Investigating the Viability of Hydrogen Production from Sodium Borohydride Using Acetic Acid and Extracts from Spoilt Lemon, Lime and Orange

With the fast depletion of fossil fuel sources for energy production and coupled with their negative impacts on the environment, the continued search for alternative sources that are renewable, sustainable and environmentally friendly has become imperative. This research examined the performance of sodium borohydride for the production of hydrogen gas using 5 ml each of organic acid (acetic acid), spoilt extracts of citrus fruits (lime, lemon and orange) without the use of neither catalyst nor heat source. A three neck flat bottom flask was used in which sodium borohydride was reacted with extracts from the three spoilt fruits and acetic acid with concentrations of 1, 5, 7, 12 and 17.5 M. Volume of hydrogen gas produced were recorded and the results revealed that using 7 M solution of acetic acid and 1.0 gram sodium borohydride generated the highest volume of 2460 ml of hydrogen gas in 63.72 min while the undiluted extracts of spoilt orange, lemon and lime gave 100 ml in 0.68 min, 90 ml in 1.67 min and 60 ml in 0.5 min respectively. For the diluted fruit extracts, lime, orange and lemon at a dilution factor of 2 each, generated hydrogen gas of 80ml in 0.5 min, 70ml in 1.3 min and 70ml in 0.62 min respectively. All the reactions took place at an ambient temperature of 27oC. Being able to conveniently retrieve hydrogen from its combined state when needed would advance the use of hydrogen as a source of energ

Data analysis of the corrosion protection behavior of ginger, tea tree and grapefruit essential oil extracts on low carbon steel in H2SO4 solution

Application of corrosion inhibitors are the most versatile corrosion prevention methods of carbon steels in corrosive environments. Research on non-toxic chemical compounds are ongoing and results from pre-vious study have proven the effectiveness of the compounds. Data on corrosion inhibition of ginger (GG), tea tree (TR) and grapefruit (GF) oil extracts on low carbon steel in 0.5 M H2SO4 are presented. The extracts performed effectively with optimal values of 99.56 %, 98.17 % and 98.32 % at 2.5 % GG, 3.5 % TR and 3 % GF concentrations. Corresponding corrosion rate values are 0.28 mm/y, 1.16 mm/y and 1.49 mm/y. Corrosion rate at 0 % extract concentration is 63.33 mm/y. Performance of TR extract significantly varies with time and concentration with statistical value of 48.21 % and 23.02 %. GG and GF concentration where the only statistically relevant factors for GG and GF performance with statistical values of 68.42 % and 73.20 %. Standard deviation data for GG extracts varied minimally from mean values compared to TR and GF extracts. Results shows 92 %, 18 % and 63 % of GG, TR and GF extracts inhibition data are above 95 % inhibition value at margin of error of 6.99 %, 10 % and 12.19 %

Pilot Plant Design of 1kg Biodiesel Production using Waste Soybean Oil

As part of the efforts in attaining the commercialisation of biodiesel production in Nigeria, this research work considers a pilot plant design for the production of 1kg biodiesel, using waste soybean oil (WSO). CHEMCAD 7.1.2 software was utilised for the plant design and the process flow diagram revealed that four (4) pumps, four (4) heaters, two (2) separators, one (1) drying equipment and two (2) reactors were involved. Also, the simplified and simulated 1kg biodiesel production design plant showed that 0.0513kg/hr of methanol and 0.1800kg/hr of 0.1M H2SO4 would be required during the esterification process. And 0.6921kg/hr of methanol, 0.9870kg/hr of WSO as well as 0.1880kg/hr of KOH catalyst would be required for the transesterification process. That is the results obtained serve as template for the simulation of process design plants of varied production capacities. This is a good attempt in the ease of attainment of the commercialisation of biodiesel production in Nigeria

Effect of Varying Drying Temperature on the Soluble Sugar and Nutritional Content of Banana

