Objectif: L’objectif de cette étude est de comprendre comment l’augmentation du nombre de personnes habitant le ménage et du nombre de ménages par parcelle transforme l’espace urbain, modifie l’occupation des sols, densifie le bâti et provoque l’étalement de la ville. Méthodologie: Cette étude s’appuie sur une approche quantitative menée auprès de 384 ménages, issus de la ville de Lubumbashi, précisément au quartier Kafubu dans la commune de Kampemba. Résultats: Il ressort de cette étude que la configuration spatiale du quartier Kafubu découle des pratiques d’autoconstructions et des modes d’acquisition informels. De ce fait, il s’avère que l’accroissement démographique entraîne une hausse de la demande en logements et, par conséquent, une intensification foncière. Recommandations: Toutefois, cette relation varie selon la taille des ménages ou le nombre de ménages dans la parcelle. Comme illustrés par les résultats issus des analyses effectuées, en démontrant l’existence des dépendances statistiquement significatives entre le nombre de ménages dans la parcelle, le nombre de constructions et la présence de constructions récentes sur la parcelle. Mots-clés: Croissance démographique, consommation d’espace, étalement, ménage, urbanisation, occupation des sols, bâti Abstract Purpose: The aim of this study is to understand how the increase in the number of people per household and the number of households per plot transforms urban space, alters land use, increases building density, and drives urban sprawl. Methodology: This study employs a quantitative approach involving 384 households in the city of Lubumbashi, specifically in the Kafubu neighborhood of the Kampemba commune. Findings: The findings reveal that the spatial layout of the Kafubu neighborhood stems from self-construction practices and informal acquisition methods. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Consequently, population growth drives up the demand for housing, leading to an intensification of land use. However, this relationship varies depending on household size or the number of households per plot, as demonstrated by the analysis results, which show statistically significant dependencies between the number of households per plot and both the number of structures and the presence of recent construction on the plot.
Purpose: This study aimed at examining the dynamic distribution of physicochemical and bacteriological characteristics of water samples from water supply sources in rural settlements of Ibarapa East Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria. Methodology: A Systematic random sampling technique was adopted in the selection of five rural settlements namely: Adiekola (AD), Maya (MA), Akeete (AK), Okolo (OK) and Alapa (AL). Two water supply sources were randomly sampled in each of the settlements. In all, ten water samples were collected from Hand Pump Boreholes (HPBHs), Motorised Boreholes (MBHs), Hand-Dug Wells (HDWs) and a Stream (STR) using standard sampling procedures. Geographic coordinates of the water sources were obtained using a Global Positioning System (GPS), while the Average Nearest Neighbour (ANN) analysis in ArcGIS was employed to determine the spatial distribution of water supply sources. Physicochemical and bacteriological parameters of the water samples were subjected to laboratory analysis using the universally acceptable laboratory procedures. The results were compared with WHO drinking water quality standards. Findings: The results revealed that water supply sources exhibited a weakly clustered spatial pattern indicating an uneven distribution of water infrastructure and disparities in access to potable water across the study area. Most physicochemical parameters, including pH, temperature, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, total hardness, nitrate, sulphate, phosphate, calcium and potassium, were within WHO permissible limits. However, elevated turbidity was recorded in the Hand-Dug Well at Adiekola (AD2) and the stream at Akeete (AK 2), while dissolved oxygen values were below the recommended standard in all samples. Iron concentrations exceeded the WHO limit in five water samples, and manganese concentrations exceeded the permissible limit in the stream and one Hand-Dug Well. Bacteriological analysis revealed contamination of Hand-Dug Wells and the Stream with Bacillus spp., Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli, accompanied by high total coliform counts, whereas most Motorised and Hand Pump Boreholes recorded zero coliform counts and no detectable pathogenic bacteria. The results indicated that protected boreholes generally provide safer drinking water than hand-dug wells and surface water sources. Therefore, it was suggested that water from the contaminated sources should be adequately treated before consumption while improved sanitation infrastructure and protection of water sources are necessary to safeguard public health in the study area. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: This study contributes to the understanding of rural water quality by integrating geospatial analysis with physicochemical and bacteriological assessments to evaluate both the accessibility and safety of rural water supply sources. Theoretically, it advances the application of spatial analytical techniques in rural water quality assessment by linking infrastructure distribution with water quality status. Practically, the findings provide baseline information for prioritising water quality monitoring, groundwater protection and community-based water safety interventions in rural communities. From a policy perspective, the study provides empirical evidence to support equitable spatial planning of water infrastructure, routine water quality surveillance, rehabilitation of contaminated water sources, and to strengthen implementation of rural water supply and sanitation policies aimed at providing adequate access to safe and clean drinking water.