Khai Ern Lee

• Ph.D.
• Professor at National University of Malaysia

Hybrid materials are products which are composed of two or more different types of components in one polymeric matrix. Hybrid materials have been receiving increased attention by researchers in recent years due to their unique properties and superior performance compared to that of conventional inorganic coagulants and organic polymeric flocculants...

The flocculation of kaolin suspension in water using a novel calcium chloride-polyacrylamide hybrid polymer has been studied. A redox initiation system – (NH4)2S2O8 and NaHSO3 was used to initiate free radical solution polymerization of one molar acrylamide solution at 50 °C. One mole of calcium chloride was blended with polymerized acrylamide solu...

A ferric chloride–polyacrylamide inorganic–organic hybrid polymer has been synthesized using a ferric chloride/polyacrylamide ratio of 1:1 via free radical solution polymerization. A redox initiation system - (NH4)2S2O8 and NaHSO3 was used to initiate the polymerization at 50 °C in aqueous medium. The ferric chloride–polyacrylamide hybrid polymer w...

This study aims to dissect and understand the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) endeavours of organisations within Malaysia’s telecommunications, broadcasting, postal and courier services sectors, particularly those holding licenses from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC). These sectors were chosen for this study due...

L3 is the first deepwater exploration well drilled in the Pearl River Mouth Basin, Northern South China Sea and significant hydrocarbon discoveries have been discovered in the Zhuhai and Zhujiang Formations, which have kicked off the prelude to oil and gas exploration in the deepwater areas of the northern slope of the South China Sea (SCS). Howeve...

This study assessed the spatial variations of water quality and trophic state of the ex-mining lakes converted into man-made wetlands in Paya Indah Wetlands, Selangor, Malaysia. The variations of the parameters were referred to the National Water Quality Standard (NWQS) to determine the water quality index (WQI) and Carlson's Trophic State Index (C...

This research attempted to examine the influence of digitalisation and well-being as aspects of personality traits on job performance among medical doctors in a government hospital in Malaysia. This study collected responses through quantitative close-ended questionnaires from 239 medical doctors, ranging from specialists, general medical doctors a...

Constructed wetlands aid in climate change mitigation and adaptation, ensuring the sustainability of our earth system. Constructed wetlands are a terrific ecosystem that possesses incredible nature values, both instrumental and intrinsic values, through the concept of the carbon-water nexus. As a result, the management of constructed wetlands must...

Ex-mining lake-converted constructed wetlands play a significant role in the carbon cycle, offering a great potential to sequester carbon and mitigate climate change and global warming. Investigating the quantity of carbon storage capacity of ex-mining lake-converted constructed wetlands provides information and justification for restoration and co...

The current study provides a platform for the convenient one-pot green synthesis of seaweed supported copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) using aqueous Sargassum cervicorne (S cervicorne) extract for the first time. The successful synthesis of CuNPs was proven by Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy by observing a mild Surface plasmon Resonance around 500–600...

China claims that the Belt and Road Initiative is a cross-regional comprehensive initiative covering the economy, social and environmental pillars. When it was first proposed, it identified five main areas which call for cooperation priorities, i.e. policy coordination, interconnection of facilities, unimpeded trade, financial integration and peopl...

The levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylene isomers (BTEX) are important parameters for an indoor air quality assessment. Exposure to BTEX in science laboratories in a university can potentially cause health risks to workers. Active sampling was carried out using Tenax® GR sorbent tubes and ana...

The quick development of industrial sectors, tourism, and agriculture, which coincided with human habitation in cities, has led to the degradation of environmental qualities. Thus, a detailed plan is required to balance the development and environmental conservation of urban areas to achieve sustainability. This paper uses the environmental carryin...

Rock slope stability assessment in Malaysia has become increasingly important as new developments encroach hillsides around major cities. This article reviews historical case studies to present a general picture of rock slope assessment practice in Malaysia, especially on methods and output of the case studies. Common methods include use of locally...

MFK Block was located between Kampar and Rokan Hulu, Riau Province and 135 from Pekanbaru City, Indonesia. There are 33 wells in Field X, MFK Block with 27 active wells. This field has an area of about 79.65 km ² that located in Central Sumatra Basin. The field was discovered in 1976 and began to be produced in January 1979. Our research is focused...

This study area is part of the Kadamaian watershed and is located on the North-West flank of Mount Kinabalu, composed of sedimentary rock from the Crocker Formation and the Mt. Kinabalu granitic pluton. Many loose seismic materials were found on the slopes during the 2015 Sabah Earthquake with a moment magnitude of 6.0. These materials later served...

