Microbial Fuel Cell as New Renewable Energy for Simultaneous Waste Bioremediation and Energy RecoveryZamri, Muhammad Lutfan Aiman; Makhtar, Salwa Mohd Zaini; Sobri, Mohamad Farhan Mohamad; Makhtar, Muaz Mohd Zaini
doi: 10.1088/1755-1315/1135/1/012035pmid: N/A
Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is an outstanding technology recently creating the headlines relating to energy and environment field that been discovered since the earlier 20th century. It has been furthered implemented for energy renewable through simultaneous bioremediation of wastes. MFC works by converting chemical energy store in the waste into electrical energy with the help of selected microorganisms. Regarding to this, the principle of bioremediation was applied using MFC as the renewable energy where the microorganisms consume the substrate thus generating electrical energy. Many studies done by researches are mostly focusing on MFC utilizing waste and measuring the power generation on different type of MFC but lack of studies on the effect of series and parallel circuit in MFC setup and how does it differentiate the outcome of the studies. This paper reviews the history, working principle, design of MFC, classification of different substrates and its power output and the effect of series and parallel circuit of MFC setup for simultaneous bioremediation and energy recovery.
Preparation of cerium-based UiO-66 metal-organic framework (MOF) without addition of solvent for developing its sustainable synthesisHo, P S; Chong, K C; Lai, S O; Lu, S Y; Lau, W J; Ooi, B S
doi: 10.1088/1755-1315/1135/1/012047pmid: N/A
UiO-66(Ce) metal-organic framework (MOF) has been a promising material for broad applications, including gas adsorption, photocatalysis, water treatment and reaction catalysis. For its usual preparation, a large amount of solvent is required and added during its fabrication process. This solvent is harmful to the environment most of the time. It is neither recyclable nor reusable, indicating the difficulty in waste disposal after MOF fabrication and the challenges for its scaling-up production. Given this, a solvent-free way of synthesizing the UiO-66 MOF to develop its sustainable synthesis was reported here. The MOF can be obtained by mechanically grinding the cerium (IV) ammonium nitrate (CAN) and terephthalic acid (BDC) using mortar and pestle without the addition of any solvent. Then the mixture was transferred into an autoclave and heated at 100 °C for one day. In this work, UiO-66(Ce) MOF samples with varying Ce to BDC molar ratios were successfully fabricated using the solvent-free method, supported by the XRD, SEM, EDX and FT-IR analysis results. By looking at their XRD patterns, two characteristic peaks for UiO-66(Ce) MOF were observed at 8.4° and 9.1°. The SEM images revealed the spherical crystalline morphology of UiO-66 MOF. At the same time, the EDX analysis result found the elemental composition of UiO-66 MOF was coherent with the reactants used, suggesting the excellent purity of MOF product formed in this work. As verified by the thermal stability test, the UiO-66 MOF produced here is thermally stable up to 250 °C in the air atmosphere.
Full-scale Field Test Extraction of Natural Frequency and Acceleration of Bridge using Modal Test and Operational Modal AnalysisKamal, Wan Ikram Wajdee Wan Ahmad; Ibrahim, Izni Syahrizal; Padil, Khairul Hazman; Umar, Sarehati; Lee, Han-Seung; Singh, Jitendra Kumar
doi: 10.1088/1755-1315/1135/1/012040pmid: N/A
Vibration in bridges occurred due to several factors such as structural design, environmental loadings, and loading characteristics (speed parameter, loading patterns, and configuration of axles). If this problem is prolonged for several years, this may lead to stages of failure such as structural cracking, fatigue on structural members, excessive deformation, and local stress concentration on structural connections. In response to this issue, an investigation was carried out in this study by utilising numerical modelling of Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to explore the effect of the Intermediate Diaphragm (ID) on the RC bridge deck. The FEA is then validated and confirmed from the full-scale field-test, which consists of a modal test for both frequency and mode shape comparisons, and operational modal analysis for extraction of deck acceleration. The results show that the current natural frequency of the bridge does not reach the minimum frequency requirement from the BS5400 Code of Practice, while the acceleration based on a 24-tonnes moving truck is within the allowable acceleration limit. In comparison, frequency, mode shape and acceleration between the FEA numerical analysis and field test had shown insignificant differences and minimum error between the two.
