Assessment of surface water quality using Malaysia Water Quality Index (MWQI) and National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Index (NSFWQI) during road construction activities

The study of this project was basically on the assessment of surface water quality by using Malaysian Water Quality Index (MWQI) and National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Index (NSFWQI) during road construction activities. The site area selected for this study was located at Kampung Rahmat, Batu Pahat, Johor where a new road to cross the Sri Gading Estate was constructed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of road construction activities on the quality of water bodies. In addition, the determination of water quality index based on six parameters used were biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), dissolved oxygen (DO), ammoniacal nitrogen, pH, and total suspended solids (TSS) at site construction of a new road for Kampung Rahmat is underway. The data used was secondary data collected from previous study to determine the water quality index based on Malaysian Water Quality Index (MWQI) and National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Index (NSFWQI). High values of water quality index indicated that surface water in that road construction area was less polluted. The importance of this study was to determine the level of surface water quality due to road construction activities. It was very important to assess the quality of water in a place to maintain its cleanliness because water serves as a basic need for living organisms. Based on the calculation of water quality index values by using MWQI and NSFWQI, it showed that the highest value of water quality index recorded compared to other parameters was total suspended solids (TSS) which was 186 mg/L while the lowest value of water quality index recorded was 0.1 mg/L in December by ammoniacal nitrogen. Thus, the comparison of results made between MWQI and NSFWQI showed that MWQI was more effective and accurate to assess the water quality index compared to NSFWQI

Sediment traps from synthetic construction site stormwater runoff by grassed filter strip

Sediment trapping of the synthetic construction site stormwater runoff (SCSSR) by grassed filter strip (GFS) was studied in a laboratory flume with simulated GFS of different slopes and bed surface areas. The polynomial regression model of average rainfall density depended rainfall duration has been approved by Malaysian Storm Water Management Manual. Still the relationship between either storm-water runoff flow rate or sediment trapping efficiency and rainfall duration needs to be verified. This study proposes the use of the empirical equations to determine the SCSSR flow rate and to estimate the efficiency of the GFS models to trap sediment based on the rainfall duration. All the parameters in equations have physical meanings, and experimental data validation showed that the equations are suf-ficiently accurate. The stormwater runoff flow rate and efficiency of the GFS models were verified for the SCSSR originally coming from a construction site of Kuala Lumpur city. New approaches to investigate the hydrological behaviour of construction site are presented and have significant implications for the ability of stormwater flow to carry sediment

Calculation of filter lifetime using empirical model applied to hydrodynamic column for phosphate removal from greywater

Greywater is one of the point source pollution that negatively impact water resources if not properly treated. However, improvement of greywater quality can be potentially used for irrigation purpose. The main objective of this study is to calculate the lifetime for calcined waste mussel shell (CWMS) in hydrodynamic column. This study was performed using laboratory scale hydrodynamic column filled with CWMS to determine the breakthrough curve, adsorption capacity, accumulation rate and lifetime using empirical model for the adsorption of PO4 -3 onto CWMS from greywater. The bed height and flow rate that used in the experiment are 200 mm and 80 mL/h, respectively. The results demonstrate that breakthrough and exhaustion times are 12h and 18h, respectively. The empirical model was verified using experimental equilibrium data. The values of k1 and qmax calculated using model equations are 0.122 mg/g h2 and 0.0017 mg/g, respectively. On the basis of the results, CWMS can be economically basis media used as an adsorbent for the removal of PO4 -3 from greywater in the hydrodynamic column

Understanding of mass transfer resistance for the adsorption of solute onto porous material from the modified mass transfer factor models

Mass transfer is important in separation and is essential for adsorption process. Mass transfer resistance controls the adsorption kinetic rate, but there is only limited understanding of the adsorption of a solute onto porous material from surface water. This study investigates the adsorptions of NH4þ and Al3+ onto granular activated carbon from surface water using the laboratory-scale plug flow column. The use of the modified mass transfer models is able to determine the resistance of mass transfer for the adsorption of one or more solutes present in surface water onto porous material. In this case study identified that the resistance of mass transfer is dependent on film mass transfer before and porous diffusion after break-through occurred. The research findings advance understanding of novel approach for investigating mass transfer resistance of solute onto porous material from waters

Biodegradation of oil and grease from Agro-Food Industry by immobilised Serratia marcescens SA30

The agro-food industrial wastewater (AFIW) contains high concentrations of oils and grease (O&G), which are significant threats to aquatic environments. In the context of the removal of contaminants from wastewater, the capability of Serratia marcescens SA30 immobilized in a packed-bed column reactor (PBCR) of O&G removal from AFIW needs to be verified. This study analyses the Serratia marcescens SA30 immobilized on oil palm frond (OPF) in PBCR in order to elucidate its removal ability of O&G from AFIW. The physicochemical parameters of the AFIW samples collected from the agro-food industry were analyzed according to Standard Methods for Examination of Water and Wastewater. The PBCR treatment system was set up using immobilized Serratia marcescens SA30 onto OPF for the removal of O&G from AFIW. The AFIW samples were collected at the inlet and outlet of the PBCR, and the respective concentrations of O&G were determined. These values assert that the parameters does not comply the production limit set in Environmental Environment Quality B (Industrial Effluent Regulations, 2009). The performance of the PBCR realized 100% efficiency, with the population ranging from 108 – 107 with the immobilized Serratia marcescens SA30 acting as a biosurfactant-producing bacteria, which was achieved by experiments ran at a volumetric flow rate of 3 mL/min during treatment using concentrations of O&G at 100% v/v after 144 hours operation in the PBCR. The data obtained would provide a green and sustainable pathway for the removal of O&G from water

