The conversion of waste obtained from agricultural processes into biocompatible materials (biomaterials) used in medical surgery is a strategy that will add more value in waste utilization. This strategy has successfully turned the rather untransformed wastes into high value products. Eggshell is an agricultural waste largely considered as useless and is discarded mostly because it contributes to pollution. This waste has potential for producing hydroxyapatite, a major component found in bone and teeth. Hydroxyapatite is an excellent material used in bone repair and tissue regeneration. The use of eggshell to generate hydroxyapatite will reduce the pollution effect of the waste and the subsequent conversion of the waste into a highly valuable product. In this paper, we reviewed the utilization of this agricultural waste (eggshell) in producing hydroxyapatite. The process of transforming eggshell into hydroxyapatite and nanohydroxyapatite is an environmentally friendly process. Eggshell based hydroxyapatite and nanohydroxyapatite stand as good chance of reducing the cost of treatment in bone repair or replacement with little impact on the environment.
Hydrophobic bacterial polyhydroxyalkanoates were rendered amphiphilic by grafting with poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate, followed by compositing with carbon nanotubes. The polymer graft composite as an anode material encouraged superior biofilm surface growth; thus enhancing electrochemical activities in microbial fuel cells and resulting in higher current and power densities. The internal resistance of the cell was greatly reduced due to improved electron transfer from the biofilm to the anode.
A biochar produced from empty fruit bunches (EFB) was gasified in a fluidized bed using air to determine gas yield, overall carbon conversion, gas quality, and composition as a function of temperature. The experiment was conducted in the temperature range of 500-850 °C. It was observed that biochar has the potential to replace coal as a gasification agent in power plants. Hydrogen gas from biochar was also optimized during the experiment. High temperatures favor H 2 and CO formation. There was an increase of H 2 over the temperature range from 500-850 °C from 5.53% to 27.97% (v/v), with a heating value of 30 kJ/g. The C conversion in the same temperature range increased from 76% to 84%. Therefore, there are great prospects for the use of biochar from EFB as an alternative fuel in power plants, as a renewable energy providing an alternative path to biofuels. Results from this work enable us to better understand syn gas production under high treatment temperatures.
In this study, the effects of equivalence ratio and biochar particle size on high heating value, gas composition, carbon conversion, and gas production from the empty fruit bunch biochar were experimentally investigated in a fluidized bed reactor. Equivalence ratio varied from 0.1 to 0.34, while the size varied from 0.2 mm ≤ s ≥ 1 mm. It was observed that the syngas production increased as the air flow rate increased until equivalence ratio was equivalent to 0.24 and finally decreased with increasing equivalence ratio. In addition, the high heating value of syngas also decreased as equivalence ratio increased. The increase in the particle size from 0.2 mm ≤ s ≥ 1 mm decreased the H 2 yield from 34.75 to 25.3%, and decreased the overall syngas production and high heating value. The produced syngas revealed a high heating value in the range of 22.6-52.9 MJ/KG. Meanwhile, the maximum char to gas conversion efficiency achieved was 80.2%. A hydrogen-rich gas was successfully produced through air gasification at an average yield of 25.3% H 2 , 5.20% CO, 2.12% CH 4 , and 3.10% CO 2 . Hence, it can be concluded that the thermochemical gasification technique provided a promising route for syngas production under optimized conditions.
This research aimed to evaluate the phytochemical components of the crude methanol extract (CME) of Pleurotus tuber-regium and its acute toxicity in mice, Mus musculus. Before being filtered and evaporated, the crushed mushroom was macerated in 70% methanol for 72 hours. The phytochemical screening and acute oral toxicity were carried out using standard procedures. The CME consists of alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, saponins, phenolic compounds, tannins, steroids, carbohydrates, flavonoids, and terpenoids. When given orally, the LD50 was shown to be greater than 5000 mg/kg with no outward symptoms of toxicity. Haematology showed a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in packed cell volume, hemoglobin concentration, total red blood cell, and neutrophil counts in the treatment group as compared to the control group, while total white blood cell and lymphocyte counts significantly (p < 0.05) increased. On serum biochemistry, a significant (p < 0.05) increase in aspartate aminotransferase, alanine transferase, alanine phosphatase, blood urea nitrogen, and creatinine was observed in the treated group. There was however no significant (p > 0.05) difference in serum albumin and total protein. In conclusion, 5000 mg/kg of extract had a significant influence on the hematological and biochemical profiles of mice but didn't cause irreparable liver and kidney damage.
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