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Article Title:
THE PRODUCTION OF ALUM USING ALUMINIUM SCRAP
| Abstract: The recycling of aluminium cans and other aluminium products is a very positive contribution to saving our natural resources. Aluminium cans recycled by chemical processes that transform scrap aluminum into a useful chemical compound called potassium aluminum sulfate dodecahydrate, KAl(SO4)2•12H2O, commonly called “alum” was observed in this study. The remains of fourteen (14) samples of beverage cans, foils and collapsible tubes were collected from an open hall immediate after social gathering in Warri, Delta State Nigeria. Also, nine (9) alum samples were bought from different markets location in Warri. Qualitative analysis for the alum purchased from the market were carried out by first reacting the alum with barium chloride in an aqueous solution, then the solution was reacted with potassium hydroxide before subjecting sample material to flame test. Qualitative Analysis of Aluminium Scarps was observed before determining the percentage composition of Aluminium in the scarps. The percentage composition of aluminium in the alum samples prepared from the aluminium scraps was determined and compared with the percentage composition of aluminium in the alum samples bought from the market. Results from this study reveal that the alum samples produced from the aluminium scrap had similar physicochemical property with those purchase from the market. This study further reveals that the cost of production of the alum samples produced from metal scarps appears uneconomically higher than those bought from the market. This was attributed to the high cost of consumable used in this study. Thus, considering the average life span of an aluminium can, this study do not only attempt to established that recycling has the benefit of reducing litter from discarded cans, neither do the process only saves 95% of the greenhouse gas emissions compared to the primary, or smelting, process, but it saves raw materials and reduces the space needed for landfill – where waste is buried in holes in the ground. There is therefore need for the federal government of Nigeria to make available stable power supply to its populace to reduce the cost of production of finished product starting from the raw materials needed for production process. This will go a long way to support small and medium scale enterprises and the establishment of petrochemical and other agro allied companies around the various refineries and will also; create decent employment opportunity for Nigerian. |
| Keywords: Aluminium, Alum, Cans, Scrap, Qualitative, Quantitative, Recycle, KAl(SO4)2•12H2O, |
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