Performance Evaluation of a Two-Row Okra Planter

Rosana G. Moreira, Editor-in-Chief; Texas A&M UniversityThis is a paper from International Commission of Agricultural Engineering (CIGR, Commission Internationale du Genie Rural) E-Journal Volume 8 (2006): Performance Evaluation of a Two-Row Okra Planter. Manuscript PM 06 002. Vol. VIII. July, 2006

An electrically operated kola nut pods breaking machine

Kola nut pod breaking is a very tedious task manually; therefore its mechanization is essential for effective processing.  The objectives of this study are to design and fabricate a kola nut pod breaking machine and performance evaluation of kola nut pods breaking machine.  Some physical and mechanical properties required for machine design were determined using standard methods.  The machine was powered by an electric motor, with the hammer attached to the shaft using a drum with a rope tension of 171.68N, cross–sectional area of 5.027 x 10-5m2 and 3414.90 kN/m2 tensile stress.  The speed of the machine used by the pulley was 308.57 r/min to operate. The machine was evaluated by using one to four pods at a time, and was replicated four times.The average moisture content was 68.87% wet basis. The average length, breadth, width and thickness were 108.54±7.79, 60.60±13.31, 46.97±10.23 and 10.37±1.54 mm for large whole kola nut pods respectively.  The average mass, volume and density of whole kola nut pods were 0.154±0.071 kg, 1.475±6.071x10-4m3, and 471.374±98.756 kg/m3, respectively.The force required to break kola nut pods along its lateral axis was 2691.27±1030.74 N and 421.66±363.97 N for longitudinal axis. The energy needed to break a pod along its lateral axis was 19.78±10.27 J; and 7.617±2.798 J for longitudinal axis.  The lateral force and energy were more in both cases; hence it will be better to break the pod along its longitudinal axis.A pod breaking machine with optimum machine capacity of 501.081 kg/h, maximum machine efficiency of 80.94 % and total cost of N40, 200 k was developed.

Production of biodiesel from groundnut (Arachis hypogea, L.) oil

Biodiesel is an environmental-friendly substitute for fossil fuel.  Research on the production of biodiesel from vegetable oils has concentrated on Jatropha, soybean, palm kernel, sunflower and rapeseed oils with scarce information on groundnut oils.  This study focussed on the production of biodiesel from groundnut oil.  Oil was mechanically extracted from groundnut seeds that were bought from Sabo market in Ogbomoso, Nigeria.  The extracted oil was trans-esterized with ethanol using potassium hydroxide as catalyst in a two-step trans-esterification process to yield ethyl esters and glycerol.  The fuel properties of groundnut oil and its ethyl ester were determined according to American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) standard methods and compared with that of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).  The results showed that groundnut seeds gave oil yield of 45.3%, while trans-esterification yielded 86.8% groundnut oil ethyl ester on a volume basis.  At 40ºC, higher viscosity of 39.2 mm2/s was obtained for raw groundnut oil than 7.60 mm2/s obtained for groundnut oil ethyl ester.  At 15ºC, specific gravity of raw groundnut oil and its ethyl ester were 0.9 (1.047 times that of AGO) and 0.85 (1.012 times that of AGO) respectively and are within limit specified by international standards.  The biofuels contained lower amounts of sulphur (9.73% for groundnut oil ethyl ester and 12.8% for raw groundnut oil) than the reference AGO which was 61.8%.  Higher pour (4ºC and 3ºC) points, cloud (7ºC and 8ºC) points and flash (200ºC and >280ºC) points were obtained for groundnut oil ethyl ester and the raw groundnut oil respectively compared to -16ºC, -12ºC and 74ºC respectively obtained for AGO.  The fatty acid profile of the groundnut oil reveals 75.03% unsaturated fatty acids in the oil composition.  Groundnut oil ethyl ester was found to have better fuel quality than raw groundnut oil and it has potentials to fuel a diesel engine.   Keywords: groundnut oil, automotive gas oil, transesterification, ethyl esters, biodiesel, fuel, diesel engine, Nigeri

