American Journal of Environmental Sciences最新文献

{"title":"Review of Blue-Green Infrastructure in Some Selected Countries","authors":"Tariku Neme Afata, Seyoum Derib, R. Nemo","doi":"10.3844/ajessp.2022.81.88","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3844/ajessp.2022.81.88","url":null,"abstract":": Blue-Green Infrastructures (BGI) integrate solutions implemented to enhance water management and landscape values for more climate-resilient and livable cities. It has created an opportunity to renew the natural structure of water balance in cities and rural through the increase in rainwater retention and enlargement of permeable areas. The objective of this review is to assess the blue-green infrastructures of selected countries (Ethiopia, Japan, and the USA). BGI is a driver for biodiversity and provides groundwater storage, stability for water systems, improvement in water quality, water purification, and water-related network service. It also has several benefits for enhancing inland connections and protecting marine ecological systems on a global scale. They minimize the effects of climate change, enhance water management techniques, provide important design tools for sustainable regions, increase the resilience and flexibility of infrastructure and provide an area for social and recreational activities. Currently, the selected countries have been given due attention to BGI using different methods. To ensure the efficient use of subsurface water, Japan and the USA are increasing the groundwater from the current level of thorough protection and expanding the availability of green space, green roofs, permeable paving, and other structural measures. Moreover, Ethiopia has been restored on a massive scale planting trees and wise use of forests. Japan's eco-building in Fukuoka and Nagoya Strategy for Biodiversity, the USA in Seattle cities are working on water management and urban development plans, Ethiopian’s East Haarge and Tigray are some the well-known BGI. In all countries, the implementation and transformation of BGI have occurred under systematic conditions. The best practices of BGI in Ethiopia, Japan, and the USA will benefit the people of the world if it is implemented in a good manner.","PeriodicalId":7487,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Environmental Sciences","volume":"40 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75709152","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Socio-Economic, Health and Environmental Aspects of Child Waste Picking Activity at Africa's Largest Dumpsite","authors":"A. O. Taiwo, O. T. Dada, Adetola Samuel Ayoola, G. B. Faniran","doi":"10.3844/ajessp.2022.69.80","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3844/ajessp.2022.69.80","url":null,"abstract":": This study examined the social, economic, health, and environmental aspects of child waste picking at the Olusosun dumpsite in Lagos, Nigeria. A questionnaire was administered through the convenience sampling technique to 150 child waste pickers. Findings showed that recovering materials from the dumpsite involved physical energy and manually-operated rudimentary tools. A majority (62.0%) of the child waste pickers were males between 13 and 17 years (77.8%). The daily average income from their operation was N1 180 (N416.00 = $1.00). Although the child waste pickers were aware that waste picking exposed them to health and environmental hazards, they continued the operation for social and economic reasons. The study concluded by recommending a pragmatic regulatory framework for different actors' involvement, direct assistance program, and prohibition of children from engaging in waste picking, as well as educational policy measure to address the menace of child waste picking in Nigeria.","PeriodicalId":7487,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Environmental Sciences","volume":"38 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87947248","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Data Mining Revealing Recent Microplastics Pollution of Freshwater in China","authors":"Zhuomi Xie, Desheng Pei","doi":"10.3844/ajessp.2022.61.68","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3844/ajessp.2022.61.68","url":null,"abstract":": This review mainly discusses the characteristics and correlation of microplastics (MPs) in freshwater systems under various geographical environments in China. The distribution and source of MPs are analyzed and their spatial analyses are performed using the GIS method. Besides, the current and future situation of microplastic pollution in China is further evaluated through data mining. Results indicate that recent studies mainly focused on the middle and lower reaches of the yangtze river and its tributaries, as well as lakes and reservoirs along the yangtze river. Notably, large-scale reservoirs, rivers, and lakes located in densely populated areas showed higher abundances of MPs. Taken together, the current MP’s pollution of freshwater in China was not optimistic. Novel technologies should be developed to remove existing microplastics and new laws and regulations should be promulgated to reduce plastic waste pollution.","PeriodicalId":7487,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Environmental Sciences","volume":"2009 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86250806","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Influence of Decreasing Temperature on Soil Microbial Activity in a Boreal Shield Ecozone","authors":"Alistar Moy, K. Nkongolo","doi":"10.3844/ajessp.2022.42.51","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3844/ajessp.2022.42.51","url":null,"abstract":": Although the focus on warming is imperative to address climate change, addressing the effects of cooling is arguably just as relevant in characterizing the enzyme response to temperature fluctuations. In this study, the response of enzyme activity to diminishing temperatures in the field was evaluated. The targeted sites were located in the City of Greater Sudbury in Northern Ontario, Canada. Microbial activity variations during the summer and fall seasons were measured using freshly collected soil samples. The soil was acidic with an average pH of 4.8 and the level of soil organic matter was 11.3%. The local atmospheric temperatures recorded during the sampling period in Sudbury were 21.3°C (August), 2.3°C (October), and -6.3°C (November), respectively. Overall, nine enzymes were targeted including β-Glucosidase (BG), Cellobiohydrolase (CBH), β-N-Acetylglucosaminidase (NAGase), Aryl Sulfatase (AS), Acid Phosphatase (AP), Alkaline Phosphatase (AlP), Glycine Aminopeptidase (GAP), Leucine