Community perception of heavy metal pollution and related risks in Lake Victoria Wetlands, Uganda
May 2023
Wetlands contributing a wide range of livelihoods to the riparian communities are progressively challenged with compounding heavy metals pollution. Controlling the negative impacts of the associated toxicants and adherence to policy implementation requires increased awareness among the local communities. This study investigated the socio-economic variables determining community risk perception of heavy metal pollution...
Investigation of parameters influencing gas production and gasification kinetics of Ziguinchor biomass
April 2023
This study presents the gasification of three types of biomass residues (wood, stem and shells) under CO2 and water steam, using the different analyses X-ray fluorescence (XRF). Generally, the experiments are carried out using XRF installations and a fixed bed reactor system. The tests are carried out on wood, stems, and shells, because of their energy contents (Lower heating value LHV), and their high availability in...
Giant African land snails (Achatina achatina and Archachatina marginata) as bioindicator of heavy metal pollution
April 2023
It is important to always monitor the bioaccumulation potential for heavy metals by organisms especially the edible ones, to assess their potential risk to human health. This study evaluated the bioaccumulation of heavy metals in the shell and soft tissues of snails. Forty snails each were purchased from Ikire and Ore towns. The snails’ shells, feet, digestive tracts and glands were analysed for bioaccumulation of...
Ecosystem modification and land use change in South East Nigeria: Realities and prospects for conservation
March 2023
Ecosystem modification is increasing in scale and presents the need to provide suitable conservation strategies to address dearth in policy guidelines. This work elucidated the dynamics of land use change, prevalent forest use and policy, and conservation strategy. Geometrically rectified satellite imagery data were processed for 40 years; covering three epochs. Questionnaires were distributed across four locations: 50...
Microbiological quality of stream and borehole water in Lushoto District, Tanzania
March 2023
A study was conducted to assess the microbiological quality of water in two streams and three boreholes from Sunga and Mbaru wards in Lushoto district, Tanzania. Water samples were collected in duplicate from the streams and boreholes. Three locations were selected along the stream including unpopulated forest areas, highly populated and less populated areas both with agricultural activities. Analysis of data was done...
Benthic macroinvertebrates in the biomonitoring of a Nigerian coastal water
February 2023
Most coastal waters are exposed to high influx of pollutants due to the obvious elevated human activities. In order to adequately evaluate the extent of toxicity of contaminants in the ecosystem, and their synergistic effects, marine ecologists prefer biomonitoring to chemical approach. The benthic macroinvertebrates, due to their sedentary mode of life and residence at the sediment-water microcosm, are regarded as the...
Pollution assessment of light rare earth metals in sediments of the Ogun River
February 2023
This research was aimed at determining the concentrations of light earth metals in sediments of the Ogun River as well as their pollution and contamination status. Sediment samples collected using a graduated hand held sediment grab were stored in polythene bags and transported to the laboratory in an ice chested cooler. At the laboratory, the sediment samples were air dried, pulverized and sieved. Induced Couple Plasma...
Optimal extraction process of flavonoids from Suaeda salsa by response surface methodology
January 2023
Suaeda salsa is a genus of Salicaria in the Chenopodiaceae family. S. salsa is mainly distributed in coastal areas, growing in saline-alkali soil. Flavonoids are found in Salicyphala salicyphala and have various functions, such as lowering blood glucose, resisting mutagenesis and improving immunity. It was found that flavonoids also had antioxidant effects, and the study of antioxidant activity of flavonoids became the...
Multifaceted analytical flood risk assessment in major tributaries-river benue basin-Taraba State, Nigeria
January 2023
Tracking the changes in the river basin system and identifying areas susceptible to flood disasters is an inclusive step in flood hazard control and management. This research analyzed the spatial variability of rainfall and physiographical attributes of the main tributaries of River Benue in Taraba with the aim of identifying areas susceptible to flooding on the basins. The spatial data subjected to WLC approach...
Perception of native arid nature in urban surroundings by young urban educated dwellers in Jordan
January 2023
More than 33% of the Earth’s land surface is considered arid or semi-arid regions, whereas drylands occupy up to 41.3% of the land surface. Increasing urbanization and technological advances cause a disconnection between the built environment and native nature. Also, although species of arid regions are characterized by a high degree of adaptation, they are rapidly moving toward extinction. Since one’s...
