2647 research outputs found
Sort by
Hermetia illucens pupae casings and biogas slurry activated carbon electrodes for Cd2 + removal from aqueous solutions using capacitive deionization
No full textThis research article was published Desalination and Water Treatment Volume 322, 2025This study examined capacitive deionisation’s effectiveness for recovering Cd2+ from water using novel carbon-based electrodes derived from Hermetia illucens pupae casings (PC) and biogas slurry (BG). Activated carbon (AC) was produced through carbonization at 500 °C and chemical activation (KOH) at 700 °C. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method, Scanning Electron Microscope, X-ray diffractometer, Fourier transform infrared, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and contact angle measurement were performed on AC. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry were used to test the electrochemical properties of carbons. Prepared AC possessed high specific surface areas of 549 m2/g and 927 m2/g for pupae casings and biogas slurry. Electrochemical tests revealed that PC-700 has a high specific capacitance of 271.9 Fg−1 and 105.8 Fg−1 for BG-700. Two concentrations of CdCl2 (5 mg/L and 10 mg/L) were used in a batch mode for the CDI test. Electrodes show an impressive cadmium removal efficiency of approximately 91 % and 56 % for PC and BG electrodes, respectively. Electro-sorption capacity was 10.9 mgg−1 and 2.1 mgg−1 for PC and BG electrodes, respectively. This work demonstrates the potential of PC-derived electrodes in CDI technology for recovering heavy metals from water
Transforming Maasai Landscapes: Land Cover Changes and Their Implications for Pastoralism and Conservation
No full textThis research article was published in the Research Square, 2025Land cover change, particularly in landscapes inhabited by pastoralist communities like the Maasai, is a growing concern
due to its environmental and socio-economic implications. The Maasai regions in Tanzania have experienced signi cant
land cover shifts in recent years, which can affect biodiversity, ecosystem services, and traditional livelihoods. Despite the
importance of these landscapes, there is limited understanding of how speci c land cover types, such as rangelands,
croplands, and tree cover, have changed over time, and what the drivers behind these changes are. To address this gap,
this study examines the extent and nature of land cover changes in Maasai landscapes between 2017 and 2023. The
study speci cally focuses on the conversion of rangelands to other land uses, such as tree cover, croplands, and built
areas, as well as the shifts from trees to cropland and built areas. By analyzing these trends, the study aims to provide
insights into the factors driving land cover change and their implications for land management in the region. The ndings
reveal substantial transitions, including the conversion of 451,514 hectares of rangeland to tree cover, 152,064 hectares to
cropland, and 10,181 hectares to built areas. These results highlight the urgent need for strategies that support
sustainable land use while considering the ecological and socio-economic importance of Maasai landscapes
Banana Leaves Imagery Dataset
No full textThis research article was published in the scientific data, 2025In this work, we present a dataset of banana leaf imagery, both with and without diseases. The dataset consists of 11,767 images, categorized as follows: 3,339 healthy images, 3,496 images of leaves affected by Black Sigatoka and 4,932 images of leaves affected by Fusarium Wilt Race 1. This data was collected to support machine learning diagnostics for disease detection. The data collection process involved farmers, researchers, agricultural experts and plant pathologists from the northern and southern highland regions of Tanzania. To ensure unbiased representation, farms were randomly selected from the Rungwe, Mbeya, Arumeru, and Arusha districts, based on the presence of banana crops and the targeted diseases. The dataset offers a comprehensive collection of images captured from November 2022 to January 2023, using a high-resolution smartphone camera across a wide geographical area. Researchers and developers can use this dataset to build machine learning solutions that automatically detect diseases in images, potentially enabling agricultural stakeholders, including farmers, to diagnose Fusarium Wilt Race 1 and Black Sigatoka early and take timely action
Economic Factors Influencing Household Access to Clean Water in a Peri-Urban Area of Northern Tanzania
No full textThis research article was published by the Open Journal of Social Sciences, Vol. 13, No. 4, 2025Economic factors and associated correlations play a crucial role in shaping
household access to clean water in peri-urban areas, directly impacting the
well-being and health of communities. Most communities globally still lack ac cess to safe and clean water, resulting to illness and even death due to water borne diseases. This study aims to investigate how economic factors influence
household access to clean water in a Peri-Urban area of Northern Tanzania. To
achieve the objectives of this study, 353 questionnaires were administered, and
for qualitative data collection semi-structured interviews were conducted with
the key informants. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed for
quantitative data, and qualitative data were thematically analysed. Results show