Aminopeptidase (LAP) and Peroxidase (PER). Microbial activities in the field during summer and fall seasons varied significantly with different enzymes analyzed. BG, CBH, NA Gase, and AS remained unchanged despite the decreasing temperature. The activities of AP, AlP, and PER increased significantly from the first sampling in August to October 2020. AlP, LAP activity decreased whereas LAP activity increased from October to November. Considering the complexity of the forest ecosystem, some factors other than the temperature might affect microbial activities in field conditions. Data on enzymatic activities in soil samples from different ecological conditions should be interpreted with caution because of the various effects of environmental variations on soil functions.","PeriodicalId":7487,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Environmental Sciences","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89838452","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Challenges in Healthcare Waste Management of the UN 2030 Agenda in the COVID-19 Era","authors":"G. Marfé, Stefania Perna, A. Hermann","doi":"10.3844/ajessp.2022.20.41","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3844/ajessp.2022.20.41","url":null,"abstract":"Corresponding Author: Gabriella Marfe Department of Scienze e Tecnologie Ambientali, Biologiche e Farmaceutiche, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli” Italy Email: gabmarfe@alice.it Abstract: Today, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a remarkable and sudden increase in global demand for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as masks, gloves, gowns. The growing biomedical and municipal streams of potentially infectious waste is a new challenge for every country since an inadequate waste management might have serious public health consequences and significant impact on the environment. In this scenario, this review study is aimed to point out that the current pandemic can impact on the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Specifically, within SDG12, the crisis of waste could offer countries a new production patterns towards a more sustainable future in its management. From review study, we believe that a new specific target for biomedical and municipal waste management could be added to SDG12: Target 12.9: \"Ensure a safe and sustainable management of biomedical and municipal solid waste to attain an environmental sustainability during and especially after this widespread pandemic\". In this regard, it will be important to distinguish the ordinary waste from COVID-19 waste both in biomedical and municipal solid waste management to reach this target. In addition, innovative and sustainable strategies in biomedical and municipal waste management should be adopted in association with a new regulation at the legislative level during and after this pandemic. Therefore, new investments in clean techniques and in new infrastructures in management practice can play a crucial role to promote a new environmental transition stage. Furthermore, The United Nation’s Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development has created an important framework to realize environmental sustainability. through the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with 169 targets. In the last five years, many efforts are made to achieve SDGs, but today this pandemic could be a threat for the realization of these goals by 2030. In this context, all countries can consider this pandemic as a new opportunity to launch a plan to stop pollution, climate change and possible new pandemics.","PeriodicalId":7487,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Environmental Sciences","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81993696","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Physical Reasons and Mitigation Strategies for Increased Lightnings in Bangladesh","authors":"M. M. Adel","doi":"10.3844/ajessp.2022.1.19","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3844/ajessp.2022.1.19","url":null,"abstract":"Email: miah.adel@gmail.com Abstract: Bangladesh lightning victims’ data spanning from 2007 to 2020 were analyzed to relate victims’ activities to lightning strikes under the current upstream water piracy-set heating whence to suggest some mitigation measures. The victims’ data from the online Bangladesh news media bd news 24.com were categorized in columns of places, times of occurrences, engagements of the victims, the numbers of the dead and the injured ones including animals and property losses and the online references. After the initial survey, the data were arranged cumulatively victims’ broad activity-, district-, monthand year-wise. The highlights are people’s outdoor activities paid a heavier toll than the indoor ones; the riskiest district was Sunamganj; the deadliest month was May; and the worst year was 2018. In most of the cases victims fell in an aerial environment of increased electrical conductivity in the range 1 x 10 to 1 x 10 S/m due to a past, ongoing, or sudden shower when the aerial electric field became about 20 times larger than the natural one of 100 V/m to which added about 100 times more victims’ moist body conductivity, crop leaves’/thorns’ conductivity in the range of ∼ 0.3 to 0.9 S/m and the curvature-dependent induced electric field in victims’ working tools and/or ornaments of conductivity ∼ 1 x 10 to 1 x 10 S/m. Upstream water piracy caused regional warming and thence the increased lightning. As for the mitigation strategy, agricultural and cutting tools should be made of the poorly conducting carbon-steal. Field workers should work one behind the other maintaining the safe distance to avoid attacks from side flashes and the ground current. Females should wear beaded jewelries. Plates, glasses and cooking pots should be made of China clay and earthen wares. China clay or carbon-steel weights should be used in fishing nets. In any state of life, prostration on the ground gives the best protection. Houses should be protected by setting up lightning rods and making earthen tyle roofs. Date tree growing should be emphasized because of their lightning-favored sharply pointed thorns and leaves.","PeriodicalId":7487,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Environmental Sciences","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83473722","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Analysis of Land Use and Land Cover Changing Patterns of Bangladesh Using Remote Sensing Technology","authors":"M. Hasan, Rashidul Islam, Md Saifur Rahman, M. Ibrahim, M. Shamsuzzoha, Ruma