Residential Zones Research Articles

Impact of low-frequency noise on a residential zone due to commercial HVAC systems

Low frequency noise (LFN) is a serious growing global challenge for the urban environment where noise itself is an undervalued pollutant. The commercial establishments are equipped with multiple HVAC (Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning) units responsible for the generation of LFN. To assess the impact of LFN, the noise was monitored using A and C-weighting sound level meters at HVAC outlets as well as in and around the residential premises. The noise due to HVAC units is found to be highly intensive in the lower frequency zones (<250Hz), affecting psychological and physiological health of living beings in the residential zones. A substantial 39.4 dB sound pressure level discrepancy between A and C-weighting inside the residential premises underscores the pronounced predominance of low-frequency noise. Noise monitoring using A-weighting failed to highlight the significant impact of lower frequency octave bands. The C-weighting noise monitoring revealed a substantial contribution of lower frequency octave bands (8Hz–250Hz) with 48.2 dB(C), in the overall equivalent noise level of 48.6(C), primarily attributed to HVAC units. The study suggests monitoring and assessment of the LFN, its mitigation and control strategies and its impact on the noise environment, especially on a residential zone.

The role of new green construction in neighborhood change and gentrification

Recent research has highlighted the potential for green certification to contribute to gentrification in urban areas. This occurs as the adoption of a reductionist sustainability planning language can turn green-certified houses into luxury goods that attract primarily White, college-educated, and pro-environmental households, who may replace existing long-term residents, particularly lower-income residents and racial minorities, in core urban areas. This study aims to assess the extent to which the supply of green-certified units affects neighborhood change and gentrification. Using housing market transaction data from Central Virginia’s Multiple Listing Service and socioeconomic data from the U.S. Census Bureau, we employ a difference-in-differences approach to analyze the differential effect of new construction of market-rate, EarthCraft-certified units in Richmond Metro Area. Our results show that neighborhoods with new green-certified units experience statistically significant increases in population growth, new construction, and house prices. We observe trends that suggest potential negative impacts on minorities. However, these observed trends have not reached statistical significance. Our study provides evidence that green housing can contribute to the conditions that make residential zones ripe for gentrification, thus, highlighting the need to balance the benefits of green certification with the potential negative impacts on disadvantaged groups.

Heterogeneity of urban manufacturing – a statistical analysis of manufacturing companies in three German cities

ABSTRACT The paper delves into the normative Productive City concept as outlined in the New Leipzig Charter, focusing on urban manufacturing's heterogeneity. We define urban manufacturing as manufacturing sectors located in proximity to housing. Urban manufacturing is analyzed based on sectoral (company data classified by NACE codes into 13 types of material industry) and spatial data, considering the distance to priority roads, supply areas, and land-use categories. The methodology is applied to Bochum, Gelsenkirchen, and Herne in the Ruhr area, utilizing 2018 data to identify material industry locations. We highlight differences between central and accessible, and more dispersed sectors in three groups. Group I, including other consumer goods, food products, clothing goods, and repair services, is predominantly located in central and mixed-use locations, suggesting these types could be preserved or developed by urban planners under the Productive City framework. However, there is a clear need for commercial and industrial spaces for emitting industries (Group II) to fully realize this concept. Construction industries (Group III) are often found in residential areas due to off-site activities. Challenges arise in historical industrial cities especially in integrated areas where existing zoning regulations and grandfathering rights restrict changes in manufacturing types or expansions near residential zones.

