1,720,978 research outputs found
The preliminary study of herbal rice plants in Pulau Tioman, Pahang, Malaysia
No full textThe herbal plant status in Pulau Tioman is unknown, and may be reduced due to extensive recreational activities in Kg. Tekek Waterfalls. The main objective of this preliminary survey is to assess the varieties of herbal plants that are found at Pulau Tioman, Pahang. Herbal plant survey was carried out in a transect of 5-meter width on both side of the 1 km main track connecting Kampung Tekek Jetty to Kampung Tekek Waterfalls. A total of seven species namely, Dracaena umbratica, Flagellaria indica, Selaginella willdenowii, Ixora javanica, Lygodium microphyllum, Melastoma malabathricum and Cassia alata which belong to seven (7) families namely Asparagaceae, Flagellariaceae, Selaginellaceae, Rubiaceae, Lygodiaceae, Melastomataceae and Leguminosae were collected, identified and reported. The list of plants recorded could be included in a datasheet for the study of plants with medicinal value and the distribution data could be used to update the IUCN and CABI database
Local Herbs Used in Concoction for Herbal Rice Preparation by Kelantan Siamese Community in Malaysia
No full textHerbs play a critical role, mainly as food source and supplementary source of natural medicine. In Malaysia there are numerous communities and ethnic groups who are still performing the use of herb as a part of their daily cuisine. One such community in Malaysia is the Siamese community of Kelantan, located on northern part of Kelantan, adjoining to Thailand. This community has historic tradition of consuming herbs with medicinal value. They consume a large number of herbs as concoction in rice cooking, also known as ‘herbal rice’. The present study was piloted to survey and record the type and parts of herbs used in the concoction. The current study was conducted via in-depth interview with local people from three village in Kelantan namely Kampung Kuang, Tanah Merah, Kampung Pasir Puteh, Tumpat dan Kampung Mentua, Tumpat, Kelantan. Total 45 herbs belonged to 24 families were documented. The parts of herb being consumed and used in concoction were leaves, stem, stalk, flower and rhizome.</jats:p
Pollution sources, beneficial uses and management of Batang Arau and Kuranji River in Padang, Indonesia
No full textBatang Arau River and Kuranji River in Padang, Indonesia serve as an important source of fresh water supply for the local communities to carry out their daily activities.Agricultural activities depend on the river as the main source for crop irrigation. However, due to the rapid the industriallization and urbanization that took place especially along Batang Arau River has caused intense pollution to the rivers in Padang. Therefore, a field survey was conducted to identify the type of river usage by the local communities, the source of pollution and to understand the current management of Batang Arau River and Kuranji River by the local authorities. The result showed that apart from industrial waste, improper disposal practiced of domestic waste and sewage by the local communities were the main causes of the river pollution. Batang Arau River was intensely polluted by various sources of pollution and has lower river water quality compared to the Kuranji River. River monitoring and management had been carried out by the Environment Impact Management Agency (Badan Pengendalian Dampak Lingkungan,BAPEDALDA)and Department of Water Resources Management (Dinas Pengelolaan Sumber Air,PSDA)of West Sumatera Province. Although enforcement of laws and regulations to protect the rivers had been practised by the local authorities, constant efforts in increasing the awareness of local communities on the importance of river conservation are necessary to ensure the sustainability of the river ecosystem health and the the ecological services provided by the river river
Determination of the macroinvertebrates benthic ecological index for river health assessment
