LAUTECH Journal of Engineering and Technology (LAUJET)
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RISK ASSESSMENT OF CADMIUM CONTAMINATED SOIL IN A BATTERY MANUFACTURING FACTORY IN NIGERIA.
Get PDFRisk assessment of trace metal contamination in soil involves the understanding of its chemical form and concentration. In this study, the chemical species, distribution and bioavailability of cadmium in the soil within a battery factory in Ibadan, Nigeria was investigated. The result indicates that total concentration of cadium (12.62-37.35mg/kg) within the factory site exceeds the threshold limit established by federal environmental protection agency (FEPA) by a factor of 4.54. solid phase speciation of the soil showed that cadium was distributed in order :residual>organic bound>occluded by free oxide>inorganic bound> exchangeable. Cd content that could be exchanged with other useful ion in the soil however falls between the standard normal ranges. The threat posed by presence of cadmium is indicative by its concentration level distribution in other species
WEST AFRICAN GAS PIPELINE (WAGP) PROJECT: THE PROSPECTS, ASSOCIATED PROBLEMS AND POSSIBLE REMEDIES
No full textGlobal focus is gradually turning away from crude oil as a major source of energy to natural gas due to its abundant availability, environmental friendliness and cost effectiveness. This has effectively increased the transboundary pipeline networks with minimal consideration to the impact at which the offshore of such projects could on the environment.
This article considers Nigeria’s present engagement in transboundary transportation of 11.3 billion cubic meters per day (11.3bcmpd) of natural gas to Benin, Togo and Ghana for thermal and industrial uses through a 1033km pipeline network out of which 617km is a submerged offshore pipeline network. The study is necessitated by the alarming frequency at which hydrocarbon pipeline failure occurs in Nigeria with the resulting economy, environmental and human consequences. It was discovered that though, the project is a plausible one, any failure along the offshore segment of the pipe-length poses high risk of hydrate formation and dissolution of some acidic constituents which could result to problems ranging from behavioral nature (e.g fish excitement, increased activities and scattering in the waterbody) to chronic poisoning, fire outbreak, loss of human lives and livestock and climate change.
Development of pragmatic management scheme, robust leak detection model and predictive model on natural gas flow pattern in waterbody are recommended while many existing viable models are discussed for possible modification
EFFECT OF DRYING METHOD ON SELECTED PROPERTIES OF CASSAVA FLOUR (LAFUN)
No full textFermented cassava flour (lafun) is one of the products obtained from cassava processing. Traditionally, sun-drying is one of its main processing steps, but it is ineffective for large-scale production. The effect of flour needs to investigated.
Sun-drying, solar drying and cabinet drying methods were used to produce fermented cassava flour. The sample were analyzed for their proximate composition, cyanide content, physico-chemical and functional properties.
The moisture, bulk density and amylase contents of the sun-dried samples were higher while its protein and cyanide contents were lower than that of the other methods. Recorded functional properties of the fermented flour suggest that sun-dried samples cook faster than others and that the paste obtained from cooked sun-dried sample is firmer. However, values obtained from analysis of the different fermented cassava flours after drying were significantly different (P <=0.05)
INVESTIGATION OF THE POLLUTION LEVEL IN RIVER OOKUN DUE TO DISCHARGE OF SOAP EFFLUENTS
No full textThe pollution effects of effluent discharges from a soap making industries into surface waters were studied over both the wet and dry seasons, using River Ookun and Global Soap industries in Ilorin, Kwara State. Samples are collected at effluent discharge point (Global soap industry), River Ookun (Yidi/Irewolede Area) and at a point, about 50m away from effluent discharge. These were analysed in the water resources laboratory to determine quantity from some physico-chemical parameters, which ranged as follows, for both season: Temp: 29-30oC, Colour 100-500 TCu, pH: 8.5-11.31, conductivity: 0.35-300(Vmho/mg), TDS: 0.18-150(mg/l), Alkalinity: 150-900(mg/l), Total Hardness: 45-120(mg/l), turbidity: N03: 1.2-3.9(mg/l), SO3: 0.14-0.23(mg/l) cl: 60-500(mg/l), D05: 4.1-0.1(mg/l), D05: 0.5-0.1(mg/l), BOD5: 20.4-0.6(mg/l), Fe: 2-3(mg/l), Zn2+: 0.1-0.2(mg/l).
The result of analyses as shown in the range listed above and also given in the summary, showed a direct relationship between samples of effluent and those from River Ookun. A comparison of the physico-chemical properties of the effluent (listed above) with limit for discharges to surface waters as presented in the extract from the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) Monograph also showed non-compliance to the limit. Especially the pH, colour, chloride, iron and BOD were far beyond the limit. Likewise, a comparison of the physico-chemical properties of River Ookun for both seasons fell short of the limits for Rivers e.g. pH (6 – 9), Alkalinity (50), Iron (0.5), BOD (10 – 20), as presented in the extract from FEPA monograph.
