EFFECT OF SPENT LUBRICATING OIL (SLO) ON THE TOTAL ANTIOXIDANT POWER

ABSTRACT

Antioxidants and phytochemicals are plant-derived chemicals, which are beneficial to human health and disease. They are naturally occurring in the medicinal plants, vegetables and grains. Researchers have identified antioxidant activities and phytochemical contents in the seeds of Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench (S. bicolor). The present study was aimed at determining the effects of spent lubricating oil (SLO) on the total antioxidant power (TAP), total flavonoid content (TFC), and total phenolic content (TPC) of S. bicolor. The SLO was fractionated into different fractions viz: water-soluble fraction (WSF), water insoluble fraction (WISF) and whole spent lubricating oil (WSLO) which were used to contaminate a cotton wool soil base for planting the brown sorghum (S.bicolor)seeds and samples were harvested after fourteen (14) days of germination. The results from the analysis showed that the control group extract had the highest total antioxidant power (32.00 mgGAE/g) when compared with other extracts, followed by water soluble fraction (WSF) extract (15.00 mgGAE/g), water insoluble fraction (WISF) extract (8.00 mgGAE/g) and the whole spent lubricating oil (WSLO) extract (7.00 mgGAE/g). The findings also revealed that the control group extract had a higher total phenolic content (20.00 mgGAE/g) when compared with other extracts. In comparison to the control group extract (7.00 mgGAE/g), the WISF extract (4.00 mgGAE/g), and the WSF extract (2.00 mgGAE/g), the WSLO extract (12.00 mgGAE/g) exhibited a higher total flavonoid content (TFC). The results of the study showed that although the different parameters indicated that SLO can affect the oxidative state of brown sorghum seeds but it can be seen that it may be possible for the plant to utilize some of the water soluble contents of the SLO to aid germination.