ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Phosphorus sorption characteristics in the Sahel: Estimates from soils in Mali

Crop yield in sub-Saharan Africa is often limited by low phosphorus fertility. Farmers in the region can apply phosphate rock, which should increase the plant-available phosphorus level, but this may be prone to sorption in acid soils of the Sahel. The objective of this study was to determine phosphorus (P) sorption characteristics of four representative soil series in Sahelian Mali namely, Longorola (Gleysol), Danga (Fluvisol), Niessoumana (Arenosol) and Konobougou (Acrisol) under Tilemsi Phosphate Rock (TPR) treatment. Data for phosphorus sorption was obtained by equilibrating 5 g of soils for 7 days at room temperature in 50 ml of 0.01M CaCl2 containing six (6) rates of phosphate as TPR (0, 10, 20, 40, 80, 160 mg/L). The linear form of the Langmuir equation was used to calculate sorption parameters of the soils. The Gleysol with the greatest clay content had the highest phosphorus sorption maximum which was over three times greater than that of the Acrisol with the least clay content. The sorption maxima in the range of 59–200 mg/kg were well estimated with Langmuir sorption isotherm (R2 ≥ 0.78). Soil organic matter and clay contents influenced phosphorus sorption from the TPR. The degree of phosphorus saturation ranged from 2.39 to 6.47 %, being greater in the Arenosol. In a two-season field experiment on the Haplic Acrisol, we tested on maize, the TPR in two forms (powder and pellet) in addition to water-soluble diammonium phosphate at different rates (0, 11 and 16 kg P /ha). The water-soluble DAP and TPR (powder) had similar effects (p < 0.05) on soil P availability but with DAP producing greater grain yields. This shows that application of TPR in powder form can improve phosphorus availability as water-soluble DAP with positive impact on grain yield. The study provides useful information on P sorption characteristics of TPR amendment in the Sahel.

Source: KNUST
Photography as an aid in painting

The research sought to find out how photographs can be used creatively by painters in their paintings. It also sought to find out how some students use photographs in their paintings. The study was carried out against the background of criticisms aimed at the use of photographs by inters to help them solve technical problems in painting. The study has been conducted to help art students, teachers end professional artists who may have the Interest to use photographs as an aid in their paintings. The research methodologies used in the study are the Descriptive, Analytic and Experimental methods. These involve the description of paintings and Illustrations done by students and the researcher. The researcher also undertook experimental paintings based on the study. The results were analysed and interpreted. The choice of a sample population was, however, limited to third and fourth year painting students of the College of Art, University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. The report is presented in five chapters. It includes a review of related literature; general procedure; painting from photographs; results; summary, conclusions and recommendations. The main findings of the research Indicate that student painters can do creative paintings by the aid of photographs, It is also evident that the works produced by the students and researcher out of the photographs are original in themselves and express the visual Ideas of the artists. The research has been made possible through personal observations, literary materials, experiments and Interviews with active respondents.

Source: KNUST
Photo-novel as a means of public education on environmental pollution

This project seeks to identify the insanitary conditions and areas existing in the Kumasi metropolis. Very unfortunately, inspite of the series of health programme in the form of seminars, relies, G.B.C., T.V. and daily Newspaper publication, inhabitants in Kumasi seems not to be the least aware of the environment hazards within the metropolis. Through readings of related literature, personal interviews and visits to affected areas, the situation is brought to reality through photographs. The scope this project covers includes water and air pollution at the Central Market, Ayigya Junction near U.S.T., Ahinsan, Anloga, Mayanka and Sofo line, all within the Kumasi Metropolis. The report is presented in four chapters. Chapter one is related literature. Chapter two: pollution in Kumasi metropolis. Chapter three, Analytical study of some selected polluted areas within Kumasi metropolis and chapter four is summary, conclusion and recommendation. It is the fervent hope of the author that this report will go a long way to solve the insanitary conditions in the Kumasi metropolis.

Source: KNUST
Photography: an imperative tool in promoting tourism in the Ashanti Region