Bentuk Pola Spasial Permukiman di Kecamatan Salahutu

Salahutu District is directly adjacent to Ambon City so that it has experienced rapid development due to the expansion of urban activities and is supported by various potentials such as ports, fisheries, trade and services and other potentials. This attracts residents to settle and can indirectly affect the distribution of settlements by forming certain patterns both clustered, random, and uniform. This study aims to identify spatial patterns of settlement distribution in Salahutu District. This study uses a quantitative approach with Nearest Neighbour Analysis analysis which aims to identify spatial patterns. The results showed that Salahutu District had most settlement distribution patterns grouping as many as 47 zones or 94% and the rest formed random patterns as many as 3 zones or 6%. The characteristics of residential zones with a clustering pattern have relatively close distances between settlements and high building density. While the characteristics of residential zones with random patterns have relatively long distances between settlements and lower building density. The existence of family ties that are still closely established causes settlements to form in groups so that it affects the maintenance of local identity of the community that is still maintained. The importance of the results of this study is to anticipate the development of settlements that are not well planned so that it can cause the addition of slums as bad areas in Salahutu District

A novel approach to evaluating the accessibility of electric vehicle charging infrastructure via dynamic thresholding in machine learning

The spatial deployment of urban public electric vehicle charging stations (PEVCSs) plays a pivotal role in the widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). However, with the rapid advancements in EV technology and battery capabilities, substantial improvements in both range and charging efficiency have emerged and are expected to continue experiencing sustained growth. This situation underscores the urgent necessity of establishing dynamic metrics to reconsider the existing static charging infrastructure, aiming to ameliorate the current severe spatial imbalances and supply–demand disparities encountered in the deployment of PEVCSs. In this study, we harnessed and analyzed 84,152 sets of authentic data, fine-tuned through geospatial-aggregation technology, and ensured anonymity. Our findings bridged users’ residential and occupational patterns with their charging propensities. Comparing these with the spatial distribution of current charging stations revealed that Beijing and Shenzhen’s infrastructure aligned with the cities' economic, educational, and residential zones, epitomizing a synergy in provisioning. However, certain areas experienced either a demand–supply imbalance or an oversupply. To address these challenges, we introduced the Charging Access Reachability Index (CARI) using machine learning techniques. This dynamic metric serves as a tool for quantifying the effective coverage range of charging facilities. Its adaptive threshold holds potential as a crucial indicator enabling the dynamic transition towards more efficient and resilient charging infrastructure.

Generation of intra-community roads based on human-flow modeling (HFM)

Community roads are crucial for efficient navigation in residential areas. However, current navigation maps often lack comprehensive coverage of these roads. To address this issue, we present a Human-Flow Model (HFM) to identify roads within residential communities by utilizing abundant low-frequency trajectory data from human movements. First, the HFM leverages human movement density in residential zones to estimate the likelihood of road existence. Using the probability distribution of human movement and neighboring building footprints, we construct a Human-Flow Probability Field (HFPF), which serves as a distribution representation for modeling human movement within densely populated built-up areas. Then, the flow paths are extracted from the HFPF using hydrological analysis techniques, which facilitates the identification of main paths and smaller branches within the community road network. Finally, the road network is refined using morphological methods. Our model was tested using six residential communities located in Wuhan, China. It consistently outperformed other methods by detecting more roads with higher accuracy, especially intricate branches. By incorporating flow semantics, our model capitalizes on sparse trajectory data to enhance the fine-scale community road networks. This improvement enhances the last-mile navigation experience in sustainable cities, contributing to overall urban mobility and convenience for residents.

Spatial coupling relationship between architectural landscape characteristics and urban heat island in different urban functional zones

The process of urbanization exacerbates the urban heat island phenomenon. In order to reasonably identify urban functional zones, and reveal the influence of buildings on land surface temperature (LST). Guiyang, a multi-mountainous city in China, was taken as the research area, Open Street Map (OSM) and land use type data were used to identify urban functional zones. Subsequently, the correlation between urban building morphology metrics and LST was analyzed using Pearson correlation and boosted regression tree (BRT) model. The results showed that: (1) There were significant differences in LST among different urban functional zones. (2) The relative contribution value of building density (BD) to land surface temperature was high, and it significantly exacerbated the urban heat island effect across all urban functional zones, with the maximum impact on LST reaching 2.5 °C in Utility zone. (3) Mean building height (MBH), Southerly wind speed (S_Wind speed) and Landscape shape index of building (LSI_Building) had the effect of alleviating thermal environment, and the mitigation degree of land surface temperature was the highest in Residential zone and Ecological zone, reaching 0.6 °C, 0.8 °C and 2.0 °C, respectively. This study enhances our understanding of the relationship between urban functions and LST, providing valuable insights for mitigating the urban thermal environment and promoting sustainable development.

