
Many Nigerian homes and institutions are powered by generators due to inaccessible electricity from national grid. Consequently, many people suffer from life threatening complications due to their exposure to carbon monoxide poisoning from generator emissions. Besides, improper disposal of discarded rubber wastes in Nigeria constitutes menace to human health. The purpose of this study was to develop effective system for pyrolytic conversion of discarded rubber tyres to activated carbons, which could be used as adsorbents for reducing generator emissions in Nigeria. Carbon black produced from the pyrolysis of the rubber tyres were chemically activated using potassium hydroxide, potassium carbonate and hydrochloric solution of mixture of copper (I) chloride and aluminium (III) chloride, with impregnation ratios ranging from 0.67 to 2.33. The range of values for surface areas, pore volumes and pore sizes of the resultant activated carbons included 285 – 846 m2/g, 0.116 – 0.354 cm3/g, and 2.92 - 6.54 nm, respectively. The carbon monoxide reduction efficiencies of the activated carbons were very high ranging from 94.0 to 95.5% indicating the feasibility and the effectiveness of this project in finding solutions to the twin problems of carbon monoxide poisoning from generator, as well as, improper disposal of discarded rubber tyres in Nigeria. Commercial application of this project will allow effective management of discarded automobile tyres and also make locally produced activated carbon to be affordable, thereby, reducing the dependency on imported activated carbon.
Generator exhausts, Activated carbon, Rubber wastes, Carbon monoxide, Waste management, Pyrolysis
Generator exhausts, Activated carbon, Rubber wastes, Carbon monoxide, Waste management, Pyrolysis
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 0 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Average | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Average | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Average |
