Scientific African最新文献

{"title":"Near infrared spectroscopy for hemoglobin quantification in a single drop of blood with improved pretreatment and wavelength selection","authors":"Fatima Ezzahra El Kamouny ,&nbsp;Hassan Oukhouya ,&nbsp;Younes Wadiai ,&nbsp;Abdellah Madani ,&nbsp;Khadija El Kamouny ,&nbsp;Aziz Lmakri","doi":"10.1016/j.sciaf.2025.e02990","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sciaf.2025.e02990","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Clinical diagnostics and patient monitoring depend heavily on hemoglobin (HGB) quantification; however, traditional techniques are frequently intrusive, time-consuming, and require comparatively large blood volumes. By investigating the possibility of using Near Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to predict hemoglobin concentration from a single drop of blood, this study addresses the demand for a quick and minimally invasive alternative. The primary goal is to increase prediction accuracy by using optimized wavelength selection and spectral preprocessing. A total of 400 blood samples, including those from healthy individuals and patients receiving medical treatment with hemoglobin values ranging from 2.5 to 20 g/dL, were collected from AL QODS Medical Analysis Laboratory. To improve spectral clarity, spectral preprocessing methods such as the Savitzky–Golay Method (SGM), Standard Normal Variate (SNV), and Multiplicative Scatter Correction (MSC) were applied. An optimal subset of wavelengths was then selected using the Interval Partial Least Squares (IPLS) regression technique. Compared to conventional Partial Least Squares (PLS) using the entire spectrum, the results demonstrate that IPLS significantly improves model performance. A strong correlation between laboratory data and a selection of 39 spectral bands (2238.758–2307.405 nm) was also observed. This study demonstrates how advanced preprocessing and wavelength selection can be combined to quantify hemoglobin from a single blood drop accurately. The results highlight the potential of NIR spectroscopy as a fast, reliable, and easily accessible clinical monitoring tool, particularly for the diagnosis and monitoring of anemia and other blood disorders.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21690,"journal":{"name":"Scientific African","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article e02990"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145158910","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Phytochemical content, in vitro antioxidants and antimicrobial activities of Daphne gnidium L. leaves","authors":"Issam El Mouzazi ,&nbsp;Mustapha Laghmari ,&nbsp;Oumayma Iraqi ,&nbsp;Issam Ghabbour ,&nbsp;Taoufiq Benali ,&nbsp;Khalil Hammani ,&nbsp;Abdellatif Bour ,&nbsp;Soad Khal-Layoun","doi":"10.1016/j.sciaf.2025.e03000","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sciaf.2025.e03000","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Daphne gnidium</em> is an endemic plant of Mediterranean basin, widely used for hair care and dermatological diseases in this area. This investigation aims to evaluate the phytochemical composition of <em>D. gnidum</em> leaves extracted by ultrasounds assisted extraction using aqueous and organic solvents (methanol, ethanol, chloroform and ethyl acetate) and to determine their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The ethanolic extract showed a higher concentration of total phenolic content (93.24 ± 0.07 mg GAE/g of dry extract), while the chloroform extract had a higher flavonoid content (60.94 ± 0.18 mg QE/g of dry extract) and condensed tannins (91.52 ± 2.23 mg CE/g of dry extract). Antioxidant potential was assessed by three methods (DPPH, ABTS and FRAP). Aqueous extract showed stronger antioxidant potential in DPPH test (IC₅₀ = 37.99 ± 1.51 µg/mL). Methanolic extract was the most potent in ABTS assay (IC₅₀ = 190 ± 4.86 µg/mL), while aqueous extract performed best in FRAP method (9.1 ± 0.08 mg AAE/g). The Pearson correlation test revealed a strong positive correlation between total flavonoid content, condensed tannins and antioxidant activity (DPPH, ABTS and FRAP assay), while a negative correlation was demonstrated between the DPPH, ABTS methods and total phenolic content. The antimicrobial activity was examined against four strains (<em>Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Proteus mirabilis</em> and <em>Candida albicans</em>). At a concentration of 50 mg/mL, all tested extracts (aqueous, methanolic, ethanolic, chloroform and ethyl acetate) exhibited inhibitory effect against the four strains with inhibition diameters ranging from 8.67 ± 0.47 to 19.33 ± 0.94 mm, the latter achieved by the ethanolic extract against <em>Proteus mirabilis</em>. In conclusion, <em>D. gnidium</em> contains compounds with potential antioxidants and antimicrobial activities against certain harmful bacteria.