ABSTRACT

 The goal of this project work was to determine the Sodium, Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium composition of some agricultural wastes (almond leaves, plantain stems, avocado seeds, oil palm shells, and pineapple peels) as well as the feasibility of using it as a cheap and alternative source of alkali in the production of black soap. This was accomplished by air drying, ashing the samples and dissolving it in distilled water, then the metal composition from the leached ash were analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) and flame photometer. From the analysis, the metal composition of avocado seed are: Na(1.1mg/L), K(188.3mg/L), Mg(2.3mg/L), Ca(5.2mg/L), plantain stem: Na(2.5mg/L), K(198.2mg/L), Mg(2.5mg/L), Ca(58.8mg/L), pineapple peels: Na(3.5mg/L), K(159.2mg/L), Mg(2.7mg/L), Ca(90.3mg/L), almond leaves: Na(10.3mg/L), K(171.4mg/L), Mg(2.6mg/L), Ca(146.0mg/L), oil palm shells: Na(0.5mg/L), K(68.7mg/L), Mg(2.3mg/L), Ca(5.2mg/L). According to the analysis, avocado seed competes favorably with plantain stem ash, which is utilized locally for black soap production.