The removal of ammonia-nitrogen and degradation of 17alpha-ethynylestradiol and mestranol using partial fixed bed continuous reactor (PFBR) and moving bed continuous reactor (MBBR).

Effective treatment of wastewater is an important process in reducing the environmental impact of industry and human activity. Although conventional water treatment systems can adequately remove the principle components of waste (i.e. substances that can be represented the majority of biological and chemical oxygen demand) several materials are poorly or slowly removed. Tertiary treatment polishing processes are therefore required to remove these contaminants to ensure complete wastewater treatment. This thesis reports investigations made using film reactors that are used to remove recalcitrant materials such as ammonia- nitrogen and endocrine disrupters that although present in low concentrations, if left untreated can have a strong impact on the environment. Film reactors potentially offer several process advantages over conventional activated sludge treatments systems as they allow very long residence time and contact with high concentrations of fixed microbes with the low concentrations of pollutants so enhancing kinetic performance and efficiency of the process. Two reactor configurations, a partial fixed bed (PFBR) and moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBR) were investigated. A thirty liter reactor with a working volume of 16 liters was constructed and contained fixed microbial films on either free suspended or fixed beds plastic packing (K2 AnoxKaldnes). The investigation of ammonia-nitrogen oxidation showed that after a suitable acclimation period (2 weeks) that ammonia was oxidise rapidly reducing the feed concentrations of 35 mg/L to 2 mg/L while the PFBR could also achieve 2 mg/L. The MBBR system was also more competent in the removal of 17alpha-ethynylestradiol (EE2) and mestranol compared to PFBR. This work demonstrates that there are considerable advantages to using thin film reactors as polishing step for the tertiary treatment of waste waters when to compared to other processes in reducing the inorganic pollutants as endocrine disrupting compounds. The significance of these results is discussed in this context

Assessment of CO2 Emission and Energy Reduction on Solid Waste in Jeram Landfill Using Warm Analysis

Today, the increasing of solid waste generation became the major issue in Malaysia due to high population growth. The greenhouse emission and high energy consumption resulted from improper management of solid waste have caused a significant effect on the inhabitants and the environment. Hence, it is necessary to develop an integrated solid waste management plan to combat this problem. The challenges are to educate the communities in managing their own waste in a good manner. Recycling awareness among society should also be emphasized to ensure that waste generated can be properly managed. This paper focused on the greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions and energy consumption of municipal solid waste management. The aim of this research is to estimate the income generated from recycling activities from the municipal authority in Shah Alam and Klang district in Selangor. The analysis was done using waste reduction model (WARM) created by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), United States. The results indicated that the GHG emission that can be reduced by the Klang authority was 3,024.20 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents (MTCO2E) compared to 2,577.80 MTCO2E for Shah Alam authority. The same result has been obtained for the energy emission which indicated the highest saving was 824.90 metric tons of coal equivalents (MTCE) by the Klang authority. However, the Shah Alam authority can only save the amount of 702.80 MTCE. The total incremental of energy used generated by WARM showed that Klang authority can save 23,290.20 million British thermal unit (MBTU) compared to Shah Alam authority of 19,862.80 MBTU. The percentage difference between the Klang authority and the Shah Alam authority in the GHG and energy emission reduction was approximately 14.80%. The total income from recyclable materials for Klang and Shah Alam authority was obtained as RM 918, 638.16. The estimation of GHG emission from both Klang and Shah Alam authority was depending on the solid waste generated and disposal method. In terms of GHG emission, waste separation includes recycling activities could reduce the GHG emission, less air pollution and more environmentally friendly

ENRICHING THE CULTURE OF AMMONIA OXIDIZING BACTERIA FROM SOIL AND FISHPOND WITH BIO-FILTERS

A special group of microorganisms, which are called ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB), is capable to reduce ammonia-nitrogen from the ecosystem. However, this bacterium is slow growing and has a low yield capacity. Hence, the objective of this research was to grow the AOB using a support medium in the form of biofilters to reduce the ammonia-nitrogen. The enrichment cultures of this AOB were performed from the inoculum of common soil and effluent from fishpond. The experiment was conducted using two sets of flasks labelled Medium A and Medium B, respectively. Each medium contained three flasks of which Flasks 1 and 2 were inoculated with the common soil and effluent from a fishpond. Flask 3 was the control, which contained neither soil nor effluent from any fishpond or bio-filter. Then the ammonia-nitrogen and the formation of nitrite-nitrogen were measured. The results showed that the enrichment culture of the effluent of the fishpond had achieved a high formation of nitrite-nitrogen (450 µg/L) in comparison with the enrichment culture of the soil (360 µg/L). A high reduction of ammonia-nitrogen (50%) was obtained from the fishpond culture rather than the soil (40%). Secondly, a higher reduction of ammonia-nitrogen and production of nitrite-nitrogen were found in the bio-filter flasks against the controls (without bio-filter). In summary, it can be concluded that the bio-filter can be a reliable support to grow AOB