No full textConventional river assessments often rely on physico-chemical parameters, which cannot fully capture ecological integrity or long-term impacts of human activities. Benthic macroinvertebrates, however, provide reliable bioindicators as they integrate responses to both short-term and cumulative stressors. This study investigated three rivers in Johor, Malaysia of Sungai Mengkibol, Sungai Dengar and Sungai Madek representing different land-use influences including reference conditions, oil palm plantations and logging activities. Eight sampling stations were established, with benthic macroinvertebrates collected using a Surber net and identified to family or genus level where possible. Four ecological indices were calculated using Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index, Simpson’s Dominance Index, Margalef Richness Index, and Hill’s Evenness Index that purposely to evaluate river health. Threshold values were developed by comparing reference and impaired stations, leading to the establishment of a Recommended Ecological Index for River Health Assessment. Results showed that healthy rivers consistently displayed high diversity (>1.8), high richness (>2.0), low dominance (<0.2), and strong evenness (>0.8), reflecting balanced and resilient communities. In contrast, impaired rivers exposed to anthropogenic pressures recorded low diversity and richness, high dominance, and poor evenness. The proposed framework sets out clear ecological thresholds to help categorize rivers as healthy, slightly unhealthy, or polluted. This is a significant step, as it’s the first time we’re developing reference values for Malaysian rivers using macroinvertebrate indices. The findings emphasize how innovative and practical benthic macroinvertebrate-based biomonitoring can be cost-effective and meaningful from an ecological standpoint. By using these indices, we can strengthen our national river management strategies and promote evidence-based approaches to preserving our tropical freshwater ecosystems
Physicochemical quality of oily wastewater from automotive workshop in Kota Bharu, Kelantan Malaysia
Full text linkIncrease in the number of motor vehicle workshops around Kota Bharu has resulted in water pollution problems occur in this area. To prove this hypothesis is correct, a study was conducted where oily wastewater samples were collected from three different automotive workshops in Kota Bharu area. All the three workshops were identified as workshop K, P and T. The sampling was performed three times which were in February 2010, May 2010 and November 2011. The collected samples were analyzed for pH (4.24 - 7.57), temperature (27.2 - 29.8 ℃), biochemical oxygen demand (57.8 - 318.2 mg/L), chemical oxygen demand (137 - 9881 mg/L)), dissolved oxygen (0.15 - 9.42 mg/L)), and oil and grease (14.2 - 90,500 mg/L). The lowest dissolved oxygen was recorded in May 2010 at automotive workshops K. Meanwhile, the highest biochemical oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand were recorded in February 2010 at automotive workshop T (318.2 ± 1.89 mg/L) and in May 2010 at automotive workshops P (9881 ± 7.46 mg/L) respectively. The results showed that, all the parameters excepted pH and temperature were high and exceeded permissible level (Standard B) listed in the Third Scheduled, Environmental Quality (Sewage and Industrial Effluents) Regulations, 1979 of Environmental Quality Act, 1974
Effect of Logging Activities on Water Quality and Benthic macroinvertebrate Assemblages of Madek River Basin, Kluang, Johor, Malaysia
Full text linkThe study was conducted to determine the effect of logging activities
on water quality and benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages for the
Madek River basin. The study area was situated in Kluang, Johor,
Malaysia. Two sampling stations 500 meters apart are upstream and the
other, downstream located at Madek River which flows through a logging
area in Kluang Forest Reserve were identified. The sampling was
conducted four (4) times from November 2008 to August 2009. Surber Net
measuring 500 micron mesh size combined with a rectangular quadrat of
30 cm x 30 cm (0.09 m2) was used to sample the macroinvertebrates. The
organisms were identified up to genus level except for Chironomidae
which was only identified up to Sub-family level. For water quality,
six in-situ parameters based on the standard procedure of U. S.
