Sharifah Nur Munirah Syed Hasan | UPM - Universiti Putra Malaysia (original) (raw)

Papers by Sharifah Nur Munirah Syed Hasan

Environmental Geochemistry and Health

Environmental Science and Pollution Research

Phytoremediation technique is one the cost-effective technique in removing contaminants and toxic... more Phytoremediation technique is one the cost-effective technique in removing contaminants and toxic chemicals from polluted river. The key objective of this project is to study the effectiveness of vetiver grass in removing pollutants and improving water quality at polluted river using phytoremediation system. Guideline for field installation of passive vetiver treatment system for running water also has been develop in this project. In the study, vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides) was used in the phytoremediation treatment due to its ability in absorbing large amount of pollutants and nutrients content for purification of polluted sites. The vetiver grass has been evaluated for their capability of removing pollutants in laboratory experiments (controlled environment) and in the field (uncontrolled environment). Findings indicated that iron (Fe) showed the highest removal efficiency (98%) of heavy metal, while Water Quality Index (WQI) showed 10% improvement after installation of v...

Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 2021

This paper attempts to evaluate the mineralogical and chemical composition of sedimentary limesto... more This paper attempts to evaluate the mineralogical and chemical composition of sedimentary limestone mine waste alongside its mineral carbonation potential. The limestone mine wastes were recovered as the waste materials after mining and crushing processes and were analyzed for mineral, major and trace metal elements. The major mineral composition discovered was calcite (CaCO 3 ) and dolomite [CaMg(CO 3 ) 2 ], alongside other minerals such as bustamite [(Ca,Mn)SiO 3 ] and akermanite (Ca 2 MgSi 2 O 7 ). Calcium oxide constituted the greatest composition of major oxide components of between 72 and 82%. The presence of CaO facilitated the transformation of carbon dioxide into carbonate form, suggesting potential mineral carbonation of the mine waste material. Geochemical assessment indicated that mean metal(loid) concentrations were found in the order of Al > Fe > Sr > Pb > Mn > Zn > As > Cd > Cu > Ni > Cr > Co in which Cd, Pb and As exceeded some regulatory guideline values. Ecological risk assessment demonstrated that the mine wastes were majorly influenced by Cd as being classified having moderate risk. Geochemical indices depicted that Cd was moderately accumulated and highly enriched in some of the mine waste deposited areas. In conclusion, the limestone mine waste material has the potential for sequestering CO 2 ; however, the presence of some trace metals could be another important aspect that needs to be considered. Therefore, it has been shown that limestone mine waste can be regarded as a valuable feedstock for mineral carbonation process. Despite this, the presence of metal(loid) elements should be of another concern to minimize potential ecological implication due to recovery of this waste material.

IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 2020

This study was carried out to develop a passive treatment method to treat contaminated water with... more This study was carried out to develop a passive treatment method to treat contaminated water with heavy metals caused by mining activities using organic, industrial, quarry and mining waste itself. In particular, this study aims to evaluate the performance of selected treatment media in treating Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) (i.e. Spent mushroom compost (SMC), limestone (LS), steel slag (SS) and ochre). A series of tests were conducted to determine the effectiveness of the treatment media in single and mixed substrates treatment. For single substrate, both SMC and SS showed promising overall heavy metal removal efficiency of 94.6% and 96.7%, respectively. As for mixed substrates, R3 (composed of 40% SS, 30% SMC, 20% LS and 10% ochre) gave the best performance in overall heavy metal removal. This treatment ratio (4:3:2:1) was then used in column experiment where continuous flow of synthetic AMD water was supplied. After 30 days, results showed that heavy metals (i.e. Fe, Mn, Pb, Zn, and Al) were reduced significantly with 91-100% removal efficiencies except for Mn (61.15% efficiency). Therefore, this study has proven that the media chosen in passive treatment of AMD are efficient in the removal of selected heavy metals and in increasing the pH of AMD, which can be applied for real on-site treatment of such cases.