A targeted resource, the giant freshwater prawns "Macrobrachium species" in the Mangrove Marine Park in D.R. Congo
January 2023
This study provides information on the environment, modes of access and exploitation of Macrobrachium species, the level of capture, the operators and their organization. The data collected through interviews and direct observations revealed that Macrobrachium spp. are caught on the banks of the Congo River near the islands of Kimuabi, Malela and Mateba in Zones A and B of the Mangrove Marine Park (PMM). This fishery is...
Biological removal of iron from groundwater in a pilot column on a filter support material with coated jujube seeds
December 2022
A co-flow pilot filter with a packing support material (coated jujube seeds) was constructed and tested for the biological removal of iron from Senegalese groundwater. Indeed, it is a PVC tube with an internal diameter of 40 mm and a height of 90 cm. The performance of the filter was tested at a constant hydraulic head of 261.67 m3/m2 per day while the iron feed concentrations varied between 0.5-1, 0.5-1.5 and 0.5-2...
Comparative study of improved treatment of oil produced-water using pure and chemically-impregnated activated carbon of banana peels and Luffa cylindrica
December 2022
Produced water (PW) during oil and gas production operations contains various hazardous substances including heavy metals (HM) with adverse impact on the environment. Disposal of PW interferes with environmental sustainability, making PW treatment obligatory prior to discharge into the environment. Among previously available treatments of PW, environmentally sustainable methods using low-pore space bio-adsorbents...
Determination of effective organic baiting technique for harvesting of termites (Macrotermes Bellicosus) for use as alternative protein for poultry
November 2022
Experiments at Mbaga hills of Siaya County in Kenya were aimed to determine the most effective organic baiting technique for mass harvesting of Macrotermes bellicosus. Around two separate mounds, 5 treatments replicated 3 times, using earthen pot and plastic containers with maize stocks, eucalyptus stems, lantana camara twigs, Napier grass and rice husks, were set up. Termite counts, at 6.00 am and 6.00 pm, and data on...
Increasing soil condensation capacity for agricultural purposes
November 2022
The issue of water scarcity in many parts of the world, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, is a major dilemma. The amount of moisture for plants is not comparable to rain, but in arid areas, it is a huge contribution to plant water supply. In this research, the effect of using Peltier to improve soil condensation by performing several tests was studied in order to investigate the possibility of increasing soil...
Evaluating SWAT model for streamflow estimation in the semi-arid Okavango-Omatako catchment, Namibia
November 2022
A semi-distributed hydrological model was used for runoff estimation in the Okavango-Omatako catchment in Namibia. The model was configured for a 31-year period from 1985 to 2015. Subsequently, calibration and validation processes followed using the SUFI-2 algorithm. For evaluating catchment simulation, two methods were used: i. model prediction uncertainty measured by P-factor and R-factor and ii. Model performance...
An analytical assessment of brick moulding processes and its impact on local ecosystems, biodiversity, environment and human health in a rural Zimbabwean village
November 2022
Climate change, environmental degradation, loss of biodiversity, changes in the ecosystem and disasters play an important role in the development and economic advancement. In Zororo Village, Zimbabwe, environmental degradation, changes in the ecosystem and biodiversity have occurred rapidly during the last few decades. A literature review, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions were the methodologies used...
A comparison of selected heavy metals in soils mixed with domestic and industrial sludges and assessment of effects of the sludge pollutants on oxidative stress markers of the African kale (Brassica oleracea var acephala) grown using sewage sludge manure
October 2022
Sewage sludge is used as fertiliser and contains nutrients required for plant growth. It also contains contaminants that can leach into crops. The effects of sewage sludge on kale plants were investigated. Mixture ratios of 50:50 and 20:80 for soil and sludge were prepared. The soil-sludge blends were analysed for selected metal residues. Kale seedlings of 10-13 cm were planted on the different soil-sludge combinations....
Essential and potentially toxic trace elements in selected antimalarial plants: A pilot study in Kilembe copper mine catchment, Kasese District, Uganda
October 2022
Majority of people in rural areas of Uganda and other malaria-endemic parts of the world use medicinal plants to treat the disease. This study documented medicinal plants used to treat malaria around Kilembe copper mines and assessed the presence of essential and potentially toxic elements. Household surveys and key informant interviews were carried out while anti-malarial plants were sampled, prepared and...
Impact of dust accumulation and deposits on polycrystalline solar panel: Case of Senegal
September 2022
This study focuses on the Sahel, one of the areas with the highest concentration of desert dust, with source areas having fine particle emissions in Chad, Niger, Mauritania, etc. It also includes areas of subsidence of air masses that promote the deposition of dust, such as Senegal. It turns out that the countries of Sahel are among the poorest in the world. They have a relatively low electrification rate. However, this...
