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Anuar Ithnin ¹, Mira Azilah Ibrahim ¹, Che Radziah Md. Zain ², Azhar Abdul Halim ²

Affiliations
1 Environmental Health and Industrial Safety Program, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300, Kuala Lumpur, MY
2 School of Environment & Natural Resource Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Selangor, MY

Abstract

Plants have several defence mechanisms to survive in a stressful environment. Formaldehyde is one of the indoor air pollutants that can cause cancer. Ornamental plant Dieffenbachia compacta can be used as biological control for pollutants in the indoor air environment. This study was conducted to isolate the genes that response for detoxifying formaldehyde in have several defence mechanisms to survive in a stressful environment. Formaldehyde is one of the indoor air pollutants that can cause cancer. Ornamental plant Dieffenbachia compacta can be used as biological control for pollutants in the indoor air environment. This study was conducted to isolate the genes that response for detoxifying formaldehyde in Dieffenbachia compacta. Methods used to isolate the gene is by using reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR). A total of 735 base pairs was isolated using a primer from Epipremnum aureum FALDH genes. Nucleotide sequence analysis showed that the sequence similarities of 85% and 84% to the FALDH mRNA for Epipremnum aureum and Populus trichocarpa respectively. While for amino acid 92% similarities were found against Epipremnum aureum and Populus trichocarpa. A total of 87 amino acids that were encoded from 261 base pairs using the Open Reading Frame Finder. Our finding showed that the isolated Dieffenbachia compacta gene is the gene for glutathione-dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenase (FALDH). As a conclusion, formaldehyde metabolism in plants is regulated by the enzyme glutathione-dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenase (FALDH). The activity of FALDH indicates that this enzyme might be part of the universal metabolism pathway shared by a variety of organisms.

Keywords

Glutathione-Dependent, Formaldehyde Dehydrogenase, (FALDH), Dieffenbachia compacta, Formaldehyde Responsive, Gene.

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Anuar Ithnin ¹, Muhammad Shakirin ¹, Nurhudayanti Mohd Yusuf ¹, Shamrul Aizam Abd Rahman ¹, Azhar Abdul Halim ²

Affiliations
1 Environmental Health and Industrial Safety Program, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300, Kuala Lumpur, MY
2 School of Environment & Natural Resource Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, MY

Abstract

The former landfill site produces various combinations of gases that can cause health problems. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of air quality on the residents' respiratory health that occupy buildings at the former landfill site at Taman Sri Manja, Petaling Jaya, Selangor compared with the control which in PPR Air Panas located at Setapak, Kuala Lumpur. Methods that are used for this study are gas sampling using aeroqual and multi-log gas detector. High-volume sampler (HVS) was used for PM₁₀ determination. The open plate method was used to determine total count formed by microorganisms. Questionnaire forms and peak flow meter were used to determine the value of Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR) of 196 respondents in the case study and 190 respondents in control. Results showed that all the parameters including gases, PM10, heavy metals and total count of microbes under the estimated standard value have no significant difference between the case study and control. There is significant difference (p=0.031) of PEFR (L/min) value between respondent at case (347.54 ± 89.50) and control (326.97 ± 97.90). Respiratory symptoms score also showed significant differences (p=0.04) between respondents at case (1.38 ± 0.36) and control (1.30 ± 0.37) location. Although there was significant difference (p<0.05) between the average value of peak flow meter and the expected value, but the value for both case and control study are between the range of 20% under the expected value which indicated normal respiratory health status. As conclusion, there was a significant difference of PEFR average value in case and control study. The presence of pollutants contributed to the high respiratory symptom score at the case location compared to control.

Keywords

Air Quality, Landfill Site, Respiratory Human Health, Landfill Gases, Heavy Metals.

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Azhar Abdul Halim ¹, Eliani Ezani ¹, Mohd. Sham Othman ¹, Normah Awang ¹, Mohd. Ikram Wahab ¹, Anuar Ithnin ¹

Affiliations
1 Environmental Health Program, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, MY

Abstract

Curcuma longa or turmeric was used as adsorbent for aluminium removal. The effects of operational factors, including pH, contact time and dose were studied, and their optimal controls were proven. Overall uptake of Curcuma longa was at the maximum when pH ranged between 5 and 9 and the optimal removal was 91.2%. Optimal removal of 95.8% was achieved at the 90^th minute for the batch experiment. A dose of 6 g/L was enough for optimal removal of 93.6%. Aluminium adsorption onto Curcuma longa was found to have a good correlation with Freundlich adsorption model contrary to the Langmuir model. Simple kinetic model such as pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order, Elovich equation and intra-particulate mixing models were employed to determine the adsorption mechanism. The adsorption kinetic study showed that the pseudo-second order kinetic was the most applicable, and this result suggests that chemical adsorption process was more dominant.

Keywords

Adsorption, Aluminium, Curcuma longa, Turmeric.

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