Browsing by Author "Mwegoha, William J. S."

Now showing 1 - 11 of 11
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    A review of co-management interventions in the Lake Victoria Basin, Tanzania
    (African Journals Online (AJOL), 2018) Mwegoha, William J. S.
    This paper presents appraisal of Co-Management Interventions (CMI) focusing on their successes and challenges associated with the environmental and social aspects carried out as part of the Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project, Phase Two (LVEMP-II) in Tanzania. A total of 23 sub-projects were appraised in accordance with the Environmental Management Act in four regions in Tanzania. The effectiveness of the appraisal process, including involvement of different parties, was assessed during the whole project cycle. Long delays in the process by the National Environment Management Council have often created a time conflict with the implementation schedule falling behind and delaying projects. Challenges relating to policy, regulatory and institutional issues for selected projects are discussed and recommendations for refining the assessment process are made.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Assessment of surface water quality near municipal solid waste dumping facility in Bukoba, Kagera Region, Tanzania
    (Wiley Online LIbrary, 2023) Lema, Meserecordias W. J.; Mwegoha, William J. S.
    Water samples were collected from River Kanoni which passes near a municipal solid waste (MSW) dumping facility in Bukoba Town, Kagera Region, United Republic of Tanzania. The objective of the study was to assess surface water pollution caused by a MSW dump. Selected physico-chemical parameters (pH, temperature, Electrical Conductivity [EC], and Total Dissolved Solids [TDS]), nutrient levels, as well as heavy metals concentrations (Pb, Zn, Cu, Cr, Cd) were analyzed in the laboratory at the University of Dar es Salaam, in accordance with standard methods, and were compared with the existing standard limits for freshwater qualities, as stipulated by WHO and US-EPA. Results have shown that pH values were within the allowable range of between 6.5 and 8.5, except for one value (8.82 ± 0.11) that was measured at the midstream. Temperature values were between 26.28 ± 1.02°C and 28.35 ± 0.15°C, which are within the allowable range of between 20°C and 50°C. EC values were between 262.50 ± 8.32 μS/cm and 345.01 ± 6.48 μS/cm, which are below the maximum allowable value of 400 μS/cm. TDS values were between 183.75 ± 6.55 mg/L and 241.51 ± 11.33 mg/L, which are below the maximum allowable value of 500 mg/L. Nitrate levels were between 17.52 ± 1.12 mg/L and 32.00 ± 3.02 mg/L, which are above the standard limit of 10 mg/L above. Concentrations of Lead, Chromium, and Cadmium were between 0.03 ± 0.01 mg/L and 0.16 ± 0.05 mg/L, 0.55 ± 0.02 mg/L and 1.14 ± 0.07 mg/L, and 0.009 ± 0.12 mg/L and 0.098 ± 0.22, respectively, which are all above the recommended limits of 0.01, 0.05, and 0.003 mg/L, respectively. Values for copper and zinc were between 0.02 ± 0.12 mg/L and 0.20 ± 0.22 mg/L, and 0.79 ± 0.32 mg/L and 1.57 ± 0.04 mg/L respectively, which are below the recommended limits of 1.3 and 5 mg/L, respectively. This study has revealed that Bukoba MSW dumping facility has potential impacts on the water quality in River Kanoni, for domestic usage. This, therefore, demands all relevant authorities to immediately find a proper and sustainable replacement for the existing MSW dump in Bukoba town.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Heavy metals accumulation in vegetables grown along the Msimbazi River in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
    (African Journals Online (AJOL), 2010) Kihampa, C; Mwegoha, William J. S.
    Concentrations of cadmium, copper, chromium and lead was determined in four different edible vegetables namely Amaranthus blitum, A. gangeticus, Ipomea batata and Cucurbita maxima grown at four different sites along the contaminated Msimbazi River, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Analyses of these heavy metals were conducted using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. Results obtained indicate that the concentrations of heavy metals range from below detection limit to 0.53, 0.14 to 29.08, 0.76 to 17.69, and below detection limit to 39.69 mg/100 g for cadmium, chromium, copper and lead, respectively. With exception to Ipomea batata, other vegetables contained at least two types of heavy metals with high concentrations beyond the permissible values recommended by FAO and WHO for human consumption. Concentrations of cadmium were within the acceptable limits for human consumption in all the vegetables investigated. This work, thus, seeks to provide information on levels of toxic heavy metals in leaves of edible vegetables irrigated with water contaminated by industrial and other anthropogenic effluents, and grown in contaminated soils along the Msimbazi River. The information can be used for monitoring processes to prevent excessive build-up in the food chain.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Heavy metals concentrations in vegetables grown in the vicinity of the closed dumpsite
    (International Journal of Environmental Sciences, 2011) Kihampa, Charles; Mwegoha, William J. S.; Shemdoe, Riziki S.
