Irnis Azura Zakaria
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Preferred name
Irnis Azura Zakaria
Official Name
Zakaria, Irnis Azura
Alternative Name
Zakarya, I. A.
Azura Binti Zakarya, Irnis
Main Affiliation
Scopus Author ID
55749533300
Researcher ID
B-9251-2012

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Malaysian and Libyan Perspectives on Single-Use Plastic's Environmental Impact During the Pandemic COVID-19: A Pilot Study

2023-01-01 , Zreba K.Y.A. , Tengku Nuraiti Tengku Izhar , Farah Naemah Mohd Saad , Irnis Azura Zakaria , Hwidi R.S.A.

Plastics have become a significant threat to natural ecosystems as well as human health. The use and consumption of plastics improves our quality of life significantly, but it is critical to transition to more sustainable alternatives. Thus, the current study proposes an investigation into the impact of single use plastic products during pandemic on the impact to the environment from the Malaysian and Libyan perspective. A pilot study was conducted to examine the strength of the questionnaire in collecting on the environmental impacts of single use plastic during COVID-19 pandemic distributed across two countries (Libya and Malaysia). SPSS was used to test the questionnaires' strength with 40 participants, 20 in each nation. The reliability test results with Cronbach’s Alpha predicted values of 0.7-0.86 and actual data Alpha values 0.87-0.93, normal test of variance inflation factor ranging between 1 and 5, skewness and kurtosis values of -1.343 to -0.076 and 5.312 to -0.024 respectively confirmed the strength of the questionnaires as benchmarked in the literature. Further, the participants' responses to the quality of the questionnaire in determining the single use plastic impact to environmental have clearly revealed the strength and applicability of this questionnaire for wider data collections.

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Assessment of water quality and nutrient uptake of Azolla in different fertilizers

2023 , Irnis Azura Zakaria , Nor Anis Nadhirah Md Nasir , Najiha Razali , Mahamad Hakimi Ibrahim , Madalina Boboc

The improvement of water quality through aquatic plants' nutrient uptake is one of the crucial elements in achieving a sustainable ecosystem. Water quality is affected by a variety of variables, including dissolved oxygen concentrations, nutrient overabundance, bacterial populations, salt content, and the number of suspended particles in the water. This experiment was performed to evaluate the biological and biochemical characteristics of azolla using various fertilizers (compost food waste, cow dung, liquid fertilizer, mushroom block fertilizer). It also examined the ability and effectiveness of aquatic macrophytes, Azolla pinnata to absorb amounts of nutrients including phosphate, potassium, and nitrogen ammonia in a nutrient-rich medium. The water quality during the cultivation period, including its turbidity, pH, and the temperature was monitored. The biological and biochemical characteristics of azolla have been assessed in a variety of fertilizers, including cow dung, liquid fertilizer, mushroom block fertilizer, and compost food waste, at various concentrations of 5g, 10g, and 15g. The study findings indicated that the most suitable fertilizer for azolla growth is cow dung fertilizer and the least suitable fertilizer is liquid fertilizer. The rapid growth of azolla between days 15 to 25 were observed for the cow dung fertilizer at all concentration as compared to control and other fertilizers. Water quality for each parameter increase over time. The ability of azolla to absorb nutrients shows great potential for the phosphorus element when compared to potassium and nitrogen uptake. To reduce the amount of excessive phosphorus and potassium in water, azolla is a great candidate for eco-friendly phytoremediation.

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Municipal solid waste characterization and quantification as a measure towards effective solid waste management in UniMAP

2020-12-29 , Irnis Azura Zakaria , Fazhil N.S.A. , Tengku Nuraiti Tengku Izhar , Siti Khadijah Za'aba , Jamaluddin M.N.F.

The most common environmental problems in Malaysia is increasing in solid waste generation. Solid waste generation and composition knowledge is compulsory as a benchmark for the decision making in managing municipal solid waste management strategy. The objective of this study was to measure solid waste generation and compare solid waste composition at cafeterias of UniMAP. Three different cafeterias had been chosen as a sampling location. Waste was sorted out into several components such as food waste, plastic, papers, metal, glass, and other types of waste. There is significance difference in data collection between the three locations where the organic waste was the main component in waste composition. Solid waste sampling and laboratory analysis were carried out based on random sampling method by using American Standard Test Method (ASTM) standards for proximate analysis (moisture content, ash content, volatile matter and fixed carbon). Ultimate analysis which is C:N ratio was carried out. Results showed that total municipal solid waste generated during two weeks of collection at School of Manufacturing, Tuanku Tengku Fauziah Residential College (PFI 2) and Tan Sri Aisyah Ghani Residential College (KKTAG) were 459.9 kg (0.1452 kg/p/day), 709.0 kg (0.0292 kg/p/day) and 201.90 kg (0.0163 kg/p/day). Based on this information, a proper waste management can be introduced to treat organic waste such as food waste and paper including inorganic waste efficiently.

