Bioremoval of toxic molybdenum using dialysis tubing

The toxicity of molybdenum to ruminants and its general toxicity to spermatogenesis in animals are increasingly being reported. Its contamination of aquatic bodies has been reported, and this necessitates its removal. In this work, we utilize the dialysis tubing method coupled with the molybdenum-reducing activity of S. marcescens strain Dr.Y6 to remove molybdenum from solution. The enzymatic reduction of molybdenum into the colloidal molybdenum blue traps the reduced product in the dialysis tubing. The initial rate of increase of Mo-blue product was determined using the modified Gompertz model while the resultant inhibition kinetics profile was carried out using the Haldane model. The calculated maximal rate of Mo-blue production was 153 µmole (Mo-blue.hr)-1 and the concentration of molybdate resulting in the half-maximal rate of reduction (Ks), and the inhibition constant (Ki) were 0.22 and 506 mM, respectively. The results indicate that the system using dialysis tubing coupled with the Mo-reducing bacterium is a good candidate for a method for molybdenum bioremoval from solution

Test for the presence of autocorrelation in the modified Gompertz model used in fitting of Burkholderia sp. strain Neni-11 growth on acrylamide

The growth of microorganism on substrates, whether toxic or not usually exhibits sigmoidal pattern. This sigmoidal growth pattern can be modelled using primary models such as Logistic, modified Gompertz, Richards, Schnute, Baranyi-Roberts, Von Bertalanffy, Buchanan three-phase and Huang. Previously, the modified Gompertz model was chosen to model the growth of Burkholderia sp. strain Neni-11 on acrylamide, which shows a sigmoidal curve. The modified Gompertz model relies on the ordinary least squares method, which in turn relies heavily on several important assumptions, which include that the data does not show autocorrelation. In this work we perform statistical diagnosis test to test for the presence of autocorrelation using the Durbin-Watson test and found that the model was adequate and robust as no autocorrelation of the data was found

Phenol removal via cellular immobilization: a review

Environmental pollution is one of the major concerns in the 21st century; where billions of tonnes of harmful chemicals are produced by industries such as petroleum, paints, food, rubber, and plastic. Phenol and its derivatives infiltrate the ecosystems and has become one of the top major pollutants worldwide. This review covers the major aspects of immobilization of phenol-degrading bacteria as a method to improve phenol bioremediation. The use of various forms of immobilization matrices is discussed along with the advantages and disadvantages of each of the immobilization matrices especially when environmental usage is warranted. To be used as a bioremediation tool, immobilized system must not only be effective, but the matrices must be non-toxic, non-polluting and if possible non-biodegradable. The mechanical, biological and chemical stability of the system is paramount for long term activity as well as price is an important factor when very large scale is concern. The system must also be able to tolerate high concentration of other toxicants especially heavy metals that form as co-contaminants, and most immobilized systems are geared towards this last aspect as immobilization generally provides protection from other contaminants

Right to Privacy and Malaysian Practice: A Step Further in Recognising another Aspect of Human Rights

Privacy is an individual right that is fundamental to protect the dignity of a person, especially in the technological era. Currently, privacy is not part of human right under the Malaysian Federal Constitution. Conversely, European Union, South Africa, Hong Kong, and India were advance in the recognition. This is qualitative research analysing the need to move forward in recognising privacy as part of human right with reference to the practice of the European Union, South Africa, Hong Kong, and India. The outcome of the study is proposing a legal framework recognising privacy as a basic human right in Malaysia Keywords: privacy; human rights; fundamental liberties; external intrusion eISSN: 2398-4287© 2020. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bsby 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/ebpj.v5iSI3.257

Bartlett and the Levene's tests of homoscedasticity of the modified Gompertz model used in fitting of Burkholderia sp. strain Neni-11 growth on acrylamide

Most often than not, microorganism’s growth curve is sigmoidal in characteristics. The modified Gompertz model via nonlinear regression using the least square method is one of the most popular methods to describe the growth curve. One of the assumptions of a good model is that the variance of the data must be homogenous (homoscedasticity). In this work, two statistical diagnostics; the Bartlett and the Levene’s tests was performed to a modified Gompertz model utilized to model the growth of the bacterium Burkholderia sp. strain Neni-11 on acrylamide in order to satisfy the requirement above and found that data conformed to the requirement indicating the modified Gompertz model is a robust model for modelling the bacterial growth process

