College of Natural and Computational Sciences
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Item Ecophysiological, Agroecological and Nutritional Characterization of New Crop Camelina sativa L. Cranz in Tigray: a strategy to improve alternative foods and healthcare of communities in developing countries(Mekelle University, 2025-11-17) Gebremedhn Yohannes ZenebeThis thesis presents a comprehensive investigation into the ecophysiological, agroecological, and nutritional features of Camelina sativa L. Cranz. C.sativa is cultivated in Tigray to be a new novel oilseed crop to the region. Sub-saharan communities like in Tigray, Ethiopia, face significant challenges in achieving sustainable agricultural development and ensuring food security. Traditional agricultural systems in the region are often vulnerable to climate variability and soil degradation making it difficult to meet the growing nutritional and economic needs of the population. This necessitates for the exploration of alternative nutritious crops in general and oil crops in particular suited to the region's agroecological conditions and hence this research. Characterizing the nutritional profile of C. sativa seeds grown in Tigray's diverse agroecological zones provides essential information for leveraging the crop as a valuable source of essential fatty acids, protein, and other nutrients. These facts could enable to combat malnutrition and improve the overall health and wellbeing of communities. The ecophysiological characterization of C. sativa provides valuable insights into its growth and development under varying environments. This information can guide the development of optimized agronomic practices, including selecting sowing dates and suitable agroecology to maximize crop yields and minimize environmental impacts. This study, therefore, represents a critical step towards realizing the potential of C. sativa to contribute to a more secure, sustainable, and healthy future for communities in Tigray and Ethiopia. This study addressed critical knowledge gaps of camelina's adaptability to diverse agroecological zones by investigating its vegetative and physiological (chlorophyll A content, net photosynthetic rate (Pn), transpiration rate (TR), instantaneous water use efficiency (WUEi), and stomatal conductance(SC) performances, yield and yield parameters assessment, nutritional profile under local growing conditions, the relationship between environmental factors and seed quality and its adaptability to salinity stress. The study employed a multifaceted approach, integrating field experiments and laboratory analyses. Camelina was cultivated across six representatives Tabiyas, encompassing lowland, midland, and highland agroecological zones, over two growing seasons (2019-2020). Data collection included detailed weather monitoring, soil physicochemical analysis, assessment of seed yield and yield components, and comprehensive nutritional analysis of harvested seeds. A randomized complete block design was employed across lowland, medium altitude, and high. On conclusive terms highland locations with higher rainfall are generally optimal for yield and performance compared to midland and lowland due to temperature and rainfall patterns. Nutritional analyses revealed that highland-grown Camelina seeds were richest in essential nutritional components. Regarding the salinity stress, as concentration of NaCl and KCl was increased the overall germination and early seedling performance of C. sativa decreased. The effect of salinity on physiology, molecular and biochemicalItem Small Mammal Diversity and Farmers Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices along an Altitudinal Gradient in the Southern Part of Tigray.(Mekelle University, 2025-10-28) Mebrahte BerheSmall mammals are divided into Volant and non-Volant species. Among the non-Volant mammals, rodents and shrews are the most common and widespread across all continents except Antarctica. They play vital ecological roles as bio indicators, model organisms, and, in some cases, agricultural pests. Diversity of small mammals across an altitudinal gradient and smallholder farmers' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) regarding rodent pests were studied in south Tigray starting from June 2024- October 2025. This study aimed to assess the diversity of small mammals across varying altitudinal gradients and to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of smallholder farmers along these gradients. The study area was divided into four sites based on