that 70.8% had no piped water, 65.4% were farmers, and 70.5% of individuals
earning less than 110,000 TZS were 1.625 times more likely to lack access to
clean water than higher-income households (95% CI: 1.221 - 2.163, p = 0.001)
and 48.4% depended on water for production. Most communities in Peri-Ur ban area of Northern Tanzania rely on alternative sources of water, including
rivers. To achieve sustainable development goal focusing on improvements in
water access, policymakers must prioritise economic development initiatives
that foster job creation and infrastructure enhancement
Potential of Manure and Urea Fertilizer on Maize (Zea mays L.) Productivity and Soil Quality in the Northern Highlands of Tanzania
No full textThis research article was published by Agronomy, Volume 15, 2025Many agricultural fields are no longer sustainable due to inadequate replenishment of soil nutrients through organic and inorganic inputs, particularly in smallholder farming systems. As a result, achieving potential crop yields in these systems has proven to be difficult. Field trials were conducted in two long rainy growing seasons in 2021 and 2023 to assess the effects of urea fertilizer and cattle manure as sources of nitrogen (N) on (i) maize crop yields and (ii) soil chemical properties at two sites (Kwa Sadala and Mungushi) located in Hai district, northern Tanzania. The trials employed a randomized complete block design with three replicates, including eight treatments. The treatments were: 0 fertilizer (control), 25, 50, 75 kg N ha−1 (sole urea), 12.5 kg N (urea) + 12.5 kg N (cattle manure), 25 kg N (urea) + 25 kg N (cattle manure), and 50 and 75 kg N (sole cattle manure). Results show that the highest application rate of urea (75 kg N ha−1) produced the highest grain yields of 4.21 and 4.09 t ha−1 in the 2021 season and 4.32 and 4.04 t ha−1 in the 2023 season at Kwa Sadala and Mungushi, respectively. The application of cattle manure at the highest rates increased the soil pH by 3.15 and 2.26% at Kwa Sadala and Mungushi, respectively. Similarly, soil total N, OC, available/extractable P, and exchangeable K increased by 100%, 56.3%, 52.36%, and 19.67%, respectively, at Kwa Sadala and by 16.67%, 18.13%, 20.95%, and 6.76%, respectively, at Mungushi. The use of urea alone at the higher rates or in combination with cattle manure at 50% each resulted in the highest net benefit (NB) in all sites. The findings from this study suggest that a comprehensive approach to managing soil nutrients, such as combining inorganic and organic inputs, may improve crop yields while maintaining soil health
Capacitive deionization for water desalination using Na3Fe2(PO4)3/activated carbon composite electrodes
No full textThis research article was published by Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry, 2025Water desalination technologies are attracting growing global attention as critical solutions to address water scarcity torturing mankind worldwide. Capacitive deionization (CDI) is an emerging desalination technology that offers multiple advantages, including low voltage operation and diverse material options for electrode synthesis. In this work the Na3Fe2(PO4)3 (NFP) is composited with the activated carbon (AC) to synthesize AC/NFP composites and tested in water desalination. The characterization results from several techniques reveal the successful composite synthesis. When tested in CDI experiments for brackish water desalination much higher salt removal capacity of around 22.0 was attained by AC/NFP 1:2 compared with 18.65 mg/g of AC electrode. Also, the synthesized AC/NFP 1:2 retain satisfactorily performance efficiency when cycled for twenty runs. However, owing to low resistance at the electrode-electrolyte interface the AC is more energy efficient as it exhibits much low energy consumption of about 0.056 kWh/m3 compared with the AC/NFP 1:2 cell attained 0.15 kWh/m3. This study reveals a trade-off between performance and efficiency: while the AC/NFP 1:2 cell exhibits higher salt removal capacity, it consumes significantly more energy than the AC electrode, which demonstrate superior energy efficiency
Compressive strength optimization of the ambient-cured metakaolin-based geopolymer mortar using the Taguchi design approach
No full textThis research article was published by Construction and Building Materials Volume 475, 2025This study utilized raw natural kaolinite sourced along Pugu hills, Tanzania, as the aluminosilicate source. To optimize the compressive strength, nine (9) metakaolin geopolymer formulations were activated using the Taguchi technique at various Na2SiO3/NaOH mass ratios, NaOH concentrations, and alkaline/binder ratios. The ideal parameters were 12 M, 2.5, and 0.8 Na2SiO3/NaOH mass ratios, NaOH concentration, and alkaline/binder ratios, respectively, resulting in a compressive strength of 70.38 MPa. When the optimized geopolymer was exposed to a higher temperature, its compressive strength increased by 15.57 % at 200°C compared to room temperature. Compressive strength decreased with exposure over 200°C, and weight loss and water absorption were directly correlated with this. The SEM results show that the former lacks a well-linked geopolymer network when comparing weak and superior formulations. High-strength formulations are verified to include higher levels of orthoclase and albite, according to Rietveld refinement and XRD research. The XRD patterns showed the development of sanidine, chrysotile, and nepheline crystalline phases at temperatures higher than 200°C, which may have contributed to the decrease in strength of the geopolymer specimen
