The Niger Delta And The Oil Companies - 1576 Words

The Niger Delta is a region of Nigeria that is very rich in crude oil and gas. Crude oil and gas make up 70% of the country s revenue and 95% of it s export earnings (Ezekoli, 5608). Those percentages are incredibly high and represents large amounts of money that can be found in the region. However, the people of the Niger Delta never see the wealth that comes from their natural resources. The wealth instead goes to the oil companies set up in the area as well as the pockets of a few elite government officials. The disconnect between the people of Nigeria and the oil companies and governments is incredible (Ezekoli, 5609). The effects are slum turned neighborhoods, increased poverty, and job loss. In order to improve the conflict in the Niger Delta, the government and oil companies need to allow more involvement of women and people as voters and elected officials, and create or adhere a sustainable environmental regulations plan. The poor relationship between the oil companies and t he communities in the Niger Delta is not sudden, it s historical context dates back to as early as the 1930 s and 1950 s. It was 1937 when two British oil companies merged into what today is known as Shell. Shell replaced the initial German oil company in the area from 1908 (Umejesi, 117). Shell set up impressive human and material forces and conducted their first drilled oil well in 1951 in the city of Iho. Worry quickly struck everyone in Nigeria. Shell worried they would not findShow MoreRelatedCorruption In Nigeria Essay examples1156 Words   |  5 PagesHowever, corruption is prevalent in the Niger delta region of Nigeria; public officers in this oil producing state of Nigeria are corrupt. Consequently, it has defied the Niger delta from developing politically and economically which has left the states reputation in a mess. Radicalization of youths, abject poverty and -political instability are the three leading effects of corruption in the Niger delta region of Nigeria. Corruption in the Niger delta region of Nigeria has led to abject povertyRead MoreImpact Of The Nigerian Presidential Amnesty Program1723 Words   |  7 PagesPresidential Amnesty Program (Amnesty), a local form of Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR), on crude oil production in Nigeria. The President of Nigeria announced the program on June 25th, 2009 which aimed to put an end to the insurgency crisis experienced in the Niger Delta region, particularly between 2006 - 2009 which had led to an average loss of about 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day (cited in Asuni, 2009) and which had major implications for the government s revenue. Militants wereRead MoreThe Conflict Of The Niger Delta1743 Words   |  7 PagesCONFLICT IN THE NIGER DELTA Nigeria is the 7th world largest oil producer and is a major player in the world energy market. Oil and gas is Nigeria’s main source of revenue. It accounts for about 40% of the Gross Domestic Product and 70% of government revenues (Lawal 2004). Crude oil was first discovered in 1956 by Shell British Petroleum in a small village called Oloibiri present day Bayelsa State. Two years later oil in larger quantities was discovered in Ogoni. The Niger delta region has a populationRead MoreShell Petroleum Discovery Of Nigeria Essay1479 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction In 1956, Shell Petroleum discovered oil in commercial quantity in Nigeria. Within a decade, oil exploration speedily replaced agriculture as the mainstay of the country’s economy. In 2006, roughly 97 percent of exchange revenue and about 80 percent of all government expenditures came from petroleum proceeds . The Niger Delta region is located at the southernmost part of Nigeria and comprises of nine states; Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Rivers State, Abia, Imo and Ondo statesRead MoreOil And Gas Industry Analysis1342 Words   |  6 Pagestwelve months, the decline in oil and gas activities has not only led to retrenchment of workers in the oil and gas sector in the Niger Delta region in Nigeria, mainly within the International Oil Companies (IOC†s), but has also affected non-related oil and gas sectors such as the contractors and vendors to the Oil and Gas sector; this has triggered several thoughts outside the box to welcome an industry diversification. The Nigerian Government, which solely depends on the oil and gas exports has alsoRead MoreThe Impact Of Oil Exploration On Nigeria1027 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Nigeria is the largest oil producer in Africa, and currently its most populous country. After the oil discovery in the Niger Delta area of Oloibiri in 1956, the country has had oil has its main income producer. Before this, agriculture had the center stage; it accounted for 50% of revenue. Most of the oil exploration is done in the Niger Delta;a region that’s made up of nine states which includes; River, Cross River, AkwaIbom, Delta, Edo, Bayelsa, Imo, Abia, and Ondo. This region hasRead MoreNigerian Development : The Face Of Oil Extraction And How Mncs Such As Shell Essay1593 Words   |  7 PagesAn archetypal example of an oil state and primary exporting country, Nigeria is the largest oil exporter in Africa and the world’s tenth largest oil producer (Pyagbara 2007: 1). As of 2010, crude oil and petroleum gas accounted for approximately 80% of the country’s overall exports, totaling over $50.3 billion in revenues the next year (Pyagbara 2007: 2). Despite maint aining a lucrative resource that could arguably catalyze momentum towards economic development, poverty plagues Nigeria