No abstract

Nowadays, halal products are gaining wider recognition as a new benchmark for safety and quality assurance. As a consequence the commercial development of microalgae is established due to their high value chemicals, for examples, β-carotene, astaxanthin, phycobilin pigments and algal extracts for cosmaceutical products. Therefore, many researchers have gained interest to study the potential of microalgae as new valuable chemicals and other product sources. The aim of the research is to explore new sources of pigments to be used as halal food colorants. This quest is not only directed in finding natural alternatives for synthetic dyes, but also to discover new taxons for the carotenoid production. Thus, there is a solid need to investigate the potential of natural pigments, particularly carotenoids in microalgae to be fully utilised and commercialised especially in halal market, health advantages, food products and dye technology. A total of 6 species was evaluated for quantitative and qualitative carotenoid composition, namely, Chlorella fusca, Chlorella vulgaris, Selenastrum capricornutum, Pandorina morum, Botryococcus sudeticus and Chlorococcum sp. The main carotenoids identified in all species through HPLC analysis were lutein, β-cryptoxanthin and β-carotene. The ratio of these carotenoids varies between species. Lutein was detected substantially higher in Chlorella fusca(69.54±11.29 μg/g DW);β-cryptoxanthin in Pandorina morum species (1.24±0.33 μg/g DW) whereas β-carotene in Chlorella vulgaris (18.42±9.2 ug/g DW). The significant outcome of the research will be new findings of new natural carotenoid pigment sources as potential food colorants and bioactive compounds which can be beneficial to halal health promoting products industry.

The aquaculture industry has made a great contribution towards economic development of Malaysia. However, the large volume of water consumption and the wastewater discharged into the water source caused a significant environmental problem that must be controlled properly. For instance, aquaculture waste may decrease dissolved oxygen level and load high nutrient and inorganic contaminants which subsequently would cause water deterioration. Thus, to ensure the effectiveness of aquaculture practices, the suitable wastewater management approach should be acquainted. Phytoremediation, which are the application of plant-based technologies, are beginning to be accepted to examine the problems and provide sustainable solutions for this issue. Therefore, this research aims to explore ecological approach by developing phytoremediation model system in order to remediate inorganic pollutants produced by aquaculture pond. In this paper, the efficiency of potential aquatic plants which are Glossostigma elatinoides and Hemianthus callitrichoides to sequester cadmium and copper were investigated. To achieve this, phytoremediation model system was developed using two selected species for three different concentrations of cadmium (Cd) and copper (Cu). This model system was run over three different periods of time, which are week 1, week 2, and week 3. The findings of this research suggested that the capability to sequester different concentration of heavy metals for certain periods of time were varied between different species. The results indicated that Glossostigma elatinoides was a good phytoremediator for Cd whereas Hemianthus callitrichoides was a good phytoremediator for Cu. The expected outcome of this research is to introduce cost-effective and eco-friendly technology to cater environmental pollution. Hence, having the thorough study on the effectiveness of this technology might contribute towards sustainable aquaculture practices in terms of ecological, economical, and social benefits.

Al and Fe Heavy Metal Concentrations in the Vegetative and Root Parts of Dicranopteris linearis, Nephrolepis bifurcata, Stenochlaena palustris and Acrostichum aureum Grew in Highly Weathered Soil the accumulation of heavy metals. Furthermore, the remediation of numerous sites that are polluted with heavy metals, like landfills, is a cost-effective solution employing green technologies, like phytoremediation.

Kerangas or heath forests are found on podzolised siliceous sands (spodosols), where gradually decomposing organic matter occurs on the soil’s surface. Changes in the extent of podzol development, soil consistency, and poor nutrient contents signify the unique properties of sandy soil in the heath forest at Rantau Abang, Terengganu, Malaysia. Unfortunately, the sandy soil’s chemical and physical properties are in critical condition due to human activities such as cutting and burning, impacting the sustainability of this ecosystem and its ground cover of shrubs, sparse grass and sedge. Therefore, it is crucial to study the properties of sandy soils in heath forests before their extinction. This analyzed the physical and chemical attributes of heath forest sandy soils regarding heavy metal toxicity, pH, concentrations of carbon, nitrogen, available phosphorus, cation exchange capacity (CEC), allelochemical compounds, total phenolic content in the soil, soil colour, and soil texture. The solid was found to be nutrient-deprived due to its extreme acidity and toxicity. The results showed that allelochemical matters were higher in plants but not in the soil attributes and the water bodies, along with a highly active response in young plant tissues due to their sources of phenolic content. Remarkably, the overall phenolic content was observed to be considerably high in the semi-mature phase of vegetation.