Kwaji MJ, et al.

J Ecosys Ecograph 2020, 10:3

Journal of Ecosystem and Ecography

Research Article Open Access

Proximate Analysis of Saw Dust from Tipper Garage Saw Mill Lugbe,
Abuja Nigeria to be Uploaded into the Abundant Regional Substrate
Database for Biogas Production
Magdaline Joseph Kwaji1*,Niyi Ogunjobi1, Oyedeji TT2, Ayoade Desmond Babalola3, Lawyer EF4, Richard Olebe TC1 and Hajara lakka
Durkwa5
1
Department of Microbiology,University of Ibadan,Nabda, Biodec, Abuja
2
Department of National Biotechnology Development Agency,Abuja
3
Department of Biochemistry, University of Ibadan,Biodec, Abuja
4
Department of Biotechnology and National Centre for Genetic Resources, Nabda, Biodec, Abuja
5
National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Moor Plantation, Apata, Ibadan

Abstract
In view of the ever increasing costs and the negative environmental impacts of petroleum-based fuels and enormous amount of
sawdust generated yearly in Nigeria. This study was undertaken to assess the suitability of sawdust as source of energy by determining
their chemical properties via proximate analysis carried out at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria.
The results shows the moisture to be (%MC) 9.08 of the sawdust samples, respectively, the ash contents (%Ash) was 2.8 and the organic
matter was 88.10 and the fixed carbon contents ranged between 51.10%, Nitrogen (N) was 0.2.The chemical properties showed that
the sawdust of wood would be suitable as source of energy for thermal plant, electricity and automobile engines compared with those
of Nigerian coal species. The required [C:N] ratio for optimum biogas production in organic matter ranges from 20:1 and 30:1. The [C:N]
ratio obtained in this work is 50:0.1 which implies that the substrate or wood have a very high concentration of carbon and is deficient in
Nitrogen. Therefore, if this wood substrate must be used for biomethenation, nitrogen should be augmented by using supplements rich in
nitrogen such as tannery effluent, corn, soya bean milk, ground nut cake, gram flour, ammonium sulfate and urea during pretreatment of
substrates, and also, the concentration of carbon must be regulated to meet up with the biomethane potential (BMP) requirement for this
substrate. The aim of this work is geared towards determining the chemical constituents of this substrate and to ascertain it’s usability in
biomethenation, to be added to the substrate biomethane potential (BMP) database of these substrates for referral purposes in scientific
findings and research. This is because optimum methanization (biogas production) is only possible with the right range of pH, Carbon,
Nitrogen, Carbon Nitrogen ratio, ash content, sulfur and others of these factors and macro nutrients.

