INHALABLE AND RESPIRABLE DUST CONCENTRATION OF SOILED STONE, METAL AND CERAMIC ARTEFACT INSIDE NATIONAL MUSEUM MALAYSIA

Airborne particulate matter is a key indicator of air pollution brought into the air by a variety of natural and human activities. As it can travel in distances and suspended in the atmosphere, it affects human health and museum artefact. The primary idea of this paper is to discuss the mass concentration of airborne particulates matter in terms of inhalable and respirable dust from the stone, metal and ceramic display showcase. The fluctuation of temperature and relative humidity, the museum cleaning activity, the usage of HVAC system and construction activity affect the soiling defect of stone, metal and ceramic artefact. The approach selected to collect primary data for this research is by conducting case study at the National Museum of Malaysia. Personal air sampling was conducted using Casella 7-Holes and Cyclone sampler head. Results revealed high abundances of inhalable dust at stone and ceramic artefact both in Galley A and B. This study is beneficial towards the Jabatan Muzium Malaysia (JMM), Department of Environment (DOE), Ministry of Health (MOH) and Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) by emphasising that reducing air pollution will reduce soiling defect of the museum artefact. Thus, it can reduce government expenses to the museum management towards cleaning procedure for the damaged artefact.

INHALABLE AND RESPIRABLE DUST CONCENTRATION OF SOILED STONE, METAL AND CERAMIC ARTEFACT INSIDE NATIONAL MUSEUM MALAYSIA

Airborne particulate matter is a key indicator of air pollution brought into the air by a variety of natural and human activities. As it can travel in distances and suspended in the atmosphere, it affects human health and museum artefact. The primary idea of this paper is to discuss the mass concentration of airborne particulates matter in terms of inhalable and respirable dust from the stone, metal and ceramic display showcase. The fluctuation of temperature and relative humidity, the museum cleaning activity, the usage of HVAC system and construction activity affect the soiling defect of stone, metal and ceramic artefact. The approach selected to collect primary data for this research is by conducting case study at the National Museum of Malaysia. Personal air sampling was conducted using Casella 7-Holes and Cyclone sampler head. Results revealed high abundances of inhalable dust at stone and ceramic artefact both in Galley A and B. This study is beneficial towards the Jabatan Muzium Malaysia (JMM), Department of Environment (DOE), Ministry of Health (MOH) and Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) by emphasising that reducing air pollution will reduce soiling defect of the museum artefact. Thus, it can reduce government expenses to the museum management towards cleaning procedure for the damaged artefact.

Impact Assessment of Atmospheric Pollutants Emissions from Mining Operations at Ghana Managanese Company Ltd.

Atmospheric pollutants diffusion study was conducted around the operational sites and immediate neighbouring communities of Ghana Manganese Company (GMC). The pollutants are emitted by sources associated with the main operations and activities of the mine including on-bench rock drilling and blasting, material excavation and hauling, vehicular movements and mine machinery exhaust emissions, as well as crushing of blasted rocks. Methodologies involving computerised dispersion modelling was used to estimate near-field ambient pollutant impacts on neighbouring Tarkwa-Banso community, at 400 m from the Mine’s nearest operational site (Pit C North). The community is located in the dispersive fan of North to the East-South-Eastern part of the mine site. Measured airborne particulates (PM10 and TSP) concentrations in the Tarkwa-Banso community were below Ghana EPA’s permissible limits of 70 µg/m3 and 150 µg/m3 respectively. The predicted monthly concentrations of the airborne particulates (PM10 and TSP) at 400 m buffer from the crushing plant were greatly lower than the permissible regulatory limits. With effective dust mitigation measures, the predicted PM10 and TSP dust concentrations emanating from drilling, blasting, loading and hauling activities at Pit C North were also generally lower than the regulatory requirement. All the predicted monthly concentrations of NOx and SO2 at the 400 m buffer from Pit C North were significantly lower than the allowable regulatory requirement of 60 µg/m3 and 100 µg/m3 respectively. The study indicates that, the operation of the crushing plant together with the general mining operations at Pit C North in the mine has no significant impact on Tarkwa-Banso community. Keywords: Impacts, Particulates Matter, Concentration Levels, Environment, Prediction

SUSTAINABLE HOSPITAL FOR URBAN RESIDENTS

Malaysia is one of the sustainable countries in the world as it ranked at 51st over 178 countries in Environmental Performance Index (EPI). However, Malaysia as an upper-middle-income country set strong forces in Gross Domestic Production from 2009 until 2014 at 16.18 per cent (%) inclination. The urbanisation activities exposing the urban residents to the concentration of fine and ultrafine particulates matter (PM) include the urban area hospital occupants. The main aim of this research is to investigate the adverse health effects towards the patients in hospital specifically, Kuala Lumpur in general. Significantly, the outcome assist in particulate matter impact control in expenditure by general government and promotes the sustainable hospital ambient towards its occupants. The case study for this pilot study is Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL). The approaches used are literature review and data collections. The findings identified the motor vehicles as the main sources of Particulates Matter in Kuala Lumpur urban area. As the sources increases, the PM concentration also increases. Simultaneously, the number of patients facing respiratory related diseases also increased. Contradict to previous researchers’ theory, Malaysian results shows that as the number of unhealthy days increase in the year 2012, yet the morbidity case reported decreases. This is for the general government had spent at an increment of 7.46% in the year 2011 during the fall of unhealthy days at 11.76 % in 2011. This shows that the general government spend effectively to mitigate the repeat cases of respiratory patients facing by high risk communities. In conclusion, the sustainable development can be achieved as the economy is being blend well with the environment.