Which generation should migration promotion measures target to shortly achieve a compact structure for shrinking cities?

Streamlining urban areas to appropriate sizes based on the current population structure is an important and urgent issue. Therefore, Japan enacted the Location Normalization Plan in 2014, and a shift toward a more compact regional structure is underway. However, this plan cannot force people to migrate to the target area. Consequently, the formation of a compact regional structure is expected to persist for several decades. It consequently is crucial to shortly convert to a compact regional structure based on the voluntary migration of residents before the living environment outside residential zones deteriorates. This study analyzed the time required for the population to reach zero in urbanization-promoting areas excluded from residential attraction, using spatial statistical analysis. We assumed that multiple generations were the targets of the migration promotion policy, and considered the differences in each scenario. The results demonstrate that >100 years would be required before the natural withdrawal of target areas, and that migration policies targeting pre- and post-retirement generations were the most effective. This paper's contribution is valuable in that it discusses the importance of promoting relocation based on the viewpoint of the shortest possible shrinkage to the compacting measures currently being undertaken worldwide in matured cities.

Soil pollution of the city with machine-building production by heavy metals and arsenic and epidemiological risk to public health

Introduction. The paper presents the results of a study for the assessment of the epidemiological risk to public health and the level of soil contamination with heavy metals and arsenic in the city of Kovrov, a large industrial center of the Vladimir region.&#x0D; Materials and methods. The objects of the study are the morbidity in the population of the Kovrovsky district of the Vladimir region and the soil cover of the city of Kovrov, whose industrial enterprises specialize in the production of machine-building products. Soil samples were taken in the area of industrial enterprises, highways, and residential areas. The soil cover was examined by X-ray fluorescence method to determine the content of heavy metals and arsenic.&#x0D; Results. The conducted study on the assessment of probable risk allowed establishing in the Kovrov district, relative to background regional values, children to have a very high risk for 10 classes of diseases, adults have a very high risk for 6 classes of diseases. Contamination of the Carpet city soil with heavy metals and arsenic has been established. The priority pollutants of the Kovrov soil are zinc, lead and arsenic, which belong to the first hazard class. There was a significant variation in the content of heavy metals within both industrial and residential zones. Extremely dangerous chemical contamination of the soil with heavy metals has been detected. The assessment of the level of chemical soil pollution, as an indicator of adverse effects on public health, showed the residential part of the city, where most of the residents live, to be located in the zone of moderately dangerous or dangerous category of soil pollution.&#x0D; Limitations. The limitations of the study are related to one-time sampling and a small number of reference sites, which limits the possibilities of a broader interpretation of the data obtained.&#x0D; Conclusion. The unfavourable state of the soil cover in the residential area of Kovrov requires the manaagement and conducting constant ecological and hygienic monitoring of this territory. To reduce pollutants in particular, heavy metals, entering the soil of the city and, it is necessary to improve the system for cleaning gas-air emissions of machine-building enterprises of the city, as well as to ensure the effective arrangement of sanitary protection zones. To reduce the content of heavy metals in the soil, it is necessary to carry out measures to detoxify contaminated soils.