Keywords: Chemical properties; Nigerian coal; Biomethenation;
Biomethane potential
Introduction
As a result of increasing global concern regarding environmental
impacts especially climate change from the use of fossil and, the need
for an independent energy supply to sustain economic growth and
development, there is currently a great deal of interest in renewable
energy in general. McKendry [1] reported that biomass is one of the
most common and easily accessible renewable energy resources and
gives opportunity as a feed stock for bioenergy. Odunlami et al. [2]
reported the implication of the use of fossil fuels. As rightly noted by
Stout and Best [3], a transition to a sustainable energy system is urgently
needed for developing countries. Sawdust is a waste from the wood and
timber industry. As it possesses a firing capacity, it is normally used
as a fuel source in thermal processes (biomass) [4]. It is also used as
insulating material, and in this work, as substrate for developing the
referral database for biogas production. Biogas is primarily a mixture
of carbon dioxide, methane, hydrogen sulfide and other trace elements
produced after anaerobic digestion by microorganism (Renu Bala et al.,).
This is achieved by the breakdown of complex polymeric substances
such as carbohydrate, protein, fatty acid to simple compounds like
carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), hydrogen sulfide and other
trace elements. Miguel et al., [5] described the chemical composition
in tree (Alnus acuminata, A. jorullensis, Quercus candicans) branches
use as wood in Mexico. These chemical composition in tree were
determined and the tanin content was evaluated by two methods of
extraction: aqueous extraction and ethanolic extraction, in general,
the result obtained varied as follows: (4.25-5.19), (0.08%-10.23%),
total extractives (6.9%-49.5%), solubility to soda (25.36-70.9), Runkel
lignin (17.64%-47.33%), holocellulose (32.74%-86.51%). The main
chemical components (in terms of macro-nutrients) of sawdust are
carbon (60.8%), hydrogen (5.2%), and oxygen (33.8%), and nitrogen
(0.9%) which were the major components analyzed in this work. Dry
wood is primarily composed of cellulose, lignin, hemicelluloses, and
minor amounts (5%–10%) of extraneous substances (Horisawa et al.,).
India is found as 4th largest petroleum consuming country followed by
USA, China and Japan, with high impact on grown economy of 6%–
8% per year which can create further strong dependency on various
type of petroleum products (petrol, kerosene or natural gases) with
more environmental causing health problems, risks and challenges like
global warming and climate change. Biogas and biomass based energy
(bioethanol and biohydrogen) production can be provided good option
for replacing fossil fuel energy via developing and enhancing cost-
effectiveness bioprocess for bioenergy opportunity in rural communities
worldwide. Third-generation biofuels from wood sawdust species can
be suitably synthesized with environmental, economical and social
benefits for the worldwide population with reflection of high energy
efficiency for road map of individual to industry level consumption.
Different types of wood waste
Plate 1: Waste of lingo cellulosic biomass (Figure 1)
*Corresponding author: Kwaji MJ, Department of National Biotechnology
Development Agency, Biodec Odi, Abuja, Bayelsa, Nigeria, E-mail:
magdalinejoseph8@gmail.com
Received: August 21, 2020; Accepted date: September 05, 2020; Published
date: September 12, 2020
Citation: kwaji MJ, Ogunjobi N, Oyedeji TT, Babalola AD, Lawyer EF,
Olebe RTC,Lakka L (2020) Proximate Analysis of Saw Dust from Tipper
Garage Saw Mill Lugbe, Abuja Nigeria to be Uploaded into the Abundant
Regional Substrate Database for Biogas Production. J Ecosys Ecograph
10: 275
Copyright: © 2020 Kwaji MJ. This is an open-access article distributed under the
terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted
use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and
source are credited.