Promotion of the tourism industry through photography in the Ashanti Region is necessary. Much effort is also needed with regard to the enhancement and participation of tourists in the growth of the industry. If customers do not know what products and services one offers then the business of these artisans producing those products and services would not survive in today‟s technological world. As a way of providing a solution to these drawbacks, effective mode of communication needs to be adopted to ensure that the business generates the needed sales and profit and this can be achieved by developing the appropriate promotional materials. Branding is used to communicate with customers with respect to product offerings. Branding is used by organizations and institutions to publicize their products and services to their target audience. The objective of this research was to provide a better understanding of how photographs of tourist sites can lift tourism potential in Ghana with specific reference to tourist sites in the Ashanti Region. Firstly, the findings showed that sixty percent (60%) of the sampled population had heard or seen pictures of tourist sites in the Ashanti region but interestingly, they have visited less than five of the sites. Secondly, the findings also revealed that the majority of respondents conceded that photographs have the potency to attract tourists worldwide. Thirdly, the findings unearthed strategies such as production of promotional items and directional signage that could be adopted to promote tourism in Ashanti Region. In conclusion, it can be said that less effort has been put in to make tourism in the Ashanti Region attractive. Tourists have little knowledge on the existence of many tourist sites in the Ashanti Region. Therefore it is recommended that promotional and 4 educational items to serve as a guide to tourist and students should be available in different media for public access. Also, The Tourism agencies such as Ghana Tourist Board, Ministry of Tourism and Ghana Tourist Control Board should make continuous advertisements on different media to market the rich culture and sites in the Ashanti region.

Source: KNUST
Photography in Ghana: Its Effects on Culture and Tourism

The purpose of this study was to explore the history and development of photography in Ghana. Again, the study was to examine the role photography played in the promotion of Ghanaian Culture. Finally, the contribution of photography in the development of tourism in Ghana was also examined. The history of Photography was first looked at from a global perspective before bringing it down to Africa and then focused eventually on Ghana. Descriptive survey method which encompassed both qualitative and quantitative was applied. Three different questionnaires were designed and administered to respective respondents which sought to provide demographic data such as age, gender, duration of training and practice. Out of 1519 respondents, 1332 responses were received representing 87.7 %. Again, photo-laden promotional materials like posters, postcards, magazines, brochures were collected and studied. The results of the study were that photography was born out of an artistic urge, a foreign medium and a foreign culture to Ghana. Photography went through several revolutionary processes and procedures, that spans several decades, however, in 1839 Jacquires Menda Daguerre’s Daguerreotype was made public in France. The research further revealed that months after such public announcement the Daguerreotype got to Ghana (Africa) through sailors, missionaries and merchants that came ashore. By 1883, a Ghanaian (then Gold Coast), Holm, Lutterodt and others had established their own photo studios in Accra. One conclusion was that certain elements of culture captured in photo-laden materials offer greatest appeal and attraction to tourist for it has a strong visual appeal and proof. The principal conclusion according to the respondents was that visual photographs communicate more effectively and precisely than any other medium and therefore photography has had a positive impact in the promotion of culture and the development of tourism in Ghana.

Source: KNUST
`Photographic documentation and description of the arts and activities of the traditional bone setters’ clinic of Gwollu

Traditional bonesetting is an age old practice found almost in all communities of the world. The tradition has been practised in Gwollu and its surrounding areas for a long time and there is a high degree of confidence in the traditional bonesetters. The Arts and Activities of this unique traditional institution however, are not well documented in any form for posterity. A photographic documentation of the Arts and Activities of bonesetting in Gwollu was carried out using a still camera. Interviews and observations were also used to elicit information from the practitioners and the people who had received treatment at the centre to ascertain the efficacy of the practice. The survey revealed that about 96% of cases treated at the centre were successful with about only 4% partially successful. The traditional bonesetters of Gwollu use various art forms as part of the practice. These include visual,verbal,literary, performing and body arts. It is the documentation and description of these art forms which are the focus of the thesis.

Source: KNUST
Photography in Ghana: Its effects on culture and tourism.

The purpose of this study was to explore the history and development of photography in Ghana. Again, the study was to examine the role photography played in the promotion of Ghanaian Culture. Finally, the contribution of photography in the development of tourism in Ghana was also examined. The history of Photography was first looked at from a global perspective before bringing it down to Africa and then focused eventually on Ghana. Descriptive survey method which encompassed both qualitative and quantitative was applied. Three different questionnaires were designed and administered to respective respondents which sought to provide demographic data such as age, gender, duration of training and practice. Out of 1519 respondents, 1332 responses were received representing 87.7 %. Again, photo-laden promotional materials like posters, postcards, magazines, brochures were collected and studied. The results of the study were that photography was born out of an artistic urge, a foreign medium and a foreign culture to Ghana. Photography went through several revolutionary processes and procedures, that spans several decades, however, in 1839 Jacquires Menda Daguerre’s Daguerreotype was made public in France. The research further revealed that months after such public announcement the Daguerreotype got to Ghana (Africa) through sailors, missionaries and merchants that came ashore. By 1883, a Ghanaian (then Gold Coast), Holm, Lutterodt and others had established their own photo studios in Accra. One conclusion was that certain elements of culture captured in photo-laden materials offer greatest appeal and attraction to tourist for it has a strong visual appeal and proof. The principal conclusion according to the respondents was that visual photographs communicate more effectively and precisely than any other medium and therefore photography has had a positive impact in the promotion of culture and the development of tourism in Ghana.

