Accumulation And Extraction Of Polyhydroxyalkanoate From Aerobic Granules Treating Palm Oil Mill Effluent

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) is a biodegradable polymer which has attracted a lot of interests among researchers lately. In tandem with that, PHA synthesis in microorganisms treating palm oil mill effluent (POME) is an interesting prospect. Aerobic granules developed using POME are totally unexplored till date for PHA synthesis. POME (acidogenically digested) used in this study was collected from an existing anaerobic pond of palm oil mill wastewater treatment plant. The findings of this study showed that aerobic granules were successfully developed using acidogenically digested POME within 9 days and 85 % of the influent COD was removed on average. The developed aerobic granules had an average sludge volume index (SVI) of 48 mL/g. The extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) in aerobic granules contained higher proportion of protein than carbohydrate. Besides that, 16S rRNA analysis indicated that Bacillus and Bordetella genera were the dominating group of bacteria in aerobic granules developed using acidogenically digested POME. The ensuing analysis reveals that aerobic granules were able to accumulate PHA during the treatment of acidogenically digested POME. The average PHA content was 0.68 g PHA/g CDW and the PHA accumulated was co-polymer of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate (P3(HB-co-HV)). The subsequent study reveals that at the cycle time of 6 hrs, the aerobic dynamic feeding (ADF) strategy accumulates the highest PHA (0.651 g PHA/g CDW) of all other strategies. Meanwhile, the PHA recovery study reveals that the sodium hypochlorite-chloroform dispersion method is the best choice compared to other three methods used. The key element in recovering PHA from aerobic granules found to be nearly complete removal of EPS layer in the aerobic granules. The PHA recovery yield was 0.89 g PHA/g CDW in the sodium hypochlorite-chloroform dispersion method. On the other hand, the growth-disintegration processes found to influence the amount of PHA accumulating capability. Granules in between 0.35 and 0.50 mm accumulated 0.68 g PHA/g CDW compared to 0.60 g PHA/g CDW in granules larger than 2 mm. Substrate and oxygen diffusion into the aerobic granules found to be the reason for this difference. Increase of organic loading rate (OLR) from 0.91 to 3.64 kg COD/m3.day has increased the PHA content from 0.66 to 0.87 g PHA/g CDW, respectively. Meanwhile, increase of aeration rate from 1 to 4 L/min has accelerated the formation of PHA only, whereas the PHA content in aerobic granules remained constant. The residual oil was found to attach on the surface of aerobic granules and subsequently limits the substrate diffusion which in turn decreased the PHA content. The inhibition constant was 5.61 g/L residual oil. The overall outcome of this study converges towards the successful PHA accumulation in aerobic granules

Fixed Bed Adsorption Of Methylene Blue By Using Palm Oil Mill Effluent Waste Activated Sludge.

The waste activated sludge (WAS) discharged during the aerobic treatment of palm oil mill effluent (POME) was used to produce a low cost adsorbent for the removal of methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solution

Development And Utilization Of Aerobic Granular Biomass In Palm Oil Mill Effluent (Pome) Treatment

Palm oil mill effluent (POME) discharged without proper treatment could cause severe environmental problem in Malaysia. The conventional biological treatment method using activated sludge in series of ponds is considered obsolete. Hence, in this work, aerobic granular biomass was developed and utilized for the treatment of POME in the sequencing batch reactor (SBR). The mean diameter of the developed aerobic granule was 0.9 mm. The developed aerobic granule managed to remove about 88% of the influent COD at average, throughout the operation of SBR

Impacts of the Japanese Middle-Class Work Culture on the Development of the Nation

Japanese are legendary for their workaholic nature which eventually makes Japan be super-aged country. This research aims to identify the drawbacks of their work culture towards their nation. 345 questionnaires were received using convenience sampling in Kanto and Kyushu areas. The recorded Cronbach Alpha of reliability is 0.623, which is an acceptable level. From the descriptive analysis, is it found that the majority of the respondents strongly agree that the job stress makes them neglect their responsibilities, increasing karoshi and karojisatsu, increasing sexless marriages, and declining birth rate. The government should encourage a healthy work-life balance among the Japanese. Keywords: Labor force, Karoshi, Karojisatsu, super-aged nation. eISSN: 2398-4287© 2021. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians/Africans/Arabians), and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v6i18.305

Mix design for self-compacting palm oil clinker concrete based on particle packing

The consumption of waste materials in self-compacting concrete (SCC) in the construction industry will not only help to conserve the natural resources but also promote sustainability in preserving the environment. Palm oil clinker (POC) is a waste by-product from the incineration process of oil palm shells and fibres. They are porous and lightweight in nature, which makes them suitable for use as a lightweight aggregate (LWA). In this study, a new procedure was employed to obtain the mix design based on the particle packing (PP) concept to ensure the fresh and hardened properties of SCC are achieved. The actual packing level of aggregate and paste volume is integrated into the proportioning method to obtain the final mix design. The proposed procedure was verified by evaluating the SCC formed for self-compactability and mechanical properties. Based on the overall performance of fresh and hardened properties, it can be deduced that the procedure satisfied the requirements for SCC. The satisfactory results indicate that the mix design can be employed not only for POC but also for a variety of combinations of aggregate. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd

Feasibility study of palm oil clinker as environmentally friendly self-compacting concrete / Jegathish Kanadasan