Promoting Integrated Water Resources Management in South West Nigeria: The Need for Collaboration and Partnership

This paper elucidates the need to implement Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in South West Nigeria. At present, water related programmes in existing capacity building institutions (CBIs) do not have IWRM and climate change adaptation in their synopsis; this suggests the need for curriculum review. Another observation was that many of the professionals in the water sector organizations (WSOs) are aging with none of these organizations having succession plans. Developing and implementing succession plans require collaboration and partnership with CBIs in the region; the recent establishment of the National Water Resources Capacity Building Network (NWRCBNet) in the country is timely; itwill provide a platform for IWRM implementation and capacity building in the water sector. The south west regional center at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta has been spear heading this vision and the results achieved so far in the south west region has been encouraging.http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/njt.v34i2.2

HOFMANN-MARTIUS REARRANGEMENT REACTIONS CATALYSED BY ZEOLITE

N-Methylaniline was reacted over HZSM-5, H-Theta-1 and HY zeolites and was found to rearrange to give the toluidines, aniline and N,N-dimethylaniline. Percentage conversion to these products was found to be highest over HY zeolite with a higher selectivity to p-toluidine, whereas over HZSM-5 and H-Theta-1 selectivity was to N,N-dimethylaniline. The conversion to these products is in line with Hofmann-Martius and the Reilly-Hickin bottom rearrangement reactions. However the selectivity to N,N-dimethylaniline as observed over HZSM-5 and H-Theta-1 (medium pore zeolites) is ne

Assessment of Emergency Obstetric Care Services in Ibadan- Ibarapa Health Zone, Oyo State, Nigeria

Nigeria’s high maternal mortality has been attributed to poor utilization of obstetric care services to handle complications of pregnancy and childbirth. But how available are standard emergency obstetric care services? This facility based cross sectional study assessed the availability and accessibility of emergency obstetric care services in Oyo State, Nigeria. Using a multi-stage sampling technique, 61 primary and 10 secondary health care facilities were selected. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire from the heads of the maternity units. Spatial mapping of the facilities was also produced. Results showed availability of comprehensive emergency obstetric care (CEmOC) facilities (0-3.9/500,000 population) was adequate, however a gross lack of basic emergency obstetric care (BEmOC) facilities (0-5.4/500,000 population) was observed, where available, they were clustered in the urban settlements. Prompt action needs to be taken to upgrade basic emergency obstetric care facilities accessible to the larger rural population dwellers to improve maternal health indices. Keywords: Maternal Mortality, Comprehensive, Basic, Emergency obstetric car

Extraction, Physicochemical, Phytochemical Analysis And Identification Of Some Important Compounds Of Monodora Myristica (African Nutmeg) Seed Oil

The oil from African nutmeg seed (Monodora myristica) also known as ehuru in Igbo or Ariwo in Yoruba was extracted using normal hexane. Physico-chemical analysis, phytochemical analysis and GC-MS was carried out from crude extract. Physico-chemical analysis indicated that Iodine value (4.318 mg), Peroxide value (10.1 meq/ kg), Acid value (0.784 mg KOH /g), Saponification value (246.1 mg KOH g-), Refractive index (1.479), Specific gravity (0.968 g/m L) and % yield (36.04%). GC-MS analysis shed n-Hexadecanoic acid, Arachidonic acid, 9- Octadecanoic acid to be a major component of the seed oil. The results suggest that the oil is non drying oil; free from rancidity therefore it is good for cooking

Gender variation in self-reported likelihood of HIV infection in comparison with HIV test results in rural and urban Nigeria

