Fatty Acid Methyl Ester of Nigerian Spent Palm and Peanut Oils: Non-Food Option for Biodiesel to Safe Food Security and Environment (Part I)

In the awakening of Nigeria biofuel economy and reduced carbon footprint revolution, her targeted feedstocks such as sweet sorghum and palm oil are hidden threat to food security. To avoid this scenario, the present study derived fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) from Nigerian spent palm and peanut oils (NSPO and NSPeO) as cheap and non-food feedstocks for biodiesel and safe environment. Fresh and spent Nigerian palm oil (NPO) and peanut oil (NPeO) were converted into FAME by one and two steps alkali transesterification using 6:1 molar ratio of methanol to oil, 1.0 % wt. potassium hydroxide pellets as catalyst at 60oC over 1 hr. Characterization of feedstocks and FAME were carried out using European (EN) and USA (ASTM) norms for quality biodiesel. The quality of final FAME obtained after two-steps alkali transesterification were within international norms for biodiesel except for alkali and alkaline earth metals that required further removal using adsorption process as a post-transesterification treatment. The present study reveals Nigerian spent palm and peanut oils as potential non-food feedstocks for biodiesel production to safe food security and environment

Adsorption of Metals from FAME of Nigerian Spent Vegetable Oils Using Waste Printing Paper: Non-Food Option for Biodiesel to Safe Food Security and Environment (Part II)

Fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) from spent vegetable oils requires pre and or post-transesterification treatment to meet International norms for biodiesel. The present study assessed the potential of waste printing paper (WPP) as post-transesterification treatment for adsorption of metals from FAME obtained from Nigerian neat and spent vegetable oils (NSpVOs). The WPP adsorbent was prepared according to Moyib et al. (2017). The adsorption experiments for the removal of single metal ions were carried out using 10 mL FAME samples, 1.0 g WPP at a constant 25oC, pH 6 for 60 min. At the end of the contact time, alkali metals in FAMEs were estimated according to EN 14108 and EN 14109 for Na and K, respectively and alkaline and heavy metals followed AOAC (2005). The results revealed WPP was able to reduce the metal content in the FAME to acceptable limit level and also, enhanced biofuel properties such as acid value (AV) and Conradson carbon (CC) but with loss of minute FAME. Cluster analysis distinguished FAMEs after and before WPP adsorption treatment. Part I and II of this study show feasibility for diversifying Nigerian spent vegetable oils as non-food option for production of biodiesel and achieve low carbon footprint. Also, WPP as locally available and cheap adsorbent showed good potential as post-transesterification treatment of FAME to desirable quality

SSR markers reveal genetic variation between improved cassava cultivars and landraces within a collection of Nigerian cassava germplasm

Thirty-one improved cultivars and five Nigerian landraces of cassava were assessed at genomic DNA level with 16 SSR primers for genetic diversity study. The minimum number of SSR primers that couldreadily be used for identification of the 36 cassava genotypes was also determined. For the genetic diversity study, the similarity coefficients generated between improved cultivars and Nigerian landracesranged from 0.42 to 0.84, and 12 distinct DNA cluster groups were identified at 0.70 coefficients using Numerical Taxonomy and Multivariate Analysis System software package. For the genotypeidentification study, the 16 SSR primers were screened by their polymorphic information content (PIC) values. Five SSR primers that have PIC values between 0.50 and 0.67 were selected and furtherassessed using simple arithmetic progression combination method. The results obtained revealed a combination of these 5 primers from SSR primers collection at IITA that could readily distinguish the 36cassava genotypes at 0.93 similarity coefficient. These five primers clustered the 36 cassavas into 16 groups at 0.70 similarity coefficient. Application of this few SSR primers would ultimately reduce thecost and time of research for genetic diversity and genotype identification studies for the genetic improvement program of cassava

Genetic variation within a collection of Nigerian accessions of African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa,/I>) revealed by RAPD primers

African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa, Hochst. ex A. Rich, Harms) an indigenous food crop legume in tropical Africa, is highly under-exploited. Very little information is available on the nature andextent of genetic diversity of Nigerian accession of African yam bean (AYB) particularly using molecular markers. In this study, random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) primers were used to assess genetic diversity in twenty-four accessions of Nigerian collection of AYB. Eleven random decamer primers were used for PCR amplification, but only nine RAPD primers that gave distinct bands were considered for analysis. A total of Fifty-three RAPD bands were generated by the nine RAPD primers and analyzed using Numeric Taxonomy System of Statistic (NTSYS). The similarity indices ranged from 0.42 to 0.96; 8distinct DNA cluster groups were identified at 0.80 similarity indexes. Results showed a high genetic diversity among Nigerian accession of African yam bean. Such genetic diversity is useful in facilitatingthe development of large number of new varieties through hybridization, transfer of useful genes, thus maximizing the use of such available germplasms as genetic resource materials for breeders