Minerals, 2018

Soil, sludge and sediment that are rich in alkaline earth silicates play significant roles as pas... more Soil, sludge and sediment that are rich in alkaline earth silicates play significant roles as passive agents for removing carbon dioxide through mineral carbonation process. This study was conducted to characterize the mineralogical component and chemical composition of gold mining wastes and to identify the availability of natural silicate minerals as a feedstock for the mineral carbonation process. Particle-size distribution analysis was performed, and pH of the soil, sludge, and sediment were determined, whereas the mineralogical component and chemical composition of the samples were also analyzed. Results demonstrated that the presence of sepiolite and chlorite-serpentine in the stockpile and mine tailings can sequester carbon dioxide into magnesium carbonates, while the presence of stilpnomelane in the stockpile can be sequestered into iron carbonate. The presence of large amounts of small-size particles (silt fraction) in sludge (78.23%) at the mine tailings was identified to have higher surface area to absorb carbon dioxide. pH conditions of sludge (pH 7.9) and sediment (pH 8.3) from the mine tailings were favorable to enhance carbonate precipitation. Therefore, gold mine wastes have shown the potential for passive sequestration of carbon dioxide, thus, providing more insights into the enhancement of mineral carbonation process and the potential of natural silicate minerals.

Applied Ecology and Environmental Research, 2019

Floating Vetiver Island (FVI) system has been investigated in this study as a relatively new tech... more Floating Vetiver Island (FVI) system has been investigated in this study as a relatively new technology of artificial wetland treatment. Vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides) was used as the treatment vegetation in the FVI owing to its high tolerance to various types of contaminants. Performance of the FVI was tested on actual polluted running water having characterized by a Class III-Class IV river according to water quality index (WQI) classification. Field trial of FVI over a six-week installation demonstrated an improved water quality with significant increase (92%) of dissolved oxygen and great removals of chemical oxygen demand (77%) and nitrate (73%), resulting in 14% increase of the overall WQI. It was proposed that treatment system performance for FVI can be reflected by the number of pontoons (FVIs) and treatment distance required to achieve desired water quality improvement. The calculated pollutant removal rates were incorporated into the estimation of treatment system requirements. Field installation guide for FVI system is also presented along with treatment system maintenance. For such an FVI system, vetiver grass pruning (trimming) at 2-month intervals is recommended for promoting the growth of the plant and for medium-to long-term FVI performance.

Waste rocks are a non-economical by-product of mining operations, which can lock up carbon dioxid... more Waste rocks are a non-economical by-product of mining operations, which can lock up carbon dioxide into a carbonate form and thereby help reduce greenhouse gases emissions. The aims of this research are to determine the mineral and chemical composition of the sedimentary waste rocks of gold mines and to classify the potential of silicate minerals to be a feedstock for carbonation mineralization. The sampling was undertaken at the Selinsing gold mine, where waste rocks were collected from the waste dump, stockpiles, the borrow pit, and the main pit. The mineralogical and chemical component of the sedimentary waste rocks were explored using X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The findings indicated that the presence of divalent cations, of 55.12% for CaO, 9.09% for MgO, and 16.24% for Fe2O3 from gold mine waste, capable of sequestering carbon dioxide into calcium, magnesium and iron carbonates, respectively, through carbonation of mineral. The domination of sil...

Processes

IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 2020

The industrial sector is the main contributor of carbon dioxide emissions which have an enormous ... more The industrial sector is the main contributor of carbon dioxide emissions which have an enormous impact on the planet’s weather. One of the approaches to sequester carbon dioxide permanently is through the utilization of potential mining waste to produce commercial materials such as bricks. This research emphasizes the use of gold and limestone mining waste as raw materials for carbon capture and storage in the manufacturing of bricks and to determine their physical and mechanical characteristics for construction purposes. The dimensions of the sand bricks in this research were 215×103×65 mm. Gold and limestone mining waste was used as a partial cement replacement in sand bricks. Findings showed that the gold mine waste bricks have an average of 1.8% higher water absorption value and hence are more permeable, compared to the average of 1.05% in limestone mine waste bricks. Compressive strength measurements indicated that bricks made up of limestone mine waste have an average of 34.7...

Processes, 2022

Mineral carbonation is an increasingly popular method for carbon capture and storage that resembl... more Mineral carbonation is an increasingly popular method for carbon capture and storage that resembles the natural weathering process of alkaline-earth oxides for carbon dioxide removal into stable carbonates. This study aims to evaluate the potential of reusing Fe-rich mine waste for carbon sequestration by assessing the influence of pH condition, particle size fraction and reaction temperature on the carbonation reaction. A carbonation experiment was performed in a stainless steel reactor at ambient pressure and at a low temperature. The results indicated that the alkaline pH of waste samples was suitable for undergoing the carbonation process. Mineralogical analysis confirmed the presence of essential minerals for carbonation, i.e., magnetite, wollastonite, anorthite and diopside. The chemical composition exhibited the presence of iron and calcium oxides (39.58–62.95%) in wastes, indicating high possibilities for carbon sequestration. Analysis of the carbon uptake capacity revealed ...

