Treatment of Saloon Waste Water Using Activated Carbon

Waste-water samples were collected from hair dressing saloon in Ekiadolor using composite sampling method. The waste water samples were physico-chemcially characterized before and after treatment according to standard procedure using activated carbon as adsorbent. The results obtained from the various pollution indicators show an appreciable improvement on the quality of the water. The pH value changed from 10.05 to 7.10, the colour changed from grayish-white to colourless while the biochemical oxygen demand BOD was reduced from 20.27mg/l to 5.19mg/l and chemical oxygen demand COD was reduced from 76.00mg/l to 30.00mg/l. The dissolved oxygen, DO increased from 13.47mg/l to 28.56mg/l. Activated carbon used was produced from corn-cob pyrolysed at a temperature of 2500C in absence of oxygen and size of 100nm and surface area of 200m2/g best adsorbents needed to help remove pollutant from the environment. Keywords: waste-water, composite, adsorbent, pyrolyzed, pollutant

Validity of Brainstorming Strategy on Students’ Prior Knowledge and Academic Performance in Chemistry in Selected Secondary Schools in South-South Nigeria

This study examined the effects of brainstorming strategy on students’ prior knowledge and academic performance in chemistry. A sample of 148 participants (made up of 71 female and 77 male students) in their intact classes were drawn from four selected coeducational secondary schools in two states in south-south Nigeria. The schools were assigned into two instructional groups- the experimental (brainstorming strategy) group with 73 and control (lecture method) group with 75 students. Data were obtained through the administration of Pretest followed with a seven week treatment, and then the administration of posttest. Data were analyzed using mean and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Results showed statistically significant difference in both mean knowledge and mean academic performance in favour of the brainstorming group. The result further showed no statistically significant difference in the mean academic performance of male and female students in the experimental group. More so, the study revealed no significant interaction effect of instructional strategies and sex on academic performance. From the results of this study it was recommended that science curriculum designers and teachers should respectively design and use appropriate instructional strategies and packages that can evoke students’ prior knowledge to promote learning.