This study aimed at evaluating the potential biogas production from four main sources, in terms of the volume of methane for energy production and the equivalent avoidable carbon dioxide emissions in 2020 through to 2030. It was based on the projection of methane production from common livestock and poultry manure, possible landfills, wastewater treatment plants, and palm oil mill effluent. This paper uses sound and reliable methodology to estimate the biogas potential of these major resources, which could lead to significant achievement in environmental sustainability via biogas generation and carbon dioxide emission reduction. The results showed that a total of 690.7 million m3 and 848.74 7 million m3 of methane could be obtained from all the sources considered in 2020 and in 2030, respectively, which translates to about 1.84 TWhel and 2.28 TWhel. It also meant that a total carbon dioxide equivalent emission of 12.36 million tCO2-eq and 15.82 million tCO2-eq could be avoided in 2020 and 2030, respectively. The results of this study therefore, show the remarkable contribution that biogas technology can make, as well as serve as an immediate technical information for policies makers, government agencies, and potential investors on the development of biogas technology in Ghana. Significant achievements can be made when comprehensive attempts are made so as to provide sustainable energy by integrating and improving livestock rearing, application of comprehensive solid and liquid waste management system and usage of best practices for managing agro-processing residues, which are integral part of the socio-economic activities in Ghana.
Malaria has long been a cause of human suffering and mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Ethiopia. The objective of this study was to assess the spatial distribution of malaria risk using MCE (Multi-Criteria Evaluation). To analyze and generate a spatial malaria risk level distribution map. Factors that affect the spatial malaria hazard and risk distribution have been considered. Such as; temperature, rainfall, altitude, slope, distance from the river, population density, and land use land cover factors were selected to produce a malaria risk map of the Didessa district area. GIS based multi-criteria evaluation method applied using weighted overlay analysis by considering three map layer factors (i.e. malaria hazard map layer, element at risk map layer, and vulnerability map layer), an optimum malaria risk map is produced. The malaria risk map result shows that 0.68%, 36.2%, 30.1%, 27.52% 5.5% of the study area falls under very high, high, moderate, low, and very low spatial malaria risk levels respectively. Our findings indicate that malaria is heavily influenced by major environmental parameters and socio-economic factors and these factors play a vital role either directly or indirectly in the occurrence of this vector-borne disease. In conclusion, 36.88% (31034.88 ha) of the study area has a high potential risk of malaria disease manifestation and occurrence. The result of this report indicates that there are high malaria risk areas in the district. This ascertains the communities living in those areas are prone to the disease. Therefore, there is an urgent need to prevent and progressively reduce malaria disease distribution through policy formulation and health care implementation in prioritized areas. This study is useful to use as a guideline for further research study in combating malaria distribution, particularly in developing countries.
This study assessed the factors which influenced households' choice of waste disposal methods using cross-sectional data of 547 households from seven districts in the Brong-Ahafo region of Ghana. Indiscriminate dumping of solid wastes in open spaces by households was the pivotal method of disposal of solid wastes that was analysed using economic theories related to consumption behaviour. We established that large household sizes were associated with increased likelihood of open dumping of solid wastes. Increased likelihood of open dumping of solid wastes by households was also linked to the lack of formal education or schooling of the household head, the availability of electricity inside the premises of the house, which encouraged production activities within the household, and open defecation. Urban households were less likely to engage in open dumping of solid wastes as compared to rural households. The other factors that reduced the likelihood of open dumping of solid wastes were generally in the area of quality of housing services; these were the availability of water inside the household premises, the number of sleeping rooms available to the household, and higher quality of housing services revealed through the willingness-to-pay for rents by householders. Finally, Guan-headed households were less likely to engage in open dumping of solid wastes than non-Guan-headed households, especially those living in rural areas. Rural Guan-headed households had the lowest proportion of open dumping of solid wastes.
While much emphasis has been placed on scientific and policy issues in forest management, there is a lack of clarity on users’ perspectives concerning the implementation of scientific forest management. To clarify this nuance, this study explores users’ opinion on scientific forest management implementation, focusing on four criteria—ecological, social, economic, and technical. Twelve key informant interviews and six focus group discussions were conducted in three selected communities within Nawalparasi District. This was further complemented by six expert interviews. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was employed to rank within and between groups of developed factors and their criteria. Users’ identified increased forest products (58%), community development (55%), employment opportunities (65%), and intense silviculture management (51%) as the dominant factors linked to the ecological, social, economic, and technical criteria, respectively. For between groups, economic (52%) and social (33%) criteria got the highest ranking. The findings suggest that the long-term success of this modality cannot be achieved if the users largely view it as economically and socially profitable. This study calls for tailor-made interventions to enhance ecological and technical knowledge linked to scientific forest management. The paper also makes a succinct request for further studies (including quantitative investigations) to ground this assertion.
Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans collectively named dioxins, have long been investigated in numerous ways in their formation and presence in diverse types of matrices, e.g.,, air, soil, food, milk, and tissue, and their effects on human health among others. In the 1970s and 1980s, dioxins and other hazardous pollutants were found to be excessive in the environment prompting a global concern on its restriction and elimination. By year 2000, curbed industrial releases had remarkably lowered dioxin emission. However, dioxin emission continued to be a hazard from non-industrial sources such as forest fires, domestic combustion, and vehicles. In South East Asia, frequent peat fires may have leadingly contributed to the dioxins level in the environment. The objective of this review is to compile related data on dioxins in peats and to theorize the possible source and their formation.
The main objective of this study was to assess the current pollution status of environmentally concerned heavy metals in the surface soil within the vicinity of the Katima Mulilo urban open land wastewater disposal centre. Multiple top soil samples (at 0–10 cm depth) were collected at four different points fortnightly over five sampling days from June to July 2018. The samples collected at each point were pooled together, homogenized and 12 sub-samples (<2 mm soil fraction) were obtained for laboratory digestion according to EPA method 3050B. Then, the digestates were analyzed for the heavy metals’ concentrations using ICP-OES (Perkin Elmer Optima 7000 DV). The results revealed consistent pattern with Fe recording the highest mean concentration (mg/kg) at each sampling point while Cd recorded the lowest mean concentration. Result of analysis of variance of the metals’ mean concentrations differed statistically (p < 0.05). The sites contamination revealed that the Point source > A200m > B400m > Control site, but the potential ecological risk indices revealed environmental low-risk levels (Er <40). Apart from Arsenic which showed moderate contamination at the point source, the geo-accumulation indices of the heavy metals mainly revealed uncontaminated to moderately contaminated levels (0 < Igeo < 1). Generally, the mean concentrations of the heavy metals were lower than the WHO’s maximum permissible limits for the protection of human and ecosystem’s health. However, due to their environmental persistence, non-degradable and bio-accumulative characteristics, heavy metals are potential toxins. Therefore, we recommend periodic monitoring of the metals levels and advising precautionary measures to minimize unintended human exposures to excessive metal contents.
This study analyses the current supporting laws, regulations, strategies, national action plans, NDCs, scientific literature and other documents and policies in Vietnam to identify the barriers against the effective implementation of mitigation and adaptation agriculture activities committed in Vietnam's NDC. It also identifies the redundancies and synergies between climate action and green growth plans of the country. As a result, the study found that there is a strong supporting legal framework for implementing NDC actions in Vietnam. However, challenges and gaps are identified in awareness and technical capacity; coordination and resource allocation; downscaling to the provinces; engagement of private sector and NGOs; regulatory framework, which are critical to NDC implementation. A set of key recommendations are proposed on how to address the challenges raised by identified barriers are developed.
Mine tailings are the byproducts of the mining industry. For many decades these tailings used to be stored in specially formed tailings ponds. This method of storage has caused several environmental disasters, coupled in some instances with human fatalities. These catastrophes prompted a change in the management strategy of tailings. This change started with attempting to solidify the tailings to immobilize them and reduce their hazard. As part of this new strategy, and in an effort to investigate the applicability of using mine tailings as a construction material, this study is an attempt to investigate the porosity dependent strength and leachability of newly formed mine tailings matrices. And to evaluate the applicability of using four different theoretical models to predict the strength of these matrices. For this purpose, two mine tailings, Musselwhite and Mont Wright, from the Eastern parts of Canada have been selected. In this study, solidification of the newly formed tailings matrices was investigated using Ordinary Portland cement, fly ash, slag and the new binder Calsifrit. Results show that using Calsifrit as a partial cement replacement, in addition to slag and fly ash, reduced the porosity of the tailings matrices. The leaching test showed that several types of heavy metals have a high percentage of retention in these matrices. Compressive strength results indicate that the tailings matrices are suitable as construction materials for certain structural applications. However, current theoretical models overpredict their strength and overprediction increases when fly ash or slag are added to the mix.