Source: KNUST
Phylogenetically diverse Bradyrhizobium genospecies nodulate Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea L. Verdc) and soybean (Glycine max L. Merril) in the northern savanna zones of Ghana

A total of 102 bacterial strains isolated from nodules of three Bambara groundnut and one soybean cultivars grown in nineteen soil samples collected from northern Ghana were characterized using multilocus gene sequence analysis. Based on a concatenated sequence analysis (glnII-rpoB-recA-gyrB-atpD-dnaK), 54 representative strains were distributed in 12 distinct lineages, many of which were placed mainly in the Bradyrhizobium japonicum and Bradyrhizobium elkanii supergroups. Twenty-four of the 54 representative strains belonged to seven putative novel species, while 30 were conspecific with four recognized Bradyrhizobium species. The nodA phylogeny placed all the representative strains in the cosmopolitan nodA clade III. The strains were further separated in seven nodA subclusters with reference strains mainly of African origin. The nifH phylogeny was somewhat congruent with the nodA phylogeny, but both symbiotic genes were mostly incongruent with the core housekeeping gene phylogeny indicating that the strains acquired their symbiotic genes horizontally from distantly related Bradyrhizobium species. Using redundancy analysis, the distribution of genospecies was found to be influenced by the edaphic factors of the respective sampling sites. In general, these results mainly underscore the high genetic diversity of Bambara groundnut-nodulating bradyrhizobia in Ghanaian soils and suggest a possible vast resource of adapted inoculant strains.

Source: KNUST
Photovoltaic-Stand-Alone Hydrogen System

A photovoltaic system consists of an array, a storage medium and elements for power conditioning. Many photovoltaic systems operate in a stand-alone mode and the total energy demand is met by the output of the photovoltaic array. The output of the photovoltaic system fluctuates and is unpredictable for many applications making some forms of energy storage or backup system necessary. The role of storage medium is to store the excess energy produced by the photovoltaic array, to absorb momentary power peaks and to supply energy during sunless periods or during night. One of the storage modes is the use of electrochemical techniques, with batteries and water electrolysis as the most important examples. In this paper, we report the optimal design for a stand-alone hydrogen system with the volume of hydrogen produced against current as regards the concentration of electrolysis cell. Operating characteristics of a small capacity solar hydrogen system have been determined and also demonstrated that the I-V characteristics of the batteryphotovoltaic module and electrolysis cell are influenced by variations in the concentration of the electrolysis cell, which in turn determines the amount of current that flows through it. A 50W photovoltaic panel rated as 17.4V, 2.87A yielded a maximum volume of about 8.6ml per minute for 1.0M cell concentration. Numerical simulation was used to compare the experimental results and also the possibility of increasing the cost-effective yield of hydrogen.

Source: KNUST
Physical and chemical characteristics of water and soil in buruli ulcer endemic and non-endemic areas in the Western, Central and Northern Regions of Ghana

To determine the relationship between water quality, soil chemistry and Buruli ulcer incidence, water and soil samples were collected from five communities in Ghana within the dry season in 2010 and the wet season in 2011: four communities in the southern part of Ghana (three Buruli-endemic communities: Pokukrom, Betenase, and Ayanfuri, and one control: Kedadwen) and one non-endemic community (Nangruma) in the north. Water samples were analyzed for the following parameters, pH, Conductivity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, alkalinity, total hardness, some selected anions (SO42-, Cl-, PO43- and NO2-) and some trace metals (As, Cd, Fe, Cu, Zn, Pb and Se). Soil samples were also analyzed for pH, Conductivity and trace metals. The UV-Visible Spectrophotometer was used to determine the selected anions, Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer was used to determine the trace metals and titrimetry was employed to measure alkalinity, hardness and chloride content. Results from analysis of pH and other related physicochemical parameters revealed that, mean pH values for all the water bodies in the dry season was (5.78) and (5.68) for the wet season water samples. Non-endemic community (Nangruma) recorded basic pH (7.12). Mean arsenic concentrations for all the water bodies in the dry season stood at (0.04 mg/L) and (10.18 mg/L) for the wet season. Mean cadmium concentrations for all the water bodies in the wet season was (0.05mg/L), dry season samples did not contain detectable levels of cadmium. The following were recorded for copper, zinc, selenium, lead (Cu dry season (0.06 mg/L), Cu wet season (0.19 mg/L), Zn dry season (0.21 mg/L), Zn wet season (0.40 mg/L), Se dry season (0.01mg/L), Se wet season (0.01mg/L), Pb wet season (0.16mg/L) dry season water samples did not contain detectable levels of lead. Mean phosphate levels for all the water bodies in the dry season stood at (13.32 mg/L) and (8.56 mg/L) for the wet season. Iron and arsenic were the highest trace metals recorded in the analyzed soil samples (5642.5 mg/kg and 66.55 mg/kg) respectively. From the results, all the water bodies in the dry and wet seasons recorded slightly acidic pH (pH<7). In all locations, gold-mining pits and pools of stagnant water bodies have a significantly different chemical signature than rivers and naturally occurring swamps; trace metals, thought to aid in the growth of M. ulcerans, are present in much higher concentrations in mining pits and stagnant water bodies than in other water body. Phosphate may also be a control. When the levels of physicochemical parameters during the study were compared seasonally, nearly in all cases, concentrations of trace metals levels in samples collected in the wet season were considerably higher compared to the dry season samples. Despite this, few differences in chemical compositions between the endemic and non- endemic communities does exist, implying that other variables such as human behavior may also in a way control the onset of Buruli ulcer.

