Remediation Process Research Articles

Degradation on BDE209 in the soil by kaolin-supported sulfurized nano-zero-valent iron activated persulfate system: Insights mechanism and DFT calculations

The nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI) was successfully modified with sulfidation and loaded by kaolin (K@S-nZVI) for enhanced persulfate (PS) activation. K@S-nZVI was characterized by SEM-EDS, TEM, XPS, BET and XRD. The better degradation performance of BDE209 was in the following order: K@S-nZVI/PS> S-nZVI/PS> nZVI/PS> > systems without PS activation. The maximum removal of BDE209 was 88.32% under PS concentration of 0.2 mol/L, soil-water ratio of 1:2.5 and the molar ratio of K@S-nZVI/PS of 2:1. The reactive oxygen species in the K@S-nZVI/PS system were identified by EPR and quenching experiments as SO4-·,·OH,·O2- and the nonracial of 1O2. SO4-· and·O2- dominated the degradation of BDE209 and·OH and 1O2 were involved. According to gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, BDE209 could be degraded to BDE7 by gradual debromination and further degraded into Br- and short-chain acids by ring opening reaction of benzene ring. The coexistence of SO42-, Cl-, CO32-, NO3- and HA reduced the degradation of BDE209. The soil pH did not change significantly during the remediation process. At the beginning of remediation process, soil catalase activities were enhanced while phosphatase and urease activities were weakened but they all recovered finally, exhibiting less damage to microbial cells. The K@S-nZVI/PS system is expected to be practically applied to the remediation of BDE209 contaminated soil.

Photodegradation of Ghana Crude Oil by Sunlight Irradiation

Photochemical degradation of crude oil in seawater is critical in the protection of the marine environment during oil spillages. In this study, the photochemical weathering of Ghana Crude Oil (GCO) was investigated, by irradiation with natural sunlight. The analytical techniques of Gas chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) were applied in the identification of aromatic and aliphatic components after 10 weeks of irradiation. The aliphatic components exhibited low susceptibility for photo-chemical degradation, while the aromatic components were mainly affected by photo-oxidation. The results showed a decrease in the number of aromatic and aliphatic compounds detected by 39% and 35% respectively. These results confirm photo-oxidation by natural sunlight as an effective remediation process for GCO, especially under high solar radiation environmental conditions.

Potential of microwave-assisted hydrothermal modification for enhanced fly ash adsorption capacity toward to heavy metals: A comprehensive investigation of adsorbent characterization, isotherms, kinetics, and thermodynamics

ABSTRACT Heavy metal contamination is a major concern, and the adsorption process is regarded as one of the most efficient water remediation processes to deal with it. Herein, we modified fly ash by a microwave-assisted hydrothermal process to enhance its adsorption capacity and tested the material toward Cd(II) and Cu(II). Characterization of the adsorbents was performed by several techniques in detail to elucidate considerable structural changes such as cracking of spherical morphology, increase in surface area and changing of the chemical composition. Then batch adsorption was performed under different conditions to investigate the equilibrium, kinetics, and thermodynamics of the process. NaOH-modified fly ash considerably has a higher adsorption performance than that of the as-received sample for both ions. The highest adsorption capacity of modified fly ash was achieved as 133.8 and 95.7 mg/g for Cd(II) and Cu(II), respectively. The kinetics and isotherms could be perfectly reflected by a pseudo-second-order rate equation and the Freundlich model, while thermodynamics confirmed the endothermicity of the process.

Magnetically separable rare earth metal incorporated CdFe2O4 photocatalyst for degradation of cationic and azo dyes

Herein, the present study illustrates hydrothermal synthesis of pristine and Gd doped CdFe2O4 nanoparticles. The synthesized nanoparticles were analysed by various analytical methods to investigate the structural, vibrational, optical and morphological information about the photocatalysts. The surface area of the 2 % Gd-CdFe2O4was achieved to have greater value. The pristine and Gd (1 % and 2 %) – CdFe2O4 was investigated for its photocatalytic activity on reducing cationic and azo dyes. The photocatalyst showed efficiency of 90 % and 98 % for both cationic and azo dyes. The greater rate constant values of the photocatalysts revealed the better activity of hydroxyl radicals which took part majorly in photocatalysis. The stability of the sample was analysed and the stableness was same for about four cycles. The greater efficiency and better stability were attributed to the optimum dopant level of Gd ions into CdFe2O4 photocatalyst. The better recombination rate and hydroxyl radicals activity made the enthusiastic candidate for water remediation process.