Adequacy of Public Information for Meaningful E-Participation in Policy-Making

Within the first two years of COVID-19’s exposure, countries around the world mitigated, among other things, social mobility control, resulting in other limitations on fundamental rights, such as freedom of movement and peaceful assembly. Within the rights restrictions, the desire of citizens to satisfy their desire for information and exercise their right to free expression was insatiable. The authors argue that citizens deserve access to sufficient information in order for them to have a meaningful right to participate. At the same time, electronic means can be an additional feature to channel public participation in policy-making. Regrettably, the primary platform adopted in Human Rights laws in operationalizing the right to participate in public affairs remains minimal to coexist meaningful e-participation embarked on the adequacy of the right to information based on Human Rights (HR) standards. This study aims to answer how a justification for meaningful e-participation in law-making can be defined. It also queries which framework can provide sufficient public information based on a rights-based approach. The study leverages the convention of civil and political rights (ICCPR) as the primary legal instrument for a qualitative doctrinal approach. The study suggests that adequate information should be in one package with e-participation to optimize the enjoyment of the right to participate in policy-making.                                    Keywords:  Law-Making, meaningful e-Participation, Right-Based, Right to Informatio

Isolation and characterization of an acrylamide-degrading yeast Rhodotorula sp. strain MBH23 KCTC 11960BP

As well as for chemical and environmental reasons, acrylamide is widely used in many industrial applications. Due to its carcinogenicity and toxicity, its discharge into the environment causes adverse effects on humans and ecology alike. In this study, a novel acrylamide-degrading yeast has been isolated. The isolate was identified as Rhodotorula sp. strain MBH23 using ITS rRNA analysis. The results showed that the best carbon source for growth was glucose at 1.0% (w/v). The optimum acrylamide concentration, being a nitrogen source for cellular growth, was at 500 mg l–1. The highest tolerable concentration of acrylamide was 1500 mg l–1 whereas growth was completely inhibited at 2000 mg l–1. At 500 mg l–1, the strain MBH completely degraded acrylamide on day 5. Acrylic acid as a metabolite was detected in the media. Strain MBH23 grew well between pH 6.0 and 8.0 and between 27 and 30 °C. Amides such as 2-chloroacetamide, methacrylamide, nicotinamide, acrylamide, acetamide, and propionamide supported growth. Toxic heavy metals such as mercury, chromium, and cadmium inhibited growth on acrylamide

Acrylamide toxicity and its biodegradation

Acrylamide is a synthetic monomer that has been classified as toxic and carcinogenic apart from its diverse application in the industry. Its application is in the formation of polyacrylamide. Polyacrylamide usage is diverse and is found as herbicide formulation, as soil treatment agent and in water treatment plants. Deaths and sickness due to the accidental exposure to acrylamide has been reported while chronic toxicity is also a source of problem. This review highlight on the toxic effect of acrylamide to various organism like human, animal and plant. This review also discusses on the potential use of biological technologies to remediate acrylamide pollution in the environment and the degradation pathways these microorganisms utilize to assimilate acrylamide as a nitrogen, carbon or both as carbon and nitrogen sources

Biodecolorization of azo dyes by microorganisms isolated from Serdang and Merambong soils

Several local microorganisms were isolated and screened for their capabilities to decolorize selected azo dyes. Two isolates, NHG and NH2 have shown their capabilities to decolorize azo dyes i.e. Reactive Black 5 (RB5, diazo) and Metanil Yellow (monoazo), respectively, under agitated condition at room temperature. Isolate NHG was capable to decolorize RB5 99.2% under shaking condition and only 43.88% under static condition in 24 hours. The use of glucose and yeast extract as carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively, has provided optimal decolorization of RB5 by isolate NHG. Isolate NH2, which was isolated from Merambong shoal soil sample, can decolorize 93.3% of Metanil Yellow in 24 hours. Crocein Orange G and Orange II, both have exactly the same molecular weights, were 25.9% and 47.8% decolorized, respectively by the same isolate under agitated conditions. No correlation between degradation rate and molecular weight, number of azo bonds or presence of aromatic molecules has been observed