Phytoremediation is considered as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly
technique for decontaminating environments that have been contaminated with
heavy metal ions. The technique describes the use of plants and their concomitant
microbes to mitigate environmental contaminations. However, conventional
remediation techniques like chemical, thermal and physical treatment methods are
too costly, and may end of causing more contamination to the environment.
Phytoremediation practice provides a major information on the utilization of plants
and their materials in decontaminating polluted environments. Heavy metals and
other organic contaminants are among the most precarious substances released into
the environment which have an eminent level of toxicity and sturdiness of both
aquatic and terrestrial organisms. The review aimed at providing a broad
understanding of utilizing various plants and their materials in decontaminating
polluted environments with heavy metals and other organic contaminants. It also
provided the general methods used in treating the aforementioned contaminants in
an environment. The review further discussed the classes of phytoremediation like
phytoextraction, phytovolatilisation, phytostabilization, phytotransformation,
phytodegradation and phytofiltration. The generalized advantages and disadvantages
of phytoremediation were ultimately highlighted.
This paper assessed the relationship between team competency and design risk
management among Kuantan construction industries. Similarly, a survey was
conducted among 10 local and national construction industries in Kuantan with a
stratified random sampling. The returned questionnaires yielded 10 responses which
was used for data analysis. Five point Likert scale categories of risk management from
the previous studies was used and statistical analysis affirmed that there is positive
relationship between team competency and design risk management among Kuantan
construction industries.
In this paper, the influence of effective communication in construction risk
management among Kuantan Malaysian construction industries was assessed. Then a
survey was conducted on pilot test among 10 local construction industries in Kuantan
Malaysian, using stratified random sampling, out of which 10 questionnaires were
collected for data analysis. Methodologically, this research is perhaps the first to
study the influence of effective communication on construction risk management
among Kuantan Malaysian construction industries. Using the five point Likert scale
categories of risk management from previous studies. Pearson Correlation anaylysis
output results affirmed that there is a strong positive relationship between effective
communication and construction risk management among Kuantan construction
industries.
This paper assessed the significant relationship between organizational culture and
material risk among Kuantan Malaysian construction industries. Survey was
conducted among 10 registered G7 contractors operating in Kuantan construction
industry. Proportionate stratified random sampling was used out of which 10
questionnaires were distributed for pilot study. Methodologically, this research is
perhaps the first to assess the relationship between organizational culture and
material risk among Malaysian construction industries with five point Likert scale
categories of material risk from previous studies. Statistical analysis affirmed a
significant positive relationship between organizational culture and material risk
among Malaysian construction industries through Statistical Package for Social
Sciences (SPSS).
This paper assessed the effect of time overruns on apartment building among
Kuantan Malaysian construction industries. A survey was conducted among 10
construction industries in Kuantan Pahang. Using proportionate stratified random
sampling, out of which 10 questionnaires were distributed for data analysis. Using
five point Likert scale categories from previous studies, statistical analysis affirmed a
significant positive relationship between time overruns and apartment building
among Kuantan Malaysian construction industries.
This paper examined the significant relationship between government regulation and
construction waste management among Malaysian construction industries. Survey
was conducted among 10 contractors registered G7, using proportionate stratified
random sampling, out of which 10 questionnaire were collected for data analysis with
five point Likert scale categories of waste management from previous studies,
statistical analysis affirmed a significant positive relationship between government
regulation and construction waste management in Malaysian construction industries
through Statistical Package for the Social Sciences.