Grandview Heights, Paya Terubong is an old apartment building situated on a coarse-grained biotite granitic bedrock hillside. Paya Terubong is a landslide prone area where various landslides have been reported since 1998. The granitic hill has been disturbed during construction of the apartment. Due to the possibility of future landslides, an engin...

The application of rock mechanics in the area of geotechnical engineering is important especially, in describing the strength of rock material for essessing the stability of excavations, foundations and slopes in rock. In this study, the characterization of the rock material was investigated through the Young’s modulus parameter, which describes th...

This study aims to assess the flood susceptibility analysis using a Geographical Information System (GIS) based-heuristic analysis, namely the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) model. Eight relevant physical parameters have been selected, namely, drainage density, drainage proximity, elevation, slope angle, slope curvature, land use, soil type, an...

A very good Landslide Hazard Analysis (LHA) model was developed using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method for the area of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. The AHP is defined as theory of measurement through pairwise comparisons and relies on the judgements of experts to derive priority scales that measure intangibles in relative terms. The derived p...

As the climate change impacts are expected to become increasingly disruptive, affecting water security, environmental health and ecosystem, constructed wetlands receive attention for their functions in delivering various life-sustaining services to human and environmental systems. In this article, a systematic review was conducted through the Prefe...

Water-yield assessment is crucial to effectively achieve water supply management at the basin scale. It is affected by climate change, and Land Use/Land Cover Change (LULCC). This paper quantifies the combined impact of LULCC and climate change on water yield over short and long-term periods in the Haraz basin, Iran. This basin has experienced seve...

The emerging economies are the centrepieces in the sustainable consumption and production of palm oil (SCP). With the collaborative efforts of the European Union and some non-governmental organisations, producers are kept in the spotlight, and scrutiny has begun to sweep down the supply chain. Palm oil environmental liabilities are extended to the...

Citizen-led mitigation and adaptation are key to climate policy advancement and acceleration, particularly within an urban development context. The top-down approach requires the development of clear action plans for the involvement and engagement of citizens to accelerate bottom-up climate mitigation and adaptation efforts within the urban context...

This investigation quantified spatial variability of heavy metals and followed methods of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to estimate the hazard indices as well as cancer risks associated with consuming fish caught in the waters of the Langat river basin area, Malaysia. The calculation of metal pollution index (MPI) was carried out t...

In Malaysia, rock slope stability analysis has been largely confined to kinematic analysis with rock mass rating systems as assessment tools for stability analysis. While this method addresses the fundamental issues of rock slope stability including identifying potential failure modes, an information gap still exists between geologists and engineer...

In Malaysia, rock slope stability analysis has been largely confined to kinematic analysis with rock mass rating systems as assessment tools for stability analysis. While this method addresses the fundamental issues of rock slope stability including identifying potential failure modes, an information gap still exists between geologists and engineer...

The urgent need for climate change mitigation and disaster recovery plans has resulted in the formation of resilient communities combating climate change and its impact, aided by organizations and partnerships working towards achieving Goal 13 of the Sustainable Development Goals. In this chapter, we discuss the extent to which communities, organiz...

The leadership roles of green hotels are essential for sustainable development because of their contribution to reducing carbon emission, supplying safe food, and managing water resources. However, sustainability education has not adequately integrated entrepreneurial skills to promote green hotel practices towards sustainable development. Therefor...

Purpose The Responsible Care programme was first introduced in Canada in 1985 and now is implemented worldwide as one of the chemical industries' commitments to improve the industries' public image as well as their performance in health, safety and environmental aspects. In Malaysia, the Responsible Care programme has been implemented since 1994 wi...

Community-based monitoring is increasingly recognised as one solution to sustainable environmental management. However, the development of community-based monitoring has led to confusion or misconceptions regarding other similar initiatives. Through a review of the characteristics and synthesising criteria of effective community-based monitoring, t...

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted the global public health system and led to many deaths worldwide. COVID-19 is highly contagious and can be spread by symptomatic or asymptomatic individuals. As such, determining the risk of infection within a community is difficult. To mitigate the risk of the spread of COVID-19, the government of M...

Purpose In Malaysia, research indicates that there is an interest amongst the stakeholders, namely, administrators and academicians to be engaged in education for sustainable development (SD), but it is rarely implemented as a part of the higher education curriculum due to various barriers. This paper aims to develop a framework for integrating SD...

