Halizah Awang

Adsorption studies of leachate on cockle shells

Sanitary landfills are important means of disposing municipal solid waste in developing countries. However, these landfills are associated with the generation of leachate, which if untreated may pose severe public health risk and may damage the ecosystem in the long term. In this study, cockle shells were explored as an adsorbent media for the treatment of a stabilized landfill leachate. The optimum shaking speed, pH, and dosage for chemical oxygen demand (COD) parameter removal were investigated using the adsorbent media of particle sizes ranging from 2.00 mm to 3.35 mm. Leachate characteristics were then determined. Results indicated that leachate is non-biodegradable with high concentrations of COD (1763 mg/L), ammonia nitrogen (573 mg/L), and biochemical oxygen demand/COD (0.09). The optimum conditions for shaking were determined at 150 rpm according to the adsorption of COD by the media. Optimum pH and dosage was 5.5 and 35 g/L, respectively. The adsorption isotherms indicated that Langmuir isotherm is better fitted than Freundlich isotherm.

Hydrology Properties At Sembrong Dam Reservoir in Johor

Water is fresh potable water is not always available at the right time or the right place for human or ecosystem use [1]. According to Straskraba and Tundisi (1999), water impoundments constructed by damming rivers are called dam reservoirs. Under the Malaysian Western Johore Agricultural Development Project, the main function of the Sembrong dam is flood mitigation. The secondary function of the dam is to provide clean water supply to 240,000 consumers in Kluang district area [2]. Water from the Sembrong dam reservoir is treated at the West Sembrong Water Treatment Plant before the distribution. Daily reservoir inflow data were extracted by applying the water balance model to the Sembrong dam reservoir. Developing hydrologic hazard curves for risk assessment uses the length of record and type of data to determine the extrapolation limits for flood frequency analysis [5]. Extrapolation beyond the data is often necessary to provide information needed for dam safety risk assessments [6]. The sources of information used for flood hazard analyses include stream flow and precipitation records and pale flood data.

Analysis of Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) as a potential alternative fibre in paper industry

Abstract The forest tree had become beneficial as the major source of raw materials for paper production. However, the main concern is the dwindling forest tree resources. Fibre substitution from non-wood sources can overcome this problem. The abundance of napier grass is characterized as agro waste material, and has a high potential to become one of the substitution fibres. The objective of this work was to analyse the chemical composition of napier grass and to investigate the morphological properties of napier grass fibre. The chemical composition of the fibre was analysed by the TAPPI test method, chlorination method and Kuchner–Hoffner method. The results indicate the potential of napier grass as a fibre. The napier grass morphology showed a condensed composition of fibre structure under a scanning electron microscope. This study of napier grass indicated the suitability for promoting the green technology in developing an eco-friendly product.

Cocoa Pod Husk and Corn Stalk: Alternative Paper Fibres Study on Chemical Characterization and Morphological Structures

Due to a shortage of wood source fibre in paper making industrys interest to agriculture residues fibre as a potential fibre sources in this industry. In this situation, importance has been developing in the paper industry from agriculture residue that will replace the wood fibre. Cocoa pod husk and Corn stalk are agriculture residues, which is good materials for paper production. The objectives of this study are to investigate the chemical characterization and surface morphology structure of these materials. The main components of materials which are cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and ash content were parameters that involved in determination of chemical characterization in this study. The determination of chemical composition was accordance to Kurshner-Hoffner approach (cellulose), Chlorine Method (hemicellulose), T 222 om-06 (lignin) and T 211 om-07 (ash content). Scanning electron microscopy was used to observe the surface structure of materials. From results obtained, corn stalk shows the higher amount in cellulose (39%) and hemicellulose (42%) content compared to the cocoa pod husk. In addition, lower lignin content also obtained in Corn stalk (7.3%) rather than that Cocoa pod husk (14.7%). From Scanning electron microscopy images, Corn stalk and Cocoa pod husk contained abundance lignocellulosic and rough surface structure due to the untreated materials. The result either chemical characterization or surface morphology that obtained in Corn stalk and Cocoa pod husk fibre wastes can be used successfully as an alternative fibres sources in papermaking application.

Potential of Agro Waste-Derived Adsorbent Material for Colour Removal

The potential of Empty Fruit Bunch obtained from palm oil tree as a low-cost adsorbent is a sustainable approach in wastewater treatment. The objective this study to investigate the capability of EFB for removal colour from natural rubber wastewater as well as the influence of adsorbent dosage, pH, shaking speed and contact time. The results of the analysis show that all selected factors exhibit significant effect on removal of colour. Maximum removal (87.1%) for colour was achieved at 3.5 g of adsorbent dosage, pH 7, 150 rpm of shaking speed, 120 min of contact time. The Langmuir isotherm (R2 = 0.9913) described colour adsorption slightly better than the Freundlich isotherm (R2 = 0.9805), suggesting a monolayer adsorption behavior of the adsorption processes

Micro-Peat as a Potential Low-Cost Adsorbent Material for COD and NH3-N Removal

Micro-peat (M-P) was demonstrated in the present study as a potential low cost natural adsorbent for the removal of COD and ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N) from landfill leachate. A series of batch experiments were carried out under fixed conditions and the influence of mixture ratio was investigated. The characteristics of leachate were then determined. Results indicated that leachate is non-biodegradable with high concentration of COD (2739.06 mg/L), NH3-N (1765.34 mg/L) and BOD5/COD ratio (0.09). The optimum ratio for activated carbon (AC) and M-P in the removal of COD and NH3-N obtained were at 2.5:1.5 (87%) and 1.0:3.0 (65%) respectively. The low-cost natural adsorbent used in the present investigation is an attractive alternative to the conventional adsorbent (AC). Thus, M-P can be appropriated for use in leachate treatment that could be cost-effective due its local availability and adsorption property.

