Arsenic is a well-known poison and it is found in trace amount in calcium carbide use for welding purposes and secondarily use by farmers and traders in Warri Metropolis to induce ripening processes in foods. This study was designed to evaluate the concentration of arsenic in selected banana fruits within Warri metropolis. It was also designed to determine its effects on some key biochemical indices of toxicity. The atomic absorption method was used to determine arsenic content of fruits and the biochemical indices evaluated were liver body weight ratio, body weight gain, the extent of lipid peroxidation in the liver organ and plasma, and the activities of alkaline phosphatases in the plasma and liver. Results showed a high concentration of arsenic in carbide-induced ripe banana (CTB) with an average value of 0.11mg/kg wet mass of test banana relative to the carbide-free banana (CFB) control with a value of <0.001 mg/kg. Our findings also showed a slight increase in body weight and decrease in liver body weight ratio of CTB rats, but the changes were not significant P>0.05 when compared to the control (CFB). However, there was a significant (P<0.05) decrease in body weight and increase in organ body weight ratios of arsenic-only exposed rats relative to the control. The activities of alkaline phosphatase in plasma increased significantly (P<0.05) for the groups of rats exposed to CTB and arsenic only via feed relative to their respective controls. The plasma and liver malondialdehyde (MDA) levels of rats exposed to CTB and arsenic only via feed were also elevated in this present study when compared to their respective controls however, the levels were not significant (P>0.05). This study shows the possibility of Plasma -ALP alteration and changes in levels of tissue lipid peroxidation products of carbide -treated ripe banana fruits. There is therefore the need for an urgent regulation on the use of carbide in the induction of ripening of fruits.

Fossil fuel is known to increase greenhouse gas emission which has resulted in serious environmental consequences. This study was designed to determine bioethanol production from pineapple(a fructogenic waste) and cassava (a glucogenic waste). It was also designed to allow a comparative analysis of pure ethanol with ethanol produced from the two food wastes with a view to generate an alternative fuel source. The parameters evaluated were the volume ofbioethanol per 100g of waste, percentage (%) purity of bioethanol produced, pH and auto ignition temperature of bioethanol produced. The values obtained were analyzed using the unpaired student’s t- test where appropriate to determine if there are any significant differences in pure ethanol values for those parameters. The result showed thatrelative to the pure ethanol(control), the auto ignition temperature of ethanol produced from the cassava (Manihot esculenta)and pineapple(Ananas comosus)wastes were significantly (p≤0.05) high. The autoignition temperature of ethanol produced from pineapple waste was slightly higher when compared to bioethanol from cassava waste but it was not statistically significant (p>0.05). The volume of ethanol produced from cassava waste was slightly lower (p>0.05), when compared to the volume of the same parameter in the pineapple waste. There was a significant (p≤0.05) decreasein pH of ethanolproduced from pineapple waste when compared to that from cassava waste. The % purity of the bioethanol produced from pineapple waste was higher (p>0.05) when compared to that from the cassava waste. The autoignition temperature of the blend of produced bioethanol was slightly reduced(p>0.05) when compared to the auto ignition temperatures of individual ethanol from separate waste. But, relative to the pure ethanol utilized as a control in this study, the autoignition temperature of the blend was significantly (p≤0.05) high. Finally, it was observed that bioethanolobtained from cassava waste (a glucogenic energysource) produced a lower yield involume with a 15.8 v/100g (ml) value while its fructogenic counterpart (pineapple waste) exhibited a slightly lower autoignition temperature effect (33oC). The autoignition temperature of the waste blend (Cassava-Pine) was 30oC when compared to each waste source alone.A combination of both cassava and pineapple waste yielded better fuel properties and iscampaigned in this study for use in the production of biofuel.