Community-centred approach for assessing social sustainability in mining regions : a case study of Chingola district, Zambia

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT : The datasets generated for this study are available on request to the corresponding author.Social sustainability has received the least attention among the three-pillars of sustainable development in the mining regions of Africa. However, with the rapid population growth globally, social sustainability assessment using clearly defined indicators is becoming essential to ensuring urban sustainability, specifically in mining regions. This study assessed the contribution of the mining industry to the social sustainability of the Chingola district in terms of cumulative impacts and the extent to which CSR initiatives have contributed to a social sustainability profile. Mixed methods including in-depth key informant interviews guide and observation were used to collect data on social sustainability. The data were collected from 10 out of the 28 wards of Chingola, selected using a systematic random sampling. A total of 500 households of which 49 households (with a sampling unit of 10) and 10 key informants' stakeholders were purposively selected. Aggregation and normalization techniques were used to construct the composite indicators depicting the strength of each indicator. The social sustainability of the Chingola district based on the calculated composite indicators varies from weak-to-moderate sustainability. The proposed indicators could serve local government and mining companies, redirect development schemes, re-strategize the stakeholders' involvement, and support corporate governance.http://wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/sdhj2023Plant Production and Soil Scienc

Effects of Endosulfan on Predator–Prey Interactions Between Catfish and Schistosoma Host Snails

The effect of the pesticide endosulfan on predator–prey interactions between catfish and Schistosoma host snails was assessed in static tank experiments. Hybrid catfish (Clarias gariepinus × C. ngamensis) and Bulinus globosus were subjected to various endosulfan concentrations including an untreated control. The 48- and 96-h LC50 values for catfish were 1.0 and 50 values for snails were 1137 and 810 µg/L. To assess sublethal effects on the feeding of the catfish on B. globosus, endosulfan concentrations between 0.03 and 1.0 µg/L were used. Predation was significantly greater (p <0.001) in control tanks than in all other treatments. There was progressively decreasing predation with increasing toxicant concentration. Biological control of Schistosoma host snails using fish may be affected in endosulfan-polluted aquatic systems of Southern Africa because it has been found present at concentrations that are indicated to cause lethal effects on the evaluated hybrid catfish and to inhibit the predation of snails by this hybrid catfish

Natural and human induced factors influencing the abundance of Schistosoma host snails in Zambia

Schistosomiasis remains a global public health problem affecting about 240 million people. In Zambia, 2 million are infected while 3 million live with the risk of getting infected. Research and interventions relating to schistosomiasis are mainly linked to disease epidemiology. Malacological and ecological aspects of the disease are superficially understood. Developing effective control measures requires an understanding of interacting environmental and socioeconomic factors of host snails vis-a-vis schistosomiasis. Therefore, the present work involved collecting social and environmental data in a large field study in two zones in Zambia that are different in terms of temperature and rainfall amounts. Social data collected through questionnaires included demographic, educational and knowledge of schistosomiasis disease dynamics. Environmental data included physicochemical factors, aquatic plants and snails. Gender (P <0.001) significantly influences livelihood strategies, while age (P = 0.069) and level of education (P = 0.086) have a moderate influence in zone I. In zone III, none of these factors (age, P = 0.378; gender, P = 0.311; education, P = 0.553) play a significant role. Environmental parameters explained 43 and 41 % variation in species composition for zones I and III, respectively. Most respondents’ (52 %, 87 %) perception is that there are more cases of bilharzia in hot season than in other seasons (rainy season 23 %, 7 %; cold season 8 %, 0 % and year round 17 %, 6 %) for zone I and zone III, respectively.</p

Aquatic Mercury Pollution from Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining in Sub-Saharan Africa: Status, Impacts, and Interventions

Mercury (Hg) pollution remains an environmental global concern due to its non-degradable and toxic nature. Natural and anthropogenic sources of Hg adversely affect the functioning of aquatic ecosystems and biological processes. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), unregulated artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) contributes up to 20% of global gold production and uses 205–496 tonnes/yr of Hg. Despite being a vital economic driver for 20–30 million people, ASGM threatens the health of aquatic systems from Hg pollution, presenting a complex challenge that demands urgent interventions. This review seeks to (1) establish the current status of aquatic Hg pollution, (2) explore the environmental impacts of aquatic Hg, and (3) highlight the proposed interventions for aquatic Hg pollution in SSA. We examined publications and institutional reports between 2000 and 2023 addressing aquatic Hg pollution, impacts, and interventions in the ASGM of SSA. Results indicate a rise in aquatic Hg pollution due to the expansion and intensification of ASGM. West Africa remained the highest contributor (50.2%), followed by Central Africa (39.6%), Southern Africa (9.6%), and Eastern Africa (<1%). Contamination of freshwater ecosystems, toxicity to aquatic biota, and environmental health risks to humans were evident. Alternative Hg-free ASGM technologies, including physical, metallurgical, and pyrometallurgical, were investigated from case studies and recommended for adoption