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Research Article
Characterization and Quantification of Fecal Sludge in a Developing Urban Center: The Case Study of Bafoussam, West Region of Cameroon
Issue:
Volume 14, Issue 4, August 2025
Pages:
122-135
Received:
14 June 2025
Accepted:
9 July 2025
Published:
30 July 2025
Abstract: This study aimed to quantify and characterize fecal sludge (FS) from on-site sanitation systems and make it available to public services. This study employed two methods: one based on the demand for mechanical emptying, and the other based on a count of the number of trucks deposited on the site. The sludge samples were then taken from the pits, followed by physicochemical, bacteriological and parasitic analyses. The results showed that all 660 households surveyed had a commode, with 73% traditional latrines, 21% modern toilets with a septic tank, 4% flush toilets, 1% VIP latrines and 1% pipe latrines. The annual volume of FS discharged at the treatment plant is estimated at 2,880 m3/year using the truck count and 40,310 m3/year based on mechanical emptying demand. In addition, the FS characteristics showed great variability, with average values of pH (6.6), Salinity (2.7 ‰), Conductivity (4.7 mS/cm), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS: 0.555 g/L), Ammonium ion (1.914 g/L), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5: 2.858 g/L), Total volatile solids (TVS: 78.1%) and Dry Matter (DM: 12.4%). The analyses also revealed high bacterial and parasitic load with fecal coliforms concentration of 8.5 x 106 ± 0.6 x 106 CFU/100mL, fecal streptococci concentration of 3 x 106 ± 1.7 x 106 CFU/100 mL and 6767 ± 1782 helminth eggs. The findings from this study will provide the scientific basis for improving the feasibility of establishing a FS treatment plant in Bafoussam.
Abstract: This study aimed to quantify and characterize fecal sludge (FS) from on-site sanitation systems and make it available to public services. This study employed two methods: one based on the demand for mechanical emptying, and the other based on a count of the number of trucks deposited on the site. The sludge samples were then taken from the pits, fo...
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Research Article
Baseline Assessment of Ambient Total Volatile Organic Compounds in Urban Streets of Freetown, Sierra Leone
Mohamed Mustapha Abu*
Issue:
Volume 14, Issue 4, August 2025
Pages:
136-144
Received:
30 June 2025
Accepted:
14 July 2025
Published:
5 August 2025
Abstract: Background: This study addresses the critical issue of air pollution and its implications for public health, especially in rapidly urbanizing regions such as Freetown, Sierra Leone. Total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) are significant pollutants that play a crucial role in the formation of ground-level ozone and are associated with various adverse health effects. Objective: The primary objective of this research was to conduct the first comprehensive assessment of ambient TVOC levels within the urban streets of Freetown. Methods: Measurements were carried out over a four-week period on fourteen major streets using calibrated DM502 air quality monitors, held approximately 2 meters above ground to simulate breathing zone conditions. The collected concentration data were subsequently extrapolated to estimate 24-hour average levels, providing a more accurate depiction of typical exposure. Additionally, toxicity potentials (TP) were calculated for each sampling location to evaluate potential health risks. Results: The findings revealed that the average extrapolated 24-hour TVOC concentrations across the sampled streets ranged from 0.06 and 0.18 mg/m3, with the highest average at Pademba Road (FS3). Overall, the average TVOC level across all streets was 0.08 mg/m³, which is below the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guideline limit of 0.3 mg/m³. The maximum toxicity potential observed was 0.59 at FS3, with an overall average TP of 0.26, indicating moderate potential health risks. Weak correlations were observed between TVOC concentrations and environmental parameters such as temperature (R² ≈ 0.16) and relative humidity (R² ≈ 0.0025), suggesting that other factors might influence VOC levels. Conclusion: Despite the current levels are within safety standards, continuous monitoring is recommended due to the possible health implications of long-term exposure. This research provides vital baseline data essential for urban air quality management and policy development in Sierra Leone.
Abstract: Background: This study addresses the critical issue of air pollution and its implications for public health, especially in rapidly urbanizing regions such as Freetown, Sierra Leone. Total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) are significant pollutants that play a crucial role in the formation of ground-level ozone and are associated with various adver...
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Research Article
Exploitation of Africa's Environment for the Fourth Industrial Revolution: An Analysis Through Wangari Maathai's Ecological Framework
Amartey Laryea*
Issue:
Volume 14, Issue 4, August 2025
Pages:
145-157
Received:
18 July 2025
Accepted:
29 July 2025
Published:
13 August 2025
DOI:
10.11648/j.ajep.20251404.13
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Abstract: This study examines the environmental impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) on Africa through the analytical lens of Wangari Maathai’s ecological framework and Ubuntu philosophy. Using a critical policy analysis methodology that combines historical reconstruction with comparative case study examination, this research investigates how the accelerating demand for critical minerals, particularly cobalt, lithium, and rare earth elements, essential to 4IR technologies is causing significant environmental degradation across multiple African nations. The research investigates how the accelerating demand for critical minerals essential to 4IR technologies, particularly cobalt for artificial intelligence and battery systems, is causing significant environmental degradation in Africa, especially in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Through content analysis of extraction practices and their ecological consequences, the study reveals that Africa continues to bear disproportionate environmental costs while receiving minimal benefits from technological advancement, perpetuating historical patterns of resource exploitation. The findings demonstrate extensive deforestation, water pollution, and ecosystem disruption resulting from intensified mining operations driven by global technological demands. Drawing on Maathai’s vision of environmental sustainability as fundamental to genuine development and Ubuntu’s emphasis on interconnectedness, the research argues for Africa-centered mineral extraction policies that prioritize environmental preservation and community well-being. This work advances theoretical discourse by problematizing Western-centered notions of “sustainable development” and proposing an African-centered framework that recognizes sustainability as inseparable from communal harmony, intergenerational responsibility, and ecological reciprocity. The study calls for a paradigm shift from externally imposed development models toward frameworks emerging from African philosophical traditions, indigenous knowledge systems, and ecological relationships. It concludes that sustainable engagement with the 4IR requires policies rooted in African resource sovereignty, meaningful community participation, and intergenerational responsibility. Only through such culturally grounded approaches can African nations harness technological opportunities while protecting the ecological systems upon which all life depends, ensuring that the Fourth Industrial Revolution does not perpetuate the environmental sacrifice that has characterized previous industrial transformations in Africa.
Abstract: This study examines the environmental impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) on Africa through the analytical lens of Wangari Maathai’s ecological framework and Ubuntu philosophy. Using a critical policy analysis methodology that combines historical reconstruction with comparative case study examination, this research investigates how the...
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