Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Volume 10, Issue 03, March 2019, pp. 473-479. Article ID: IJMET_10_03_049
Available online at http://www.iaeme.com/ijmet/issues.asp?JType=IJMET&VType=10&IType=3
ISSN Print: 0976-6340 and ISSN Online: 0976-6359
Kamilu F. Oyedeko
Department of Chemical and Polymer Engineering, Lagos State University, Epe, Lagos State.
Nigeria
ABSTRACT
In this study, the chemical compositions of waste okra stalks and rice husks were
investigated and their use, evaluated as raw materials for the Kraft pulping process.
Pulp yield, Consistency and 1% NaOH solubility were determined. Both raw materials
were dried, and the chemical compositions obtained prior to cooking/digestion in a 15
L autoclave. While properties such as moisture content, 1% NaOH solubility,
extractives and hot water solubility seem to favour raw rice husk, the pulp yield was
very low (25.7%) as against the pulp yield from okra (41.2%). The high ash content
and Silicates/Silica in rice husk (6.1 – 45.82% and 20480ppm respectively) will pose
problems in the liquor recovery stage in the process. Therefore, the okra stalk is a
better raw material for pulp and paper making than the rice husk. From this study,
waste okra stalk is found to possess some economic value and can no longer be left to
become a nuisance to the environment.
Keywords: NaOH solubility, pulp yield, pulp consistency, okra stalk, rice husk.
Cite this Article: Edith Egbimhanlu Alagbe, Ezekiel Sunday Bassey, Olusegun
Adegboyega Alagbe, Vincent Enontiemonria Efeovbokhan, Daniel Temitayo
Oyekunle and Kamilu F. Oyedeko, Comparative Evaluation of The Effect of Chemical
Composition of Waste Okra Stalk and Rice Husk on Pulp Yield, International Journal
of Mechanical Engineering and Technology, 10(3), 2019, pp. 473-479.
http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/issues.asp?JType=IJMET&VType=10&IType=3
1. INTRODUCTION
Paper is made up of an array of pulp fibres obtained from wood or non-wood sources, from
which lignin (the binder) and other non-cellulose parts have been separated by cooking at
high temperature. Pulp and paper manufacture began when non-wood sources like papyrus
was used to make paper on which early civilization inscribed the events and commands of
their time. Later, wood sources became attractive because they gave stronger and whiter fibres
since they can withstand the harshness of the chemicals used in the cooking (separation of the
lignin from the cellulose). In the late 1990s, sugar cane bagasse, straw and bamboo became
the choice of non-wood raw material for pulp and paper production [1; 2] as it became more
difficult to get wood sources.
The use of paper is so versatile that it can be said that no human race can do without it. It
finds usefulness as writing materials, packaging materials and ceiling boards, to mention but a
few. Therefore, it is expected that the consumption of paper will continually be on the
increase [3], with increase in population, irrespective of the adoption of a paper-less
operation, especially in the offices. With recent concerns on the green environment,
hardwoods have suddenly become ‘endangered’. Therefore, it is imperative to look inwards
and fall back on the readily available annual crops whose stalks are usually made of long
cellulose fibres. Although, Okra stalks are short, they contain long fibre bast, close to that of
jute plant [4].
In Nigeria, okra is a commonly consumed vegetable by all tribes. It is an annual crop that
is cultivated between the months of March and July - which happens to be within the rainy
season. At maturity, the fruits (okra pods) are harvested and the stalks with the leaves are
disposed of in the farmlands and allowed to rot. Usually, farmers prefer to dump the wastes
outside their farmlands – to create space for the next crop planting which follows almost
immediately after. This destroys the aesthetics and beauty of the environment and portends a
befitting breeding ground for disease-causing organisms to fester [5] and endanger the lives of
plants and animals (6). In addition, the decayed matter finds themselves in the underground
water as leachates, which contaminates the water and renders it unfit for consumption. During
the putrefaction of the waste, greenhouse gases, typically, CO2, NO2 and CH4, are released
into the atmosphere which contributes to global warming [7, 8].
Nigeria is currently in a drive to produce rice for her growing population and minimise her
importation. While we rejoice that we can now produce rice for ourselves, we must also be
concerned with the growing waste generated from rice cultivation.
