Biosorption Potentials Of Zea Mays Cob And Musa Paradisiaca Peels In The Treatment Of Waste Effluent From Paint Industry.

ABSTRACT

Studies on the biosorption potentials of Zea mays cobs and Musa paradisiaca peels in the treatment of waste effluent from paint industry, was carried out. Standard laboratory procedures using 400 ml of the effluent were adopted to assess the values of Pb, Fe, Cland PO4, BOD and TDS at pH 6.7 and pH 10.0 before and after treatment of the effluent with 1g and 3g of pulverized corn cobs and plantain peels. Standard procedures were adopted for the phytochemical screening of the biosorbents, while streak method was used for bacterial load assessment. Levels of Pb and Fe levels were reduced to a percentage of 70% and 79% respectively with 1 g of ripe plantain peels at pH 10. Bacterial isolates were Escherichia coli, Bacillus sp, Steptococcus sp, Lactobacillus sp, Proteus sp and Pseudomonas sp. Total bacterial count of untreated effluent was 4.56x1012 cfu/ml and after treatment with 1 g of ripe and unripe plantain peels, corn cob and composite at pH 6.7, the total counts decreased to 4.8x105 , 2.5x105 , 1.2x105 and 2.7x105 cfu/ml respectively. At pH 10.0, it was 2.2x105 , 8.4x105 , 1.6x105 and 4.0x105 cfu/ml respectively. Using 3g of ripe and unripe plantain peels, corn cob and composite at pH 6.7were 5.4x105 , 3.9x105 , 2.3x105 and 4.8x105 cfu/ml respectively. At pH 10.0 it was 8.5x109 , 3.6x109 , 5.5x109 and 3.0x109 respectively. The values of BOD and TDS for treated waste effluent from paint industry recorded noticeable increase. The student t – test results of mean difference between the parameters of treated and untreated waste effluent from paint industry were not significant at 95% confidence level at 2 degrees of freedom. Goodness of fit using chi – square was employed on bacterial load at 95% confidence level was significant. Correlation coefficient was used to analyze the relationship between phytochemical properties of the biosorbants and their purification capacities on paint waste effluent sample; which showed perfect negative relationship. Biosorption of heavy metals in waste effluent from paint industries can be achieved using pulverized plantain peels and corn cobs.

Keywords: Musa paradisica, Zea mays, Paint Effluent, Treatment, Bacterial Load, Physicochemical Properties.