Papers by Abdirashid Elmi
Biodiversity International Journal, 2017
Biodiversity international journal, Oct 4, 2017
The Journal of Engineering Research [TJER], 2011
Inherently, Kuwait a high frequency of dusty events through out the year due to its arid climate... more Inherently, Kuwait a high frequency of dusty events through out the year due to its arid climate. Particulate air pollution has been linked to increased mortality due to various illnesses. For the purpose of improving health services, it is important to develop/establish an empirical basis for the possible link between mortality and air quality. In this paper, we examined mortality rates in Kuwait in relation to age, sex and dust episodes during a five-year period. Each year was divided into four seasons to detect any potential episodes in the death rate for a particular season. The results showed that the mortality rates did not correlate significantly (p = 0.67) with the occurrence of total dust events. Contrary to the popular perception in Kuwait that illnesses and, consequently, deaths increased in recent years as a result of deteriorating air quality due to particulate matter, the collected data did not show a consistent temporal trend. While this work represents an initial e...
kuwait journal of science, Oct 2, 2019
Kuwait, like other GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries, depends almost entirely on food impo... more Kuwait, like other GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries, depends almost entirely on food imports for the national food security with all the associated risks. There is a growing realization for the exigent necessity to enhance domestic production and local farmers are adopting farming system they perceive as organic. This study was designed to investigate nutritive values and safety of organic produce compared to conventionally grown vegetable crops sold in Kuwait supermarkets. Findings indicated lower total phosphorus (TP) and higher total nitrogen (TN) in the organic than in conventional vegetable samples. Higher concentrations of some trace metals, essential or not, were measured in organic crops than in conventional crops. Accompanying public perception survey of organic products in Kuwait indicated willingness of the public to spend more money to consume organic produce because of the perception of healthiness and safety. People showed preferences to consume more organic food if grown locally with reasonable price. There is a massive demand for organic agriculture in Kuwait, requiring transfer of knowledge on specific standards and methods of organic food production system. Consequently, organic agriculture can be a proven solution of feeding the people in a healthy and environmentally sustainable manner. While local farmers perceive their production system as completely organic, the absence of well-defined certification standards and regulations are non-existent. Therefore, existing domestic farming system can best be described as organic by tradition. Keywords: Farming systems, organic food, heavy metals, food market, sustainability.
Water, Air, & Soil Pollution, 2005
Nitrate-N (NO3−-N) is a ubiquitous pollutant in both surface and groundwater in many agro-ecosyst... more Nitrate-N (NO3−-N) is a ubiquitous pollutant in both surface and groundwater in many agro-ecosystems. This has elicited a concerted effort to identify management strategies that mitigate NO3−–N pollution, without compromising crop yield. This study was conducted on a field site located at the Bio-Environmental Engineering Centre (BEEC) in Truro, NS, Canada during 1999 and 2000. The site has been used since 1997 to investigate the relative effect of inorganic versus organic fertilizer (liquid hog manure; LHM) applied at rates (70 kg N ha−1) on NO3−-N leaching from a carrot rotation system. NO3−-N concentrations were monitored in both the soil profile and in tile drainage effluents from eight treatment plots. The LHM treatment elicited significantly (P < 0.01) higher soil NO3−-N concentrations than inorganic fertilizer (IF) in June and October during 1999, but not 2000. The sampling date and soil depth were significant in most cases. Annual flow weighted averages (FWA) of NO3−-N in drainage water were generally greater for plots receiving LHM (15.4 and 10.5 mg L−1 for 1999 and 2000, respectively), when compared to IF (8.9 and 6.0 mg L−1 for 1999 and 2000, respectively), but the difference was significant (P < 0.05) only in 1999. Maximum NO3−-N concentrations in drainage water were similar for both treatments, while the LHM treatment had a significantly higher percentage of samples that were > 10 mg L−1. The total NO3−-N load was greater for the LHM treatment when compared to the IF treatment in 1999. Barley and carrot yields were unaffected by treatment applications.
