EVALUATION OF ALLIGATOR (ALIGATOR MISSISSIPIENSIS) AND PANGOLIN (MANIS TRICUSPIS) INTEGUMENT FOR BIOCIDAL ACTIVITY AND AS POTENTIAL INDUSTRIAL SORBENT

Abstract

Pangolin and Alligator have been of great medicinal values to traditional practitioners in certain African countries. Pangolin and Alligator integuments were extracted and extracts were subjected to chemical investigation which includes: proximate analysis, chemical analysis, antimicrobial screening, seedling growth test, mineral analysis and adsorption studies. Proximate analysis of the integuments using (A.O.A.C) official method of analysis of the association of analytical chemist gave percentage ash content to be 9.75±0.05 and 0.55±0.05, percentage moisture content 9.90±0.10 and 10.05±0.05, percentage fibre content-0.93±0.06 and 1.45±0.05, percentage crude fat content 9.25±0.05 and 6.50±0.10, percentage crude protein content-51.20±0.40 and 38.00±0.20 and carbohydrate by difference-18.97±0.26 and 43.45±0.35 for Alligator and Pangolin integuments respectively. The chemical screening of pangolin integument showed the presence of saponins and flavonoids, while tannins, steroids, terpenoids and alkaloids were absent, these chemicals were not detected in alligator integument. The antimicrobial analysis showed a low potency of the extract against the test organisms which were (Xanthomonas, Pseudomonas, E. Coli, S Aureus, P Syringine, B Cereus and B. Sustilis). Seed germination result of the extract using tomatoes and maize seed revealed that at four days, there was no germination of tomatoes seed treated with alligator extract while tomatoes treated with pangolin extract and maize seed treated with pangolin and alligator extracts germinated. Seedling growth test showed maximum growth inhibition at 10% extract concentration revealing that increase in concentration results to increase in growth inhibition. The anti-oxidant assay revealed that alligator and pangolin extract contains phenol at 0.08 mg/l and 0.06 mg/l, flavonoid at 0.16 mg/l and 0.02 mg/l and DPPH-68.57% and 50.16% respectively. The mineral analysis showed the presence of Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu and Ni at different values except for Pb that was not detected. The adsorption studies revealed that it is a good adsorbent for copper(II)ion in aqueous medium.