Adsorption of phosphate from domestic wastewater treatment plant effluent onto the laterites in a hydrodynamic column

High concentration of phosphate (PO4

Assessment and Mapping of Ammonium Concentration in Swale around Faculty of Civil Engineering and Built Environment and G3 Lake, Universiti Tun Hussien Onn Malaysia, (UTHM)

Water contamination can occur in a variety distinct way, point source and non-point source, leading to the catchment by surface runoff. This study has shown that the presence of ammonium in the swales at the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Built Environment and G3 Lake, Universiti Tun Hussien Onn Malaysia. Undoubtedly, this ammonium concentration presence in the swale is generated by urbanization and the rise in the quantity of impermeable surfaces like buildings, roofs, roads, parking lots, and other transportation-related structures. It is also caused by pollutants, including vehicle emissions and maintenance of side swale such as grass cutting. The concentration ammonium presence in the swale around the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Built Environment and G3 Lake was verified. Surfer Software was used to develop spatial distribution mapping.  The color pattern shows that the ammonium concentration each week by the number of all sampling point areas. The result of each parameter for ammonium ranged 0.01- 0.8 mg/L, DO ranged 5.83- 8.47 mg/L, turbidity ranged 0.97- 63.27 NTU, pH ranged 3.62- 6.94, temperature ranged 23.3-28.1 ̊ C and TDS ranged 100- 900 mg/L. The outcome of this research could be to give insights about the adequacy of water for daily usage activities, reducing the environmental impact and exhibit the trend of ammonium in the swale for future reference

Kajian tentang pemilihan bahan penjerap semulajadi untuk menyingkirkan bahan pencemar (COD) daripada air kelabu

Di Taman Universiti, air kelabu disalurkan terus ke longkang tanpa dirawat menyebabkan pencemaran kualiti air. Tujuan utama kajian ini adalah untuk membandingkan kebolehjerapan bahan penjerap semula jadi dan untuk menentukan peratus keberkesanan bahan penjerap dalam menyingkirkan permintaan oksigen kimia, COD dalam air kelabu. Kaedah penjerapan menggunakan zeolit, karbon teraktif dan tanah liat dan kaedah reka percubaan, DOE digunakan bagi mendapat nisbah penjerap yang akan digunakan. Peratusan penyingkiran COD adalah 79.41% dan kapasiti penjerapan adalah 0.54 mg/g untuk kaedah penjerapan menggunakan media komposit campuran zeolit, karbon teraktif dan tanah liat merupakan campuran yang terbaik. Penggunaan penjerap komposit yang mengandungi permukaan hidrofilik dan hidrofobik lebih berkesan sebagai penjerap yang berkesan dan dapat mengurangkan serta menyingkirkan COD yang berada dalam air

Predictive model and near infrared spectroscopy in predicting the diesel fuel properties

Monitoring the diesel fuel properties play an important role in the performance of vehicle engines. Near-infrared (NIR) technology has been investigated as an alternative to monitor the diesel fuel properties. NIR spectroscopy shows an enormous potential for quantitative analysis of complex samples by coupling with artificial neural networks (ANNs). Although a single layer ANN shows promising in the establishing better relationship between a component of interest and NIR spectrum, a different algorithm for updating weight that has been proved to improve the performance of the multilayer could further reveal the potential of single linear layer ANN in NIR spectroscopic analysis. Therefore, this study investigates the performance of a single layer ANN that trained with LevenbergMarquardt (SLM) and that trained with Scaled Conjugate Gradient (SSCG) and compares the proposed methods with multilayer ANN that trained with same learning algori thms. Results were evaluated and discussed with previous studies that used the same data sets to establish the relationship between the NIR spectral data and diesel fuel properties. Finding depicts that the proposed SLM and SSCG were capable of predicting the diesel fuel properties using NIR spectrum without data reduction, and achieving better accuracy in predicting the diesel fuel properties compared with other recent methods. In addition, using a proposed genetic algorithm for data reduction to improve the predictive model of the proposed method

Mapping Spatial Distribution of Copper, Dissolved Oxygen and Total Suspended Solids Concentration in Road Stormwater Drainage at Industrial Area

In present scenario, the urbanization area stormwater quality is decreasing due to human activities such as transportation movement and industrial development. This study was carried out to determine the concentration of water quality parameters such as pH, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), turbidity, Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and copper and to develop the spatial distribution mapping of pH, copper and TSS by using Surfer 8 software. Stormwater samples were collected within 4 weeks from 5 sampling points that had been identified. The experiment tested were conducted according to established technique of the American Public Health Association (APHA, 2012). The results showed that the range reading for pH was 6.48 to 7.60, DO is between 4.45 to 7.49 mg/L, turbidity was ranged 11.94 to 27.16 mg/L, TSS was 11 to 27 mg/L and copper was ranging from 0.19 to 0.27 mg/L. The spatial distribution mapping developed by Surfer 8 software and figure out the trends changing of water quality in the road stormwater drainage. The results showed that the drainage nearest to S3and S5 as most threatened by Cu and lower of DO concentration. The identification of spatial distribution in the study area helps stormwater management to be beneficial in decision-making processes