This project studied the effect of vermicompost application on the composition of bioactive anthocyanin and phenolic compounds, and the antioxidant activity of Clinacanthus nutans. The correlation between the bioactive constituents and antioxidant capacity was also evaluated. In this project, a field study was conducted using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four treatment groups, including control plants (CC), plants supplied with chemical fertilizer (CF), plants supplied with vermicompost (VC), and plants supplied with mixed fertilizer (MF). The leaves of C. nutans from all treatment groups were harvested, subjected to solvent extraction, and used for quantification of total anthocyanin content (TAC), total phenolic content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC). The initial antioxidant activity of the extracts was evaluated using 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assays, as well as after two and four weeks of storage at −20 °C and 4 °C. Data analysis showed that CC plants contained the highest TAC (2180.14 ± 338.43 µg/g dry weight) and TFC (276.25 ± 3.09 mg QE/g dry weight). On the other hand, CF plants showed the highest TPC (181.53 ± 35.58 mg GAE/g dry weight). Moreover, we found that CC plants had the highest antioxidant potential against DPPH radicals whereas MF plants showed the lowest antioxidant potential. After four weeks of extract storage at −20 °C and 4 °C, the TPC, TFC, TAC, and antioxidant potential of the extracts decreased. Extracts from VC showed the lowest percentage of total phenolic and total flavonoid loss after extract storage at −20 °C and 4 °C compared with other plant extracts. At this juncture, it could be deduced that the application of vermicompost had little effect on the expression of phenolics, flavonoids, or anthocyanin in C. nutans. However, the extract from plants treated with vermicompost (VC and MF) showed better stability compared with CC and CF after extract storage at different temperatures.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons-contaminated soil and sewage sludge mixtures in microcosms were tested separately in triplicate with two types of biological agents, namely earthworms (Lumbricus rubellus) and spent fungal mycelia of Pleurotus sajor-caju (SPC) for 60 days. The results indicated that vermiremediation (VMR) and mycoremediation (MYC) showed degradation result of 99.99% PAHs i.e. Anth, Phen and BaP removal. Ten earthworms and 750 g of SPC depicted optimum results in nutrient element content among respective treatments. Treatment of MYC resulted a consistence increment of soil macronutrients except for TP and TKN (500 g treatment) compared to VMR. Hence, sixty days incubation of spent fungal mycelia of Pleurotus sajor-caju compost (SPC) is potential to degrade 99.99% of Anth, Phen and BaP but at the same time enrich the soil macronutrients i.e. TOC, TKN and TK

Biological processes have been proven to be efficient in treating landfill leachates. In this study, treatment of landfill leachate by Ecomat-immobilized mycelia of Ganoderma australe packed in a column was investigated. Continuous recycling of leachate at a constant flow (20 ml/min) was operated for 10 cycles to facilitate biological reactions. Diluted leachate (50%) and raw leachate (100%) were tested for comparison of efficiency of treatment. The results showed that biological oxygen demand (BOD5) was not removed for diluted leachate and a slight removal of 0.14 and 1.72% for raw leachate after cycles 4 and 10, respectively. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal occurred after each cycle with diluted leachate demonstrating higher removal compared to raw leachate. The highest percentage of COD removal of 51.62% for diluted leachate and 22.79% for raw leachate were achieved after the tenth cycle. Ecomat-immobilized mycelium of Ganoderma australe could also reduce ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N) exhibiting highest reduction of 45.95% and 30.90% after cycle 8 for diluted and raw leachate, respectively. These findings suggested that a white rot fungus, G. australe has the ability to be considered as potential candidate in landfill leachate treatment

Plastic packaging wastes are increasing due to the COVID-19 pandemic as consumers tend to stay home and purchase online. Plastic packaging waste is difficult to break down. It pollutes the environment and then enters the food chain, putting people and wildlife at risk. This paper presents the development of system dynamic models for sustainable plastic supply chain management in Klang Valley, Malaysia. System dynamic models for plastic supply chains, including forward, open-loop and closed-loop supply chains, were developed using Vensim 7.2 PLE software. To estimate the amount of plastic packaging wastes discharged at landfill, these models were simulated using various waste diversion rates. The results indicated that, when all stakeholders in the supply chain recycled 10% of their plastic packaging waste, the total amount of plastic packaging waste going to landfill could be reduced by approximately 65%. However, the means of open-loop and closed-loop supply chains, did not differ much.

Antimicrobial efficiency of extracts derived from Trifolium pratense (in vivo and in vitro grown plants, including callus) were examined using ethanol and methanol as solvents and tested against four bacterial pathogens (two gram negative and two gram positive) and three fungal pathogens. The antimicrobial activity of the methanol extract was found to give higher inhibition zone when compared with ethanol extract. Among the callus, in vitro and in vivo grown plants, the callus extract showed better antimicrobial activity, thus revealing a new potential use of callus of Trifolium pretense