Human and Animals Conflicts: A case study of wildlife roadkill in Malaysia

Conflicts between humans and animals have been a challenge due to rapid urbanization. Most of the forest is cleared to build roads and highway. Thus, animals need to migrate or move for their survival. This paper aims to review wildlife roadkill data from PERHILITAN and arranged it under several groups of species. Here, quantitative analysis of the roadkill data is used to select one species as the primary subject (Malayan Tapir). It has been observed that Malayan Tapir has involved in 68 vehicle collisions with a total loss of RM6.8 million in 5 years. From these results, long-term mitigation measures have been addressed in this study.Keywords: human; road construction; wildlife roadkill; mitigationeISSN: 2398-4287 © 2020. 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) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/e-bpj.v5i13.209

The Efficacy of Activated Carbon From Organic Waste in Treating Wastewater Effluent

Increasing population growth with high socio-economic development has changed the world landscape. Due to that, these advancements have resulted in significant challenges, such as water quality degradation and inadequate management of solid waste. Moreover, the overall environmental impacts have threatened water security and caused global warming. In addressing these critical issues, a robust water treatment technology is required. Using activated carbon (AC) to enhance wastewater effluent quality has proven to be a promising and sustainable solution, particularly in developing countries like Malaysia. AC from sugarcane bagasse (SCB), empty fruit bunch (EFB), and rice husk (RH) have been identified as abundant bioresources in Malaysia. These materials possess unique compositions and potential for reuse. The production of AC involves both physical activation through a carbonization process at 600°C and chemical activation through impregnation with ZnCl2. In the study, samples from wastewater effluent were collected and analyzed for several parameters, including total suspended solids (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), ammonia-nitrogen, nitrite-nitrogen, and nitrate-nitrogen. The samples have undergone treatment using activated carbon with various ratios. Here, the removal efficiency of pollutants was determined before and after the batch experiment. It can be denoted that AC, composed of SCB:EFB:RH in a ratio of 1.5:1:1, demonstrated an outstanding performance with an average percentage removal of 97%. Later, a detailed analysis of the physicochemical characteristics of the AC was conducted. The output revealed significant surface modifications and alterations in the functional groups of the AC due to the adsorption process. These findings set a remarkable implication for tertiary treatment in enhancing the quality of effluent. This innovation provides valuable insight into implementing sustainable practices in wastewater treatment operations. Thus, this project holds immense potential by offering cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and adaptation of green technology for long-term solutions

Maintenance strategy selection using fuzzy delphi method in Royal Malaysian Air Force

The proper maintenance strategy is significant in extending assets and equipment, thus saving maintenance within an organization. Currently, there are three types of maintenance strategies implemented in the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), namely Reactive Maintenance (RM), Preventive Maintenance (PM), and Condition Based Maintenance (CBM). Due to the constraints in terms of maintenance costs by RMAF, choosing the right maintenance strategy is important to ensure that the maintenance provision can be optimized. In this research study, the Fuzzy Delphi Method has been used as a tool in determining the most effective maintenance strategies to be adopted by the RMAF. The output of agreement and opinion from experts in the related field has been used to select the appropriate maintenance strategy. In choosing this maintenance strategy, goals are set first in line with RMAF maintenance’s objectives. The specified maintenance goals are as follows; low maintenance cost, reducing the chance of a breakdown, safety, feasibility on the acceptance by labor, and response time starting from failure. Later, the result showed that the fuzzy score for RM, PM, and CBM was 0.747, 0.789, and 0.767, respectively. The highest fuzzy score showed the most accepted method chosen by the expert. Based on the result and maintenance goals that have been outlined, experts have agreed to choose PM as a maintenance method that should be given priority to be implemented in RMAF compared to other maintenance methods due to the highest fuzzy score

Waste segregation through recycle and composting activities in urban and suburban areas

