A professor of chemical engineering at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) in Kwara State, Elizabeth Odetoye, has produced biodiesel through the exploration of chicken egg’s shell derived through heterogeneous catalyst.
Odetoye said that the feat complements the efforts of the university of Ilorin, towards developing homegrown technology that would enhance the socio-economic progress of the country.
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She said the feat was accomplished through a “trans esterification experiment.’’
Odetoye , who recently delivered the 253rd Inaugural Lecture of the university, said that the yield showed that egg’s shells were an affordable potential catalyst source for biodiesel production.
She added that “the utilisation of egg’s shells can add value to the poultry production process and minimise waste in the poultry industry.”
The don pointed out that biodiesel had been considered one of the sustainable fuel alternatives, noting that the high production cost of biodiesel, when juxtaposed with fossil fuel, remains one of the major drawbacks in biodiesel production.
Odetoye defined biofuel as fuel made from biomass, saying: “Biofuel is synonymous with biocrude, biodiesel, bio-oil, biogas, bioethanol, biosyngas and bioslurry fuels”.
She added that Nigeria is endowed with abundant lignocellulosic biomass residues waiting to be explored in more environmentally friendly ways.