Spatial analysis of elements at risk and household vulnerability to landslide hazards on Mt. Elgon, Uganda
August 2017
Landslide hazards have in the last 10 years become more prominent on the Mt. Elgon ecosystem in Uganda often culminating into disasters. In this study, the community was assessed on their vulnerability to landslide hazards and the efficacy of existing institutional mechanisms with a view of improving resilience and disaster risk reduction. The study area was selected based on historical information of landslide...
Spatio-temporal dynamics of land use practices on rivers in tropical regions: A case study of Ruiru and Ndarugu Basins, Kiambu County, Kenya
August 2017
Land use dynamics are known to cause considerable modifications to the environment with broad and sometimes severe impacts on water quality and aquatic natural resources. In this study, the impacts of land use practices on water quality were estimated during the dry and wet seasons in Ruiru and Ndarugu Rivers, Kenya using remote sensing, geographic information systems and statistical techniques. A total of 12 sampling...
Evaluating the environmental law and energy policy dimensions of land-grabbing
August 2017
This article seeks to investigate whether concern for food security and investment liberalization are the principle drivers of land-grabbing in Africa. The investigation demonstrates that, in addition to food security concern, climate change and energy security considerations have been key catalysts arousing hunger for farmland, forests, and fisheries resources in Africa. In particular, certain provisions of the United...
Waste management in the case of Bahir Dar City near Lake Tana shore in Northwestern Ethiopia: A review
August 2017
Urbanization is a global phenomenon with more pronounced consequences on waste management in developing countries. The rate of infrastructure development is mostly outpaced by the rate of waste generation. Bahir Dar city, as a rapidly urbanizing city in the southern part of Lake Tana, is not an exception. On top of production of more wastes, the waste management practice is challenged by low prioritization of waste...
Effect of cement factory on land use-land cover in Obajana Lokoja Local Government Area, Kogi State, Nigeria
July 2017
Land use-land cover (LULC) is a vital phenomenon for the understanding interactions between the environment and human activities. In order to study and manage the resultant changes, it is pertinent to map different themes from time to time. The study focuses on the effect of the location of cement factory on land use-land cover in Obajana Community, Lokoja Local Government Area Kogi, Nigeria. The study employed...
Hydrogen sulfide and ammonia removal from biogas using water hyacinth-derived carbon nanomaterials
July 2017
The presence of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and ammonia (NH3) in biogas pose serious human health and environmental challenges. In this study, H2S and NH3 were successfully removed from biogas using water hyacinth-derived carbon (WHC) nanomaterials. Carbonization temperature, biogas flow rate, mass of the adsorbent and activating agent (KOH/water hyacinth (WH)) ratio were found to greatly influence the efficiency of the H2S...
Effects of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) on follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, testosterone, and estradiol hormone levels in reproductively mature male pigs
July 2017
Aflatoxin is a major food contaminant, with adverse effects on the physiology of both humans and animals. Exposure to aflatoxins has been known to pose a great threat to both humans and animals, particularly, in the tropics, with varied pathophysiological effects. This research focused on the effects of aflatoxin BI on the pituitary-gonadal axis of pigs, an area that has not fully been investigated since most studies...
Electric energy generation from a floating dome type biogas plant at a ranch in the southeast of Mexico
July 2017
Ranches of Mexico’s southeast region have an important energetic potential on their organic waste that remains unexploited. The objective of this work is to present the construction and operation of a floating dome “Biodigester” in a ranch located in Jalapa, Tabasco, Mexico, in addition to the analysis of produced biogas and its electric energy generation. The construction was based in the...
Another decade of water quality assessment studies in Tanzania: Status, challenges and future prospects
July 2017
Increased population pressure and environmental stressors have amplified research on water quality both locally and globally. In Tanzania, water quality assessment is a mature discipline, with an over four-decade history. In this article, studies on water quality assessment in Tanzania from 2006 through 2016 are reviewed. The approach used is to scan selected publications to gather data and information on types and...
Kinetic analysis of anaerobic sequencing batch reactor for the treatment of tannery wastewater
June 2017
A pilot scale anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR) was operated at different organic loading rate (1.03, 1.23, 1.52 and 2.21 kg.m-3.d-1) in order to determine the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal and methane production kinetic models. The system was operated at mesophilic temperature. The wastewater was fed using submersible pump in every twenty four hours and agitated with hydraulic pump for fifteen minutes in...