Contaminated land management policy transfer: Drivers and barriers within the Nigerian context
September 2022
Barriers to successful transfer of contaminated land management policy from one country to another include socio-cultural, economic and environmental differences. While weak contaminated land management regimes desire effective legislation and make efforts to transfer policies from established regimes, contextual differences or characteristics between the two countries involved is a key challenge. These differing...
An appraisal of phytoremediation as an alternative and effective remediation technology for crude oil- contaminated soils: A review
August 2022
The review investigates phytoremediation as an alternative environmentally-friendly method of cleaning and restoring hydrocarbon contaminated soils. Phytoremediation is a ‘green’ technology that exploits the natural ability of green plants to remove, degrade or suppress contaminants in soils, sludges, sediments, surface-water and ground-water in an ecologically-friendly manner. Its processes are stimulated...
Use of ciliated protozoans in the saprobic evaluation of hydrosystems in an equatorial zone (South region of Cameroon)
August 2022
Agriculture, which accounts for 70% of water abstractions worldwide, plays a major role in water pollution. Resulting pollution poses risks to aquatic ecosystems and humans. With the aim of evaluating the saprobic state of four hydro systems subject to pollution from intensive rubber cultivation, the present study was carried out within and around the Hevecam rubber plantation in Niete, South Region of Cameroon. The...
Modeling and simulation of reactors in plug flow reactor (PFR) and Packed Bed Reactor (PBR) series for the conversion of methanol into hydrocarbons
August 2022
The aim of this paper is to size the PFR reactor and to deduce the likely useful mass of the catalyst in the PBR for the production of hydrocarbons such as propane, butane and pentane from methanol via dimethyl ether (DME). The use of these reactors would require kinetic analysis, material balance, energy balance and then sizing. The interest in the chemical catalytic conversion of synthesis gas to gasoline suggests...
Environmental implications of pesticide use and application practice on beekeeping: Evidence from Gudeya Bila Woreda of East Wollega Zone in Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia
July 2022
The existence of honeybees within the ecosystem is crucial in worldwide agricultural production. Exposure of these insects to residues of many contaminants or poisonous materials like plant protection products (pesticides) causes death or reduces their activity. This study aims to assess the status of pesticide application, its use and possible impacts on bee communities in East Wollega Zone of Oromia Regional State,...
Vegetation dynamics in a fragile ecosystem in relation to land use: The case of the dune cordon of Namaro, southwestern Niger
July 2022
In southeast Niger, the degradation of the environment led to the reactivation of moving dunes that threatens infrastructure, fields, and river with silting. To stabilize the dune cordon of Namaro, which is heavily cultivated and grazed, anti-erosion devices: living hedges and grassland has been developed. The objectives of this work are then to characterize the impact of grassland and hedges on floristic diversity and...
Diet study of Nannothrissa stewarti (Poll & Roberts, 1976) Clupeidae in Lake Mai-Ndombe, Democratic Republic of Congo
June 2022
In order to determine the diet of Nannothrissa stewarti in Lake Mai Ndombe, 667 specimens with total length between 9.0 and 49.84 mm were studied. These fish were sampled by active fishing during the 24 h cycle between September 2018 and October 2021. The vacuity (%) and intestinal coefficients were 38.71% and 0.69 ± 0.03, respectively, classifying N. stewarti as invertivorous. The calculated feeding indices...
Towards a sustainable electronic waste management in Uganda: A stakeholder perspective
June 2022
The management of electrical and electronic waste (E-waste) requires a collaborative approach against unsustainable electronic waste management. This paper attempts to assess the role of E-waste actors in regard to E-waste management sustainability by evaluating their course of action. It proposes an E-waste management conceptual framework based on key stakeholders and validates it with 346 top government employees in...
Recycling Mwea irrigation water for sustainable agriculture
June 2022
Declining quantity and quality of irrigation water coupled with increasing water demand are serious challenges facing paddy rice production in the world. Reuse of agricultural waste water is increasingly popular in paddy systems but few studies have been done with regards to its quality and effects on soil productivity and environmental risks. The aim of this study was to assess the suitability of effluents from the...
Effects of climate variability on local communities living in and around Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda
June 2022
This paper explores the effects of climate variability on local communities living within and around Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP), their coping mechanisms, and challenges encountered. Data was collected from 250 respondents through questionnaires administered to small holder farmers, salt miners, and fisher folks, as well as in-depth interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) held with selected households in...
