Submitted to the Information Technology (IT) Department in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Information Technology, Durban University of Technology. Durban, South Africa, 2016.

This doctoral research introduces an integration of satellite systems and new stratospheric platforms for weather observation, imaging and transfer of meteorological data to the ground infrastructures. Terrestrial configuration and satellite communication subsystems represent well-established technologies that have been involved in global satellite sensing and weather observation area for years. However, in recent times, a new alternative has emerged based on quasi-stationary aerial platforms located in the Stratosphere called High Altitude Platform (HAP) or Stratospheric Communication Platforms (SCP). The SCP systems seem to represent a dream come true for communication engineers since they preserve most of the advantages of both terrestrial and satellite communication systems. Today, SCP systems are able to help, in a more cost effective way, developments of space Earth sensing and weather observation and weather sensing and observation. This new system can provide a number of forms ranging from a low altitude tethered balloon to a high altitude (18 – 25 km) fuel-powered piloted aircraft, solar-powered unmanned airplanes and solar-powered airship.

Submitted in the fulfilment of the requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy: Chemistry, Durban University of Technology, 2016.

The work conducted in this study comprised three aspects: syntheses, characterizations, and multi-component liquid-liquid extractions. The main objectives of the project were: (1) to evaluate the efficacy and efficiency of ionic liquids to extract aromatic components from catalytic reformates and paint solvent wastes, and (2) to validate the method(s) used in this project to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze the aromatic molecules (BTEX) in multi-component mixtures. Therefore, this research critically investigated the major effects of the chosen ionic liquids as extractive solvents for the recovery of BTEX components from model and industrial organic mixtures. The project was concerned with the nature of solvents currently used in most industries for the separation by extraction of aromatic hydrocarbons from non-aqueous or organic mixtures. Most solvents currently employed for this purpose are highly volatile; hence they contribute significantly towards environment pollution. In addition, the extraction efficiency of these conventional solvents is limited only to mixtures containing aromatic hydrocarbons of 20% or more. Furthermore, conventional solvents are organic compounds which are generally toxic, flammable, and expensive to recover or regenerate from extract phases due to methods which involve several steps. In addition, they demand high energy input for the distillation steps. used in the analysis of aromatic components were evaluated for validity. According to the literature no such work was carried out by previous researchers. The study targeted four ionic liquids, namely, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ethyl sulphate [EMIM][ESO4], 1-ethyl-3-methylpyridinium ethyl sulphate [EMpy][ESO4], 1- Butyl-1-methyl-2-pyrrolidonium bromide [BNMP][Br], and 1,1-Dimethyl-2- pyrrolidonium iodide [MNMP][I] in an attempt to address this concern. These ionic liquids were synthesized and characterized in our laboratories using previously accepted methods. After synthesis and purification, they were characterized by techniques including FTIR, 1H-NMR, and 13C-NMR. The densities and moisture content of both the synthesized and standard ionic liquids were also determined using density meters and Karl-Fischer apparatus, respectively. The extractions were carried out on both the model and industrial mixtures using ionic liquids. Each ionic liquid was mixed with a target mixture in a water-jacketed vessel and then stirred vigorously at constant temperature achieved by a thermostatically controlled water-bath. After a selected period of time the operation was stopped and the resulting mixture was left to stand overnight to allow phase equilibration to be reached. The two phases were then separated and analyzed for the content of individual aromatic components in each phase using GC-FID calibrated with external standards of the components present in the mixtures being…

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management Sciences (Business Administration), Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017.

The South African mobile telecommunications industry has grown into a multi-billion rand industry that employs thousands of people and connects millions of people across the globe. In order to accomplish the latter, multi-million rand capital projects must be initiated and successfully executed. It is against this background that this study investigated the factors influencing the effectiveness of project managers in the telecommunications industry in South Africa. The target population of the study consisted of project managers in the five telecommunications companies in South Africa who were registered with Project Management South Africa (PMSA). The primary data, which was collected personally by the researcher through self-administered questionnaires, was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), Version 23. The study revealed, inter alia, that most project managers in the telecommunications industry in South Africa perceived negotiating skills, technical knowledge, and management style as being most important for effectively confronting the many challenges faced by them, inter alia, scope management, quality management, and risk management, so that projects were successfully executed. There was unanimity amongst the project managers that training in project management had a positive impact on the performance of project managers. Although three out of every four project managers possessed a postgraduate qualification, the majority of project managers were of the view that a diploma was adequate to practice as a project manager in the telecommunications industry in South Africa. However, it was more important for project managers to possess project management qualifications. In addition to the above, an analysis of the results revealed that, in order of importance, the effectiveness of the project managers in the telecommunications industry in South Africa was influenced by communication skills, technical skills, education skills, leadership skills, interpersonal skills and negotiating skills.

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Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of (the qualification as per the PG2 form), Human Resource Management, Durban, University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017.

This study evaluated the effect of government expenditure on education attainment in South Africa by assessing the effect of the amount spent by government on education from 1980 to 2014 on human capital development. The study is centred around two objectives: (1) to analyse the effect of government expenditure on education attainment; and (2) to investigate the effect of education attainment on human development. Human capital development was measured using Gross Enrolment Ratio for secondary school, supplied by the South African Reserve Bank. Data on government expenditure on human capital was acquired from the Treasury database. The study draws from the human capital theoretical framework in explaining the effect of education expenditure on human capital development. The findings of the study showed that there is a positive relationship between human capital development and government expenditure. These findings showed a strong relationship between government expenditure and gross enrolment ratio at 99 % confidence interval (p< 0,0001). The theory of human capital is thus confirmed with these findings.

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Submitted in Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Management Sciences: Human Resources Management, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of job satisfaction on organizational effectiveness at Buffalo City College in the Eastern Cape. When job satisfaction levels are low, the organizations efforts to attain organizational effectiveness may be compromised. For any organisation to be effective, it should have satisfied and committed workers. The levels of employee performance may be increased by job satisfaction in an organisation including the further education and training sector. The individual commitment of employees in the workplace may be stimulated by job satisfaction. This means that the satisfaction of employees is necessary for the development of any establishment. A quantitative methodological style was used for the collection of data in this study. The target population consisted of 100 lecturers at Buffalo City College. The personal method of administering the questionnaire was used and a 75% response rate was obtained. The Statistical Program for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24.0 was used for statistical examination. Significant findings emerged from the empirical analysis and results. Some respondents experienced job satisfaction while others experienced dissatisfaction with growth opportunities, pay, working conditions and recognition. The recommendations highlighted that top management should consider improving the working conditions of employees and opening up opportunities for individual advancement of the workers. Further, it was recommended that top management of Buffalo City College should pay a fair salary to the lecturers and involve them in decision making particularly on those things that have a direct impact on them. The study concludes by providing directions for future research.

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Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Management Sciences: Hospitality and Tourism Management, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017.