Optimization of adsorption parameter for removal of heavy metal using zeolite and Portland cement mixture coated on egg cartonSim, L C; Fong, Y; Chin, Y H; Leong, K H; Saravanan, P
doi: 10.1088/1755-1315/1135/1/012031pmid: N/A
The mixture of zeolite and Portland cement coated on egg carton (ZP-Egg) has found to be a more sustainable alternative to adsorb heavy metals in wastewater treatment. It is crucial to study and observe the effect of different parameters on the adsorption efficiency and the optimization of the parameters prior to the application of ZP-Egg in the adsorption of Cu2+. Design Expert (DOE) Version 7.0.1 was used to optimize the adsorption parameters, including pH, temperature and adsorbent dosage with the experimental data obtained from literatures. Generally, the adsorption efficiency increased as the temperature increased until a maximum temperature was achieved, which was around 50 °C. The pH value of the solution was found to be optimum within the range of pH 3 to pH 7. The adsorption efficiency of Cu2+ has found to be increasing with the increase of adsorbent dosage, until the active sites become saturated as the concentration of the heavy metals remained constant.
Parametric study of embankment stabilization by pile reinforcementKhor, Z P; Lee, M L; Wong, S Y; Mohamed, A A; Lau, T L
doi: 10.1088/1755-1315/1135/1/012026pmid: N/A
Stabilising piles have been proven as an effective slope stabilization approach. This study aims to investigate the optimal location of stabilising pile for an embankment slope with a surcharge loading at crest. A series of finite element analyses were performed to determine the optimal location of the pile with considerations of varying slope gradients. An additional analysis was performed to compare the factor of safety computed from the present 2D analysis with the previous 3D analysis. The results showed that the introduction of the stabilising pile could effectively minimise the deformed soil mass and slip surface, with the greatest improvement recorded for the embankment of 1.5V:1H gradient. The optimal pile location was found to be at the middle of the slope. The pile influence zone (Wpile) obtained from the present numerical study showed reasonably good agreement with previous results of centrifuge experiments. Based on the comparison of factor of safety computed from the present 2D analysis with a previous 3D analysis, the 2D analysis generally yielded a more conservative FOS (about 20% lower) than the more rigorous 3D analysis because of the absence of soil arching effect. As conclusions, it is recommended to install piles at the middle of slope to yield the most favourable slope stabilization effect. A simple 2D analysis can be used to analyse the problem of pile stabilised embankment with a slightly more conservative FOS was expected than the rigorous 3D analysis.
Treatment of Poultry Wastewater with Tannin as a Natural Coagulation AgentBashir, Mohammed J K; Alazaiza, Motasem Y D; Sheng, Tan Chong; Amr, Salim Abu
doi: 10.1088/1755-1315/1135/1/012009pmid: N/A
The coagulation-flocculation process frequently employs chemical-based coagulants and flocculants. The disadvantages of utilizing these chemical substances have triggered researchers to investigate natural substances to replace or reduce the number of chemical-based coagulants and flocculants. Thus, this study investigates the potential use of tannin as a natural coagulant for slaughterhouse wastewater treatment. Results indicated that a pH of 6.9 and a dosage of 2mL of tannin resulted in the higher removal of different pollutants from slaughterhouse wastewater. Tannin was able to perform excellent elimination efficiency for all parameters under these ideal conditions. Turbidity, COD, colour, and TSS all had removal efficiencies of 93.7%, 76.2%, 95.7%, and 88.9%, respectively. Results were compared to alum, which was used as a coagulant, and it was found that pH 6.9 and dosage of 5mL were the optimum conditions for alum in slaughterhouse wastewater treatment. Alum achieved 92.8% for turbidity, 75.4% for COD, 93.1% for colour, and 91.7% for TSS, respectively. In contrast to alum, tannin is a natural substance that produces a small quantity of sludge while being safe for the environment and non-toxic. The tannin coagulant has the potential to be an efficient and productive coagulant agent for wastewater treatment from slaughterhouses.
Source to tap water quality assessment in drinking water supply system in OmanAlazaiza, M Y D; Maskari, T Al
doi: 10.1088/1755-1315/1135/1/012019pmid: N/A
Clean and safe drinking water is essential for any society’s development of long-term health and a developing economy. This study aims to evaluate the quality of drinking water in the water distribution system in Oman from source to tap. The study was conducted through in-depth interviews as well as designing of three surveys related to the main stakeholders of the water distribution system. In addition, several water samples were collected from different locations of the drinking water distribution system. All samples were tested for chemical, physical, and microbiological quality parameters. Results showed that the water distribution system needs more attention from the main stakeholder in terms of water quality monitoring and assessment. The results showed that the majority of parameters includes temperature, potential of hydrogen, electrical conductivity, total dissolved oxygen and inorganic substances were within the range and met the Oman standard for drinking water. The analysis of the different surveys and interviews revealed that some decisions are needed to improve the situation of desalination plants in terms of providing good services for desalination sector. In addition, the monitoring and assessment system for water distribution system includes water source, water delivery, and consumers’ water tanks need more attention in terms of hygienic and cleaning processes. Overall, this study concluded that the water supply system for drinking water in Oman is relatively acceptable but need more concern from stakeholders to improve the water distribution system to achieve better quality for consumers.
