This study was undertaken to examine changes in the content of pigments and accumulation of metals from vehicular pollution in selected species of roadside trees under vehicular pollution. A major arterial road with heavy vehicle emissions in the Kumasi Metropolis was designated as the polluted site, while Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Campus was designated as the control site. Four tree species (Terminalia catappa, Mangifera indica, Ficus platyphylla and Polyalthia longifolia) selected for the study were well distributed and abundant in the polluted and control sites. Photosynthetic pigments and levels of heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Cd and zinc) were assessed in their leaves. Chlorophyll and carotenoid contents were determined by absorption spectrometry, while the metal accumulation index (MAI) was used to determine the total metal accumulation capacity of the tree species. We observed a reduction in photosynthetic pigments in the leaf samples from the polluted site. Ficus platyphylla had the maximum reduction in total chlorophyll (49.34%), whereas Terminalia catappa recorded the lowest reduction (33.88%). Similarly, the largest decrease (31.58%) of carotenoid content was found in Terminalia catappa trees and the lowest in Polyalthia longifolia (16.67%). The Polyalthia longifolia, Ficus platyphylla and Terminalia catappa leaf samples collected at the polluted site recorded a higher ratio of chlorophyll a/b. Heavy metal (Cu, Pb, Zn and Cd) accumulation in leaf samples was higher in the polluted site than in the control, as expected. The highest metal MAI value was recorded in Mangifera indica (5.35) followed by Polyalthia longifolia with 4.30. The findings from this study specifically demonstrate that air contamination induced by vehicles decreases the level of photosynthetic pigments in trees subjected to roadside emissions. It is clear that both chlorophyll a/b and chlorophyll/carotenoid ratios will act as very useful stress-level markers. Elevated heavy metal levels in the tree species along arterial roadsides indicate that they serve as heavy metals sink. The change in MAI resulting from different pollution burden is an indication that the removal capabilities of the tree species differ from each other. We therefore suggest M. indica and P. longifolia as potential species to be used in air pollution reduction plans in the city.

Most residents in developing countries suffer severe water shortage and often resort to self-supply. Unfortunately, some self-supply water sources contain disease-causing biological and chemical contaminants and require point-of-use (POU) treatment. However, recontamination and persistence of chemical contaminants occur, which defeats the aim of POU. This study aims to develop an affordable low technology system that effectively treats whole-house water sourced from borehole and rain without recontamination. Raw borehole water (RBW) was treated with KAl(SO4)2.12H2O (8.10 mg/L), Ca(OH)2 (68.21 mg/L) and NaOCl (1.875 mg/L) in two separate tanks and thereafter filtered through 5-micron and 0.5-micron carbon filters, and reverse osmosis system. The results showed that heterotrophic plate count (2,700 CFU/mL) and total coliform (378.00±21.25 MPN/100 mL) in RBW were reduce to zero, and total hardness was reduced by >83% after treatment and there was no recontamination. Chromium (0.05±0.002 mg/L), Cu (0.04±0.001 mg/L), Pb (0.09±0.001 mg/L), Fe (0.26±0.005 mg/L) and Mn (0.2±0.001 mg/L) in the RBW were reduced below detectable limits after treatment. The annual per capita cost of water treatment was estimated at N4,744.44 ($9.32) at per capita consumption of 100 L/day. Our technology shows exceptional promises in providing affordable and safe water to the entire household throughout the year.