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21690,"journal":{"name":"Scientific African","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article e03000"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145221549","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Modeling foot-and-mouth disease dynamics with immigrants and control in Tanzania","authors":"Issa Shabani Mfinanga ,&nbsp;Theresia Marijani ,&nbsp;Nyimvua Shaban Mbare","doi":"10.1016/j.sciaf.2025.e02974","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sciaf.2025.e02974","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) remains a significant threat to livestock health and food security in Tanzania, driven by uncontrolled animal movement and limited control measures. This study develops a data-driven mathematical model to assess FMD transmission dynamics, explicitly incorporating infective immigrants and key epidemiological factors. The model employs a compartmental SEVIATR (Susceptible–Exposed–Vaccinated–Infective–Asymptomatic–Treated–Recovered) framework and computes the effective reproduction number (<span><math><msub><mrow><mi>R</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>e</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>) using the next-generation matrix method. Local and global stability of the disease-free equilibrium are established via the Routh–Hurwitz criterion and a Lyapunov function, respectively. Sensitivity analysis identifies the transmission rate and biosecurity effectiveness as the primary drivers of <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>R</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>e</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>. Numerical simulations reveal that infective immigrants significantly increase <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>R</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>e</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>, highlighting the importance of border control. Integrated interventions, including vaccination, movement restrictions, and enhanced biosecurity, are shown to reduce <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>R</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>e</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> below the epidemic threshold. The model is validated with national surveillance data and achieves improved predictive performance by incorporating seasonal variation and time-series forecasting. This study provides novel, region-specific insights into FMD dynamics and informs policymakers on effective, integrated control strategies for endemic settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21690,"journal":{"name":"Scientific African","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article e02974"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145158912","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of cannabis dependence on sleep quality and cognitive function: A comparative study in moroccan adolescent addicts and non-addicts","authors":"Abdelilah Elhachimi ,&nbsp;Abdelhafid Benksim ,&nbsp;Hamid Ibanni ,&nbsp;Mohamed Eddabbah ,&nbsp;Mohamed Cherkaoui","doi":"10.1016/j.sciaf.2025.e02996","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sciaf.2025.e02996","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Cannabis use during adolescence is a growing public health concern, particularly due to its potential effects on brain development, cognitive function, and sleep quality. While the prevalence of cannabis use among Moroccan youth is high, scientific studies exploring its neuropsychological consequences in this population remain limited.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to examine and compare cognitive performance and sleep quality between cannabis-addicted and non-addicted Moroccan adolescents, using validated assessment tools.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted among 200 adolescents aged 14 to 24, recruited from the Guéliz Addiction Center in Marrakech. Participants were classified into addicted and non-addicted groups based on The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) criteria. Cognitive performance was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and sleep quality was evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Statistical analyses included Mann-Whitney U tests, Spearman correlations, and Principal Component Analysis (PCA).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Addicted adolescents showed significantly lower MoCA scores across several domains, including memory, attention, and language (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.01). They also reported significantly poorer sleep quality, with higher scores in PSQI components such as sleep latency, nighttime disturbances, and use of sleep medications (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.01). PCA revealed distinct latent dimensions associated with both cognitive and sleep impairments, with memory and daytime dysfunction emerging as major contributors. A moderate to strong correlation was found between addiction diagnosis, cognitive decline, and sleep disruption.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Cannabis addiction in Moroccan adolescents is associated with significant impairments in cognition and sleep. These findings highlight the need for integrated assessment tools and culturally tailored interventions to address cannabis use and its consequences in this vulnerable population.