altitude, starting from 1500 – 2900 m.a.s.l, with an interval of ~500m. Both Sherman and snap traps were used to collect small mammals. The traps were baited with peanut butter and barley flour and then placed in a horizontal line transect with an average distance between traps of about 2m. Traps were set for three consecutive nights per elevation. In addition, KAP of smallholder farmers was assessed using semi-structured questionnaires. Fifty respondents were randomly selected from three kebeles across two districts, based on their altitudinal proximity to the rodent trapping sites. A total 138 individual small mammals (rodents and shrews) were captured. Of these 138 small mammals, 84 were males and 54 were females. Nine species of small mammals (eight rodent species and one shrew species) belonging to two families were recorded. The relative abundance of captured small mammals were Stenocephalemys albipes (70.2%), Arvicanthis niloticus (7.8%), Mastomys awashensis (7.25%), Lophuromys simensis (6.52%), Mus mohamet (4.35%) and Rattus rattus (1.4), Acomys cahirinus (0.72%), Desmomys harringtoni (0.72%), Crocidura olivieri (0.72%). Overall, Stenocephalemys albipes was the most abundant species in the study area. Diversity and distribution of small mammals were varied across altitude. The highest species diversity was recorded in 2000m (H=1.29) and the least in 2500m elevation (H=0.34). The highest number of individual rodent species was recorded at 2900 m.a.s.l (60.9%) and the least was at 2000m elevation (9.42%). There was variation in age and sex of small mammals but, age variation statistically not significant (ANOVA; df = 3, F=2.392, p = 0.071) unlike sex variation (ANOVA; df = 3, F=3.879, p = 0.01). Questionnaires from 50 farmers discovered that most were males (76%), aged 36-50, with no formal education (72%). Crop types varied significantly (p=0.000) between districts (Emba Alaje and Raya Azebo). All farmers (100%) recognized significant post and pre-harvest rodent losses, with damage reported in both fields and homes. The control methods relied on rodenticides, trapping, and cats, with limited satisfaction. This study shows different kinds and numbers of small mammals live at different elevations and reveals significant rodent-induced crop losses with limited effective management strategies among farmers. Targeted interventions considering both ecological and farmer’s KAP are essential for sustainable pest management in this region.Item GROUNDWATER POTENTIAL EVALUATION USING AN INTEGRATED HYDROGEOLOGICAL APPROACH(Mekelle University, 2025-11-24) ATAKLTI GEBRETSADIKGroundwater is the main source of water for Abi-adi town and the people residing in its vicinity. The well field is found in Getskimlesley catchment located to the North of Abi-abi town. The potential of the well field was not estimated before and there is water exploitation each day. There is also high demand from different actors. So before creating social problems and damaging the aquifer due the excessive withdrawal, estimating the resource is mandatory. The study is to estimate the groundwater potential of the catchment; the amount of water that is recharging the groundwater, the runoff and the water that is evapotranspired annually, to estimate the potential & manage & protect accordingly. Water balance, pump test, geophysical and hydrogeological approaches employed to estimate the resource and to characterize the aquifer of the well field. The potential evapotranspiration is determined from the Penman-Monteith approach & its value is 2158.33mm per year. The actual evapotranspiration computed using Thornthwaite-Mather soil water balance method is 738.32mm per year. The value of runoff coefficient is 0.31 & this is affected by soil type, slope and vegetation of the study area. The amount of water that leaves the catchment as surface runoff & the water that merges to the groundwater system annually 363.88 & 71.60 mm/year respectively. The main lithological formations of the area are basement rocks and sandstone & the source of groundwater is relatively thick; medium to coarse grained and sorted Enticho sandstone & fractured basement rocks. There are a number of wells drilled in the basement rocks and sandstone formation in the catchment. The productivity of the wells ranges from dry well to 7 liters per second whereas the yield measured in the sandstone ranges from 5 – 30 liters per second. The average minimum & maximum Transmissivity of the aquifers which is calculated from the pump test data are 1.3 & 834.8 m2/day respectively. Then