A sustainable method for oxidizing phenanthrene in tropical soil using natural iron as a catalyst in a slurry phase reactor with persulfate assistance.

The presence of impurities is a significant restriction to the use of natural iron minerals as catalysts in the advanced oxidation process (AOP), especially if applied for soil remediation. This study evaluated the catalytic activity of tropical soil, which has relatively low impurities and naturally contains iron, for the remediation of phenanthrene (PHE) contamination. The system showed good performance, and the best result was 81% PHE removal after 24 h under experimental conditions of pH 7, [PHE]0 = 300 mg/50 g soil, temperature 55 °C, air flow = 260 mL min-1, and [persulfate]0 = 20 mg kg-1, while the mineralization was 61%. Nevertheless, certain limitations were noted in the soil matrix following the remediation procedure, including the appearance of cracks in the soil aggregate, reduction in the crystal size of the soil particles, and decline in the iron and aluminium contents. The results confirmed that the radicals play a major role in the remediation process. SO4˙- was more dominant than O2˙-, while HO˙ played a minor role. Additionally, the by-products were detected by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS), and the degradation pathway of PHE is proposed. Toxicity assessment tests were performed by using a computational method. In spite of the challenges, this research achieved notable progress in soil remediation, taking a significant step forward in implementing the AOP without catalysts to activate oxidants and remove PHE within the soil. Also, this approach supports sustainability by reducing the need for extra materials and providing an environmentally friendly way of soil remediation.

Soil Improvement after Reclamation of Rare Earth Tailings in Northeast Guangdong, China

In order to explore the soil improvement effect of guest soil reclamation, the main physical and chemical properties of the soil in-situ extracted rare earth tailings after reclamation in Pingyuan County, Meizhou city were tested. Using 5 point sampling method, soil samples were taken from a 0-20 cm soil layer to detect NH4+ residues, pH value, content of organic matter, available N, available K, available P, and heavy metal in the soil. The results were shown that the NH4+ content in the soil decreased from 96.67 to 15.29 (mg·kg−1) after reclamation, the pH value increased from 4.58 to 5.40, and the organic matter increased from 2.12 to 2.75 (g·kg−1). However, the available N, P, and K decreased, and the soil fertility index also decreased from 0.55 to 0.49. The reclamation did not significantly improve soil fertility. The Nemero comprehensive index of non-rare earth heavy metal elements decreased from 0.58 to 0.44, but the pollution of non-rare earth heavy metals in the soil before and after reclamation was at a clean level, and there was no heavy metal pollution. The total RE (rare earth) content in tailings soil, reclaimed soil, and control soil was higher than the soil environmental background value in Guangdong Province. Heavy RE content in tailings soil exceeded 50% of total RE content, while light RE was mainly in the reclaimed soil. The pollution levels of total RE metals in soil before and after reclamation were non-pollution to moderate pollution level and non-pollution level, respectively. The control soil was the most severely polluted, reaching a strong pollution level. The three RE metals, Y, Sm and Ce, accounted for the highest proportion of the total soil REs, and the pollution levels of the latter two elements were above strong pollution in control soil. After 4 years of land reclamation, the NH4+-N pollution, soil acidification, and heavy metal pollution in the soil of tailings could be significantly improved, but the soil fertility was still low and required a long remediation process. In the future reclamation work, in addition to continuing to pay attention to the improvement of soil environment, the improvement of soil fertility and the control of RE pollution should also be strengthened, and when using foreign soil for reclamation and improvement, the quality of foreign soil, especially fertility, should also be considered.

Long-term effectiveness and sustainability of EHC remediation in carbon tetrachloride-contaminated groundwater: Mechanistic understanding and practical applications

The presence of carbon tetrachloride in groundwater raises concerns for human health and the environment. Thus, there is an urgent need for a faster and more efficient groundwater remediation method. Our study found that the EHC remedial agent can achieve promising pilot remediation results quickly, as demonstrated in laboratory tests. During the pilot test, the contaminated groundwater was subjected to injection with the EHC remedial agent using in-situ high-pressure rotary jet technology. It was observed that indicators such as alkalinity and SO42− can signify the occurrence of biological reduction, with the presence of ZVI significantly shortening the beginning time of biological action within the EHC. The pilot test results reveal that the initial four days following the injection of the EHC witnessed only chemical reduction, with chemical and biological reduction coexisting from day 4 to day 45. Post the 45-day mark, the removal of contaminants solely relied on biological reduction. While chemical reduction displayed a rapid rate but limited duration, insufficient for ensuring long-term effectiveness in the remediation process, bioremediation offered sustained efficacy for continuous contaminant reduction. These findings signify a more eco-friendly and efficient approach to groundwater remediation, offering both human health and environmental benefits.

