Browsing by Author "Durodola, Bamidele"

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Assessment of physicochemical and antibacterial properties of structured water samples from Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria
(Scientific African, 2025) Adebayo, Abiodun H.; Obode, Okukwe C.; Adekeye, Bosede T.; Durodola, Bamidele
We investigated the effect of structuring potable water with QNET Amezcua Bio Disc 3 (BD3). Seven water samples, including public tap, borehole, rain, bottled (2 brands), distilled, and sachet water, obtained from Ota, Nigeria, were analyzed for their physicochemical and antibacterial properties. The water samples were placed on the BD3 for 15 and 30 minutes, 1, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours respectively, with the unstructured water serving as the control. Physicochemical proper ties were evaluated using standard methods described by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC), elemental analysis was executed using the inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), while microbial analysis was done using the most probable number method. Results showed that the samples’ appearance, color, taste, and odor were clear, colorless, and unobjectionable. The alkalinity of the sachet (160 ± 2.01mg/l) and bottled (240 ± 1.12mg/l) water samples after treatment with BD3 was enhanced compared to the control sample (124 ± 1.00mg/l). F u r t h e r m o r e, supercharging with BD3 significantly (p<0.05) increased the pH and alkalinity of the water. There was a significant (p<0.05) increase in electrical conductance of all structured water samples when compared with the control groups except in sachet and borehole water samples. No significant (p>0.05) effect was observed for total dis solved solids when comparing the structured samples with the control. Most parameters assayed for were within the allowable limits. No heavy metals were detected. Supercharging up to 5 times enhanced the concentrations of calcium, potassium, iron, and magnesium ions significantly (p<0.05) across the groups compared to the control samples, while the sodium ion was signifi cantly (p<0.05) reduced as the water samples were serially charged with the BD3. Supercharging of the infected autoclaved distilled water samples significantly (p<0.05) reduced the total viable count at low concentrations of E. coli. In conclusion, BD3 impacts high electrical conductivity on the structured water samples with increased efficacy of solved minerals and a potential anti bacterial effect.
Characterisation of pristine and KOH-modified rice husk biochars for efficient heavy metal removal in wastewater treatment
(Scientific African, 2025) Ahuekwe, E. F.; Abimbola, Bowofoluwa S.; Agwamba, Ernest C.; Durodola, Bamidele
Biochar-based technology is emerging as a low-cost adsorbent in municipal and industrial wastewater treatment, given its large surface area and highly porous structure. Rice husk presents a significant waste problem as it constitutes disposal challenges and is barely useful for other purposes. In this study, rice husks (RH) from locally grown rice cultivars were obtained from two rice mills in Nigeria and pyrolysed to biochar at 400 and 500 ◦C before chemical modification using 2 M KOH. The adsorption capacities (Qe) of the pristine RH biochar pyrolysed at 400 ◦C for Zn2+ and Pb2+, following synthetic wastewater treatment, were 462.5 and 142.8 mg/g, and at 500 ◦C, 1047.5 and 275.5 mg/g, respectively. KOH-modified biochar outperformed its pristine counterparts, as the recorded Qe for Zn2+ on the KOH-modified RH1 pyrolysed at 400 ◦C (KRH1_400B) showed 1547.75 mg/g, and 1534.25 mg/g at 500 ◦C (KRH1_500B), respectively, with a 98 % Zn2+ removal efficiency. For Pb2+, all KOH-modified biochars for RH1 and RH2 showed a 100 % removal efficiency and maximum Qe of 275.5 mg/g. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) revealed increased poration of 200 μm sized pores, densely distributed across the rough surface of the KOH-modified biochar. Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy showed varying carbon and silicon compositions of the RH1 and KRH1_400B. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy corroborated structural disparities in SEM, as compositional differences in the observed functional groups were identified in the chemically modified biochar. These include hydroxyl (3354 cm-1) and silicate ion (1017.6 cm-1) which enhance sorption capacity. X-ray Fluorescence revealed an increase in MgO, K2O, and Al2O3 upon KOH modification attributable to the improved heavy metal adsorption efficiency. These results highlight the impact of pyrolysis temperature, physicochemical properties of biomass and chemical modification on heavy metal removal efficiency of biochar for sustainable environmental remediation.