The environmental problems resulting from a myriad of improper waste management issues have been on the rise for the past few decades. Some of these wastes have a high potential to be converted into usable materials to avoid excessive use of natural resources. In this study, the incorporation of palm oil clinker (POC), a waste from the palm oil mill as a lightweight aggregate for the production of self-compacting concrete (SCC) was researched thoroughly. A complete characterisation study on POC was carried out to understand its physical, chemical and microstructural properties. POC specimens were collected from the respective states throughout Malaysia to identify the variations and the likely causes leading to differences. Since POC is lightweight, porous and irregular in shape, a new mix design methodology was required to accommodate these properties to boost the fresh and hardened SCC properties. Particle packing (PP) concept was developed to suit the special POC characteristics. The void volume and the packing values were analysed and later integrated into a mix proportion. POC powder was introduced instead of using excessive amount of cement to supplement the need for extra paste. Fresh properties of SCC were determined and checked against a normal accepted standard to ensure they comply with the regulated limits. The hardened properties of the concrete were determined through compressive strength, flexural strength, splitting tensile strength and modulus of elasticity. The long-term behaviour of the concrete was investigated through a series of durability tests. As this study focuses on the use of waste material, a sustainability assessment is necessary to highlight the advantages and contributions. This was carried out through a complete greenhouse gas emission study, life cycle assessment, cost efficiency and energy efficiency. Smaller variations in strength and sustainability properties of the POC specimens throughout Malaysia indicate the adaptability of the material to be used in concrete. POC powder, a new material introduced in this study showed significant achievement in strength,engineering economic index (ECI) and engineering environmental index (EEI) by 71%, 26% and 42% respectively when 50% of cement is replaced. For mass production, POC powder can save about 3.3% of cement for every tonne of crude palm oil produced. Generally, substitution of POC has the ability to produce almost 70% to 78% strength properties of the conventional concrete, making it feasible to be used in construction industry. Sustainable assessment carried out showed that the EEI and ECI for POC concrete were enhanced by 25% and 36% respectively. From durability standpoint, POC showed significant improvement at a longer assessment period indicating the quality of the waste material. Parallel with the principle of ‘research leading towards applications’, two products namely palm oil clinker ornament (POCON) and palm oil clinker drain (POCDRA) were designed and tested for commercial use. POC which is being disposed off without any value definitely would provide a much needed impetus to the construction industry by supplementing quality aggregates and cement alternative. In a nutshell, this research has enabled the successful utilization of POC for the production of SC

Engineering and sustainability performance of self-compacting palm oil mill incinerated waste concrete

The different stages in the processing of palm oil generate various types of waste by-products, which have to be disposed of appropriately for a cleaner environment and to reduce pollution. In this study, palm oil clinker (POC), one of the by-products of the palm oil mill, was utilized in the production of self-compacting concrete (SCC). SCC has diverse types of structural application due to its own enhanced self-consolidating behaviour. The proportioning of the mixes was based on particle packing, which integrates both aggregate packing and void volume for a mix of aggregates. Combinations of POC and natural aggregate were studied at various substitution levels ranging from 0 to 100 for both fresh and hardened properties. In addition, a few of the results were integrated into sustainability components to evaluate the effectiveness of the concrete both economically and environmentally. It was found that POC aggregate require three times lower energy consumption for preparation compared to conventional aggregate. Overall, POC incorporation showed enhanced structural efficiency with a significant reduction in cost and energy usage. Furthermore, the sustainability of the construction industry can be conserved with the introduction of POC as an alternative source for concreting work. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Utilization of Palm Oil Clinker as Cement Replacement Material

The utilization of waste materials from the palm oil industry provides immense benefit to various sectors of the construction industry. Palm oil clinker is a by-product from the processing stages of palm oil goods. Channelling this waste material into the building industry helps to promote sustainability besides overcoming waste disposal problems. Environmental pollution due to inappropriate waste management system can also be drastically reduced. In this study, cement was substituted with palm oil clinker powder as a binder material in self-compacting mortar. The fresh, hardened and microstructure properties were evaluated throughout this study. In addition, sustainability component analysis was also carried out to assess the environmental impact of introducing palm oil clinker powder as a replacement material for cement. It can be inferred that approximately 3.3% of cement production can be saved by substituting palm oil clinker powder with cement. Reducing the utilization of cement through a high substitution level of this waste material will also help to reduce carbon emissions by 52%. A cleaner environment free from pollutants can be created to ensure healthier living. Certain industries may benefit through the inclusion of this waste material as the cost and energy consumption of the product can be minimized

Properties of high flowable mortar containing high volume palm oil clinker (POC) fine for eco-friendly construction

The management of waste material from various industries has been given importance in recent times to create a cleaner environment and sustainable industrial atmosphere. Palm oil clinker (POC), one of the by-products from the incineration process of oil palm shell and fibres in the palm oil mill boilers, has the potential to pollute the environment if not managed appropriately. In this study, the applicability and feasibility of POC fine as a substitute for sand was investigated thoroughly at different replacement levels (0%, 12.5%, 25%, 37.5%, 50%, 62.5%, 75%, 87.5% and 100%). It was found that complete replacement of sand with POC fine has the ability to produce almost 78% of the strength compared to the conventional mix at 56 days. From the perspective of durability, POC fine can produce almost 97% of the long lasting effect with regards to the control mix. The assessment of sustainability shows that POC fine can enhance the engineering environmental index and engineering economic index by 95% and 11%, respectively. Life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) performed proves the ability of POC to promote cleaner and safer environment. This research reveals that POC fine can be regarded as a highly beneficial material contributing substantially towards the sustainability and preservation of sand as a natural resource even when completely substituted