Fundamental data for modeling electron-induced processes in plasma remediation of perfluoroalkyl substances.

Plasma treatment of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contaminated water is a potentially energy efficient remediation method. In this treatment, an atmospheric pressure plasma interacts with surface-resident PFAS molecules. Developing a reaction mechanism and modeling of plasma-PFAS interactions requires fundamental data for electron-molecule reactions. In this paper, we present results of electron scattering calculations, potential energy landscapes and their implications for plasma modelling of a dielectric barrier discharge in PFAS contaminated gases, a first step towards modelling of plasma-water-PFAS intereactions. It is found that the plasma degradation of PFAS is dominated by dissociative electron attachment with the importance of other contributing processes varying depending on the molecule. All molecules posses a large number of shape resonances - transient negative ion states - from near-threshold up to ionization threshold. These states lie in the region of the most probable electron energies in the plasma (4-5 eV) and consequently are expected to further enhance the fragmentation dynamics in both dissociative attachment and dissociative excitation.

Nanocosmos of catalysis: a voyage through synthesis, properties, and enhanced photocatalytic degradation in nickel sulfide nanocomposites.

Nanomaterials play a decisive role in environmental applications such as water purification, pollutant monitoring, and advanced oxidation-based remediation processes, particularly in semiconductor and metal sulfide-based photocatalysis. Metal sulfides are ideal for photocatalysis because of their unique optical, structural, and electronic characteristics. These properties enable the effective use of solar energy to drive various catalytic reactions with potential uses in environmental remediation with sustainable energy production. Among them, nickel sulfides (NiS) stand out for their narrow band gaps, high stability, and cost-effectiveness. This review thoroughly analyzes recent advancements in employing nickel-sulfide-based nanostructures for water decontamination. It begins by addressing environmental material needs and emphasizing the properties of nickel sulfide. To improve photocatalytic performance, controlled processes that affect the active structure, shape, composition, and size of nickel sulfide photocatalysts are examined, along with their synthesis methods. The heart of the review article is a detailed analysis of the modification of NiS through metal and non-metal doping, heterojunction, and nanocomposite formation for enhanced photocatalytic performance. The discussion also includes metal-modified nanostructures, metal oxides, and carbon-hybridized nanocomposites. This study underscores notable advancements in the degradation efficiency of NiS photocatalysts, rivaling their costly noble-metal counterparts. The analysis concludes with potential future directions for nickel sulfide-based photocatalysts in sustainable environmental remediation.

Bioavailability enhancement of petroleum-contaminated soil by electrokinetic remediation

The Electro kinetic Remediation Technology (EKR) is recognized as the most potential remediation technology for soils with low permeability, like clay soil characteristics. Electrokinetic treatment could increase the bioavailability of contaminants in bioremediation petroleum-contaminated soil. The study, “Bioavailability enhancement of petroleum contaminated soil by electrokinetic remediation,” is experimental research in a laboratory to improve the bioavailability of petroleum hydrocarbons on clay during bioremediation with initial treatment using electrokinetic remediation techniques, finding optimum electrokinetic operating conditions of remediations, and analyzing the mechanism of remediation process in contaminated soil. Bioavailability enhancement was studied for 35 days. Polluted soil was treated with an electrokinetic box test (17cm×12cm×10cm), and DC power was used for 48 hours. Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) concentration was determined by gravimetric methods. The results showed that the characteristics of the soil samples were dominated by 49.31% clay. The initial concentration of TPH in polluted soil is 3.7%. The electrokinetic applications during 48 hours and followed by bioremediation for 35 days those processes removed TPH up to 80.74 % (from 33780.66 mg HC (kg dry w)-1 to 6506.155176 mg HC (kg dry w)-1. There is an increase in bioavailability indicated by the rise in bacterial populations and an increase in biodegradation after electrokinetic remediation. With this approach, bioavailability has been increased by 70.18%. Bio-electrokinetic remediation is the recommended method for polluted clay soils with low bioavailability.