Food service spatial pattern after the emergence of online retail

Online shopping has eliminated the need to visit physical commercial centres. As a result, trips to these centres have shifted from primarily shopping-motives to leisure, companionship, and dining. The shifting in consumer behaviour is implicated in the growing spatial agglomeration of restaurants/cafes within commercial centres in European cities. Conversely, in southern cities, various casual restaurants/cafes also serve as leisure and companionship hubs. However, their spatial patterns are less explained. This article aims to elucidate the spatial pattern of these diverse restaurants/cafes in a typical southern city, Surabaya City. In this study, we employ the term ‘food services’ to encompass the various types of restaurants/cafes found in southern cities. We gather Points of Interest (POIs) data about food services via web scraping on Google Maps, then map out their spatial distribution across 116 spatial units of Surabaya City. Utilising k-means cluster analysis, we classify these 116 spatial units into six distinct clusters based on the composition of food service variants. Our findings show that City Centres and Sub-City Centres are locations for different types of restaurants/cafes. The City Centre is typically a location for fine dining restaurants and cafes, whereas Sub-City Centres are locations for fast casual dining and fast food restaurants. Cafes and fast food restaurants are centralised throughout downtown areas. Casual food service restaurants, such as casual style dining, coffee shops, and food stalls, are dispersed along business, residential zones, and periphery areas without intense domination of any specific variant.

Evaluation of the Suitability of Street Vending Planning in Urban Public Space in the Post-COVID-19 Era

The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred the resurgence of the informal street vending economy. This revival has boosted the market economy but has also challenged urban governance. Recognizing street vending deregulation as both a stimulus for employment and a potential challenge to hygiene and safety, this study evaluates the suitability of street vending within Wuchang District of Wuhan, China. The methodology unfolds in four steps: constructing an indicator system based on a policy and literature review, a spatial quantitative analysis via GIS, weight allocation through expert consultation and entropy methods, and the identification of suitable areas as well as strategies. Findings reveal suitability clusters centered around key urban nodes, extending across central and mid-western zones through corridors like Zhongnan Road, demonstrating the potential for centralized management and economic permeation into surrounding areas. The analysis of land-use compatibility showed that commercial, park, and residential lands offer the highest suitability for vending activities, proposing management strategies tailored to enhance business in commercial areas, flexible configurations in residential zones, diverse development in parks, quality-oriented development in public squares, and strict control in scenic and tourist facilities. This study not only deepens our understanding of the geographical distribution of and factors influencing street vending, but also proposes integrated management strategies for vending in urban public spaces, fostering vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable urban environments.

Evaluating the Landscape and Ecological Aspects of Urban Planning in Byblos: A Multi-Faceted Approach to Assessing Urban Forests

Byblos, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site, stands as one of Lebanon’s most ancient urban centers, known for its expansive green spaces. However, ongoing urbanization threatens these valuable areas. This study uses a multi-faceted approach to evaluate the structure and landscape attributes of Byblos’ urban and peri-urban forests (UPFs). Landscape canopy cover, diversity indices, forest structure, and a silhouette perceptual test were assessed across 24 streets in the city center, residential zones, and areas with heavy vehicular traffic. Findings reveal that 28% of Byblos’ canopy cover is concentrated mostly in the northeastern region. Native tree species account for 30% of the total, and a notable variation in tree diversity exists among different land-use types (Shannon diversity index (H) was 1.02 for the city center, 1.35 for residential streets, and 0.64 for vehicular areas). Additionally, a normal J-shaped distribution of tree diameters was identified across all street types. This study highlights a correlation between tree silhouettes and visual preferences, with densely spreading canopies being favored. Residential trees demonstrate the highest structural diversity and varied blossoming seasons. This research represents the first investigation into the current state of urban forestry in Byblos and offers recommendations for sustainable management and planning strategies.