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of environmental protection interventions on human security in Muhanga District in Rwanda. Though the government puts much effort into enhancing the living standards of citizens in the region, they face a huge kind of disaster which harm the surrounding environment. Methodology: The study employed mixed methods, using both qualitative and quantitative approaches with a descriptive research design which was used. Questionnaire and interview guide, observation and focus group discussion were involved during data collection as the instruments of data collection. A target population of 14,464 individuals were used, with a sample size of 402 respondents selected using Yamane's formula. Quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS version 21 while qualitative data was thematically analyzed. Findings: The findings revealed that Training on soil management control was notably lacking, with 52.2% strongly disagreeing on receiving adequate training. The use of terraces for soil erosion prevention was also not widely adopted, with 63.8% strongly disagreeing. Conservation practices such as rainwater harvesting and tree planting showed mixed responses. While there was strong support for preventing deforestation (91.8% strongly agree), practices like rainwater conservation and dam construction faced significant opposition. Satisfaction with water tank availability was low, with 74.2% strongly disagreeing, and 67.9% of respondents faced challenges in accessing or maintaining water tanks. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: This paper indicates that there is a significant gap in environmental education, with 52.2% of respondents strongly disagreeing that they had received adequate training on soil management. Not only this it was noted that there is need for increased awareness and support for sustainable land management practices. This paper recommends that there should be development and implement comprehensive training programs focused on soil management, terrace construction, and sustainable agricultural practices.
This study reports the green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using an aqueous extract of Mentha aquatica (water mint) leaves as a bio-reducing and capping agent. The synthesis was performed by the reduction of zinc acetate dihydrate [Zn(CH3COO)2·2H2O] in the presence of the plant extract under alkaline conditions and thermal treatment at 60 °C for 1 h, followed by calcination at 400 °C for 2 h. The resulting nanoparticles were characterized using UV-Vis spectrophotometry, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). UV-Vis analysis revealed a characteristic absorption band at ~380 nm, confirming the formation of ZnO NPs. FTIR analysis identified the functional groups responsible for the bioreduction of zinc ions. XRD patterns confirmed the hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure of the synthesized particles, consistent with JCPDS card No. 36-1451, with principal diffraction peaks at 2θ values of 32.25°, 34.98°, and 36.79°. SEM images revealed spherical to granular morphologies with particle sizes in the range of 16–22 nm. The synthesized ZnO NPs exhibited excellent photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye under natural solar irradiation, achieving near-complete decolorization within 120 minutes. Disk diffusion assays demonstrated strong antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria (E. coli: 35 mm inhibition zone; P. acip: 23 mm) and moderate activity against Gram-positive S. aureus (ATCC 43300: 15 mm). Antioxidant screening via the DPPH radical scavenging assay yielded an IC50 of 9.5 mg/mL for ZnO NPs, indicating moderate antioxidant potential. These results establish Mentha aquatica leaf extract as a promising, eco-friendly bio-template for ZnO NP synthesis with multifunctional applications.
Purpose: This mini-review aims to synthesize peer-reviewed evidence and current U.S. regulatory guidance to develop a practical engineering control framework for institutional electronic waste (e-waste) and lithium-ion battery risk reduction in the United States. Methodology: The review employed a targeted literature search of academic databases including PubMed and Google Scholar, supplemented by structured analysis of U.S. federal guidance documents, certification standards, and regulatory resources. Sources were selected based on relevance to institutional e-waste lifecycle management, battery fire prevention, data sanitization, certified recycler standards, and compliance requirements. Findings: Effective institutional e-waste programs share a common structural profile. They treat e-waste as a socio-technical system and combine physical engineering controls, documented procedures, staff training, and auditable chain-of-custody records tied to measurable performance indicators. Key control domains identified include upstream procurement and asset management, governance and secure staging, data sanitization, battery triage and containment, transport readiness, downstream vendor qualification, and performance management. The review proposes an implementation template and evidence map that institutions can adapt to design defensible programs. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: This review applies the occupational health and safety hierarchy of controls framework to the institutional e-waste domain, producing a structured control taxonomy that connects program design decisions to defensible documentation. For practice, it provides a control map and measurement template that institutions can operationalize immediately. For policy, it highlights the alignment between institutional program design and U.S. national recycling goals, federal battery fire prevention guidance, and transport compliance requirements under the U.S. Department of Transportation Hazardous Materials Regulations.