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21690,"journal":{"name":"Scientific African","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article e02996"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145220927","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Isolation, characterization, and bioactivity of stilbenoids from Cyperus conglomeratus with in vitro and in silico antidiabetic evaluation","authors":"Ahmed Ashour ,&nbsp;Ahmed A. Zaki ,&nbsp;Mohamed Samir Darwish ,&nbsp;Noha A. Abou-Zeid ,&nbsp;Wadah Osman ,&nbsp;Mohammed Hamed Alqarni ,&nbsp;Ahmed I. Foudah ,&nbsp;Reham M. Samra","doi":"10.1016/j.sciaf.2025.e03006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sciaf.2025.e03006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>An investigation into the chemical constituents of the ethyl acetate extract of <em>Cyperus conglomeratus</em> resulted in the isolation of one stilbene dimer and a stilbene trimer from this species for the first time. Their structures were identified as (<em>E</em>)-scripusin B (1), (<em>E</em>)-cyperusphenol A (<strong>2</strong>) based on 1D and 2D NMR techniques, along with HR-ESI-MS. Compounds 1 and 2 were assessed for their antioxidant, antidiabetic, and prebiotic activities. The antidiabetic activity was achieved through the inhibition of enzymes such as α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and glycogen phosphorylase, while the prebiotic activity was evaluated across various <em>Lacticaseibacillus</em> species, measuring the impact on probiotic growth rate, Pscore, and enzyme profile. Compound 1 exhibited a higher α-glucosidase inhibition (IC₅₀ = 1331 ± 6.22 µg/mL), whereas compound 2 demonstrated greater inhibitory activity against α-amylase (IC₅₀ = 1097 ± 5.34 µg/mL) and glycogen phosphorylase (IC₅₀ = 1670 ± 5.28 µg/mL). The observed inhibitory activities of both compounds against the enzymes were supported by molecular docking studies, providing a rational explanation for the results. Additionally, the compounds displayed a concentration-dependent increase in antioxidant activity. The prebiotic activity results revealed the positive values of Pscore, indicating that the growth rate of the prebiotics was enhanced in the presence of isolated compounds. The findings suggest that <em>C. conglomeratus</em> represents a promising source of natural antidiabetic, antioxidant, and prebiotic agents, due to its rich stilbenes content. Notably, the prebiotic potential of stilbenes from <em>C. conglomeratus</em> was investigated for the first time. These findings underscore the necessity of further exploration for the potential formulation of functional foods or nutraceuticals based on this species.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21690,"journal":{"name":"Scientific African","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article e03006"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145221547","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Natural convection analysis of NEPCM suspension in a porous thermal energy storage unit with conducting wall under magnetic field effects","authors":"Tahar Tayebi","doi":"10.1016/j.sciaf.2025.e03003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sciaf.2025.e03003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Energy efficiency in thermal systems critically depends on the design and performance of energy storage units, especially those capable of efficient thermal regulation. Among various thermal management strategies, latent heat thermal energy storage using Nanoencapsulated Phase Change Materials (NEPCMs) offers a promising solution due to its high energy density and ability to maintain a stable temperature during phase transitions. This study presents a comprehensive numerical investigation of natural convection heat transfer inside a circular porous thermal energy storage unit filled with a water-based NEPCM suspension. The configuration features two embedded active cylinders, one hot and one cold, thermally coupled via a conducting wall. The entire system is also subjected to a magnetic field, serving as an external control parameter for modulating the convective behavior of the flow. The governing equations are based on the Darcy-Brinkman-Forchheimer model under the Boussinesq approximation, incorporating the effects of flow resistance and non-Darcian behavior in the porous medium. These equations are nondimensionalized to generate the problem and numerically solved using the finite volume method. The primary aim of this work is to assess the influence of the thermally conducting wall on the enhancement and distribution of natural convection driven heat transfer within the NEPCM-filled medium. A detailed parametric study is conducted by varying the thermal conductivity ratio between the conducting wall and base fluid (<em>K*</em>), Rayleigh number (<em>Ra</em>), Hartmann number (<em>Ha</em>), Darcy number (<em>Da</em>), porosity (<em>ε</em>), Stefan number (<em>Ste</em>), and the dimensionless core melting temperature of the NEPCMs (<em>θ_f</em>). Results show that thermal behavior in the system is largely governed by <em>Ra, Da, Ha</em> and thermal conduction through the solid wall, while the parameters such as <em>Ste, ε</em>, and <em>θ_f</em> have a less pronounced influence. Interestingly, and somewhat unexpectedly, lower <em>K</em>* consistently yields better thermal performance across all scenarios.