and continuesRead MoreThe Help of Shell in the Niger Delta Region Essay1084 Words   |  5 Pagesin the Niger Delta Region TABLE OF CONTENTâ€Æ' Introduction Shell is a group of oil and petrol companies. The parent company is Royal Dutch Shell, based in Britain, is a multinational corporation (MNC). The group of companies is active in countries all over the world, including Nigeria. The Federal Republic of Nigeria is extremely rich in oil resources. Rightly so, their business-connection goes back over fifty years. Likewise, a Shell company, the Shell Petroleum Development Company of NigeriaRead MoreThe Fuel For Fossil Fuel901 Words   |  4 PagesWe use oil every day of our lives. I’m not talking about the oil we cook with, but the one we use to power the electricity plants, our cars, and the cargo ships that import the food we consume. We may not realize how our way of living impacts the lives of people from other parts of the world, but it does – sometimes in a major way. I’ll be honest, I didn’t put too much thought about the amount of gasoline I consumed. I just drove my car everywhere - whether it was to eat, shop, or just travel - withoutRead MoreOil Production Of Nigeria s Niger Essay1300 Words   |  6 PagesFinal TNC paper Oil production in Nigeria’s Niger Delta began in 1956. Ever since then, the Delta communities have recognized unrest as oil was being distributed in profitable quantities. Oil has been Nigeria’s leading export product for more than six decades. Even though, oil has given Nigeria a tremendous economic boost, nearly sixty percent of that oil production has been carried out under Shell’s regulation, and during these past six decades, there has been enormous environmental degradation

How Drinking Alcohol Affects the Brain Essay example

The topic I chose for my essay is how alcohol can affect the brain. I used Google and Bing as my research database. Initially I found a lot of information on drinking alcohol, but that covered every aspect of it. I wanted to incorporate as much information that I had found on drinking alcohol as I could. From drinking and driving, how people think when they are under the influence, to how alcohol affects the brain. I wanted to make sure I touched base with everything I had learned. I found the most obvious fact, that alcohol can be a very serious problem when not used responsibly. I wanted to try to present both side of alcohol, so I could chose and articles by people who were open minded. Not only can alcohol†¦show more content†¦The people being interviewed revealed more than 2,000 individual decisions that led to alcohol impaired driving. The decisions were then broken down into several categories as shown on the graph attached. Little is known as to what leads people to continue to drinking and driving. But as research shows, people do think, prior to drinking, how they will get home. It’s after they have already drank that they decide to get behind the wheel. Not only could someone driving under the influence affect a person, it could affect someone else on the road at the same time; it could affect the family members having to deal with the alcoholism and possibly death. Who knew alcohol did so much to the brain. It is a curiosity to many as to why people would drink and drive knowing they shouldn’t. People whom drink on a regular basis do not necessarily realize they are under the influence. It can be fun to drink and hang out with your friends, but if you choose to get behind the wheel of a car you could be making one of the biggest mistakes of your life. Why take the chance harming yourself or someone else? People who drink and drive for the first time, than more than likely will do it again if they made it home safely the first time. Drinking and driving is a choice many people make, unfortunately its the wrongShow MoreRelatedEssay on The Dangerous Effects of Alcohol1597 Words   |  7 PagesAlcohol is a very serious and dangerous drug, although it is not treated this way anymore. College students have taken drinking to a new level in which, for many, is very scary. Alcohol is much more dangerous than many would think. Kids see a night of drinking as a great way to have fun and party but do not see the consequences. Getting drunk and even blacking out can lead to many problems. When alcohol is consumed in unhealthy amounts, it can lead to not only short-term effects, but long-termRead MoreCommunication Systems : Where Lies The Power Of Communication?1096 Words   |  5 Pagescalled alcohol, drinking alcohol, or simply alcohol is the principal type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, produced by the fermentation of sugars by yeasts. It’s focus on the effect of taking alcohol, especially on teenagers. When teenagers meeting with thei r friends or having party, maybe because of other people, maybe because of Instant Gratification or because of Misinformation, they may have some alcohol without adults in order to be more excited or ‘cool’. Having alcohol affects the nervousRead MoreEffects Of Alcohol On The Nervous System1280 Words   |  6 Pagescommonly called alcohol, drinking alcohol, or simply alcohol is the principal type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, produced by the fermentation of sugars by yeasts. It’s focus on the effect of taking alcohol, especially on teenagers. When teenagers meeting with their friends or having party, maybe because of other people, maybe because of Instant Gratification or because of Misinformation, they may have some alcohol without adults in order to be more excited or ‘cool’. Having alcohol has negativeRead MoreAlcohol Consumption : The Effects Of Alcohol