the catchment is categorized into three different zones of moderate, low and very low productivity. The maximum drilled depth in the sandstone formation is 194 meters and the thickness of this formation reaches 400 meters. The maximum depth drilled in the basement rocks is 120 meters. Groundwater Poteotential Evaluation of Getskimlesley Catchment, The main water type of the catchment is Ca-Mg-SO4-HCO3 & the quality is within the allowable limit of the standards for irrigation & domestic use. The amount of water that withdraws from this well field should be below the amount that is merging to groundwater.Item Enterprise Resource Planning Frame work design for Ethiopian Hospitals. In the case of Adama Hospital Medical College (AHMC)(Mekelle University, 2025-12-10) Girum EndalkachewIn today’s competitive business environment, ERP systems are found to be essential for companies to get competitive and strategic advantages. ERP is software that integrates functional units across an organization into one computer system. Thus, each functional unit across of the hospital shares a common centralized database, which enables the flow of information in the hospital to be faster and, reliable. According to this thesis, to develop ERP system for Adama Hospital Medical College (AHMC) the researcher studied the existing system on Patient Care Management Department, Accounting Finance Department, Human Resource Department and Pharmacy Department. The methodology used in this research was the techniques used for analysis and design of Hospital ERP design in this paper was Odoo 10.0 open source ERP software, PostgreSQL 9.5, and. Microsoft Visio 2013 was the tool used for the analysis and design of this system. Hence, the research describes ERP framework design for Adama Hospital Medical College and also used Odoo software to design the hospital functional units into a single database server. Finally, the researcher has designed a framework that is appropriate for the Hospital ERP system and integrated the hospital modules.Item Comparative Evaluation of Digestion Methods for Heavy Metal Analysis in Soil, Water, and Plants from Tigray, Ethiopia(Mekelle University, 2025-08-25) Robel Dawit AregayHeavy metal contamination is a growing concern in Tigray, Ethiopia, due to mining activities, agricultural inputs, and potential risks to public health, yet no standardized local protocol exists for reliable, cost-effective, and accurate digestion methods essential for environmental monitoring. This study compared four wet digestion methods—Method A (HCl–HNO₃, 3:1), Method B (HCl–HNO₃–H₂SO₄), Method C (HCl–HNO₃–HClO₄), and Method D (HCl–HNO₃– HClO₄–HF)—for determining total concentrations of Cu, Zn, Pb, Co, Cr, Cd, Mn, Fe, and Ni in soil, plant, and water samples from Ezana Mining Development PLC, Mekelle, Ethiopia, using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (FAAS). Performance evaluation based on accuracy (Z-scores and spiking recovery), precision (relative standard deviation), and costeffectiveness, supported by one-way ANOVA (p < 0.05), revealed significant differences among methods, with overall recoveries ranging from 88% to 102% across matrices. Methods A and D showed superior accuracy and precision compared to Methods B and C, with Method A offering comparable performance to Method D while being simpler, safer, and more economical, making it suitable for routine monitoring. Although Method D achieved slightly higher extraction efficiencies for refractory metals, it demands specialized infrastructure, HFhandling safety, and advanced technical expertise. The findings suggest Method A is best suited for general environmental assessments in resource-limited laboratories, while Method D is recommended for targeted analyses requiring maximum recovery, thereby enhancing environmental data quality, strengthening heavy metal monitoring programs, and supporting evidence-based policy decisions in Tigray.Item Assessment of Heavy Metal Levels in Soil, Vegetables and Wastewater used for Irrigation in Wukro, Tigray, Ethiopia(Mekelle University, 2025-09-25) Nigisti GirumFresh vegetables and fruits are the most common foods of human diet all around humankind often used for balanced diet, prevention and treatment of various diseases. However, if these vegetables and fruits grow in a polluted environment they can be a major public concern due to their toxic property which leads to acute and chronic health effects. The aim of this study was to determine the level of manganese, chromium, copper, zinc and lead and to estimate their health risks associated with their daily intake in vegetables grown in Wukro town, Tigray. FAAS was used to determine concentrations of those heavy metals in selected vegetables (cabbage, onion, spinach, lettuce and tomato). 