Surface Response Methodology for Mildsteel Corrosion Inhibition by Ethyl Esters of Castor and Rubber Seed Oils

Surface Response Methodology was conducted for Mildsteel Corrosion Inhibition by Ethyl esters of Castor and Rubber Seed Oils. Inhibitor concentration-in-acid medium, temperature and time were considered as the independent variables, in order to know the effect of the response (dependent) variable, which is the weight loss. The design matrix was constructed on the basis of different conditions of the independent variables at varying coded levels of design consideration (-α, -1, 0, +1 and +α), upon which corrosion inhibition experiments were conducted. Contour plots were used to show the combined effects of the factors (concentration, temperature and time) on the inhibition rate of the two study samples: Castor Seed Oil (CSO) and Rubber Seed Oil, RSO. Weight loss for CSO at combined effects of temperature-concentration, time-concentration and time-temperature were found to be 33.01g, 41.11g and 43.30g respectively, while those of RSO are 30.99g 38.16g and 40.15g respectively. This indicates that the time of the corrosion reaction is the most significant factor among the three factors considered in this study, while reaction temperature is more significant, and the inhibitor concentration is least significant. This high significance of reaction time was eventually manifested at the point of optimization, which indicated the highest response value of 44.52g and 43.89g for CSO and RSO respectively. The results, therefore, identifies RSO (with least weight loss, Z=30.99g) as possessing a better inhibition efficiency, when compared to CSO, and the model equations for both samples are of second order (Pure Quadratic)

Viability of Cassava peels spawn production and mushroom cultivation

This work was carried out to ascertain the viability of spawn produced on cassava peels and used for spawning cassava peels and sawdust substrates and compare the yield with mushroom fruits from the conventional Sorghum bicolor known to be the best material for spawn production. Three different species of mushroom cultures were inoculated on cassava peels, two Pleurotus pulmonarius strains (FIIRO and Thailand) and Lentinus squarroslus. The study of mycelia colonization rate study was done in triplicate. L. squarroslus completed colonization within 18days of inoculation in test tube with a growth mean value of 11.16cm, the two strains of P. pulmonarius (FIIRO and Thailand) completed colonization in 21 days with FIIRO strain having growth mean value of 11.46cm and Thailand strain 11.20cm. Cassava peels spawn production was done in two ways, singly and supplemented with rice bran, yield from different species of mushroom (L. squarroslus and P. pulmonarius (FIIRO Strain) cultivated with cassava peels spawn in the study were compared with sorghum grains spawn. Different weight of 100, 200, 300g were used for cultivation, sorghum grains spawn produced the highest yield (202.13g) from the two species used followed by cassava peels supplemented with rice bran (179.86g) and single cassava peels spawn (124.13g). L. squarroslus did not fruit on cassava peels even with the sorghum grains spawn. The differences from the yield of the three spawn was negligible as the differences was not noticeable (cassava peels 124.133±5.21a, supplemented cassava peels spawn 179.867±0.64a, and sorghum grains spawn 202.133±8.86a). This result verified the use of cassava peels in the production of viable mushroom spawn

Production and Partial Purification of Amylase By Aspergillus niger Isolated from Cassava Peel

Aspergillus niger strains 1, 2 and 3 isolated from cassava dumpsites were used for the production of amylase enzyme. The Aspergillus niger strains 1, 2 and 3 had diameter (mm) zone of clearance of 17.0, 23.0 and 8.0 respectively using Potato dextrose agar plates fortified with starch. Studies on the amylase enzyme activity (mg/ml) of Aspergillus niger strains 1 and 2 showed 19,340 and 16,510 respectively. These values were higher than the commercially available amylase enzyme that had an activity of 5,722.2. The protein (mg/ml) and specific activity (units/mg) for amylase from Aspergillus niger strain 1 was 28.39 and 681.23 while 21.76 and 758.73 from Aspergillus niger 2 respectively. Purification using ammonium sulphate (% w/v) at 60, 80 and 100 on amylase enzyme from Aspergillus niger strain 1 for enzyme activity, protein and specific activity was 44405.49, 17.01 and 2610.55, 28949.76, 23.62 and 1225.65, 36220.25, 16.67, and 2172.787 respectively. The microbial production of Amylase enzyme in Nigeria from Cassava peel will reduce cost of production, convert cassava peel from waste condition to wealth, and will boost economy through indigenous industrialization

Production and Partial Purification of Amylase By Aspergillus niger Isolated from Cassava Peel

Aspergillus niger strains 1, 2 and 3 isolated from cassava dumpsites were used for the production of amylase enzyme. The Aspergillus niger strains 1, 2 and 3 had diameter (mm) zone of clearance of 17.0, 23.0 and 8.0 respectively using Potato dextrose agar plates fortified with starch. Studies on the amylase enzyme activity (mg/ml) of Aspergillus niger strains 1 and 2 showed 19,340 and 16,510 respectively. These values were higher than the commercially available amylase enzyme that had an activity of 5,722.2. The protein (mg/ml) and specific activity (units/mg) for amylase from Aspergillus niger strain 1 was 28.39 and 681.23 while 21.76 and 758.73 from Aspergillus niger 2 respectively. Purification using ammonium sulphate (% w/v) at 60, 80 and 100 on amylase enzyme from Aspergillus niger strain 1 for enzyme activity, protein and specific activity was 44405.49, 17.01 and 2610.55, 28949.76, 23.62 and 1225.65, 36220.25, 16.67, and 2172.787 respectively. The microbial production of Amylase enzyme in Nigeria from Cassava peel will reduce cost of production, convert cassava peel from waste condition to wealth, and will boost economy through indigenous industrialization