Nutrient Utilization in Yankasa Rams Fed Crop Residue Supplemented With Xylanase and Glucanase Combinations

Background: There is less information in Nigeria with regard the understanding of the use of exogenous enzymes widely used in monogastric diets in ruminant’s rations. The study evaluated the effects of supplementing xylanase and glucanase in combination in rations of Yankasa rams. Sixteen yearling Yankasa rams (average 21 kg) were used. Four treatments were evaluated: control (without enzyme combination), 50:50, 75:25 and 25:75 xylanase-glucanase combinations denoted as T1, T2, T3, and T4 respectively. The basal roughage was cowpea husk and sorghum husk. The feeding trial was conducted using complete randomize design.Results: There were differences (p<0.05) with regard to nutrient intake and total digestibility coefficient except crude protein and nitrogen free extract digestibility (p>0.05). The intake and digestibility increased with supplementation of xylanase and glucanase combination at 25:75 ratio respectively. It increased DM intake by 211.90 g/d, DM digestibility by 17.73%, ADF digestibility by 1.17% and NDF digestibility by 1.02%. The nitrogen balance in the body did not increase (p>0.05) with supplementation of 50:50 xylanase-glucanase combination. The efficiency of nitrogen utilization did not differ between the control and 50:50 xylanase-glucanase combination. Conclusion: The combination of xylanase and glucanase at ratio 25:75 respectively improved nutrient intake and digestibility but did not influence nitrogen utilization.

Magnetic tuned sorghum husk biosorbent for effective removal of cationic dyes from aqueous solution: isotherm, kinetics, thermodynamics and optimization studies

Dyes containing effluents constitute hazards to the environments and endanger human and aquatic lives. Although activated charcoal has been adjudged the best for adsorption treatment of wastewater, its regeneration and high cost have limited their applications, hence the quest for alternative adsorbent. Magnetic tuned biosorbent was prepared from sorghum husks by in situ co-precipitation of Fe3O4. It was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The biosorbent was then used for the removal of crystal violet (CV) and methylene blue (MB) dyes from aqueous solutions in a batch process. The effects of temperature, initial dye concentration, dosage, contact time as well as pH were investigated, and data obtained were analysed with appropriate kinetic and isotherm models. Response surface method was used for the optimization study of the adsorption using Box–Behnken experimental design. Pseudo-second-order kinetic model was the most appropriate model for both dyes with correlation coefficient (R2) > 0.9 and low % standard error values. The equilibrium data were best fitted with Langmuir isotherm with maximum adsorption capacity (Qmax) of 18.87 and 30.00 mg g−1 for CV and MB, respectively. The thermodynamic parameters for the adsorption processes showed that it was spontaneous, endothermic and random systems with free energy changes less than zero, enthalpy changes (∆H) of + 49.81 and + 51.18 kJ mol−1, entropy changes (∆S) of + 178.39 and + 177.34 J mol−1 K−1 for MB and CV dyes, respectively. Optimization studies revealed that 95% of the dyes are removable at 1.0 g adsorbent dosage and pH of 4.05 at 50 °C with initial dye concentration of 50 mg L−1. The prepared adsorbent is cheap, easily recycled and highly effective for the treatment of dye-contaminated water.