The study addressed four questions using secondary annual time series data: (1) How is event spend related to economic development? (2) How are the physical attributes of the region (natural capital) related to economic development?(3) How is social cohesion related to economic development? (4) How does human capital influence economic development? The study period starts in 1994 and ends in 2016, accordingly 100 data points were pulled from the time series. Error Correction Model and Ordinary Least Squares were used as analytical tools to test the regression model developed for the study. Economic development is the dependent variable and is represented by tourism employment data sourced from Statistics South Africa. The independent variables are event spend represented by expenditure figures for culture, sports and recreation published by Statistics SA; human capital was measured using gross educational ratio for secondary education accessed from the World Bank database; natural capital was measured using the gross domestic product attained from Statistics South Africa; and social cohesion was measured using social expenditure data acquired from the South African Reserve Bank. The theoretical framework that underpins the study is the geography political theory as espoused by different authors including Collier (2007) and Kollosov (2001). On the basis of this theoretical framework the study seeks to look at the effect of event spend, natural capital, human capital and social cohesion on economic development. The findings of the study show that there is no relationship between economic development, event spend and human capital. However a relationship was established between natural capital and social cohesion. The results of the study will inform policymakers in the allocation of budgets towards major events. It will also contribute to the equitable distribution of resources to promote social cohesion in communities.

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Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the Master’s Degree in Marketing, Durban University of Technology, 2017.

As a result of weaker bargaining power, consumers are often exploited or treated unfairly in the business arena. Whilst consumer abuse is a global problem, South African consumers are more vulnerable due to various socio-economic conditions that affect their ability to negotiate equally in the marketplace. Factors such as poverty and illiteracy contribute to consumer abuse and is perpetuated by the discrimination which was inherent in the apartheid era. Accordingly, the Consumer Protection Act, 2008 (CPA) was promulgated to promote the respect for consumer rights, create awareness, enhance consumer protection and eliminate unfair and dishonest business practices which were prevalent at the time. This study aims to investigate the implications of consumer rights for service delivery within the retail sector. The main objective of this research was to explore the levels of awareness of consumer rights and to identify consumers’ expectations and perceptions of service delivery in relation to the CPA. The research design was quantitative in nature. A questionnaire was designed to assess the levels of awareness of rights and consumers’ expectations and perceptions of the service delivered by retailers, in relation to the service quality dimensions. Using convenience sampling, data was obtained from 337 respondents in the greater Durban area. Data was analysed using SPSS version 24.0 and interpreted using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings of the gap analysis revealed that the respondents’ perceptions of service quality was consistently lower than their expectations, in respect of several dimensions of service quality. These negative gaps indicate that the level of the delivered service had fallen below the respondents’ expectations of service quality amongst retailers. This implies that respondents’ were dissatisfied with business compliance with provisions of the CPA. Businesses are hence encouraged to take steps to ensure legal compliance, thereby enhancing customer satisfaction and attaining higher levels of service excellence.

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Submitted in compliance with the requirements for the Master’s Degree in Business Administration, Durban University of Technology, 2017.

Technology, student diversity, socio-economic factors, student attrition and retention has significantly affected the teaching and learning environment at university. A first-year student’s life is significantly affected by this changing environment and many first-year students at universities experience difficulties adapting to the new environment and being successful in their academic tasks. The aim of this study was to determine the factors affecting the motivation of first-year students in the Department of Construction Management and Quantity Surveying. The study used the quantitative method approach where questionnaires were given to the first-year students and the first-year lecturers (lecturing the first-year students). Questionnaires were administered to 126 first-year students comprising the target population but only 121 completed questionnaires were received. Findings from this study emphasise the need for lecturers to engage in alternate study methods, such as the use of the blackboard and visual aids to assist students. Students need to be adequately informed about the support systems available to them so that they can have a satisfying cultural, social and academic life. There was also a need for better equipped lecturing facilities. The absenteeism of students had a negative impact on the morale of lecturers. Absenteeism has a two-fold effect, in that it disrupts the morale of the lecturer as well as that of the students who attend class. The marketing strategy of both the Department as well as the university needs to be re-visited in terms of recruiting students and in particular the misunderstanding that exists amongst students regarding the different programme offerings. The above issues are critical to ensure a transformative higher education agenda and DUT’s strategic goals of engagement and student centredness. The study recommends that a greater extent of student centredness, student-lecturer engagement and innovative teaching and learning approaches could increase the motivational level of first-year students in the Department.

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Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the Degree of Master of Technology in Public Administration- Peace Studies, Durban University of Technology, 2017.

South Africa has many issues around domestic violence resulting from culture, patriarchy and historical prejudices. It has been suggested that intimate partner violence is mainly perpetrated by men against women, and is an effort by men in a patriarchal society to dominate women. The purpose of this research is to build the capacity of young Zulu men to be non-violent intimate partners. The study utilised the Social Learning Theory and Feminist Theory. The study adopts an Action Research design, the goal of which is to solve concrete community problems by engaging community participants in the inquiry process. A mixed research methodology will be adopted for the study and will involve the use of both qualitative and quantitative data. 50 questionnaires will be administered to 50 Zulu young men between the ages of 18-35 in the Oakford Verulam area, while qualitative data will be obtained through focus group discussions, divided into three groups consisting of nonviolent, previously violent and currently violent men. The findings of this research suggest that there are several factors attributed to cause violence in an intimate relationship and these factors are deeply rooted in the background and upbringing of these men. The findings also suggest that in order to curb violence in the communities one would have to first address the underlying issues and for men to unlearn certain behaviours and traits they learnt during childhood.

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Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master in Technology: Public Administration-Peace Studies, Durban University of Technology, 2017.

Since Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980, the issue of achieving sustainable peace and development has remained a challenge due to a lack of comprehensive approaches to issues of human rights violations. With such a problem, it becomes easy for individuals and society to use violence as a means to an end and, thus, it has become culturally acceptable, not only in political spheres but also in the school sphere. Therefore, this study aims to promote positive attitudes among students to reduce levels of bullying and to enable to realise the prevention mechanisms that exist within themselves through an action research intervention. Action research with a group of ten students was used create awareness on the negative impact of bullying and also the importance of creating and maintaining peaceful schools. Research proved that violent behaviour among students appears to be a serious problem at Prince Edward School and at Cranborne High School. I worked together with students in two schools to design, implement and evaluate a programme designed to reduce bullying behaviour. It is recommended that students, academic staff, police and the Ministry of Education work together to design interventions that include students in reducing bullying in schools.

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Submitted in compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Human Resources, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been recognised as a weapon to survive in global competitive environment. This research paper evaluated the impact of Richards Bay Mineral’s (RBM) corporate social responsibility on communities in the northern region of KwaZulu-Natal. The factors that influence and those that hinders the implementation of CSR initiatives were identified. Strategies that can be applied by CSR managers at RBM in improving stakeholder engagement and communication have been suggested. A quantitative research method was applied in the study. The research sample was selected randomly, using a cluster sampling method and consisted of 250 participants required to complete a Likert scale questionnaire. The questionnaire we distributed to the participants and were collected after two weeks by the researcher. The data was analysed using the statistics package SPSS version 21.0, with the results presented by figures developed in Microsoft Excel and cross tabulation tables. The results of the findings identified factors that influenced CSR initiatives as lack of feedback, communication and stakeholder engagement. Commitment from senior management must be demonstrated at a local level to facilitate community engagement, feedback and monitoring, because the logic of CSR is towards seeing its impact in community socially, environmentally and economically.

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Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Technology: Chemistry, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017.

