Anggaran kuantiti dan pencirian fizikokimia sisa buangan makanan adalah pra-keperluan untuk mengoptimumkan proses pengkomposan. Satu tinjauan untuk menganggar jumlah sisa buangan makanan yang dijana oleh sektor komersial (n=10) dan isi rumah (n=50) di Bandar Baru Bangi telah dilakukan. Kehadiran komponen sisa nasi, sisa berasaskan daging, ikan, sayur-sayuran dan buah-buahan dan sisa buangan makanan basah yang lain juga diperiksa. Ciri fizikokimia sisa buangan makanan juga dianalisis. Jumlah sisa buangan makanan yang dijana di Bandar Baru Bangi dianggarkan sebanyak 11.41 MT sehari. Sektor isi rumah menyumbang 67.3% manakala sektor komersial menyumbang 32.7% daripada jumlah sisa buangan makanan yang dihasilkan. Kekerapan sisa buangan makanan berkeadaan basah adalah lebih tinggi (p<0.05) di sektor komersial berbanding sektor isi rumah. Sisa nasi merupakan komponen sisa buangan makanan yang paling kerap dijana oleh sektor isi rumah dan sektor komersial. Penilaian ciri fizikokimia menunjukkan nilai pH, kandungan abu, bahan organik, karbon organik, nitrogen dan lemak serta nisbah C/N adalah berbeza (p<0.05) antara sisa buangan makanan yang dijana pada hari yang berlainan. Sisa buangan makanan bersifat asid (pH 4.82-5.17) mempunyai kandungan air (65.9-69.5%) dan lemak yang tinggi (13.1-20.2%) tetapi kandungan nitrogen yang rendah (0.63-0.85%). Walau bagaimanapun, nisbah C/N masih berada dalam julat (20-25) yang sesuai untuk pengkomposan yang berkesan. Oleh yang demikian, dengan memperkenalkan proses pengkomposan, sisa buangan makanan berkenaan berpotensi digunakan sebagai kompos.
Sebahagian hujan akan diperangkap oleh lapisan kanopi pokok dan permukaan lain sebagai pintasan, sebelum tersejat kembali ke atmosfera. Air hujan menuruni kanopi hutan melalui dua mekanisme; aliran batang dan jatuhan langsung. Aliran batang merujuk kepada jumlah air hujan yang sampai ke permukaan tanah dengan menuruni batang pokok dan dahan. Manakala jatuhan langsung pula merujuk kepada jatuhan terus air hujan yang menembusi lapisan kanopi hutan melalui ruang-ruang antara daun dan menitis dari daun, cabang dan dahan pokok. Kedua-dua komponen ini dinilai menggunakan plot pintasan bersaiz 100 ×100 m2 di hutan sekunder Tasik Chini. Tiga puluh batang pokok telah digunakan dan setiap pokok dikenal pasti berdasarkan spesies, famili, diameter aras dada (DBH) saiz kanopi dan ketumpatan kanopi. Dalam kajian ini, data pintasan telah dikumpulkan pada dua kali kejadian hujan yang berlaku dalam bulan November 2007 (44.51% dalam bentuk jatuhan langsung dan 55.49% dalam bentuk aliran batang) dan taburan hujan dalam bulan Disember 2007 (39.65% dalam bentuk jatuhan langsung dan 60.35% dalam bentuk aliran batang). Kajian pintasan ini menghasilkan maklumat penting bagi kitaran hidrologi yang berlaku dalam ekosistem hutan, juga keseimbangan air tanah bencah.
The purpose of this paper are to determine the concentration of heavy metals namely cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu) and lead (Pb) in water and sediment; and to investigate the effect of sediment pH and sediment organic matter on concentration of cadmium, copper and lead in sediment at oxidation fraction. For this purpose the concentration of heavy metals were measured in water and sediments at 15 sites from Tasik Chini, Peninsular Malaysia. The sequential extraction procedure used in this study was based on defined fractions: exchangeable, acid reduction, oxidation, and residual. The concentration of heavy metals in residual fraction was higher than the other fractions. Among the non-residual fractions, the concentration of heavy metals in organic matter fraction was much higher than other fractions collected from all sampling sites. The pH of the sediment in all sites was acidic. The mean pH ranges from 4.8 to 5.5 with the higher value observed at site 15. Results of organic matter analysis showed that the percentage of organic matter present in sediment samples varies throughout the lake and all sites of sediments were relatively rich in organic matter ranging from 13.0% to 34.2%. The highest mean percentage of organic matter was measured at sampling site 15, with value of 31.78%.