1 gm of each sample was digested by wet digestion method using a mixture of HNO3 (69%), HClO4 (70%) and H2O2 (30%) until a clear solution was prepared. After proper dilutions, the solutions were aspirated into the FAAS. The absorbance value of heavy metals was converted in to concentration using linear calibration curve equation. Finally, the concentration of each metal was expressed in mg/Kg of dry weight of each sample and health risk was estimated by using estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), and hazard index (HI) for selected heavy metals. The validity of the method was checked by the analysis of spiked samples whose recovery was found in the range of 90.8-107.0% and %RSD value in the range of 0.03-7.7%. The average concentrations of Cr and Cu in all of the selected vegetables were lower than the maximum limit of normal values. However, concentrations (mg/kg) of Pb in cabbage (2.05), spinach (2.47), and lettuce (1.56) had exceeded the safe limit, 0.3 mg/Kg set by FAO/WHO. Hence, consuming plant products grown from contaminated water sources such as municipal wastes, industrial effluents, engine fuels, garages disposals, constructions and car washes are potentially toxic to plants, animals and humans. Therefore, people and concerned bodies should take care of the sources of water for irrigationItem EVALUATION OF AIR POLLUTION CONTROL TECHNIQUES IN MESSEBO CEMENT FACTORY, TIGRAY, ETHIOPIA(Mekelle University, 2025-09-25) Araya GebreyohannesCement production is one of the most emission-intensive industrial activities, contributing significantly to global air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. This study assesses the effectiveness, limitations, and implementation status of air pollution control techniques and their associated occupational health impacts at Messebo Cement Factory PLC (MCF) in Northern Ethiopia. A mixed-method design was employed, integrating quantitative on-site pollutant measurements (CO₂, NOₓ, SO₂, CO, and particulate matter) with qualitative surveys and clinical health data. Field results indicated that pyroprocessing and raw material handling were the dominant emission sources. CO₂ emissions increased from approximately 78,884 tonnes in 2000/01 to 990,767 tonnes in 2015/16, primarily due to production expansion, while per-tonne emissions remained above international best practice benchmarks. Particulate matter concentrations at raw milling points reached 240 mg/Nm³, exceeding Ethiopia’s national limit of 150 mg/Nm³ and the WHO/IFC guideline of 50 mg/Nm³. Despite the presence of baghouse filters and other emission control systems, frequent exceedances revealed operational inefficiencies and maintenance deficiencies. Survey data from 1,235 respondents, including factory employees and nearby residents, showed that 65% observed visible dust emissions and 76% reported receiving no environmental or safety training. Analysis of clinical records from 2013–2017 further revealed high incidences of respiratory tract infections (up to 22.4%) and dermatitis linked to particulate exposure. The findings demonstrate that current air pollution control and occupational health practices at MCF are inadequate to meet regulatory and safety standards. The study recommends upgrading filtration systems, adopting cleaner fuels, improving occupational health and safety management, and aligning operations with ISO 14001 and IFC/World Bank environmental standards to promote sustainable industrial performanceItem GROUNDWATER POTENTIAL AND WELL YIELD DISCREPANCIES: HYDROGEOLOGICAL CONTROLS, DRILLING CHALLENGES, AND AQUIFER PARAMETER–RESISTIVITY RELATIONSHIPS IN UPPER BILATE RIVER BASIN, MAIN ETHIOPIAN RIFT VALLEY, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA(Mekelle University, 2025-10-16) Fisseha Teka HailuDiscrepancies in well yields within the Upper Bilate River Basin (UBRB) of the Ethiopian Rift Valley Lake Basin highlight the intricate hydrogeology of its volcanic aquifers and Quaternary deposits. This study examines the influence of drilling-challenges such as partial penetration, well loss coefficient, wellbore storage on yield variations, which may surpass the effects of natural hydrogeological variability. By integrating data from meteorological, hydrological, remote sensing, vertical electrical sounding, and