How Does the 2D/3D Urban Morphology Affect the Urban Heat Island across Urban Functional Zones? A Case Study of Beijing, China

Studying driving factors of the urban heat island phenomenon is vital for enhancing urban ecological environments. Urban functional zones (UFZs), key for planning and management, have a substantial impact on the urban thermal environment through their two-dimensional (2D)/three-dimensional (3D) morphology. Despite prior research on land use and landscape patterns, understanding the effects of 2D/3D urban morphology in different UFZs is lacking. This study employs Landsat-8 remote sensing data to retrieve the land surface temperature (LST). A method combining supervised and unsupervised classification is proposed for UFZ mapping, utilizing multi-source geospatial data. Subsequently, parameters defining the 2D/3D urban morphology of UFZs are established. Finally, the Pearson correlation analysis and GeoDetector are used to analyze the driving factors. The results indicate the following: (1) In the Fifth Ring Road area of Beijing, the residential zones exhibit the highest LST, followed by the industrial zones. (2) In 2D urban morphology, the percentage of built-up landscape (built-PLAND) and Shannon’s diversity index (SHDI) are the main factors influencing LST. In 3D urban morphology, building density, the sky view factor (SVF), and the area-weighted mean shape index (shape index) are the main factors influencing LST. Therefore, low-density buildings with simple and dispersed shapes contribute to mitigating LST, while fragmented distributions of trees, grasslands, and water bodies also play important roles in alleviating LST. (3) In the interactive detection results, all UFZs show the highest interaction detection results with the built-PLAND. (4) Spatial variations are observed in the impact of different UFZs on LST. For instance, in the residential zones, industrial zones, green space zones, and public service zones, the SVF is negatively correlated with LST, while in the commercial zones, the SVF exhibits a positive correlation with LST.

Urban heat island patterns in garden cities: Putrajaya as a case study

The garden-city model, characterised by sprawling urban expansion and extensive open spaces, features green and water surfaces alongside substantial road networks, large parking lots and unshaded lands. This diverse landscape contributes to uneven air temperature distribution within the city. Our study investigated urban heat island (UHI) patterns in various urban environments within Putrajaya, focusing on rural, business, residential and near-water areas. Atmospheric data were collected over a year. Putrajaya exhibits two distinct UHI patterns: cool-day-hot-night in residential zones and hot-noon-temperate-elsewhere in impermeable areas. Business areas display alternating patterns based on seasonal climatic conditions and anthropogenic factors. The efficacy of artificial water bodies as a UHI countermeasure in garden cities depends on the size of the water body and the nature of the surrounding land cover. Shaded and green areas exhibit UHI intensities limited to 3°C, while impermeable areas, regardless of proximity to water surfaces, experience UHI up to 6°C. Overall, the garden-city model tends to restrict UHI variations within −1 to 3°C compared to −2 to 4°C in nearby Kuala Lumpur.

Dynamics of Population and Land Use towards Sustainable Development in Patna Planning Area

Abstract: This study examines the impact of population growth on the land use pattern of Patna Planning Area, in the context of urban geography. Patna, the capital city of Bihar state in India, has experienced significant population growth over the past few decades, leading to changes in its land use pattern. The objectives of this research include analyzing the historical population growth trends in Patna, identifying the key factors that have contributed to this growth, and assessing its impact on land use. The study takes into account various factors such as residential, industrial, commercial, and agricultural land use, as well as the infrastructural developments associated with population growth. To achieve these objectives, both primary and secondary data sources are utilized. Primary data is collected through surveys, interviews, and observations, while secondary data is obtained from existing literature, government reports, and demographic databases. The findings of this study reveal that the population growth in Patna has led to a changing land use pattern. The expansion of residential areas and the conversion of agricultural land into residential and commercial zones are noted as significant transformations. Additionally, industrial growth has resulted in the emergence of new industrial zones and the conversion of agricultural land into industrial areas in the suburbs. Furthermore, it is observed that population growth has put pressure on infrastructure such as transportation, sewage and water supply systems, leading to the need for their expansion and development. This study highlights the need for urban planning and policies to accommodate the growing population while ensuring sustainable land use.