The thermodynamic properties of mixtures involving ionic liquids (ILs) with organic acid (acetic acid or propanoic acid) or acetonitrile at different temperatures were determined. The ILs used were imidazolium-based: 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ethyl sulphate [EMIM]+[EtSO4]-, 1-butyl- 3-methylimidazolium thiocyanate [BMIM]+[SCN]- and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis (trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide ([BMIM]+[Tf2N]-. The ternary excess molar volume (V E ), isentropic compressibility (ks) and deviation in isentropic compressibility ( ks123 ) were determined for four ternary liquid mixtures of {[EMIM]+[EtSO4]- or [BMIM]+[SCN]− + acetic or propionic acid + acetonitrile} at different temperatures (293.15, 298.15, 303.15, 308.15 and 313.15) K and at a pressure of 0.1 MPa with aid of the experimental density (ρ), speed of sound (u) data. The calculated data were correlated by using the Cibulka equation with the help of Redlich–Kister parameters obtained from fitting the Redlich–Kister equation for the corresponding binary systems. Furthermore, the density and speed of sound were also measured for eight corresponding binary systems at the same experimental conditions. The binary excess molar volume, isentropic compressibility and deviation in isentropic compressibility were also calculated for measured systems and fitted to the Redlich–Kister equation to obtain the Redlich–Kister parameters as well as to check the accuracy of measured data which were used to correlated experimental data using Cibulka equation. These results were discussed, in terms of how the sign and magnitude of thermodynamic functions were influenced by the addition of a third component to liquid systems. Also, the possible molecular and pair-wise interactions between component molecules and the effect of temperature on the thermophysical and thermodynamic properties were predicted. In addition, the work focussed on application of ([BMIM]+[Tf2N]-) ionic liquid for the separations of (alkane/aromatic), (alkane/alk-1-ene), (cycloalkane/aromatic) and (water/alkan-1-ol) using gas- liquid chromatography (GLC) technique. The activity coefficients at infinite dilution, , for 31 organic solutes (alkanes, cycloalkanes, alkenes, alkynes, aromatics, alkanol and ketones) and water in ionic liquid were measured at temperatures of (323.15, 333.15, 343.15, 353.15 and 363.15) K. Stationary phase loadings of (42.83 and 68.66) % by mass were used to ensure repeatability of E , measurements. Partial molar excess enthalpies at infinite dilution, H1 , were also determined. The selectivities, S , and capacities, k , were determined for the above separations. The separating ij j ability of the investigated ionic liquid was compared with previously investigated ionic liquids and industrial solvents such as sulfolane, n-methyl-2-pyrrolidine (NMP) and n-formylmorpholine (NFM).…

Submitted in partial fulfillment for the Degree of Master of Applied Sciences in Biotechnology, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017.

The study aims to assess and compare the concentration of microbial contaminants, their sources and distribution in surface water and sediment, and to determine the impact of seasonal variations and corresponding risks of faecal contamination using conventional and molecular methods. Historical data analysis was conducted using E. coli values from the eThekwini Water and Sanitation (EWS) department for 66 months (2009-2014). E. coli and Enterococci were analysed in surface water and sediment samples using the mFC/ spread plate and Colilert-18 (IDEXX) methods. The impact of seasonal variations was assessed using E. coli and Enterococci data collected during rainfall and no rainfall events, using an auto-sampler and sediment trap in parallel. Conventional standard membrane filtration methods using mFC agar, Slanetz & Bartley/ Bile Esculin and Brilliance E. coli selective agar were compared to the enzymatic Colilert-18 and Enterolert (IDEXX) test methods along the Isipingo and Palmiet Rivers. In addition, comparison of the analytical performance of droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) and qPCR for the detection of Salmonella targeting ttr gene in river sediment samples collected from the four sites of the Palmiet River in Durban, South Africa was done. In order to assess the public health risk associated with exposure of men, women and children to microbial pathogens in polluted surface water during recreational activities, the QMRA tool was employed in relation to the risk exposure to pathogenic E. coli, Campylobacter, Salmonella and Shigella. Also, the risk associated with crop irrigation (on farmers) as well as the consumption of crops irrigated with surface water from the Isipingo river was determined. Analysis of the historical data gave a baseline of the two rivers of interest, thus helps understand the current situation of the rivers enabling researchers to pick up potential gaps. In this study after the analysis of the historical data it was evident that at the Palmiet river, microbial analysis must be conducted around the QRI settlements which is a major pollution source. Also, from this study it was found that sampling points situated close to wastewater treatment plants, pump stations or informal settlements were of major concern, thus were considered for the study. It was found that sediment exhibited higher microbial concentrations than surface water, which was observed in both rivers. Also, rainfall had a significant impact on microbial variability. Higher microbial concentrations (indicator organisms) were observed in surface water after a heavy rainfall as appose to when there was no rainfall. This was due to contamination that is washed off into the river and sediment resuspension. Methodology comparison revealed that Colilert-18 and Brilliance E. coli were more selective compared to mFC agar. Brilliance E. coli /Coliform agar was comparable with…

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration: Peace Studies, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017.

This study was conducted between November 2015 and March 2016 in Nakivale Refugee Settlement, one of the oldest and largest refugee settlements in Africa. The objectives of the study were to determine the forms and causes of land conflicts in the refugee settlement; to establish the relationship between land conflicts and food security in the Settlement; to identify the strategies refugees adopt to cope with land shortage and food insecurity problems in the Settlement; to establish the residents’ perceptions of the effectiveness of interventions aimed at mitigating land conflicts and enhancing food security in the Settlement and its host communities. Interest in the study arose out of the reported persistence of food insecurity and land conflicts despite efforts to ensure food security and restore peace and security in the refugee settlement and the host communities. The study used exploratory, analytical and descriptive research designs to obtain qualitative primary data. Secondary data was obtained through documentary review. Primary data was collected using interviews, focus group discussion and observation. The study found that land conflicts involve the destruction of crops, livestock and even human lives and they sometimes culminate in costly legal battles in courts of law. They pit the Settlement Commandant against Ugandans in the Settlement, pastoralists against cultivators, pastoralists against pastoralists, cultivators against cultivators, refugees against Ugandans and refugees against refugees. The conflicts also oppose host communities against refugees, conservationists against encroachers on protected land and Ugandans in the Settlement against the government. The study also found the causes to be land-grabbing and fraudulent acquisition of, or claims on, land by unscrupulous people, encroachment on others’ land and protected land, high population growth, the presence of vacant land in the Settlement, competition over increasingly scarce land by cultivators and pastoralists, ambiguous settlement boundaries, contested land ownership, jealousy and antipathy. The study further established that there is a strong positive relationship between land conflicts and food insecurity. Violent land conflicts lead to the maiming and death of farmers, destruction of crops and livestock and deterrence of potential agricultural investors from investing in agriculture, thus lowering food production and increasing food insecurity. Land conflicts also render disputed land idle and therefore unproductive, leading to reduced food production; and, within families, land conflicts lead to land fragmentation which leads to reduced food production and increased food scarcity. Regarding refugee coping mechanisms, the study found that refugees in Nakivale resorted to both positive and negative coping mechanisms. Positive coping mechanisms include…

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy: Biotechnology, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017.

