The Guardian (Nigeria)

Urine- to- energy inventor receives two new patents for discoverie­s

- By Chukwuma Muanya

ANigerian scientist and President/ Director of Research at Lumos Laboratori­es Nigeria Limited, Ejikeme Patrick Nwosu, has been awarded two Invention patent rights of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for his two latest innovation­s. This has brought the number of patents on his name to five.

The first patent is on developmen­t of Ezeugo Flask while the other is on creation of Fire Retardant Paint using byproduct from Lumos Laboratori­es’ urine- to- energy processing.

Nwosu, who has a Bachelor of Science degree in Pure and Industrial Chemistry from Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Anambra State and a Master of Science degree in Organic Chemistry from the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, told The Guardian: “From the best of my knowledge, we are the first to set up a pilot plant that converts urine into energy via a chemical reaction. Because we are the first, numbers of items needed to get things done were not on the shelves, we had to invent them. And that marked the creation and invention of TiclobLumo­s Method, Patrium Flask Reactor and now Ezeugo Flask and Fire Retardant Paint.”

The organic chemist said the Fire Retardant Paint is a by- product with fire retardant properties and were converted into fire retardant paint, a paint that when coated on furniture etc. will not be burnt by fire.

On Ezeugo Flask, Ejikeme said: “Our by- product is a mixture of solvent, miscible solute and colloid; from our best of knowledge there is no known separation technique and equipment to purify the byproduct effectivel­y. That marked the creation of Ezeugo Flask to do the job and this process can as well pass for a new separation technique coined Ezeugomisa­tion.

“My late Dad, Ezeugo, will specifical­ly be happy with these innovation­s. Thanks for your wonderful supports, before end of the year, I hope to get more innovation­s patented. Together, we can usher in a better world!”

On what the future holds, the organic chemist added: “It is obvious that our crude oil reserves will be exhausted in few decades to come. When this happens we will be forced to use other sources of fuel, but it would be more prudent to start acting prior to such state. Soon my discovery could replace fossil fuels in the near future.”

Among his scientific works are isolation of ammonia from human urine and Special theory of inorganic chemical reactions; projects he completed as an undergradu­ate and whose abstracts the American Chemical Society Book of Abstracts published in 2005. In 2011, Nwosu published a paper titled “Special theory of toxicity: Toxic properties of electron discovered”.

According to Nwosu’s findings, single electrons and lone pairs are the major contributo­rs to toxicity in elements and compounds. Atoxopy was also introduced in the said paper to treat some special cases of toxicity. His coined chemistry term, atoxopy, has been translated in Italian, Spanish, Filipino, Chinese and other languages, while the pronunciat­ion is also available on Youtube.

According to the company’s website, their research interests are in Renewable Energy, developmen­t of Human Immuno- deficiency Virus ( HIV)/ Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome ( AIDS) treatment, conversion of waste lubricatin­g oil into high quality ones, and developmen­t of wind/ solar/ biogas powered vehicles.

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