River and fish pollution in Malaysia: A green ergonomics perspective

Contribution of ergonomics and human factors to sustainable development: a systematic literature review

Although a significant amount of research has already been published, the field of ergonomics/human factors and sustainability (E/HF-S) has not yet been systematically profiled based on recent studies. Conducting a systematic review of the literature, this article aims: (i) to identify the main emergent research themes in this subject area and (ii) to provide future directions for applied research and practice on E/HF-S. Six emergent research themes were identified in this literature allowing for a proposal to synthesise the main concepts related to E/HF-S. However, it was noted that there are still relatively few empirical papers which assess the models being developed or that apply E/HF principles to sustainability challenges. Thus, this paper identifies the opportunities for practical application related to E/HF-S. The last part of the paper explores the E/HF-S opportunities using an external framework; the United Nations' sustainable development goals.Practitioner summary: The field of ergonomics/human factors and sustainability (E/HF-S) has not yet been organised by recent studies. Conducting a systematic review of the literature, this article identifies the main emergent research themes in this subject area, and it provides future direction for applied research and practice on E/HF-S.Abbreviations: ACE: activity-centred ergonomics; E/HF: ergonomics/human factors; E/HFS: ergonomics/human factors and sustainability; IEA: International Ergonomics Association; PRISMA: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses; SDG: Sustainable Development Goal.

A comparison of two digestion methods and heavy metals determination in sediments

This study was conducted to evaluate the levels of heavy metal concentrations in sediments and also involves a comparison of two different digestion protocols. The first digestion procedure was done with a mixture of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid while the second digestion method was done using the United States Environmental Protection Agency method 3052 which comprises nitric acid, hydrofluoric acid, hydrochloric acid, and hydrogen peroxide. The sediment samples were analyzed for cadmium, copper, iron, lead, zinc, chromium, manganese, nickel (Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb, Zn Cr, Mn, and Ni) with the aid of atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Concentrations of metals ranged 0–7.0 mg/kg for Cr, 0.5–20.0 mg/kg for Cd, 10.8–112.0 mg/kg for Fe, 0.10–7.20 mg/kg for Pb, 45.69–184.96 mg/kg for Cu, 1.0–73.75 mg/kg for Zn, 1.5–19.7 mg/kg for Mn and nd −3.0 mg/kg for Ni. The order of concentrations of the metals in the samples are Cu > Fe > Zn > Cd > Mn > Pb > Cr > Ni. The second digestion method yielded higher levels of metal concentration. Comparison with theWorld Health Organization (W.H.O) standards for marine sediments showed that the average concentrations of heavy metals were within the permissible limits. Close monitoring and more publicity are further needed to discourage further pollution of the area.

Scenedesmus sp. Harvesting by Using Natural Coagulant after Phycoremediation of Heavy Metals in Different Concentrations of Wet Market Wastewater for Potential Fish Feeds

The high level of organic elements and nutrients in wet market wastewater (WMW) has raised public concerns. The phycoremediation method, which utilizes microalgae, can be further valorized by converting it into various valuable potential bioproducts. The production of Scenedesmus sp. in WMW was investigated as an ingredient for fish feeds in this study. The potential of two natural plant-based coagulants, Cajanus cajan (pigeon pea) and Cicer arietinum (chickpea), for harvesting microalgae Scenedesmus sp. were compared. Statistical analysis and response surface methodology were used to investigate the flocculant dosage and pH effect on harvesting efficiency. It was found that Cajanus cajan (CC) and Cicer arietinum (CA) both had a harvesting efficiency of 89.29% and 88.56%, respectively. The optimal dosage and pH for CC were 178.75 mg/L and 11.72, and for CA, they were 137.77 mg/L and 9.15. This study indicated that Scenedesmus sp. can remove heavy metals cadmium (87.24%), chromium (85.55%), and ferum (90.35%), respectively. The level of heavy metals content (μg/kg in ppb) in dry biomass was found ultimately low and did not exceed the maximum concentration set up by the European Commission Regulation. The Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis of microalgae biomass displayed O-H, N-H and C-H functional groups. The protein–lipid for the potential application as fish feed in the sample was 45.8–43.6% and 15–13%. Moreover, the biomass contained 53% to 40% oleic acid, which is high concentration of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME). As a result, there is high potential of Scenedesmus sp. in wastewater treatment; both natural coagulants give the possibilities for efficient microalgae biomass recovery as fish feed and are applicable for improving the quality of Scenedesmus sp. cultivated in WMW.