    Levels of heavy metals cadmium, lead, chromium, zinc and copper in five different edible vegetables, Amaranthus blitum, Vigna unguiculata, Ipomea batata, Solanum nigrum and Cucurbita maxima grown along the slopes of the closed dumpsite were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The extraction of heavy metals from the vegetables was done by dry ashing methods and data were analysed using Statistical Programme for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Excel computer packages. Results obtained for five heavy metals in vegetables ranged between 0.28 and 1.50 mg/kg dw for cadmium; 0.49 and 20.65 mg/kg dw for lead; 1.15 and 29.39 mg/kg dw for chromium; 18.61 and 122.88 mg/kg dw for zinc and 3.96 and 22.47 mg/kg dw for copper. The levels of Zn, Cr, Pb and Cd were above the permissible levels of heavy metals in food as per FAO/WHO guidelines and Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) standards. This implies that vegetables grown along the closed Mtoni dumpsite are not suitable for human consumption. This study highlights the potential risks involved in the cultivation and consumption of vegetables on plots along the dumpsites and irrigated with water contaminated with leachates effluents, a practice which may place at risk the health of the urban population who consume these vegetables.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Identification of potential groundwater recharge zones at Makutupora basin, Dodoma Tanzania
    (Taylor & Francis Online, 2021) Mseli, Zaina Hussein; Mwegoha, William J. S.; Gaduputi, Sankaranna
    This paper presents results of identifying potential groundwater recharge zones at the Makutupora basin using GIS and remote sensing techniques. The study was based on integration of seven factors known to contribute towards groundwater existence, namely lineaments and drainage density, elevation, slope, lithology, rainfall, and land use/land cover. For each factor, a thematic layer was prepared, reclassified into five classes, and assigned weight based on its contribution to groundwater existence. All weighted thematic layers were overlaid by the weighted sum analysis method using spatial analyst tool in ArcGIS 10.4® to produce spatial distribution of potential groundwater recharge zones. The potential groundwater recharge zones were classified into five classes, ranging from not suitable to more suitable. This study reveals coverage of potential groundwater recharge as: 2% very good zone, 11% good, 40% average, 45.5% poor, and 1.6% very poor. The Southwest, Northeast, and some small sections of the North of the basin are predominantly between good and very good groundwater recharge potential; while the rest of the basin ranges from poor to very poor. These results have provided some useful information to enable exploration of groundwater wells and foster sustainable planning and use of groundwater resources in this area.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Industrial symbiosis in Tanzania: A case study from the sugar industry
    (Taylor & Francis Online, 2020) Rweyendela, Amani G.; Mwegoha, William J. S.
    The concept of industrial symbiosis (IS) offers enormous potential for more sustainable manufacturing processes. This paper sets out to explore the IS forms occurring at a case study of the Kilombero Sugar Company Limited (KSCL), the largest sugar refinery in Tanzania; and identify the underlying factors based on the data collected through key informant interviews, observational site visits, and relevant documentary reviews. Findings reveal an evolving IS network at KSCL involving physical exchanges of bagasse, molasses, filter cake, and boiler ash and utility sharing among seven co-located units. Through these modest internal IS arrangements, KSCL has optimized resource use, thereby minimizing negative environmental impacts inherent from emissions, as well as generating additional revenues from resource recovery, in particular the alcohol distillery unit. Results also show that KSCL’s industrial ecosystem is fragile due to limited functional and structural diversity. We identify several drivers and barriers as possible leverage points. The lessons from KSCL are expected to provide a valuable reference for IS development in Africa.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Sustainable solid waste management measures in Tanzania: An exploratory descriptive case study among vendors at Majengo market in Dodoma City
    (BMC Public Health, 2020) Nyampundu, Kepha; Mwegoha, William J. S.; Millanzi, Walter C.
    Solid waste management is both an urban and rural problem because every person is considered a producer of wastes. It has been noted to be a global universal issue, which affects every individual, families, communities and governments and thus, needs to be addressed through sustainable strategies. This study aimed at characterizing solid wastes; assessing the levels of awareness of vendors on the sustainable solid waste management measures; and identifying techniques used to handle solid waste generated at the Majengo market in Dodoma City, Tanzania.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    The sustainability of groundwater in semi-arid regions: The case of Makutupora basin in Tanzania
    (IWA publishing, 2023) Mseli, Zaina Hussein; Said, Alfred; Sankaranna, Gaduputi; Mwegoha, William J. S.
    Groundwater sustainability ensures groundwater development and uses to meet current and future needs without causing unacceptable environmental, economic, or social consequences. In semi-arid regions, water resources are typically limited, and water management is critical to ensure a sustainable water supply. Groundwater sustainability indexing is vital for groundwater management. The study used four indicators in six dimensions, i.e., quantitative and qualitative hydrogeology, environmental, social-economic, and political factors, to evaluate the sustainability of the aquifer in Makutupora basin, Dodoma, Tanzania. The resulting aquifer sustainability index is 0.59, with a 95% confidence interval between 0.3856 and 0.7944, showing that the aquifer is sufficiently sustainable. The hydrogeological analysis revealed that groundwater sustainability is promising, although groundwater use per capita is alarming. This study also recommends effective water management strategies, including improving water use efficiency, promoting water conservation, implementing policies to limit water withdrawals, and promoting alternative water sources such as recycled wastewater, especially for agricultural activities.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    The treatment of climate change impacts and adaptation in the environmental impact assessment of the Standard Gauge Railway Project in Tanzania
    (Taylor and Francis Online, 2021) Rweyendela, Amani G.; Mwegoha, William J. S.