This study describes a simple green one-pot synthesis of the Palladium Nanocatalyst (PdNC) using the crude extract of a seaweed Saragassum cervicorne (S. cervicorne). The formation of PdNC was monitored by Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. The characteristic functional groups of phytochemicals in extract and capped PdNC surfaces were ident...

In many regions and nations, solid waste management is deemed as critical, complicated, and multifaceted. The essence of solid waste management in each society can be influenced by a variety of economic activities and physical geographies. Small islands with their geographic isolation and a tourism-driven economy pose a great challenge in ensuring...

Nanotechnology has opened a new realm to science and technology whereby it has been developed and used in various applications with potentials to facilitate sustainable development. The applications of nanotechnology are beneficial in improving public health, enhancing the functionality and endurance of consumer products, and potentially preserving...

A sustainable city should promote the active participation of its civil society in urban planning and development of cities as the means to satisfy their needs. However, the absence of an appropriate platform has caused the public to lose interest and neglect the process of planning and development. This article attempts to develop a conceptual fra...

Nanotechnology enables the development of new and improved products. However, the public is also concerned about uncertain risks associated with nanotechnology-enabled products. To address this concern, the study aims to expand the understanding about public benefit and risk perceptions as a basis for the effective formulation of policy that addres...

The development of chemical industries in Malaysia has raised the need to strengthen the chemicals management to avoid incidents which could put the environment, health and safety at risks. Responsible Care program was launched in 1994 to promote sustainable management of chemicals throughout the product chain as a commitment to build trust in the...

After the introduction of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) become a prime mover of SDGs in representing the diverse range of organizational interests and broadening the social aspects of civil society beyond the other sectors. The existence of NGOs not only represents the voice of the civil soc...

Urbanization has maximized the land use, causing natural rivers being concretized into urban rivers to accelerate excessive runoff as well as stabilize soil structure, which in turn expose to water pollution. Hence, urban river water is not seen as a valuable water resource. Alur Ilmu is an urban river in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) that h...

The enculturation of sustainable development concept through education system, especially via STEM subjects, is vital in developing citizens who are able to adopt sustainability as a life principle. Although STEM agenda has been emphasized in the national education blueprint, attention is needed on the role of STEM education especially chemistry su...

Rapid industrial development causes industries and local communities to be inseparable and interdependent. In line with Malaysia’s aspiration to transform to be a developed and high-income nation, manufacturing industry particularly chemical industries have been one of the major contributors to the economic development. Corporate social responsibil...

Since the release of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by the United Nations General Assembly in September 2015, UN agencies, member states and stakeholders have increasingly begun focusing on the adoption and implementation of these strategies to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. To work towards sustainability, strategic meas...

Nanotechnology is developed to improve public well-being, stimulate economic growth, and provide environmental solutions, which are essential for sustainable development. However, the uncertain risks of nanotechnology may destroy public confidence and impede nanotechnology development from facilitating sustainable development. Thus, public percepti...

Purpose This paper aims to discuss the knowledge levels, attitudes and behaviours regarding the concept of sustainable development among pre-university programme educators, as well as the potential barriers and opportunities they face in adopting the concept of sustainable development in the teaching of the pre-university level chemistry module at...

The geomechanical strength of rock materials plays a significant role in influencing the stability of both cut rock slopes and underground openings. The strength characteristics are influenced by both material characteristics and the condition of weathering. This paper presents a systematic approach to quantify the rock material strength characteri...

Heavy metals are widely used in various industries and became a great concern all over the world due to environmental contamination. This study provides an assessment of seasonal variability and risks to human health associated with the exposure to heavy metals concentrated in Langat river water of Malaysia. The Department of Environment (DOE) Mala...

After the launching of sustainable development goals (SDGs), nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are identified as prominent players in localizing the SDGs. This has drawn attention of the research communities to shift from single‐sector approach to cross‐sectors approach in achieving the SDGs. However, the different capacity of NGOs is defined by...

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the knowledge, attitude and behaviour of foundation chemistry learners concerning the sustainable development concept. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative and quantitative studies were conducted. Atlas.ti software was used to analyse the chemistry curriculum based on selected themes and sub-themes. A su...

Integrated research framework approaches are designed to create smart strategies to control dengue diseases in Malaysia. These approaches combine ecosystem approaches to health, or Eco-health, adaptive management and community participation in decision-making process. The processes may look somewhat complex, but each approach has its strength when...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the barriers and challenges faced by chemical industries in Malaysia causing to the low participation in Responsible Care program. Also, this paper aims to propose a solution to address the issues in implementing Responsible Care by introducing a Simplified and Integrated Management System for Respons...