Study on the flooding characteristics of a deep-water submarine based on δ plus-smoothed particle hydrodynamics method and graphic processing units acceleration

The process of a damaged ship flooding is a complicated free surface flow problem. There is a complex coupling effect between the ship cabin and the flow inside and outside of the cabin. In this paper, a GPU (graphic processing unit)-δ+-SPH (smoothed particle hydrodynamics) numerical model for the cabin flooding in deep-water environments is developed based on GPU parallel acceleration technology and Nvidia's CUDA (compute unified device architecture). First, the computational accuracy and efficiency of this numerical model are verified by experiments results on the water flooding of a simple damaged cabin model. Furthermore, the flooding characteristics of a submarine cabin are analyzed, considering different numbers of damaged cabins, depths, and opening positions. Finally, the progressive flooding and the dynamic response characteristics of a full-scale submarine model are investigated. The results show that the process of progressive flooding in a submarine cabin is characterized by its rapidity and intensity. Different factors, for example, damaged cabin numbers, cabin depths, and opening positions, have great influences on the process of flooding and the motion of the submarine cabin. This study can offer valuable technical assistance in the post-damage remediation process.

Supramolecular chemistry of liquid-liquid extraction.

Liquid-Liquid Extraction (LLE) is a venerable and widely used method for the separation of a targeted solute between two immiscible liquids. In recent years, this method has gained popularity in the supramolecular chemistry community due to the development of various types of synthetic receptors that effectively and selectively bind specific guests in an aqueous medium through different supramolecular interactions. This has eventually led to the development of state-of-the-art extraction technologies for the removal and purification of anions, cations, ion pairs, and small molecules from one liquid phase to another liquid phase, which is an industrially viable method. The focus of this perspective is to furnish a vivid picture of the current understanding of supramolecular interaction-based LLE chemistry. This will not only help to improve separation technology in the chemical, mining, nuclear waste treatment, and medicinal chemistry sectors but is also useful to address the purity issue of the extractable species, which is otherwise difficult. Thus, up-to-date knowledge on this subject will eventually provide opportunities to develop large-scale waste remediation processes and metallurgy applications that can address important real-life problems.

Exploration of bacterial strains with bioremediation potential for mercury and cyanide from mine tailings in "San Carlos de las Minas, Ecuador"

<abstract> <p>Ecuador is a developing country that relies on mining as a significant source of economic income every year; however, there needs to be more studies on the soil pollution caused by mining over time. Biological remediation as an alternative to the use of physical and chemical methods offers a more cost-effective and environmentally friendly means to counteract the negative impacts that the presence of heavy metals in mining tailings soils can cause. This study focused on soil sampling from the mining tailings of the San Carlos de las Minas sector, in the Zamora Chinchipe province in Ecuador, to find potential bacterial strains that can degrade two specific contaminants, mercury (Hg) and cyanide (CN<sup>-</sup>). For this purpose, 68 soil subsamples were collected. pH, electrical conductivity, moisture, and the concentration of the contaminants were analyzed and measured. The initial concentration of CN<sup>-</sup> was 0.14 mg/kg, and of Hg was 88.76 mg/kg. From the soil samples, eight bacterial strains were isolated, characterized at macroscopic and microscopic levels, and identified at the molecular level. The bacteria were then subjected to degradability tests for CN<sup>-</sup> and Hg, obtaining interesting results. The degradation capacity of CN<sup>-</sup> stood out for the strains <italic>Micrococcus aloeverae</italic> and <italic>Pseudomonas alcaliphila</italic>, and for the degradation of Hg, the strains <italic>Hydrogenophaga laconesensis</italic> and <italic>Micrococcus aloeverae</italic> were highlighted, achieving degradation percentages of up to 98.80%. These results emphasize the discovery of these bacterial species with potential use in cyanide and mercury remediation processes.</p> </abstract>

Bioremediation of urban soils contaminated with oil by-products - case study Cuenca, Ecuador

In Ecuador and several Latin American countries, the degree of contamination of urban soils by hazardous waste from petroleum derivatives is a matter of great concern, because according to the Environmental Protection Agency of the United States explains that a gallon of used lubricating oil contaminates a million gallons of water, the same that meets the needs of fifty people per year [1]. When oil is spilled on the land, it causes infertility in the soil because the used oil contains hydrocarbons that cause the death of the soil and transforms the vegetation into inert. Despite the existence of legislation regulating the use, storage, processing and treatment of waste, there are very few efficient methods that guarantee adequate environmental management of urban soil, either because they are technically complex or economically unfeasible. The objective of this research is to technically and economically evaluate the bioremediation of urban soils contaminated with petroleum derivatives in the city of Cuenca, Ecuador, using Pseudomonas bacteria. There are different methodologies and methods for soil remediation, the technique used for the recovery of soils contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons in this research was bioremediation, through the application of an association of Pseudomonas bacteria obtained from the same soil, a technique called bio augmentation, and applied in three different concentrations and on the four soil samples obtained from the mechanics of the city of Cuenca. The Pseudomonas bacteria obtained, especially aeruginosa and fluorescence, demonstrated in the experimentation that they have the property of degrading hydrocarbons derived from petroleum, by feeding on carbon compounds in an exponential manner. For the calculation of the remediation cost-benefit, the value of the benefit acquired is divided by the remediation cost found. If the value is higher than the unit, the relation presents benefits; the relation obtained is 5.077, allowing to establish that the remediation process studied is economically viable. It is concluded that the method used is adequate and does not alter the soil with the introduction of foreign bacteria to it, in addition, the method studied serves for the remediation of soils contaminated with non-volatile petroleum hydrocarbons. The cost of its implementation is economically viable.