Pedestrian Priorities

This article explores the contemporary shift in urban studies towards prioritizing walkable neighborhoods amidst growing concerns about urban sprawl and its environmental impacts. Focusing on Persiaran Bestari in Shah Alam, Malaysia, the research aims to address the lack of pedestrian-friendly infrastructure and the consequent reliance on vehicular transport in residential areas. This research utilizes a mixed-method approach incorporating quantitative and qualitative methodologies, combining space syntax analysis and behavioral mapping to examine pedestrian movement within the study area. The data collection involves gathering pedestrian infrastructure data through field surveys and pedestrian volume surveys. As the result, behavioral mapping observations revealed varying pedestrian activity levels along different road corridors, with significant pedestrian traffic concentrated around residential zones. Utilizing space syntax analysis, the research detected that Persiaran Bestari and Permai experienced the highest levels of social and commercial activity, indicating higher resident density in these areas. This research highlights the correlation between pedestrian comfort and safety and the availability of pedestrian infrastructure. It reveals that inadequate infrastructure leads to poor walkability, prompting pedestrians to favor safer routes, such as neighborhood or local roads with reduced and slower vehicle traffic.

Risk assessment and source analysis of heavy metals in soil around an asbestos mine in an arid plateau region, China

Asbestos is widely used in construction, manufacturing, and other common industrial fields. Human activities such as mining, processing, and transportation can release heavy metals from asbestos into the surrounding soil environment, posing a health hazard to the mining area's environment and its surrounding residents. The purpose of the present study was to determine the extent of ecological and human health damage caused by asbestos pollution, as well as the primary contributors to the contamination, by examining a large asbestos mine and the surrounding soil in China. The level of heavy metal pollution in soil and sources were analyzed using methods such as the geo-accumulation index (Igeo), potential ecological risk index (RI), and positive matrix factorization (PMF) model. A Monte Carlo simulation-based health risk model was employed to assess the health risks of heavy metals in the study area’s soil to human beings. The results showed that the concentrations of As, Pb, Cr, Cu, and Ni in the soil were 1.74, 0.13, 13.31, 0.33, and 33.37 times higher than the local soil background values, respectively. The Igeo assessment indicated significant accumulation effects for Ni, Cr, and As. The RI evaluation revealed extremely high comprehensive ecological risks (RI ≥ 444) in the vicinity of the waste residue heap and beneficiation area, with Ni exhibiting strong individual potential ecological risk (Eir ≥ 320). The soil health risk assessment demonstrated that As and Cr posed carcinogenic risks to adults, with mean carcinogenic indices (CR) of 1.56E − 05 and 4.14E − 06, respectively. As, Cr, and Cd posed carcinogenic risks to children, with mean CRs of 1.08E − 04, 1.61E − 05, and 2.68E − 06, respectively. Cr also posed certain non-carcinogenic risks to both adults and children. The PMF model identified asbestos contamination as the primary source of heavy metals in the soil surrounding the asbestos mining area, contributing to 79.0%. According to this study, it is recommended that management exercise oversight and regulation over the concentrations of Ni, Cr, Cd, and As in the soil adjacent to asbestos mines, establish a designated control zone to restrict population activities, and locate residential zones at a safe distance from the asbestos mine production zone.

Analysis of the planning, functional, and volumetric-spatial organization of temporary settlements

This article examines the experience of planning temporary settlements for the affected and displaced persons, evaluating global and domestic approaches. The analysis encompasses urban planning situations, volumetric-spatial, and functional-planning organization of temporary residential structures, defining typological characteristics and categorizing them. The main focus is on the functioning of temporary settlements using open, semi-open, and closed systems within the structure of habitation. The analysis of global practical experience reveals that at the urban planning level, temporary settlements constitute a structural and planning element primarily constrained by the population size and the potential use of existing service infrastructure. These indicators dictate the placement of this element (temporary settlement) within the settlement system and its functional purpose (transit or long-term settlements), consequently influencing the operational period (from a few months to half a year, up to 1 year, over 1 year, or indefinitely). The most common type is a settlement with a population capacity of up to 500 individuals, with the distinction of a residential zone as the main, and in some cases, the only zone (without the development of a public area or a common space core). Less widespread are settlements with a population capacity of over 500 to 1000 individuals, where a public center with facilities for domestic services, recreation, education, and work-related activities begins to form, mainly in the central core of the structure. An uncommon type of settlement is a residential structure with a capacity exceeding 1000 individuals, featuring the development of a comprehensive public center with a hierarchical network of sub-centers for social and domestic services and recreation, serving as nuclei for the formation of residential groups. Such settlements operate as closed self-servicing systems, meaning they are not dependent on functional connections with the community or the city within the settlement system. The planning aspects derived from global and Ukrainian experiences necessitate defining a temporary settlement as a new element in the urban planning system. Additionally, there is a need for further typological grouping of the reviewed examples of temporary settlements based on their interdependent developmental characteristics.

