Fatala River Basin (Republic of Guinea, Africa): Analysis of Current State, Air Pollution, and Anthropogenic Impact Using Geoinformatics Methods and Remote Sensing Data

• Published in: Sustainability 2023-11, Vol.15 (22), p.15798
• Main Authors: Tabunschik, Vladimir, Gorbunov, Roman, Bratanov, Nikolai, Gorbunova, Tatiana, Mirzoeva, Natalia, Voytsekhovskaya, Veronika
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 20th century; Air pollution; Air quality; Aluminum compounds; Analysis; Bauxite; Forests; Formaldehyde; Guinea; Industrialized nations; Iran; Methane; Methods; Mineral reserves; Natural resources; Nitrogen dioxide; Remote sensing; Rivers; Russia; Seasons; Sulfur compounds; Transnationalism; Vegetation
• ISSN: 2071-1050; 2071-1050
• DOI: 10.3390/su152215798

This study conducts an in-depth analysis of anthropogenic transformation and air pollution within the confines of the Fatala River Basin situated in the Republic of Guinea, Africa. The foundation of this investigation relies upon interdisciplinary geoinformatics methodologies and data acquired through remote sensing, specifically drawing from Sentinel-5P and Sentinel-2 satellite datasets. The primary objectives encompass scrutinizing the extant ecological conditions characterizing the Fatala River Basin and assessing the anthropogenic influences within its geographic expanse. The utilization of remote sensing data, as facilitated by the Sentinel-5P satellite, emerges as a potent instrument for meticulously monitoring environmental transformations. A comprehensive analysis of the designated area, conducted through remote sensing methodologies, is employed to ascertain the concentrations of various atmospheric constituents, including nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, formaldehyde, methane, ozone, and carbon monoxide. The findings gleaned from this inquiry reveal that, notwithstanding the dynamic growth of the extractive industry centered around the world’s preeminent bauxite province, the Fouta Djallon–Mandingo, the anthropogenic transformation of the Fatala River Basin exerts a comparatively minor influence on air quality. Statistical assessments, including correlation analysis, conducted between computed parameters delineating anthropogenic alterations within the Fatala River Basin, and a comprehensive atmospheric pollution index elucidate a lack of a significant nexus. It has been determined that air pollution within the Fatala River Basin is notably influenced by topographical features and the transport of contaminants from adjacent river basins. Consequently, this article makes a substantial contribution to our comprehension of the contemporary ecological state of the Fatala River Basin in the Republic of Guinea. It also holds significant importance in elucidating the ecological challenges specific to the researched region.