Fossil carbon dioxide emissions can be biologically fixed which could lead to the development of technologies that are both economically and environmentally friendly. Carbon dioxide, which is the basis for the formation of complex sugars by green plants and microalgae through photosynthesis, has been shown to significantly increase the growth rates of certain microalgal species. Microalgae possess a greater capacity to fix CO2 compared to terrestrial plants. Selection of appropriate microalgal strains is based on the CO2 fixation and tolerance capability, both of which are a function of biomass productivity. Microalgal biomass could thus represent a natural sink for carbon. Furthermore, such systems could minimise capital and operating costs, complexity, and energy required to transport CO2 to other places. Prior to the development of an effective CO2 mitigation process, an essential step should be to identify the most CO2-tolerant indigenous strains. The first phase of this study therefore focused on the isolation, identification and screening of carboxyphilic microalgal strains (indigenous to the KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa). In order to identify a high carbon-sequestering microalgal strain, the physiological effect of different concentrations of carbon sources on microalgae growth was investigated. Five indigenous strains (I-1, I-2, I-3, I-4 and I-5) and a reference strain (I-0: Coccolithus pelagicus 913/3) were subjected to CO2 concentrations of 0.03 - 15% and NaHCO3 of 0.05 - 2 g/1. The logistic model was applied for data fitting, as well as for estimation of the maximum growth rate (µmax) and the biomass carrying capacity (Bmax). Amongst the five indigenous strains, I-3 was similar to the reference strain with regards to biomass production values. The Bmax of I-3 significantly increased from 0.214 to 0.828 g/l when the CO2 concentration was increased from 0.03 to 15% (r = 0.955, p = 0.012). Additionally, the Bmax of I-3 increased with increasing NaHCO3 concentrations (r = 0.885, p = 0.046) and was recorded at 0.153 g/l (at 0.05 g/l) and 0.774 g/l (at 2 g/l). Relative electron transport rate (rETR) and maximum quantum yield (Fv/Fm) were also applied to assess the impact of elevated carbon sources on the microalgal cells at the physiological level. Isolate I-3 displayed the highest rETR confirming its tolerance to higher quantities of carbon. Additionally, the decline in Fv/Fm with increasing carbon was similar for strains I-3 and the reference strain (I-0). Based on partial 28S ribosomal DNA gene sequencing, strain I-3 was found to be homologous to the ribosomal genes of Chlorella sp. The influence of abiotic parameters (light intensity and light:dark cycles) and varying nutrient concentrations on the growth of the highly CO2 tolerant Chlorella sp. was thereafter investigated. It was found that an increase in light intensity from…

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirement for the degree Master of Applied Sciences in Chemistry, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017.

In this study, molecular modeling was used to investigate the intermolecular interactions between the functional monomer and ketoprofen which is an acidic pharmaceutical that possesses anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities. Ketoprofen is widely employed in medical care for treating musculoskeletal injury. This led to rational design of a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) that is selective to ketoprofen. Density functional theory (DFT) at B3LYP/6-31 level was used to investigate the intermolecular interaction between functional monomers and ketoprofen. Binding energy, ΔE, was used as an indication of the strength of the interaction that occurs between functional monomers and ketoprofen. 2-vinylpyridine (2-VP) as one of the functional monomers gave the lowest binding energy when compared to all the functional monomers investigated. Monomer-template interactions were further experimentally investigated using spectroscopic techniques such as Ultraviolet-visible and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). A selective MIP for ketoprofen was synthesized using 2-vinylpyridine, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, 1,1’-azobis(cyclohexanecarbonitrile), toluene/acetonitrile (9:1, v/v), and ketoprofen as a functional monomer, cross-linker, initiator, porogenic mixture, and template, respectively. The polymerization was performed at 60 °C for 16 h, and thereafter the temperature was increased to 80 °C for 24 h to achieve a solid monolith polymer. The non-imprinted polymer (NIP) was synthesized in a similar manner with the omission of ketoprofen. Characterization with thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that the synthesized polymers were thermally stable and amorphous. Morphology of the particles were clearly visible, with MIP showing rough and irregular surface compared to NIP on the scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The characterization of the prominent functional groups on both MIP and NIP were performed using FTIR and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The existence of hydroxyl was observed in the MIP; this was due to the presence of ketoprofen in the cavity. Prominent carbonyl group was an indication of the cross-linker present in both polymers. The synthesized MIP was applied as a selective sorbent in the solid-phase extraction of ketoprofen from the water. The extracted ketoprofen was monitored by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with UV/Vis detector. Several parameters were investigated for maximum recovery of ketoprofen from the spiked deionized water. The optimum method involved the conditioning of 14 mg MIP sorbent with 5 mL of methanol followed by equilibrating with 5 mL of deionized water adjusted to pH 2.5. Thereafter, 50 mL sample (pH 5) was loaded into the cartridge containing MIP sorbent followed by washing and eluting with 1% TEA/H2O and 100% methanol, respectively. Eluted…

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Applied Science in Food and Nutrition, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017.

Introduction: The nutrition transition is a global phenomenon affected by developing economic prosperity. ‘Nutrition transition’ may be defined as changes in dietary patterns and nutrient intakes occurring in individuals, families, groups of people or whole populations when the food environment and other circumstances change. Post-1994 democratic elections in South Africa, economic laws called for the de-racialization of the economy. As a result of the annulment of the apartheid laws in the 1990s entrepreneurial opportunities became available for black people. Based on the 2011 Census, the middle class constituted 8.3 million (17%) out of the 51 million population in South Africa. Blacks made up 51%, whites 34%, coloureds 9% and Indians 6%. This is a vast difference from two decades prior to this when blacks made up only 3.3% of the population, with coloureds making up 9.1% and Indians 18.5%. In a number of Sub-Saharan African studies obesity has been shown to have a significant link to socio-economic status determined by access to water and electricity, smaller numbers of members residing in one household and increased amounts of money spent on food among other factors, which all promote a tendency to leading a more Westernised lifestyle. The main objective of the study was to determine the anthropometric status and analyse the food consumption of a community of emerging middle income status in Umlazi Township (Ward 84) outside Durban in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Methods: This study had a sample size of n=250 adult men (n=56) and women (n=194) who were heads of households or primary caregivers above the age of 19 years old with households receiving a total household income of more than R100 000.00 per annum/ more than R8000.00 per month. The study was quantitative and descriptive in nature with different tools used to measure the sample population. These included waist circumference and height and weight measurement to determine BMI and WHtR. A socio-demographic questionnaire was completed where the multi-dimensional poverty index (MPI) was established; a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and three 24-hour food recall were also administered to all participants; one weekend day recall and two weekday recalls. Data were analysed on SPSS and nutrient analysis done through Food Finder Version 3 Software and compared to the World Health Organisation standards recommendations for optimal health. Results: The mean age of the group was 52 years old. Slightly more than half (51.6%; n=129) of the population was unemployed. Retired participants made up 27.2% (n=68) of the population. The majority (80%) of the households indicated that between one to three members contributed to the total household income. The MPI of the Ward 84 community amounted to 9.09. The prevalence of obesity was 37.59% (n=21) among men and 76.80% (n=149) for…

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017.