The Journal of Engineering Research, Jun 1, 2011
Inherently, Kuwait a high frequency of dusty events through out the year due to its arid climate.... more Inherently, Kuwait a high frequency of dusty events through out the year due to its arid climate. Particulate air pollution has been linked to increased mortality due to various illnesses. For the purpose of improving health services, it is important to develop/establish an empirical basis for the possible link between mortality and air quality. In this paper, we examined mortality rates in Kuwait in relation to age, sex and dust episodes during a five-year period. Each year was divided into four seasons to detect any potential episodes in the death rate for a particular season. The results showed that the mortality rates did not correlate significantly (p = 0.67) with the occurrence of total dust events. Contrary to the popular perception in Kuwait that illnesses and, consequently, deaths increased in recent years as a result of deteriorating air quality due to particulate matter, the collected data did not show a consistent temporal trend. While this work represents an initial effort on an important issue upon which further investigations can be elaborated upon, a more detailed data have to be collected and analyzed.
Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy, 2012
Urban air pollution is considered to be a critical environmental and public health issue, with th... more Urban air pollution is considered to be a critical environmental and public health issue, with the transportation sector being a major contributor. This study focuses on tailpipe pollutant emissions from light-duty vehicles in real driving conditions. Our principle objective was to identify primary factors that affect the emission rates under different driving styles, fuel grade, engine transmission, and checking/maintenance practices. We observed that emission rates were consistently lower with frequent acceleration and deceleration associated with aggressive driving (AD) compared to relaxed driving (RD) style. This indicates that vehicles driven in town (which are typically driven in a relaxed manner) may require more regular maintenance than vehicles driven on motorways (which are typically driven in an aggressive manner). All pollutant emissions were higher in manual transmission vehicles on both urban roads and motorways than in automatic transmission vehicles. The information generated from this research can help establish framework for pollution mitigation efforts, such as inspection and maintenance programs, and in developing traffic pollution management strategies for national use.
Agricultural research & technology, Apr 28, 2017
Interconnectedness of food production system with natural factors and farm level technology. Clim... more Interconnectedness of food production system with natural factors and farm level technology. Climate change can accelerate organic matter depletion which leads to a decline in soil fertility and soil water holding capacity. Technology can either destructively accelerate land degradation like heavy farm machinery. It can enhance irrigation efficiency.
Environmental Science and Pollution Research, Nov 25, 2020
As waste production exponentially increases, landfill continues to be the common method of waste ... more As waste production exponentially increases, landfill continues to be the common method of waste disposal. Landfills represent significant anthropogenic sources of methane (CH 4) and carbon dioxide (CO 2); the main constituents of greenhouse gases (GHGs) resultant from microbial decomposition of organic waste. In the present study, ISC-AERMOD dispersion model was employed to estimate the release and dispersion rates of CH 4 and CO 2 from major landfill sites across Kuwait under different seasonal conditions. Results revealed that dispersions of CH 4 and CO 2 were influenced by the dominant northwestern and southeastern wind directions and thus, the dispersion of CH 4 and CO 2 extended predominantly toward northeastern direction. In terms of seasonal variation, the maximum concentrations of CH 4 and CO 2 were detected in winter and spring seasons, close to the landfill zone, and the dispersion of CH 4 and CO 2 fluxes during winter and spring seasons was longer than that during summer and fall seasons. Consequently, residential areas close to the disposal sites were exposed to higher concentrations of CH 4 and CO 2 gases during winter and spring. The findings of this study can serve as the basis for selecting suitable landfill locations under desert climatic conditions as determined by the distances over which gaseous emissions can diffuse.
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 2021
The prediction of dispersion of gases emitted from rooftop stacks in a built environment is impor... more The prediction of dispersion of gases emitted from rooftop stacks in a built environment is important for preventing or minimizing their harmful effects on human health. In this study, the wind flow and dispersion of exhaust gas emitted from rooftop stacks on buildings in an urban environment under different atmospheric thermal stabilities were investigated using numerical simulations. The wind flow field and dispersion contaminants were simulated using a computational fluid dynamics model with the k-ε turbulent schemes being resolved by the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes approach. An isolated building was modeled under conditions of varying thermal stratification of the boundary layers (neutral, unstable, and stable conditions). The diffusion flow field within the building wake zone was investigated for various stack sites (center, right side, and left side). Experiments were conducted in a wind tunnel to validate the numerical simulation results, by using the data qualitatively and quantitatively. The numerical simulation results were consistent with the experimental observations. The results indicated that the pollutant concentration of the plume spread was high near the stack and decreased with increasing distance from the stack. Under stable conditions, the flow motion and separation increased in the wake zone, and the pollutant concentration of the lateral spread at the average human height decreased. Under unstable conditions, the flow of the vortex circulation was fast and strong, and the pollutant concentration of the vertical spread was high.