J Ecosys Ecograph, an open access journal Volume 10 • Issue 3 • 1000275

ISSN: 2157-7625
Citation: kwaji MJ, Ogunjobi N, Oyedeji TT, Babalola AD, Lawyer EF, Olebe RTC,Lakka L (2020) Proximate Analysis of Saw Dust from Tipper Garage
Saw Mill Lugbe, Abuja Nigeria to be Uploaded into the Abundant Regional Substrate Database for Biogas Production. J Ecosys Ecograph
10: 275
The first biomass in plate 1 represent SAWDUST
The second biomass represents WOODCHIP
The third biomass represents PEATS
The fourth biomass represents the BARKCHIP
The fifth biomass represents the RAPESTRAW
The sixth biomass represents the WHEATSRAW
Figure 1: Different types of wood waste.
Materials and Methods
Source of sample
Saw dust samples were collected from the Saw mill located at Tipper
garage, federal Housing, airport road, Ahmadu Bello way, Lugbe, Abuja.
Sterile polyethylene bags were used to collect the sample (50 kg) and
were transported to the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture,
Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria.
Chemical analysis
All elemental analysis was carried out at International Institute of
Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan Oyo state.
Flow chart showing steps taken to determine total volatile content
by moisture lost
Crucibles with the lid was preheated for an hour. After preheating,
the crucible was placed in a dessicator crucible to cool for 20-30 minutes.
Crucible was removed from the dessicator after cooling and weighed.
Samples were weighed and fed into the crucible then the crucibles with
samples were also weighed [6].
Samples and crucible was placed into oven and the temperature was
set to 105°C-115°C
The oven was turned on and the timer was set
Dry Samples was dried until constant weight was achieved
After cooling, crucible was taken from dessicator and weighed
to get new weight of dried sample, and then the percentage moisture
content was calculated.
J Ecosys Ecograph, an open access journal
ISSN: 2157-7625
Page 2 of 4
Determination of dry ash
Dry ash was determined using a high temperature muffle furnace
capable of maintaining temperatures between 500°C and 600℃
(Averagely 550).Water and other volatile materials was vaporized and
organic substances were burned in the presence of the oxygen in air
to CO2, H20 and N2 which gives the ash content when measured in
grams. Most minerals were converted to oxides, sulfate, phosphates,
chlorides and silicate. Although most minerals have fairly low volatility
at these high temperature, some are volatile and may be partially lost,
e.g., iron, lead and mercury. The sample was weighed before and after
ashing to determine the concentration of ash present.
The ash content can be expressed as:
%Ash=(Mass of Arsh/Mass of dried sample) ×100 [7].
Determination of organic matter
Principle: The sample was ignited slowly in a muffle furnace to a
final temperature of 550°C. The loss in weight represents the moisture
and organic matter content of the sample, while the residue represents
the ash.
Procedure: 10 - 0.1 g of well mixed air dry (less than 2 mm) manure
or compost sample of a known moisture content was weighed in a dry
porcelain or nickel crucible. This was slowly heated in a furnace, raising
the temperature setting in steps (100°C, 200°C and 550°C). The final
temperature setting of 550°C was maintained for 8 hours.
The crucible containing a grayish white ash was removed. It was
allowed to cool in a dessicator and weighed.
Calculations: The percentage ash and organic matter was calculated
by the differences in weight of the crucibles before and after combustion
as follows:
% Ash=[(w3-w1)/(w2-w1)] ×100
And
% Organic matter=100- % Ash [8]
Determination of volatile matter content
The samples were pre weighed in two test tubes pieces of 2 g each
with an AB54-S mettle Toledo balance. The volatile matter is the
condition of the material at which when heated in the absence of air
under prescribed conditions, liberate gasses and vapours. The volatile
matter was determined based on the procedure recommended in
150562/1974 (Debdoubi et al.,). The pre weighed sample was made to
undergo dry oxidation muffle furnace at 550+ 25’C for 10 minutes. This
was removed and allowed to cool in a dessicator. The final weight of the
sample was taken with the aid of Mettler Toledo analytical balance. The
volatile matter was calculated using the formulae;
%VM= Zi-Zf/ Zi × 100
Where
Zi=Initial weight of the wood sample (before dry oxidation).
Zf=Final weight of the dry wood after dry oxidation.
Determination of Fixed carbon content
The fixed carbon content of sawdust samples was determined by
using the following relationships (Debdoubi et al) as shown in the
formulae below.
Volume 10 • Issue 3 • 1000275
Citation: kwaji MJ, Ogunjobi N, Oyedeji TT, Babalola AD, Lawyer EF, Olebe RTC,Lakka L (2020) Proximate Analysis of Saw Dust from Tipper Garage
Saw Mill Lugbe, Abuja Nigeria to be Uploaded into the Abundant Regional Substrate Database for Biogas Production. J Ecosys Ecograph
10: 275
%FC=100% -%Ash -% VM
Where %Ash=Determined ash content
%VM=determined volatile matter [9,10].
Determination of moisture content
1. Test portion containing approximately 2 g dry material was dried
to approximately 5 hrs.
For feeds with high molasses content, temperature<70°C and
