Zinc (Zn), iron (Fe) and copper (Cu) were chosen as representative of heavy metals for this study. The aim of this study was to analyze these heavy metals concentration in batik factories effluent. Samples from soil and plant nearby the factories were collected and analysed using flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer (FAAS) and HACH colorimeter. Results showed differences among the concentration of Fe, Cu and Zn from samples measured by both instruments.

Malaysia is one of the main crude oil exporters among countries in Association of South East Asian Nations, ASEAN. Therefore, oil is widely used in many sectors, especially in transportation sectors, and it will produce a lot of oil-based waste that will harm environment. Activated carbon can help to treat this waste by using the permeable reactive barrier (PRB) concept. At the same time, Malaysia is also an agricultural based country which produces a massive amount of agricultural waste. In this study, sugarcane bagasse, corn cob and pineapple's core is chosen to produce activated carbon by using furnace heating processing and microwave processing.

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This study was conducted to determine the presence of microplastics in surface water and sediment ofKelantan Bay. The samples were collected between May and July 2019. Microplastics were isolated from the surface water and sediment samples by using wet peroxide oxidation (WPO) followed by density separation. Microplastics were sorted visually according to their shapes and colours after being examined under photographed microscope. The most abundant particle found in this study was threadlike and fragment shapes. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to identify functional groups in the composition of microplastics to determine the types of microplastic found in the samples. Polypropylene (PP) was the most abundance type of microplastic found in the surface water and sediments of Kelantan Bay. This study provides an insight of the types of microplastics found in Kelantan Bay and therefore, further actions need to be taken to curb the distribution of microplastics in marine ecosystem from threatening the marine food chain of Kelantan Bay.

Developing country causes growth of industries sectors. Despite that industrial sectors releases massive amount of waste water into the environment. At the same time, the increasing number of vehicles in Malaysia promotes the development of automobile workshop that produces huge amount of wastewater as well. Wastewater contains high level of suspended total solids and leave untreated. For instance oil, grease, dyestuff, chromium, phosphate in washing products and colouring, as well as heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, barium and others potential metals. All these hazardous wastes directly pollute the environment especially the groundwater and harm the ecosystem. In order to minimize and reduce the impact to the environment, the wastewater needed to be treated using technology such as permeable reactive barrier (PRB). Activated carbon is one of the PRB utilised. It is a compromised material for treatment of wastewater where there are varieties of sources to produce activated carbon. Malaysia as an active agricultural country, massive amount of agriculture wastes can be turned into activated carbon. They are two methods used to produce activated carbon, namely furnace heat processing and microwave processing. The usage of furnace and microwave instruments can produce different quality of activated carbon due to different mechanism involves. Furnace heat processing transferred the heat from external to the internal but microwave processing is vice versa. In this article, a brief overview of activated carbon usage for wastewater treatment is highlighted.