ABSTRACT This study reports on artisanal and small-scale gemstones mining (ASGM) in the Taita Taveta County in Kenya using a variety of methods including review of literature, key informant interviews, administration of questionnaires to miners and local communities, direct observations in the gemstones mining areas, and collection and analysis of gemstones-bearing rocks for their mineral and element compositions. Literature sources used include legal and institutional documents, geological r...
ABSTRACT This study investigated the concentration of seven heavy metals (As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Se and Zn) in water, soil and plant leaves in some selected coastal communities in the Western Region of Ghana near the jubilee oil field using acid digestion and Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer methods. Some physicochemical properties of water and soils were also determined to evaluate the quality of drinking water and soils. The ranges of metal concentration in water analysed in the wet season were...
ABSTRACT Background: Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) -G is a non-classical major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I protein which has been described as being selectively expressed on the invasive trophoblast at the materno-foetal interface at the beginning of pregnancy. HLA-G has the potential role of protecting the trophoblast from cytotoxicity and enhancing maternal acceptance of the semi-allogeneic foetus by modulating the maternal immune system. HLA-G exerts several immunomodulatory e...
ABSTRACT Bhungroo, a floodwater harvesting Aquifer Storage and Recovery technology, piloted in Northern Ghana for dry season irrigation, was assessed to determine its environmental and technical performance. The study evaluated the recharge, storage and recovery potentials of three Bhungroos, and their impacts on groundwater resources. Due to the limited time available for data collection, a multi-method approach was used. Water quality samples from rainwater, community boreholes, monitoring ...
ABSTRACT The intense extraction of fuelwood and its use in Traditional Three-Stone Stoves (TTSS) for cooking by riparian communities along the Volta Lake is deemed to be linked with deforestation and the release of harmful gases that influence household air pollution and water level of the Volta Lake which is vital to hydropower generation. This study evaluated the impact of introduced improved local cookstoves christened “Climate-Smart Stoves” (CSS) on household air pollution, fuelwood ...
ABSTRACT Organic wastes, such as faecal sludge (FS), cocoa pod husk (CPH) and empty fruit bunch (EFB) abound in large quantities in the Ghanaian environment. They contain considerable amounts of nutrients and organic matter which can be recycled to improve soil organic matter content and boost soil fertility status. This study was conducted to characterize and quantify FS produced in Sekondi Takoradi metropolis (STMA), co-compost FS with EFB and CPH, evaluate the suitability of the co-compo...
ABSTRACT Religious noise pollution is gradually becoming rampant and a nuisance in most residential areas in Ghana. This study set out to assess the levels of religious noise produced in some selected communities in the Ashaiman Municipality. A Geographical Positioning System (GPS) was used to obtain the coordinates of the churches and mosques and the distances of 50 m, 100 m, 150 m and 200 m away from the churches/mosques. Noise exposure zones were then mapped using ARCGIS 10.1 software an...
ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Hearing loss is often referred to as the invisible handicap and has been defined as debilitating, isolating and a frequently occurring abnormality present at birth. Early identification of hearing loss is important because early auditory deprivation owing to congenital or early-onset hearing loss interferes with the development of the neural structures necessary for hearing and subsequent speech and language acquisition. Data on neonatal hearing screening in Ghana is ver...
ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Hearing loss is often referred to as the invisible handicap and has been defined as debilitating, isolating and a frequently occurring abnormality present at birth. Early identification of hearing loss is important because early auditory deprivation owing to congenital or early-onset hearing loss interferes with the development of the neural structures necessary for hearing and subsequent speech and language acquisition. Data on neonatal hearing screening in Ghana is ver...
ABSTRACT Management of waste in the Accra Metropolitan Area has been a very expensive venture for the Assembly over the years, yet coverage is still very low. Compounding the problem is the recent introduction of plastic products such as sachet water, whose waste are littered about the city daily. Bottled water, which has been on the market for years now, has always been a preserve of the rich. However, with the recent reports of falling sachet water quality, the bottled water industry appear...
ABSTRACT Cropping systems productivity in the Volta Delta is dependent on complex interconnecting biophysical and socioeconomic determinants. The study analysed the determinants of cropping systems yield and developed an integrated model for managing desired sustainable crop production scenarios. The analysis was conducted on change in yield over time, rainfall, temperature, Land use/land cover (LULC) and soil characteristics. District level crop yield was regressed on the biophysical vari...
ABSTRACT Land use/cover alteration within lake basins is occurring at accelerated rate most importantly in developing countries like Ghana. Anthropogenic activities (livelihood change, population growth, agricultural intensification and practices) and natural factors like seasonal variations are in most situations the major cause. To examine the effects of land use/cover on the physico-chemical and biological properties of Lake Bosomtwi, satellite images of the Lake’s watershed covering the...
ABSTRACT This study assessed dry season farming profitability and examines farming practices and their influence on the environment. Dry season farming practices identified from the literature were irrigation practices, land preparation, tillage practices and use of agrochemicals. A cross sectional design was adopted as quantitative data was collected from respondents. Five (5) communities along the White Volta River in the Bawku West District were purposively selected based on their proximit...
ABSTRACT In developing countries, hospital wastewater management is an issue of major concern. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the performance of the waste stabilization pond at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital in Ghana. Wastewater samples were taken from the raw sewage (anaerobic pond) after screening. The process was repeated in both the facultative and maturation ponds, sequentially. Fifty four samples representing 18 samples each from the three stages of the waste stabilization t...
ABSTRACT Street food vending plays an important role in the economies of developing countries. The process of preparing, handling and storing food by streetfood vendors, however, leaves much to be desired as basic hygiene and food safety issues are particularly important because food and water are essential requirements for living. Failure to observe proper food safety practices exposes people to all manner of foodborne diseases and death. In Ghana, though the state agencies responsible for f...