Browsing by Author "Mubofu, Egid B"

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    Cashew nut shell: a potential bio-resource for the production of bio-sourced chemicals
    (Green Chemistry, 2019) Mgaya, James; Shombe, Ginena B; Masikane, Siphamandla C; Mlowe, Sixberth; Mubofu, Egid B; Revaprasadu, Neerish
    Exploitation of agricultural waste as green starting materials to produce various valuable products is attracting the attention of academic, industrial and other practitioners. Cashew nut shell (CNS) and its liquid extract (CNSL) in particular have been identified as agro-wastes rich in valuable and functional renewable products. The unique structural features of the CNSL constituents offer the possibility for different modifications to suit various applications. This review article provides recent developments in CNS and CNSL as green sources for use in the production of biorenewable chemicals, materials and energy. Extraction methods and applications of CNS, CNSL and isolates are discussed. Furthermore, a literature survey of the current status and efforts made on the utilization of these agricultural and food wastes for different applications is well outlined.
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    Castor Oil Production and Applications
    (Nova Science Publishers, 2018) Mlowe, Sixberth; Masikane, Siphamandla C; Kyobe, Joseph W; Mubofu, Egid B; Revaprasadu, Neerish
    Castor oil extracted from the castor oil seeds of Ricinus communis is an important naturally occurring oil identified as a useful raw material for diverse industrial applications. Historically, the oil has been used in medicinal fields (as a laxative agent) as well as in cosmetics. The main attractive attributes of this oil include biodegradability and non-volatility. Thus, this has recently enabled derivatization to afford value-added chemicals through alternative green synthetic protocols. The oil contains a large percentage of an unusual fatty acid, 12-hydroxy-9-cisoctadecenoic acid, commonly known as ricinoleic acid. Ricinoleic acid can be easily extracted through chemical processes and subsequently exploited as a biosource for the production of high-grade lubricants, transparent typewriter and printing inks, textile dyes, leather preservation agents and polyamide nylon-type fibres. The most recent advances identify castor oil and its major isolate (ricinoleic acid) as potential green solvents and/or capping agents in the synthesis of high quality nanomaterials and nanocomposites.