Towards a green industry through cleaner production development

The growth in global production and consumption rates has resulted in increased pollution generation by industrial companies. To this end, cleaner production is one of the most widely used strategies to reduce the environmental impacts of industry and gain competitive advantage. However, it is still adopted slowly in many places. Therefore, the objective of this study is to propose a framework composed of governmental, scientific, and industrial strategies, policies, initiatives, and research opportunities for the development of cleaner production. The best practices of the top countries in the cleaner production technical-scientific scenario and the main implementation challenges and opportunities for its scientific development were identified and were the reference for the framework proposals. In the government sector, the framework suggests actions to encourage the adoption of cleaner production practices through national policies, legislation, tax incentives, and educational campaigns. In the scientific sector, it suggested the development of studies about the factors that motivate its adoption, studies about clean technologies, and studies about the cleaner production implementation difficulties. In the industrial sector, it highlighted the importance of the engagement of upper management to focus on efforts to increase the efficiency of manufacturing processes with the adoption of clean technologies, management systems, strengthening of the research and development areas, and replacement of hazardous raw materials. Thus, this study contributes with initiatives that will help the implementation of cleaner production practices, reducing the generation of pollution in industry, increasing the efficiency of its processes, and aligning countries and societies to sustainable development.

Drivers of water pollution and evaluating its ecological stress with special reference to macrovertebrates (fish community structure): a case of Churni River, India

The focus of this study is to measure ecological stress of Churni River based on the estimates of dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), nutrients imbalances of dissolved inorganic nitrogen or DIN (NO₃^- N and NO₂^- N) and dissolved inorganic phosphate or DIP (PO₄^3-). The present water quality measured in terms of overall index of pollution (OIP), eutrophication index (EI), organic pollution (OPI) and water pollution indexes for ecological status (WPI) portrays that the river is polluted having a high concentration of BOD, COD, nutrients (DIP and DIN) and a very low concentration of DO. Fish community structure taken as most sensitive indicator of ecological stress of water pollution depicts that out of 44 species, 28 fish species (63.63%) comprising 20.0% planktivore (PL), 9.09% benthic feeder (BE), 18.18% omnivorous (OM) and 15.90% carnivorous (CA) at Majhdia and 21 fish species (47.72%) comprising 18.18% PL, 4.59% BE, 13.63% OM and 11.36% CA at Ranaghat have been disappeared. The present investigation has found that anthropogenic interventions like disposal of industrial effluents and agricultural run-off from on-bed and off bed land use are the main drivers of the pollution. Furthermore, natural forcing in the form of neotectonic movements and monsoon regimes has intensified the problem.

Application of response surface methodology for the optimization of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons degradation from potable water using photo-Fenton oxidation process

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are carcinogenic compounds, composed of benzene rings. The objective of this research was to identify the optimum condition for the degradation of PAHs contaminated water using photo-Fenton oxidation process via response surface methodology (RSM). Aqueous solution was prepared and potable water samples were collected from water treatment plants in Perak Tengah, Perak, Malaysia in September 2016. The reaction time, pH, molarity of H₂O₂ and FeSO₄ were analyzed followed by RSM using aqueous solution. A five level central composite design with quadratic model was used to evaluate the effects and interactions of these parameters. The response variable was the percentage of total organic carbon (TOC) removal. PAHs quantification was done using gas chromatography mass spectrometry analysis. The regression line fitted well with the data with R² value of 0.9757. The lack of fit test gives the highest value of Sum of Squares (15,666.64) with probability F value 0.0001 showing significant quadratic model. The optimum conditions were established corresponding to the percentage of TOC removal. The PAHs removal efficiency for potable water samples ranged from 76.4% to 91% following the first order of kinetic rates with R² values of >0.95. Conventional water treatment techniques are not effective for PAHs removal. Thus, advanced oxidation processes may be considered as an alternative to conventional water treatment techniques in Malaysia and other developing countries.

Health Risk of Polonium 210 Ingestion via Drinking Water: An Experience of Malaysia

