Sustainability of TQM Implementation Model In The Indonesia’s Oil and Gas Industry: An Assessment of Structural Relations Model Fit

This study purposively is to conduct an empirical analysis of the structural relations among  critical factors of quality management practices (QMPs), world-class company practice (WCC), operational excellence practice (OE), and company performance (company non-financial performance or CNFP and company financial performance or CFP) in the oil and gas companies operating in Indonesia. The current study additionally examines the relationships between QMPs and CFP through WCC, OE, and CNFP (as partial mediators) simultaneously. The study uses data from a survey of 140 strategic business units (SBUs) within 49 oil and gas contractor companies in Indonesia.  The findings suggest that all six QMPs have positive and significant indirect relationships on CFP through WCC and CNFP. Only four of six QMPs have positive and significant indirect relationships on CFP through OE and CNFP. Hence, WCC, OE, and CNFP play as partial mediators between  QMPs and CFP. CNFP has a significant influence on CFP. A major implication of this study is that oil and gas managers need to recognize the structural relations model fit by developing all of the research constructs simultaneously associated with a comprehensive TQM practice. Furthermore, the findings will assist oil and gas companies by improving CNFP, which is very critical to TQM, thereby contributing to a better achievement of CFP. The current study uses the Deming’s principles, Hayes and Wheelwright dimensions of world-class company practice, Chevron Texaco’s operational excellence practice, and the dimensions of company financial and non-financial performances.  The paper also provides an insight into the sustainability of TQM implementation model and their effect on company financial performance in oil and gas companies in Indonesia.      

Effects of different types and concentration of hydrocolloids on mango filling

Hydrocolloid has long been utilized as a thickener to increase the consistency such as fruit jam. In this study, the optimum type (xanthan gum/XG, Arabic gum/AG, guar gum/GG, locust bean gum/LBG, pectin/ PC and carboxymethylcellulose/ CMC) and concentrations (0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6%, 0.8%, and 1% (w/v)) of the hydrocolloid as thickening agents in ‘Chok Anan’ mango filling was determined using Full Factorial design (108 trials). Physicochemical analyses, including total soluble solid (TSS), pH (acidity), moisture content, and viscosity (Power Law) were conducted. The predicted values for 1.0% PC, and 0.2% XG with the response as TSS (44.9ºBrix), acidity (3.4), moisture content (47.48%) and pseudoplastic behavior (shear thinning) value of n = 0.2917 were similar to experimental optimum values. The optimum type (PC) and concentration of hydrocolloids (1%) of experimental values (TSS= 45.3ºBrix, pH= 3.41) show insignificant different with predicted values. The concentrations (0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6%, 0.8% and 1.0%) and type of the hydrocolloids (XG, AG, GG, LBG, PC and CMC applied in this study had significantly (p<0.05) affected the acidity value, TSS, moisture content, and flow behavior index of mango filling. The mango fillings with PC as hydrocolloid may diversify the application of local mango fruits

Simultaneous determination of isoniazid and pyrazinamide in plasma by high performance liquid chromatography

Purpose: To develop and validate a new high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for the simultaneous determination of isoniazid (INH) and pyrazinamide (PZA) in plasma.Methods: A 150 μL aliquot of plasma was mixed with 75 μL of 10 % trichloroacetic acid containing 100 mg/L of acetanilide as the internal standard (IS). After vortex mixing and centrifugation, 100 μL of the supernatant was reacted with 20 μL of 0.1 % trans-cinnamaldehyde for 10 min, and then 40 μL of 1M ammonium acetate was added. Finally, 20 μL was injected into the HPLC system. HPLC analysis was performed on reversed phase C18 column. The initial composition of the mobile phase was 4 % acetonitrile, and 96 % of 20 mM 1-hexane sulfonic acid (PH 2.7) delivered at a flow rate 1 mL/min.Results: All calibration curves were linear (r2 &gt; 0.997). The method was accurate, and relative error (RE) was &lt; 4.5 % for both drugs. Intra-day and inter-day precision was good for both drugs, with the highest relative standard deviation (RSD) being 8.51 %. The lower limit of quantification was 0.60 mg/L for isoniazid and 3.00 mg/L for pyrazinamide.Conclusion: The method proposed here is precise, accurate, fast, simple and suitable for therapeutic drug monitoring of INH and PZA simultaneously.Keywords: HPLC, Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, Plasma, Simultaneous analysi

