Decontamination of Wastewater Effluent using Sugar Cane Bagasse and Soybean Hulls

Wastewater effluents from industrial processes often pose environmental as well as health risks to humans when these waters are consumed without proper trexatment. In this study, distilled water and citric acid were used as modifiers in order to establish the comparative abilities of modified soybean hull and sugarcane bagasse as means of reducing copper and zinc chlorides to their metals and subsequently adsorbing the metals in order to propose both materials as low cost adsorbents for heavy metals. Based on the results, the modified soybeans have good potential for adsorbing Cu metal while sugarcane bagasse showed preferential adsorption of Zn from waste water. Also, results from optimization gave a pH of 4 and 5 for the modified forms of the bagasse and soybean respectively. While a mass of 1g of each adsorbent gave the best removal rate for their preferred metals, the optimum volume for the highest metal adsorption was found to be for solvent of 35 ml/g adsorbent. Adsorption rate was found to increase with temperature and time for both adsorbents

Determination of Optimum Conditions for the Production of Activated Carbon Derived from Separate Varieties of Coconut Shells

Activated carbons were produced from coconut shells of tall and dwarf tree varieties.The activated carbon from the tall tree variety was initially synthesized using 1Mconcentration of each of ZnCl2, H3PO4, and KOHsolutions. From the adsorptive tests conducted using methylene blue solution, the activated carbon produced with H3PO4 gave the best absorbance and adsorptive performance. Coconut shells of dwarf tree variety were then obtained and treated with same mass of coconut shells of the tall tree variety using varied concentrations of the acid in order to determine whether the optimum concentration and temperature for producing carbon black fromthe coconut shells are distinct or similar for both varieties.Theprocess was alsomodelled using the Differential Response Method (DRM) in order to determine the yields and adsorptive performances of the activated carbons by varying the carbonization temperature and concentration. The results from experiment and the developed mathematical model were both found to be in agreement giving the optimum concentration of phosphoric acid and pH for producing activated carbon to be 0.67M and 2.07 for the tall tree variety and 1M and 1.98 for the dwarf variety at optimum temperatures in the range of 450–575∘C and 575∘C, respectivel

Effects of Incubation Temperature on the Physical and Chemical Properties of Yoghurt

Deterioration of milk-based products such as yoghurt is associated with changes in the environmental parameters during storage. The chemical and physical properties or characteristics of the yoghurt are affected by the production technological parameters like incubation temperature. This research investigated the effect of various incubation temperature on the quality of yoghurt. The milk sample was prepared and a starter culture was inoculated at 40oC temperature into the samples. Incubations were performed also at various temperatures. The pH of fermented sample, viscousity and titrable acidity (TTA) were also determined. Results showed decrease in the pH value as the TTA (acid molecules) and viscousity increased with increasing incubation temperature. An optimum production temperature of 35ᵒC is recommended for the production of yoghur

Influx potential and sequestration of CO2 in Cement based material towards establishing a proactive measure for combatting structural deformations

The effect of carbon dioxide sequestration by Sandcrete structures was investigated as a means of reducing CO2 emissions. Experiments were conducted to determine the concentration of trioxocarbonate IV (CO32-) in sandcrete samples as well as its effect on soil pH. The results showed that the presence of CO32-in sandcrete samples evidenced the process of carbonation in sandcrete structures and other cement-based material which provides an alternative means of CO2 Sequestration. Also, the concentration of CO32- varied along heights and horizontal distance within sections of the sandcrete structure. The acidic nature of the soil close to some sections of the sandcrete structure experienced varying pHs of 6.14 - 6.35 which gave room for enhanced leaching which seriously undermines the strength of the sandcrete structure. The percentage concentration differential in the horizontal and vertical directions, were found to vary widely from 5-46%. This constitutes a potential danger i.e. cracking and possible collapse of the structure. The results of calculated diffusivity values and concentration gradients of the carbonate ion conformed with results obtained using a predictive model which helped in monitoring the migration patterns of CO3 2 - in the sandcrete structure