The Impact of Micro-Teaching on the Teaching Practice Performance of Undergraduate Agricultural Education Students in College of Education, Azare

Micro-teaching and teaching practices are two integral parts of teacher education programme. Therefore, this study investigated the impact of micro-teaching on the teaching practice of the undergraduate Agricultural Education Students admitted in 2012/2013 Academic session in College of Education, Azare, Bauchi State, Nigeria. The 400 level students who had their 200 and 300 levels teaching practice exercises as well the micro-teaching were purposely selected. The microteaching and teaching practices results were analyzed using t-test for unrelated samples while data gathered via questionnaire were analyzed using simple percentage. The findings of the study led to the conclusions that microteaching is useful in improving the teaching skills, classroom management, confidence etc of teacher trainees. It was also found out that there was no significant difference between the micro-teaching and teaching practice performance of students, that is to say there was significant relationship between the two scores of the said courses. Finally, the study found out that there was significant difference between 200 and 300 levels teaching practice performances and this was attributed to the impact of microteaching. The study therefore, recommended that micro-teaching should be maintained by undergraduate teacher training programmes, it should be made a pre-requisite to teaching practice, there should be need for lecturers and students as well as teacher education degree awarding institutions to take the issue of micro-teaching seriously, etc. Keywords: Micro-teaching, Teaching Practice, Undergraduate Agricultural Education Student

Adsorption Behavior of Methylene Blue Cationic Dye in Aqueous Solution Using Polypyrrole-Polyethylenimine Nano-Adsorbent

In this work, a polypyrrole-polyethyleneimine (PPy-PEI) nano-adsorbent was successfully synthesized for the removal of methylene blue (MB) from an aqueous solution. Synthetic dyes are among the most prevalent environmental contaminants. A new conducting polymer-based adsorbent called (PPy-PEI) was successfully produced using ammonium persulfate as an oxidant. The PEI hyper-branched polymer with terminal amino groups was added to the PPy adsorbent to provide more effective chelating sites for dyes. An efficient dye removal from an aqueous solution was demonstrated using a batch equilibrium technique that included a polyethyleneimine nano-adsorbent (PPy-PEI). The best adsorption parameters were measured at a 0.35 g dosage of adsorbent at a pH of 6.2 and a contact period of 40 min at room temperature. The produced PPy-PEI nano-adsorbent has an average particle size of 25–60 nm and a BET surface area of 17 m2/g. The results revealed that PPy-PEI nano-composite was synthesized, and adsorption was accomplished in the minimum amount of time. The maximum monolayer power, qmax, for MB was calculated using the isothermal adsorption data, which matched the Langmuir isotherm model, and the kinetic adsorption data, which more closely fitted the Langmuir pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The Langmuir model was used to calculate the maximum monolayer capacity, or qmax, for MB, which was found to be 183.3 mg g−1. The as-prepared PPy-PEI nano-adsorbent totally removes the cationic dyes from the aqueous solution

Oil Palm Biomass Sap-Rotten Rice as a Source to Remove Metal Ions and Generate Electricity as By-Products through Microbial Fuel Cell Technology

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a new and interesting technology that can be used to treat wastewater without using electricity. The current research focuses on electron generation, which is one of the technique’s major challenges. According to the latest literature, the study was planned to successfully remove the metals from artificial wastewater at high concentrations and generate electricity. On average, after 18 days of operation, it offered 610 mV with 1000 ῼ constant external resistance. The internal resistance was found to be 520 ῼ. The achieved power density was 3.164 mW/m2 at an external resistance of 1000 ῼ. The achieved removal efficiencies of Pb2+, Cd2+, Cr3+, and Ni2+ were 83.67%, 84.10%, 84.55%, and 95.99%, respectively. The operation lasted for 25 days. The cyclic voltameter studies show that there is a gradual oxidation rate of organic substances, while on day 25, the removal efficiency reached its maximum. The specific capacitance was found to be high between days 15 and 20, i.e., 0.0000540 F/g. It also indicated that biofilm was stable around day 18. Furthermore, the biological characterization also demonstrated that MFC operation was very smooth throughout the process, even at high concentrations (100 mg/L) of metal ions. Finally, there is the MFC method, as well as some new challenges and future recommendations

Synthesis of Gum Arabic Magnetic Nanoparticles for Adsorptive Removal of Ciprofloxacin: Equilibrium, Kinetic, Thermodynamics Studies, and Optimization by Response Surface Methodology

Given the increasing risks that antibiotic abuse poses to microecology and human health, it is imperative to develop incredibly powerful adsorbents. This study investigated the use of environmentally sustainable polymeric nanocomposite based on gum arabic (GA) and magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) synthesized via co-precipitation method to form gum arabic magnetitic nanoparticles (GA-MNPs) as an efficient adsorbent for ciprofloxacin (CIP) removal from aqueous solution. The physicochemical properties and morphology of the synthesized GA-MNPs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (EDX). The experiment was designed by response surface methodology (RSM) and the Central Composite Design (CCD) was utilized to optimize the operating variables: contact time (0–120 min), pH (3–10), adsorbent dosage (0.10–0.40 g/L), and concentration of adsorbate (5–100 mg/L). Results showed that 96.30% was the maximum percentage of CIP removed. The adsorption effect of the CIP molecule on the surface of the GA-MNPs was investigated using regression analysis and analysis of variance. Furthermore, Freundlich Isotherm and Pseudo Second order kinetic equations have the highest consistency with experimental investigations suggesting double-layer adsorption. This implies that chemisorption was the mechanism involved. In addition, the calculated thermodynamic parameters were postulating an exothermic and spontaneous method in nature. Owing to its adsorption selectivity and recyclability, GA-MNPs could be classified as an environmentally friendly, less expensive, and highly efficient promising adsorbent for remediation of CIP from aqueous solution

