Yield of Ethanol Produced from Waste Pod of Fluted Pumpkin (Telfairia Occidentalis) Using African Giant Snail (Archachatina Marginata) Slime and Yeast

Yield of ethanol produced using biowaste from waste pod of fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis) was investigated. Breakdown of cellulose to glucose in the waste was achieved using cellulase from snail slime. Into holding tanks containing varying concentrations of wastes were added snail slime and yeast respectively. The control holding tank (group A) had neither yeast nor snail slime. All groups were fermented under anaerobic condition at (37oC) for 24hrs, 48hrs and 72hrs. Results of the cellulose content showed (20.56±0.58%). There was no ethanol (Et) produced in the control group (group A). Results of the yield of Et of the waste in the holding tanks containing snail slime alone and yeast alone were (1.45±0.10%) and (5.44±0.44%) respectively. The yield of Et produced decreased significantly (p<0.05) with increase in fermentation time. Also, increase in concentration of snail slime and yeast increased the yield of Et in the holding tanks. The holding tanks containing waste, yeast and snail slime together gave the highest yield of ethanol. The findings in this study suggest that a consortium of snail slime and yeast would yield higher percentage of ethanol than the duo acting independently.