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A Study on the Environmental Impact During Distribution and Disposal Stages for the 3-Ply Face Masks by Using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

2022-01-01 , Chow Suet Mun Christine , Tengku Nuraiti Tengku Izhar , Irnis Azura Zakaria , Sara Yasina Yusuf , Ayu Wazira Azhari , Boboc M.

The demand of face masks had increased tremendously due to pandemic outbreak of COVID-19, leading to the increment production rate of face masks in Malaysia. Waste is also produced at the same time, resulting impacts towards the environment. Due to the land scarcity issue in Malaysia, the end of life treatment for the waste is taken into consideration. The study tools used in this study is life cycle assessment (LCA) to identify the significant potential environmental impact produced during the life cycle stages for distribution and disposal through GaBi Education Software. The disposal stage between landfill and incineration of the 3-Ply face masks is studied to determine the end of life treatment for it. The impact assessment method selected in this study is CML 2001-Jan 2016 with the environmental indicator of Global Warming Potential (GWP), Acidification Potential (AP), Eutrophication Potential (EP) and Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP). GWP results in producing highest impact to the environment during both distribution and disposal stages. The impact of GWP also relates to the climate change. Modern incineration is recommended to overcome the issue of land scarcity in Malaysia as the amount of waste by 3-Ply face masks are increasing due to the pandemic COVID-19, reducing the impacts towards the environment.

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Mediating Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Single Use Plastic Production, Usage and Disposal Management Models Correlations

2023-01-01 , Zreba K.Y.A. , Tengku Nuraiti Tengku Izhar , Irnis Azura Zakaria , Hwidi R.S.A. , Hweidi A.S.A.

This research examines the consequences of the COVID-19 epidemic on the production, use, and disposal of single-use plastics. This research explores the intricate relationships between the impacts of COVD-19 on single-use plastic production, usage, and waste management with a focus on the mediating effects of the pandemic related to model parameters and correlations to develop a trustworthy approach. The report examines first the increasing evidence regarding the pandemic's influence on various users and industries, and then the consequences for waste management and the environment. The research then examined the relationships and modelling framework correlations between the variables utilised to estimate the influence of COVID-induced changes in production, consumption, and management on single-use plastics. The study variables captured the influence of production, usage, and disposal on the environment. The study's parameters are equally linked to types of usage, have a pronominal effect, and disposal plays a vital role in the environmental impact, which makes them extremely dynamic for parameters in this study. Single-use plastic aggregation in the environment is predicted to be a dominant mechanism by disposal behaviour.

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Comparative evaluation of compost quality, process and organic materials and adoptability potential to complement by Compost Quality Index (CQI)

2020 , Irnis Azura Zakaria , Nurain Syafiqah Suhaimi , Anuar Kamaruddin

Compost is natural fertilizer, which is organic matter that been decomposed in a process called composting. The end of result composting is an accumulation of partially decayed organic matter called humus. In this study, type of compost that have been chosen are Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB) compost, Goat Dung (GD) compost, Food Waste (FW) compost, compost using bio-decomposer (FWB), and vermicompost (VC). This study aim to identify the stability and maturity of compost that been collected and to identify the quality of compost by using Compost Quality Index (CQI). Study revealed that comparable values obtained in terms of physical properties, chemical properties, stability, maturity and phytotoxicity status. Based on this study, it reveal that EFB and FWB and stable compost while FW and VC are in matured compost. However, FWB showed better results in terms of microbial population, the highest of the values obtained for the other types of compost studied and the germination index value of this compost was higher than the other types of compost. Therefore, it can conclude that using the bio-decomposer can give more quality for compost.