Environmental Protection Agency were measured at each station. The
parameters such as temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen (DO),
pH, turbidity and salinity were measured using a multi parameter probe
Model YSI 6920 with 650 MDS Display/Logger as well as a single
parameter probe. All the physico-chemical water quality parameters were
well below Class I as provided for under Interim National Water Quality
Standards for Malaysia (INWQS), except turbidity which fell under Class
II of the INWQS. There were only two (2) sensitive taxa namely
Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera found in this station. Ephemeroptera that
was found in the logging area was from genus Potamanthus, Pseudiron,
Ephemerella and Rhithrogena, while Trichoptera was from genus
Hydropsyche and Macrostemum
Sediment size distribution at three rivers with different types of land use in Endau catchment area, Kluang, Johor, Malaysia
Full text linkLand use along the river will determine the substrate size and distributions. Substrate particle size will influence aquatic life because substrate is one of the main components forming aquatic habitat. This aquatic habitat is very important in determining river water quality as well as river health. Therefore, identifying the sediment size distribution based on land use is very crucial in river maintenance. Theobjective of this study is to determine the particle size variation between upper reach and lower reach of the sampling station as well as variation from different land use cover at different sub-catchment areas. The pebble counts was conducted at upper reach station and lower reach station by applying the Pebble Count Protocols developed by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection and Wolmen Pebble Count Procedure. The average median (D₅₀) for Dengar River ranged between 4.5 mm for upper portion and 2.4 mm for lower portion. Similar observations were found at the Mengkibol River. where particle size ranged between 3.0 mm for upper portion and 2.4 mm for lower portion. As for Madek River which represents land use area for logging activity, the results obtained were different in which the upper portion the particle size was smaller (D₅₀: 4.5 mm) than the lower portion (D₅₀ = 41.5 mm). The finding of this study will be a basis for river catchment management study and can be used by river management authorities in the country for river management planning
Potential of Chromolaena odorata and Indigenous Bacterial Consortium for Oily Wastewater Treatment
Full text linkThis study was carried out to investigate the possibility of using Chromolaena odorata as absorbent and to ascertain as to whether indigenous bacteria has the potential to degrade hydrocarbon from oily wastewater and thereby reducing its toxicity and other negative impacts to the environment particularly on aquatic life. The potential of Chromolaena odorata and indigenous bacteria to remove oil from wastewater was evaluated by measuring total suspended solid (TSS) concentration. The result shows that, about 55% of oil substances were absorbed or removed after 4 hours of Chromolaena odorata application with the optimum dosage of 4mg/L. Growth percentage of bacterial consortium and single pure strain on medium containing oily wastewater was studied. It was found that bacterial consortium, the mixture of Bacillus cereus (KA) and Acinetobacter (TB) shows higher growth among other bacterial consortium and single pure cultures and this consortium was used for further analysis. In addition, the results have shown that, bacterial consortium (KA+TB) exhibited high efficiency to remove TSS at the optimum dosage of 1 mg/L. Absorption and biodegradation rate was increased after being treated with Chromolaena odorata and bacterial consortium mixture. The mixture of Chromolaena odorata powder and bacterial consortium in 4:1 ratio was obtained to significantly removed TSS by 75% in 24 hours
Effect of Logging Activities on Water Quality and Benthic macroinvertebrate Assemblages of Madek River Basin, Kluang, Johor, Malaysia
Full text linkThe study was conducted to determine the effect of logging activities
on water quality and benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages for the
Madek River basin. The study area was situated in Kluang, Johor,
Malaysia. Two sampling stations 500 meters apart are upstream and the
other, downstream located at Madek River which flows through a logging
area in Kluang Forest Reserve were identified. The sampling was
conducted four (4) times from November 2008 to August 2009. Surber Net
measuring 500 micron mesh size combined with a rectangular quadrat of
30 cm x 30 cm (0.09 m2) was used to sample the macroinvertebrates. The
organisms were identified up to genus level except for Chironomidae
which was only identified up to Sub-family level. For water quality,
six in-situ parameters based on the standard procedure of U. S.
Environmental Protection Agency were measured at each station. The
parameters such as temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen (DO),
pH, turbidity and salinity were measured using a multi parameter probe
Model YSI 6920 with 650 MDS Display/Logger as well as a single
parameter probe. All the physico-chemical water quality parameters were
well below Class I as provided for under Interim National Water Quality
Standards for Malaysia (INWQS), except turbidity which fell under Class
II of the INWQS. There were only two (2) sensitive taxa namely
Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera found in this station. Ephemeroptera that
was found in the logging area was from genus Potamanthus, Pseudiron,
Ephemerella and Rhithrogena, while Trichoptera was from genus
Hydropsyche and Macrostemum
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