Anthropogenic carbon dioxide emission mainly from metallic mining industry is the major gases tha... more Anthropogenic carbon dioxide emission mainly from metallic mining industry is the major gases that increase greenhouse gases. Mining wastes that are discarded from mining operation might have potential as a solid buffer in storing atmospheric carbon dioxide for long term by mineral carbonation. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify the major minerals in the waste rocks at waste dump and stockpile of a gold mine, and to determine the potential of silicate minerals from gold mining wastes for mineral carbonation process. Waste rocks sample from the waste dump and stockpile were obtained and were analyzed using X-ray diffractometer. Findings indicated that quartz, mica, dolomite, and calcite are the major minerals found in the waste rocks. Results also demonstrated that carbonate minerals such as dolomite, calcite, and siderite are in stable form that are considered a reservoir for carbon storage. Silicates minerals such as chlorite, pyroxene, mica, and amphiboles that are present at both waste dump and stockpile contain magnesium, calcium, and iron silicates ions, which can facilitate the formation of carbonate minerals. Thus, the presence of potential minerals from gold mining wastes provides a great possibility for carbon sequestration that can encourage evaluation of carbon footprint in mining industry.

IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering

MATEC Web of Conferences, 2017

In tolerance towards metal uptake, there is a need to evaluate the performance of vetiver grass f... more In tolerance towards metal uptake, there is a need to evaluate the performance of vetiver grass for metal removal to reduce water impurity. This study was aimed to evaluate contaminant removal by vetiver grass at varying root length and plant density and determine the metal uptake in vetiver plant biomass. Pollutant uptake of vetiver grass was conducted in laboratory experiment and heavy metal analysis was done using acid digestion and Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. Findings indicated that the removal of heavy metal was decreased in seven days of the experiment where iron shows the highest percentage (96%; 0.42 ppm) of removal due to iron is highly required for growth of vetiver grass. Removal rate of heavy metals in water by vetiver grass is ranked in the order of Fe>Zn>Pb>Mn>Cu. Results also demonstrated greater removal of heavy metals (Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Zn) at greater root length and higher density of vetiver grass because it increased the surface area for metal absorption by plant root into vetiver plant from contaminated water. However, findings indicated that accumulation of heavy metals in plant biomass was higher in vetiver shoot than in root due to metal translocation from root to the shoot. Therefore, the findings have shown effective performance of vetiver grass for metal removal in the phytoremediation of contaminated water.

Procedia Environmental Sciences, 2015

This study was conducted to identify the relationship between variables that affect behavioral in... more This study was conducted to identify the relationship between variables that affect behavioral intention among UPM students in reducing plastic consumption. A survey was done using validated questionnaire and distributed among 393 respondents of UPM students. The study revealed that perceived behavioral control (PCB) shows the highest relationship with behavior compared to other variables. There was statistically significant of behavior difference between genders. However, there was no statistically significant difference of behavior between level of education and stream of study (science and social science).

Processes, 2021

This study aims to identify the potential of gold mining waste for CO2 sequestration and its util... more This study aims to identify the potential of gold mining waste for CO2 sequestration and its utilization for carbon storage in cementitious material. Samples of mine waste were identified from a gold mine for mineralogical and chemical composition analysis using X-ray diffractogram and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray. Mine waste was utilized in a brickmaking process as supplementary cementitious material and as an agent for CO2 capture and storage in bricks. Carbonation curing was incorporated in brick fabrication to estimate CO2 uptake of the brick product. Results indicated that the mine wastes were composed of silicate minerals essential for mineral carbonation such as muscovite and illite (major) and chlorite-serpentine, aerinite, albite and stilpnomelane (moderate/minor phases). The mine wastes were identified as belonging to the highly pozzolanic category, which has a great role in improving the strength properties of brick products. Carbonated minerals served as an additional binder that increased the strength of the product. CO2 uptake of the product was between 0.24% and 0.57% for bricks containing 40-60% of gold mine waste, corresponding to 7.2–17.1 g CO2/brick. Greater performance in terms of compressive strength and water adsorption was observed for bricks with 3 h carbonation curing. The carbonation
product was evidenced by strong peaks of calcite and reduced peaks for calcium hydroxide from XRD analysis and was supported by a densified and crystalline microstructure of materials. It has been demonstrated that gold mine waste is a potential feedstock for mineral carbonation, and its utilization for permanent carbon storage in brick making is in line with the concept of CCUS for environmental sustainability.

Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2020

This study highlights the importance of mineralogical composition for potential carbon dioxide (C... more This study highlights the importance of mineralogical composition for potential carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and storage of mine waste materials. In particular, this study attempts to evaluate the role of mineral carbonation of sedimentary mine waste and their potential reutilization as supplementary cementitious material (SCM). Limestone and gold mine wastes were recovered from mine processing sites for their use as SCM in brick-making and for evaluation of potential carbon sequestration. Dominant minerals in the limestone mine waste were calcite and akermanite (calcium silicate) while the gold mine waste was dominated by illite (iron silicate) and chlorite-serpentine (magnesium silicate). Calcium oxide, CaO and silica, SiO2, were the highest composition in the limestone and gold mine waste, respectively, with maximum CO2 storage of between 7.17 and 61.37%. Greater potential for CO2 capture was observed for limestone mine waste as due to higher CaO content alongside magnesium oxide.
Mineral carbonation of the limestone mine waste was accelerated at smaller particle size of < 38 μm and at pH 10 as reflected by the greater carbonation efficiency. Reutilization of limestone mine waste as SCM in brick-making exhibited greater compressive strength and lower water absorption compared to the bricks made of gold mine waste. The gold mine waste is characterized as having high pozzolanic behaviour, resulting in lower carbonation potential. Therefore, it has been noticeable that limestone mine waste is a suitable feedstock for mineral carbonation process and could be reutilized as supplementary cementitious material for cement-based product. This would be beneficial in light of environmental conservation of mine waste materials and in support of sustainable use of resources for engineering construction purposes.

Planning Malaysia Journal, 2019

Key community-based environmental conservation programmes in Kong Kong Laut, Johor include the ri... more Key community-based environmental conservation programmes in Kong Kong Laut, Johor include the river and mangrove ecosystem conservation and management programme. The overall aim of conserving the ecosystem and encouraging local community participation in the programme is to promote the existing eco-tourism potential of the area. This paper entails the outcomes of community-based activities aimed at building the capacities of local communities through community mobilisation, awareness creation and capacity building (i.e. transferred knowledge and skills). Findings indicate that there have been improvements in the river water quality status within the ecosystems over the course of a one-year project, despite relatively small participation among the local communities in the conservation programme. However, it was evident that active participation from a minority group of the local community has contributed to significant human and social capital, suggesting that community empowerment ...

Catena, 2019

An investigation has been undertaken on the distribution of mineral, major and trace elements in ... more An investigation has been undertaken on the distribution of mineral, major and trace elements in mine wastes of a gold mining area from geo-ecological perspective and its association with potential human health risks. Mine waste samples consisting of waste rocks, soils and sediments (including borrow pit, waste dump, stockpile and
tailings) were collected in the vicinity of Selinsing gold mine in Malaysia. Major elements in terms of their oxide contents such as SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, K2O and MgO were mainly derived from their mineralogical compositions that were dominated by quartz and muscovite (in waste rocks), kaolinite and illite (in soils) and illite and
chlorite-serpentine (in mine tailings). Metallic elements (Al, Fe, Mn, Zn, Sr, Cr, Cd, Ni, Cu, Co, and Pb) were found in the range of acceptable values except for metalloid arsenic. Arsenic was found in the range of 1.84–1915 mg/kg (the highest in the waste rocks of stockpile). Geochemical assessment indicated that some locations were classified as extremely contaminated, highly enriched and having high contamination with respect to arsenic according to geo-accumulation index, enrichment factor and contamination factor. In view of ecological perspective, arsenic contamination was noticeable i.e. some samples were classified as having considerable to high potential ecological risk with respect to arsenic, while contamination with regard to all other metals were classified as having low risk. In terms of health aspect, the hazard index as indicated by the lifetime cancer risk for arsenic was found in tolerable range for regulatory purposes. Other metals possess no significant non-carcinogenic or carcinogenic risks both for adults and children. The arsenic concentrations were comparable with other mining-related sites worldwide, e.g. Spain, China, South Korea, Poland and Mongolia among others. Iron, As and Cd in the tailings and discharges from treatment facilities within the mine have been removed by 82.9–94.7%. Overall, this paper has highlighted the geo-ecological importance and implication of mining exploration to avoid ecological damages so as to sustain mining sector without inflicting the environment.

Environmental Geochemistry and Health

Environmental Science and Pollution Research

Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 2021

IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 2020

Minerals, 2018

Applied Ecology and Environmental Research, 2019

Processes

IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 2020

Processes, 2022

IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering

MATEC Web of Conferences, 2017

Procedia Environmental Sciences, 2015

Processes, 2021

Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2020

Planning Malaysia Journal, 2019

Catena, 2019