Studies on Physical and Mechanical Properties by Soda-AQ Pulping of Napier Grass

Pulp and paper production from wood material as their main resources have a total capacity about more than one million tons per year. Malaysia has a high scale of deforestation based on the main resource for pulp and paper-based industry. Malaysia as its rate is accelerating faster than any other tropical countries in the world. This problem also affects the economic losses of some countries that face deforestation. To overcome this, Napier grass as a substitute material from non-wood material had been choose for pulp and papermaking industry. This study through the full fibre analysis and morphological characterization, pulpability at kappa number via soda-AQ pulping and the characteristic. These conclude that Napier grass had a high percentage of pulp yields; with a low screening rejects; good mechanical properties by TAPPI method. Thus, Napier grass has a potential to be substitute material for becoming waste-wealth product especially for Malaysia’s pulp and papermaking industry.

Relationship between the Learning Styles Preferences and Academic Achievement

The individual learning differences that have been much explored relate to differences in personality, learning styles, strategies and conceptual of learning. This article studies the learning style profile exhibited by students towards the academic achievement in Malaysian Polytechnic. The relationship between learning styles of Polytechnic students and their academic achievement based on VARK learning styles model. The target population was international business students of Malaysian Polytechnic. By means of randomly sampling method, 103 students were selected as sample of research. By descriptive - survey research method and a questionnaire adapted from VARK Learning Style Index, required data were collected. According to the results, no significantly difference between learning style and academic achievement of students. Students academic achievement was quite similar to their individual learning styles. These facts reveal that each learning style has its own strengths and weaknesses.

Water Quality Study at Sembrong Dam Reservoir in Johor

Rivers play a major role for communities especially in fisheries and as a source of water for people residing within the vicinity. Water quality is of utmost importance and it covers a wide range of approaches and conflicts. Water is super abundant on the planet, as whole, but fresh potable water is not always available at the right time or the right place for human or ecosystem use [3]. Water quality refers to the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water. It is a measure of the condition of water relative to the requirements of one or more biotic species and or to any human need or purpose. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which compliance can be assessed. Sembrong dam reservoir was built by damming a river. When a reservoir is built along a river’s flow, the physical, chemical and biological conditions of the river are disrupted to some degree [2]. Since Sembrong dam reservoir is constructed on large lowland rivers with gradually sloping banks, it can be characterized by inundation of large areas, extreme horizontal variability with extensive shallows riparian vegetation and shallow reservoir. Such reservoir is usually eutrophic and high natural organic load are likely to contribute to the formation of an anoxic hypolimnion [9]. Shallow reservoir is usually well mixed by wind, and this leads to non-stratified condition [7]. Therefore, Sembrong dam reservoir can be categorized as shallow unstratified reservoir.

Analysis by Pineapple Leaf in Chemical Pulping Process

Malaysia has an abundance of agro waste material that have not been fully utilized to a maximum production. Thus, the finding of a new alternative fiber in non wood material will be favorable in paper production. Pineapple (Ananas Comosus) is the common tropical plant, which consists of coalesced berries. This pineapple is leading member of the family of Bromeliaceae and it came from genus Ananas. Fiber bundle from pineapple leaf can be separated from the cortex where it reveals the pineapple leaf fiber in multi-cellular and lignocelluloses pattern. This leaf has a ribbon-like structure and cemented together by lignin, pentosan-like materials, where it contributes to the strength of fiber [7]. All parts in pineapple from fruits to leaves could be consumed to give a health benefit for human life. Pineapple had been used as textile fiber, anti-inflammatory and also anti-helminthic agent. According to the FAO online database, the Malaysian country had consumed 255,000 tones per year and in third position in the world of consuming pineapple production. Pineapple is mainly produced as canned fruits and also coarse textiles in some Southeast Asian countries. Leaves of pineapple had been used as coarse textiles because of the fiber composition and structure inside the leaves [3]. All fibrous in non wood materials especially pineapple leaf consists of cellulose, holocellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin along with some extraneous material called extractives such as gum and resin. Previous research indicates pineapple leaf fiber contained higher cellulose content than wood fiber. Pineapple leaf fibers also consist of lignin [23], an adhesive component that binds the cellulose and hemicellulose. Pineapple leaf fiber had the lowest lignin content than other alternative fiber, which is favorable during chemical processing [12]. The chemical composition aspects have been considered in the previous literature, such as banana stem, coconut and oil palm and had been reported extensively. Pineapple leaf reported has a lowest lignin (10.5%) rather than banana stem (18.6%), oil palm (20.5%) and coconut (32.8%) that suggest can undergo bleaching more easily and have high fiber strength [12]. Besides that, pineapple leaf contains high holocelulose content (87.6%) than banana stem (65.2%), oil palm (83.5%) and coconut (56.3%) [11]. Those properties depend on the content of chemical composition in the pineapple leaf fiber, which is cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin content [15].