Browsing by Author "Parekh, Champaklal T."

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    Analysis of acrylamide in traditional foodstuffs in Zimbabwe
    (Academic Journals, 2011) Sanganyado, Edmond; Parekh, Champaklal T.; Eriksson, S.
    We carried out a preliminary study on the occurrence of acrylamide in potentially high risk traditional foodstuffs consumed in Zimbabwe. Various studies have shown that acrylamide, a ‘probable human carcinogen’, is formed by high temperature thermal processing of carbohydrate rich foodstuffs (lnternational Agency for Research on Cancer, 1994). Acrylamide concentrations in roasted maize, groundnuts, soy beans and boiled maize were determined using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometer (LC-MS/MS). The relative standard deviation of the analytical technique was 5% and the limit of detection was 0.02 μg/kg. Acrylamide was not detected in boiled maize. Roasted maize contained 450 μg/kg acrylamide. Roasted groundnuts had 140 μg/kg and finally, roasted soybeans with a concentration of 70 μg/kg acrylamide.
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    “Appropriate Technology for the 21st Century: Technological Innovation to Empower Africa”
    (2014-11-25) Dube, Donatus; Parekh, Champaklal T.; Siangwata, Sherpherd; Nyathi, Makhosazana
    Low-income earners in Zimbabwe’s rural areas currently depend, to a very large extent, on water from rivers, wells, dams and boreholes. Water from all these sources is contaminated in one form or the other by the anthropogenic as well as natural pollutants and in many cases is unsuitable for human consumption. Over the past decade, an increasing number of field-based studies have been undertaken to determine the success of point – of – use (POU) treatment measures in reducing waterborne diseases. However for poor communities in rural areas of Zimbabwe such interventions have remained largely ineffective due to availability and application challenges, lack of support, resistance due to cultural stigmas and mere ignorance. The aim of this research was to provide a simple POU solution to water quality problems in the rural communities of Zimbabwe. Thermally converted magnetite particle material with nanoporosity was used to construct rudimentary filters for use by villagers. Both laboratory and village scale tests were conducted. Results revealed that filters constructed using nano-porous magnetite material were very effective for microbiological and chemical pollution control in water and can be used successfully and sustainably by poor communities in the rural areas.
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    Determination of the Most Effective Concentration of Deet and Permethrin in A Mosquito Repellent Soap and Assay of the Active Ingredients
    (Research India Publications, 2016) Mtisi, Farlane; Parekh, Champaklal T.; Ochieng, Aoyi; Chiririwa, Haleden
    The study was carried out to investigate the most effective concentration of DEET and Permethrin in a mosquito repellent soap and to develop a method for the assaying of the active ingredients. The effect of perfume in a repellent soap was also investigated. In the study nine soaps were prepared and the concentrations of DEET and Permethrin were varied with six soaps having both ingredients. Efficacy tests were carried out on the different soaps. The most effective and economic soap in repelling mosquitoes was the one which had 50 % DEET. Physical and chemical tests revealed that the soaps had an average total fatty matter of 71.6 %, average moisture content of 14.35 % and average free alkali of 0.04.