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Workability and density of concrete containing Coconut Fiber

2022-01-01 , Norlia Mohamad Ibrahim , Nur Liza Rahim , Roshazita Che Amat , Mustaqqim Abdul Rahim , Woo Chin Kah , Irnis Azura Zakaria , Moncea Andreea

Use of natural fiber in concrete to enhance the strength of concrete have been used widely and become as part of an alternative building materials. For instance, the use of coconut fiber (CF) which are non-hazardous, environmental-friendly and can improves the engineering properties of concrete. The aim of this study is to identify the workability and density of CF modified concrete. CF were added into the mixture in 3 different amount that is 200 g, 400 g, and 600 g. The size of the cube samples is 100 × 100 × 100 mm and were cured for 14 days, and 28 days. To evaluate the effect of CF in improving the properties of concrete, the properties of ordinary concrete are used as a reference which consist 0% CF. The fresh and hardened densities for all samples also show that when more fiber was added into mixture, densities reduced. As summary, the study shows that by adding CF in concrete reduced the workability and density of concrete.

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The Effect of Low Initial C:N Ratio during Composting of Rice Straw Ash with Food Waste in Evaluating the Compost Quality

2020-06-10 , Khalib S.N.B. , Irnis Azura Zakaria , Tengku Nuraiti Tengku Izhar

The physicochemical and biological changes was examined during composting of rice straw ash with food waste in order to assess the effectiveness as stability and maturity of compost at low initial C:N ratio of 20 with three different aeration rates of 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 L/min.kg. The rice straw was burned at 300°C temperature to produced rice straw ash before being used to compost with a food waste. A laboratory-scale of bin composter reactor in a cone-shape was used during the composting process. The composting mixture with aeration rates of 0.6L/min.kg maintained the temperature exceeding 55°C for three days to meet the requirement of pathogen destruction compared to the composting mixture with aeration rate 0.4L/min.kg and 0.8L/min.kg. The final C:N ratio for composting mixture with aeration rates 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8L/min.kg was 11. The pH values and moisture content obtained for all composting mixture was in a range of 7-8 and 40-70%. However, the final germination index in all composting mixture was never over 80%.

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Captive growth analysis of Siberian sturgeon juveniles (Acipenser baerii J. F. Brandt, 1869) fed on a commercial fodder and its importance to a sustainable development of the aquaculture sector

2023 , György Deák , Laurențiu Burlacu , Lucian Lumânăroiu , Abdulhusein Jawdhari , Petrache Ionuț Gheorghe , Marius Raischi , Elena Holban , Irnis Azura Zakaria

Sturgeon aquaculture is an important continuously developing sector within freshwater aquaculture and its sustainability is one of the most pressing matters nowadays. Thus, the urge to apprehend the mechanics of sturgeon growth in captivity as well as in nature is of immediate importance, considering the increase in customers' requests for captive-grown sturgeon meat, caviar, and adjacent by-products. The present study evaluates several canonical growth indices in a controlled, indoor environment that included fluctuations in temperature, dissolved oxygen saturation, and ponderal density (g/L), known to affect sturgeon growth performance. Over the 91 days of evaluation, no significant correlation was found between the weight gain and the ponderal density, dissolved oxygen values, and temperature, among the 4 tanks used in the experiment setup, indicating, along with the lack of significant variance for the RCI per tank, that the growth observed is correlated only with the fodder fed to the fish.

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Adsorption of hydrogen sulfide (H2s) from municipal solid waste by using biochars

2022-12-15 , Tengku Nuraiti Tengku Izhar , Kee G.Z. , Farah Naemah Mohd Saad , Shayfull Zamree Abd. Rahim , Irnis Azura Zakaria , Che Besom , Ibad M. , Syafiuddin A.

The emission of hydrogen sulfide (H2 S) from municipal solid waste is one of the environmental issues that raised the public’s attention and awareness. Exposure to H2 S that brings a foul smell of rotten eggs will cause headaches, irritation, dizziness, fatigue, and even death if the concentration of H2 S is too high. The study’s goals are to investigate the properties of biochars made from rice hulls, banana peels, and sawdust; to compare the biochars’ physical and chemical properties; and establish the H2 S removal efficiency of the three biochars. Biochars derived from rice hull (RHB-500), banana peel (BPB-550), and sawdust (SDB-500) by pyrolysis were used as the adsorbents. The biochar yield, pH, ash content, surface functional group, and morphology of the biochars produced were investigated. In this study, H2 S was synthesized by mixing food waste and soil in the experimental column. The H2S produced was reduced by the adsorption method. The removal efficiencies of H2 S for each biochar were determined by allowing the synthetic H2 S to flow through the two columns that were packed with sand (act as control) and biochars, respectively. All biochars were alkaline, and BPB-550 had the highest pH, followed by SDB-500 and finally RHB-500. The order for removal efficiency of H2 S (>94%) is BPB-550 > SDB-500 > RHB-500. Overall, the biochars derived from biomass had a strong ability to act as the adsorbents for H2S removal.

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