Exploration and characterization of a newly isolated bacterium, Enterobacter quasihormaechei strain BDIFST24001, capable of producing rhamnolipid biosurfactant for oil remediation.

Biosurfactants are naturally occurring compounds synthesized by micro-organisms that increasingly attract attention due to both their living area and application in various industries. In this study, we explore and characterize a novel bacterium, Enterobacter quasihormaechei strain BDIFST24001, isolated for its ability to produce rhamnolipid biosurfactants, with the aim of facilitating oil remediation processes. The isolation of this bacterium was carried out using Luria-Bertani (LB) broth media from environmental samples collected from oil-contaminated sites in Dhaka City. Screening tests, including the oil spreading method and drop collapse assay, were conducted to identify potential biosurfactant-producing strains, leading to the selection of E. quasihormaechei strain BDIFST24001 based on its favourable performance. Subsequent molecular identification revealed a high similarity of the strain's 16S rRNA gene to E. quasihormaechei, which was corroborated through phylogenetic analysis. Further analysis of the biosurfactant produced by this strain indicated its rhamnolipid nature, as confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy. The rhamnolipids exhibited promising surface-active properties, including a significant reduction in surface tension and emulsification activity, as evidenced by surface tension measurements and emulsification index assays. Optimization studies revealed that the optimal conditions for rhamnolipid production by E. quasihormaechei strain BDIFST24001 were a temperature of 37 °C, pH 10.0 and salinity of 4 %. The rhamnolipids produced by this strain demonstrated effective oil remediation capabilities, as observed through controlled experiments using petrol oil. The rhamnolipids effectively reduced the surface tension of the oil-water interface, facilitating the dispersion and emulsification of the oil phase in water. Overall, our findings highlight the potential of E. quasihormaechei strain BDIFST24001 as a promising candidate for biosurfactant-mediated oil spill cleanup and environmental remediation efforts.

Influences of earthworm activity and mucus on Cd phytoremediation based on harvesting different leaf types of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea).

To explore cost-effective and efficient phytoremediation strategies, this study investigated the distinct roles of earthworm activity and mucus in enhancing Cd phytoextraction from soils contaminated by Festuca arundinacea, focusing on the comparative advantages of selective leaf harvesting versus traditional whole-plant harvesting methods. Our study employed a horticultural trial to explore how earthworm activity and mucus affect Festuca arundinacea' s Cd phytoremediation in soils using control, earthworm, and mucus treatments to examine their respective effects on plant growth and Cd distribution. Earthworm activity increased the dry weight of leaves by 13.5% and significantly increased the dry weights of declining and senescent leaves, surpassing that of the control by more than 40%. Earthworm mucus had a similar, albeit less pronounced, effect on plant growth than earthworm activity. This study not only validated the significant role of earthworm activity in enhancing Cd phytoextraction by Festuca arundinacea, with earthworm activity leading to over 85% of Cd being allocated to senescent tissues that comprise only approximately 20% of the plant biomass, but also highlighted a sustainable and cost-effective approach to phytoremediation by emphasizing selective leaf harvesting supported by earthworm activity. By demonstrating that earthworm mucus alone can redistribute Cd with less efficiency compared to live earthworms, our findings offer practical insights into optimizing phytoremediation strategies and underscore the need for further research into the synergistic effects of biological agents in soil remediation processes.

