Ionic liquids (ILs) are known to be very effective at deconstructing biomass, but, they are typically 5-20 times more expensive than molecular solvents; this is a major impediment to the utilisation of ILs in biorefinery applications. In view of this, this paper is the first to report a preliminary study on the use of inexpensive and bifunctional triethylammonium hydrogen sulfate ionic liquid, [N2220][HSO4] IL, in deconstructing two Malaysian agro-wastes, oil palm empty fruit bunches (OPEFB) and coconut husk. The [N2220][HSO4] IL was synthesised via simple acid-base neutralisation route between two inexpensive precursors: sulfuric acid, H2SO4, and triethylamine, N222. The results of deconstruction of OPEFB and coconut husk under the applied conditions, IL/H2O (80/20 wt/wt) at 120�C for 2 h, proved that the IL provided bifunctional action as: a Br�nsted acid catalyst that hydrolysed chemical bonds linking carbohydrate-rich-material (cellulose and hemicellulose) and lignin fractions, and; a delignification agent that dissolved lignin, separating the biopolymer from the carbohydrate-rich-material. The outcomes of this study indicate that the deconstruction of Malaysian agro-wastes for isolating valuable biopolymers can be performed in a more economical and effective way using the [N2220][HSO4] IL.

Islamic study defined Halal meat as a “thoyyiban” (clean) food source. Halal meat is produced by following slaughtering procedure as determined by the Islamic jurisprudence. Slaughtering methods have gained a worldwide discussion as animal welfare becomes a concern. However, there is lacking of scientific facts to prove which slaughtering methods produce better physiological effects on animals from metabolomics view. Therefore, metabolomics approach by Liquid Chromatography-Time of Flight-Mass Spectrometry (LC-TOF-MS) was used in this study to understand how the metabolites in poultry change when subjected to different slaughtering processes. The broiler chickens were subjected to Halal (Islamic tradition) and non-Halal slaughtering method (neck poking) where pectoral major muscle tissues from the slaughtered meat were selected for UHPLC-TOF-MS analysis. Metabolome data highlighted multiple pathways affected by slaughtering methods including glucose, amino acid, inosine, hypoxanthine and arginine. Higher utilization of energy in non-Halal slaughtering process was observed as indicated by the increase of gluconeogenesis and amino acid breakdown. The result from this study indicated that the method of slaughter affects the metabolites profile of poultry.

In Malaysia halal meat is fully defined by Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM) based on the killing method. Halal meat is usually associated with quality as Muslim sought meat from animal killed using Islamic method. In order to ensure the food are meeting the Halal and thoyyiban aspects, the procedure must be monitored along the supply chains beginning from farm to fork. However, there are lack of studies on effect of slaughtering methods on chickens’ metabolite profile. Therefore, metabolomics approach by Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) And Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Time of Flight-Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-TOF-MS) are used in this study to understand the metabolite profile of chickens when subjected to different slaughtering process. The broiler chickens were subjected to Halal (Islamic tradition) and non-Halal slaughtering method (neck poking) where pectoral major muscle tissues from the slaughtered meat were selected for FTIR and UHPLC-TOF-MS analysis. Results from FTIR analysis showed Halal and non-Halal chicken displayed different spectra regardless time of extraction, which was 0 and 24 hours. Spectra obtained from UHPLC-TOF-MS were further analyzed for statistical analysis, which are Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Partial Least-Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) using MetaboAnalyst 4.0. PLS-DA model showed higher intensity of histidine and inosine was recorded in non-Halal chicken while Halal chicken has higher concentration of hypoxanthine. Result from this study indicates that method of slaughter affects the metabolite profile of chicken. © 2020, Malaysian Society of Applied Biology. All rights reserved.

Poly(vinylpyrrolidinone)-iron magnetic nanocomposites (PVP-Fe NCs) were synthesised and used as sorbents for the removal of cooking oil from synthetic polluted water. The synthesised nanocomposites (NCs) contained particles with average grain size of 20 to 30 nm and possessed magnetic properties, as evidenced by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and vibration sample magnetometer (VSM) analyses. The oil sorption studies revealed that the NCs are capable to remove up to ca. 80% of oil, and this remained constant irrespective of the total oil loading. Significantly, the oil-coated NCs were easily separated from "cleaned" water through a magnetic attraction using a N50 magnet. This approach, therefore, holds great potential to be scaled up and expanded to various water systems in Malaysia such as sea and river. � 2018 Author(s).

This review does not attempt to be comprehensive, but it briefly introduces triethylammonium hydrogen sulfate ionic liquid ([N2220][HSO4] IL), which has been regarded as a low-cost solvent. It provides guidance regarding the synthesis procedures of the IL and several routine assessments for gaining insight into the properties of the IL. The review also selects examples of applications wherein the IL has been applied. It is hoped that the review will stimulate more research utilising the [N2220][HSO4] IL across various disciplines of science and engineering.