Canadian Journal of Soil Science, Sep 1, 2021
Balancing nutrient inputs from manure and supplemental inorganic fertilizers with crop requiremen... more Balancing nutrient inputs from manure and supplemental inorganic fertilizers with crop requirements should achieve crop yield goals and agro-environmental targets. We asked if composted dairy cattl...
Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering, Nov 13, 2012
The thermal decomposition of pure perspex and a mixture of 50% perspex and 50% poly(ethylene tere... more The thermal decomposition of pure perspex and a mixture of 50% perspex and 50% poly(ethylene terephthalate; PET) was carried out between 295 and 325 • C using a thermogravimetric analyser (TGA) in air and nitrogen (N 2) atmosphere. The weight losses of decomposition products were measured during these experiments. The thermal degradation process is slower in inert atmosphere than air, where oxidation reaction expedites the decomposition process. Kinetic rate constants (k), pre-exponential factor (A) and activation energy (E) for both pure prespex and a blend of perspex/PET were calculated for both air and N 2 conditions. The thermal degradation process followed a third-order reaction in air and second-order in N 2. A second-order (n = 2) model for the pyrolytic process based on simultaneous reactions was developed using experimental data for pure and blend. The pyrolytic products are gases, liquids, waxes, aromatics and char, which can be ultimately used as raw material and fuel in various applications. It is important to note that the addition of PET to perspex was found to suppress/inhibit the decomposition of perspex compared with pure perspex. Pre-exponential factor (A) and activation energy (E) values support such an observation.
Pedosphere, Jun 1, 2021
Abstract The application of decomposable organic residues such as manure and crop litter is gener... more Abstract The application of decomposable organic residues such as manure and crop litter is generally beneficial to earthworms. There is an emerging interest in applying biochar, a carbonaceous product of pyrolysis, to temperate agricultural soils. The slow decomposition rate of biochar, which also contains ash and combustion byproducts, could be detrimental to earthworms. The objective of this study was to describe the earthworm populations in biochar-amended soils on a dairy farm in the St. Francis River watershed, Quebec, Canada. Earthworms were collected from replicated field plots under cereal production. Site A received three wood-based biochar types at two application rates (5 and 10 t ha-1 biochar) plus an unamended control, while Site B received wood-based biochar (7.5 t ha-1 biochar), dairy cattle slurry (10 t ha-1 manure), or a combination of the biochar and manure rates plus an unamended control. Earthworms were collected by hand sorting and formaldehyde expulsion from soil pits. Three species, Aporrectodea turgida, Aporrectodea tuberculata, and Lumbricus rubellus, were found at the sites, and Aporrectodea was the dominant genus. Biochar sources, rates, and application with dairy slurry did not affect the earthworm population, which had 52–218 individuals m-2 in 2010 and 4–96 individuals m-2 in 2011. The seasonal variation in earthworm population may be due to flooding in the spring of 2011, which apparently interfered with earthworm reproduction. The similarity in earthworm abundance and biomass in plots with and without wood-based biochar leads to the conclusion that earthworm populations are stable in biochar-amended soils in this cold, humid temperate region.
Canadian Journal of Forest Research
In Kuwait, declining native vegetation cover due to prevailing arid conditions and severe anthrop... more In Kuwait, declining native vegetation cover due to prevailing arid conditions and severe anthropogenic disturbances necessitated undertaking revegetation programs. Seed sowing and outplanting of nursery-grown seedlings are the two major plant establishment methods commonly used all around the world. However, the success of plant establishment methods may vary between the species as well as between the methods. Therefore, we compared the effect of sowing of primed or non-primed seeds and outplanting of nursery-grown seedlings on field performance of four dominant native desert species of Kuwait: Vachellia pachyceras, Rhanterium epapposum, Farsetia aegyptia, and Haloxylon salicornicum for 22 months to find the best method for revegetation in arid conditions. A significant species and treatment interaction effect was observed in all plant parameters except plot volume index. Direct sowing of hydro-primed seeds appeared to be the most effective method for establishment and growth of V....