To combat with the challenge of plastic pollution, a sustainable, systematic, and hierarchical plastic management roadmap that clearly defines the relative roles and socioeconomic and environmental impacts of these measures is needed. It requires plastic waste type-specific and country demand-specific action plans as well as greater support from policymakers and the more general public. Finally, disaster resilience needs to be considered in consistent with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030.
This study evaluated the hyperaccumulation potential of four indigenous plant species: Chromolaena ordorata (CO), Paspalum viginatum (PV), Chrysopogon zizanioides (CZ) and Cynodon dactylon (CD) using soil polluted by the illegal gold mining activities. Nine treatments were used in this study: Control, CO, CZ, PV, CD, CO+PV, CO+CD, CZ+PV and CZ+CD samples. The soils’ physico-chemical properties and the concentration of some selected heavy metals and metalloid (As, Cd, Cu, Ni and Pb) were determined. Plant growth and dynamics of pH, electrical conductivity and heavy metals and metalloid in the gold ore mined soil were monitored for nine weeks. Accumulation, bioaccumulation and translocation potentials were determined. The mined soil was loamy textured and acidic with pH ranging between 5.71 and 6.24. Soil organic carbon, total nitrogen and phosphorous contents were relatively low (0.21 %, 0.09 % and 4.79 mg/kg soil, respectively). Concentrations of Pb, Cu, Ni, As and Cd (40.22, 30.54, 23.58, 6.18 and 0.27 mg/kg, respectively) in the area were below the WHO permissible limits. CO+PV combination resulted in higher reductions in As, Cd, Cu, Ni and Pb (40.1, 53.1, 36.8, 29.3 and 41.2%, respectively) from the mined soil. All the investigated plant species recorded BR > 1 for Cd and BR < 1 for As, Cu, Ni and Pb. Therefore, all studied plant species are good phytoextractors for Cd.
Extensive energy consumption has become a major concern due to increase of greenhouse gas emissions and global warming. Hence, hydrogen has attracted attention as a green fuel with zero carbon emission for green transportation through production of electric vehicles with hydrogen fuel cells. South Korea has launched a hydrogen society policy with the objective of expanding production of hydrogen from renewable energy sources. The hydrogen economy will play a critical role in reducing atmospheric pollution and global warming. However, new development of infrastructure for hydrogen refueling and increasing awareness of the hydrogen economy is required together with reduced prices of hydrogen-driven vehicles that are promising options for a sustainable green hydrogen economy.
The global temperature has increased over 1 degree since the pre-industrial period. Within the Barents Region, the increase has been ca. 2 degrees, and warming is expected to continue over the next century. Based on energy system analysis with the TIMES-VTT model on the one hand, and a literature review on the other, this study identifies how different economic sectors in the Barents Region are affected by changes in climate, and by the climate change mitigation and adaptation actions in the region. According to the results, the Barents region is likely to be strongly affected by the impacts of climate change despite high spatial variation in the impacts across the Barents region. Changing climate will have severe impacts especially on the more vulnerable sectors, societies, and local environments that have less possibility for adaptation. Political action is needed on national, regional, and municipal levels, but these levels should work together and complement each other. As adaptation is unavoidably required, it is important to highlight and suggest priority areas to national adaptation plans from the Barents region’s perspective. Moreover, collection and utilization of local knowledge in adaptation is crucial.
This paper studies the practice of synthetic chemical use among farmers and its possible occurrence as residue in fish foods in North-West Ethiopia. Cross-sectional study design was carried out from January to December 2018. A multi-stage sampling technique embedded with simple random sampling was employed for the selection of sampling units. The data were collected through in-depth interviews and observations of farmers. Data entered and analyzed by using SPSS version 20. The results showed that farmers applied chemicals indiscriminately and inappropriately on their farm, using unsafe storage facilities, ignoring risks and safety instructions. Consequently, farmers respond that insecticides and herbicides were used up to 100% and 96.4% of their farms, respectively. Most of the farmers (80.16%) of the study area have poor attitudes and practices of pesticide usage. Multivariable analysis showed, illiterate educational level; Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 3.39; 95% CI: 1.7, 6.77; Land holders situation (AOR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.52, 2.9) has been formally not trained about pesticides usage (AOR = 2.97, 95% CI: 1.06, 8.37) and not read pesticide labels (AOR = 3.69, 95%CI: 1.62, 13.64) were significantly associated with possible poor attitude and practice of pesticide contamination. We conclude that there are high possibilities of chemical residues affects fish and occurring in food products (in milk, meat, fish, vegetable and fruit) that may have a public health risk in the study area. Therefore, one health intervention is required.
