In this study, fish samples namely, Tilapia zilli, Clarias geriepinus, Synodontis ocellifer and Alestes baremose were obtained from Njuwa Lake, Yola Adamawa State. Moisture content and other proximate composition was analyzed using methods of open sun drying (40-42 0 c) and shade drying 30-32 0 c respectively. Results showed that the values reported for moisture, crude fibre, crude lipid, crude protein, ash and carbohydrate were ranged between 4.

This paper presents the results of x-ray diffraction of a cellulose fabric treated with oils extracted from the seed of Jatropha curcas; the oils were extracted with hexane under reflux while the fabric was purified by scouring, bleaching and mercerization to remove dirt and coloring matter in order to make it suitable for esterification. Apart from the controlled sample which was un-esterified, other samples of the same fabric were treated with different volume and concentration of the oil under the same temperature. The x-ray diffraction analysis carried out on all samples showed that while the control sample had a sharp single peak at 24.033° all the esterified samples showed broad split Original Research Article 3 of oil. Crystallinity was observed to reduce from 65% in the control to about 63% for esterified fabrics samples and lastly, crystallite size reduced from 9.9 nm to between 5.3 nm to 7.7 nm. The observed structural modifications in treated fabric may have direct influence on the physical, mechanical properties as well as dye-ability of the treated samples. The result of water Imbibition also revealed structural modification as there was a decrease in the amount of water imbibed by esterified fabric, indicating a reduction in the number of OH groups in the new cellulose derivative as revealed in the x-ray analysis. Hence the esterified fabric will be less susceptible to microbial attack during storage.

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This study is aimed to determine the levels of Pb, Cd, Fe, Zn and Mn in four fish species from Lake Njuwa Yola Adamawa State using energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrophotometer. The concentration of heavy metals in both the flesh and head of the four fish species have higher values than the maximum permissible limits in fish by World Health Organization and Federal Environmental Protection Agent. The order of heavy metals concentration in the flesh of the four fish species were as follows: Tilapia zilli Fe >

A low-formaldehyde-emission methylol urea/triethanolamine composite was synthesized through in situ esterification of formaldehyde with triethanolamine and subsequent copolymerization of the synthesized polyester with methylol urea. The effects of the addition of triethanolamine to the polymerization process on some physical properties of the synthesized copolymer were evaluated. The copolymer was characterized with IR spectroscopy and macrophase-separation techniques. At a given triethanolamine concentration, the composite exhibited macrophaseseparation behavior between that of pure methylol urea and pure polyester. IR spectra showed the presence of the polyester moiety in the composite. The values of the moisture uptake, formaldehyde emission, melting point, and elongation at break of the copolymer were within acceptable levels required in the coating industry. Therefore, the methylol urea/polyester copolymer resin could have potential as a binder in the coating industry.

Graft copolymerization of polyacrylamide onto gum arabic was carried out in aqueous medium at room temperature (30 o C) using various initiator (ceric ion) and monomer (acrylamide) concentrations. The extent of graft copolymer formation was determined in terms of percentage graft yield. The results obtained showed that the percentage yield of the graft copolymer is a function of both the initiator and monomer concentrations. The grafted copolymer was characterized by infrared (IR) spectroscopy. The IR spectral data for pure Gum Arabic (GA) and that of Gum Arabic-grafted Polyacrylamide (GA-g-PAAM) indicate that grafting actually occurred. The successful grafting of polyacrylamide onto gum arabic will enhance the search for materials transformation through chemical derivatization with attendant expansion of their spectra of application.

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