Activated carbon from Moringa husks and pods

Moringa oleifera is the most widespread species of the plant family Moringaceae. It is a rapidly growing tree native to the sub-Himalayan regions of north-west India and indigenous to many parts of Africa, South America and Asia, typically reaching a height of 3-4 metres, flowering and fruiting in one year from a 0.3 metre seedling even in poor quality soil (Sutherland, Folkard et al., 1994). It is known by different names around the world (Jahn, 1986), for example in India “Drumstick” or “Horseradish” tree. The tree produces large seed pods which can either be harvested when green for food or left to dry. The dried seeds can be crushed to produce a high quality vegetable oil and the resulting press-cake mixed with water and strained to form a coagulant for water treatment (McConnachie, Mtawali et al., 1994). The residue containing seed husks is currently discarded as waste. The research presented here has been carried out at the University of Edinburgh and the University of Malawi and demonstrates that a simple steam pyrolysis procedure can form high quality microporous activated carbons from both the waste husks of Moringa oleifera and the pods. The work is part of an overall assessment of the viability of the establishment of Moringa oleifera plantations in tropical areas for the benefit of rural communities and is being carried out in collaboration with the Engineering Department, The University of Leicester, U.K

Odour testing using moringa carbon

Provision of safe and potable drinking water to urban communities is a challenge to professionals in many low and middle income countries (WEDC, 1996). The situation is aggravated in those under-developed countries where agriculture is the mainstay of the economy. Fertilisers are extensively used in these countries and this leads to increased run-off of nutrients into surface water sources, with the negative consequence of prolific algal growths in the receiving waters. In Malawi, surface waters are the main source of drinking water, with only a small percentage of the supply being drawn from groundwater supplies. These surface waters are invariably infested with algae. This paper assesses the degree of odour removal at a conventional water treatment plant (Lilongwe Water Works, Malawi) and a direct filtration plant (Blantyre water works, Malawi). The effect of ageing in a rapid gravity sand filter was also investigated to assess its effectiveness in odour removal as the filter-run progressed

Bringing in the excluded? Aesthetic labour, skills and training in the new economy

Debates about the nature of work, employment and skill formation in the 'new' economy have, to date, neglected the notion of 'aesthetic labour'. Identification by us of this 'new' form of labour provides the basis to review some of the implications in relation to skill acquisition and usage, current training provision and social exclusion as it effects an area of the economy that is predicted to have massive jobs growth. Thus, the article briefly reports on a pilot 'aesthetic skills' training programme developed within the Glasgow milieu to address some of these concerns. Despite some concerns about social control, we consider the role of such dedicated training in improving the employability of the long-term unemployed and conclude that provision of this type has a role in addressing social exclusion in the labour market

Aesthetic labour in interactive service work: some case study evidence from the 'new' Glasgow

This article discusses the aesthetic labour in interactive service work: some case study evidence from the 'new' Glasgow

Germinação de sementes e desenvolvimento de plântulas de moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam.) em função do peso da semente e do tipo de substrato Germination of seeds and seedling development of drumstick as a function of seed weight and substrate type

Moringa oleifera Lam. é uma espécie arbórea originária do noroeste indiano, cultivada graças ao seu valor alimentar, medicinal, industrial e no tratamento de água para o consumo humano. Os efeitos do peso de sementes e do substrato na germinação e desenvolvimento das plântulas foram determinados, sob condições de casa de vegetação (sombrite 50% com nebulização intermitente) em Fortaleza (CE), de 29/11 a 14/12/02. Os tratamentos constaram de arranjo fatorial 3x3 referente a três categorias de semente: pesadas (272,41 g/1000 sementes), médias (218,88 g/1000 sementes) e leves (177,07 g/1000 sementes); e três substratos: vermiculita; Plantmax® e uma mistura à base de solo esterilizado (S), húmus de minhoca (H) e pó de coco lavado (PC), na proporção de 2:1:1, dispostos em delineamento inteiramente casualizado com quatro repetições (24 sementes/repetição). Efetuou-se a semeadura das três classes de pesos de sementes em bandejas de isopor de 72 células contendo os substratos, avaliando-se a percentagem, velocidade e tempo médio de germinação, altura da plântula, massa seca da parte aérea e massa seca total. As sementes pesadas e médias apresentaram maior percentagem e velocidade de germinação do que as leves; as sementes pesadas proporcionaram plântulas mais vigorosas; no substrato Plantmax® e na mistura (S+H+PC) a percentagem e a velocidade de germinação foi superior à vermiculita; e as plântulas desenvolveram-se melhor no substrato Plantmax®.<br>To compensate the shortage of information on the influence of seed weight and substrate over the germination and seedling development of Moringa oleifera an experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions (50% of natural light with intermittent nebulization) in Fortaleza, Ceará State, Brazil. The treatments consisted of a 3x3 factorial arrangement [three seed weights: heavy (272.41 g/1000 seeds); medium (218.88 g/1000 seeds) and light (177.07 g/1000 seeds) and three substrates: vermiculite; Plantmax® and a v/v 2:1:1 mixture based on sterilized soil (S) plus earthworm humus (H) and washed powdered coconut peels (PCP), respectively] disposed on an entirely randomized design with four repetitions (24 seeds/repetition). The three seed classes were sown in isopor trays with 72 cells containing the respective substrate. The percentage, rate and average time for germination; height and dry weight of total and aerial parts of the seedling were measured. Heavy and medium seeds presented a higher percentage and rate of germination than light seeds; heavy seeds yielded more vigorous seedlings; the commercial substrate Plantmax® and the mixture (S+H+PCP) allowed a higher percentage and germination rate than vermiculite; the seedlings showed a better development on the commercial substrate Plantmax®