Open disposal of battery slag is a major cause of heavy metals (HMs) pollution in soil. The current decontamination option is soil washing with chemicals whose efficiency is limited owing to high cost of reagents. This prompted the need for an environmentally friendly approach to remediate the contaminated soil. Therefore, the potential of Ganoderma lucidum to remediate heavy metals from an abandoned battery slag was investigated in this study. The heavy metals absorbed fungi were immobilised in bricks. The battery slag contaminated and control soil samples were analysed for HM concentrations before and after incubation with G. lucidium for 1–3 months. The harvested rice straw and mycelia were processed and analysed for HMs concentrations. For immobilizing heavy metals absorbed in mycelia, 5 to 30 g of pulverized mycelia were homogenized with a virgin soil, extruded into moulds and fired in a tunnel kiln for making bricks. The leachability of HMs from the bricks was carried out using TLCP. The concentrations (mg/kg) of Pb(4490 ± 14), Zn(147 ± 11), Ni(27.7 ± 0.2), Cu(19.4 ± 0.1) and Cd(2.18 ± 0.06) in dumpsite soil were significantly higher than the corresponding concentrations in the control soil samples. The G. lucidum inoculated on contaminated soil accumulated 138, 29.8, 3.48, 3069 and 1.01 mg/kg of Pb, Zn, Ni, Cu and Cd, respectively. This reveals the strong affinity of G. lucidum for toxic metals. The Pb, Zn, Ni, Cu and Cd immobilised after leaching procedure ranged from 45.3 to 98.10%. Immobilisation of toxic metals hosted by G. lucidum in red bricks can reduce environmental contamination by metals.
A “soil carbon hotspot” (SCH) is a geographic area having an abundance of soil carbon, and therefore higher ecosystem services value based on avoided social costs of CO2 emissions. Soil organic carbon (SOC), soil inorganic carbon (SIC), and total soil carbon (TSC) are critical data to help identify SCH at the farm scale, but monetary methods of hotspot evaluation are not well defined. This study provides a first of its kind quantitative example of farm-scale monetary value of soil carbon (C), and mapping of SCH based on avoided social cost of CO2 emissions using both Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) database and field measurements. The total calculated monetary value for TSC storage at the Willsboro Farm based on the SSURGO database was about 7.3 million U.S. dollars ($7.3 M), compared to $2.8 M based on field data from averaged soil core results. This difference is attributed to variation in soil sampling methodology, laboratory methods of soil C analyses, and depth of reported soil C results. Despite differences in total monetary valuation, observed trends by soil order were often similar for SSURGO versus field methods, with Alfisols typically having the highest total and area-normalized monetary values for SOC, SIC, and TSC. Farm-scale C accounting provides a more detailed spatial resolution of monetary values and SCH, compared to estimates based on country-level reports in soil survey databases. Delineation and mapping of SCH at the farm scale can be useful tools to define land management zones, to achieve social profit for farmers, and to realize United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) based on avoided social cost of CO2 emissions.
Onsite sanitation is widely adopted in developing countries. Septic tanks being one of the onsite treatment systems is still adopted and scaled up especially in urban settlements. But, experience shows that septic tanks are designed without due considerations of the site and environmental conditions as a result public health risks are imposed and higher operating costs are incurred. A study was conducted in two selected informal settlements in Dar es Salaam Tanzania to understand the practice, status and implication for the existing septic tanks. Results indicate that most of the systems are improperly designed and installed as a result they are equipped with low performance efficiency and a number of operational challenges. The main reported operational challenge is frequent desuldging that has impacts on both the public health and economy. In addition, level of awareness and low priority on sanitation were identified to be among the factors affecting sanitation. In this article, options under which the situation would be improved are considered and disscussed. Apart from proper designs, modifications of the septic tanks with consideration of the environmental conditions is considered to achieve better results than the conventional septic tank systems. Capacity building of local masons in the design and installation of septic tank systems; awareness sensitization to the public; and review of policy and guidelines to incoporate tailored designs are among the recommendations.