On The Body1312 Words   |  6 Pages Alcohol Consumption: The Effects of Alcohol on the Body Thamara Jean-Jacques Professor: Nina Walker Biology 115 October 17, 2015 Lithonia Campus Abstract Drinking alcohol for a period of time or even binge drinking cause harm your heart. Alcohol increases the risk for heart attack, strokes, and hypertension. In 2013, a total of 71,713 people died of liver disease the ages ranged from 12 and older. Alcohol has also been known to affect the pancreas, large amounts of alcohol can confuseRead MoreWhy The Drinking Age Should Not Be Lowered997 Words   |  4 PagesWhy the drinking age should not be lowered Alcoholism affects so many people in the United States due to accidents and much more but, many people say once teens turn 18 they should be able to do whatever they want, If they are able to vote, purchase nicotine products and become our troops, etc. So why not be able to drink? The drinking age has become a more controversial issue lately. There are many reasons of why the drinking age should not be lowered but if the drinking age was to be lowered toRead MoreTeen Alcoholism Is Driven By Example1150 Words   |  5 Pagessees someone else drinking, for whatever reason, and they imitate them to either save he or she’s pride and be â€Å"cool† or use is as e remedy to try to feel better about a situation they are in or to numb an unpleasant emotion they do not know how to deal with. affects the physical state of a young person, but also one’s current situations and relationships, and the outcome of he or she’s futures. â€Å"People who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence at someRead MoreDoes Alcohol Cause More Damage Than Good?1564 Words   |  7 PagesKayla Schneider Mr. Haug ENG 201-S02 March 17, 2017 Does Alcohol Cause more Damage than Good? â€Å"About 2 billion people worldwide consume alcoholic drinks, which can have immediate and long term consequences on health and social life. Over 76 million people are currently affected by alcohol use disorders, such as alcohol dependence and abuse† (Morean, M). Alcohol play a huge role is society. Alcohol is at family gatherings, celebrations, sporting events, weekend activities, and many more social gatheringsRead MoreShould The Legal Drinking Age Be Lowered Again?878 Words   |  4 PagesShould the legal drinking age remain at age 21? For almost 40 years most states voluntarily set their minimum drinking age law at 21, some states were 18 in accordance to the military age requirement (18) and the voting age. In those states, drunk driving and alcohol related deaths were increasing significantly. But it didn’t just happen in those states, it also happened in the bordering states called â€Å"blood borders.† As a result to these problems, President Ronald Reagan in 1984 signed into lawRead MoreEssay on Alcohol Abuse1701 Words   |  7 Pagesbe abused easily, alcohol is the most accessible as you can legally buy it in almost any city or town without interference if you are above the legal age. Easy access to alcohol is a key reason why alcohol abuse and alcoholism is such a common problem in America. In the United States, â€Å"alcohol abuse affects about 10% of women, and 20% of men. † The scary thing about alcohol is that it attracts and affects people from all socioeconomic backgrounds; nobody is immune to alcohol abuse. When you doRead MoreEssay on The Effects Alcohol Has On Teens1431 Words   |  6 Pagesteens drink alcohol because they think it is fun; however the problems it may bring are not so fun (Hyde 22). There over six times more teen deaths per year from alcohol than any other drug (O’Malley 30). Alcohol affects the body of teens as well as all of the developmental processes. A major issue of te ens drinking is that it increases the chance of becoming an alcoholic in the future; which leads to lowered self-control, impaired judgment, and lowered inhibition (Heath 12). Alcohol can completely

Biofilm-Mediated Enhanced Crude Oil Degradation by Free Essays

International Research Journal of Environment Sciences________________________________ ISSN 2319–1414 Vol. 2(2), 48-52, February (2013) Int. Res. We will write a custom essay sample on Biofilm-Mediated Enhanced Crude Oil Degradation by or any similar topic only for you Order Now J. Environment Sci. Isolation, Characterization and Identification of Diesel Engine Oil Degrading Bacteria from Garage Soil and Comparison of their Bioremediation Potential Teli Nikhil1, Verma Deepa2, Gavankar Rohan1 and Bhalerao Satish3 1 Department of Biotechnology, Viva College, Virar (W), Maharashtra, INDIA 2 Department of Botany, Viva College, Virar (w), Maharashtra, INDIA 3 Department of Botany, Wilson College, Mumbai, Maharashtra, INDIA Available online at: www. sca. in Received 30th November 2012, revised 12th January 2013, accepted 25th January 2013 Abstract The rate of biodegradation of diesel engine oil by microorganisms isolated from garage soil (petroleum contaminated soil) was studied. Modified diesel engine oil medium was used and two most abundant microorganisms were isolated from garage soil – Micrococcus sp. and Pseudomonas sp. were found to be hydrocarbon degraders and these two bacteria’s were selected for the degradation test. The degradation of di esel engine oil was monitored at a five day interval up to twenty five day period, using gravimetric method. After 25 days of incubation period, Pseudomonas sp. degraded 67. 57 % of the oil and Micrococcus sp. with 52. 95 %. But the mixture of Micrococcus sp. and Pseudomonas sp. were found to have great potential to degrade diesel engine oil i. e. 89. 98 % after 25 days. The rate of degradation of diesel engine oil by Micrococcus sp. was found to be 7. 