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The utility of Nru clay for industrial application, which was taken from the Nsukka local government area in Enugu State, Nigeria, is assessed in this study for its physical and chemical properties. The clay was investigated chemically which showed SiO 2 51.2%, Al 2 O 3 18.3% as the predominant constituents while other metallic oxides such as Fe 2 O 3 5.3%, MgO 2.2%, Na 2 O 1.8%, CaO 1.4%, K 2 O 1.3% and MnO 0.7% were present in considerable proportion. The physical and mechanical analysis acknowledged a range in the linear shrinkage (4.17 - 6.25%), total shrinkage (7.8 - 10.2%), apparent porosity (36.92 – 26.58%), apparent density (2.59 - 2.37 g/cm3), bulk density (1.63 - 1.74 g/cm3), water absorption (22.64 – 15.33%) and modulus of rupture (6.70 – 9.15 kg/cm2) with an increase in firing temperature from 900°C to 1200°C. Nru clay can withstand heat without melting or deforming at temperature up to 1200 °C and exhibited reasonable plasticity with a modulus of plasticity of 1.42. We can infer from our investigation that Nru clay is a potential raw material for industries in the production of ceramics, high melting clays, fired bricks, and paints. Alternatively, the clays’ properties can be tailored to achieve superior physical and mechanical properties by enhancing them with additives. Therefore, it can be employed to cushion the exorbitant cost of importing clay minerals from other nations.

In this work, the adsorption of ciprofloxacin onto yam peel biosorbent was studied by batch method. The equilibrium isotherm analysis of the adsorption process was evaluated to provide insight into the removal mechanism. A decrease in the percentage removal (75.0 – 60.8%) and an increase in adsorption capacity (6.0 – 24.3 mg/g) with an increase in ciprofloxacin concentration from 20 – 100 mg/L was obtained. The isotherm was analyzed by the Langmuir, Temkin, Freundlich, and Scatchard models, and the best fit was obtained for the Freundlich model with a R2 of 0.9918. The separation factor in the range of 0.238 – 0.609 and the Freundlich adsorption intensity of 1.492 indicated a favorable adsorption of ciprofloxacin on yam peel. A monolayer adsorption capacity of 42.81 mg/g was obtained for yam peel which was higher than other efficient adsorbents. The Scatchard model gave a linear fit to the uptake data with R2 of 0.9653 and sum square error of 0.008. The isotherm analysis revealed complex adsorption involving multi mechanisms in the overall process. The results of this investigation showed that yam peel could be utilized as an efficient agricultural waste for the adsorption of ciprofloxacin from wastewater.

The physico-chemical and microbial examination of Ajali River in Ezeagu Local Government Area (LGA) of Enugu State, South-eastern Nigeria, were carried out to assess the characteristics of the water for potability. Water samples were collected from three sampling points, including the one close to the brewery effluent discharge into the river and two different points that were affected by non-point sources. Altogether, eighteen samples were collected for two years during the dry, early and late rainy seasons. The physico-chemical, as well as microbial analyses of the samples, were determined following the standard methods. Significant spatial and seasonal variations (p

The energy demand is on the global increase as the world economy is increasing steadily. Hence, the need to develop energy-saving technology with local raw materials and abundant waste materials becomes paramount. The mixtures of Enugu Iva-pottery clay, Nsu clay and PKS were evaluated to improve the quality of locally produced refractory for pyro-processing industries. The chemical and mineralogical composition of the PKS and the clay were determined. Eight recipes were made by varying PKS with quartz from 5 to 35% and produced by the wet pressing technique, then fired to 1200 °C and 1300°C respectively. The mechanical properties were determined by the Modulus of Rupture test, also, the bulk density, linear shrinkage, total shrinkage, apparent porosity, water absorption and thermal efficiency tests of the produced refractories were ascertained. The recipe with 15% PKS sintered well at 1300°C and gave the best optimum results of 1.76g/cm3 bulk density, 6.49% linear shrinkage, 21.384% apparent porosity, 20 cycles of spalling tests at 1300 °C. The results comply well with the standards of refractory properties. The PKS additives have shown significant improvement in the properties of the locally produced refractories and waste control; hence, can promote sustainable development of the local pyro-processing industry.

The efficiency of various benzimidazole derivatives as mild steel corrosion inhibitors in HCl and H2SO4 medium was evaluated using quantum chemical methods. The AM1 semi-empirical method and Density Functional Theory (DFT) at the B3LYP/6-31G* level were used. The orbital energies (EHOMO and ELUMO), Separation Energy (ELUMO-EHOMO), Dipole moment (µ), Log P, Polarizability, molecular volume, molecular weight, Hardness (η) and Softness (S) are the computed quantum chemical characteristics linked to inhibitory efficiency. There was a strong link between quantum chemical parameters and experimental inhibition efficiency. The findings revealed that the Inhibition Efficiency was linked to a number of quantum chemical factors. The 2-mercaptobenzimidazole derivative had a higher Inhibition Efficiency (IE) than the other benzimidazole derivatives, according to the results.