Aims: In this work, the effect of drying temperature on the available carbohydrate is investigated. Background: Nigerian climate favours the cultivation of banana and it is a ready fruit delight available in almost all homes. Hybrids and polyploids of the species musa acuminata and musa balbisiana are very common. Unfortunately, post-harvest losses of 40 – 60%, of this energy rich fruit are encountered yearly. Drying is very old method of preservation which has stood the test of time. Bananas are known to possess high carbohydrates with low glycaemic index which makes it a healthy fruit or snack. Objective: To determine the optimum drying temperature for the drying of Banana fruit. Methods: The banana fruit was peeled and sliced to about 5 mm thickness and dried in a tray dryer at varying temperatures of 40 °C, 50 °C, 60 °C and 70 °C. The control sample was air dried at the average prevailing temperature of 30 °C. Results: Results obtained showed that increased drying temperature leads to more loss of moisture from the samples and in turn, favoured an increase in the available carbohydrate in the dried fruit. The ash, fat and crude fibre content marginally changed with drying temperature. Conclusion: The optimum temperature for treated and untreated samples, from the results obtained, were 60 °C and 70 °C respectively. Drying impacts positively on the available sugar in the Banana fruit

Kinetics study of biologically remediated crude oil polluted soil using a bacteria and fungi

The effectiveness of remediating soils polluted with crude and treated hydrocarbon oil using a fungi - Aspergillus niger, bacteria - Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the combination of the two were investigated and the first order kinetics were studied. Eight systems of 500g soil sample were polluted with both raw and treated crude oil. Four systems were polluted with 100 ml treated crude oil while other remaining systems with same quantity of raw crude oil. Two systems with raw and treated crude oil were left as control (RCC and TCC). Samples of soil polluted with raw crude oil were amended with A. niger (RCA) and P. aeruginosa (RCP) respectively, while treated crude samples were also treated with same (TCA) and (TCP) only. The last two systems were treated with both P. aeruginosa and A. niger (RCAP and TCAP). First order bioremediation kinetics and biostimulant efficiency for these systems were studied by monitoring Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH). The result obtained at the end of the bioremediation period, revealed that treated crude oil polluted soil remediate faster and better than raw crude oil polluted soil. The highest level of bioremediation occurred in systems amended with both A. niger and P. aeruginosa which had about 98 % TPH decreas

Preparation and characterization of activated carbon from plantain peel and coconut shell using biological activators

A concern over the toxicity of chemicals used during the activation stage in the preparation of activated carbon is beginning to gain attention. The study therefore looked into the possibility of using bio-activators (lemon juice and potash leached from the peel of unripe plantain) as activating chemicals, for environmentally friendly activated carbon. Coconut shell and the peel from unripe plantain were used as feedstock and pyrolyzed at 400 and 450 0c. An impregnation ratio of 0.25:1 was used while laboratory grade potassium hydroxide was used as a base activating agent as a control setup. Characterization of the activated carbon was carried out using parameters like bulk density and yield which were obtained using standard procedures. Results showed that activating carbon using bio-activators as activating agents had very good characteristics when compared with the control. Bio-activators are therefore recommended for the production of bio based activated carbon especially in the fields of medicine, food and pharmaceuticals. The effect of carbonization temperature on adsorption efficiency and pore structure were investigated using methylene blue as adsorbate and SEM respectively

Physical, chemical and mechanical properties of corn sheath as pulp and paper raw material

Most papers are made from virgin wood-based pulp of hardwood sources but recently, softwood have received enormous attention as alternative to hard wood because the hardwood takes a significant number of years to mature enough for use in the pulp and paper industry unlike softwood which are majorly annual plants. The annual crop in focus in this work is the yellow open-pollinated variety of corn which generates tons of waste at harvest. A novel attempt is made to ascertain the viability of corn sheaths as raw material for the pulp and paper industry by carrying out a comprehensive analysis on the pulp and paper made from the pulp. The sheaths were dried, shred and cut into pieces suitable for the digester and the pulps obtained were analysed for physicochemical properties. Hand sheets were also made using the generated pulp and its physico-mechanical properties were analysed. Results obtained were compared with pulp from corn husks from other parts of the country, three Nigerian fibre sources – silk cotton, bagasse and rice straw and other foreign non-wood sources and found to be of competitive properties. Pulp properties of Lignin content, ash content, cellulose, hot and cold water solubility of the fibres were 13.72 ± 1.21%, 1.27 ± 0.23%, 53.26 ± 1.11%, 15.20 ± 2.11 and 6.14 ± 2.43 respectively while the mechanical properties of paper from the pulp were Bursting strength (282.163 KPa m2/g), Tear strength (146.119), Tensile strength (257.6N/m) and Tensile Index (3.9Nm/g). It was found that in all properties, the corn sheath was better than the rice straw fibers but not as good as the silk cotton and bagasse fibers. However, the corn sheath has been identified, as a viable raw material for the pulp and paper industry in Nigeria