48 x 10-4gm/hr and that of Pseudomonas sp. was 9. 55 x 10-4gm/hr while the mixture of both bacterial isolates showed highest rate of degradation of diesel engine oil i. e. 1. 27 x 10-3gm/hr. Keywords: Bioremediation, Diesel engine oil, oil spills, hydrocarbon degraders, Micrococcus sp. , Pseudomonas sp. Introduction As we dig deeper into the modern industrial age of technologies, several aspects of human life change. People benefit largely from life development and many live in prosperity, but prosperity has a price. This price is paid by our environment that suffers daily from all kinds of pollutants and destruction. People now have to find ways to cure this destruction. Oil contamination is one of the most dangerous pollution factors known today. It can cause a threat to the environment. It is very feared by environmentalists and it’s very hard to control if it gets out of hand. Oil spills have been a major issue across decades. One of the famous oil spills which are also ongoing is in Taylor Energy Well in Gulf of Mexico, U. S. A caused due to Hurricane; Sept 16, 2004 till present date and almost 0. 03- 0. 05 tones oil/per day is estimated to leak. Another recent oil spill was in Mumbai (India) and caused due to the leakage in Mumbai-Uran pipeline dated January 21, 2011 and about 55 tons of oil was leaked in Arabian Sea. Various such accidents occur throughout the years and it causes damage to our surrounding. Diesel engine oil, which is one of the major products of crude oil, constitutes a major source of pollution in our environment. With the combined dependence on diesel engine oil by some vehicles and generators, greater quantities are being transported over long distances. Therefore diesel engine oil can enter into the environment through wrecks of oil tankers carrying diesel oil, cleaning of diesel tanks by merchants, war ships carrying diesel oil and motor mechanics1. Diesel oil spills on agricultural land generally reduce plant growth. Suggested reasons for the reduced plant growth in diesel oil contaminated soils range from direct toxic effect on plants2 and reduced germination to unsatisfactory soil condition due to insufficient aeration of the soil because of the displacement of air from the space between the soil particles by diesel engine oil3. Among several clean–up techniques available to remove petroleum hydrocarbons from the soil and groundwater, bioremediation processes are gaining ground due to their simplicity, higher efficiency and cost–effectiveness when compared to other technologies4. This study was therefore designed to monitor the rate of biodegradation of diesel engine oil (hydrocarbon) by microorganisms isolated from garage soil (petroleum contaminated soil), by using gravimetric method. Material and Methods Preparation of modified diesel oil medium: The modified diesel oil medium comprised of 0. 7 gm K2HPO4, 0. 1 gm (NH4)2SO4, 0. 3 gm KH2PO4, 0. 3 gm MgSO4 7H2O, 2. 2 gm agar – agar5. The mineral components of the medium were dissolved in 100 ml of distilled water and mixed with 2 ml of Gulf diesel engine oil. The medium was autoclaved at 121oC for 15 min. International Science Congress Association 8 International Research Journal of Environment Sciences______________________________________________ ISSN 2319–1414 Vol. 2(2), 48-52, February (2013) Int. Res. J. Environment Sci. Enrichment of microorganisms: Microorganisms capable of degrading diesel engine oil were enriched in sterile modified diesel engine oil medium by inoculating soil (which wa s collected from Maharashtra garage, 65 years old garage at Sewri) in to the medium in 250 ml conical flask. 0. 5 gm of this garage soil was inoculated in to the 100 ml of sterile modified diesel oil broth and allowed to incubate at 37oC for 1 week. Isolation of microorganisms: After 1 week of incubation period, 1 drop of enriched culture was spread on to the sterile modified diesel oil agar plate. The plate was incubated at 37oC for 48 hr. After 48 hr incubation; two different bacterial colonies were selected from incubated plate. Each bacterial colony type was sub cultured repeatedly onto sterile nutrient agar plates to obtain a pure culture. Pure cultures of bacterial isolates were identified on the basis of their colonial morphology, cellular morphology and biochemical characteristics according to the taxonomic scheme of Bergey’s Manual of Determinative Bacteriology6. Determination of microbial colony numbers for degradation studies: 5 ml of sterile Nutrient broth was aseptically inoculated with a loopful of pure culture of Colony 1(C1) in first test tube and Colony 2 (C2) in second test tube and incubated both the tubes at 37oC for 24 hr. After incubation, the numbers of organisms present in one ml of nutrient broth were determined by spread plate method. The numbers of organisms were adjusted in both the tubes in such a way that both the isolates contain approximately equal numbers of microorganism in one ml of sample by using sterile Nutrient broth as a diluent7. Soil sample collection and preparation: Top surface soil sample was collected from the premises of the Shahid Bhagatsingh Ground, Kalachowki; in sterilized plastic containers. Soil sample meant for degradation studies was sterilized using autoclave at 121oC for 15 min, after which it was allowed to cool to room temperature for further treatments. Description and treatment of samples: Test: i. 12 samples of 15 gm sterilized soil mixed with 1 ml (0. 848 gm) of Sterile Gulf diesel engine oil + 0. 2 ml culture of C1, ii. 12 samples of 15 gm sterilized soil mixed with 1 ml (0. 