pumping tests with historical well records, key aquifer parameters like transmissivity and hydraulic conductivity are quantified, while empirical relationships between aquifer productivity and resistivity are established. This study's water balance analysis for the Upper Bilate River Basin reveals a semi-humid system with a 254.6 mm annual surplus. A significant wet-season surplus facilitates groundwater recharge, estimated at 58.9 mm/year (6% of rainfall), indicating moderate infiltration and strong surface water-groundwater interaction A hydrogeological framework and groundwater potential zone map, generated through weighted overlay analysis of ten thematic layers, categorized the basin into excellent (1.39%), very good (17.9%), good (79.17%), and low (1.54%) potential zones. Most wells align with high-potential zones, confirming predictive accuracy: 74% of Wells are in very good zones and 26% in good zones, with none in low-potential areas. Transmissivity (T) in the study area varies from 0.05 to 841.10 m²/day, indicating a heterogeneous aquifer system. Moderate to moderately high transmissivity zones (59.77–89.93 m²/day) dominate, covering nearly 60% of the area, mainly in the central and northern parts, suggesting good aquifer productivity. Geophysical investigations identify Layer 6 (highly weathered and fractured pyroclastic rocks) as the most promising aquifer, followed by Layers 5 and 4, while upper shallow layers function as aquitards. A strong correlation between transmissivity and transverse resistance (r = 0.83, p = 1.32×10⁻¹³) supports the integration of geophysical and pumping test data for aquifer assessment. Well yield discrepancies in the UBRB are influenced more by drilling challenges than by aquifer natural heterogeneity. An analysis of 220 Wells indicates a partial penetration ratio (L/b) of 0.13 to 0.96, with a mean of 0.56, suggesting moderately penetrating wells. Wellbore storage shows that 49% of wells have high storage (Cw ≥ 0.9), while 27% have low storage (Cw < 0.1), reflecting variable aquifer connectivity. In a study of 25 wells, loss coefficients (C) range from 4.0×10⁻⁷ to 5.0×10⁻⁵ day²/m⁵, with 72% classified as severely clogged and none being properly developed. Well efficiency varies between 11.2% to 100% (mean 70.3%), with 18% rated Poor, 22% Fair, 30% Good, and 30% Excellent. This highlights the need for better well design, development, and maintenance practices. The correlation between transmissivity and well efficiency demonstrates that aquifer transmissivity primarily governs well performance, with high-transmissivity zones hosting the most efficient wells. In contrast, low efficiency in moderately transmissive areas mainly stems from technical issues—such as improper well design, partial penetration, or excessive wellbore storage rather than aquifer limitations. Enhancing well construction and maintenance practices is therefore crucial to fully realize groundwater potential in these zones.Item GROUNDWATER POTENTIAL ASSESSMENT OF AGULAE CHINFERS RIVER CATCHEMNT, NORTHEN ETHIOPIA(Mekelle University, 0011-10-25) Hadush weldemichaealThe general objective of the research is to study the hydrogeological system of the Agula-Chinferes catchment by giving particular emphasis to groundwater potential assessment, and recharge-discharge conditions. The Agulae_Chinfers river catchment is found in the Tigray National Regional state, Northern Ethiopia, which is about 783km from Addis Ababa on the way between Mekelle and Wukro in the western part of Giba Basin. It has a total area of 697 km2 with altitude ranging from 1769 m to 2853 m above mean sea level. The area is covered by alluvial deposit, dolerite rocks, limestone-shale-marl intercalation, limestone, adigrat sandstone, enticho sandstone and meta -volcanic. These rocks mainly meta- volcanic and adigrat sandstone in composition are emplaced along an NW-SE tectonic lineament. Different approaches are used to estimate the groundwater recharge, characterize the aquifer and assess the hydro geochemistry of the catchment. Soil moisture balance, and surface water balance approaches are used to estimate recharge. Annual precipitatrion by estimated arithmetic mean is 632mm/year, by Theissen polygon 626.3mm/year,by Ishyetal method 630.84mm/year,potential evapotranspiration by Penman method 815.97mm/year, potential evapotranspiration by Thornwaite method 817.41mm/year, average by two methods 816.7mm/year and the actual evapotranspiration by Turc method 339.14mm/year, Thornthwaite and Mather standard soil water balance model 