Mohd Hafez Mohd Isa

Response Surface Methodology for Biobutanol Optimization Using Locally Isolated Clostridium acetobutylicum YM1

In this study, response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to optimize and investigate the ability of yeast extract, CaCO3, MgSO4, and K2HPO4 to maximize biobutanol production by a novel local isolate of Clostridium acetobutylicum YM1. A central composite design was applied as the experimental design, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze the experimental data. A quadratic polynomial equation was obtained for biobutanol production by multiple regression analysis. ANOVA analysis showed that the model was significant (p < 0.0001), and the yeast extract, CaCO3, and MgSO4 concentrations had a significant effect on biobutanol production. However, K2HPO4 did not have a significant effect on biobutanol production. The estimated optimum combinations for biobutanol production using C. acetobutylicum YM1 were 2 g/L yeast extract, 6 g/L CaCO3, 0.1 g/L MgSO4, and 1.1 g/L K2HPO4. Subsequently, the model was validated through use of the estimated optimum conditions, which confirmed the model validity and 13.67 g/L of biobutanol was produced.

Development of chitosan/pluronic F108/polyethersulfone (PES) nanofiltration (NF) membrane for oily wastewater treatment

This study discusses a new finding for nanofiltration membrane development using phase inversion technique whereby polyethersulfone (PES) polymer was added with surfactant and additive. This research focuses on the development of a membrane that is efficient in treating oily wastewater and reducing membrane’s low permeation flux issues. Five PES nanofiltration membranes were synthesized with pluronic F108 surfactant and different amounts of chitosan additive for each formulation. Subsequently, the effect of adding surfactant and additive on membrane performance was studied. Results showed that the membrane with the optimal amount of chitosan gave the highest flux and the rejection of oily wastewater with up to 90%. In addition, Fourier transform-infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy technique was used to characterize and analyse the membrane’s properties. Hence, the developed membranes were successfully characterized and proved to be a good treatment for oily wastewater.This study discusses a new finding for nanofiltration membrane development using phase inversion technique whereby polyethersulfone (PES) polymer was added with surfactant and additive. This research focuses on the development of a membrane that is efficient in treating oily wastewater and reducing membrane’s low permeation flux issues. Five PES nanofiltration membranes were synthesized with pluronic F108 surfactant and different amounts of chitosan additive for each formulation. Subsequently, the effect of adding surfactant and additive on membrane performance was studied. Results showed that the membrane with the optimal amount of chitosan gave the highest flux and the rejection of oily wastewater with up to 90%. In addition, Fourier transform-infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy technique was used to characterize and analyse the membrane’s properties. Hence, the developed membranes were successfully characterized and proved to be a good treatment for oily wastewater.

Fabrication and characterisation of polyethersulfone/chitosan/non-ionic nanofiltration membrane for dyes removal

Recently, dyes are generally used in various industries and release of these dyes into streams will pose a serious threat to the environment. In this research, a nanofiltration membrane was fabricated via phase inversion as it is one of the most convenient methods for membrane fabrication. It is used in removing dyes by using pluronic as a surfactant and chitosan as an additive. By varying the concentration of pluronic as a surfactant at 1 wt%, 2 wt%, and 3 wt%, and a constant amount of chitosan as an additive, three newly dope solutions were formulated. The fabricated membranes were analyzed by evaluating the membrane in terms of pure water permeation (PWP), permeation flux, salts rejection and dyes rejection. The introduction of pluronic as a surfactant and chitosan as an additive to the nanofiltration membrane produced high PWP and presented high salts rejection and dyes removal. Generally, high dyes rejections were achieved by M3 which contained high weight percentage (wt%) of pluronic as it showed highest percentage rejection for acid red, methyl blue and reactive black 5. The functional groups of the membranes were characterized and verified by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).Recently, dyes are generally used in various industries and release of these dyes into streams will pose a serious threat to the environment. In this research, a nanofiltration membrane was fabricated via phase inversion as it is one of the most convenient methods for membrane fabrication. It is used in removing dyes by using pluronic as a surfactant and chitosan as an additive. By varying the concentration of pluronic as a surfactant at 1 wt%, 2 wt%, and 3 wt%, and a constant amount of chitosan as an additive, three newly dope solutions were formulated. The fabricated membranes were analyzed by evaluating the membrane in terms of pure water permeation (PWP), permeation flux, salts rejection and dyes rejection. The introduction of pluronic as a surfactant and chitosan as an additive to the nanofiltration membrane produced high PWP and presented high salts rejection and dyes removal. Generally, high dyes rejections were achieved by M3 which contained high weight percentage (wt%) of pluronic as it showed hi...