Effect of a modified lifetime model on e-waste generation in Nigeria under defined reuse options
June 2022
Reliable data on e-waste generation is important for environmentally sound management systems. This study models e-waste generation from existing data on electrical electronics imports, consumption and e-waste generation from Nigerian households. Structured questionnaires were used to obtain information on Electrical Electronic Equipment (EEE) use, reuse, and disposal from households in Nigeria households. Data from...
Impact of environmental features on the distribution of Marcusenius species (Pisces, Mormyridae) in Malebo Pool of Kinshasa in the Congo River
May 2022
The current anarchic exploitation of Marcusenius fish in the Malebo Pool located in the Congo River stands as a threat of extinction to certain species, while the ecology of most of them are hardly known. This study aims at evaluating the impact of environmental factors on the distribution of Marcusenius fish caught in six fishing stations in the Malebo Pool. Canonical correspondence analysis of environmental factors...
Effects of water level on plant characteristics in a restored wetland and referenced natural wetland in Wakiso, Uganda
May 2022
Wetland restoration success is dependent on the likeness of both structure and function of the restored wetland systems comparable to reference sites. Assessing the success of restoration is reliant on the monitoring and evaluation of the restored system overtime as was done with Nakyesanja, a restored wetland, and Kiryagonja, a referenced natural wetland in Wakiso District, Uganda. The objectives of this study were to...
A comparative analysis of MODIS-derived drought indices for Northern and Central Namibia
May 2022
Namibia is a semi-arid country with erratic and unpredictable rainfall. Extreme weather patterns, such as floods and extensive droughts, have become more common in recent years, with strong impact on surface and ground water availability, rangeland and agricultural productivity, food security, and further land degradation, such as bush encroachment or soil erosion. The previous 10 years were characterized by a perennial...
Potential of biochar for clean-up of heavy metal contaminated soil and water
April 2022
Heavy metals exist in the environment naturally aside those due to anthropogenic impact. These metals are removed from effluents and water using different techniques like adsorption, oxidation/reduction, chemical precipitation, membrane separation, filtration and ion exchange. Biosorption is very effective because it is highly renewed naturally, is cheap, and can remove metals greatly because the pollutant can be...
The effectiveness of Moringa Oleifera seed coagulant in reducing the turbidity and modifying the physico-chemical characteristics of water
April 2022
Moringa oleifera plant is unique due to its coagulation effect on turbid water. However, the extent to which the seed’s powder coagulant changes the physico-chemical characteristics of treated water has not been discussed in previous studies. In addition, there are limited data and information on the optimum concentration of M. oleifera seed powder coagulant and the nature of the sludge that forms after the...
Assessing the role of community members in waste disposal in Lilongwe - Capital City of Malawi
March 2022
The study assessed the roles of community members on community level waste disposal in the city of Lilongwe in Malawi. The communities are basically low income and densely populated where a lot of people depend on small scale businesses. The study used a mixed methods approach. The target population was the community members of eighteen years of age and above. The sample size was 40 and the participants were selected...
Trace metal contamination of groundwater and human health risk in Katuba and Kenya municipalities of Lubumbashi city, Southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo
March 2022
Trace metal contamination of groundwater was assessed in Katuba and Kenya municipalities of Lubumbashi city in 2016 and 2017 to determine whether water was suitable or unsuitable for human consumption. Two hundred and four groundwater samples collected from twenty spade-sunk and four drilled wells in both municipalities were analyzed for their trace metal contents using a sector field inductively coupled plasma mass...
Chemical characterization of Kenyan Cupressus lusitanica Mill., Ocimum americanum L. and Lippia Javanica (Burm.f.) Spreng essential oils
February 2022
The study was designed to chemically characterize essential oils from Kenyan Cupressus lusitanica, Ocimum americanum and Lippia javanica and bio-prospect for new compounds as possible biocontrol agents of insect pests. Leaf essential oils of the three test plants were obtained by hydro-distillation. GC-MS analysis of leaf oils revealed that monoterpenes were the major group of chemical constituents in all plants. In C....
Adoption of climate change friendly New Rice for Africa (NERICA) varieties among farmers in Mwea West Sub-county, Kenya
February 2022
Climate change and inefficient water utilization have led to marked fluctuations of the mean rice crop production in sub-Sahara Africa. In order to improve food security and households’ income, adaptation strategies to climate change such as the adoption of new rice varieties are inevitable. This study examined the farmers’ perception and adoption of climate change friendly New Rice for Africa in Mwea West...