Impacts of bacterial pollution on hand-dug well water quality in Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria
June 2017
This study investigated the effect of bacterial pollution on ground water quality in Enugu urban areas. During the study, samples were collected from ten (10) hand-dug wells (W1-W10c). Five (5) hand dug wells out of ten (10) were used as control. All samples were taken according to methods described by Federal Ministry of Water Resources (2004). Membrane filtration (MF) method was used to enumerate total coliforms (TC),...
Geoelectrical logging for well screening in prolific aquifers in Ubima, Ikwerre Local Government Area, River State, Nigeria
June 2017
Geoelectrical logging was conducted in two well locations in Ubima community, Niger Delta, Nigeria. Self-Potential (SP) and Resistivity (Short Normal and Long Normal) logs were employed. Two points each in wells 1 and 2, respectively, were tested to determine the porosity (ɸ), permeability, k and the total dissolved solids (TDS) in the aquifer by derivation from electrical conductivity (EC). The results show that for...
Using Citizen Science Approach to monitor water, sanitation and hygiene Related Risks in Karonga Town, Malawi
June 2017
Relatively few studies have explored how resilience of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) systems to hazards can be enhanced under the current and future development and climatic challenges pressures in urban areas. This study employed the citizen science approach to build the capacity of citizens and integrate communities into scientific research on water quality and WASH related risk monitoring. Data was collected...
Seasonal macrophyte diversity and water quality in an urban wetland
June 2017
The ecosystem services of encroached urban wetlands that receive wastewater and surface run-offs have become more challenging due to climate variability. Our study assessed the seasonal macrophyte diversity and water quality of the streams flowing into and out from Pece wetland in Gulu Municipality. The macrophyte species in the wetland were sampled along five transects. Water samples from the streams were also...
Bioremediation of soil and water polluted by cyanide: A review
June 2017
Cyanide is a chemical that is widely distributed in the environment, mainly as a result of anthropogenic activities. Only small quantities are naturally produced. Most industrial activities use this chemical compound for manufacturing a product as electroplating or for extracting gold. Exposure to cyanide results in negative health impacts to the wildlife and humans. In nature, cyanide occurs in several species and...
Deforestation in power line construction in the Central African Region
June 2017
Power transmission lines in forest regions like the southern parts of Cameroon are subjected to numerous failures arising from natural hazards, including earth faults and line ruptures provoked by swaying or falling neighbouring trees and their branches. To pre-empt this problem, those trees which represent a potential threat to the operation of the power line must be eliminated. Deforestation during line construction...
Review on heavy metal pollution in major lakes of India: Remediation through plants
June 2017
The historical lakes of India are getting over burdened with the loads of pollution due to the rapid growth of small scale industries, nutrient enrichment and other anthropogenic activities. The high concentrations of metals in the water bodies, their entry into ecological food chain and the resulting health effects are of great concern to the researchers in the areas of ecology. Due to the problems associated with the...
Coupling chemical coagulation and photodegradation on titaniferous sand for the treatment of tobacco effluents
May 2017
Over the last decades, the world production of cigarettes has increased considerably. However, the industrial production generates large quantities of colloidal effluents consisting of toxic and recalcitrant compounds. Thus, taking account the colloidal aspect of the effluent and the persistence of some compounds, this study aims at coupling chemical coagulation and photodegradation on titaniferous sand to treat...
Activity concentrations and dose assessment of 226Ra, 228Ra, 232Th, 40K , 222Rn and 220Rn in soil samples from Newmont-Akyem gold mine using gamma-ray spectrometry
May 2017
In this study 14 soil samples were measured for natural radioactivity levels including radon-222 (222Rn) and radon-220 (220Rn) concentration at Akyem-Gold Mine premises, surrounding communities in Ghana. Both radon and radioactivity concentrations of radium-226 (226Ra), thorium-232 (232Th) and potassium-40 (40K) were determined by means of gamma spectrometry system equipped with high purity germanium detector. The...
Physicochemical properties of soils and some water sources on the Eastern Flank of Mount Cameroon
May 2017
Human activities such as agriculture, construction of houses and automobile workshops and natural processes alter the properties of soils and water which affect the health of plants, animals and humans. This work was therefore, aimed at investigating some physicochemical properties of soils and some water sources on the Western Flank of Mount Cameroon with altitude and selected natural and/or anthropogenic activities....