48 gm) of Sterile Gulf diesel engine oil + 0. 2 ml culture of C 2, iii. 12 samples of 15 gm sterilized soil mixed with 1 ml (0. 848 gm) of Sterile Gulf diesel engine oil + 0. 1 ml culture of C1+ 0. 1 ml culture of C 2 Control: 12 samples of 15 gm sterilized soil mixed with 1 ml (0. 848 gm) of Sterile Gulf diesel engine oil + 0. 2 ml of sterile distilled water. Diesel oil degradation studies: The ability of C1, C2 an d mixture of both the bacterial isolates to degrade diesel oil was monitored on the first day (day zero) of the study and subsequently at 5-day interval for 25 days. Carbon tetrachloride was employed as an extractant. On each day, two samples per single treatment were analyzed for the quantity of residual diesel oil7. Each of the 15gm soil treatment samples was mixed with 40 ml of carbon tetrachloride, placed in a separating conical flask, shaken vigorously for 3 min and allowed to settle for 5 min. The liquid phase was separated by allowing the supernatant (diesel oil – carbon tetrachloride) to pass gradually through a funnel fitted with filter paper (Whatman No 1). Anhydrous sodium sulphate spread on the filter paper was employed to remove any moisture in the mixture. The liquid phase was collected in a 50-ml pre-weighed beaker. The beaker containing the extract was placed in an oven and the extractant allowed to evaporate at 50oC. The beaker with the residual diesel oil was allowed to cool to room temperature and weighed to determine the quantity of residual diesel oil by difference8. Results and Discussion In this study, the soil samples were gathered from the garage (oil contaminated site) because the capability of native bacterial population to mineralize crude oil hydrocarbons in oil contaminated sites was confirmed before by many scientists9. The rate of biodegradation of Diesel engine oil by hydrocarbonoclastic organisms isolated from garage soil were assessed. Table – 1 and table – 2 shows that, using cultural characteristics and biochemical characteristics, two bacterial isolates; Micrococcus sp. and Pseudomonas sp. were identified by compairing it with the Bergey’s manual of determinative bacteriology. The number of CFU/ml of both the bacterial isolates was adjusted to 7. 88 x 107 CFU/ml for degradation studies. The biodegraders which were Micrococcus sp. , Pseudomonas sp. and Mixture of both the culture showed different abilities in the breakdown and utilization of the diesel engine oil. Character Colony 1 Colony 2 Size 1-2 mm 2-3 mm Table-1 Colony characteristics of bacterial isolates on Nutrient agar plate Shape Elevation Colour Consistency Circular Irregular Convex Flat Yellowish Fluorescent green Butyrous Mucoidal Opacity Opaque Translucent International Science Congress Association 49 Intern ational Research Journal of Environment Sciences______________________________________________ ISSN 2319–1414 Vol. 2(2), 48-52, February (2013) Int. Res. J. Environment Sci. Table-2 Biochemical characteristics of bacterial isolates C1 Positive Cocci Clusters No spore Non motile Positive Negative Negative Negative Positive No Fermentation No Fermentation No Fermentation No Fermentation Acidic, No gas, No H2S Negative Negative Negative Positive Micrococcus sp. Character Gram stain Morphology Arrangement Endospore Motility Catalase Oxidase Citrate Indole Gelatin Glucose fermentation Lactose fermentation Sucrose fermentation Mannitol fermentation Tripple sugar iron Methyl red Voges proskauer Nitrate reduction Urea Organism C2 Negative Rods Solitary No spore Sluggishly Motile Positive Positive Positive Negative Positive No Fermentation No Fermentation No Fermentation No Fermentation Alkaline, No gas, No H2S Negative Negative Negative Negative Pseudomonas sp. Table-3 Weight of diesel engine oil extracted (on various days) from 15 gm soil samples polluted with 1 ml (0. 848 gm) of Sterilized diesel oil and 0. 2 ml of culture Day Sample I II III IV I II III IV I II III IV I II III IV I II III IV I II III IV Weight of diesel oil extracted (gm) 0. 848 gm 0. 848 gm 0. 848 gm 0. 848 gm 0. 807 gm 0. 801 gm 0. 30 gm 0. 848 gm 0. 787 gm 0. 639 gm 0. 639 gm 0. 848 gm 0. 663 gm 0. 348 gm 0. 483 gm 0. 848 gm 0. 545 gm 0. 290 gm 0. 271 gm 0. 848 gm 0. 399 gm 0. 275 gm 0. 085 gm 0. 848 gm Weight of diesel oil degraded (gm) 0. 000 0. 000 0. 000 0. 000 0. 041 0. 047 0. 018 0. 000 0. 061 0. 209 0. 209 0. 000 0. 185 0. 500 0. 365 0. 000 0. 303 0. 558 0. 577 0. 000 0. 449 0. 573 0. 763 0. 000 Rate of degradation (gm/hr) 0. 00 0. 00 0. 00 0. 00 3. 42 x 10-4 3. 92 x 10-4 1. 50 x 10-4 0. 00 2. 54 x 10-4 8. 71 x 10-4 8. 71 x 10-4 0. 00 5. 14 x 10-4 1. 39 x 10-3 1. 01 x 10-3 0. 00 6. 31 x 10-4 1. 6 x 10-3 1. 20 x 10-3 0. 00 7. 48 x 10-4 9. 55 x 10-4 1. 27 x 10-3 0. 00 0 5 10 15 20 25 *values are means of twice determinations. Key: i. Sterilized soil + Sterilized diesel oil + Micrococcus sp. ii. Sterilized soil + Sterilized diesel oil + Pseudomonas sp. iii. Sterilized soil + Sterilized diesel oil + Micrococcus sp. + Pseudomonas sp. IV. Sterilized soil + Sterilized diesel oil International Science Congress Association 50 International Research Journal of Environment Sciences______________________________________________ ISSN 2319–1414 Vol. 2(2), 48-52, February (2013) Int. Res. J. Environment Sci. Diesel engine oil degradation study by Micrococcus sp: It was seen that the rate of diesel oil degradation by Micrococcus sp. was slow as compared to the rate of degradation of diesel oil by Pseudomonas sp. and mixture of Micrococcus sp. and pseudomonas sp. But the diesel oil degradation potential of Micrococcus sp. was continuously increasing as the time of contact between oil and organism increased. Diesel engine