This investigation is on the treatment of a fibre-cement industry effluent (FCIE) using activated carbon (AC) adsorbent prepared by chemical activation (60% phosphoric acid) of Gossweilerodendron caesalpinoideae (GC) stem waste. The GCAC adsorbent was characterized by determination of the proximate and functional properties. The chemical groups, morphology and mineral phases of the GC stem waste and GCAC were studied by FTIR, SEM, and XRD methods, respectively. Kinetic and thermodynamic studies were carried out using total dissolved solids (TDS) as evaluating parameter. Effects of adsorbent dosage (5-40 g/L), contact time (0-60 min), and temperature (20-40 °C) on the effluent decontamination were investigated. Results from the characterized supernatant showed up to 97% removal of the contaminants using 40 g/L of GC adsorbent at effluent pH 7.4. The concentrations of TDS obtained by U-V spectrophotometric analysis were fitted to pseudo-first and pseudo-second order, Elovich and intraparticle kinetic models. The adsorption followed the pseudo-second order rate equation. Obtained free energy and enthalpy of adsorption values indicated non-spontaneous and endothermic adsorption. The study affirmed that the bioadsorbent, GCAC can be used for FCIE treatment.

Metals used in industries are exposed to several processes such as acid cleaning, pickling, and descaling, which leads to corrosion. A good measure of corrosion control has been achieved by reducin...

The pollution of water bodies with ciprofloxacin (CF) and other antibiotics has resulted in undesirable characteristics, such as color, odor and microbial resistance in environmental waters. Using agricultural waste as biosorbents for the removal of antibiotics from wastewater is a promising treatment approach. This research was based on the treatment of CF-polluted water by utilizing acid-modified Dialium guineense (tamarind) seed waste (HA-DGS), prepared by hydrochloric acid treatment of Dialium guineense seed (DGS). HA-DGS exhibited a maximum CF uptake of 125 mg/g, which was higher than most adsorbents reported in the literature. The DGS and HA-DGS were characterized by the FTIR, SEM, EDX, TGA and BET analyses. The acid modification was optimized by the application of response surface methodology using central composite design. Batch methodology showed that HA-DGS had higher CF uptake than DGS at variations of pH, temperature, contact time, adsorbent dosage and CF concentration. The Freundlich isotherm with R2 > 0.9795 was more applicable to both adsorbents, while DGS conformed to the pseudo-second-order kinetic (R2 > 0.9939) and HA-DGS (R2 > 0.9085), to the pseudo-first-order kinetics. Thermodynamics showed a physical and exothermic uptake of CF on the adsorbents. HA-DGS exhibited a maximum CF uptake of 125 mg/g, which was higher than most adsorbents reported in the literature. Quantum chemical parameters and condensed Fukui functions revealed efficient interaction between CF molecules and the prepared materials. Over 60% desorption of CF was obtained from the CF-loaded adsorbents using water and HCl solution. The results of this research showed HA-DGS as an efficient, low-cost, waste material that can be optimally valorized in the treatment of wastewater contaminated with CF.

This work evaluated the use of Dialium guineense seed waste (DGS) and its sodium hydroxide modified form (NH-DGS) as biosorbent for ciprofloxacin (CPF) from synthetic solution as well as the desorp...

Carbon adsorbents derived from biomass (agricultural and household residues) have been widely used in the sequestration of hazardous substances from the environment due to their distinctive qualities of large internal surface area, mechanical integrity, and regeneration. The need for carbon adsorbents for sequestration of dyes, heavy metals, and crude oil components has increased because of environmental concerns. This has led to studies of carbon adsorbents derived from agricultural and household biomass residues. These adsorbents have been used to remove pollutants. Although numerous reviews have been published before, analogy of results obtained using different adsorbents is hard due to dissimilarities in research data. Against this backdrop, the purpose of the research survey was to review the contemporary publications regarding the production of activated carbon from biomass sources highlighting specifically its utilization in removing toxic wastes from water solution such as oil spill, dyes, and sundry hazardous substances. Also the work focuses on the methods for the restoration of the spent adsorbents and their end use.