458.5mm/year The results of estimated annual direct groundwater recharge in the catchment shows that the recharge estimated by soil moisture balance 54.7mm/year .the recharge estimated by water balance 45.34mm/year,average from two methods 50.02mm/year ( 8% of the precipitation in the watershed) .So, the recharge estimated by soil moisture balance is higher than the values estimated by water balance method. The groundwater potential and surface water (drainage pattern) and the discharge recharge is controlled by the topography, the geology, and structure. In the limestone, limestone-shale-marle intercaltion and sandstone rocks, which are the major aquifers in the area the hydraulic parameter varies with the fracture distribution. The structures that control the recharge discharge condition and areas of groundwater potential are associated with the regional tectonic structures of the faults. The source and alignment of springs is also associated with the joints, fractured and hill said. Geology, land use and land cover, soil types, dreaning density, linamant density, rainfall and slope are used to show groundwater potentioal zones and groundwater flow system, recharge discharge conditions. The analysis result of the above parameters overlaps with the hydrogeology which indicates that the south -eastern, eastern and northwestern part of the area is the potential zone for ground water exploitation. Piper plots are used to classify the water chemistry. There is variation in water type from low TDS Ca-HCO3 and Ca-Mg-HCO3 through intermediate type Ca-Na-HCO3 to high TDS Na-HCO3 type. There is no strong variation in PH of the waters as such and the low TDS, low alkalinity, waters have similar near neutral PH with the high TDS, high alkalinity water, reflecting the existence of chemical reaction that affect the hydrogen ion.PH of the study area(6.56-7.95),groundwater of the study area based on total dissolved solids (by WHO standard) fresh water (238-1000mg/l) and brackish water (1000-1469.6mg/l) so, the groundwater of the area has Total Dissolved Solids ranging from less than 615.41 mg/l in the high lands (recharge area) and sandstone geological formation to about 1469.6mg/l in low lands especially in areas of limestone intercalation with shale-marl geological formation. The total Hardens of the study area range from 85.2 to 947 (mg/l). so, by the classification of water (Jasrotia & Kumar, 2014) from medium hard to very hard (in areas of limestone intercalation with shale-marl geological formation .Item Evaluation Of Limestone as Coarse Aggregate in Concrete and Cobblestones: A Case study from Mekelle Area, Northern Ethiopia(Mekelle University, 2024-11-25) Muez AregawiEngineering geological investigation is essential for evaluating the quality of construction materials and ensuring the durability of engineering structures. This study assessed the physical and mechanical properties of limestone aggregates from selected quarries in the Mekelle area to determine their suitability for concrete and stone-paved road applications. A total of twelve representative samples and 50 kg of coarse aggregates were collected according to ASTM D75 from the Shugala, Kokolo, Mayalem, Mossobo, Chanadug, and Genha quarry sites and tested for gradation, specific gravity, unit weight, water absorption, moisture content, flakiness index (FI), aggregate crushing value (ACV), Los Angeles abrasion value (LAAV), and unconfined compressive strength (UCS), with results compared to ASTM and BS standards. The results indicate that the tested aggregates largely satisfy international specifications. Specific gravity values ranged between 2.43 and 2.83, while unit weight varied from 1.47 to 1.65 g/cm³. According to ASTM C33 classification, these unit weight values confirm that the aggregates are normal weight. Water absorption values (0.11%–0.78%) fall within the required range, indicating low porosity and good durability. Moisture content is very low (0.012–0.39%), significantly below the 4% limit, ensuring that the aggregates are dry. Mechanical tests revealed flakiness index values ranging from 12.11–20.30%, ACV values from 10.66–22.16%, LAAV values from 19.18– 25.40%, and UCS values from 105–117 MPa, indicating that all samples fall within the “highstrength” category (>55 MPa). Sieve analysis further revealed that aggregates from Chanadug, Genha, Mossobo, and Mayalem quarries exhibit favourable particle size distribution, making them highly suitable for construction, while those from Shugala and Kokolo did not meet gradation criteria.