oil degradation study by Pseudomonas sp: It can be seen that the efficiency of Pseudomonas sp. to degrade diesel engine oil is faster than that of Micrococcus sp. As the incubation period increases the rate of degradation of diesel engine oil also increases. But it was seen that till 15th day, the rate of degradation was much faster. This was probably due to the exponential phase of the cell growth but after that the rate of degradation was slightly decreased. It was possibly because of cells of the Pseudomonas sp. were near to its stationary phase of cell growth. Diesel engine oil degradation study by mixture of Micrococcus sp. and Pseudomonas sp: The weight of diesel oil extracted from soil containing diesel engine oil and mixture of both bacterial isolates i. . Micrococcus sp. + Pseudomonas sp. showed continuous weight loss till the 25th day of incubation period. After 5th day of incubation period it was seen that there was a drastic increase in the rate of diesel oil degradation till the 25th day of incubation period which was quite higher than that of the single culture of Micrococcus sp. as well as that of the Pseudomonas sp. In this cas e it was found that around 90% of the diesel engine oil was degraded after 25th day and rate of degradation of diesel oil was found to be continuously increasing i. e. 1. 50 x 10-4gm/hr after 5th day to 1. 7 x 10-3gm/hr after 25th day. Conclusion When Micrococcus sp. is used in combination with Pseudomonas sp. it showed a great potential to diesel oil degradation. This was probably due to the different enzyme system from two different bacterial isolates that acts on hydrocarbon at a time which proved to be an excellent option to degrade that hydrocarbon if both the bacterial enzyme system posses considerable efficiency to act upon it and to degrade it10. This was followed by single culture of Pseudomonas sp and then Micrococcus sp. The oil degradation by Pseudomonas sp. as not surprising not only because it was isolated from garage soil which was already contaminated by oil and grease but also because it is known to possess a more competent and active hydrocarbon degrading enzyme sy stem than Micrococcus sp. It is known to be fast growing and is capable of degrading a wide variety of organic compounds11. In the case of Micrococcus sp. which is also known to posses the considerable efficiency to use it as an oil degrader, but it requires more time compared to that of the Pseudomonas sp. Figure–1 Comparison of % Diesel engine oil degradation International Science Congress Association 51 International Research Journal of Environment Sciences______________________________________________ ISSN 2319–1414 Vol. 2(2), 48-52, February (2013) Int. Res. J. Environment Sci. Figure–2 Comparison: Rate of Diesel engine oil degradation (gm/hr) By using biological processes, as in the case of bioremediation, usually lowers the costs as compared to chemical treatment processes for various contaminated sites. It is also less disturbing to the environment. However, because it is a natural process, it requires time. The above experiment shows that bioremediation can be used effectively to treat oil contaminated soil. The remarkable rate of diesel oil degradation by bacterial isolates shown by this method allows for the safe and convenient use of this microorganism in the oil contaminated area. Moreover the results obtained from the comparison between the diesel oil degrading ability of Pseudomonas sp. , Micrococcus sp. and mixture of both helps them to use in different bioremediation processes based upon their efficiencies. And the advantages of employing mixed cultures as opposed to pure cultures in bioremediation have been demonstrated. . 3. Baker J. M. , Mangroove swamps and the oil Industry, Environ. Pollut. Bull. , 12 (1982) Zahir A. Z. , Malik M. A. R. and Arshad M. , The effect of oil pollution of soil on germination, growth and nutrient uptake of corn, Journal of Environmental Quality, 4, 537-540 (2001) Adriano Pinto Mariano, Ana Paula de Arruda Geraldes Kataoka, Dejanira de Franceschi d e Angelis Daniel Marcos Bonotto, Laboratory study on the bioremediation of diesel oil contaminated soil from a petrol station, Brazilian Journal of Microbiology, 38(2), (2007) Nwaogu L. A. , Onyeze G. O. C and Nwabueze R. N. , Degradation of diesel oil in a polluted soil using Bacillus subtilis, African Journal of Biotechnology, 7(12), 1939-1943 (2008) Bergey D. H. , Holt John G. , et al, Bergey’s manual of determinative bacteriology, Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins (1994) Dong-ju Kim, Seung-gun Chung, Sang-hyup Lee and Jae-woo Choi, Relation of microbial biomass to counting units for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, African Journal of Microbiology, 6(21), 4620-4622 (2012) Udeme J. J. , Antai S. P. Biodegradation and Mineralization of Crude oil by Bacteria, Niger. J. Biotechnol. , 5: 77-85. (1988) Akhavan Sepahi, I. Dejban Golpasha, M. Emami, A. M. Nakhoda, Iran. J. Environ. Health. Sci. Eng. , 5(3), 149-154 (2008) crude oil by bacteria, Nigerian Journal of Biotechnology, 5, 7986 (1988) 4. 5. 6. 7. Acknowledgement The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to: Management, VIVA Trust, Virar (w) Maharashtra. K. P. N. Kutty, Co-Ordinator, VIVA Trust, Virar (w) Maharashtra. , Dr. R. D. Bhagat, Principal, VIVA College, Virar (w) Maharashtra, Non Teaching Staff , Dept. Biological sciences ,VIVA College Virar (w) Maharashtra. 8. 9. 10. Ijah U. J. J. , Antai S. P. , Degradation and mineralization of References 1. Hill G. B. , Moxey J. G. , Gasoline and Diesel oil In: Gathee VB (ed) Petroleum Product Handbook Mc-Grew Hill, 4, 1-4 NY (1980) 11. Ijah U. J. J. , Okang C. N. , Petroleum Degrading capabilities of bacteria isolated from soil, W. A. J. Biol. Appl. Chem. , 38(1-4), 915 (1993) International Science Congress Association 52 How to cite Biofilm-Mediated Enhanced Crude Oil Degradation by, Papers