    Transport remains one of the essential infrastructures, crucial for socio-economic development. However, climate change threatens the transport infrastructure development gains already achieved globally. The incorporation of climate change and adaptation capabilities into environmental impact assessment (EIA) processes has been extensively discussed and linked to enhanced project climate resilience. However, a considerable research gap remains unexplored, and that is assessing whether and how EIA has been used to climate-proof development proposals in Africa. This study examined how climate change impacts and adaptation capabilities featured in the EIA of a major transport infrastructure project in Tanzania. It draws on reviewing the project’s environmental impact statement (EIS) using review criteria derived from the literature. The findings revealed that all EIA stages addressed climate change in one way or another, with some of the criteria more comprehensively treated than others. A closer examination unveiled several good practices, which evidence appreciation for climate science and considerable strength in climate change preparedness. The results highlight EIA’s potential to steer climate efforts among vulnerable communities systematically. This paper will contribute to the international discussion on this issue and offer a basis for further research towards deeper engagement between the actors within EIA, transport planning and climate networks.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    The use of phytoremediation technology for abatement soil and groundwater pollution in Tanzania: opportunities and challenges
    (Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa, 2008) Mwegoha, William J. S.
    Contamination of soil and groundwater from anthropogenic sources is a major concern in many developing countries including Tanzania. Improper handling of Municipal Solid Wastes (MSW) in many urban centers in Tanzania has often resulted into gas emissions and generation of leachate, which pose threat to the environment. Additionally, the use of pesticides for agricultural purposes is on the increase because of the need to improve crop production and control of pests, weed infestation and insect outbreaks. As a consequence, pesticide use has caused adverse contamination in soils and waters. The potentially negative impacts of these pesticide stocks on humans and the environment are of major concern. To make the situation more challenging, the country has experienced a substantially fast growth of the mining sector in many parts of the country over the past ten years, which has resulted in reported soil and water pollution from acid mine drainage with elevated concentrations of heavy metals. It is estimated that more than 30% of the Tanzanians depend on groundwater as their source of water. Most of the conventional methods for environmental remediation of these sites are expensive and often poorly implemented or not implemented at all. Thus, there is a clear need to develop new cost effective and environmentally friendly clean-up methods to remediate the contaminated areas in Tanzania. Phytoremediation is a relatively new and promising technology that uses plants to degrade, stabilize, metabolize or sequester potentially toxic compounds from the environment. This paper is aimed at assessing the potential of phytoremediation as a low-cost alternative, but which has yet to be studied and used in Tanzania.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Use of chicken manure extract for biostimulation and enhancement of perchlorate rhizodegradation in soil and water media
    (Taylor & Francis Online, 2007) Mwegoha, William J. S.; Mbuya, Odemari S.; Jai, Amita; Ugochukwu, Ngozi H.; Abazinge, Michael D.
    The influence of biostimulation using dissolved organic carbon (DOC) on rhizodegradation of perchlorate and plant uptake was studied under greenhouse conditions using soil and hydroponic bioreactors. One set of bioreactors planted with willow (Salix babylonica) plants was spiked with 300 mg L−1 DOC in the form of chicken manure extract, whereas a second set was not treated with DOC. A similar experiment without willow plants was run in parallel to the planted bioreactors. The planted soil bioreactors amended with DOC reduced perchlorate from 65.85 to 2.67 mg L−1 in 21 days for humic soil (95.95% removal) and from 68.99 to 0.06 mg L− 1 for sandy loam (99.91% removal) in 11 days. Nonplanted DOC treated soil bioreactors achieved complete perchlorate removal in 6 and 8 days for humic and sandy loam, respectively. Both planted and nonplanted soil bioreactors without DOC removed > 95% perchlorate within 8 days. Planted soil bioreactors respiked with perchlorate reduced perchlorate to nondetectable levels in 6 days. Hydroponics experiment amended with DOC reduced perchlorate from approximately 100 mg L− 1 to nondetectable levels within 7 to 9 days. Hydroponic bioreactors without DOC had low perchlorate removal rates, achieving 30% removal in 42 days. Leaf samples from sandy loam soil bioreactors without DOC had four times perchlorate phytoaccumulation than the DOC-treated plants. Similar results were obtained with the nonplanted bioreactors. Persistence of perchlorate in solution of planted hydroponic bioreactors without DOC amendment suggested that natural DOC from the plant exudates was not enough to biostimulate perchlorate reducing microbes. The hydroponic bioreactor study provided evidence that DOC is a limiting factor in the rhizodegradation of perchlorate.