ABSTRACT One of the greatest threats to agriculture and global food security today is climate variability. Various studies have shown how both human and environmental systems are adapting to the adverse impacts of climate variability. However, most of these studies failed to recognize indigenous knowledge of smallholder farmers and how this could influence conventional scientific adaptation strategies. Recent adaptation studies have either concentrated on indigenous strategies or conventiona...
ABSTRACT Human urine is a valuable plant nutrient resource however; there is very little information on using urine. This research examined the use of human urine as nutrient source as well as biochar and compost as growing media for tomato (cv M2) and pepper (Capsicum annum cv bird eye) production. This was studied under greenhouse and field conditions. It further examined the perception and willingness of farmers, marketers’ and consumers to grow, sell and consume vegetables fertilized wi...
ABSTRACT In many developing countries of the world, the utilization of ground water is very common due to factors such as water scarcity and its relative good quality. On the other hand, basic sanitation is a challenge in many developing countries with most rural and peri-urban communities relying on on-site sanitation systems which are often poorly managed. This study, conducted in Wa the Upper West region of Ghana, aimed at assessing the influence of on-site sanitation systems on hand dug w...
ABSTRACT This study evaluated and compared the performance efficiency of both technologies for treating sewage effluent from a Biogas facility at Valley View University (VVU) and also assessed public perception about the use of the treated effluent. Samples of the sewage effluent from the VVU Biogas facility were subjected to slow sand filtration over a ten week period using river bed sand and gravels, and phytoremediation using two plants, Pistia stratiotes L and Ipomoea aquatica Forsk. Pist...
ABSTRACT With an estimated population of 3 million people living along Accra's coast, Ghana is facing major challenges in managing its waste especially solid waste in metropolitan areas. A survey of marine debris was therefore carried out over a period of sixteen weeks at four beaches along the Accra - Tema coastline namely Sakumono, La Pleasure, Mensah Guinea and Korle Gonno beach. The main objective of the study was to determine the beach and water quality at the study locations. A 10 x1...
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...