A study of the water quality changes of Chini Lake was conducted for 12 months, which began in May 2004 and ended in April 2005. Fifteen sampling stations were selected representing the open water body in the lake. A total of 14 water quality parameters were measured and Malaysian Department of Environment Water Quality Index (DOE-WQI) was calculated and classified according to the Interim National Water Quality Standard, Malaysia (INWQS). The physical and chemical variables were temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), conductivity, pH, total dissolved solid (TDS), turbidity, chlorophyll-a, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solid (TSS), ammonia-N, nitrate, phosphate and sulphate. Results show that base on Malaysian WQI, the water in Chini Lake is classified as class II, which is suitable for recreational activities and allows body contact. With respect to the Interim National Water Quality Standard (INWQS), temperature was within the normal range, conductivity, TSS, nitrate, sulphate and TDS are categorized under class I. Parameters for DO, pH, turbidity, BOD, COD and ammonia-N are categorized under class II. Comparison with eutrophic status indicates that chlorophyll-a concentration in the lake was in mesotrophic condition. In general water quality in Chini Lake varied temporally and spatially, and the most affected water quality parameters were TSS, turbidity, chlorophyll-a, sulphate, DO, ammonia-N, pH and conductivity.
The hydrology hydraulic model is established to assess environmental information on hydrology which
can be used to investigate causes of various environmental problems at the river and natural lake
catchment. This study reports on sediment concentrations at a river using a gravimetric method to
investigate the hydrology system at a lake catchment. The measurement was carried out at the
upstream, midstream, and downstream stations on the river in normal, rainy and post-rainy seasons.
The stations are located along the Chini River, which are connected to a catchment lake (located at
latitude 3°26’36.41”E-3°27’03.26”E and longitude 102°54’31.94”N-102°53’35.49”N). From the
measurements, it is estimated that on average 787.621 tonne/km2 of sediment is transferred into the
natural lake via Chini River annually. The correlation of statistical analysis between the sediment load
and discharge study was very significant (R2 = 0.980). There is a linear relation between the area of
the catchment and sediment load of the connecting river as supported by other studies in Malaysia.
The outcome of the study suggests that the high sedimentation is due to land use activity, existence of
the dam at the downstream of Chini River that traps the sediment, reverse flow from the Pahang River
into Chini River and riverbank erosion factors. From this study, the sediment control steps are
suggested such as creating conservation partially at the lake catchment, modifying the dam system,
riverbank erosion control, and application of “Monkey Cheek” system. These sediment control steps
may help to clean up the high suspended sediment at the whole lake system area, hence solving and
mitigating the environmental problems in the natural lake catchment.
This study investigated the optimum conditions for total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) removal from diesel-contaminated water using phytoremediation treatment with Scirpus grossus. In addition, TPH removal from sand was adopted as a second response. The optimum conditions for maximum TPH removal were determined through a Box-Behnken Design. Three operational variables, i.e. diesel concentration (0.1, 0.175, 0.25% Vdiesel/Vwater), aeration rate (0, 1 and 2 L/min) and retention time (14, 43 and 72 days), were investigated by setting TPH removal and diesel concentration as the maximum, retention time within the given range, and aeration rate as the minimum. The optimum conditions were found to be a diesel concentration of 0.25% (Vdiesel/Vwater), a retention time of 63 days and no aeration with an estimated maximum TPH removal from water and sand of 76.3 and 56.5%, respectively. From a validation test of the optimum conditions, it was found that the maximum TPH removal from contaminated water and sand was 72.5 and 59%, respectively, which was a 5 and 4.4% deviation from the values given by the Box-Behnken Design, providing evidence that S. grossus is a Malaysian native plant that can be used to remediate wastewater containing hydrocarbons.
Two types of flow system, free surface flow (FSF) and sub-surface flow (SSF), were examined to select a better way to remove total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) using diesel as a hydrocarbon model in a phytotoxicity test to Scirpus grossus. The removal efficiencies of TPH for the two flow systems were compared. Several wastewater parameters, including temperature (T, °C), dissolved oxygen (DO, mgL(-1)), oxidation-reduction potential (ORP, mV), and pH were recorded during the experimental runs. In addition, overall plant lengths, wet weights, and dry weights were also monitored. The phytotoxicity test using the bulrush plant S. grossus was run for 72 days with different diesel concentrations (1%, 2%, and 3%) (Vdiesel/Vwater). A comparison between the two flow systems showed that the SSF system was more efficient than the FSF system in removing TPH from the synthetic wastewater, with average removal efficiencies of 91.5% and 80.2%, respectively. The SSF system was able to tolerate higher diesel concentrations than was the FSF system.