In drug discovery and development of anti-tubercular therapeutics, it is necessary to study the physiology and genetics of the molecular mechanisms present in the Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The virulence of M. tuberculosis is attributed to its unique genome, which contains a high frequency of glycine-rich proteins and genes involved in the metabolism of the fatty acids. Consequently, the presence of a diversity of the pathogenic pathways such as acid tolerance and drug resistance mechanisms in M. tuberculosis makes the treatment of Tuberculosis (TB) challenging. However, the molecular basis of the virulence factors involved in the pathogenesis is not fully understood. Accordingly, the current study focuses on better understanding of the pathogenic proteins present in this bacterium using available computational techniques. In South Africa, there is an alarming increase in the drug-resistant TB in HIV co-infected patients, which is one of the biggest challenges to the current anti-tubercular therapies. An extensive literature search showed that the mutations in the virulent proteins of M. tuberculosis resulted in the development of drug tolerance in the pathogen. The molecular and genetic studies identified frequently occurring point mutations associated with the drug resistance in proteins of M. tuberculosis. Despite the efforts, TB infection is still increasing because different pathogenic pathways in the bacterial system are still undiscovered. Therefore, this study involves an in silico approach aimed at the identification of novel drug resistance implicated point mutations. The site- directed mutations leading to the development of resistance against four first-line drugs (Ethambutol, Isoniazid, Rifampicin, and Streptomycin) were studied extensively. In the primary investigation, pathogenic mutational landscapes were classified in the sequences of the studied proteins. The effects of these mutations on the stability of the proteins were studied using diverse computational techniques. The structural basis of the point mutations with the highest destabilizing effects was analyzed using the principles of the Density Functional Theory (DFT), molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation studies. The varied conformational behavior resulted from these predicted substitutions were compared with the experimentally derived mutations reported in the literature. The outcome of this study enabled the identification of the novel drug resistance-associated point mutations which were not previously reported. Furthermore, a detailed understanding of the conformational behavior of diverse virulent proteins present in M. tuberculosis was also generated in this study. Literature study showed that inside the host’s macrophage cells, the virulent proteins such as isocitrate lyase, lipase lipF, magnesium transporter MgtC, porin protein OmpATb, a…

Submitted in fulfillment of the academic requirement for the degree Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Food Science and Technology, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017.

Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) is an indigenous underutilised leguminous crop to Africa. It is a good source of protein and carbohydrate including starch. Bambara groundnut is a traditional crop grown mainly for subsistence in Southern Africa. Bambara groundnut has the advantage of being drought tolerant and can thrive in hot temperatures and poor soil conditions. Therefore, it has great potential as an alternative crop to soya bean and peanuts for cultivation and utilisation. Bambara groundnut starch can potentially be used for various industrial applications. However, native starches are not suitable for most industrial applications, hence the need for modification. Bambara groundnut starch has been previously modified using physical and chemical modification methods. Natural alternatives such as the use of lipids are being sought to modify starches due to the associated risk with chemically modified starch. In this research, Bambara groundnut starch was modified with lipids to improve functional properties, utilisation and application. Specifically, the physicochemical properties of native Bambara groundnut starch obtained from five Bambara groundnut genotypes and three landraces (maroon, brown and cream) were determined. Bambara groundnut starch was modified with lipids (palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid and lysophosphatidylcholine) and the physicochemical properties of the modified starch were investigated. Further, the influence of high-pressure homogenization on complexation of Bambara groundnut starch with lipids was assessed in comparison with maize and potato starches. Lastly, an application of modified Bambara groundnut starch in biofilm production was also studied. Bambara groundnut landraces generally showed higher amylose contents (approx. 33%) than the genotypes (approx. 28%). Differences were observed in the crystalline patterns of these starches. Bambara groundnut genotypes exhibited the C-type-crystallinity, while the landraces showed the unusual A-type pattern. In terms of functionality, landrace starches showed better swelling than the genotypes. Subsequent studies on modification used maroon Bambara groundnut starch since the amylose content was higher than other landraces and there was a consistent supply of the grains during the period of the study. Generally, Bambara groundnut starch showed higher complexing ability with all the lipids than maize and potato reference samples. These differences in complexing ability among the starches could be due to the variation in amylose contents (Bambara groundnut starch: 31.5%, maize: 22.5% and potato: 24.6%). Fatty acids complexed better with Bambara groundnut starch than lysophosphatidylcholine, which could be due to the structural differences in comparison with the lysophosphatidylcholine molecule. The number of fatty acid in…

Submitted in fulfillment of the academic requirement for a degree in Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Food Science and Technology, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017.

There has been a global increase in fresh produce consumption, due to its attendant nutritional a nd health benefits. On the other hand, increase in the outbreak of diseases, accompanied with health and economic implications, have been traced to this deve lopment. A good number of pathogenic contaminants along the food chain have been identified as causative agent s with Listeria monocytogenes identified as one of such. Among other control strategies, the use of bacteriophage, was recommended as a palliative measure. Furthermore, the a ppli cation of artificial neural networks (ANN) in food safety remains an emerging concept in risk assessment study. Therefore, the aim of this research is to investigate the effect of bacteriophage or phage control and artificial neural network prediction in the inactivation of L. monocytogenes ATCC 7644 on fresh produce. Fresh-cut tomato and carrot were artificially inoculated with L. monocytogenes (108 CFU/ml) and subjected to antimicrobial treatment of Listex P100 bacteriophage (108 PFU/ml), sucrose monolaurate (SML at 100, 250 and 400 ppm), with chlorine (sodium hypochlorite at 200 ppm) used as control. Also, application of ANN to predict the risk effect of antimicrobial treatments of bacteriophage, sucrose monolaurate and chlorine was evaluated on the fresh-cut produce. Mathematical models were developed using a linear regression and sigmoid (hyperbolic and logistic) activation function-(120). Data sets were trained using Back propagation ANN, containing one hidden layer with four hidden neurons. Furthermore, carbon utilization profile of phage-treated L. monocytogenes using phenotypic micro array method was evaluated. In the first phase, susceptibility of L. monocytogenes subjected to certain stress-adapted conditions (acid,-adapted AA, chlorine-adapted CA, heat-adapted HA) and non-adapted-NA to phage treatment inoculated on the fresh-cut produce stored for 10 days at 4, 10 and 25 °C was evaluated. The second phase investigated the combination of bacteriophage and sucrose monolaurate (using chlorine at 200 ppm as control) to inhibit the L. monocytogenes growth on the fresh-cut produce stored for 6 days at 4, 10 and 25 °C. Physicochemical properties (pH, titratable acid-TTA, total soluble solids-TSS, and colour values-CIE L* a* b*) of the fresh produce after treatment were evaluated. In the third phase, ANN as a predictive tool was used to evaluate the risk involved in the relationship among the initial bacterial load, fresh-produce type, antimicrobial concentration and residual bacteria. In the final phase, 100 µL of phage-treated L. monocytogenes was introduced into a 96-micro well plate impregnated with a tetrazolium dye. The Carbon utilization profile was evaluated at intervals of 4 hours for 48 hours using a biolog micro station. Generally, L. monocytogenes grew on both…

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Technology: Business Administration, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017.