The number of wastes generated in Malaysia is increasing every year. Eighty per cent of solid waste in landfills comes from recycled material, and food waste production has risen to around 15 000 tons per day. Recyclable waste and food waste are the highest waste produced in landfills. Recycling and food composting are two solutions that can reduce waste and slow down the rate of garbage received at the landfill. This research aims to determine the knowledge and awareness of waste segregation through recycling and composting. This paper also identifies the constraint of respondents on performing waste segregation. Here, an online questionnaire has been distributed to the community in urban and suburban areas in Selangor and Johor. A total of 125 respondents participated in this study. Analysis from the survey found no significant difference in the knowledge of waste segregation through recycling and composting between urban and suburban areas. It can be denoted that the respondents have a basic understanding of awareness on waste segregation, although only a few have not practised recycling due to several highlighted constraints. Therefore, some recommendation has been emphasized based on this finding, such as installing reverse vending machines (RVM), organizing campaigns, and providing more information on waste segregation. These suggestions have been the top choices to encourage waste segregation in the community. Moreover, further study needs to be extended to the household group in other states and assessing the effectiveness of RVM will elucidate the segregation behaviours among the community

Waste segregation through recycle and composting activities in urban and suburban areas

The number of wastes generated in Malaysia is increasing every year. Eighty per cent of solid waste in landfills comes from recycled material, and food waste production has risen to around 15 000 tons per day. Recyclable waste and food waste are the highest waste produced in landfills. Recycling and food composting are two solutions that can reduce waste and slow down the rate of garbage received at the landfill. This research aims to determine the knowledge and awareness of waste segregation through recycling and composting. This paper also identifies the constraint of respondents on performing waste segregation. Here, an online questionnaire has been distributed to the community in urban and suburban areas in Selangor and Johor. A total of 125 respondents participated in this study. Analysis from the survey found no significant difference in the knowledge of waste segregation through recycling and composting between urban and suburban areas. It can be denoted that the respondents have a basic understanding of awareness on waste segregation, although only a few have not practised recycling due to several highlighted constraints. Therefore, some recommendation has been emphasized based on this finding, such as installing reverse vending machines (RVM), organizing campaigns, and providing more information on waste segregation. These suggestions have been the top choices to encourage waste segregation in the community. Moreover, further study needs to be extended to the household group in other states and assessing the effectiveness of RVM will elucidate the segregation behaviours among the community

Application of water hyacinth in phytoremediation of wastewater

Wastewater is any water source that a human has used for domestic, agricultural, commercial, or industrial activity. Wastewater needs to be treated before being discharged into the environment to reduce contamination of water bodies. The wastewater treatment must follow the Environmental Quality (Sewage) Regulations, 2009. Rivers in Malaysia continue to suffer wastewater pollution from the inefficiency of treatment. Wastewater has been recognized as the significant cause of these issues. Many physical, chemical, and biological techniques have evolved for sewage treatment. It has been observed that biological procedures are advantageous, and one of these procedures that can be considered is phytoremediation. Thus, this study investigated the effectiveness of water hyacinths in treating wastewater, such as the effluent from the wastewater treatment plant, river, and pond in Pusat Asasi, UiTM Dengkil, Selangor, by phytoremediation. Different parameters of pH, suspended solids, phosphorus, ammonia-nitrogen, nitrite-nitrogen, nitrate-nitrogen, chemical oxygen demand and biological oxygen demand have been assessed. The research has been conducted with experimental works of 14 days. The laboratory works showed a significant reduction in most parameters after two weeks of phytoremediation

Application of water hyacinth in phytoremediation of wastewater

Wastewater is any water source that a human has used for domestic, agricultural, commercial, or industrial activity. Wastewater needs to be treated before being discharged into the environment to reduce contamination of water bodies. The wastewater treatment must follow the Environmental Quality (Sewage) Regulations, 2009. Rivers in Malaysia continue to suffer wastewater pollution from the inefficiency of treatment. Wastewater has been recognized as the significant cause of these issues. Many physical, chemical, and biological techniques have evolved for sewage treatment. It has been observed that biological procedures are advantageous, and one of these procedures that can be considered is phytoremediation. Thus, this study investigated the effectiveness of water hyacinths in treating wastewater, such as the effluent from the wastewater treatment plant, river, and pond in Pusat Asasi, UiTM Dengkil, Selangor, by phytoremediation. Different parameters of pH, suspended solids, phosphorus, ammonia- nitrogen, nitrite-nitrogen, nitrate-nitrogen, chemical oxygen demand and biological oxygen demand have been assessed. The research has been conducted with experimental works of 14 days. The laboratory works showed a significant reduction in most parameters after two weeks of phytoremediation