The presence of toxic polonium-210 (Po-210) in the environment is due to the decay of primordial uranium-238. Meanwhile, several studies have reported elevated Po-210 radioactivity in the rivers around the world due to both natural and anthropogenic factors. However, the primary source of Po-210 in Langat River, Malaysia might be the natural weathering of granite rock along with mining, agriculture and industrial activities. Hence, this is the first study to determine the Po-210 activity in the drinking water supply chain in the Langat River Basin to simultaneously predict the human health risks of Po-210 ingestion. Therefore, water samples were collected in 2015⁻2016 from the four stages of the water supply chain to analyze by Alpha Spectrometry. Determined Po-210 activity, along with the influence of environmental parameters such as time-series rainfall, flood incidents and water flow data (2005⁻2015), was well within the maximum limit for drinking water quality standard proposed by the Ministry of Health Malaysia and World Health Organization. Moreover, the annual effective dose of Po-210 ingestion via drinking water supply chain indicates an acceptable carcinogenic risk for the populations in the Langat Basin at 95% confidence level; however, the estimated annual effective dose at the basin is higher than in many countries. Although several studies assume the carcinogenic risk of Po-210 ingestion to humans for a long time even at low activity, however, there is no significant causal study which links Po-210 ingestion via drinking water and cancer risk of the human. Since the conventional coagulation method is unable to remove Po-210 entirely from the treated water, introducing a two-layer water filtration system at the basin can be useful to achieve SDG target 6.1 of achieving safe drinking water supplies well before 2030, which might also be significant for other countries.

A review of human biomonitoring in selected Southeast Asian countries

Rapid development and industrialization in Southeast (SE) Asia has led to environmental pollution, potentially exposing the general population to environmental contaminants. Human biomonitoring (HBM), measurement of chemical and/or their metabolites in human tissues and fluids, is an important tool for assessing cumulative exposure to complex mixtures of chemicals and for monitoring chemical exposures in the general population. While there are national HBM programs in several developed countries, there are no such national programs in most of the SE Asian countries. However, in recent years there has been progress in the field of HBM in many of the SE Asian countries. In this review, we present recent HBM studies in five selected SE Asian countries: Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand. While there is extensive HBM research in several SE Asian countries, such as Thailand, in other countries HBM studies are limited and focus on traditional environmental pollutants (such as lead, arsenic and mercury). Further development of this field in SE Asia would be benefited by establishment of laboratory capacity, improving quality control and assurance, collaboration with international experts and consortiums, and sharing of protocols and training both for pre-analytical and analytical phases. This review highlights the impressive progress in HBM research in selected SE Asian countries and provides recommendations for development of this field.

Genotoxicity assessment of raw and treated water samples using Allium cepa assay: evidence from Perak River, Malaysia

Allium cepa assay was carried out in this study to evaluate genotoxic effects of raw and treated water samples from Perak River in Perak state, Malaysia. Samples were collected from three surface water treatment plants along the river, namely WTPP, WTPS, and WTPK. Initially, triplicates of equal size Allium cepa (onions) bulbs, 25-30 mm in diameter and average weight of 20 g, were set up in distilled water for 24 h at 20 ± 2 °C and protected from direct sunlight, to let the roots to grow. After germination of roots (0.5-1.0 cm in length), bulbs were transferred to collected water samples each for a 96-h period of exposure. The root physical deformations were observed. Genotoxicity quantification was based on mitotic index and genotoxicity level. Statistical analysis using cross-correlation function for replicates from treated water showed that root length has inverse correlation with mitotic indices (r = - 0.969) and frequencies of cell aberrations (r = - 0.976) at lag 1. Mitotic indices and cell aberrations of replicates from raw water have shown positive correlation at lag 1 (r = 0.946). Genotoxicity levels obtained were 23.4 ± 1.98 (WTPP), 26.68 ± 0.34 (WTPS), and 30.4 ± 1.13 (WTPK) for treated water and 17.8 ± 0.18 (WTPP), 37.15 ± 0.17 (WTPS), and 47.2 ± 0.48 (WTPK) for raw water. The observed cell aberrations were adherence, chromosome delay, C-metaphase, chromosome loss, chromosome bridge, chromosome breaks, binucleated cell, mini cell, and lobulated nuclei. The morphogenetic deformations obtained were likely due to genotoxic substances presence in collected water samples. Thus, water treatment in Malaysia does not remove genotoxic compounds.

Human factors for a sustainable future

Current human activities are seriously eroding the ability of natural and social systems to cope. Clearly we cannot continue along our current path without seriously damaging our own ability to survive as a species. This problem is usually framed as one of sustainability. As concerned professionals, citizens, and humans there is a strong collective will to address what we see as a failure to protect the natural and social environments that supports us. While acknowledging that we cannot do this alone, human factors and ergonomics needs to apply its relevant skills and knowledge to assist where it can in addressing the commonly identified problem areas. These problems include pollution, climate change, renewable energy, land transformation, and social unrest amongst numerous other emerging global problems. The issue of sustainability raises two fundamental questions for human factors and ergonomics: which system requires sustaining and what length of time is considered sustainable? In this paper we apply Wilson (2014) parent-sibling-child model to understanding what is required of an HFE sustainability response. This model is used to frame the papers that appear in this Special Issue.