I am a halal consumerist, or am I?

CONSUMERISM, in general, is understood as a concept that increasing the consumption of goods is economically desirable. Consumerism is undeniably essential for the livelihood of people. However, consumerism is commonly tied to capitalism and materialism, leaning towards achieving commercialisation and profit. To some extent, excessive consumerism activities can cause harm to the environment and bring about social injustice. A brief history of consumerism Modern consumerism emerged in the 18th century when goods were mass-produced in factories for the first time. With this mass production, ordinary people could afford to buy textiles, jewellery, and other items which were otherwise exclusive to the upper social class. In the 19th century, advertising became very popular in many countries, including Germany, France, and the USA

Study on heavy metal contamination distribution at active landfill at different depths and radiuses

Landfilling is more preferable in Malaysia compared to another disposal method due to low cost, and availability of land. Other than solid waste, the percolation of water into the landfill leads to leachate formation. The migration of waste in leachate form may accelerate the heavy metal contamination of the soil one of the major concerns in landfilling. This study aimed in comparing soil samples taken from five different sites in Selangor of inert waste (Sungai Kertas, Kuang and Dengkil) and sanitary (Tanjung Dua Belas and Jeram) landfills at different depths (0-30 cm, 30-60 cm and 60-90 cm) and radiuses (5-10 m, 10-15 m and 15-20 m), for ten heavy metals (Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb) to find the risk of heavy metal movement from the upper layer cell into the deeper layer of the soil block. All the data were analysed using ICP-MS (Perkin Elmer NexION 300X). Al and Fe displayed high concentration at most of the sites especially at the deeper depth of the soil

Synechococcus sp. and Pseudanabaena sp. cell culture biogenesis towards pH, period of time and bio-concentration factor (BCF)

Water pollution and water scarcity due to the discharge of untreated domestic and industrial wastewater into aquatic bodies need serious attention. A number of physical, chemical, and biological methods have been developed for wastewater treatment; among these, the use of cyanobacteria is considered as sustainable ways of averting the consequences. The dual application of microalgae for phycoremediation and biomass production for value products like biofuels and fertilizers is a feasible and eco-friendly alternative. This research aimed to investigate variables controlling heavy metal sequestration mechanism by assessing the effects of environmental variables from the mixtures of artificial wastewater samples using Synechococcus sp., and Pseudanabaena sp. Six heavy metals (Pb, Fe, Cr, Cd, Al, and Cu) treatments were tested and analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) at three different periods of time (week 1 until week 3). The results indicated that both cyanobacteria species have equal potential to sequester heavy metals. However, Pseudanabaena sp. is the best phycoremediator agent due to substantial high Bio-concentration factor (BCF) compared to Synechococcus sp. On top of that, a regulatory step for the cyanobacteria cell growth and production mechanism is mediated by pH

Study on aquatic plant species (Salvinia natans, Neptunia oleracea and Hydrilla verticillata) as phytoindicator for nutrient excess

Aquatic plants are excellent phytoindicator because they respond to nutrients, light, toxic, contaminants, metals, herbicides, turbidity, water level change and salt. However, the negative impact of excessive nutrients on riverine and palustrine systems, estuaries and coastal waters give a serious global problem. Butrients that arise rapidly from expanding urban areas, agricultural and industrial activities caused a boom in aquatic plant growth. Due to the capabilities of aquatic plants to utilize large amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus and thus remove them from the water; the aim of the research is to study the potential of aquatic plant species to be used as phytoindicator for unhealthy environment such as polluted freshwater bodies. In this study, twenty samples of water were collected each from 3 different localities where Salvinia natans, Beptunia oleracea and Hydrilla verticillata were abundant and dominant. All the water samples were analyzed for nitrite, nitrate, ammonium and phosphate. H. verticillata was found to be the best phytoindicator for phosphate pollutant at highest level whereas S. natans and B. oleracea were observed to be useful phytoindicator for unhealthy environment in fresh water bodies for nitrogen and phosphate contaminants. Therefore, aquatic plant species can be fully utilized as an effective tool to detect excessive nutrients in water bodies that might otherwise be difficult to detect

Natural essence of Malay poison from Melaleuca cajuputi as potential natural herbicide and microbes inhibitor