Canadian Journal of Soil Science
Tile drainage is installed in agricultural fields to remove excess soil moisture to allow earlier... more Tile drainage is installed in agricultural fields to remove excess soil moisture to allow earlier planting of spring crops. Water moving from soil into tile drainage lines will potentially create a moist environment for earthworms. This study investigated how earthworms were distributed around tile lines, and how their abundance was affected by moisture in field crops on sandy and clayey soils. Earthworm abundance and soil moisture were similar above and between tile lines. Earthworm biomass was low in dry soils, peaked at 41 g moisture 100 g−1, and declined in wetter soils, which affects the earthworm activity in agricultural fields.
Watertable management for reducing nitrate accumulation in a soil profile under corn production. ... more Watertable management for reducing nitrate accumulation in a soil profile under corn production. Canadian Biosystems Engineering/Le génie des biosystèmes au Canada 47: 1.23-1.28. Nitrogen (N) fertilization is an important component of modern agricultural production. However, N
This article presents food security issues of the Gulf Cooperation Council States in light of the... more This article presents food security issues of the Gulf Cooperation Council States in light of the natural limits imposed by land and water resources scarcity. Food security is further worsened by briskly growing demands due to rapid population growth, unsustainable consumption and wastage, land degradation and climate change. The Arabian Gulf state’s population growth is indeed considered as one of the fastest in the world. Furthermore, according to some estimates, close to half of the total land area in the region is highly degraded. This research reviews risks, both natural and human-centered, associated with a complete reliance on food imports as motivating factor to refocus on domestic food production. Unlike traditional way of narrowly focusing on one aspect of meeting food security at a time, the article proposes new way of thinking to ameliorate food security situation and highlights a mix of untapped opportunities to relieve food security concerns. Food, energy, and water ar...
Arab Gulf Journal of Scientific Research
Globally, food security faces unrelenting challenges, including growing population expected to re... more Globally, food security faces unrelenting challenges, including growing population expected to reach 10 billion toward the end of 21st century, shifting diet preferences, diminishing natural resources and a changing planetary climate. This challenge is most acute in arid, hot Arabian Gulf region. Presently, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are comfortably food secure, almost entirely through food importation, with all the risks associated with total dependency on food import. Risks related to heavy reliance on food import include i) disturbance to global supplies routes, ii) food price volatility in global markets like 2007-2008, and iii) the unpredicted impact of climate change on global food supplies. To balance risks of food import, two measures seem to be effective: 1) stable grain stock and 2) a boost in domestic production. There are gaps in our knowledge regarding the local production capacity and how much contribution can be expected under prevailing climatic and env...
Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy, 2011
ABSTRACT Rapid population growth in Kuwait, accompanied with rising standard of living, has resul... more ABSTRACT Rapid population growth in Kuwait, accompanied with rising standard of living, has resulted in a sweeping increase in the use of passenger vehicles for transportation. Consequently, deterioration of ambient air quality near major roadways has become an issue of public concern. The knowledge of real world road vehicle emission factors is an essential element to the development of any strategy aimed at the reduction of air pollution in urban areas. This work focuses on investigating exhaust emission pollutants from passenger cars for idle and slow acceleration (stop-and-go) traffic conditions. We found that vehicle emissions are minimal during idle mode for all vehicle categories. However, it was interesting to observe that during the slow acceleration mode HC and CO emissions increased for light vehicles with relatively high mileage (higher than 40,000 km). We can conclude from this study that with the growing vehicle ownership, and congestion it causes, the vehicular exhaust emissions is a major sources of air pollution in densely populated centers in the state of Kuwait, where idle and stop-and-go driving cycle is a common occurrence.
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Papers by Abdirashid Elmi