CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Research Background
Natural clay minerals are well known and familiar to mankind from the earliest days of civilization1. Because of their low cost, abundance in most continents of the world, high sorption properties, high dissolubility in acidic solutions and potential for ion exchange, clay materials are suitable substances as source of metals and adsorbents. Clay is composed mainly of silica, alumina, water and frequently with appreciable quantities of iron, alkalis as well as alkali earth metals. Two structural units are involved in the atomic lattices of most clay minerals. One unit consists of closely packed oxygen atoms and hydroxyls in which aluminum, iron and magnesium atoms are embedded in an octahedral combination so that they are at equal distant from six oxygen or hydroxyls. The second unit is built of silica tetrahedrons. The silica tetrahedrons (Si4O6(OH)4) are arranged to form a sheet of composition2.
Clay deposits are widespread over the regions of Nigeria and are under utilized in the process industries largely because we do not have the technology. These clay deposits can be mined, purified and processed into useful raw materials for the process industries. Naturally occurring clays are alumino-silicate minerals containing sodium, potassium, and calcium, with traces of magnesium and iron which may be substituted for aluminum. The structure of these clays can be altered by heating or reaction with strong acids or alkalis to improve their adsorptive properties and colour. The majority of these clays do not possess such properties, but, may be activated by some forms of treatment and their efficiency in the bleaching of vegetable oils can be improved. Activation of clays can be accomplished by calcinations, reaction with mineral acids/alkalis, or combination of both techniques.
1.2 Research Objective and Scope
The aim of this research was to make comparative analysis of the bleaching efficiency of a locally substituted adsorbent, Nteje clay to the imported, commercially available activated carbon and fuller’s earth. Because little or no work has been done in comparing the bleaching efficiency of Nteje clay to its commercial standards, hence the need for the study. This study if found efficient to the imported bleaching efficiencies of activated carbon and fuller’s earth, should be able to operate at various quality of crude palm oil (C.P.O) fed and produce equal results and responses as its commercial standards. By doing so, the purity of the final product including its commercial and health values will be enhanced.
Therefore, the specific objectives of the research were:-
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