Poisoning is an art that Malays are well skilled at and recognized for. Numerous poisons are utilized differently; also, most characteristics relating to intoxication, poisoning, or therapeutic use are directly dependent on the origin of the substance such as animals or plants. Melaleuca cajuputi (gelam) belongs to the Myrtaceae family, and the Malay population has traditionally used it for several functions and reasons. Nevertheless, its natural essence has not been deeply researched; hence, this work aimed to assess the chemical characteristics of M. cajuputi and evaluate their impact on microbial processes and weed development. The observations indicated that three primary phenolic acids (Vanillic acid, Ferulic acid, and Caffeic acid), including one volatile substance, were identified, indicating a total phenolic content of 493.92±6.88 μg GAE/g DW. Extracts from M. cajuputi leaves inhibited aquatic weed activity against Rotala rotundifolia and Glossostigma elatinoides; treatment levels were between 10 and 50 g/L. Similarly, there were inhibitory observations against microbes like Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and S. epidermis. Hence, these observations are vital since it is the foundational study concerning the use of poisonous Malay plant species as antimicrobials and natural herbicides in Malaysi

A study on an active functional group and antimicrobial properties from rhizophora apiculata extracts used in traditional Malay as medicine

A mangrove plant known as Rhizophora apiculata is employed by Malay for treating skin diseases, diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea, as an antiseptic, for tanning, and also as fuelwood and fodder. Its large-scale use can be attributed to its high-quality timber, availability as well and the presence of a chemical named tannin that is employed for reinforcing fishing lines, nets, and ropes. The tannin content of R. apiculata's roots, bark, and leaves is regarded to be a natural inhibitor of fungal infections. This study is focused on determining the different kinds of functional groups, as well as individual phenolic compounds present in R. apiculata for identifying new bioactive compounds via decoding of the traditional values of Malay remedies. There is a high demand for such natural bioactive compounds, particularly in the healthcare and pharmaceutical markets. Alkaline fractional extracts were employed to design an analytical extraction method for R. apiculata. As per the HPLC results, there were three phenolic acids detected namely Caffeic acid, 4-Hydroxybenzoic acid, and Vanillic acid. Meanwhile, ten volatile compounds were identified by the GCTOF-MS. With regards to antibacterial activity, S. aureus, S. epidermidis, and E. coli were inhibited by R. apiculata leaf extract, while C. albicans and Fusarium sp. were inhibited by their antifungal activity

Phytoremediation as phytotechnology approach for wastewater treatment : an Islamic perspectives

Wastewater contamination is one of the critical environmental issues that is becoming worse daily due to the development of human activities mainly produced from domestic, heavy metals, oil, agricultural, and industrial waste. From the Islamic perspective, Muslims play essential roles as khalifah on earth responsible for taking care of and preserving the balanced relationship between man and the environment. As such, phytotechnology, which applies plants and associated microorganisms-based technologies, has been emerging to examine the problems and provide sustainable solutions for this issue. In the 1980’s, the concept of phytoremediation was bornwhen the ability of plant species to accumulate high amounts of heavy metals in their tissue and organs was proved. There are several advantages of using aquatic plants for the remediation process, such as being very cost-effective, eco-friendly and safe. Selecting suitable aquatic plant species helps safely remediate the wastewater contamination without producing any toxic substances. This article summarises recent facts on phytoremediation by using aquatic plants as the best approach to remediate wastewater contaminants. Furthermore, some sustainability principles have been highlighted in the Quran and Sunnah, which can guide stakeholders and serve as a basis for any institution to introduce better environmental conservation and management policies through Islamic perspectives, particularly in the practice of phytoremediation for wastewater management

Algae carotenoid pigments as new sources of halal bioactive ingredients

Halal Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) is a substance used in a finished pharmaceutical product, intended to furnish pharmacological activity or contribute direct effect in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease. It also provides a direct effect in restoring, correcting or modifying physiological functions in human beings. Microalgae, which are single-celled microorganisms, are considered to be a rich source of diverse bioactive molecules. They play a vital role in the aquatic food chain as primary producers and can store complex organic compounds in their bodies, which can be released with the help of sunlight. Microalgae have evolved distinctive metabolic pathways, resulting in the production of remarkable secondary metabolites and unique structures that differ from those found in superior plants. Due to the high structural diversity of pigments, microalgae have the potential to produce pharmacologically valuable compounds, making them a promising source of bioactive molecules. This study aimed to examine the carotenoids pigmentation profiling from selected microalgae species subjected to different culture conditions. The methods involve are microalgae cell culture mass production, carotenoid sample extraction and HPLC analysis. The findings revealed that the composition and amount of carotenoids differ according to the microalgae species. Genetic factors appear to be a crucial factor in categorizing these species based on their individual carotenoids accumulation. In short, selecting the appropriate species with the ability to accumulate carotenoids is important in determining the sources of pigments for halal bioactive ingredients or for commercial purposes, particularly in the halal market