pressure<50 mmHg will be used.
2. Covered AL dish>50 mm diameter and 40 mm deep was used
3. Report loss on drying (LOD) was recorded as estimate of
moisture content.
Calculations: %(w/w) LOD=%(w/w) moisture = 100 × wt loss on
drying, g% Dry matter=100–0
Determination of total nitrogen
Digestion procedure: Selenium/Sulfuric acid mixture; To1 liter of
sulfuric acid, 3.5 g of selenium powder will be added. This was heated
on hot plate until it was clear. The selenium was dissolved into the
sulfuric acid at about 280. The hotplate was turned off after the selenium
dissolves and was left until it cools down.
N/P Stock solution: 4.714 g(NH4 )2 SO4 and 0.439 g of KH2PO4
was added to a 100 ml volumetric flask. The chemical was oven dried at
105 before weighing. This was diluted to mark.
Procedure: 0.200 g (of dry) was weighed out, samples was grinded
into a 50 ml digestion tube. 2.5 ml of H2SO4 mixture w added to the
sample tube and to 5 blanks, to be used as standards. These were placed
on an aluminum block on a hot plate and were heated to approximately
200 until sample fumes.
Tubes was removed from hot plate and allowed to cool for 10
minutes. 1 ml of 30% H202 was added to the sample and standards.
When the reaction subsides, 2 ml of H202 was added.
Tubes were replaced on hot plate and 15 ml glass vial was placed
on top of each tube and heated to 330. The tubes were left on hot plate
until a clear solution is formed (2 hrs). The yellow tints of the sample
disappear as the digestion is completed.
Samples were allowed to cool. 0, 0.200, 0.400, 0.600 and 0.800
ml of the N/P stock solution was added to the 5 standard solutions.
Samples and standards were diluted to the 50 ml mark. Samples were
transferred into the auto analyzer cup. Nitrogen content was read on
the auto analyzer machine.
Note: These can also be used to calculate protein content using this
formula
Protein= %N × 6.25 [11].
Determination of total carbon (LOI) (Loss of ignition)
Principle: Organic matter was oxidized by heating at 500 and was
estimated as weight in loss.
Procedure: Porce clean crucibles were heated for one hour at
375.Crucibles was allowed to cool to about 150. This was placed in a
dessicator and cooled for 30 minutes and weighed.5 g of the sample was
weighed into the crucible. Sample was placed slowly and temperature
was increased to 500+ 5 .The temperature was maintained (500-5) for
5 hrs. Furnance was turned off and temperature was allowed to drop to
J Ecosys Ecograph, an open access journal
ISSN: 2157-7625
Page 3 of 4
about 150.
Crucibles was removed and placed in dessicator for 30 minutes.
Samples were weighed to the nearest mg (Table 1).
Calculation of total carbon
Carbon by loss of ignition (%)=Weight of oven dried samples (g)-
weight of samples after (g) ignition / weight of dry samples. [11].
Results and Discussion
Table 1: Shows the concentration of macro elements of the sawdust samples.
Lab My N MC Ash OM (C)LOI C/N
ID ID (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)
20200009 Saw dust 0.2 9.08 2.8 88.1 51 0.2:51.1
Key: N: Nitrogen; MC: Moisture content; OM: Organic matter; C(loi): Carbon
(by loss of ignition); C/N: Carbon/Nitrogen ratio or C:N
Some general conditions apply to the methanization of substrates
in anaerobic digestion for the production of biogas [12], while other
process conditions must be kept at very strict operational ranges. Crow
Miller [13] where the carbon nitrogen ratio was expressed as a function
of the percentage concentration of carbon divided by the percentage
concentration of Nitrogen. Electro chemical excitation can be used for
efficient nitrogen fixation also as in Liu et al., 2019 [14,15].
Conclusion
The relationship between the process conditions is always an
important consideration for stable methanization. Therefore, the need
for proximate analysis cannot be overemphasized. This work gives the
concentration of macro elements essential in methanization that are
found present in saw dust substrate domiciled in Tipper garage, Lugbe,
Abuja. The results shows the moisture to be (%MC) 9.08 of the sawdust
samples, respectively, the ash contents (%Ash) was 2.8 and the organic
matter was 88.10 and the fixed carbon contents ranged between 51.10%,
Nitrogen (N) was 0.2, Carbon Nitrogen concentration [C/N] was 51.1:
0.2 which is in line with the findings of. From the findings in this work,
carbon nitrogen ratio is 51:0.2 which gives a very wide interval range.
This entails that if this substrate is to be used for bio methnation, the
concentration of nitrogen should be supplemented with nitrogen rich
substrate as groundnut cake, urea, gram flour, ammonium sulfate
and soya bean milk. Therefore, the relationship between the process
conditions and chemical elements is always an important factor for
stable methanization.
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Volume 10 • Issue 3 • 1000275
Citation: kwaji MJ, Ogunjobi N, Oyedeji TT, Babalola AD, Lawyer EF, Olebe RTC,Lakka L (2020) Proximate Analysis of Saw Dust from Tipper Garage
Saw Mill Lugbe, Abuja Nigeria to be Uploaded into the Abundant Regional Substrate Database for Biogas Production. J Ecosys Ecograph
10: 275

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J Ecosys Ecograph, an open access journal Volume 10 • Issue 3 • 1000275

ISSN: 2157-7625