Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in partnership with Aarhus University, Denmark will over the next 5 years conduct a major research project in the area of environmental analytical chemistry. The project has been awarded funding from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (FFU) and is entitled Xenobiotic Substances and Heavy metals in the Environment – a Threat to Health, Ecosystems and Development (Sheathe).
The project addresses dispersal and effects of heavy metals and xenobiotic substances in the Ghanaian environment, primarily from rapidly increasing activities in the informal economic sectors such as artisanal mining (ASM) and management of waste electronic and electric equipment (WEEE).
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in partnership with Aarhus University, Denmark will over the next 5 years conduct a major research project in the area of environmental analytical chemistry. The project has been awarded funding from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (FFU) and is entitled Xenobiotic Substances and Heavy metals in the Environment – a Threat to Health, Ecosystems and Development (Sheathe).
The project addresses dispersal and effects of heavy metals and xenobiotic substances in the Ghanaian environment, primarily from rapidly increasing activities in the informal economic sectors such as artisanal mining (ASM) and management of waste electronic and electric equipment (WEEE).
The project combines measurement of background concentrations in soil, water and air across the country with measurements of high temporal and spatial resolution in intensive study areas with known pollution sources. The project includes high resolution data from drone-borne sensors and remote sensing.
Objective
The overall objective of the project is to contribute to a more sustainable management of natural resources, both in the extraction of raw materials such as gold, and in the management of soil, water and air as natural resources by preventing and controlling pollution. The output will be used to assess existing and future effects on human health, ecosystems, and food production.
The social science component will investigate access to information and knowledge in raising awareness, removing barriers for adaptation of better practices, and developing better risk handling strategies at the individual and community level.
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