Underscoring the role of Nigerian rural women in environmental protection: Lessons from Makarfi in Kaduna State, Nigeria
May 2017
Despite the role that rural women in Nigeria play in protecting the environment, not many studies acknowledge their contributions. As part of efforts to highlight women’s contributions, this study interviewed 60 women between the ages of 20 to 60 on how important the environment is to their livelihood and how they protect it. Fifty percent (50%) of the women identified as farmers, forty percent (40%) as traders,...
The effect of Amaranthus hybridus on fluoride removal by iron (III) salts as fluoride coagulants
April 2017
The use of iron (Fe) (III) salts as fluoride coagulants in water is challenged by the requirement of high pH for maximum efficiency. At their natural pH, these salts have low fluoride removal efficiency. This study examines the effect of amaranth plants on enhancement of the defluoridation efficiency of Fe (III) salts as coagulants. Amaranthus hybridus plants were suspended in fluoride water treated with varying...
Enhancing benefits from biomass wastes within small-medium scale coffee processing factories in Kiambu County, Kenya
April 2017
Coffee processing is associated with various sustainability challenges largely due to high water and energy demand, biomass waste generation and lately low returns to farmers. The number of farmers actively involved in coffee production in Kenya is declining. Despite this trend, this paper reports on the potential of maximising benefits to coffee farmers by using coffee processing wastes (pulp and husks) in energy and...
Identification and classification of clayshale characteristic and some considerations for slope stability
April 2017
It is very necessary for clay shale layer to slake for durability. The identification and classification of clayshale should be considered based on slope design. Several locations of clayshale slopes were stable during the construction of Cipularang Highway 97 + 000 km, West Java, Indonesia. However, they experience landslides after some time. Therefore, material properties and shear strength characteristics of...
Latrine utilization and associated factors among kebeles implementing and non implementing Urban Community Led Total Sanitation and Hygiene in Hawassa town, Ethiopia
March 2017
A major public health problem in developing countries including Ethiopia is related with poor sanitation and hygiene. Globally, over 2.5 billion people are still without access to improved sanitation. In 2010, 15% of the population still practice open defecation. The main objective of this study was to compare the latrine utilization rate and identify determinant factors among kebeles implementing and not implementing...
Determination of heavy metals concentrations within the ever growing Lake Baseka, Ethiopia using spectrophotometric technique
March 2017
The ever growing saline lake Beseka is located at the northern end of Main Ethiopia Rift; MER. The levels of some selected heavy metals (Pb, Cr, Cd, Fe, As and Mn) were determined in water sample collected from 5 sites of the ever growing Lake Beseka by systematic random sampling methods and analyzed spectrophotometrically for its suitability for drinking, irrigation and other domestic purpose. The results of the heavy...
Analysis of physiochemical characteristics influencing disposal of pit latrine sludge in Nakuru Municipality, Kenya
March 2017
On-site sanitation facilities, mostly pit latrines are the main points of human excreta disposal in peri-urban low-income settlements in Kenya. Collection, treatment and final disposal of pit latrine faecal sludge, pose a significant management problem and present public health risks. The choice of appropriate faecal sludge treatment technology depends on precise region based data on the sludge characteristics that are...
Comparison of solids in effluent from pulping kenaf stem with formic acid and sodium hydroxide
March 2017
The pulp and paper industry is the sixth largest polluter discharging a variety of gaseous, liquid and solid wastes into the environment. This pollution mainly arises due to chemicals used during production, so this study compared these two chemicals to determine the better one for a cleaner production process. A dewatered kenaf stem was cooked in the 20, 60 and 90% concentrations of formic acid and sodium hydroxide at...
Pollution by endocrine disrupting estrogens in aquatic ecosystems in Morogoro urban and peri-urban areas in Tanzania
February 2017
This study aimed to assess the extent of pollution of aquatic ecosystems by endocrine disrupting estrogens particularly the ethinylestradiol (EE2), estrone (E2) and estradiol (E1). The study was carried out in Morogoro urban and peri-urban areas. The main sources of fresh water for domestic uses, fishing and agricultural activities in the study areas including the Mindu dam catchment area, Ngerengere and Morogoro Rivers...
