A Review of Bio-Based Activated Carbon Properties Produced from Different Activating Chemicals during Chemicals Activation Process on Biomass and Its Potential for Malaysia.

Activated carbon is the preferred adsorbent for gas and water treatment in various industry across the world due to its efficiency, reliability, and accessibility. Recently, in Malaysia, studies are mainly focused on the fabrication of activated carbon from lignocellulosic biomass-based precursors from agricultural waste such as coconut shell, rice husk, and palm kernel shell. Activated carbon fabrication is a two-step process; the precursor will first undergo carbonization, then, activation is carried out either physically or chemically to develop its porous surface for adsorption purposes.

Characterisation of Polypropylene Composite Reinforced with Chemi-Thermomechanical Pulp from Oil Palm Trunk via Injection Moulding Process.

As the products made from wood-plastic composites (WPCs) become more sophisticated and required more detail profiles, the injection moulding processing method with wood pulp as the reinforcing material is the answer to cater to the rapid change and demands of composite products. The general objective of this study was to study the effects of the material formulation, as well as the injection moulding process parameters, on the properties of a polypropylene composite reinforced with chemi-thermomechanical pulp from oil palm trunks (PP/OPTP composite) via the injection moulding process. The PP/OPTP composite with a material formulation of 70% pulp/26% PP/4% Exxelor PO produced using injection moulding at 80 °C as the mould temperature and with 50 tonnes of injection pressure exhibited the highest physical and mechanical properties.

Exploring the Biocontrol Efficacy of spp. against , the Causal Agent of White Root Rot Disease in Rubber Trees ().

which causes white root rot disease (WRD) in is a looming threat to rubber plantation in Malaysia. The current study was conducted to determine and evaluate the efficiency of fungal antagonists (Ascomycota) against in rubber trees under laboratory and nursery conditions. A total of 35 fungal isolates established from the rubber tree rhizosphere soil were assessed for their antagonism against by the dual culture technique.

Valorisation of Underutilized Grass Fibre (Stem) as a Potential Material for Paper Production.

An integrated and feasible approach was proposed using the underutilized grass fibre (stem) derived from Napier grass and sugarcane for paper production in this study. To enhance paper strength, pre-hydrolysis and beating techniques have been used to improve the chemical pulps and mechanical pulping process, respectively. Napier grass and sugarcane are promising non-wood sources for pulp production, owing to their high cellulose and low lignin and extractive content.

Production and Potential Application of Pyroligneous Acids from Rubberwood and Oil Palm Trunk as Wood Preservatives through Vacuum-Pressure Impregnation Treatment.

The development of low-environmental-impact technologies for the elimination of biological damage is one of the vital goals of the wood protection industry. The possibility of utilizing pyroligneous acid as a wood preservative can be a great solution to extend the application of the currently fast-growing timber species, which has lower natural durability against biological damage. In this study, the effectiveness of pyroligneous acid as a wood preservative was evaluated by impregnating rubberwood with pyroligneous acid using vacuum-pressure treatment, and the treated woods were exposed to mould fungi, wood-decay fungi and termite attacks under laboratory conditions.

Fabrication of Highly Microporous Structure Activated Carbon via Surface Modification with Sodium Hydroxide.

The aim of this study was to select the optimal conditions for the carbonization process followed by surface modification treatment with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to obtain a highly microporous activated carbon structure derived from palm kernel shells (PKS) and coconut shells (CS). The effects of the carbonization temperature and NaOH concentration on the physiochemical properties, adsorption capability, specific surface area, surface morphology, and surface chemistry of PKS and CS were evaluated in this study. The results show that surface-modified activated carbons presented higher surface area values (CS: 356.

Effect of Glue Spreads on the Structural Properties of Laminated Veneer Lumber from Spindleless Rotary Veneers Recovered from Short Rotation Plantation Logs.

Unproductive young rubber trees (15 years old) with smaller diameters (15 to 18 cm) compared to conventional rubber logs, harvested at the age of 25 years old, were selected for the production of laminated panels. Spindleless rotary veneer peeling was applied to logs from short-rotation rubber forest plantations to produce veneers for structural purposes. This raises questions about the utilization of these small-diameter logs with respect to its effect on the quality of veneer and laminated panels produced.

Non Edible Oil-Based Epoxy Resins from Jatropha Oil and Their Shape Memory Behaviors.

The use of bio-based polymers in place of conventional polymers gives positives effects in the sense of reduction of environmental impacts and the offsetting of petroleum consumption. As such, in this study, jatropha oil was used to prepare epoxidized jatropha oil (EJO) by the epoxidation method. The EJO was used to prepare a shape memory polymer (SMP) by mixing it with the curing agent 4-methylhexahydrophthalic anhydride (MHPA) and a tetraethylammonium bromide (TEAB) catalyst.

Application strategies by selective medium treated with entomopathogenic bacteria and as potential biocontrol against .

The success of microbial termiticides in controlling termites depends on the ability of microbes to grow in different media and the functionality of the microbes as a resistant barrier or toxic bait. This study was conducted to understand the mortality rate and behaviour changes of the subterranean termite Holmgren introduced with different concentrations of strain LGMS 1 and strain LGMS 3 using wood and soil as bacterial transfer medium. In general, higher concentration of bacteria in soil caused a reduction in tunnelling activity and wood consumption and an increase in mortality.