The effect of static mixer on the properties and performance of aerobic granules under different organic loading rates in treating synthetic textile wastewater

Biogranulation is considered a promising technology in biological wastewater treatment due to its high effluent treatment quality, strong ability to withstand organic loading, strong microbial structure and high capability to remove organics, nitrogen and phosphate. Organic loading rate (OLR) is known as one of the significant factors in biogranulation process. Aerobic granules can be developed under different OLR conditions. Microorganisms are starved at low OLR while microbial growth accelerates at high OLR. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of various OLRs on the physical characteristics and treatment performance of aerobic granules in treating synthetic textile wastewater. Two reactors named as R4Y and R4N were used, where R4Y was a reactor with static mixer and R4N was without the static mixer. The OLR of 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0 kg/m3.day were examined during the post development study. The study demonstrated that OLR affected the performance of biogranules. The physical characteristics of biogranules and removal efficiencies of the reactor with static mixer seemed to be better as compared to the reactor without static mixer with increasing of OLR. The granules of R4Y had better physical strength with IC of 19.6% and more excellent settling ability with SV of 82.7 m/h and SVI of 24.6 mL/g. The findings proved that static mixer had a positive influence in biogranulation system and therefore, will lower the energy consumption and operational cost

Fracture prediction on patient-specific tibia model with osteogenesis Imperfecta under various loading direction

This study aims to predict the fracture of bone with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) by considering the homogenization properties of real patient. A Type-III of osteotomy in OI femur was used as bone specimen. Nine representative volume element (RVE) models were developed based on μCT-images of bone specimen. Homogenized properties particularly the Young's moduli of the RVEs was obtained based on homogenization theory in Voxelcon software. The obtained homogenized properties were then assigned to the OI patient-specific model that was developed from CT-images of real patient. The fracture of OI bone was predicted based on linear static analysis and finite element method under loadings of activity daily living (ADL). The results found that the fracture might be happen to the patient under jumping load case, whereas the subject is expected to be safe under standing still and walking load case

Treatment of Industrial Wastewater in Gebeng Area, Kuantan Pahang using Phytogreen System

Malaysia is a vast developing country that partly relies on its oil and gas sector industries for economic growth. However, rapid industrialization has resulted in production of massive amount of wastewater daily that may contain heavy metals and other contaminants. Phytoremediation is a promising technology and reliable method that uses plants to degrade, assimilate, metabolize, or detoxify contaminant. The objectives of this study are to identify the potential of aquatic plant and the percentage of contaminant removal in treating industrial wastewater via phytogreen system. Three aquatic plants were use in this study; Eichhornia crasspies sp., Pistia statiotes sp. and Landoltai punctata sp. Sampling method was carried out once for every 3 days and continues for 7 weeks period. Overall, 12 parameters are used to measure the effectiveness of phytoremediation process which are; BOD, COD, DO, pH, Turbidity, Cadmium, Zinc, Iron, Cooper, Lead, Nitrate and Chromium. Analysis of data was performed by using 1-way ANOVA .The significant ANOVA (p<0.05) studies shown the difference in values of the monitored 12 parameters which indicate the data obtained is accurate. The percentage removal of organic and inorganic pollutant in wastewater is also successfully determined; all three plants have 100% potential removal of Nitrate, Lead, Chromium, and Cadmium metal. Dotted Duckweed has 96.98% potential in removal of Iron metal, and 98.90% iron removal for Water Hyacinth. Water Lettuce proven high percentage of removal for BOD, 57.80% and decrement of pH value of 41.93%. In the end of this research; it is proven that all three plants are potential aquatic plant in treating Petrochemical wastewater through phytoremediation process. Consequently, the result of this study is being used to establish the basic element for designing a suitable wastewater treatment to promote sustainable management and reduce water pollution