Jamun Seed (Syzygium Cumini) Biochar as a Potential Adsorbent for Environmental Applications
No full textThis research article was published in ES Food & Agroforestry, Volume 19, 2025This study investigates the properties and adsorption performance of jamun seed biochar (JS biochar) produced through calcination at varying temperatures. Elemental analysis reveals that the carbon content significantly increases from 64.25 to 87.93 wt.% as calcination temperature rises from 400 to 600 °C, while nitrogen content remains within the range of 2 to 2.29 wt.%. The biochar's surface characteristics, with a maximum specific surface area of 261.2 m²/g, demonstrate strong adsorption capacity for small organic molecules, including ciprofloxacin (555.55 mg/g) and lamivudine (400 mg/g). The identified functional groups, including hydroxyl and carbonyl groups, enhance adsorption through mechanisms such as hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions. The observed porous, rough surface morphology supports the material's effectiveness as an adsorbent. The results demonstrate JS biochar’s high adsorption capacity, governed by a synergistic interplay of physisorption and chemisorption. This research underscores the potential of JS biochar as a sustainable and effective solution for environmental remediation, particularly in mitigating aqueous pollutants. The findings offer valuable insights for optimizing biochar properties to improve adsorption efficiency, thereby promoting sustainable waste management and environmental remediation
A Comprehensive Blockchain-Based System for Educational Qualifications Management and Verification to Counter Forgery
No full textThis research article was published in the IEEE Xplore, Volume 13, 2025The prevalence of fake educational credentials poses a threat to the meritocratic nature of the education system and job markets. Verification of certificates to combat forgery has been a challenging endeavor due to the weaknesses of the current methods. Blockchain, capitalizing on its unique attributes, can provide an optimal solution to certification and verification problems by ensuring disintermediation, immutability, tamper-proof, efficiency, and security. Efforts to explore its potential in addressing these problems continue to gain momentum. However, the existing blockchain-based initiatives do not offer a holistic solution to the forgery problem, as they solely focus on a single education level or institution. Furthermore, these initiatives lack the essential features required to fully address this problem. This paper proposes a comprehensive blockchain-enabled system for issuing certificates from different educational levels and institutions in the country, providing a one-stop center for verifiers, such as employers, to verify all certificates a candidate possesses. As a proof of concept, a decentralized application (DApp), ElimuChain, has been developed, utilizing smart contracts and the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS). The system is deployed on the Binance Smart Chain (BSC) blockchain to evaluate its applicability in addressing the problem in the Tanzanian context. The results demonstrate that the proposed solution successfully manages the certification and verification process, and it is cost-effective, scalable, and efficient. Moreover, its performance was compared with the previous solutions in terms of latency and throughput. The comparison results show that it performs better than the counterpart for transactional operations
Farmers’ insights and practices on sustainable soil nutrient and pest management in semi-arid Eastern Africa
No full textThis research article was published in the journal of sustainability, Volume 17, issue 6, 2025The need to increase agricultural production for food, fiber, and feed for a growing population is a global call. Sub-Saharan Africa currently experiences declining soil fertility and increasing pest pressures affecting agricultural production. Soil fertility and pest management practices tend to vary greatly among smallholder farmers due to farm-based limitations, attitudes, and perceptions. Using focus group discussions and individual farmer interviews, we evaluated the socio-economic factors influencing the production and utilization of nutrient resources by smallholder farmers. We also assessed factors for pest prevalence and management by smallholder farmers. We observed that the major organic nutrient fertilizer resources used by farmers are farmyard manure and crop residue recycling. The production and utilization of organic nutrient fertilizer resources vary according to agroecological zone, influenced by livestock ownership, grazing management, and farmer organization; Farmer Research Network farmers show optimal use of nutrient resources compared to non-Farmer Research Network farmers. Pest problems varied across agroecologies and were influenced by field management gradients. We noted that FRN farmers used ecologically relevant pest management approaches more frequently than non-FRN farmers. Our findings on nutrient resources and pest management highlight context-specific issues to leverage to promote agroecological approaches for agricultural productivity and resilient semi-arid landscapes