CONFCAYS 2019 & Sub Regional Training Workshop on Science AdviceScience Advice in Africa: Opportunity or illusion: Young Scientists: Mainspring of innovation and development in Africa

International audienceThe Cameroon Academy of Young Scientists (CAYS) is a branch of the Cameroon Academy of Science (CAS) aimed at promoting research, paving the way for young scientists, encouraging the development of innovative approaches to national and international challenges. CAYS is a forum for building scientific capacities and the applicability of science to solve problems and provide decision makers and the public with advice based on the most up-to-date scientific knowledge. With support from MINRESI, MINTOUR, MINESUP, CAS, AUF and other partners, CAYS is organizing it first biennial international conference under the theme «Young Scientists: Mainspring of innovation and development in Africa » where scientists have opportunities to present their research results on diverse topics. More and more, scientific advice is spreading the world over to assist policy makers and politicians to make decisions that are informed by evidence-based data and scientific knowledge. It is an opportunity for dialogue that breaks or limits the gaps between researchers in different fields. In Africa and particularly in the Central African Sub-region, the progress of this concept is still lagging behind. Taking cognizance of this, CAYS offers an opportunity, during this conference, of a training workshop on the science advice in collaboration with The Quebec Research Funds (FRQ) and the International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA). For the workshop, 65 participants were selected from government institutions and civil society organizations in the Central African Region. A total of 153 abstracts (55 oral and 98 poster presentations) were selected from national and international participants. The said abstracts will be presented in 4 sessions under 3 major themes including 1) Nutrition, Health and Environment; 2) Material Science, ITC and Renewable Energy; and 3) Digital Economy, Peace and Development. These abstracts have been compiled in this abstracts volume

Major ions, δ18O, δ13C and 87Sr/86Sr compositions of water and precipitates from springs along the Cameroon Volcanic Line (Cameroon, West Africa): Implications for provenance and volcanic hazards

A combined study of major ions, δ18O, δD, 13C, 87Sr/86Sr isotopes, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and electron probe microanalyses on springs and spring mineral precipitates along the Cameroon Volcanic Line (CVL) was undertaken to understand water chemistry, and infer the type and origin of the precipitates. The waters are of evaporated Na + KCl and non-evaporated Ca + MgHCO3 types, with the more mineralized (electrical conductivity-EC of 13130 μS/cm) Lobe spring inferred to result from interaction of circulating 49 °C waters with magmatic volatiles of the active Mt. Cameroon. Water mineralization in the other springs follows the order: Sabga A > Sabga B > Bambui B > Bambui A > Nyos Cave. But for the Nyos Cave spring, all other springs contain fluoride (up to 0.5–35.6 mg/l above WHO potable water upper limit). The Sabga spring contains arsenic (up to 1.3 mg/l above the WHO limits). The springs show low fractionation temperatures in the range of 19–43 ᵒC. The Lobe and Sabga A springs are precipitating dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2), while the Nyos Cave, Bambui A, Bambui B and Sabga B springs precipitate trona ((Na3H(CO3)2.H2O). Our data suggest a marine provenance for the carbonates, and point to a volcanic input for the Lobe, Nyos, Sabga A, and Bambui A springs. The latter springs are therefore proposed as proxies for monitoring volcanic activity for hazard mitigation along the CVL

Heavy Metal Contamination and Ecological Risk Assessment in Soils of the Pawara Gold Mining Area, Eastern Cameroon

Pawara area is a mining district in the eastern region of Cameroon. Mining in the area is generally artisanal and semi-mechanized, practiced by the local miners and immigrants from neighboring African countries and China. The lack of strict regulations and control of mining activities permits the miners to use illegal substances, especially Hg in gold separation. These expose the area to toxic and heavy metals pollution. This study highlights the source of heavy metals concentration in the Pawara soils and the potential adverse effects of Hg on gold separation to the environment and health. Three mining sites and one control site were investigated, namely Site A, Site B and Site C. The control Site 0 (background) is an area where no mining and agricultural activities have taken place. Soil samples were collected at depth of 20 cm, with six from each site (24 samples). Samples were analyzed for Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Pb, Cd and Zn content using atomic absorption spectrophotometry in a graphite furnace. The metals, except for Fe, show high values for all three sites exceeding the background levels in the soils. Hg shows the highest concentration on Site A with a value of 1590 mg kg−1. Pb is highest on Site B with a concentration of 12,274 mg kg−1. The contamination degree was assessed with the help of contamination indices (Igeo—index of geo-accumulation; PLI—pollution load index; RI—potential ecological risk; Eri—ecological risk; Pi—single pollution index; CF—contamination factor) and all parameters show a high degree of contamination on all three sites compared to the control site. Hg, Pb, Cd, Cr and Cu as single pollutants show the highest ecological risk on Site A and Site B where intense mining is taking place. The absence of industrial and large-scale agricultural activities in the Pawara area, the nonexistence of contaminants on the control site and the presence of contaminants on Site C where farming is high and mining is low jointly show that the discharge of mine wastes onto the soils and stream channels are the main source of contaminants and potential pollutants of the Pawara ecological environment

Heavy Metal Contamination and Ecological Risk Assessment in Soils of the Pawara Gold Mining Area, Eastern Cameroon

Pawara area is a mining district in the eastern region of Cameroon. Mining in the area is generally artisanal and semi-mechanized, practiced by the local miners and immigrants from neighboring African countries and China. The lack of strict regulations and control of mining activities permits the miners to use illegal substances, especially Hg in gold separation. These expose the area to toxic and heavy metals pollution. This study highlights the source of heavy metals concentration in the Pawara soils and the potential adverse effects of Hg on gold separation to the environment and health. Three mining sites and one control site were investigated, namely Site A, Site B and Site C. The control Site 0 (background) is an area where no mining and agricultural activities have taken place. Soil samples were collected at depth of 20 cm, with six from each site (24 samples). Samples were analyzed for Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Pb, Cd and Zn content using atomic absorption spectrophotometry in a graphite furnace. The metals, except for Fe, show high values for all three sites exceeding the background levels in the soils. Hg shows the highest concentration on Site A with a value of 1590 mg kg−1. Pb is highest on Site B with a concentration of 12,274 mg kg−1. The contamination degree was assessed with the help of contamination indices (Igeo—index of geo-accumulation; PLI—pollution load index; RI—potential ecological risk; Eri—ecological risk; Pi—single pollution index; CF—contamination factor) and all parameters show a high degree of contamination on all three sites compared to the control site. Hg, Pb, Cd, Cr and Cu as single pollutants show the highest ecological risk on Site A and Site B where intense mining is taking place. The absence of industrial and large-scale agricultural activities in the Pawara area, the nonexistence of contaminants on the control site and the presence of contaminants on Site C where farming is high and mining is low jointly show that the discharge of mine wastes onto the soils and stream channels are the main source of contaminants and potential pollutants of the Pawara ecological environment