Source: KNUST
Physico- chemical characteristics of solid waste and treatment options: a case study of Kumasi, Ghana

The existing landfill in Kumasi is reaching full capacity, and all components of our environment, air, water, as well as open spaces are increasingly threatened. In addressing the task of properly disposing solid waste, it has become eminent to look for alternative treatment options beyond landfill sitting by individuals and communities has led to a difficult y in getting land for landfilling.

Source: KNUST
Physico- Chemical evaluation of the gum of khaya grandifoliola

some physicochemical properties of the Khaya gum have been evaluated to ascertain the usefulness of the gum in serving as pharmaceutical formulating agent and also as a local substitute to the commonly used gums of Acacia and Tragacanth. The literature on gums and mucilages were reviewed with respect to their production, purification and identification, their physical, rheological and chemical properties, and also their analytical procedures and application. The botany and source of the Khaya grandifoliola plant and the structural properties of the Khaya gum were also described. The physical properties assessed showed that the gum had acceptable levels of moisture content, Insoluble matter and Ash values. It was swellable in water and showed dextrorotatory optical activity in NaOH. It maintained relatively stable acidic pH with time. The chemical properties showed the absence of starch and presence of peroxidase enzyme with reasonable inactivation times. Conductimetric determination showed good tolerance to alcohol (18% per gram). Spectrophotometric analysis revealed high levels of Ca2+ (1.41%), Mg2+ (0.26%) and K+ (0.475). The gum was found to be extremely resistant to hydrolysis and highly acidic. T.L.C. analysis confirmed the sugar composition of the gum as Rhamnose, Arabinose and Galactose, and the acid Composition as Glucuronic acid and Galacturonic acid. The rheological studies showed that the gum maintains relatively stable viscosities with time, while the viscosity increased with increasing concentration and decreased with increasing temperature. As pH increased, the viscosity increased to a maximum and then decreased, with the maximum 0respondiflg to its natural pH of between and 3.0 and 4.0. Electrolytes generally decreased the viscosity of the gum, except Al3 which increased it. These factors did not significantly affect the flow curves.

Source: KNUST
Physico-Chemical Analysis of Well Water from Wells Sited Close to On-Site Sanitation Systems – A Case Study in the Mfantseman West District of the Central Region

Many communities in the Mfantseman Municipality of the Central Region of Ghana are increasingly dependent on hand dug wells. The aim of this study was to examine the drinking water suitability of 10 wells in the Saltpond-Ankaful-Kormantse communities in the Mfantseman municipality between June 2008 and December 2009. Total coliforms were enumerated using the standard most probable number method and membrane filtration methods. A sanitation survey was undertaken to ascertain the conditions of the wells. Also the physico-chemical properties of the water were assessed. Overall, significantly higher bacterial counts were recorded during the wet (rainy) season compared to the dry season. A brief sanitation survey at each site indicated that the wells were frequently cited near latrines, refuse tips, as well as in the vicinity of domestic or grazing animals. In the Saltpond, Ankaful and Kormantse communities of the Central Region, the water from shallow wells upon which the local communities depend is of poor quality. This is because all the wells sampled failed to meet the zero coliform per 100 ml set by WHO (World Health Organization). The physico-chemical properties of many of the wells varied with the seasons. For instance, five of the wells indicated high nitrate levels for the dry season, and low for the wet. One well had a mean nitrate value of about 0.1 mg/l in the dry season but 0.02 in the wet season. This means for that well, the nitrate level in the wet season increased about 80% during the dry season.

Source: KNUST