Dengue is a prevalent arboviral disease and the development of insecticide resistance among its vectors impedes endeavors to control it. Coffee is drunk by millions of people daily worldwide, which is associated with the discarding of large amounts of waste. Coffee and its waste contain large amounts of chemicals many of which are highly toxic and none of which have a history of resistance in mosquitoes. Once in solution, coffee is brownish in colour, resembling leaf infusion, which is highly attractive to gravid mosquitoes. To anticipate the environmental issues related to the increasing popularity of coffee as a drink, and also to combat insecticide resistance, we explored the deterrence potentials of coffee leachates against the ovipositing and embryonic stages of the dengue vector, Aedes albopictus. In a series of choice, no-choice, and embryo toxicity bioassays, we examined changes in the ovipositional behaviours and larval eclosion of Ae. albopictus in response to coffee extracts at different concentrations. Oviposition responses were extremely low when ovicups holding highly concentrated extract (HCE) of coffee were the only oviposition sites. Gravid females retained increased numbers of mature eggs until 5 days post-blood feeding. When provided an opportunity to oviposit in cups containing coffee extracts and with water, egg deposition occurred at lower rates in those containing coffee, and HCE cups were far less attractive to females than those containing water only. Females that successfully developed in a coffee environment preferentially oviposited in such cups when in competition with preferred oviposition sites (water cups), but this trait did not continue into the fourth generation. Larval eclosion occurred at lower rates among eggs that matured in a coffee environment, especially among those that were maintained on HCE-moistened substrates. The observations of the present study indicate a pronounced vulnerability of Ae. albopictus to the presence of coffee in its habitats during the early phases of its life cycle. The observations that coffee repels gravid females and inhibits larval eclosion provide novel possibilities in the search for novel oviposition deterrents and anti-larval eclosion agents against dengue vectors.

In the present work, the influence of geographical location on the fatty acid profiles, antioxidant potential, as well as cytotoxicity of edible dabai fruit fractions (kernel, skin, and pulp) were analyzed. The fatty acid profiles were determined by Gas Chromatography (GC), and the antioxidant activity was quantified with free 2,2-diphenyl-1-picr/ylhdrazyl, while the cytotoxicity was assessed by the brine shrimp lethality test. The results showed that the samples from Sibu, Serian, and Kapit geographical locations had a high content of the saturated fatty acids, ranging from 46.63% to 53.31% in the three fractions. The highest mono-saturated fatty acids (MUFA) content was found in Sibu. Serian and Kapit kernel fractions MUFA, however, ranged from 21.2% to 45.91%. No fatty acid composition was detected in Bentong and Kanowit. The fatty acid composition and DPPH free radical scavenging antioxidant activity of dabai were statistically independent using a multivariate analysis in different localities in Malaysia. The skin fraction had a more appreciable antioxidant potential and toxicity level than the pulp and kernel fractions. The highest antioxidant activity (EC₅₀ 198.76 ± 1.06 µg/mL) with an LC₅₀ value of 1387.22 µg/mL was obtained from the Sibu skin fraction. Therefore, the fatty acid composition, antioxidant, as well as cytotoxicity analyses of the extracts from different localities indicated that “geographical location” remarkably influenced fatty acid composition, antioxidant activity, and toxicity.

The goal of this work was to add value to the coconut water (CW) by fermentationwith the potential probiotic Lactococcus lactis subsp lactis IO-1 in order toproduce fermented CW beverages. Unpasteurized coconut water (UPW) wasfermented with Lactococcus lactis subsp lactis IO-1 for 48 h at 30°C, and theviable cell counts, total acidity, pH, degree of polymerization, antioxidant activity,antibacterial bioassay and lethality bioassay were studied at 24 and 48 h. Werevealed that the fermentation process of UPW with probiotic L. lactis IO-1increased the viable cell counts. The total phenolic compound exhibited a higherantioxidative ability in fermented UPW at 48 h (65.79g/mL gallic acidequivalence). The fermented UPW exhibited the highest ferric reducingantioxidant power (FRAP) and 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicalscavenging abilities at 48 h (67.62 and 63.03%), The culture extracted fromfermented UPW inhibited all the tested pathogenic foodborne such as Listeriamonocytogenes, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli,although the degree of antagonistic varied between the pathogens. Furthermore,fermented UPW extract sample at 48 h, exhibited lower potent activity against thebrine shrimp with LC50 values (7158.2 μg/mL). Comparatively, pasteurizedcoconut water (PCW90) fermented by Lactococcus lactis subsp lactis IO-1produced a fermented beverage PCW90 with similar properties as the fermentedUPW. Adding 0.4% (w/v) of coconut flavor and 20% pure honey (v/v) into thefermented CW gave the beverage a better taste. The obtained results showed thatthe CW product fermented by Lactococcus lactis subsp lactis IO-1 may be used asa novel functional beverage comprising both probiotics and electrolytes, whichcan serve as a good vehicle for developing a wider range of novel products.

This study conducts a comparative assessment of two dumpsites (abandoned and active dumpsite) around Osogbo metropolis Osun State Nigeria. Ten selected heavy metals (HMs) such as arsenic, copper, cobalt, cadmium, chromium, iron, nickel, manganese, lead and zinc were determined. The soil samples were collected, at strategic points to revealed variation in samples. The concentrations of HMs were quantitatively determined using atomic absorption spectroscopy. The results indicated that all the HMs determined were found between below detection limit (bdl) to 0.611 mg/kg and bdl –0.880 mg/kg for abandoned and active dumpsites, respectively. The concentration factor and geo-accumulation intensity revealed no contamination to strong contamination and from uncontaminated to strong contamination intensity, respectively. The concentrations for some of the HMs were below the tolerable recommendation level by National Environmental Standards and Regulation Enforcement Agency and Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization in soil samples. This study recommends periodic monitoring and that possible decontamination of the dumpsite are crucial because these dumpsites were currently in use for crops cultivation such as maize, vegetable bananas, and some other arable plants. Also, HM concentrations in crops should be investigated and monitored at these dumpsites regularly in order to avert detrimental effects of HM pollution, which could manifest many years after exposure, as they are recalcitrant in the environment.

The concentration levels of selected trace metals in coal samples collected from three different locations, namely Okaba coal deposit Kogi State, Onyeama coal deposit and Ribadu both in Enugu state...