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UF-UCC Research Experience for Undergraduates at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana.

Summer 2005 projects

Click here to go to the website for the 2005 Program

Below are examples of the projects that were available for students during the summer of 2005. Projects were assigned to students based on their preferences.

1. Ethnobotanical studies: screening of indigenous herbs for active ingredients (Akotoye)

In Ghana, as in many other African countries, knowledge of the plant species and methods of preparing and administering the herbal treatments reside mainly with traditional healers. Demand for these herbs has increased as the population has risen. Growing demand and dwindling resources mean that many useful plant species are at the risk of becoming extinct. Research in our laboratory has two major aims namely: i) to identify plant species used for herbal purposes through contact with knowledgeable persons such as herbalists, traditional healers, native doctors, and traditional birth attendants and ii) to carry out phytochemical screening of the plants used for traditional use. Field studies would be complemented with literature search and chemical analysis of the plant materials.

2. Screening traditional pest management protocols (Mensah)

Post-harvest loss of grains and legumes is a major setback in Ghana and it is estimated that more than 20% of maize is lost to insect pests. Synthetic pesticides have been used to control these pests. However, efforts are being made to reduce the dependence on chemical pesticides because of high cost, unreliable supply of the chemicals, misuse and development of resistant strains of the insect pests. Traditionally, some local plant materials have been used to protect stored crops against pest damage in Ghana. These plant materials are cheaper, readily available and biodegradable hence making them safer and more environmentally friendly. A number of the plants from which these compounds are produced are edible and often used as condiments. The objective of this project is to assess the efficacy of selected plant powders and extracts against major pests of edible grains and legumes. We are currently completing a project on Callosobruchus maculatus, a pest of cowpea. REU participants will focus on two pests of maize: Sitophilus zeamais and Prostephanus trunctaus. The latter pest was introduced to Ghana recently and there is growing concern about its spread. Insects will be obtained from cultures maintained in our lab. Various doses of plant powder and extracts will be applied to the target insects and their effects will be assessed. Indices of efficacy will include contact toxicity, repellence, production of progeny by the pest and damage to grain. Solvents without the extracts will be used as controls. Selected synthetic insecticides will be included for comparison with the biopesticides. Students will be trained to set up assays, collect and analyze the data. The projects can be completed within the eight-week period that students will be at UCC.

3. Screening plant species for the production of biodiesel fuel (Quaye)

The flora of tropical Africa is rich in species that produce vegetable oil that can be processed for combustion in diesel engines. Along the coast of Ghana, most of the artisanal fishermen use canoes that are fitted with outboard motors. These motors are powered with premix fuel, which is a mixture of gasoline and diesel fuel. Because of the high cost of both types of fuel, other methods for providing fuel for the outboard motors are being actively explored by scientists in Ghana. One of the projects in my laboratory focuses on screening plants (mainly the seeds) for oils that can be used as alternate sources of fuel. So far, we have developed a method for determining the biodiesel properties of oils from these plants. The oils are trans-esterefied and the extracts are then added to gasoline for use by the fishermen. Results to date are encouraging and we are in the process of screening selected edible oils such as palm oil, soybean and groundnut for this characteristic. REU participants will be involved in the collection and identification of plants and screening them to determine their biodiesel properties.

4. Phytochemical screening of West African medicinal plants (Opoku-Boahene)

The West African sub-region abounds in many plants with medicinal properties. Diseases such as malaria, diabetes, and urinary tract infections are treated with plant derived remedies. One of the projects in my laboratory that REU participants can carry out within eight weeks involves the use of color reaction in the screening of the various plants parts for their chemical constituents, (alkaloids, anthraquinones, flavonoids, terpenes, steroids and tannins). The objective of this initial investigation is to enable us identify the plants that are potential candidates for further studies. Screening will be followed by the extraction, isolation and purification of the chemical compounds in the plants using cold maceration, Soxhlet extraction, percolation and steam distillation. The compounds will then purified by column chromatography. Identification of the purified compounds will be carried out by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Ultraviolet, Infrared and Mass spectroscopy. The biological properties of the pure compounds will be ascertained by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). I was a postdoctoral visiting scientist at JMU from September 2002 through October 2003.

5. Pollination and spider ecology (Kwapong)

Pollination is an essential ecosystem service provided by many agents like insects (mainly different kinds of bees and butterflies), bats, birds and mammals. The activities of these pollinators lead to fruit and seed production for the continuity of biodiversity. If flowers are not pollinated, they cannot produce seeds. Research in our laboratory focuses on various pollinators associated with specific plant species. One of our projects deals with a study into the nesting site, behavior and threats to the survival of the insects leading to decline in populations. A second area of research in our laboratory focuses on the significant role spiders play role in the ecosystem apart from helping to control pests of crops. Unfortunately little is known about spiders in Ghana due to lack of studies. This research focuses on the study of spider ecology and diversity and it is aimed at unearthing the mystery about spiders in Ghana in particular and Africa as whole.

6. Monitoring levels of mercury, zinc and cadmium in surface soils and cassava in the vicinity of goldmines in the Western Region (Golow and Kambo-Dorsa)

Ghana has a large deposit of gold which was being mined before the arrival of the Europeans to the shores of West Africa. Gold was picked from sediments deposited along the banks and on the beds of rivers and it is believed to be the first commodity that was traded between the natives and the Europeans. The Wassa district in the Western Region has the single largest agglomeration of mines and mining companies in Africa, with more than eight international mining companies operating surface mines. Surface mining requires the acquisition of large tracts of land, averaging about 58 square miles, with a 30 year lease period. The increased interests of international investors in the Ghanaian mining sector is a result of the attractive investment climate offered by the government in its Economic Recovery Program (ERP) which was embarked upon in the past decade to resuscitate the economy. The rationale behind this policy was to attract investors in order to earn more foreign exchange for the nation; hence, many concessions were given to the mining companies. Mercury, which is used for extracting the gold, has a high vapor pressure and it pollutes soil, vegetation, livestock and humans near the goldmines. Zinc dust, often contaminated with cadmium, is used by commercial mines for extracting the gold from surface soils. Our lab is currently funded by a UN grant that involves the collection of data on the concentration of these metals in surface soils and food crops, especially cassava, in the Wassa district. These data are compared to levels of the metal pollutants in areas without gold mines. REU students would be involved in projects that will extract and quantify the metals in the soils. They will learn how to pre-treat soils and plant tissues, extract the metals and determine their concentrations using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). Flame AAS will be used for zinc and cadmium while cold vapor AAS will be used for the mercury. They will learn how to use several instruments beyond the AAS.

Summer 2003 projects

Summer 2002 projects