Khanam, A. M. Zaman","doi":"10.3844/AJESSP.2021.64.74","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3844/AJESSP.2021.64.74","url":null,"abstract":"Department of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation, Faculty of Environmental Science and Disaster Management, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Dumki, Patuakhali-8602, Bangladesh Faculty of Environmental Science and Disaster Management, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Dumki, Patuakhali-8602, Bangladesh Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation, Faculty of Environmental Science and Disaster Management, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Dumki, Patuakhali-8602, Bangladesh Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation, Faculty of Disaster Management, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Dumki, Patuakhali-8602, Bangladesh Department of Emergency Management, Faculty of Environmental Science and Disaster Management, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Dumki, Patuakhali-8602, Bangladesh Department of Disaster Resilience and Engineering, Faculty of Disaster Management, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Dumki, Patuakhali-8602, Bangladesh Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Dumki, Patuakhali-8602, Bangladesh","PeriodicalId":7487,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Environmental Sciences","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75707726","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Heavy Metals Pollution of Owerri and Asuokofi Rivers in Konongo, Ghana","authors":"Wiafe Samuel, Buamah Richard, Essandoh Helen","doi":"10.3844/AJESSP.2021.31.42","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3844/AJESSP.2021.31.42","url":null,"abstract":"Corresponding Author: Wiafe Samuel Department of Civil Engineering, Sunyani Technical University, SunyaniGhana Email: samwafy@yahoo.co.uk Abstract: The effects of polluted water and soil resulting from anthropogenic activities have impacted negatively on the livelihood of both human and animal existence. A thorough study was therefore required to ascertain the extent of pollution caused by the undertakings of these anthropogenic activities particularly within the Asante Akim Central Municipality of Ghana. This study assesses the dispersions and the extent of heavy metal pollution within the Owerri and Asuokofi Rivers in the study area. Fourteen water and sediments samples were collected in fourteen locations from the upstream of two Rivers; Owerri and Asuokofi. The samples were collected and poured in clean (sterilised) plastic bottles. A Geographical Positioning System (GPS) “Garmin 62SC” was used to take coordinates for each of the sampled points using WGS 84 as the baseline. Collected samples were digested and analysed for Hg, Pb, As and Cd levels using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. The levels of Pb, Hg, As and Cd in the water samples were in the ranges of 0.8-9.5, 0.63.5, 0.02-51 and 0.2-5.2 μg/L respectively and that of sediments ranged between 7-89, 0.06-9.2, 10-998 and 0.1 -42 mg/kg respectively. The results showed that the levels of all the metals in water and sediment samples exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended levels in water and sediment.","PeriodicalId":7487,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Environmental Sciences","volume":"28 13 1","pages":"31-42"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90426167","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comprehensive Assessment of Spatial Distribution of Road-Network Vulnerability in South Asia","authors":"Pan Yuqi, Jia Penghui, Li Manchun, Chen Dengshuai","doi":"10.3844/ajessp.2021.108.124","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3844/ajessp.2021.108.124","url":null,"abstract":"Corresponding Author: Penghui Jiang Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Geographic Information Science and Technology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China Email: jiangph1986@nju.edu.cn Abstract: Unexpected phenomena-natural disasters, accidents and wars-can disrupt regional traffic systems because of the incapacities of road networks to sustain inflicted impacts. Therefore, the assessment of road-network vulnerability becomes integral to traffic-safety-maintenance and accidentprevention procedures. This study demonstrates the development of a comprehensive network system based on suggested improvements in node extraction, road construction and network attribution. An indicator system for assessing road-network vulnerability was established to be compatible with the South Asian environment and its geographical characteristics by integrating multisource data-topography, geology and meteorological and geopolitical environments. Employing the GIS-based spatial-analysis technique, a vulnerability-assessment model for South Asian road networks was constructed and spatial distributions of vulnerability characteristics were examined under extreme natural and human-influenced environments. The results demonstrate that the road-network-vulnerability distribution in India follows a decreasing trend outwards from the central part of the country. The highest road-network-vulnerability levels of 7 and 8 were observed in the central and northern parts of the Deccan plateau as well as the western coastal and northern mountainous regions. The northernmost part of Pakistan is characterized by road-vulnerability levels in the range of 9-10. Owing to the heavy influence of India-Pakistan conflicts and terror attacks, road networks in proximity to the India-Pakistan border are assigned the highest vulnerability level of 10. The results of this study demonstrate that changes in and the impact of, the geopolitical environment are primary factors influencing road-network vulnerability in South Asia.","PeriodicalId":7487,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Environmental Sciences","volume":"438 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76676501","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Baseline Concentrations of 11 Elements as a Function of Land uses in Surface Soils of the Katangese Copperbelt Area (D.R. Congo)","authors":"Martin T. Mpinda, Tresor N. Kisimba, T. Mwamba, E. Kasongo, A. Kaniki, B. Mujinya","doi":"10.3844/ajessp.2021.125.135","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3844/ajessp.2021.125.135","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":7487,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Environmental Sciences","volume":"74 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"85868043","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}