The close relationship between the properties of the samples of effluent and those from RiverOokun and the comparison with the given limit implied that the river is polluted in both seasons (i.e all round the year). The river therefore, can no longer fulfill as many purposes especially domestic uses as it was previously put to before the existence of the soap making industry. The uses of River Ookun are now actually restricted to laundering and washing of vehicles, especially because short of the limit for Potability, Recreation, fish Culture, Industrial and Irrigation
APPLICATION OF RING LIGHT IN AUTOMATIC SURFACE QUALITY INSPECTION
No full textThe most important factor for detecting defects in machine vision inspection is illumination. This paper describes the basic lighting concepts and lighting techniques for industrial applications of machine vision. In the paper analytical equations for illumination on the inspected objects using ring-light are determined. Application to the production line shows that ring-light illumination is an effective means of providing constant illumination and perfectly detects defects such as cracks when tested on a number of ceramic tiles with real defects
GENETIC ALGORITHM APPROACH TO SYNTHESIS OF 2, 2 FULL ADDER LOGIC NETWORK
No full textThe problem of synthesizing a minimum cost logic circuit is formulated via a genetic algorithm (GA). The synthesis proposes a scheme that “evolves” the minimized logic solution of a defined input function. A method employed combines the available logic gates in several of ways until a minimized and best result is achieved. The result obtained showed a considerable improvement over the existing methods.
Key words: genetic algorithm, logic synthesis, full adder network and sum of products form
DEVELOPMENT OF AN ACTIVE VHF-UHF ANTENNA FOR TELEVISION RECEPTION IN A FRINGE COVERAGE AREA
No full textAn active antenna for the reception of television signals in those area of relatively weak signals has been designed and constructed, and was also tested to be more efficient compared to the available ones in the market. This was accomplished through a careful design of filter stage and proper selection of electronic components and materials that formed the antenna elements, as well as the pre-amplification stage. A gain of 73.2 ± 0.1dB was obtained
QUALITY EVALUATION OF HARD DOUGH BISCUIT PRODUCED FROM FERMENTED BAMBARA GROUNDNUT TEMPEH AND WHEAT FLOUR MIXES
No full textThere is growing interest in fortifying wheat flour with high lysine material, such as bambara groundnut flour, to improve the essential amino acid balance of baked food products. Bambara groundnut is not adequately utilized in Nigeria. In this study, wheat flour in a standard biscuit formulation was partially or fully substituted with fermented bambara groundnut tempeh flour at six levels: 0%, 5%, 10%, 25%, 40% and 100%. The composite flours were analyzed for physic-chemical properties such as pH, water absorption capacity, bulk density, pasting characteristics and reconstitution index. Biscuit samples were them evaluated for chemical composition, texture, microbial characteristics and sensory properties. Increasing levels of fermented bambara tempeh flour in the mix resulted in changed flour characteristics. Incorporation of fermented bambara tempeh flour exerted positive influence on the nutritional status of the resultant biscuit products based on the level of substitution. Sensory evaluation tests revealed that biscuit sample prepared form wheat flour substituted with 5% fermented bambara groundnut tempeh flour consistently had the highest rating in terms of all the quality attributes assessed. Biscuit that closely followed this was that from pure wheat flour while rating for other samples gradually decreased with increasing level of substitution with bambara groundnut tempeh flour. All the biscuit samples were however acceptable though at varying degrees depending on the level of bambara flour incorporation
BIOREMEDIATION POTENTIAL OF INDIGENOUS MICRO-ORGANISMS (P. aeruginosa and P. fluorescens) ON PHENOLIC WASTES IN REFINERY LIQUID EFFLUENTS
No full textIn this study, a physico-chemical analysis of untreated and treated phenol-containing waste water samples from a Nigerian Refinery was carried out and the biodegradation of the constituent phenol using two Pseudomonas species were investigated in batch processes. The results of the physico-chemical analysis of the raw water and the treated water showed the phenolic content, BOD at 20oC, sulphide content, Total suspended solids. Total dissolved solid Phosphate content and Ammonia content for the raw water to be 28.4ppm, 94mg/L, 5.15ppm, 248ppm, 1196ppm, 10.36ppm, 2.16ppm and for the treated water to be 7.26ppm, 82mg/L, 2.84ppm, 116ppm, 1148ppm, 3.77ppm, 0.52ppm respectively. This results indicate that even though the installed treatment plant was very efficient for phenol removal by removing 74.44% of initial phenol concentration of the untreated waste water, the resultant treated water phenol concentration failed to comply with the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) limit. Subsequent the aerobic chemoheterotropic growth of both pseudomonas aeruginosa and pseudomonas fluorescens on a formulated basal medium using the wastewater samples was investigated. During the batch growth processes, the wastewater samples were supplemented with nutrients, the culture of organisms were added and the progress followed for 48hrs. samples were withdrawn at regular intervals of 6hrs and analyzed for biomass and phenol concentrations. The data obtained were used to estimate th
CONTRIBUTION OF COMMERCIAL VEHICLES TO TRAFFIC CONGESTION IN CORE AREA OF IBADAN, NIGERIA
No full textThis paper discusses the contribution of commercial vehicles to traffic congestion in the core of Ibadan, Nigeria. Commercial vehicles in the form of mini-buses, taxis, motorcycles and trucks plying the routes were manually counted between the hours of 7:00am and 7:00pm for a period of one week and their figures were volumetrically documented in passenger car unit (pcu). Traffic delays were observed and noted for their causes, duration and type of the vehicle involved for a week.
The result of the analysis showed the volume of commercial vehicle to be 73901 pcu and 15612 pcu for non-commercial vehicles. The result further revealed that a total of 6639 delays amounting to 49 hours of delay time was recorded at the node. It was also evident that the higher the volume of commercial vehicle traffic the more the delay on the roads studied. The study concluded that commercial vehicles contribute more to traffic congestion than non-commercial vehicles in the study area. The study recommends the introduction of high occupancy buses, provision of adequate bus-stops and installation of functioning traffic light among others to reduce traffic congestion on roads at Beere node in Ibada