Effects of Modern Feminism and Masculinity on Heterosexual Relationships free essay sample

Living in a world that has gotten more and more sophisticated as time goes by, people seem to have overlooked their basic natures as organisms and how this greatly influences the choices that we make in our lives. As organisms, our main purpose in life is to reproduce and ensure that our species survive. When we put this in the context of our modern social structure, it seems as if the two existing sexes don’t want this to happen. Today we see females pushing for â€Å"equal rights†, complaining that the traditional roles of society for them are unfair and that they are the oppressed sex, wanting to be independent of men, pursuing careers and ambitioning to rise in power. We see males who have rationalized that sensitivity is a trait that will help them procure relationships, males who have been conditioned to believe that anything remotely masculine is to be ridiculed and subdued. Thus, we have a flawed modern gender-dynamic. Often do we hear that men, women and relationships are such mysteries that we can never grasp the way they work and think; we then forget that nothing in this world is fundamentally mysterious. In reality, it’s only us humans and our inability to rationally explain the way things works. When we draw attention to how something functions beyond our reasoning, it’s the same as drawing attention to how little our understanding is. But men, women, relationships they are not mysteries. We have just gotten caught up with the fabrications and demands of the present society that we have forgotten how simple these things are. The original need of feminism, which happened before the middle of the 20th century, was because there were many legal and social restrictions on what women could do. Women were not legally allowed to own property, to vote, etc. and feminists of that time worked hard to remove these biases against women. This is a righteous push for equality. The problem with modern feminism is that it assumes the need for a 50/50 type of equality of men and women. ____ stated that men and women are fundamentally different and want different things; this makes it difficult to compare their welfare. This basically means that we cannot assume that if we achieve a 50/50 equality that everything then is fair and right. Furthermore, according to Richards (2003), feminists are prepared to throw all constraints of morality to the winds; that right or wrong, fair or unfair; they will pursue anything which is to the benefit of women. In support of this Venker (2011) said that once feminism came along, women abandoned their pedestal in droves and decided they wanted to share man’s pedestal with him. They claimed they wanted both sexes on the same pedestal to represent equality and prove men and women are the same. Instead, they found themselves in conflict. Since there isn’t enough room on a pedestal for both of them, feminists pushed men off to make room for themselves. That’s not equality, that’s matriarchy. The idea of living in a world that demands double standards from its inhabitants is not far off. ____ stated that the very men who encourage women to be most daring and sexless complain most bitterly of the sexlessness of women. The same holds true with women. The women who adore men so tremendously for their social smartness and sexlessness as males, hate them most bitterly for not being â€Å"men†. In our opinion, the popularized notion that sex roles are interchangeable is a fantasy that will continue to harass and stain the beautiful way of life that has ensured the survival of humans. Men and women shouldn’t be seen as competitors or one being more powerful and dominating over the other, rather we should see them as counterparts each providing their own contributions. One cannot exist and will not exist without the other. II. Body: Part1 The generation today has changed. Compared to what our mothers had as careers, women seek for careers that will provide them economic stability. Jacobs, 2004) As mentioned earlier by Baumgardner (2010), Feminism arrived in a different way in the lives of the women of this generation; they never knew a time before where girls can do anything boys can. In line with this, Jacobs (2004) says that nowadays, a woman’s fiscal self-sufficiency has transformed the gender dynamics affecting marriage. In cases where the wife brings in mor e money rather than her husband, this causes discrepancy in the ideal roles in a relationship. This damages the relationship in a sense that there is a turnaround of fixed economic power. The couple will often deal with the connotation of disrespect for the man. Due to the changing times, men nowadays expect their wives to contribute to economic responsibilities of the family and are aggravated when women are not able to do so. Based on a study, people who focus on power and money are prone to suffering depression rather than those who prioritize humanitarian values. One of the most profound and unrecognized influences on our ability to be happily married is the stress of living in the material world. A great deal of couples concern themselves on earning and shelling out rather than marriage, meaning, to bring an end to splurging meant altering their position and worth. Couples are certain that going after worldly goods is for the