Katri Saijonkari-Pahkala [9] opined that suitable replacement for wood sources in the
production of fine printing paper is the use of herbaceous field crops, especially in the non-
availability of wood sources as raw materials. To this effect, this research is poised to evaluate
the possibility of using the waste from the okra and rice farmlands for pulp and paper
manufacture by evaluating and comparing the chemical composition of the waste okra stalk
and rice husk. Hence, converting these farm wastes to wealth and consequently, providing an
agricultural system that is sustainable in Nigeria. Inevitably, this conversion to pulp and
paper will also help ameliorate the waste disposal problem [10]. The obtained fibre properties
would be used to determine its usefulness in paper making and for what purpose the paper
would be most suitable for.
2. METHODOLOGY
Harvested mature waste okra stalk and rice husks were obtained from farms in Ota, Ogun
State, Nigeria.
(1)
Where A = weight of ash in the porcelain after carbonization, g
B = initial weight of sample, g = 3g
1. Lignin –The acid insoluble lignin was determined using TAPPI standard methods
T 222 om-02 [12]
2. 1% NaOH solubility:
3. About 1 gram of accurately weighed sample was placed in 100ml flask and 1%
NaoH solution, based on the moisture content of the sample, was added .The flask
was placed in a boiling water bath with intermittent shaking for 1hour.Thereafter,
the sample was filtered by suction on a tarred frithed- glass crucible, washed
thoroughly with hot water and the crucible and contents were dried at 105°C for 10
minutes, cooled and weighed.
( )
(2)
Where A = intial weight of sample, g
B = final sample weight, g
1. Hot water solubility and cold-water solubility were determined using the TAPPI
Standard Method, T207 cm-99 [13]
2. Silica/Silicate: 100 ml of concentrated HNO3 was added to 10 g of sample in a
beaker and warmed until a viscous solution resulted. The solution was the
evaporated to about 40 ml, cooled and 20 ml of concentrated H2SO4 was then
added. This was heated until white fumes of SO3 evolved. 20 ml of concentrated
HNO3 was quickly added. It was cooled and 20 ml of concentrated H2SO4 was re-
added and heated again to emit more white fumes until no fumes were evolved
again. The solution was then cooled to room temperature and 250 ml of distilled
water was carefully added, using a squirt bottle. It was boiled for a few minutes,
filtered using a filter paper, washed with distilled water, dried and weighed. The
silica/Silicate in solution is calculated from:
(3)
Where: X = Silicates and silica as SiO2, ppm
a = weight of insoluble residue, mg
m = weight of oven dry pulp, g
Where: a = weight of insoluble residue, mg
m = weight of oven-dry pulp, g
x = Silicates and Silica as SiO2, ppm
1. Yield: Standard procedure was employed in determining the sample yield and
calculated from:
(4)
Where: Wi = initial weight of sample (before pulping)
Wf = final weight of sample (after pulping)
1. Consistency of pulp suspension: Sampling cup was used to withdraw 5 portions of
100 ml each and then the entire content was deposited in a 1000 ml beaker. The
sample weight was then determined using a digital weigh balance.
2. Moisture filter paper was placed, and suction was applied to the flask and filter.
For cloudy filtrate, it should be re-filtered until it is clear. The filter paper was then
removed and placed in a drier until steaming stopped. The residue was weighed,
and successive readings were carried out until constant weight was attained. The
percent consistency of the specimen was calculated from:
( ) . (5)
Where, w = weight of the moisture-free pad and filter paper, grams
f = weight of the moisture-free filter paper, grams
g = net weight of the original specimen in the 1000 ml Beaker, grams
Pulp yield, consistency and 1% NaOH solubility were used to evaluate the pulp quality, in
this work. Table 2 shows a higher yield for okra (41.2%) than rice husk (25.7%). This may be
attributed to the better ease of separating the cellulose from the lignin as indicated by a higher
1% NaOH solubility (54.1%) of the raw okra sample.
Unfortunately, the paper sheets from the okra stem may easily be degraded, as suggested
by the higher 1% NaOH solubility of the pulp at 17.5% when compared to 9.31% for the rice
husk.
4. CONCLUSION
From the results obtained in this work, the okra stalk is a better pulp and paper raw material
than the rice husk. In conclusion, the chemical compositions of the raw materials seem to
have a visible impact on the pulp yield. The part of the rice plant used may be a determining
factor in its performance as a pulp and paper raw material because the chemical composition
of each plant part is different from one other.
Also, soil type and planting season/condition could be responsible for the variations of
some properties of okra stalk when compared to previous works done in other countries.
Waste okra stalk is a better alternative raw material for the pulp and paper industry than
rice husk. For further work, a blend of the pulps from the two raw material sources may be
considered and the paper properties compared with paper from 100% of either pulp.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors would like to thank the management of Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State,
Nigeria and the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi, Lagos State, for their
support, in creating an enabling environment for this research.
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