COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE EXTRACTION STRENGTH OF SOLVENTS ON TAR SANDFROM OKITIPUPA,ONDOSTATE

Abstract

Tar sand, an aggregate of sand, clay, water and bitumen was sampled from Okitipupa area of Ondo State, Nigeria, extracted and optimized using n-hexane and toluene in a soxhlet extractor to determine solvent effectiveness in extracting the bitumen content and their environmental effect.The experiment was carried out by heating the solvent at and above their boiling temperaturessolely to get an optimum yield at a temperature and time of extraction of oil from the tar sand.The analysis gave an optimal yield of 9.07 % at 75oC in 4 h when n-hexane was used and anoptimal yield of 21.27 % at 120oC in 4 h when toluene was used. A drastic change in colour wasalso notice in the sand residue to almost sandy soil nature when toluene was used as solventcompare to when n-hexane was used which shows a slight change from its blackish nature. The change in colour of the black tar sand is an indication of high extraction efficiency.Hence,owing to high demand for conventional oil supply in the country and the urgent need for analternative source of oil, the bitumen extract can serve as an alternative source of unconventionaloilsupply in Nigeriaand feedstock in refineries