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21690,"journal":{"name":"Scientific African","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article e03003"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145221552","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Corn silk extracts modulated ADORA1 and GABBR1 for type 2 diabetes mellitus intervention: An in vitro validation study","authors":"Ayesha Akoonjee ,&nbsp;Halimat Yusuf Lukman ,&nbsp;Terisha Ghazi ,&nbsp;Anil Amichund Chuturgoon ,&nbsp;Saheed Sabiu","doi":"10.1016/j.sciaf.2025.e02999","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sciaf.2025.e02999","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>While <em>in silico</em> antidiabetic mechanism of corn silk (CS) has been established, studies validating this activity in biological system is lacking. This study validates the antidiabetic potential of premature and mature CS extracts in HepG2 cells with a focus on previously identified adenosine receptor A1 <em>(ADORA1)</em> and gamma-aminobutyric acid type B subunit 1 <em>(GABBR1)</em> genes of cyclic adenosine monophosphate pathway. At 75 – 100 µg/mL, ethanolic extract of the mature CS (75 µg/mL) showed enhanced HepG2 cells viability than normal (untreated), positive controls (insulin and metformin) and other extracts treated cells. In the glucose uptake assay, the highest uptake relative to the normal (7.38 mmol/L) cells was noted in aqueous extract of mature CS-treated insulin-resistant HepG2 (IR-HepG2) cells (4.13 mmol/L). A further probe into the modulatory effect of the extracts at their optimal doses on the expression of the profiled genes revealed that the aqueous extract of the premature CS (100 µg/mL) proficiently downregulated the expression of <em>ADORA1</em> and <em>GABBR1</em> in IR-HepG2 cells relative to the controls. These observations with the extract could be associated with its high abundance of gallicynoic acid B and tetradecanedioc acid previously identified as effective modulators of <em>ADORA1</em> and <em>GABBR1,</em> respectively. The findings of this study not only suggest the possible mechanism of antidiabetic action of CS in HepG2 cells through the modulation of <em>ADORA1</em> and <em>GABBR1</em> for increased glucose uptake but will contribute towards the development of CS as an antidiabetic agent.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21690,"journal":{"name":"Scientific African","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article e02999"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145220936","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities and relationship with edaphic factors in the rhizospheric soil of Fabaceae in semi-arid South Africa","authors":"Afolakemi Abibat Alimi ,&nbsp;Obinna T. Ezeokoli ,&nbsp;Rasheed Adeleke ,&nbsp;Annah Moteetee","doi":"10.1016/j.sciaf.2025.e02997","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sciaf.2025.e02997","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Knowledge of the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal diversity in semi-arid soils is crucial to understanding the ecological functions of AM fungi, exploiting their potential for plant and ecosystem sustainability, and informing effective conservation actions. However, in South Africa, the biodiversity of AM fungi in the soil and influencing factors are understudied. Thus, we assessed the AM fungal diversity and community composition and their association with edaphic factors in rhizospheric soils of eleven indigenous legume species occurring in two South African provinces with contrasting elevations, Gauteng and Mpumalanga. High-throughput sequence analysis of the 18S rRNA gene detected 322 and 335 AM fungal amplicon sequence variants in Gauteng and Mpumalanga, respectively; <em>Glomus</em> was the dominant genus, accounting for a mean relative abundance of approximately 72%–90 % across provinces. AM fungal richness and diversity varied significantly among the different legume species. There was no marked compositional difference in AM fungal communities among legumes and between provinces, but available phosphorus and soil texture significantly influenced the community composition. The data contribute to the knowledge of biodiversity and likely ecological drivers of the AM fungal community structure in semi-arid soils and suggest no host specificity and altitudinal-induced effects on rhizosphere AM fungal diversity in indigenous legumes of South Africa.