Ruins, rhizomes, palimpsests, and traces-mémoires: Guadeloupe’s Mémorial ACTe and the art(s) of representation

This study examines the degree to which the world’s largest slavery memorial and arts center enacts emerging theorizations of postcolonial memory to connect the Caribbean’s colonial history to legacies of human exploitation both transnationally and transtemporally. Situated literally on top of the former Darboussier sugar factory site, the Mémorial ACTe is a lieu de mémoire that invites a palimpsestic approach to its symbolic location, architecture, and museography. Through a consideration of contemporary art, first in the ephemeral occupation by artists of the Darboussier ruins pre-demolition and then in the MACTe’s permanent and temporary exhibitions, we argue that artists are not only uniquely positioned to preserve the memory traces of lesser-known histories, but that their work is particularly adept at articulating interconnections between various moments of racialized violence.

The Physiological and Microbiological Characteristics of Cement Dust Polluted Soil Around Lafarge Cement Industry

A study was conducted to investigate the impact of cement dust pollution from LARFAGE cement Industry, Ewekoro on physicochemical and microbiological properties of surrounding soil microbes. The physiochemical characteristics determined were soil pH using pH meter, moisture content was determined using oven drying method, electrical conductivity was determined on a 1:1(V/V) soil/water mixture. While heavy metals contents were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Microbial species were examined using disc diffusion method. The results showed that, pH of the soil ranged from 6.27±0.03- 6.47±0.03. The areas closer to the factory site (500m) had highest pH values (6.47). The soil moisture content ranged from 15.78±2.52- 9.65±1.16, with values decreasing progressively away from the factory site. The levels of heavy metals except Mg, Zn and Na were higher within the factory than in the control. Cr, Fe, Pb, Fe, Cd, Ca and Cu were significantly higher at P<0.05 in all localities than in control. Isolated microbial flora consists of 5 bacteria genera belonging to, Corynebacterium, Clostridium, Bacillus, Flarobacterium and Micrococcus, and 8 fungal genera belonging to Aspergillus, Penicillium, Trichoderma, Mucor, Nocrolia, Geotrichum, Rhizopus and Fusarium. The bacteria and fungi was influenced by the cement dust deposition. The minimum counts of bacteria 1.89±0.34 and 1.99±0.09 X 108 in polluted soil and 1.85±0.51 X 104 control soil were lower than the fungal counts 10.33±2.33 X104 – 15.00±1.15 X 104 in both soils. The lower counts of bacteria compared to fungi may be as a result of nutrient status of the soil. Microbial population diversity increased steadily away from the factory. Thus, the variation is attributed to the impact of pH and heavy metals on microbial population.

Efficiency and mechanism of lead stabilization in soil of lead-acid battery contaminated site with phosphorus-based materials

&lt;p&gt;Lead contaminated soils occurred at lead-acid battery manufacturing and recycling sites are of great concern. Bench-scale batch experiments of stabilization treatment were conducted using twelve materials and three phosphorus-based materials, KH&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;PO&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;(KP), KH&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;PO&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;:oyster shell power = 1:1 (by mass ratio; KSP), and KH2PO4:sintered magnesia = 1:1(by mass ratio; KPM), were screened out for lead contaminated soil in an abandoned lead-acid battery factory site. The three materials had higher remediation efficiencies that led to a 92% reduction in leachable Pb and 12% reduction in bioaccessible Pb with the addition of 5% material, while the acid soluble fraction of lead decreased by 41&amp;#8211;46%. The lead activity in the soil solution sharply decreased treated by three materials. Pb&lt;sub&gt;5&lt;/sub&gt;(PO&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;)&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;Cl was the primary mineral controlling lead solubility in soil treated by KP and KSP and lead activity was related to Pb&lt;sub&gt;5&lt;/sub&gt;(PO&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;)&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;OH and Pb&lt;sub&gt;5&lt;/sub&gt;(PO&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;)&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;Cl in soil amended with KPM.&lt;/p&gt;