CHARACTERIZATION OF DIFFERENT CASSAVA EFFLUENTS AND EVALUATION OF PROCESSOR ON-SITE HANDLING TECHNIQUES IN OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

• N S Lawal

  Department of Agricultural Engineering, College of Engineering and Environmental Studies

• A A Babalola

  Department of Agricultural Engineering, College of Engineering and Environmental Studies, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State Nigeria.

• O O Adama

  Department of Agricultural Engineering, College of Engineering and Environmental Studies, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State Nigeria.

• A O Sosanya

  Department of Agricultural Engineering, College of Engineering and Environmental Studies, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State Nigeria.

• A A Adebayo

  Department of Agricultural Engineering, College of Engineering and Environmental Studies, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State Nigeria.

Cassava effluent was characterized with the aim of examining the current on-site management techniques among local processors for technological and regulatory improvements. Structured questionnaires were administered in sixty randomly selected processing clusters with different processing capacities to obtain data on the water consumption pattern, effluent output and quality, processing techniques and effluent management. The twenty-three physico-chemical parameters (pH (3.85), Oil and grease (0.386 mg/l), Electrical Conductivity (4.23 µmhos/cm), Biological oxygen demand (1889 mg/l), Total dissolved solids (3240 mg/l), Chemical oxygen demand (752.7 mg/l) Total suspended solids (9.28 mg/l), Bicarbonate (181.6 mg/l), Carbonate (387 mg/l), Sodium (1579.20 mg/l), Total nitrogen (0.86 mg/l), Potassium (1512.49 mg/l), Total Phosphate (300.41 mg/l), Calcium (35.4 mg/l), Magnesium (188.93 mg/l), Lead (59.39 mg/l), Cadmium (Not Detected), Chromium (0.28 mg/l), Iron (3.25 mg/l), Sulphate (17.75 mg/l), Turbidity (7620.96 NTU), Hydrogen Cyanide (678.50 mg/l) and Total Coliform count (2400 cfu/100ml)) analysed were mostly beyond permissible limits prescribed by regulating authorities. Wet fufu paste was the dominant product (73%) and generates the highest volume of wastewater (5-8 liters/tonne of fresh cassava root processed), while gari and fermented cassava flour (lafun) were 21% and 6% respectively. Processing water was predominantly sourced from boreholes (52%); 31% use near by stream water while 16% and 1% rely on water from deep wells and pipe-born water, respectively. On-site effluent handling techniques includes: direct disposal on land (50%), disposal in open drains (37%) and nearby streams (13%). The unwholesome effluent disposal techniques is largely due to the low level of education and processing technology adopted. Precautionary measures and strict regulations are urgently needed to prevent further environmental risk and degradation. Finally, alternative use of treated effluent for crop irrigation should be investigated and promoted to enhance agricultural productivity and economic sustainability among local processors

• PDF

Copyright

With the submission of a manuscript, the corresponding author confirms that the manuscript is not under consideration by another journal. With the acceptance of a manuscript, the Journal reserves the exclusive right of publication and dissemination of the information contained in the article. The veracity of the paper and all the claims therein is solely the opinion of the authors not the journal.