benefit of their family, but in reality it is for the social position and benefits. (Jacobs, 2004) Part2 Society has a way of creating and molding our identities yet at the same time, unconsciously, we as well leave an imprint on society’s structure. The very basic question that people ask when it comes to gender roles in society is â€Å"what should males and females do? † Simple? Not quite, the answers to this question have become perplex to the point that even endorsers of modern feminism and masculinity are often confused and have conflicts with their own preferences and ideals. We have entered an era of unprecedented â€Å"advancement† in humanity and now we seem to have misplaced and suppressed our true natures of being just another organism of this world. Entering relationships nowadays has become a more complicated process than what we would prefer it to be. People have forgotten that relationships are based on the need for our race to propagate themselves through continuous reproduction and nourishment. As the roots of feminism penetrate deeper and deeper into society, the two genders are slowly becoming normalized. Men are afraid to be men because masculinity has been effectively demonized and women are afraid to be women because â€Å"femininity† is perceived as an unequal form of masculinity rather than a complement to it. Part3 According to Lawrence (2003), as human beings, life is filled with excitement and a wide range of emotions. Our bodies feel hunger, thirst, anger, sadness, love, tenderness, hate and grief. These are only a number of emotions that belong to our bodies, and at the same time acknowledged by the mind. However, these are two different matters, mental feelings and real feelings. What society does not know is that, the education we are given has trained us to feel a certain range of emotions. We are told what to feel, what not to feel and how to feel the feelings we allow ourselves to feel. Everything else does not exist. This feeling only what you allow yourselves to feel at last kills all capacity for feeling, and in the higher emotional range you feel nothing at all. Higher emotions are associated with love in all its manifestations, from genuine desire to tender love, love for others, love for God and others. All of these are more or less dead due to too much sentimental imitation for such emotions. We belong to the age where everything is exaggerated. The game we all play involve sentimentality and counterfeit feeling. People thrive on it, live with it and could swallow it up. However, one could expect to fool oneself for quite some time regarding one’s emotions, but never forever. When reality strikes back, it hits us relentlessly over and over again. III. Conclusion: When all hope seems to be lost in terms of gender equality, Femininity comes into the picture. Femininity has a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles generally linked with girls and women. Traits that fall under femininity that are considered feminine include gentleness, empathy, and sensitivity   though traits associated with femininity often vary depending on location and context, and include a variety of social and cultural factors. This is the female counterpart of masculinity. As Fromm (2000) says, â€Å"The masculine character can be defined as having the qualities of guidance, activity, discipline, and adventurousness; the feminine character by the qualities of productive receptiveness, protection, realism, endurance, and motherliness. Despite femininity being the counterpart of masculinity, men and women are certainly different from one another. Both genders were designed and fashioned in their own way. This simply means that women cannot be content by believing to be like men. This applies to men as well, they will never be content by believing to be like women. How do we truly be happy and live in harmony? By simply eradicating political correctness completely. Society has to teach boys and girls that it is perfectly normal to be different. That’s the way it is. Society has to stop teaching girls that they are inferior to boys, which feminists have been brainwashing us to think. Jacobs (2004) says, everyone wants to be in love and human beings looking for love suffer from the common, regrettable characteristic of becoming deeply emotionally attached a new lover before they know whether it is really wise for them to form such attachment. Attachment is created and preserved commonly in large scale evidence that is foolish and unfavorable. Society is in denial of the hardships of marriage wherein it favors idealism over reality. Fromm (2000) finds a way to deal with this by saying one must know himself and his partner impartially in order to see past the illusions and the ideal image. Perhaps the most crucial obstacle of marriage is that while one is devising a plan and learning how to live with the differences between himself and his spouse, one must simultaneously maintain a respectful and loving relationship. Fromm (2000) expounds on respect by saying, it is taking the person completely and wholeheartedly, not to be mistaken for horror and admiration. We expect to develop with this person a lifelong relationship that will nourish both of us as we build a family. Our relationship and our children will simultaneously thrive and grow and our family will find fulfilment. It is simple really, one should live as one feels like, not as you think you should. Feelings are hardly ever wrong. Feminism cannot change that. Kanazawa (2008) says You are seldom wrong if you follow your feelings; you are seldom right if you follow feminism or any other political ideology.