This thesis was aimed at developing a model of growth through diversification, for shipping agencies in South Africa, under recessionary conditions. The study adopted a mixed methods approach, in seeking to develop a methodology to meet the aims of the research project; to develop a framework of diversification strategies for the shipping industry. The mixing of quantitative data and qualitative data not only enriched the findings but assisted with validation thereof, while achieving the research aims through the methodology adopted. The theoretical foundation of the study was on the theories of diversification, the theory of human behaviour and other economic principle theories, all of which were sampled among South African corporate executives in the shipping supply chain. Surveys were carried out using two structured research instruments in the form of questionnaires to collect quantitative data, with qualitative data collected through interviews, focus groups and observation. The data were analysed using triangulation to combine the results of the investigation. Statistical analysis was employed for the quantitative research and results illustrated in tables, combined with thematic analysis through qualitative research, to draw conclusions and recommendations on the study. The findings confirmed that there are opportunities for diversification into husbandry services, freight transportation, charterers’ services and other markets along the supply chain. Reasons for diversification among shipping firms include similar resource utilisation to service many functions, diversification to gain market leadership and poor performance in existing markets. The theory is not conclusive about whether related or unrelated diversification affects firm performance. The development of operation Phakisa, to focus on unlocking the economic potential of South Africa’s oceans, has not been addressed and needs more research into its feasibility and likely impact on the South African container shipping industry. There is need for management to mobilise resources, such that they can serve many functions and activities, and to build competences through human resources management. The study is relevant for the shipping supply chain executive, as it contributes to managerial decision-making, in terms of analysing their capability to create and apply knowledge in their competitive strategies.

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Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration – Peace Studies, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017.

Zimbabwe is in dire need of wholesale reform. Gross human rights violations which date back to the pre-colonial period could have been abated in 1980 when the magnanimous policy of national reconciliation promised a new start. The watershed opportunity was, however, lost mainly because no deliberate efforts were made to account for the wrongs of the past in order to start afresh. The result was that Zimbabwe won the independence, but peace remained elusive. This is evidenced in the continued instability, insecurity and uncertainty. The non-retributive pledge had inherent weaknesses; it lacked inclusive participation, hence, no broad ownership. Simply drawing a line between the wounded past and the present, meant burying the past without the prerequisite rituals bent on ensuring non-recurrence. The futility of this blanket amnesty is evident in the sustained legacy of gross human rights abuses and impunity. Political violence has been institutionalised through politicisation of all aspects of life. This research is guided by Lederach’s reconciliation theory which uses Psalms 85:10 to emphasise the importance of commitment in converging the seemingly divergent aspects of truth, peace, justice and mercy into a ‘meeting place’ called reconciliation. Using a mixed methods approach, this research established that the invariably top-bottom approaches massage the symptoms rather than address the root causes of conflicts. The victims’ agitations for revenge and retribution prompted me to design action research processes aimed at engaging the research participants in interactive activities. The action research component aimed at sensitising participants to the merits of letting go of the burdens of the past, and to use scars as reminders of hope and not victimhood. The issues of forgiveness without apology, compensation or even remorse were contentious. However, through give-and-take concessions, the dialogue intervention yielded invaluable by-products such as maximisation of indigenous knowledge systems. Building on the participants’ input, sustainable healing and reconciliation can be achieved through deliberate truth-recovery, the right to justice, reparation, forgiveness and non-recurrence assurances. The research outcomes show that Zimbabwe urgently needs a ‘hybrid’ transitional justice framework based on inclusive participation. Inclusivity is critical because politicians are not necessarily experts in peacebuilding. The yet to be implemented National Peace and Reconciliation Commission can be used as a tool to seek public opinion on how to overcome the entrenched ‘fearology and militarism’ (Oberg 2016) ahead of the watershed 2018 general elections. Uncensored national debates can be used to gather information on the way forward. The multiple merits of Information Communication and Technology should be fully…

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master in Engineering: Mechanical Engineering, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017.

Despite the huge improvements made in the development of vehicle brake pad materials, problems such long stopping distances, noise pollution, and heat dissipation still continue to persist. In this regard, a novel polymer-based hybrid nanocomposite brake pad (HC) has been developed. Here, a combination of carbon-based materials, including those at a nanoscale, was used to produce the brake pad. The coefficient of friction, wear rate, noise level, and interfacial temperature was investigated and compared with that of a commercial brake pad material (CR). It was found that the brake pad performance varied with the formulation of each pad. Hybrid nanocomposite brake pads material exhibited superior performance in most tests when compared to the commercial brake pad. They exhibited a 65% lower wear rate, 55% lower noise level, 90% shorter stopping distance, and 71 % lower interfacial temperature than the commercial brake pad (CR). Furthermore, mechanical properties such as hardness, compressive strength, shear strength, and impact resistance were also evaluated. The material exhibited a 376% higher shear strength, 100% improved compressive strength, 77% greater modulus and 100% higher impact strength than the commercial brake pad. The hardness of both brake pads material was statistically comparable. Additionally, the thermal stability, degradation, water and oil absorption behaviour were measured. It was found that HC brake pad material exhibited a 100% lower water absorption and 80% oil absorption rate. The brake pads also exhibited a thermal stability within the brake pad standard maximum working temperature of 300 -400 0C. The superior performance of hybrid nanocomposite brake pad material observed was due to synergism between the carbon-carbon additives and uniform dispersion of carbon fiber as shown in Figure 4.16. Scanning electron microscopy study was subsequently performed on fracture and worn surfaces of the brake pads. The micrographs show changes in the structural formation after the incorporation of carbon based fillers. It also shows the smooth structure and uniform dispersion of the carbon fiber. The smooth surface of the worn brake pad is an indicative of a harder structure. No ploughing or score marks were evident. Hence, it was deduced that the reinforced had superior mechanical and tribological properties. These improved properties are suggestive of materials that may be successfully used for brake pad application.

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Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of Master's Degree in Chemistry, Durban University of Technology, 2017.

DNA damage plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) therefore, an innovative ss-DNA/dopamine/TiO2/FTO electrode strategy was developed to detect the genotoxicity upon photocatalytic reactions. This study involves a computational and electrochemical investigation towards the direct measurement of DNA damage. Computational chemistry was useful to resolve the intricate chemistry problems behind electrode constructions. The computational protocols were simultaneously carried out comprising of density functional theory (DFT) calculations, Metropolis Monte Carlo (MC) adsorption studies, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The DFT calculations elucidated the structural, electronics, and vibrational properties of the electrode components resulting in a good agreement with the experimental parameters. The MC simulations carried out using simulated annealing predicted the adsorption process within layer-by-layer electrode as well generating reliable inputs prior to MD simulations. A 100 ns MD simulations were performed using a canonical ensemble provided information on the thermodynamics parameters such as total energy, temperature, and potential energy profiles, including radius of gyrations and atomic density profiles. Binding energies calculated from the MD trajectories revealed increasing interaction energies for the layer-by-layer electrode, in agreement with the electrochemical characterization studies (i.e. gradual decrease of cyclic voltammogram (CV) as well as increasing diameter of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) semicircle upon electrode modification). The higher binding energies may lead to smaller changes in the electrochemical polarizability which directly affect to the decreasing of redox peak current and charge transfer resistance enhancement. Instead, HOMO-LUMO DFT levels are also taken into account to explain electron transfer phenomena within layer construction leading to the alteration of CV behaviours. Experimentally, the ss-DNA was electronically linked to TiO2/FTO surface through dopamine as a molecular anchor. Electrochemical measurements using cyclic voltammetry and EIS were employed to characterize the electrode modifications. The square wave voltammetry was subsequently used to measure the DNA damage and the potency of antioxidant treatment using ascorbic acid (AA) due to its ability in protecting the DNA from the damages. The presence of AA significantly protected the DNA from the damage, therefore was able to be used as a potential treatment in AD. Theoretically, guanine residues predicted by DFT as the most reactive sites of the ss-DNA involved in the genotoxic reactions. Overall, the theoretical studies successfully validated the experimental study as well as providing the molecular basis of interaction phenomena towards electrode constructions. Our results highlight the potential application of this methodology to…

