0001). Similarly, only 36 (10.6%) of husbands, 37(10.9%) of mothers and 33(9.7%) of mothers-in-law were of the opinion that infant should be fed with only breast milk in the first 6 months of life (exclusive-breastfeeding). More nursing-mothers 163(47.7%) had the health facility as their main source of exclusive-breastfeeding information and 39(23.9%) of them practiced exclusive breastfeeding. The study concluded that significant others as represented in this study by mother, mother-in-law, husband, and friends of nursing-mother influenced the adoption of the exclusive-breastfeeding practice of the nursing mother. Also, the health facility as the main source of exclusive-breastfeeding information could not achieve the desired level of adoption. There is need to explore the participation of significant others in the campaign for the promotion of exclusive breastfeeding.

25-30

Authors: J. J. Gongden; Y. N. Lohdip; S. Okoye; F. Terdoo

Adsorption is recognized as an effective process of metal ion removal from contaminated water. Groundnut shell has been investigated as a metal adsorbent because of its advantages in terms of both adsorption efficiency and economic viability. In this study, the competitive adsorption of Cd2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, and Pb2+ from groundnut shell and their displacement behaviors were investigated under harmonized optimum adsorption conditions for the metal ions. It was observed from the results obtained that groundnut shell favored adsorption of the ions in the order Pb2+> Zn2+> Cd2+> Cu2+. The extent to which the ions displaced each other showed that Cd2+ had the highest displacement characteristics followed by Zn2+ with Cu2+ being the last. The occurrence and extent of displacement were shown to be closely related to pH, as this influences the metal species present in solution as well as the corresponding ionic charges. The preference of groundnut shell adsorption for one metal over another was also dependent on the solution pH and concentration. Properties such as electron configuration and ionic size also contributed to the effectiveness of the metals in competitive adsorption. Cd2+ and Zn2+ were shown to be more easily displaced than Pb2+ and Cu2+. These findings are important in choosing species for adsorption and displacement in complex solution or mixture with respect to its relevance.