Polymer-Based Nano-Adsorbent for the Removal of Lead Ions: Kinetics Studies and Optimization by Response Surface Methodology

This work successfully created a polypyrrole-polyethyleneimine (PPy-PEI) nano adsorbent for the elimination of the lead ion Pb2+ from an aqueous solution. An efficient conducting polymer-based adsorbent called as was created using ammonium persulfate (NH4)2S2O8 as an oxidant (PPy-PEI). The PEI hyper-branched polymer with terminal amino groups was added to the PPy adsorbent to offer heavy metals more effective chelating sites. Pb2+ removal from aqueous solution using polyethyleneimine micro adsorbent was successfully accomplished using a batch equilibrium technique (PPy-PEI). The generated water-insoluble polymer nanoadsorbent had enough nitrogen atoms; therefore, an effort was made to link PEI, a water-soluble PPy, with PPy, a conjugated polymer, for lead ion adsorption from an aqueous solution. The generated PPy-PEI nanoadsorbents were discovered to have average particle sizes of 18–34 nm and a Brunauer-Emmet-Teller surface area of 17 m2/g, respectively. The thermal behavior of the composites was investigated using thermo gravimetric and differential scanning calorimetric methods. The lead ion adsorption efficacy of pure polypyrrole was found to be 38%; however, a batch equilibrium technique employing nanoadsorbent revealed with the maximum adsorption capacity of 75.60 mg g−1. At pH 10 and 30 min of contact time at 50 °C, 0.2 g of adsorption was shown to be the ideal dosage. X-ray diffraction analysis, energy-dispersive ray spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared ray spectrum support the lead ion adsorption by PPy-PEI nanoadsorbents. The cauli-like structure was visible using field emission scanning electron microscopy. Studying the thermodynamic showed that the adsorption was endothermic as illustrated from the positive value of value of ΔH° is 1.439 kJ/mol which indicates that the uptake of Pb2+ onto nanoadsorbent PPy-PEI could be attributed to a physical adsorption process. According to the values of ΔG°, the adsorption process was spontaneous at all selected temperatures. The positive value of ΔS° value (43.52 j/mol) suggested an increase in the randomness at the solid/solution interface during the adsorption process. The adsorption data meet the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and suited the Langumuir isothermal model effectively

Polymer-Based Nano-Adsorbent for the Removal of Lead Ions: Kinetics Studies and Optimization by Response Surface Methodology

This work successfully created a polypyrrole-polyethyleneimine (PPy-PEI) nano adsorbent for the elimination of the lead ion Pb2+ from an aqueous solution. An efficient conducting polymer-based adsorbent called as was created using ammonium persulfate (NH4)2S2O8 as an oxidant (PPy-PEI). The PEI hyper-branched polymer with terminal amino groups was added to the PPy adsorbent to offer heavy metals more effective chelating sites. Pb2+ removal from aqueous solution using polyethyleneimine micro adsorbent was successfully accomplished using a batch equilibrium technique (PPy-PEI). The generated water-insoluble polymer nanoadsorbent had enough nitrogen atoms; therefore, an effort was made to link PEI, a water-soluble PPy, with PPy, a conjugated polymer, for lead ion adsorption from an aqueous solution. The generated PPy-PEI nanoadsorbents were discovered to have average particle sizes of 18–34 nm and a Brunauer-Emmet-Teller surface area of 17 m2/g, respectively. The thermal behavior of the composites was investigated using thermo gravimetric and differential scanning calorimetric methods. The lead ion adsorption efficacy of pure polypyrrole was found to be 38%; however, a batch equilibrium technique employing nanoadsorbent revealed with the maximum adsorption capacity of 75.60 mg g−1. At pH 10 and 30 min of contact time at 50 °C, 0.2 g of adsorption was shown to be the ideal dosage. X-ray diffraction analysis, energy-dispersive ray spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared ray spectrum support the lead ion adsorption by PPy-PEI nanoadsorbents. The cauli-like structure was visible using field emission scanning electron microscopy. Studying the thermodynamic showed that the adsorption was endothermic as illustrated from the positive value of value of ΔH° is 1.439 kJ/mol which indicates that the uptake of Pb2+ onto nanoadsorbent PPy-PEI could be attributed to a physical adsorption process. According to the values of ΔG°, the adsorption process was spontaneous at all selected temperatures. The positive value of ΔS° value (43.52 j/mol) suggested an increase in the randomness at the solid/solution interface during the adsorption process. The adsorption data meet the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and suited the Langumuir isothermal model effectively