Few reports exist on the use of natural inorganic sorbents such as clays compared to organic biomass materials for crude oil sorption . Also, the mechanistic kinetic, isotherm and thermodynamics have seldom been discussed in the few clay oil sorption studies available. This work evaluated the use of Natural Clay (NC) for removal of crude oil from solution. The sorbent was characterized by the Fourier transform infrared, scanning electron microscope , X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area analyzer. The chemical oxide composition revealed SiO 2 (53.1%) and Al2O3 (19.8%) as major components of NC and cation exchange capacity of 76.1 mEq/100 g. The Langmuir model presented the best fit with higher R2 of 0.981 and lower Sum square error (SSE) of 0.21 compared to the Freundlich and Tempkin isotherm. The pseudo-first order model was found to be applicable compared to the pseudo-second order kinetic analysis, with intra-particle diffusion mechanism involved in the removal process. Thermodynamics revealed a spontaneous, endothermic and physical sorption of crude oil on NC. The sorption capacity of NC for crude oil was found to be higher than most sorbents reported in literature. NC showed good regeneration and reusability for crude oil removal using n hexane after three cycles of sorption-desorption experiment The study indicated enormous potentials of NC as low cost sorbent for oil spill treatment.

The study investigates the sorption of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) by Nsukka urban soils, a Nigeria soil classified as an ultisol soil of tropics. Laboratory batch technique was utilized to investigate the effect of pH, temperature, contact time, and concentration on the adsorption process. Results showed that adsorption efficiency of the soils for Cd2+ and Pb2+ increased with increase in pH, temperature, and contact time but decreased with increase in concentration. The data from adsorption study was fitted to the Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin adsorption isotherms, and results revealed that Langmuir isotherm fitted most satisfactorily. On the basis of the obtained maximum adsorption capacity (qmax) from the Langmuir model, the affinity of Cd and Pb for the studied soil was Pb2+ > Cd2+. Pseudo-second order (r2 ≥ 0.995-0.999) best described the kinetics of the sorption process for the metal ions in the soil.

The adsorptive removal of total dissolved solids by activated coal using response surface methodology was investigated. A four-variable central composite experimental design was applied to correlate the adsorption variables (effluent pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time, and adsorption temperature). The adsorption variables were optimized based on the removal of total dissolved solids from fibre cement industry effluent. Three-dimensional surface plots were generated to estimate the effect of the combinations of the independent variables on the adsorption efficiency. The results of the model validation gave experimental yield 96.2%, predicted yield 96.5% obtained at effluent pH 6.27, adsorbent dosage 27.60 mg L−1, contact time 48.00 min, and adsorption temperature of 31.00 °C. The good agreement found between observed and predicted values supports the suitability of the applied model to predict the adsorption treatment.

Codiaeum variegatum stem powder (CVSP) was used as a low cost, readily available and biodegradable sorbent for decontamination of crude oil from aqueous solution. CVSP was characterized by ...

The adsorption capacities of montmorillonite for heavy metals from effluents have been improved by acid and alkaline treatments. However, the use of these chemicals is expensive, noxious to the env...

N -(2-chloroethyl)morpholine-4-carboxamide (NCMC), N -(2-chloroethyl)tiomorpholine-4-carboxamide (NCTC) and N , N -bis(2-chloroethyl)piperazine-1,4-dicarboxamide (NCPD) were studied as corrosion inhibitors for mild steel using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) and gravimetry and thermometry. Results obtained from the three techniques are similar and reveal that the compounds inhibit mild steel corrosion. The inhibition efficiencies increased from 35.6% to 74.9% (NCMC), 44.5% to 82.4% (NCPD) and 52.6% to 90.1% (NCTC) at 30 °C when the inhibitor concentrations increased from 10 μM to 50 μM. The maximum inhibition efficiency values (at 50 μM) decreased to 46.6%, 58.1% and 61.2% for NCMC, NCPD and NCTC respectively, when the temperature was raised to 50 °C. The decrease in inhibition efficiency with increase in temperature suggested predominant physisorption mechanism in metal/inhibitor interactions. The formation of protective films of NCMC, NCPD and NCTC molecules on mild steel surface were confirmed by FTIR and XRD. The order of inhibitive strengths of the molecules is NCTC > NCPD > NCMC. Quantum chemical calculations revealed the prospective sites through which the molecules can interact with mild steel surface and some quantum chemically derived parameters were used to corroborate experimental.

Removal of arsenic(III) from aqueous solution has been studied using activated carbon produced from Dialium guineense seed shell by impregnation of carbonized sample with zinc chloride and thermal activation. The zinc chloride activated sample was selected because it produced the highest iodine number, mg/g (962.52) compared to the raw sample (601.57), phosphoric acid and nitric acid impregnated samples (802.10, 868.95). Proximate analysis of raw D. guineense seed shell revealed low ash content of 1.70% and moderate fixed carbon of 32.97%. The prepared adsorbent was characterized using Brunaeur–Emmett–Teller surface area, SEM and FTIR analyses. The surface area of the zinc chloride activated adsorbent was 533.94 m2/g and its micropore volume 0.475 cm3/g, with a porous structure that is well organized. Batch adsorption experiments were done by changing the following parameters: adsorbent dose, pH, contact time, initial metal ion concentration and temperature. Adsorption increased as each parameter was varied but decreased with increase in initial arsenic(III) concentration. The Freundlich model presented better fit with R2 of 0.998 compared to the Freundlich isotherm (0.991) and Tempkin isotherm (0.984). The positive value of ∆H° 51.68 kJ/mol showed the endothermic nature of adsorption. The study demonstrated the potential of D. guineense seed shell as low cost adsorbent for removing arsenic(III) from polluted water.