Mengatasi Siswa Sekolah Dasar yang Kesulitan dalam Mengerjakan Soal Matematika dengan Pendekatan Segitiga Restitusi

The aim of this research is to describe a model for overcoming elementary school students who have difficulty working on mathematics problems using the restitution triangle approach. Difficulty working on math problems is part of the difficulty learning mathematics. Difficulty learning mathematics is generally defined as a condition where students are unable to learn mathematics subjects completely. The restitution triangle was originally a step towards positively disciplining students. The restitution triangle approach contains aspects of a humanist approach for students. There are three steps to the restitution triangle approach, starting from stabilizing identity. This step builds confidence in students that everyone has experienced mistakes in doing questions. So that students do not feel mentally down. The second step is Validation of Incorrect Actions. In this step, students are invited to reflect on any part of the problem they got wrong and are guided to correct it, there is a remedial learning process. The third step asks about beliefs. In this step, students' motivation is increased so that students now know the steps to work on the questions, and tomorrow they will not make any more mistakes when working on the questions. The results of a literature review found that the stages of the restitution triangle in positive discipline can be used to help overcome elementary school students who have difficulty working on mathematics problems.

Interfacial-engineered MOFs-POPs derived Co@N-doped carbon catalyst in boosting peroxymonosulfate activation and pollutant degradation: Roles of microstructure and exposed facets

Developing potent and durable heterogeneous catalysts is pivotal for advancing the implementation of the advanced oxidation processes in wastewater remediation. Herein, the “alloy” networks which were fabricated by incorporating zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 (ZIF-67) into porous organic polymers (POPs) matrix, was demonstrated, following pyrolyzed to prepare a core-shell Co@N-doped carbon-based catalyst (Co@NC-HBPC). The catalytic activity of Co@NC-HBPC for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) was regulated by modulating the preferential cobalt facet orientation, which in turn could be modulated by adapting the incorporation of ZIF-67. The as-prepared Co@NC-HBPC showed desirable Co dispersion, high catalytic reactivity (over 97 % degradation of Nitenpyram (NTP) within 20 min), high stability (maintaining 89.8 % NTP oxidation in five cycles), and wide environmental adaptability towards Fenton-like reaction. Both quenching and probe experiments verified the dominant roles of hydroxyl radicals (•OH) and singlet oxygen (1O2) species in NTP degradation process. Texture coefficient (TC) analysis and theoretical calculations unraveled that the Co (200) facet displayed the highest activity for PMS activation, which could modulate the surface electronic structure of N-doped carbon layer shell. This study provides comprehensive insights into the synergistic effect of metal facet and material morphology in PMS activation, thus offering new prospects for designing highly efficient heterogeneous catalysts for environmental remediation.

Effective strategies for resolving labour disputes in the corporate sector: Lessons from Nigeria and the United States

The relationship between an employer and employee though governed by various laws and regulations can still at some point witness some disagreements and dispute. Labour disputes are not uncommon neither are they peculiar to a particular industry in a country. Usually, trade disputes are hinged on agitation of employees for compensation, good working conditions, job stability and agitation against unlawful termination or dismissal of from service. Over the years, employees have adopted different ways to exhibit their discomfort and grievances in order to convey their message such as strike actions, peaceful protest and so on. There’s no doubt that these disputes will drastically reduce the level of productivity and overall beneficial impact of the industries in the economic growth of the country. Hence, there’s a need to adopt strategies for resolving these labour disputes. Some industries have applied round table discussions, arbitration, mediation, collective bargaining as well as grievances remedial processes. This work will provide an overview of the causes of disputes in the corporate sector, examine the features of the Nigerian and United States disputes resolution system and also juxtapose the strategies for resolving labour disputes in the two countries. Furthermore, it will provide recommendations to effectively addressing labour issues within the business sector.

Exploration of Clinical Clerkship Remediation in Undergraduate Medical Programme during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Medical students in their clinical phase face various academic and non-academic challenges affecting their achievement of expected competencies. Medical students who fail competency assessments are encouraged to enrol in a remediation programme. Due to COVID-19, remediation learning activities have been altered to distance learning. Unfortunately, studies on clinical remediation programmes are scarce. This study aims to explore the clinical clerkship remediation process during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide a reference for developing appropriate remediation programmes. This is a qualitative study with a phenomenological design. The remediation process was explored through focus group discussions (FGDs) and in-depth interviews. Five FGDs with regular students, five FGDs with remedial students, five in-depth interviews with clinical lecturers and five in-depth interviews with education coordinators were completed. Four themes were identified from the gathered data: academic and non-academic factors influencing the need for remediation, planning, learning activities and assessment, and evaluation of learning processes and outcomes. Remediation during the clinical phase comprises several critical steps, and following the remediation process, students demonstrated improved performance. To improve the quality of the remediation process, the factors underlying the need for remediation should be determined.