Corrosion inhibition of mild steel bars by biosurfactant produced by Penicillium citrinumOlivia, R; Ang, CH; Clotilda, P; Caroline, M; Rudy, T; Joe, N
doi: 10.1088/1755-1315/1135/1/012057pmid: N/A
Corrosion is a major challenge in the construction technology and manufacturing industries. Not only does corrosion reduce the aesthetics of a building, but it also reduces the durability of the structure. Various efforts and research are being carried out globally to overcome this problem, ranging from prevention to maintenance processes. Due to the increased awareness of the importance of preserving the environment for health and ecological systems, studies are increasingly focused on the use of environmentally friendly corrosion inhibitors. This study focuses on the effect of different concentrations of biosurfactant produced by Penicillium Citrinum on mild steel bar corrosion. The biosurfactant was produced from indigenous fungi isolated from the municipal dumpsite and uses waste frying oil (WFO) as the sole carbon source. Weight loss experiment (gravimetric) was carried out to analyse the corrosion inhibition rate and efficiency of the biosurfactant produced. The steel bars were conditioned by immersion in the 0.9% NaCl containing biosurfactant at different concentrations (v/v) of 5%, 7.5%, and 10% for 14 days, 28 days, and 100 days. The weight loss of the coated bars was compared to those of the control samples and the non-organic surfactant, Tween 80. The discovery demonstrates that corrosion inhibition increases as biosurfactant content increases. The results show that biosurfactants secreted by an indigenous soil fungus, Penicillium citrinum have the potential as green corrosion inhibitors in mild steel bars.
44% of the flash flood in Klang Valley occurred coincidentally during the typhoon period: A review on 2015Asri, Ummi Hajidah Mohamad; Mahmud, Mohd. Rizaludin
doi: 10.1088/1755-1315/1135/1/012016pmid: N/A
This paper reviewed the occurrences of all the flood events that happened in the Klang Valley of Malaysia in 2015. The aim is to identify the sources of the heavy and extreme rainfall that triggered the flood; either it was attributed to the seasonal monsoon flows or other plausible factors. The major concern of flash floods is that many of them had frequently occurred regardless of the seasonal monsoon period; as it seems to be influenced by other factors. Therefore, besides the three monsoonal seasons with common heavy and extreme rainfall in Klang Valley which includes the Northeast Monsoon (Nov. – Feb.), Inter-monsoon 1 (Mar.-Apr.), and Inter-monsoon 2 (Oct.), this study also takes into account the typhoon season which occurred from April to December. There are 43 flash flood cases and most of them occurred during the wet period of the Northeast monsoon (Nov. – Feb.). 44% of the flash flood events did occur during the typhoon season (Apr. – Dec.) with its distribution varied via different monsoon seasons. The majority of the flash flood during the dry season (Southwest Monsoon) and wet season (Northeast Monsoon) happened during the same period of strong typhoons. Severe flash flood cases that occurred coincidentally with strong typhoons (category 4 and above) during the Northeast Monsoon had impacted larger spatial coverage, increased rainfall intensity and longer duration. The hypothetical explanation offered is that the occurrence of strong typhoons (category 4 and 5) with trajectory near the Philippines in the South China Sea could affect the regional weather of Peninsular Malaysia; in which resulting in stronger wind flows and accelerating the transportation of moist air parcels from regional ocean or seas to land areas. Such information is required for adaptation, mitigation and preventive actions including early warning systems.
Preliminary Study on Flood Simulation using the HEC-HMS Model for Muda River, MalaysiaHassan, Z; Mohd Razali, N H; Kamarudzaman, A N; Salwa, M Z M; Nordin, N A S
doi: 10.1088/1755-1315/1135/1/012021pmid: N/A
Flooding poses a severe threat to human beings and causes significant damage to property, infrastructure, and agricultural production. The flood also has severe consequences for socio-economic activities and can lead to the loss of human life. One of the significant factors that cause the flood is rapid development, especially in the floodplain area. This study estimates the flood discharge along the Muda River, Malaysia using Hydrological Modelling System (HEC-HMS). The finding shows that the HEC-HMS model performed well during the validation period, in which the coefficient determination (R2) between observed and simulated discharge during the validation process ranges from 0.51-0.84. In terms of design flood, the model simulated the peak flow with 1247-1448.8 m3/s and 1798.5-3662.5 m3/s for 50 and 100-year ARIs, respectively. The results obtained from this study can be used as fundamental data for advanced studies of flood control and management for better sustainable flood risk management.