Residents’ perception of solid waste disposal practices in Sokoto, Northwest Nigeria
February 2017
Proper waste disposal is a key to protecting public health. Thus poorly managed and disposed waste encourages breeding of insect vectors and exposed public to increase risk of infection. This study aimed at determining the residents’ perception about waste disposal in Sokoto metropolis. This was a descriptive cross-sectional survey conducted in Sokoto metropolis. A two stage sampling technique was used to...
Environmental fate of pesticides applied on coffee crops in southeast of Brazil
February 2017
The aim of this paper was evaluate the environmental fate of pesticides applied in coffee crops in southeast of Brazil, using the level I fugacity model. Chemical and physical characteristics of the pesticides were considered in different environmental compartments and applied fugacity equations. The preliminary evaluation of contamination risk due the use of pesticides in coffee crops, using fugacity models, proved to...
Effect of degradation on microbiological and physiochemical parameters of domestic wastewaters from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria
February 2017
Domestic wastewater from ten (10) different residential halls in the Federal University of Technology, Akure were collected and analyzed by considering microbiological and physiochemical characteristics and their degradation with time. Pour plating technique was used for the microbiological analysis, physico-chemical parameters were assayed using the American Public Health Association methods, while degradation was...
Effects of different fertilizers on methane emission from paddy field of Zhejiang, China
January 2017
Methane (CH4) emissions from Chinese paddy soil (Zhejiang province) were measured over the rice growing seasons. Different fertilizers (organic and chemical) were applied, emissions of methane were high during two periods (05 days after peak tillering and 07 days after heading flowering stage) and significant effects of fertilizers were observed. Methanogenic activities in soils treated with organic manure were...
Aerobic mineralization of selected organic nutrient sources for soil fertility improvement in cambisols, Southern Ethiopia
January 2017
Application of organic nutrient sources ONS for soil amendment may have an enormous advantage that improve nutrient cycling in soil–plant relations. The amount and rate of nutrient release from plant residues depend on their quality characteristics and biochemical composition of the ONS. An Aerobic Mineralization study was conducted in green house experiment to determine the N release dynamics of Erythrina...
Eggshells – assisted hydrolysis of banana pulp for biogas production
January 2017
In this study, pretreatment of banana pulp using eggshells in both calcined and un-calcined forms to examine the extent of hydrolysis was conducted. Reactor CO containing banana pulp and inoculum but with no eggshells added was used as the control, while reactors C1, C2, C3, C4, and C5 containing banana pulp and inoculum were spiked with 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 g of un-calcined eggshells and calcined eggshells, for experiment...
Effect of discharges from re-channeled rivers and municipal runoff on water quality of Opa reservoir, Ile-Ife, Southwest Nigeria
January 2017
Over the years, there is a direct linkage of township drains and streams to the Opa reservoir, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria. Hence the spatial and temporal variations of the reservoir’s water quality were studied between November 2012 and October 2013 to investigate the effect of these discharges on these. Physical, chemical as well as the oxygen parameters of the water were investigated using...
Comparative study of soil physical characteristics of Jaipur district, Rajasthan
January 2017
Increasing trend in the frequency of natural events like floods and drought, etc. due to increasing urbanisation has led to degradation of the ecosystems. A major flood in year 1981 in Jaipur district resulted into huge erosion of the top fertile soil and leaving the land unproductive for agriculture production. The present study was carried in Jaipur district of Rajasthan state to measure physical characteristics of...
Preliminary study on climate seasonal and spatial variations on the abundance and diversity of fungi species in natural plantation ecosystems of Ile-Ife, South West, Nigeria
January 2017
The biodiversity assessment of fungi and the knowledge of the forces that controls the distribution of fungi and their community are becoming more important in the light of climate change and variability. Fungi provide the global foundation for plant as mutualists, decomposers and pathogens. This study deals with the primary screening, characterization and seasonal variations of mycoflora, isolated from medicinal, oil...
The earthquake/seismic risk, vulnerability and capacity profile for Karonga town
January 2017
The study was carried out to understand the risks posed by earthquakes in Karonga based on roles and perception of stakeholders. Information was collected from several stakeholders who were found responding to earthquakes impacts in Karonga Town. The study found that several stakeholders, governmental and non-governmental department and organisation operate in Karonga District to respond to hazards and disasters that...
The impact of septic systems density and nearness to spring water points, on water quality
January 2017
Worldwide, 1.1 billion people do not have access to clean water and as a result, 2 million children die annually due to preventable waterborne diseases. In Uganda, 440 Children die every week of waterborne diseases. High prevalence of this death is reported in the peri urban areas. It is still unclear however the causes of water pollution in the peri-urban areas. The improper use of onsite sanitation facilities such as...
