https://cirdjournals.com/index.php/irjaset <p>International Research Journal of Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (IRJASET) aims to provide a platform for researchers, academicians, professionals, and students worldwide to share their latest research findings and innovations. The journal focuses on the publication of high-quality papers in the fields of applied sciences, engineering, and technology, covering a broad range of topics from theoretical studies to practical applications</p> <p>The journal is published monthly, ensuring a steady flow of current research and developments in the respective fields. Each issue is carefully curated to include a balanced mix of topics, reflecting the journal's multidisciplinary nature. IRJASET boasts an esteemed editorial board comprising renowned scholars and industry experts from around the world. The editorial board plays a crucial role in upholding the journal's standards and guiding its strategic direction</p> en-US contact@cirdjournals.com (CIRD Publication) contact@cirdjournals.com (CIRD Publication Journals Journals) Sat, 23 May 2026 08:31:30 +0000 OJS 3.3.0.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 60 https://cirdjournals.com/index.php/irjaset/article/view/1566 <p>Open dumpsites represent a persistent and poorly regulated source of leachate contamination that threatens shallow groundwater quality in peri-urban communities across sub-Saharan Africa. This study assessed the physicochemical and microbial quality of groundwater from five boreholes (BW-1 to BW-5) located at increasing distances (50–600 m) from the Mbodo Aluu open dumpsite, Ikwerre Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria, with one control borehole (BW-6) established in an unimpacted location 1.2 km from the dumpsite. Sampling was conducted in triplicate across four seasonal episodes (December 2023 – November 2024). Physicochemical parameters, ten heavy metals (Fe, Mn, Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, Zn, Cu, As, Hg), and microbial indicators were determined following APHA (2017) standard methods, flame atomic absorption spectrometry (F-AAS), and membrane filtration techniques. The Water Quality Index (WQI) for BW-1 (50 m from dumpsite) was 187.6, classified as Unsuitable for Drinking. All ten heavy metals exceeded WHO (2022) and NSDWQ (2015) permissible limits in BW-1 and BW-2. Lead (0.187 ± 0.009 mg/L), cadmium (0.024 ± 0.001 mg/L), arsenic (0.068 ± 0.003 mg/L), and chromium (0.142 ± 0.007 mg/L) recorded the most severe exceedances in BW-1. Human health risk assessment following USEPA (2020) guidelines yielded a cumulative Hazard Index (HI) of 3.154 across all metals in BW-1, indicating unacceptable non-carcinogenic risk. Carcinogenic risk estimates for Pb (3.12 × 10⁻⁶), Cd (4.84 × 10⁻⁶), Cr (6.12 × 10⁻⁶), and As (9.52 × 10⁻⁶) fell within the USEPA acceptable range (10⁻⁶–10⁻⁴). Microbial analysis confirmed total coliform counts of 2,840 ± 124 MPN/100 mL and E. coli of 684 ± 32 MPN/100 mL in BW-1, far exceeding the WHO zero-tolerance threshold. Piper diagram and Gibbs plot analyses classified the water hydrochemical facies as Ca-Mg-HCO₃ type with progressive anthropogenic enrichment in Na⁺ and Cl⁻ with increasing leachate impact. The study underscores the urgent need for engineered dumpsite closure, groundwater protection legislation, and community water supply intervention in Mbodo Aluu.</p> Okidhika, C. U. , Onuchuku P.U.G Copyright (c) 2026 International Research Journal of Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology https://cirdjournals.com/index.php/irjaset/article/view/1566 Sat, 23 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://cirdjournals.com/index.php/irjaset/article/view/1567 <p>Sweet potato (<em>Ipomoea batatas</em>) and sorghum (<em>Sorghum bicolor</em>) are nutritionally significant staple crops widely consumed across sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Despite their dietary importance, the effects of diverse processing methods on their multivariate nutrient profiles have not been systematically evaluated using advanced statistical frameworks. Conventional univariate analyses are insufficient to capture the complex and interdependent nature of processing-induced compositional changes, underscoring the need for a chemometric approach. This study aimed to employ chemometric profiling, specifically Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), to comprehensively characterise and classify processing-induced transformations in the proximate composition and mineral content of sweet potato and sorghum subjected to boiling, drying, fermentation, frying, and microwaving, with unprocessed samples serving as controls. Fresh sweet potato tubers and sorghum grains obtained from farms in Rivers State, Nigeria, were processed using five standard treatments. Proximate composition (moisture, protein, fat, ash, fibre, and carbohydrate) was determined according to AOAC (2019) official methods. Mineral content (calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, and zinc) was quantified by atomic absorption spectrophotometry and colorimetric methods following wet acid digestion. Multivariate datasets were subjected to PCA using a correlation matrix and to HCA using Ward's agglomeration method with squared Euclidean distance. All analyses were performed in triplicate and processed in SPSS version 25.0. Proximate analysis revealed that boiling elevated moisture in sweet potato to 79.60 ± 0.35% and in sorghum to 15.8 ± 0.4%, while drying and frying reduced moisture substantially. Protein was highest in dried sorghum (11.2 ± 0.4%) and fermented sweet potato (1.92 ± 0.05%). Fat content increased markedly in fried samples (sweet potato: 2.55 ± 0.08%; sorghum: 5.8 ± 0.2%). Carbohydrate content peaked in fried sweet potato (33.48 ± 0.85%) and dried sorghum (70.4 ± 1.3%). Mineral analysis showed that drying consistently retained the highest concentrations: potassium reached 368 mg/100 g in sweet potato and 325 mg/100 g in sorghum, while iron attained 1.20 mg/100 g and 2.25 mg/100 g, respectively. PCA on the full dataset demonstrated that PC1 and PC2 explained 57.3% and 28.6% of total variance (cumulative: 85.9%), with moisture and carbohydrate dominating PC1 loadings and fat and protein driving PC2 separation. HCA generated four distinct clusters: Cluster 1 (raw controls); Cluster 2 (boiled, highest moisture, lowest minerals); Cluster 3 (dried and fermented, concentrated nutrients, elevated minerals); and Cluster 4 (fried and microwaved, elevated fat and carbohydrates, moderate minerals).Chemometric profiling demonstrated that processing methods exert distinct and classifiable effects on the nutritional composition of sweet potato and sorghum. Drying and fermentation emerged as the most nutrient-preserving and mineral-concentrating methods, while boiling posed the greatest risk of mineral leaching. PCA and HCA together provide a robust, data-driven framework for optimising processing strategies to enhance the nutritional quality of staple crops, with practical implications for food scientists, nutritionists, and food system practitioners in food-insecure regions.</p> Okidhika, C. U. , Okwelle, P. L. Copyright (c) 2026 International Research Journal of Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology https://cirdjournals.com/index.php/irjaset/article/view/1567 Sat, 23 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000