In this study, we investigate the ability of the bacterial isolates from an Iraqi oil
reservoir, namely POS and PCO Oil to decolorize commercially used model azo dye Acid
Red-27(AR-27). The effects of inoculation volume and glycerol concentrations were
optimized to develop an economically feasible decolourization process. The isolates
were able to decolourize azo dye (AR27) at the highest decolorization efficiency of 98%
in 10 mL bacterial solution consisted of POS and PCO Oil and in the presence of 6.34
g/L glycerol. An optimized MFC using this bacterial consortium (POS + PCO Oil) and
graphite rod electrodes produced a maximum open circuit voltage (OCV) of 175 mV, in
the presence of potassium ferricyanide as the electron acceptor at the cathode. The
maximum current density of 1.7 μA/cm² and power density of 59.3 μW/cm² were
achieved when an external load of 5 kΩ was applied. Morphological analysis was
performed using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to prove the bacterial
attachment onto the anode surface (graphite rod) in the MFC operation. This work
proposed that the bacterial strains POS and PCO Oil possess the ability to decolorize
Azo dye AR27 and generate electricity in the absence of nitrogen source.
This paper reports the effect of microbending losses in single mode optical fiber
for pressure sensing system application. Several types of periodical corrugated
plates were fabricated, namely cylindrical-structured surface (Plate A) and
rectangular-structured surface (Plate B) with thicknesses of corrugated parts
were varied at 0.1 cm, 0.2 cm and 0.3 cm. Laser sources with excitation
wavelengths of 1= 1310 nm and 2= 1550 nm were launched at the first end
of the fiber. The values of losses were recorded by using an optical power
meter. It was clearly seen that the microbending losses were polynomially
increased with the increment of applied pressure and the thicknesses of
corrugated parts of Plate A and Plate B. The maximum microbending losses of
1.5185 dBm/kPa was resulted as SMF was coupled with corrugated plates B
with thicknesses of 0.3cm by using excitation wavelength of 1550nm. These
values reduced to 0.7628 dBm/kPa and 0.4014 dBm/kPa as the thicknesses
were decreased to 0.2cm and 0.1cm respectively. In comparison with a plain
plate which acted as a reference indicator, the maximum percentage of
microbending losses was obtained as 74.29 % for Plate A and 95.02 % for Plate
B. In conclusions, we successfully proved the ability of SMF as a pressure sensor
by manipulating the microbending losses experienced by the fiber. The
employment of 1550nm of laser wavelength results better sensitivity sensor
where the system able to detect large losses as the pressure applied on the
corrugated surfaces.
The utilization of parallelogram structure in a small-sized humanoid robot consists of two parallel platforms that are linked serially in each leg. The thigh and shank of each leg consists of two servomotors as actuator and linked in parallel platform. By using parallel mechanism in leg structure, foot sole surface is always parallel to the walking surface at any point. Even it looks unnatural to human-like walking motion, the expected result is the robot can maintain it posture while walking and at the point foot sole touch the walking surface, unnecessary vibrates can be modulated at the certain level to remain its balance. The effectiveness and the performance of the proposed parallel platforms are experimented by using zero moment point (ZMP) method by taking various scenario data from pressure sensors attached at the footsole. Planned walking gait is introduced to be identical in terms of foot steps length and width of each leg swing. As the results, in terms of load in each actuator, required torque at servomotors can be reduced because two servomotors are used simultaneously in one parallel system. Stable walking gait can be predicted as the quantity of error falls within the error ranges from the published walking gait patterns.
Flipped Classroom enables instructors to spend more time for hands-on problem-solving instruction compared to the traditional pedagogical model which involves lectures. The purpose of this study is to determine the need for a problem-solving flipped classroom module to be designed for the STM3023: Internet of Things (IoT) subject offered at the Certificate level at Malaysian Community Colleges. A structured interview was conducted with 16 lecturers from 14 Community Colleges offering the subject to obtain their views on current teaching practices along with the challenges faced in the teaching and learning of IoT to entry level students. Participants were also asked about their readiness towards the flipped classroom following an orientation session on Flipped Classroom approach. The findings showed that lecturers mostly used traditional pedagogical models in the TVET settings such as lectures. Students usually followed instructions and merely replicate the hands-on tasks as demonstrated by their lecturers in class. It was also found that students were struggling with the subject due to their lack of competency in programming and grasping electrical and electronics concepts. Students were also found to be weak in mathematics and reasoning skills, thus making it a challenge to teach IoT to them. Therefore, a myriad of media, materials and application of real-world concepts may be required to aid lecturers to improve students’ achievement in the subject. The flipped classroom approach for teaching which gives more time for hands-on problem-solving instruction may be appropriate to support lecturers to overcome the challenges in teaching IoT.