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21690,"journal":{"name":"Scientific African","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article e02997"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145221554","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Leveraging low-cost sensors and machine learning for air quality insights in an urban location of Zimbabwe: A case study","authors":"Tonderai Dangare ,&nbsp;Newton R Matandirotya ,&nbsp;Givemore Handizvihwe ,&nbsp;Prince Mathe ,&nbsp;Terrence D Mushore ,&nbsp;Electdom Matandirotya ,&nbsp;Emmanuel Mashonjowa","doi":"10.1016/j.sciaf.2025.e02992","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sciaf.2025.e02992","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ambient air pollution is a growing concern in Zimbabwe, particularly in urban and industrialised zones. The country faces increasing air quality challenges due to rapid urbanization, industrial growth, an increase in vehicular population and unsustainable energy practices. Despite efforts by the environmental authorities and the introduction of air pollution control regulations under the Environmental Management Act, challenges persist due to limited enforcement, outdated industrial technologies, insufficient public awareness of the risks associated with air pollution and a lack of monitoring data. This study explores the potential of using low-cost monitors complemented by machine learning. The efficacy of deploying low-cost air quality sensors coupled with machine learning algorithms to provide valuable air quality insights and predictive capabilities was investigated using data collected from a short-term monitoring campaign at the University of Zimbabwe campus. Key findings from our short-term monitoring campaign indicate that particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) concentrations frequently exceeded WHO guidelines, highlighting local air quality concerns. Six machine learning models were initially considered, with four deep learning models showing the most promise and being further evaluated. The Bidirectional Hybrid LSTM-CNN had the best performance in predicting air quality index, with R² = 0.57, RMSE=19.7 and MAE=15.4 when the models were evaluated on the test data set for a 6-h forecasting horizon. This approach provides valuable insights for environmental management and public health planning in resource-constrained settings typical of developing countries and also provides practical insights into the application of emerging technologies for air quality management. While initial results with deep learning algorithms were promising, we discussed challenges encountered such as the impact of limited dataset size on model generalization.As a case study, this work demonstrates a viable framework for future long-term ambient air quality monitoring and prediction.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21690,"journal":{"name":"Scientific African","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article e02992"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145158897","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating the nutrient content and heavy metal safety of water hyacinth-based compost: A sustainable solution for chemical fertilizer reduction and nutrient recycling in agriculture","authors":"Dessie Tibebe ,&nbsp;Yezbie Kassa ,&nbsp;Beletech Biru ,&nbsp;Shimeles Aregahagne ,&nbsp;Kehali Jember ,&nbsp;Tarekegn Fentie ,&nbsp;Fenta Assefa ,&nbsp;Zerubabel Moges ,&nbsp;Hailu Sheferaw Ayele","doi":"10.1016/j.sciaf.2025.e02985","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sciaf.2025.e02985","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Water hyacinth (WH) is among the most invasive aquatic weeds worldwide, posing severe ecological and socioeconomic challenges. Despite these impacts, WH also presents an opportunity as an organic resource for soil amendment in sustainable agriculture. However, scientific evidence on the nutrient potential and safety of WH-based compost remains limited. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the nutrient content and heavy metal safety of compost made from WH and cattle manure to reduce dependency on chemical fertilizers and promote nutrient recycling. The composting was process lasted 60 days, during which three distinct WH-to-manure ratios (6:6:2, 8:4:2, 10:2:2) were used. Physicochemical properties, including pH, moisture content, electrical conductivity (EC), total nitrogen, available phosphorus (P), organic carbon (OC), and exchangeable bases, were analyzed, along with concentrations of heavy metals such as Zn, Cd, Pb, Cu, Fe, and Mn. The compost pH ranged from 8.66 to 8.96, EC values remained below the acceptable 4 dS/m limit, and OC and nitrogen content varied among samples, with sample B showing the highest levels. All heavy metal concentrations were within FAO/WHO permissible limits. However, TN and available P values were below optimal ranges. The results indicate that WH-based compost is safe and has potential as a sustainable soil amendment, although nutrient enhancement strategies are recommended. According to the study, combining water hyacinth compost with cattle manure is a sustainable and efficient way to replace chemical fertilizers. However, for more successful agricultural applications, its nutrient content needs to be improved.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21690,"journal":{"name":"Scientific African","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article e02985"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145119291","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}