Biomethanation potentials of pig dung co-digested with pineapple peels were investigated. Various blends of pig dung with pineapple peels were charged respectively into 50 kg prototype digesters labeled A to C. Digesters D and E were charged with only pineapple peels and pig dung respectively. Proximate and physico-chemical analyses were determined on the slurry using conventional methods. The wastes were subjected to anaerobic digestion for 35 days at mesophilic temperature range of 25 to 37°C. Relative humidity, ambient temperature, pH, slurry temperature and volume of gas were monitored and recorded on daily basis. Biogas yield increased progressively with higher pig dung blend. Onset of gas flammability was observed on the 5th day for blends of pig dung and pineapple peels, as well as for pineapple peels alone while for pig dung alone, it was observed on the 6th day. This was as a result of lower nitrogen contents of pineapple peels blends compared with that of pig dungs alone, a factor which favours early onset of flammability. Biogas generated from the mixture ranged from 65- 71% CH4, 28 -34% CO2, and traces of hydrogen sulphide and carbon (II) oxide. The biogas was subsequently stored in a gas cylinder using modified pressure system. This study is aimed at converting wastes such as pig dung and pineapple peels to useful energy and storing the gas produced in cylinders for easy accessibility.

The adsorption of Cd(II) and Pb(II) ions on adsorbents prepared from sub-bituminous coal, lignite and a blend of coal and Irvingia gabonensis seed shells was investigated. Fourier transform infrared, scanning electron microscope and X-ray fluorescence analyses implicated hydroxyl, carbonyl, Al2O3 and SiO2 as being responsible for binding the metal ions on the porous adsorbents. The optimum adsorption of carbonized lignite for the removal of Cd(II) and Pb(II) ions from aqueous media were 80.93% and 87.85%, respectively. Batch adsorption was done by effect of adsorbent dosage, pH, contact time, temperature, particle size, and initial concentration. Equilibrium for the removal of Pb(II) and Cd(II) was established within 100 and 120 min respectively. Blending the lignite-derived adsorbent with Irvingia gabonensis seed shell improved the performance significantly. More improvement was observed on modification of the blend using NaOH and H3PO4. Pb(II) was preferentially adsorbed than Cd(II) in all cases. Adsorption of Cd(II) and Pb(II) ions followed Langmuir isotherm. The kinetics of adsorption was best described by pseudo-second order model. The potential for using a blend of coal and agricultural byproduct (Irvingia gabonensis seed shell) was found to be a viable alternative for removal of toxic heavy metals from aqueous solutions.

Cd(II) and Pb(II) ions removal using adsorbents prepared from sub-bituminous coal, lignite, and a blend of coal and Irvingia gabonensis seed shells was investigated. Fourier transform infrared, scanning electron microscope and X-ray fluorescence analyses implicated hydroxyl, carbonyl, Al2O3, and SiO2 as being responsible for attaching the metal ions on the porous adsorbents. The optimum adsorption of carbonized lignite for the uptake of Cd(II) and Pb(II) ions from aqueous media were 80.93 and 87.85%, respectively. Batch adsorption was done by effect of adsorbent dosage, pH, contact time, temperature, particle size, and initial concentration. Equilibrium for the removal of Pb(II) and Cd(II) was established within 100 and 120 min respectively. Blending the lignite-derived adsorbent with I. gabonensis seed shell improved the performance significantly. More improvement was observed on modification of the blend using NaOH and H3PO4. Pb(II) was preferentially adsorbed than Cd(II) in all cases. Adsorption of Cd(II) and Pb(II) ions followed Langmuir isotherm. The adsorption kinetics was best described by pseudo-second order model. The potential for using a blend of coal and agricultural byproduct (I. gabonensis seed shell) was found a viable alternative for removal of toxic heavy metals from aqueous solutions.

The coagulant behaviour of tannins of Anacardium occidentale (CANTETA) testa was assessed for the removal of suspended solids from a fibre-cement industry effluent. A series of flocculation experiments were conducted to examine the optimal concentration of the coagulant together with the pH of the effluent needed to obtain the best results. The results showed that CANTETA have significant flocculation properties particularly at lower doses and in alkaline medium. Optimum efficiency for TSS removal was 84% with 100 mg/L CANTETA at initial effluent pH of 12. The kinetics of the coagulation process suitably fits the second order kinetic model.