Development of polyethersulfone (PES)/silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)/polyethylene glycol (PEG) nanofiltration membrane

Nanofiltration is a membrane-based separation process that has been used widely in the separation and purification fields for various applications such as dye desalting, applications of water softening, pharmaceuticals and wastewater treatment. In this research, polyethersulfone (PES), polyethylene glycol (PEG), Pluronic F108 and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) nanofiltration membrane was prepared using casting solution technique with N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) was used as a solvent. The effects of Pluronic F108 and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) concentrations in the casting solutions on the membrane performance/properties were also studied. The membrane pure water permeation (PWP) and salt rejection tests were carried out for membrane performance analysis. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used for the membrane morphology characterization. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was utilized to identify functional groups in the membrane. Membrane with 2.0 wt.% of Pluronic F108 and 0.05 wt.% of AgNPs showed the best performances for both PWP (40.89 L/m2h) as well as permeation flux of salts solution of NaCl (43.95 L/m2h), Na2SO4 (21.16 L/m2h), MgCl2 (26.46 L/m2h) and MgSO4 (20.41 L/m2h). All fabricated membranes with different formulation of dope composition obtained high salts rejection in the range of 79% to 91%. SEM images showed addition of AgNPs has improved fabricated membrane morphology with higher pore density and larger macro-void structure.Nanofiltration is a membrane-based separation process that has been used widely in the separation and purification fields for various applications such as dye desalting, applications of water softening, pharmaceuticals and wastewater treatment. In this research, polyethersulfone (PES), polyethylene glycol (PEG), Pluronic F108 and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) nanofiltration membrane was prepared using casting solution technique with N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) was used as a solvent. The effects of Pluronic F108 and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) concentrations in the casting solutions on the membrane performance/properties were also studied. The membrane pure water permeation (PWP) and salt rejection tests were carried out for membrane performance analysis. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used for the membrane morphology characterization. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was utilized to identify functional groups in the membrane. Membrane with 2.0 wt.% of Pluronic F108 and 0.05 wt.% of AgNPs s...

The effect of gamma irradiation on chitosan and its application as a plant growth promoter in Chinese kale (Brassica alboglabra)

This research project was conducted to study the effects of irradiation on chitosan and its potential application as a plant growth promoter. Chitosan in the form of flakes was irradiated with gamma rays at irradiation dosage of 50 kGy, 100 kGy, 200 kGy and 400 kGy. The effect of irradiation on chitosan in terms of intrinsic viscosity and average molecular weight was measured using Ubbelohde capillary viscometry technique and the results obtained showed irradiation at doses of up to 50 kGy had caused an extremely significant reduction of both parameters and this trend continued at higher irradiation doses, although the decrease were not significant. The effect of various concentrations of chitosan and irradiated chitosan on growth promotion of Chinese kale (Brassica alboglabra) was hydroponically grown and cultivated for 50 days. Statistical analysis showed addition of 10 ppm of irradiated chitosan of 200 kGy and 400 kGy, respectively, resulted in an extremely significant increase in the percentage weight gain of Chinese kale (Brassica alboglabra). Results obtained in this study showed the potential use of irradiated chitosan as a plant growth promoter for plants grown hydroponically.

S&T converging trends in dealing with disaster: A review on AI tools

Science and Technology (S&T) has been able to help mankind to solve or minimize problems when arise. Different methodologies, techniques and tools were developed or used for specific cases by researchers, engineers, scientists throughout the world, and numerous papers and articles have been written by them. Nine selected cases such as flash flood, earthquakes, workplace accident, fault in aircraft industry, seismic vulnerability, disaster mitigation and management, and early fault detection in nuclear industry have been studied. This paper looked at those cases, and their results showed nearly 60% uses artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool. This paper also did some review that will help young researchers in deciding the types of AI tools to be selected; thus proving the future trends in S&T.