Browsing by Author "Gonzaga, Allan"

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    A Systematic Review of Contaminants of Concern in Uganda: Occurrence, Sources, Potential Risks, and Removal Strategies
    (https://doi.org/10.3390/ pollutants3040037, 2023) Baguma, Gabson; Bamanya, Gadson; Gonzaga, Allan; Ampaire, Wycliffe; Onen, Patrick
    Contaminants of concern (CoCs) pose significant threats to Uganda’s ecosystems and public health, particularly in the face of rapid urbanization, industrial expansion, and intensified agriculture. This systematic review comprehensively analyzed Uganda’s CoC landscape, addressing imminent challenges that endanger the country’s ecosystems and public health. CoCs, originating from urban, industrial, and agricultural activities, encompass a wide range of substances, including pharmaceuticals, personal care products, pesticides, industrial chemicals, heavy metals, radionuclides, biotoxins, disinfection byproducts, hydrocarbons, and microplastics. This review identified the major drivers of CoC dispersion, particularly wastewater and improper waste disposal practices. From an initial pool of 887 articles collected from reputable databases such as PubMed, African Journal Online (AJOL), Web of Science, Science Direct, and Google Scholar, 177 pertinent studies were extracted. The literature review pointed to the presence of 57 pharmaceutical residues and personal care products, along with 38 pesticide residues and 12 heavy metals, across various environmental matrices, such as wastewater, groundwater, seawater, rainwater, surface water, drinking water, and pharmaceutical effluents. CoC concentrations displayed significant levels exceeding established regulations, varying based on the specific locations, compounds, and matrices. This review underscores potential ecological and health consequences associated with CoCs, including antibiotic resistance, endocrine disruption, and carcinogenicity. Inefficiencies in traditional wastewater treatment methods, coupled with inadequate sanitation practices in certain areas, exacerbate the contamination of Uganda’s aquatic environments, intensifying environmental and health concerns. To address these challenges, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) emerge as promising and efficient alternatives for CoC degradation and the prevention of environmental pollution. Notably, no prior studies have explored the management and mitigation of these contaminants through AOP application within various aqueous matrices in Uganda. This review emphasizes the necessity of specific regulations, improved data collection, and public awareness campaigns, offering recommendations for advanced wastewater treatment implementation, the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices, and the enforcement of source control measures. Furthermore, it highlights the significance of further research to bridge knowledge gaps and devise effective policies and interventions. Ultimately, this comprehensive analysis equips readers, policymakers, and regulators with vital knowledge for informed decision-making, policy development, and the protection of public health and the environment.
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    Air Quality in Kampala, Uganda: A Review of the Causes of Low Air Quality and its Impacts
    (Trends in Environmental Sciences, 2025) Obaroh, Israel Olusegun; Gonzaga, Allan; Ugo, Alum Esther; Manjula, Vaithiyalingam Subramanian
    Air quality is a critical aspect of environmental health, directly impacting human well-being and ecosystem integrity. Currently, available data indicates that close to 99% of the global population is inhaling air that does not meet the required quality. Uganda is no exception to the global challenge of air pollution. The purpose of this review was to assess the current causes and impact of air pollution with a special focus on Kampala City, Uganda. Thus, the literature review explores the air quality situation in Uganda, examining the causes behind its low quality and the consequential impacts on public health and the environment. Drawing from a wide range of scholarly sources, this paper analyzes the various factors contributing to air pollution in Uganda. These include industrial activities, vehicular emissions, biomass burning and agricultural practices. Additionally, it discusses the health implications of poor air quality, such as respiratory diseases and cardiovascular problems, as well as its environmental consequences, such as ecosystem degradation and climate change. By digesting existing recent research published from 2015 to 2024, this review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the air quality challenges faced by Uganda and to highlight potential strategies for mitigation and improvement.
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    Health Risks from Intake and Contact with Toxic Metal-Contaminated Water from Pager River, Uganda
    (Journal of Xenobiot, 2023) Onen, Patrick; Akemkwene, Robin; Nakiguli, Caroline K.; Nimusiima, Daniel; Ruma, Daniel Hendry; Khanakwa, Alice V.; Angiro, Christopher; Bamanya, Gadson; Opio, Boniface; Gonzaga, Allan; Omara, Timothy
    Pollution of water resources is one of the major impediments to the realization of Sustainable Development Goals, especially in developing countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the physicochemical quality and potentially toxic element (lead and cadmium) concentrations in surface water sampled from Pager River, a tributary of the Nile River in Northern Uganda. Water samples (n = 18) were taken from six different points upstream (A, B, and C) and downstream (D, E, and F) of the river and analyzed following standard methods for their physiochemical properties. Atomic absorption spectroscopy was used to quantify lead and cadmium concentrations. Human health risks from ingestion and dermal contact with potentially toxic metal-contaminated water were calculated. The results obtained indicated that the mean temperature (27.7 ± 0.5–29.5 ± 0.8 °C), turbidity (40.7 ± 2.1–50.1 ± 1.1 NTU), lead (0.296 ± 0.030–0.576 ± 0.163 mg/L) and cadmium (0.278 ± 0.040–0.524 ± 0.040 mg/L) occurred at levels that surpassed their permissible limits as per World Health Organization guidelines for drinking water. Human health risk assessment showed that there are potential non-cancer risks from the ingestion of water from Pager River by adults, as the total hazard quotients were greater than one. These results emphasize the urgency to restrict the dumping of wastes into the river to minimize chances of impacting the Nile River, which flows northwards to the Mediterranean Sea. Further studies should perform routine monitoring of the river during both dry and wet seasons to establish the spatiotemporal variations of physicochemical, microbial, and trace metal profiles of the river and the associated health risks.