Electrical Discharge Machining, EDM is one of the technologies used for surface
texturing such as the embedded micro-dimples on the metallic acetabular cup. During
the machining process, changes in the gap distance may lead to load changes from
open to short circuit. Limiting the load current under short circuit conditions and load
voltage under open circuit conditions is the requirement in this system. Power supply
is one of the elements that controls the process parameters which is related to improve
the machining condition as well as Material Removal Rate (MRR). A considerable
number of power supply design method were proposed for various EDM application.
This research proposed a Switch Mode Power Supply method implementing new
design of Flyback power supply which can stabilize the voltage during open circuit
condition as well as during discharge condition. Experimental studies were conducted
to verify the capability of Flyback power supply by machining eight micro-dimples in
lower position and twelve micro-dimples in upper position, both in circular
arrangement on metallic acetabular cup. Research conducted shows that the Flyback
power supply improve the consistency of MRR when compared to Linear power supply.
This may help to predict the machining time, thus improving the production of microdimples
in required time.
The use of concrete for construction had become very common in developing countries. But concrete is not friendly environment because of it consumes huge quantities of natural materials and production of the cement, which is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and global warming. The aim of this study is to investigate the Sustainable Green Concrete (SGC) which containing biomass aggregate; fly ash and Superplasticizer. Biomass aggregate and fly ash are waste industry products which are environmentally friendly. The study was carried out to identify the chemical properties of biomass aggregate, and to determine the chemical properties and optimum mix design of the Sustainable Green Concrete (SGC). A total of 90 cube samples were casted and compressive strength were tested at the age of 7, 14 and 28 days. The overall results showed that the workability and compressive strength were decreased with the increase of the replacement of natural aggregate with biomass aggregate. Besides that, the workability and compressive strength was increased with the incorporation with the replacement cement by fly ash. The SGC gained highest compressive strength for the concrete mixes of 39.3 N/mm2 with the optimum percentage used of SGC in producing concrete not exceeding 30% biomass aggregate and 6% of fly ash as a partial replacement with natural aggregate and cement respectively. The results obtained and observation made in this study suggested that biomass aggregate and fly ash are successfully used as partial replacement in producing SGC and can perform better strength development.
For the past few years, government-funded universities in Malaysia faced an uphill
battle to strategize their management budget due to significant budget cut by the
Malaysian Government. One portion of the budget will be spent towards achieving the
key performance indicators (KPIs) set by the universities to achieve their annual
targets. Unfortunately, some universities set up their specific strategies to achieve the
KPIs without ample consideration to the limited available resources where less
attention is channeled to the cost of achieving the KPIs. Setting priorities and making
decisions on allocation and reallocation of resources based on the direction of the
strategies must be executed with transparency and accountability and will be of great
importance. In this paper we illustrate how integer programming was applied to
allocate budget based on the KPIs set for one of the government-funded Malaysian
universities’ (U-XYZ’s) research and publication agenda. Two models were developed
and successfully solved. The first model was to determine the total budget needed if
all the KPIs were to be achieved while the second model was to distribute the allocated
budget set by U-XYZ, for all the activities planned for the agenda. The result showed
that in order to achieve the target, U-XYZ has to increase its budget allocation by
RM2.164 million. Otherwise, U-XYZ can only expect to obtain 1.578 out of 1.593 points
that is required to be achieved.
An investigation of bending loss characteristics of a Polymer Optical Fiber is presented experimentally. Loss of optical power in an optical fiber due to bending has been investigated for a wavelength of 650 nm. Variations of bending loss with different lengths have been measured, with a number of radii of curvature. Bending Loss equations for short length POF is proposed, which shows the dependence of bending loss on the curvature radii. The equations can be an initial reference or aid in predicting the loss contributes by the polymer optical fiber.