ABSTRACT

Groundnut (Arachis Hypogaea) shell and carpet grass (Axonopus flexuosus) were assessed for bioethanol production using dilute acid hydrolysis (10 %, 15 % and 20 % H2SO4) and fermentation using yeast (saccharomyces cerevisiae). The percentage yields were determined to be 27.15 %, 19.69 % and 8.79 % for groundnut shell and 22.69 %, 13.92 % and 7.69 % for carpet grass respectively. The densities of the bioethanol produced were calculated to be 0.8072 g/cm3 for groundnut shell and 0.8303 g/cm3 for carpet grass respectively. The proximate analysis result of the groundnut shell and carpet grass were observed to be 84.74±0.81 and 81.16±2.63 percentage carbohydrate, this may be the reason why groundnut shell produced higher yield of bioethanol than carpet grass. Thus, groundnut shell and carpet grass have good potential  as sources of raw materials for bioethanol production.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE i

DECLARATION ii

CERTIFICATION iii

DEDICATION iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT v

ABSTRACT vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS viii

LIST OF TABLES xi

LIST OF FIGURES xi

CHAPTER ONE 1

1.1 Introduction 1

1.1.1     Benefits of Bioethanol 4

1.1.2    As a Solvent 5

1.1.3    As a source of heat 5

1.2 Significance of Study 6

1.3 Statement of the Problem 7

1.4 Aim and Objectives of the Study 7

1.5 Scope of Study 8

CHAPTER TWO 9

2.1 Literature Review 9

CHAPTER THREE 17

3.0 MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGY 17

3.1 Materials 17

3.2 Method 18

3.2.1    Sample collection 19

3.2.2     Pretreatment 19

3.2.3     Preparation of solutions and Reagents 19

3.2.4     Hydrolysis 20

3.2.4.1   Steps Involved in Dilute Acid Hydrolysis 20

3.2.5     pH adjustment 21

3.2.6     Fermentation Process 22

3.2.7     Simple Distilation 22

3.2.8     Percentage Yield 23

3.2.9     Density Determination 23

3.3 Physico chemical analysis of the samples 24

3.3.1     Moisture Content 24

3.3.2     Ash Content 24

3.3.3     Crude Fat 25

3.3.4     Crude Fibre 26

3.3.5     Crude Protein 27

3.3.6     Crude Carbohydrate 28

CHAPTER FOUR 29

4.0       RESULTS, DISCUSSION, CUNCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 29

4.1 Result and Discussion 29

4.2 Quantity of Bioethanol Produced 29

4.3 Percentage (%) Yield of Bioethanol Produced 32

4.4 Proximate Analysis of Groundnut shell and Carpet Grass 33

4.5 Density and Boiling Point of Bioethanol Produced 34

4.6 Bar Chart of Yield of Bioethanol from Groundnut Shell and Carpet Grass 35

4.8 Conclusions 38

4.9 Recommendations 39

References 40