Sources, accumulation levels and environmental hazard of heavy metals and metalloids in soils and PM10 fractions of Severobaykalsk

Relevance. The need to study the ecological state of the soil cover of industrial cities, which is the main depositing environment for technogenic emissions of heavy metals and metalloids, to identify the geochemical characteristics of the region and assess the impact on public health. Aim. To assess the sources and accumulation of heavy metals and metalloids in soils and their fraction PM10 in Severobaikalsk and to assess the risks associated with them for public health. Methods. Total content of Zn, As, Cd, Pb, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Sb, Mo, V, W, Sr, Bi in soil, coal and ash samples was determined by mass spectral and atomic emission methods with inductive-coupled plasma. Geochemical (KK, Kc, Zc), sanitary and hygienic (Ko) indicators were used. Health risks for adults and children were assessed. Principal component analysis was used. Results. In Severobaikalsk, the priority soil pollutants are Sb, Cu, Pb, Mo, Cr. The soils and their PM10 fraction in the transport zone, where Sb, Cu, Pb, Co, V, W, Ni are accumulated, are the most polluted. The greatest influence on the chemical composition of urban soils and PM10 particles is exerted by emissions from railway infrastructure and coal combustion at the Central Thermal Power Plant (22% for soils in general and 48% for the PM10 fraction). The average total level of contamination of urban soils and PM10 fraction corresponds to a low, non-hazardous level (Zc=6). The total non-carcinogenic risk of soil particles contaminated with heavy metals and metalloids. entering the body of children, exceeded the safe level 1 (from 1.60 in a residential one-story zone to 1.81 in a transport zone). For the adult population, HI values were below the acceptable threshold value. For adult health, there is no carcinogenic risk associated with ingestion or skin contact of As, Cr and Pb. For children, a dangerous risk (ILCRingest 5.56*10–4) of ingestion of carcinogenic heavy metals and metalloids was identified.

Assessment of the Perennial Floods Affecting Residential Areas Along River Tille, Katsina Metropolitan, Katsina State, Nigeria

Flooding constitutes a significant environmental challenge across Nigeria, recurring annually and notably affecting residential zones situated adjacent to streams, rivers, and Fadama areas. This study evaluates the perennial floods impacting residential locales along River Tille in Katsina Metropolitan, Katsina State, Nigeria. The research methodology encompassed field visits to the river-adjacent residential areas over a three-year span (2020-2022) and the dissemination of semi-structured questionnaires to ten respondents from six residential areas along the river. Findings indicate that the floods, attributed to factors such as heavy rainfall, proximal housing construction, the infilling of Maliyau pond, and inappropriate waste disposal, recur yearly. These floods have led to the loss of lives, property damage, and structural collapses. While local community initiatives have sought to mitigate these impacts, success has been limited. In response, the State Government, in collaboration with the World Bank in August 2020, initiated a flood control project, which commenced in September 2020 and concluded in 2021. Observations in 2022 revealed substantial flood management improvements, although certain project aspects remain unaddressed by the contractors. Further actions are recommended to ensure the project's full efficacy in managing the perennial floods and minimizing adverse effects on the community. This research is significant, offering detailed insights into the persistent flood issues in metropolitan river areas and assessing a government-executed flood control initiative.