Theophilus Clavell Davies
University of Nigeria, Nigeria
Title: Urban geochemistry of African megacities
Biography
Biography: Theophilus Clavell Davies
Abstract
Following the dawn of the environmental epoch in Africa almost four decades ago, a plethora of studies have been conducted in the continent’s major urban centers to determine the effect of multiple sources of contamination and pollution of the air, water and soil environment, and how these are accentuated by climate change. Toxic metal contamination, organic pollution, smog, acid mine drainage (AMD), acid rain, greenhouse gas accumulation and release of teratogens (e.g. ionizing radiation) are the most widespread legacies of an often uncontrolled growth that has deeply changed the geochemical character of these urban environments. For the megacities of Cairo, Lagos and Kinshasa, we have assembled a mass of data on the migration pathways, uptake dynamics and health impacts on humans of geochemical emitted through mining and ore processing, burning of fossil fuels, industrial and manufacturing activities, human and industrial waste disposal practices, and vehicular traffic emissions. In this presentation, we examine the effect of climate change on these processes and activities. Finally, we illustrate the role of urban geochemistry in mitigating the damages, by systematizing and analysing the assembled data (such as the nature of soils, stratigraphy, groundwater flow and patterns of atmospheric circulation) for use in designing appropriate measures for clean-up and monitoring of the polluted areas.