Sistem pengering suria untuk pengeringan hasil pertanian dan laut telah direka bentuk, dibina dan diuji dalam suasana cuaca di Malaysia. Sistem pengeringan suria yang dibina, diuji untuk mengeringkan rumpai laut Gracilaria changii. Rumpai laut yang dikeringkan mempunyai kandungan air sekitar 95% asas berat basah untuk menghasilkan produk kering yang mempunyai kandungan air 10%. Proses pengeringannya mengambil masa selama kira-kira 7 jam, pada purata keamatan sinaran suria 593 W/m2 dan kadar aliran udara pengering 0.0613 kg/s. Pemadanan tiga model pengeringan telah dilakukan dengan data uji kaji pengeringan rumpai laut menggunakan sistem pengering suria pada suhu udara purata dalam kebuk 50oC dan purata kelembapan relatif udara 20%. Kejituan padanan model ditentukan berdasarkan nilai R2 yang paling tinggi, juga nilai MBE dan RMSE yang paling rendah. Kajian ini mendapati model pengeringan rumpai laut yang sesuai adalah model pengeringan Page dibandingkan dengan model pengeringan yang lain (model pengeringan Newton dan model Henderson dan Pabis).
In the present study, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were prepared using ZnCl2.2H2O as a precursor, via green route using leaf extract of Rhazya stricta as capping and reducing agent. The prepared ZnO nanoparticles were examined using UV-visible spectrophotometer (UV-Vis), Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction spectrometer (XRD), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The UV-Vis absorption spectrum at 355 nm showed an absorption peak, which indicates the formation of ZnO NPs. The FT-IR spectra analysis was performed to identify the potential biomolecule of the as-prepared ZnO NPs. The FT-IR spectra showed peaks at 3455, 1438, 883, and 671 cm-1 in the region of 4000-500 cm-1, which indicates -OH, NH, C-H, and M-O groups, respectively. The SEM images showed aggregation of ZnO nanoparticles with an average size of 70-90 nm. The XRD study indicated that the ZnO NPs were crystalline in nature with hexagonal wurtzite structure and broad peaks were observed at 2 theta positions 31.8°, 34.44°, 36.29°, 47.57°, 56.61°, 67.96°, and 69.07°. The synthesized ZnO NPs were found to be good antiplasmodial with a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 3.41 μg/mL. It is concluded from the current study that the ZnO NPs exhibited noble antiplasmodial activity, and for the improvement of antiplasmodial medications, it might be used after further in vivo studies.