COMPARATIVE STUDY OF NON-METALLIC CONTENTS OF SAWDUST OF DIFFERENT WOOD SPECIES AND COAL SPECIES IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The study assessed the non-metallic contents of sawdust samples by ultimate analysis and compared with those of coal species found in the literature. The results showed that the sawdust of the wood species have: carbon contents ranged from 43.78% for Uapaca heudelotii to 62.95% for Irvingia excels; hydrogen contents ranged from 4.35% for Entada gigas to 7.07% Parkia biglobosa;; sulphur contents ranged from 0.00% for Pterygota macrocarpa to 0.09% Spondias mombin; nitrogen contents ranged between 0.00% for Blighia sapida and 1.70% for Khaya ivorensis, and oxygen contents ranged between 30.08% Macaranga barteri and 50.61% Uapaca heudelotii. It was concluded that utilization of sawdust as energy source has minimal or no environmental concerns, unlike coal.