Improving on our construction practices to promote sustainable development in engineering and to promote eco-friendly living is vital in the fight against global warming and associated problems. This study looked at one of the ways in which engineering can contribute to this fight through promoting the recycling of waste by-products such as fly ash (FA), on a larger scale in the cement and concrete industry, by utilizing the FA to the optimum. In this study concrete mixes of 25 MPa, 35 MPa and 50 MPa with FA partially substituting the cement at 30%, 40%, 50% and 60% were produced and numerous tests were performed to determine the optimum amount of FA that can be used and still obtain better or comparable concrete to ordinary concrete. Testing for concrete properties was conducted under laboratory conditions over a period of one year. In addition, a cost comparison between ordinary concrete and FA concrete was undertaken. The results obtained show that the increase in FA content influenced the rheological properties of fresh concrete favorable. The recorded slump increased with the increase of FA content. Increasing the FA content prolonged the setting of concrete, with the ordinary concrete taking 1 hour 45 min to set, compared to more than 2 hours for FA mixes. The FA increase had negligible effects on the air content of the concrete mixes. The drying shrinkage of concrete increased with the increase of FA content, with the strain ranging from 0,045% to 0,56%. The compressive strength results show that the control mixes with 30% FA content attained the highest compressive strength over a year. In some cases, the 40% FA strength was compatible to the 30% FA strength. The durability index results showed the control mix of 30% FA attaining better results for Oxygen Permeability Index and Sorptivity Index, with the 40% FA mix following closely. The higher FA content mixes (50% and 60%) attained better Chloride Conductivity results than the lower FA content mixes. Increasing the FA content does affect the performance of the concrete at early stages, however concrete with acceptable strength and good durability qualities can be produced even with 50% FA volume. Increasing the FA content can also significantly reduce the cost of producing and working with concrete. The practice of utilizing higher FA content in concrete can be beneficial for the South African cement and concrete industry without compromising the quality of the cement products concrete structures.

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Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the Degree of M.Tech.: Chemistry, Durban University of Technology, 2017.

The presence of dyes in effluent poses various environmental as well as health hazards for many organisms. Although various remediation strategies have been implemented to reduce their effect, dyes still manage to infiltrate into the environment and hence new strategies are required to address some of the problems. This study investigated the innovation of two cationic water-soluble polymers viz., Proline-Epichlorohydrin-Ethylenediamine Polymer (PEP) and Thiazolidine-Epichlorohydrin-Ethylenediamine Polymer (TEP) that were used to remediate selected synthetic dyes from synthetic effluent by adsorption and dye reduction. Both polymers were synthesized using monomers of a secondary amine, epichlorohydrin and ethylenediamine and were subsequently characterized and modified and their remediation potential studied. In the first study, PEP was synthesized and characterized by 1H-NMR Spectroscopy, FT-IR Spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Thereafter PEP was modified with bentonite clay, by simple mixing of the reactants, to form a Proline-Epichlorohydrin-Ethylenediamine Polymer-bentonite composite (PRO-BEN); it was characterized by FT-IR Spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM)/ energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Adsorption studies were then undertaken with a synthetic effluent containing three textile dyes, viz., Reactive Blue 222 (RB 222), Reactive Red 195 (RR 195) and Reactive Yellow (RY 145). Various conditions were investigated including pH of the solution, temperature, sodium chloride concentration, initial dye concentration and the dosage of adsorbent used. The experimental data for all dyes followed a Langmuir isotherm. The adsorption process was found to be pseudo-second order. According to the thermodynamic parameters, the adsorption of the dyes was classified as physisorption and the reaction was spontaneous and exothermic. The data were also compared using studies with alumina as an adsorbent. Results showed that PRO-BEN exhibited better absorptivity and desorption than alumina making its use a better recyclable remediation strategy for the removal of organic dyes in wastewater treatment plants. In the second study, TEP was synthesized and then characterized by FT-IR Spectroscopy, 1H-NMR Spectroscopy, TGA and DLS. Thereafter, TEP was used to prepare TEP capped gold nanoparticles (TEP-AuNPs). Herein, two methods were investigated: the Turkevich method and an adaptation of the Turkevich method using bagasse extract. The TEP-AuNPs was characterized by FT-IR Spectroscopy, SEM, EDX, DLS and TEM. Thereafter the reduction of each of Allura Red, Congo Red and Methylene Blue was investigated with the TEP-AuNPs for its catalytic activity toward dye reduction. This study showed that the batch of AuNPs prepared by the…

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, 2017.

Title: A profile of patients presenting with spinal pain at Mahalapye and Shoshong World Spine Care clinics in Botswana Background: Spinal pain such as low back and neck pain, are common and can cause severe long term pain which results in a major burden on individuals and health care systems (Woolf and Pfledger, 2003; Hondras et al., 2015a). Low-income countries often have few resources for adequately addressing musculoskeletal (MSK) pain (Louw et al., 2007). Thus, World Spine Care (WSC), a non-governmental organization, opened two clinics in Botswana to help improve spinal health care by providing access to MSK specialists (Haldeman et al., 2015). These clinics have been functional since 2012, and to date the profile of patients attending these clinics has not been investigated. Studies on patients attending chiropractic clinics have been carried out internationally (Hartvigsen et al., 2002; Giles et al., 2002; Coulter and Shekelle, 2005; Holt and Beck, 2005; Mootz et al., 2005; Sorensen et al., 2006; Garner et al., 2007; Stevens, 2007; Rubinstein et al., 2008; Martinez et al., 2009; Ailliet et al., 2010; Lischyna and Mior, 2012) and locally (Benjamin, 2007; Jaman, 2007; Mohamed, 2007; Venketsamy, 2007; Higgs, 2009; McDonald, 2012; Hitge, 2014), and yet very little information exists on the patients presenting to clinics in the public sector of Botswana. Demographic and disease profiles of patients vary by clinical setting, from country to country, and within regions of the same country (Hoy et al., 2010a). Thus, this study aimed to determine the demographic and disease profile of spinal pain patients attending the WSC clinics in Mahalapye and Shoshong in Botswana. Method: A retrospective, descriptive study design was used to extract data from the WSC patient files at the Mahalapye and Shoshong WSC clinics from 1 November 2012 to 31 March 2016. The research proposal was approved by the Institutional Research Ethics Committee (IREC); REC 53/16 (Appendix A), WSC (Appendix B) and Botswana MoH (Appendix C). Patient files included had provided consent for their files to be used for research purposes (Appendix F). Data recorded included demographic characteristics, factors related to spinal pain, the presenting complaint and the presence of co-morbid conditions. The data was analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) version 24.0. Descriptive statistics in the form of graphs and cross tabulations were used to describe the demographic and disease profile of the spinal pain patients. Inferential statistics like chi-square, Fischer’s exact test for categorical variables and Independent student’s t tests for numerical variables were used to determine differences between the two clinics. A p-value of less than 0.05 was used to indicate statistical significance (Singh, 2016). Results: The sample size was 65%…

Submitted in fulfilment of the academic requirements for the Degree of Master's in Chemistry, Durban University of Technology, 2017.

