School of Physical Sciences (SPS)
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School of Physical Sciences (SPS)
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Item Assessment of the Conversion of Luffa cylindrical Seed Oil into Biodiesel using CaO/Metakaolin as Heterogenous Catalyst(IBBUL, 2021) Bisiriyu, M. T.; Salau, R. B.; Abdulkarim, A. M.; Likita, S.; Abdullahi, Z.; Paiko, Y. B.The efficiency of calcium oxide supported metakaolin catalyst in the transesterification of Luffa cylindrical seed oil into biodiesel was studied using standard analytical techniques. Some physicochemical properties of the seed oil were determined and the fuel quality parameters of its fatty acid methyl ester (Biodiesel) were investigated. The results obtained were: colour (reddish-brown), yield (39.23 %), specific gravity (0.90 g/cm3), kinematic viscosity (17.23 mm2/s), pH (4.72), refractive index (1.466), acid value (22.58 mgKOH/g), free fatty acid (11.29 mgKOH/g), saponification value (115.005 mgKOH/g), iodine value (39.300 mgI2/100 g) while the biodiesel properties were: colour (reddishbrown), biodiesel yield (92.29 %), API gravity (22o), refractive index (1.470), specific gravity (0.880g/cm3), kinematic viscosity (5.62 mm2/s), acid value (4.21 mgKOH/g), cloud point (7 oC), pour point (4 oC) and flash point (170 oC). The values obtained indicates that the oil may not be suitable for edible purposes due to high acid value but may be employed industrially in the manufacturing of products such as liquid soaps, paints, shampoos and biodiesel. CaO/Kaolin catalyst was found to be effective in the transesterification of the seed oil and the fatty acid methyl ester (FAMEs) produced was also found to meet most of the standards for biodiesel set by ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) and EN (European Norm).Item Assessment of Foliose Epiphytic Lichen (Parmelia sulcata) as Bioindicators of Atmospheric Trace Metals Pollution in Lapai Metropolis, Niger State(Science View Journal, 2024-01) Ibrahim, M.; Tsafe, A. I.; Gungshik, J. R.; Abdulkarim, A. M.; Zhikpe, Y. B.; Bisiriyu, M. T.The levels of atmospheric trace metals were determined using foliose epiphytic lichens (Parmelia sulcata) samples collected in eight (8) different locations within the residential areas and two control locations outside the residential area of Lapai town in Lapai local government of Niger State. A stratified random sampling technique was adopted and the analysis of the samples with atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) gives the concentration (mg/kg) range of the metals as follows; 1.123-7.837 for Fe, 4.579-6.62 for Pb, 0.210-2.152 for Cr, 0.491-1.171 g for Ni, 0.018-0.983 for Cd, 0.057-1.471 g Zn, 0.198-1.287 for Mn, and 0.098-2.583 for Cu but Selenium was not detected in all the samples. The levels of some of these metals were slightly higher than the recommended USEPA (1993) limits but lower than FEPA (1991) limits. However, the distribution of these metals was not uniform across the samples, though their level was still at the background and very low compared to the reports on similar studies from industrialized areas of South-south and South-west Nigeria and other European countries. The variation in concentration of these metals at p≤0.05 indicates their source is mainly anthropogenic in origin. Epiphytic lichens validate the cost-effectiveness of this method for evaluating, assessing, and identifying depositional sources of the metals in the environment. The study revealed the atmospheric trace metal concentration of the area under study to be at a threshold level and hence the environment is still very safe from atmospheric trace metal pollution.