Optimizing community participation in the management of Yala Wetland Ecosystem, Lake Victoria Basin, Kenya: The Yala Hub Framework
January 2022
Wetlands are particularly important environmental assets whose sustainability requires meaningful participation of the riparian communities in their management. Yala Wetland is an important resource whose key challenges involve land and water resource use for competing interests which prompted Siaya and Busia County regional Governments to initiate preparation, a Land Use Plan (LUP)/Strategic Environmental Assessment...
Variability of the magnetospheric electric field due to high-speed solar wind convection from 1964 to 2009
January 2022
Focusing on the classification of solar winds into three types of flux: (1) slow winds, (2) fluctuating winds, and (3) high speed-solar winds HSSW (V ≥ 450 km/s on average day), the influence of the convection electric field (EM) via the flow of HSSWs during storms in the internal magnetosphere and on the stability of magnetospheric plasma at high latitudes was investigated. The study involved 1964-2009 period, which...
Isotherms, kinetic and thermodynamic studies of methylene blue adsorption on chitosan flakes derived from African giant snail shell
January 2022
In the present study, modeling of 19 adsorption isotherms, 8 kinetic models and thermodynamics of methylene blue (MB) adsorption on chitosan flakes synthesized using Archachatina marginata shell wastes was investigated in a batch mode. The operational parameters’ effects on the MB adsorption were studied. The model parameters were statistically analyzed using 10 error functions. The choices of the best fitted...
Characterizing groundwater vulnerability in developing urban settings using DRASTIC-LuPa approach: A case study of Aba City, Nigeria
December 2021
The impact of certain unregulated land-use activities harms the quality of water resources and reduces the sufficiency of drinking water in many developing countries. This study aimed to capture the impact of such activities and evaluate the specific groundwater vulnerability using a modified DRASTIC approach. The DRASTIC-LuPa was proposed and implemented for Aba City, Nigeria by incorporating land-use and the...
An analytical assessment of climate change trends and their impacts on hydropower in Sondu Miriu River Basin, Kenya
December 2021
Hydropower is cost effective environment friendly and worldwide proven sustainable energy source. Driven by streamflow stream flows, it is vulnerable to climate change and land use change. The hydropower production from the two-existing run-of-river hydropower projects on the Sondu Miriu River are vulnerable to rainfall variability and requires proper understanding of the climate change trends and policies to support...
Phenology and mechanisms of the early upwelling formation in the southern coast of Senegal
December 2021
Mechanisms of the interannual variability of upwelling onset dates on the Petite-Cote of Senegal are investigated using daily NEMO model data outputs and NOAA ocean surface temperature observations (OISST). We first determined the phenology (onset dates, end dates, duration and occupied area of the upwelling) over the Petite-Côte located in south of the Senegalese coast. Our results show that upwelling in the...
Uroclhoa mosambincensis: A potential native phytoremediator for soils contaminated with arsenic
December 2021
Industrial development has caused the contamination of the environment, leading to biodiversity loss and human health concerns. The use of native plants and/or their associated microbiota is a sustainable solution for reducing or transforming contaminants into less harmful forms. This study was conducted to evaluate the remedial potential of Uroclhoa mosambincensis in soils contaminated with arsenic. In a greenhouse...
The environmental impact of landfill fires and their contaminant plumes at the Chunga landfill site, Lusaka, Zambia
December 2021
The management of solid waste is recognised as a challenging activity with respect to the environment, particularly within rapidly growing urban centres in Lower Income Countries. This paper examines the issue of landfill-waste-generated fires and resultant pollution plumes sourced within the Chunga Landfill Site, Lusaka, Zambia. The authors present the results of a geospatial analysis research programme to map and...
Spatio-temporal dynamics of land use on the expansion of coffee agroforestry systems in Cameroon’s production basins
November 2021
Diachronic analysis of satellite images was used to assess the spatiotemporal dynamics of land use and land cover change in the coffee production basins of Cameroon, located in the forest agro-ecological zones (Moungo and Haut-Nyong) and the highland humid savannah (Noun). A survey of farmers was carried out to identify land use and changes in the area of coffee agroforests over time. While the period 1980 to 2001 was...
Use of effective microorganisms to enhance cost-effective biogas purification at the household level
November 2021
This study investigated the use of effective microorganisms (EM) to enhance cost-effective biogas purification at household-level application. It involved experimental setups for biogas purification in two different runs: 4 L activated EM and 1 L dormant EM by bubbling biogas through EM purification units. Biogas composition was analyzed using an industry-standard biogas analyzer. The results indicated that EM has the...
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