Thesis Abstract

Abstract
The extraction of wax from cocoa pod husks is an innovative process that can provide value-added products from a waste material that is typically discarded during cocoa processing. Cocoa pod husks are a byproduct of cocoa production and are usually considered as agricultural waste. However, these husks contain significant amounts of wax, which can be extracted and utilized in various industries such as cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and food. This research project focuses on developing an efficient method for extracting wax from cocoa pod husks. The process involves several steps including drying the husks, grinding them into a powder, and then extracting the wax using a solvent extraction method. The extracted wax can then be further purified and processed into different products based on the intended applications. The extraction of wax from cocoa pod husks has several potential benefits. First, it provides a sustainable solution for utilizing a waste material, thereby reducing environmental pollution and promoting a circular economy. Second, the extracted wax can serve as a natural and renewable alternative to synthetic waxes in various industries. Third, the project aims to optimize the extraction process to improve efficiency and yield of wax extraction. Various analytical techniques such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) can be employed to analyze the composition of the extracted wax and ensure its quality and purity. Additionally, the physical properties of the wax, such as melting point and hardness, can be characterized to determine its suitability for different applications. Overall, the extraction of wax from cocoa pod husks presents a promising opportunity to add value to a waste material and create new economic opportunities. By developing an efficient extraction process and exploring potential applications for the extracted wax, this research project aims to contribute to the sustainable utilization of cocoa pod husks and the development of value-added products from agricultural byproducts.

Thesis Overview

INTRODUCTION

The word wax describes a large variety of substances of plant and animal origin, as well as man made products which are mostly petroleum derivatives.

However, natural waxes are not single substances, but a mixture of various of long-chain fatty acids and a variety of other constituents, depending on their origin.

Each wax therefore has unique physical and chemical characteristics which are exploited in a multitude of applications.

The increasing important of raw materials together with the complexity of modern technology for their production, processing, collection, distribution, quality control, marketing, utilization and extractions hould not be overemphasized.

For the course of study, which is extraction of wax from cocoa pod, it is vital to understand the physical properties, compositions and characteristics of waxes so that maximum efficiency will be achieved while carrying out the practical.

The characterization of waxes for industrial or domestic use is physic-chemical rather than structural. Although all waxes, possess the same characteristic physical properties of feel, consistency, melting point and water disability. It physical characteristic of water insolubility, made it good for use in coatings of paper, wood, textiles, metal fruits and vegetables; to protect against moisture, chemical and mechanical damage to food packaging. For the fact that it serves as an ingredient in diverse materials, its uses has increased over the years with industrialization. It is obvious that wax has so many functions and uses than other material. For this reason many investigations ahs been carried out into the production of wax from vegetable, plants such as grass sugar-cane cotton orange, jojobus feed, palm leaf, cocoa pod etc.

Initially all quantity of products made of wax being consumed in Nigeria were mainly from oversea countries. At this time of economic diversification, there is need for us to embark upon our locally made raw material. For this reason plants which are available in the country are being research on as source of producing wax and this helps us to make use of our local raw material which had been left out and neglected.

It is because of this that the work in question has been indicated, with the purpose of finding locally available source of producing wax as that contained in cocoa pod. For this work, comparisons were made with the yield of wax produced from cocoa pod with that of other similar vegetable plants. Also comparison were made with the physical properties of wax from cocoap pod and other waxes. The properties compared are moisture content, melting point, characterization point and refractive index.