CONVERSION OF FLUTED PUMPKIN POD (TELFAIRIA OCCIDENTALLIS) INTO ETHANOL USING AFRICAN GIANT SNAIL (ARCHACHATINA MARGINATA) SLIME AND YEAST

In comparison to gasoline, these result in internal combustion engines that are more efficient thanks to higher compression ratios, shorter burn times, and leaner engine. Alcohol fuels also typically produce less criterion pollutant emissions than gasoline and fewer evaporative emissions as a result of slightly lower vapor pressures. Fossil resources are currently viewed as unsustainable and problematic from an economic, ecological, and environmental perspective. Fossil fuel combustion plays a significant role in raising atmospheric CO2 concentrations, which is directly linked to the recent warming trend. The aim of this research is to determine the ethanol by volume produced from the waste of fluted pumpkin pod (Telfairia occidentalis) using African giant snail (Archachatina marginata) slime and yeast. Pumpkin pods were collected firstly from storage bans ground into a fine mixture using mortar and pestle. Varying weights of 250g, 500g and 750g of solid waste was chosen for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd determinations respectively. Seven groups labeled A-G was set up as explained below. Group A (pumpkin pod (Pp) alone ); group B (snail slime (SL) plus Pp); group C (yeast (Y) plus Pp); group D- D1, D2, D3 (25ml of (SL) plus 7.5g of (Y)); Group E- E1,E2, E3 (50ml of SL plus 15g of Y); group F- F1, F2, F3 (75ml of SL plus 22.5g of Y) and group G- G1, G2, G3 (100ml of SL plus 30g of Y). All groups was fermented under anaerobic condition at 37°C for 24hrs, 48hrs and 72hrs (Sekeran et al 2005). The percentage bioethanol yield from pumpkin pod waste system was very poor generally when compared to the E85 (85% ethanol) used in Brazil and China that reduces GHG particulate and sulfate emission by 10, 20 and 80% respectively. The poor yield of ethanol may be due to acidic pH of the solution. The pH was measured over the time of analysis, The pH before and after centrifuging was 5.4 and 5.2 respectively. Though the acidic pH was necessary to prevent the formation of micro-organism in the containers which could have inhibited the fermentation process, however, it contributed to lower percentage yield of ethanol from the waste. From this study, it can be concluded that pumpkin pod waste could be a promising source of agro waste for bioethanol production with the synergistic actions of snail slime and yeast.