Hydrotalcites (HT) and hydrotalcites-like (HTLc) compounds were synthesized by the co-precipitation method under low supersaturation. The synthesized binary Mg-Al hydrotalcites and ternary Cu/Mg-Al hydrotalcite-like compounds were characterized by various physico-chemical techniques such as inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform- infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and BET surface area analysis. Elemental composition generated from ICP-OES data revealed a value of x in the region of 0.25 to 0.33 for all the compounds except for the MgAl-11 sample which revealed an x value of 0.5 while XRD patterns exhibited characteristic features indicative of an ordered layered material. FT-IR spectra confirmed the presence of characteristic functional groups and interlayer anions. Only Cu2+ which has a d9 configuration was accountable for the bands identified in UV-VIS spectra, whereas both Mg and Al with their d0 electron configurations showed no absorptive bands in the UV-VIS spectra. During thermal treatment by TGA, typical weight loss of Cu-Mg/Al HTLcs with temperature elevation was observed. The SEM images clearly demonstrated that all the Cu-Mg/Al HTLcs retained their characteristically layered structure morphologies. The BET surface area measurements showed no trend, however the surface area decreased with an increase in the copper concentration in some cases. For the heterogeneous hydroxylation of phenol using H2O2 as an oxidant, several reaction parameters such as solvent systems, catalyst amount, temperature, substrate/oxidant ratio, time and solvent volume were investigated. The product stream, monitored by gas chromatography showed that catechol (CAT) and hydroquinone (HQ) were the main products. Non-catalytic (blank) experiments were investigated to determine whether the reactants and the internal standard contributes to the conversion of phenol without the use of a catalyst. All blank reactions showed very low phenol conversions which were less than 1%, whereas the Mg/Al HTs showed low phenol conversions as well. All the Cu-Mg/Al catalysts showed measurable phenol conversion with Cu-Mg/Al-51a giving the highest conversion of 29.9% and a 56 and 44% selectivity towards CAT and HQ, respectively. The Cu-Mg/Al-15b catalyst, which had the lowest copper concentration, showed the lowest phenol conversion of 8.3% with a 55 % CAT selectivity and 45% HQ selectivity. In general, the phenol conversion increased with an increase in copper concentration. This reinforced the hypothesis that copper was the active centre in this reaction, since no measurable conversion was observed with Mg/Al HTs.

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Submitted in fulfillment of requirements of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Food and Nutrition, Durban University of Technology, 2017.

The focus of this study is to develop a capacity building programme that prepares students for service learning (SL) with the purpose of developing social responsibility and active critical citizenship underpinned by a social justice paradigm at a University of Technology (UoT). In developing countries such as South Africa that still experience severe injustices and inequality of access to, for example, certain services such as health services, it is impossible to ignore issues of human and social development and poverty reduction when promoting the university’s role in development. The developmental role of HEIs has been reinforced through the introduction and formalization of Community Engagement (CE) as a core function of higher education together with teaching and learning and research. When examining the role of universities in educating students for social responsibility and critical citizenship, it is evident that the biggest area of growth of CE has been in the form of Service Learning (SL) and community service. The study posits that in the South African context of HEIs, the potential for fostering, specifically critical discourse and creative thinking exists in what are termed as traditional universities because of the nature of the varied disciplines offered at these institutions. On the other hand, UoTs focused predominantly on the technical study field and on training students for the market place. The emphasis on Work Integrated Learning (WIL) and industry placements narrowed the focus and excluded insights into South Africa’s diversity and socioeconomic issues in the curriculum. The concept of social responsibility within a social justice paradigm is a foreign concept at UoTs in particular. To facilitate SL within a social justice paradigm and to address issues of injustice and inequality in SA at universities, the question that needs to be asked is: how should the preparation of students be shaped to adequately prepare them to become justice-orientated, socially and civically responsible students without compromising their work preparedness? This bigger question leads to the specific question of the study, which is: if the department of Food and Nutrition Consumer Sciences at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) is to develop justice orientated, socially and civically responsible students, what theoretical and philosophical considerations should guide the development of a SL capacity building programme? To achieve the purpose of the study the following objectives were identified: firstly, establish the effectiveness of the current preparation of Food and Nutrition students for SL to foster justice-orientated social and civic responsibility; secondly, determine the theoretical and philosophical considerations that should guide the development of students’ justice-orientated social and civic responsibility through SL in the field of Food…

Submitted in fulfilment of the qualification of Master's Degree in Food and Nutrition, Durban University of Technology, 2017.

Aim The purpose of this study was to investigate the nutritional status of adolescent girls attending a private high school in Durban and included an investigation of what food the girls consumed on a daily basis and an account of physical activity they participated in within a one-week period to determine a relationship between the variables. Methods Adolescent girls were selected as part of a convenience study at a private high school. A total of 225 adolescent girls aged 13-18 years were surveyed for nutritional status and dietary intake as well as physical activity levels. The parent/ caregiver of each girl who participated was interviewed to ascertain socio-demographic indicators. Data was collected by interviewing the adolescent girls and the parents/ caregivers using pre-designed and pre-tested questionnaires. Weight and height were measured, physical activity levels were identified through the use of a physical activity questionnaire and socio-demographic data was collected by means of a questionnaire. Dietary intake data was gathered over two week days and one weekend day by using a 24-hour recall questionnaire and a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Results The majority of the participants were from well-off, financially stable families with good living conditions and well-educated and employed parents/ caregivers who provided a more than adequate variety of food and regular meals every day. The girls were of normal BMI (72.2%) and collectively had a mean BMI of 21.9, lower than the South African national average found for adolescent girls. There was a surprising number of underweight individuals (12.6%) as compared to overweight girls (10.3%). Furthermore, 99.6 percent of the girls were of normal height-for-age (≥-2 <+3SD) but were consuming far less energy than is required for the allocated age category. Energy came from the normal recommended macronutrient range with fat being on the borderline higher end of the normal range and carbohydrates coming from the lower end of the normal range; protein sources were adequately consumed. Fruit and vegetable consumption was reported to be very low subsequently leading to the poor dietary fibre intake identified across the sample group. Supplementation is taken by nearly a third (32.7%) of the girls which may contribute to their overall nutritional wellbeing. Among the top twenty foods consumed, milk, sugar, bread, tea and lettuce were the top five foods in the order stated. Although a wide variety of foods was consumed across all nine food groups over a week period, a mean daily DDS was lower but still adequate with 5.5 and the quantity of foods consumed were not of a substantial enough amount leading to poor total energy consumed and some micronutrient levels such as calcium, magnesium and folate not being met. All the participants were seen to be fairly physically active, performing a wide variety of sporting…