ILBM (Integrated Lake Basin Management) is relatively a new concept in Malaysian context if it is compared to IWRM (Integrated Water Resources Management) and IRBM (Integrated River Basin Management), however, it can be fit in nicely and quickly because of relatively good understanding and buy-in from stakeholders at various levels in Malaysia. ILB...

Integrated Langat River Basin Management lacks appropriate leadership of appropriate agency due to the conflict among jurisdictions since Langat River drains through three different constituency. Meanwhile, pollution of the river and frequent shutdown incidents of water treatment plants in the basin are evident due to both point and non-point sourc...

The stability of both cut rocks and underground openings were influenced by the geomechanical strength of rock materials, while the strength characteristics are influenced by both material characteristics and the condition of weathering. This paper present a systematic approach to quantify the rock material strength characteristics for material fai...

A strategy for integrated management system of Quality, Environment, Health and Safety-Responsible Care (QEHS-RC) is proposed to improve the adoption and implementation of Responsible Care program in the chemical industries. This integrated management system provides a basis for the adoption and implementation of Responsible Care program in the che...

The limestone hill of Batu Caves is slowly being turned into a recreation park for slope climbing, base jumping and cave exploring. Quantitative assessment on the stability of the cave is essential to ensure the safety of tourists and visitors. The aim of this study was to quantitatively assess the stability of Gua Damai, Batu Caves, Selangor, Mala...

This paper aims to provide technical insights on revitalizing urban river water quality through structural approach in Alur Ilmu urban river, National University of Malaysia @ Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Bangi Campus. The structural approach consists of three main parts: site profiling, water quality assessment to determine spatial distrib...

As water scarcity increases globally due to rapid population growth, unsustainable use, water degradation and climate change, water security is increasingly becoming a serious and growing concern. Sustainable water resources management and development are central to addressing this pressing concern. One of the ways forward is through the developmen...

Despite many good policies and institutions, the coastal environment of Langkawi continues to deteriorate. This could be due to lack of effective governance as well as unregulated waste discharge. Evidences collected from the literature during 1996 to 2013 also revealed a significant increase in the concentrations of Zn (R2 = 0.78) and Pb (R2 = 0.1...

The uniqueness of the karst topography of Kinta Valley is the result of the spectacular shaped steep-sided limestone towers. The instability of these hillslopes however, may affect the vulnerability of the surrounding area. This paper presents the results of slope stability assessment by using kinematic analysis to investigate the possible failure...

The present paper aims to assess the phytoremediation performance based on pollution removal efficiency of the highly polluted region of Alur Ilmu urban river for its applicability of on-site treatment. Thirteen stations along Alur Ilmu were selected to produce thematic maps through spatial distribution analysis based on six water quality parameter...

This study was carried out on the hilly topographic area in Kundasang, Sabah. This area is known to be extremely prone to landslides that occurred either naturally or by human interference to natural slopes. Aerial photographs interpretation was conducted in order to identify landslide distributions across three assessment years (2012, 2009 and 198...

The uniaxial compressive strength test is a destructive and time consuming test. A number of non-destructive methods using portable testing equipment are more applicable and easier to conduct. This paper presents the results of a systematic approach to determine the uniaxial compressive strength of rock material using the Schmidt hammer rebound tes...

The shear characteristics of rock materials are input parameters for reservoir geomechanics, wellbore stability, subsidence prediction, and underground structure numerical modeling. One of the most important shear characteristics of rock material is the significant increase in rock material strength with increasing confining pressure. This can be d...

This paper studied the efficiency of another series of advanced oxidation processes involving the use of a chelating ligand, combined with a transition metal forming the transition metal complexes to produce reactive radicals. Previous reports using this H2O2/pyridine/Cu(II) system focused only on the decolorization of a single synthetic dye wastew...

Alur Ilmu is a 1.79 km stormwater channel, located within the National University of Malaysia (UKM) Bangi Campus, Malaysia. It is vulnerable to water pollutions from natural phenomenon and human activities in the vicinity. On–site treatment is needed to improve the stormwater quality to an acceptable level to maintain a healthy ecosystem. The prese...

Textile industry is one of the major industries that pose environmental concern, whereby the wastewater produced by it is characterized with high temperature, pH, colour and COD. A hybrid coagulant which is consisting of polyacrylamide aided magnesium chloride was applied in treating textile industrial wastewater. Four independent factors, i.e. pH,...