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Behaviour change which is highly influenced by risk perception is a major challenge that HIV prevention efforts need to confront. In this study, we examined the validity of self-reported likelihood of HIV infection among rural and urban reproductive age group Nigerians.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This is a cross-sectional study of a nationally representative sample of Nigerians. We investigated the concordance between self-reported likelihood of HIV and actual results of HIV test. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess whether selected respondents' characteristics affect the validity of self-reports.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The HIV prevalence in the urban population was 3.8% (3.1% among males and 4.6% among females) and 3.5% in the rural areas (3.4% among males and 3.7% among females). Almost all the respondents who claimed they have high chances of being infected with HIV actually tested negative (91.6% in urban and 97.9% in rural areas). In contrast, only 8.5% in urban areas and 2.1% in rural areas, of those who claimed high chances of been HIV infected were actually HIV positive. About 2.9% and 4.3% from urban and rural areas respectively tested positive although they claimed very low chances of HIV infection. Age, gender, education and residence are factors associated with validity of respondents' self-perceived risk of HIV infection.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Self-perceived HIV risk is poorly sensitive and moderately specific in the prediction of HIV status. There are differences in the validity of self-perceived risk of HIV across rural and urban populations.</p

Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in frequently consumed leafy vegetable grown along Nigeria-Benin Seme Border, West Africa

Vegetable growing along major highways with heavy vehicular movement has been a serious concern to food safety specialist in large cities. The contributions of heavy metals in selected vegetables through atmospheric deposition were quantified using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The level of some heavy metal (.Pb, Cu, Fe, and Cr) were examined in the edible portion of Telfciria occidentals, Corchorus olitorius, Celocia argentea, and Thymus Vulgaries, grown along Nigeria-Republic of Benin border Seme. The results showed that the levels of heavy metal ranged from 21.69 ± 7.36 μg/g Cu to172.87 ±62.05 μg/g Fe in Telfaria occidentalis, 21.74±13.00 μg/g Pb to 304.50±72.77 μg/g Fe in Corchorus olitorius, 16.75±10.54 μg/g Pb to 260.74±215.37 μg/g Fe in Celocia argentea and 23.53±3.52 μg/g Cu to 406.33±225.06 μg/g Fe in Thymus Vulgaries were recorded in site A. The value heavy metal contamination obtained from site B ranged from 18.91±11.98 μg/g Pb to 166.49 ± 86.22 μg/g Fe in Telfaria occidentalis, 16.57± 9.22 μg/g Pb to 292.36±196.33 μg/g Fe in Corchorus olitorius, 19.99±8.54 μg/g Pb to 354.03±302.80 Fe in Celocia argentea and 21.73±8.44 μg/g Pb to 388.20±226.39 μg/g Fe in Thymus Vulgaries. The order of contamination in the vegetable sample was Fe > Cr > Cu > Pb. The data were analyzed with t-test and ANOVA. There were no significant different between the (p< .05) between the level of heavy metal in vegetable at each sampling site. The high levels of metal in the sampled vegetable may be attributed to excessive application of fertilizers and other agro chemical, as well the use of use of waste water for washing the vegetables. The obtained results were higher than the threshold value of WHO, FEPA and China stipulated standards for mature plant tissue except for copper in all the analyzed vegetable. Therefore, the consumption of these vegetables as food may pose possible health hazards to human

EFFICACY AND EFFECT OF SELECTED BIO-COGULANT ON TREATMENT OF APONMU RIVER

&nbsp;In the wastewater treatment process of coagulation-flocculation-sedimentation, natural coagulants may be used to reduce turbidity. Manihot Esculenta (cassava peel) and Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (orange peel) were employed as natural coagulants for the treatment of Aponmu river. The best overall results were obtained when alum was partially replaced with cassava peel (70% AL30% CA), with all parameters (BOD; 6.1mg/L, COD; 9.9mg/L, hardness; 85.6mg/L, and Cu; 0.07mg/L, at pH of 6.3) meeting WHO drinking water standards and accepted practices for water and wastewater examination. However, alum's negative environmental effects on the production of non-biodegradable sludge and lingering effects on treated water are greatly reduced by partial substitution