Septicaemia of subterranean termites caused by disturbance of bacteria isolated from termite gut and its foraging pathways.

Microbial pathogens continue to attract a great deal of attention to manage the termite population. Every bacterium has its own mode of action and in fact, the mechanisms used by bacteria to attack termites remain elusive at the moment. Hence, the objective of this study was to evaluate the susceptibility of subterranean termites to opportunistic pathogens using culturable aerobic bacteria isolated from the termite gut and its foraging pathways.

Physical properties and bonding quality of laminated veneer lumber produced with veneers peeled from small-diameter rubberwood logs.

The peeling of small-diameter rubberwood logs from the current short-rotation practices undoubtedly will produce lower grade veneers compared to the veneers from conventional planting rotation. Hence, this raises the question of the properties of the produced laminated veneer lumber (LVL) from veneers peeled from small-diameter rubberwood logs using the spindleless lathe technology. Different thicknesses of rubberwood veneers was peeled from rubberwood logs with diameter less than 20 cm using a spindleless lathe.

Characterization of bioadsorbent produced using incorporated treatment of chemical and carbonization procedures.

The production of bioadsorbent from palm kernel shell (PKS) and coconut shell (CS) pretreated with 30% phosphoric acid (HPO) was optimized using the response surface methodology (RSM). Iodine adsorption for both bioadsorbents was optimized by central composite design. Two parameters including the HPO pretreatment temperature and carbonization temperature were determined as significant factors to improve the iodine adsorption of the bioadsorbent.

Production of bioadsorbent from phosphoric acid pretreated palm kernel shell and coconut shell by two-stage continuous physical activation via N and air.

In the present study, agricultural biomass-palm kernel shell (PKS) and coconut shell (CS)-was used to produce high porosity bioadsorbent using two-stage continuous physical activation method with different gas carrier (air and N) in each stage. The activation temperature was set constant at 600, 700, 800 or 900°C for both activation stages with the heating rate of 3°C min. Two parameters, the gas carrier and activation temperature, were determined as the significant factors on the adsorption properties of bioadsorbent.

Preferential Use of Carbon Sources in Culturable Aerobic Mesophilic Bacteria of Coptotermes curvignathus's (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) Gut and Its Foraging Area.

The lower termite, Coptotermes curvignathus, is one of the most prominent plantation pests that feed upon, digest, and receive nourishment from exclusive lignocellulose diets. The objective of this study was to examine the utilization of sole carbon sources by isolated culturable aerobic bacteria among communities from the gut and foraging pathway of C. curvignathus.

Termite digestomes as a potential source of symbiotic microbiota for lignocelluloses degradation: a review.

Termites thrive in great abundance in terrestrial ecosystems and the symbiotic gut microbiota play important roles in digestion of lignocelluloses and nitrogen metabolism. Termites are excellent models of biocatalysts as they inhabit dense microbes in their guts that produce digestive enzymes to decompose lignocelluloses and convert it to end products such as sugars, hydrogen, and acetate. Different of digestive system between lower and higher termites which lower termites dependent on their dual decomposing system, consisting of termite's own cellulases and gut's protists.

Compost feedstock characteristics and ratio modelling for organic waste materials co-composting in Malaysia.

In Malaysia, large amounts of organic materials, which lead to disposal problems, are generated from agricultural residues especially from palm oil industries. Increasing landfill costs and regulations, which limit many types of waste accepted at landfills, have increased the interest in composting as a component of waste management. The objectives of this study were to characterize compost feedstock properties of common organic waste materials available in Malaysia.

Response of Coptotermes curvignathus (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) to formaldehyde catcher-treated particleboard.

The objective of this study is to investigate the feasibility of formaldehyde catcher as termites repellent. Single-layered UF-bonded particleboard was post-treated with formaldehyde catcher and heat respectively. Besides that, some boards were also produced with the formaldehyde catcher was added into the resin during the blending process, called add-in method.

Optimization study of ethanolic fermentation from oil palm trunk, rubberwood and mixed hardwood hydrolysates using Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Ethanolic fermentation using Saccharomyces cerevisiae was carried out on three types of hydrolysates produced from lignocelulosic biomass which are commonly found in Malaysia such as oil palm trunk, rubberwood and mixed hardwood. The effect of fermentation temperature and pH of hydrolysate was evaluated to optimize the fermentation efficiency which defined as maximum ethanol yield in minimum fermentation time. The fermentation process using different temperature of 25 degrees Celsius, 30 degrees Celsius and 40 degrees Celsius were performed on the prepared fermentation medium adjusted to pH 4, pH 6 and pH 7, respectively.

Torsade de pointes and sudden death associated with diabetic autonomic diarrhoea--a case report.

A 68-year-old diabetic and hypertensive woman presented with chronic autonomic diarrhoea, syncope and palpitations which were associated with QT prolongation and recurrent episodes of torsade de pointes. She was on glibenclamide, indapamide and probucol (for type V hyperlipidaemia). Despite intravenous infusions of potassium, lignocaine and amiodarone, the unstable rhythm persisted.

Acute renal failure following jering ingestion.

We report two cases of acute renal failure that followed the ingestion of jering. Features of jering poisoning included clinical presentation of bilateral loin pain, fever, nausea, vomiting, oligo-anuria, haematuria and passage of sandy particles in the urine. Blood urea (40.