Biosorption of fluoride ion from water using the seeds of the cabbage tree (Moringa stenopetala)
January 2017
Conventional water treatment technologies for the removal of fluoride ion may not be feasible for developing countries due to their high investment and operational costs. The aim of this study was therefore, to investigate the fluoride biosorption potential of the seeds of the cabbage tree (Moringa stenopetala). The influence of Moringa dosage, pH, contact time, and initial concentration of fluoride ion was...
Hydrogeochemical and isotopic characterization of the groundwater in the Dababa area (Chad)
December 2016
The Central-African country of Chad, located in the Sahel-Sahara zone, faces diverse shortages of portable water. The only reliable source of water available for drinking, domestic and agricultural use in the Dababa Division is groundwater. Conventional hydro-geochemical and isotopic methodology, coupled with piezometric data, allowed investigators to identify the numerous process affecting not only water quality, but...
Role of indigenous knowledge systems in the conservation of the bio-physical environment among the Teso community in Busia County-Kenya
December 2016
The indigenous knowledge systems are a significant resource which would contribute to the increased efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability in environmental conservation among rural communities of developing countries in particular. They form the basis for community-level decision making in areas pertaining to food security, human and animal health, education and more important in natural resource management....
The potential impacts of climate change on hydropower: An assessment of Lujeri micro hydropower scheme, Malawi
December 2016
Climate change has the potential to affect hydropower generation by either increasing or reducing flows (discharge) and the head. This paper assessed the impacts of climate change on hydropower generation with a focus on Lujeri micro-hydropower scheme in Mulanje district, Malawi. The study analyzed trends in weather time series (air temperature and rainfall) data from 1980 to 2011 in connection to changes in river...
Land use/cover change and perceived watershed status in Eastern Uganda
November 2016
This study assessed the current status of Awoja in Ngora district of Eastern Uganda. Remote sensing, household survey, In Pac S methodology and focus group discussions were used to acquire data from April to July, 2015. Landsat satellite imageries from 2007 and 2013 were acquired by USGS Earth Explorer to quantify land use/cover changes. Five land use/cover types were identified namely; (1)...
Applicable international environmental impact assessment laws for the Niger Delta Area of Nigeria
November 2016
The Niger Delta Area of Nigeria has undergone several alterations in her environment through various projects development including oil and gas exploration, dredging and mining activities. These activities have continued to impact the environment as relevant organs of the government deliberately down play the relationship between environmental degradation/pollution and project developments. Though, there are plethora of...
Importance of soil physical characteristics for petroleum hydrocarbons phytoremediation: A review
November 2016
Petroleum and petrochemical hydrocarbons for some places are serious sources of environmental pollutants. To remediate these contaminants, phytoremediation, a relatively low cost and an environmental friendly technique is recommended more widely, now more than ever. Successful and effective applying of hydrocarbons phytoremediation depends mainly on the soil and plant types and conditions and microbial activities and...
Air pollution emission inventory along a major traffic route within Ibadan Metropolis, southwestern Nigeria
November 2016
Increasing road congestion and high traffic volume is often times an indicator of atmospheric air pollution. Ibadan, being the largest metropolitan city in southwestern Nigeria, experiences steady influx of vehicular movement on daily bases. The situation is made worse as a greater number of these vehicles are old and poorly maintained. This study therefore investigated the likely impact of high traffic volume along a...
The determinants of squatter development in Southern Aba Region of Nigeria
November 2016
Squatter developments are settlements predominantly composed of makeshift structures, often constructed on cheap or vacant land. Squatter development in Southern Aba Region of Nigeria constitutes nonconventional housing, constructed by the urban poor- predominantly the rural migrants and migrants from the main city of Aba, Port-Harcourt and Uyo. This study examined the determinants of squatter development in Southern...
Characterization and classification of clay minerals for potential applications in Rugi Ward, Kenya
November 2016
The applications of various clayey minerals are related to their structural, physical and chemical characteristics. The physical and chemical properties of the clayey minerals dictate their utilization in the process industries and beneficiation required before usage. The study aimed at establishing the potentiality of clayey minerals from the study area, and the possibility of exploring and exploiting them in order to...
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