Rapid urban expansion and development have resulted in the conversion of many natural green surfaces within cities to non-transpiring built-up surfaces, such as concrete and asphalt. These artificial urban surfaces cause substantial variation in land surface temperatures that affect the urban microclimate. Thus, there is the need to substantially quantify the extent of green cover loss within growing cities and its impact on surface temperatures. This study used LANDSAT data to spatially assess the extent of urban expansion and its effect on land surface temperature within Kumasi, Ghana. Subsequently, the results showed significant changes in the land cover, which had an effect on the observed land surface temperatures from 1986 to 2015. Generally, there was an overall increase in the built-up areas by 24.13% (55.81 km2) from 1986 to 2015, with a corresponding increase in the mean land surface temperature by 4.16°C. As such, there is the need for the adoption of sustainable urban planning strategies with green vegetation conservation initiatives for modern city planners. This would help reduce urban land surface temperatures while promoting clean air circulation within the city.
Staphylococcus aureus is one of the major foodborne pathogens in ready-to-eat foods exposed to the environment. This study investigated the microbial load, incidence and antibiotic susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus in ready-to-eat meats in Bolgatanga Municipality, Ghana. A total of 200 swabs of ready-to-eat meats (50 each of grilled chevon, mutton, pork and guinea fowl) were examined. Analyses for microbial load and Staphylococcus aureus were done using a modified method of the USA-FDA Bacteriological Analytical Manual. Antibiotic susceptibility test was performed using the disc diffusion method. The microbial load of the ready-to-eat meats ranged from 4.02 to 4.85 log cfu/cm2 and averagely 34.0% were positive for Staphylococcus aureus. The highest incidence was seen in grilled guinea fowl (46%) and the lowest was found in grilled chevon and pork (24% each). Of the 16 Staphylococcus aureus examined against 9 different antibiotics, 44.44% 5.56% and 50.00% exhibited susceptibility, intermediate resistance and resistance, respectively. Higher resistances were observed for ceftriaxone (81.25%) and teicoplanin (75.00%). Susceptibility was high for sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (87.5%) and gentamicin (81.25%). Resistance to 3 or more different antibiotics occurred for 14 (87.5%) Staphylococcus aureus. Some ready-to-eat meats in the environs of Bolgatanga are contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus which are resistant to antibiotics, posing a health risk to consumers.
Silvopastoral system (SPS) is highlighted as an alternative to conventional cattle farming systems in Colombia, where deforestation, driven by extensive cattle farming, is a severe environmental issue. However, despite its considerable benefits, adoption of SPS remains very limited in Colombia. Thus, the objective of this work is to investigate the potential for scaling up the adoption of SPS by identifying the barriers perceived by farmers, using a case study of tropical land at a high altitude over 2400 m in Cundinamarca department, Colombia. Qualitative research methodology is used in accordance with the conceptual framework constructed on the basis of adoption theories and literature reviews. The data were collected using semi-structured interviews with 27 farmers managing cattle farming. The results show that while farmers perceive numerous benefits of SPS, it is perceived as highly risky due to climate conditions. Additionally, concerns about long-term investments necessary to obtain benefits from SPS as well as its high complexity are discouraging. Furthermore, low compatibility due to the socio-economic barriers and traditional belief regarding trees in pasture are also verified as an external barrier for adopting SPS practices. In this context, the enabling conditions for scaling-up SPS adoption in the study area are discussed: strengthening farmers’ motivation with provision of long-term extension services and transforming the conventional concept of tree removal as well as the appropriate project designs given farmers’ socio-economic conditions and the adequate selection of tree species.
Adoption of agricultural technology may solve problem of farmers in agriculture, but its environmental, social and economic impacts should be evaluated in advance of field and laboratory experiments in context of food crops. The use of brewery sludge (BS) technology is one of the means by which soil fertility, crop production and productivity can be improved to meet the growing food demands of people in the world. However, the use of BS or brewery by-product as alternative means of organic fertilizer source in agriculture was ignored by farmers in Ethiopia for decades. This study was elucidated the environmental, social and economic impacts of brewery waste recycling in agricultural crop production. Additionally, the obtained information was forwarded to Ethiopian government to include this environmentally friend technology in agricultural policy of country. Primary data were collected from respondents drawn from smallholder farmers who used BS on their farm lands, and in supplement of this study field experiments also carried out on research station and farm site to evaluate crops productivity. Descriptive statistics and other experimental methods were used evaluate the obtained data. The use brewery waste recycling technology in agriculture has an impact of environmentally friend, better crops productivity, socially acceptable and economic importance.