Wilting, especially of the leaves, was observed as an initial symptom of arsenate [As(V)] to Ludwigia octovalvis (Jacq.) P. H. Raven. The plants tolerated As(V) levels of 39 mg kg⁻¹ for as long as 35 days of exposure. After 91 days, the maximum concentration of As uptake in the plant occurred at As(V) concentration of 65 mg kg⁻¹ while As concentration in the stems, roots and leaves were 6139.9 ± 829.5, 1284.5 ± 242.9 and 1126.1 ± 117.2 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. In conclusion, As(V) could cause toxic effects in L. octovalvis and the plants could uptake and accumulate As in plant tissues.
This study aims to determine the composition of surfactants in the lake surface microlayer, rainwater, and atmospheric aerosols in the area surrounding Lake Chini, Pahang. Surfactants in the lake surface microlayer were taken from seven different stations around the lake, while samples of rainwater were taken from five different sampling stations. The samples of atmospheric aerosols were collected from the Lake Chini Research Centre which is in close proximity to the lake. The colorimetric analysis method was used to determine the composition and concentration of anionic surfactants as methylene blue active substances (MBAS) and cationic surfactants as disulphine blue active substances (DBAS). The concentration of anionic surfactants, as MBAS, in the surface microlayer ranged between 0.08 to 0.23 μmol L(-1), while the range of concentration of cationic surfactants as DBAS ranged from 0.09 to 0.11 μmol L(-1). The concentration of MBAS was higher in rainwater when compared to surfactants in the lake surface microlayer. The high concentration of surfactants in the fine mode of atmospheric aerosols suggests that natural and anthropogenic sources of surfactants contribute to the atmospheric surfactants.
The aim of this study was to determine the source apportionment of dust fall around Lake Chini, Malaysia. Samples were collected monthly between December 2012 and March 2013 at seven sampling stations located around Lake Chini. The samples were filtered to separate the dissolved and undissolved solids. The ionic compositions (NO3-, SO4(2-), Cl- and NH4+) were determined using ion chromatography (IC) while major elements (K, Na, Ca and Mg) and trace metals (Zn, Fe, Al, Ni, Mn, Cr, Pb and Cd) were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results showed that the average concentration of total solids around Lake Chini was 93.49±16.16 mg/(m2·day). SO4(2-), Na and Zn dominated the dissolved portion of the dust fall. The enrichment factors (EF) revealed that the source of the trace metals and major elements in the rain water was anthropogenic, except for Fe. Hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis (HACA) classified the seven monitoring stations and 16 variables into five groups and three groups respectively. A coupled receptor model, principal component analysis multiple linear regression (PCA-MLR), revealed that the sources of dust fall in Lake Chini were dominated by agricultural and biomass burning (42%), followed by the earth's crust (28%), sea spray (16%) and a mixture of soil dust and vehicle emissions (14%).
This study was conducted to determine the composition of surfactants in atmospheric aerosols and rainwater in the vicinity of Lake Chini, Malaysia. Samples of atmospheric aerosol and rainwater were collected between March and September 2011 using a high volume air sampler (HVAS) and glass bottles equipped with funnel. Colorimetric analysis was undertaken to determine the concentration of anionic surfactants as methylene blue active substances (MBAS) and cationic surfactants as disulphine blue active substances (DBAS). The water-soluble ionic compositions were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for cations (Na, K, Mg and Ca) and ion chromatography equipped with a conductivity detector for anions (F(-), Cl(-), NO3(-), and SO4(2-)) and the Nessler Method was used to obtain the NH4(+) concentrations. The source apportionment of MBAS and DBAS in atmospheric aerosols was identified using a combination of principal component analysis (PCA) and multiple linear regression (MLR). The results revealed that the concentrations of surfactants in atmospheric aerosols and rainwater were dominated by anionic surfactants as MBAS. The concentration of surfactants as MBAS and DBAS was dominated in fine mode compared to coarse mode aerosols. Using PCA/MLR analysis, two major sources of atmospheric surfactants to Lake Chini were identified as soil dust (75 to 93%) and biomass burning (2 to 22%).