Ts. Dr. Umer Rashid

• PhD (UAF, PK), Post Doc (UTP, MY)
• Fellow at Universiti Putra Malaysia

The current study focuses on examining the effectiveness of a palm fatty acid distillate and an acidic sulfonated char catalyst derived from lignocellulosic biomass (rambutan seed waste) in the production of biodiesel via esterification. The carbonaceous solid derived from lignocellulosic rambutan seed (RS) was prepared by carbonisation known as ra...

BACKGROUND Novel magnetic bifunctional hydrochar‐based catalysts were produced from activated hydrochar derived from palm leaf residue (PLRAH) via a wet impregnation technique and used to perform one‐step waste cooking oil (WCO) transesterification to produce biodiesel. The magnetic bifunctional hydrochar‐based catalysts were evaluated for their ac...

This study investigated the methanolysis of Linum usitatissimum oil using a homogeneous catalyst. Advanced optimization techniques, such as response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural networks (ANNs), have been employed to examine the relationship between the reaction parameters and biodiesel yield. The study investigated four reaction...

In this study, menthol was glycosylated with starch in the presence of α-amylase to produce menthyl maltoside (MenM) as the primary product. Optimization of the experimental parameters, including the menthol-starch ratio, enzyme concentration, temperature, and time, was performed using response surface methodology (RSM). The RSM-generated model dis...

In this study, significant improvements in mechanical properties have been seen through the efficient inclusion of Oil Palm Cellulose Nanofibrils (CNF) as nano-fillers into green polymer matrices produced from biomass with a 28 % carbon content. The goal of the research was to make green epoxy nanocomposites utilizing solution blending process with...

The present study investigated the potential of locally isolated algal strains as alternative energy sources for sustainable biofuel production. The focus of this study was on identifying algal strains capable of accumulating oils rich in essential fatty acids. Algal samples were collected from different areas, and 14 isolates were obtained. Among...

The potential of heterogeneous hydrochar-based catalysts as a desirable technology for biodiesel production is highlighted in this book chapter. These hydrochar-based catalysts have renewable features, are cost-effective, and have efficient catalytic properties, making them an excellent choice in the field due to their high carbon content and uniqu...

Heterogeneous acid catalysis provides a sustainable and cost-effective replacement to homogeneous catalysts, as it is easily accessible and reusable. In this research, biodiesel was synthesized from palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD) by way of esterification utilizing a heterogeneous acid catalyst composed of CuO/WPLAHC-S, which was derived from was...

The treatment of living organisms is a critical aspect of various environmental and industrial applications, ranging from wastewater treatment to aquaculture. In recent years, algal-based hollow fiber membrane bioreactors (AHFMBRs) have emerged as a promising technology for the sustainable and efficient treatment of living organisms. This review pr...

High-quality alternative diesel derived from renewable resources for smooth combustion in compression ignition engines is a perpetual pursuit of researchers to transition from conventional to renewable fuels. This review focuses on the major domains in the production of renewable diesel using a variety of cutting-edge techniques and technologies, i...

The efficient inclusion of GNPs (graphene nanoplatelets) as an effective nano‐fillers for green polymer matrices produced with 28% of carbon originating from biomass tends to significantly improve mechanical and thermal properties. In the present work, green epoxy nanocomposites with low loading of (0.1, 0.25, and 0.5) wt% of the GNPs were made usi...

Pollution of dye-contaminated wastewater is increasing rapidly due to the increase in industrialisation. This research was designed to investigate the potential of sunflower marble waste for the removal of dyes, reactive black 5 and NOVAC black WNN, from wastewater using an adsorption process because of its low cost, easy availability, and eco-frie...

Due to growing environmental awareness and demands, many efforts were implemented for the transformation of waste materials into highly efficient adsorption capacity materials. In this work, efforts were made to convert the Sindh clay and quartz into an efficient composite for dye removal from polluted water. The synthesized composites were charact...

The main objective of the present research project was to investigate the possibility of using low cost, eco-friendly, and easily available adsorbents, such as mint biomass and marble stone waste, for the removal of dyes, DRIM blue HS-RL and DRIM black ep-B, from wastewater using an efficient procedure, which is adsorption. Nine different combinati...

Production of biodiesel from edible vegetable oils using homogenous catalysts negatively impacts food availability and cost while generating significant amounts of caustic wastewater during purification. Thus, there is an urgent need to utilize low-cost, non-food feedstocks for the production of biodiesel using sustainable heterogeneous catalysis....

Transformation of lignocellulosic biomass into high-value chemicals is a viable strategy for sustainable development of a bio-based economy. 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is one of potential platform bio-chemicals for the manufacture of various renewable products. In this work, a commercial H-ZSM-5 zeolite was used as a starting material for prepar...

Herein, furfural, which is a lignocellulose-derived platform chemical, was converted into a bio-jet fuel precursor via aldol condensation with 2-butanone using strontium (Sr) and titanium (Ti) mixed oxides (STO) loaded onto mesoporous silica SBA-15 (SBA15). A series of acidobasic STO/SBA15 catalysts were prepared via incipient wetness impregnation...

We report, the catalytic application of sulphonated cellulose based solid carbon catalyst for conversion of oleic acid to methyl oleate-biodiesel production under microwave irradiation. Oleic acid, being one of the most widely found fatty acids in plant oils and animal fats; it was utilized as a model substrate to produce biodiesel in this study. T...

Since industrial development and globalization of the world, fossil fuels remain a major source of energy for almost all sectors of life. Fossil fuels, without doubt, play a vital role in the development of today's world. However, there are increasing reservations about the consumption of fossil fuels due to their detrimental impact on our ecosyste...

Sugar palm (Arenga Pinnata) fiber is abundant in Malaysia which necessitates its utilization as a source of agricultural waste for industrial development. This paper aims at characterizing the sugar palm fiber to explore its silica content as a potential renewable material. The sugar palm fiber was carbonized, and the ash obtained was characterized...

This study aims to synthesize α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds with branched structures via aldol condensation of furfural and 2-butanone using magnesium–aluminum (MgAl) mixed oxides as heterogeneous acid–base catalysts. Regarding the molecular structure of 2-butanone, there are two possible enolate ions generated by subtracting the α-hydrogen at...

The discharge of dyes from textile industries led to a broad range of toxicological and environmental effects, posing severe health issues for humans and animals worldwide. These dyes are highly stable and, if not adequately treated, remain in the environment for extended periods. Adsorption, the most efficient and cost-effective method, offers uni...

The present project is designed to investigate the potential of hoshanar and sunny grey marble wastes to remove direct violet 51 dye from wastewater using adsorption process. The effect of different parameters such as pH, adsorbent dose, initial dye concentration, and contact time were studied to optimize the results of adsorption process. Differen...

Research on biomass-based catalyst is beneficial for the sustainability of biodiesel industry owing to its wide availability of feedstock, non-toxicity and biodegradability. Cellulose based heterogeneous solid carbon catalyst was prepared from cellulose by treating cellulose with concentrated sulphuric acid in innocuous hydrothermal conditions. It...

The present study was aimed to remove direct violet-51, reactive green-5, reactive red, and acid red dyes by novel bentonite clay nanocomposites prepared using sodium metasilicate and potassium ferricyanide. The effect of temperature, pH, adsorbent amount, contact time, and initial concentration were studied to optimize the removal process. Various...

Carbon precursor derived from biomass waste gained significant interest as a component of heterogeneous catalysts that can be functionalized with active groups and provides the advantage of separating the catalyst from reactant and products, unlike common homogeneous catalyst. In this study, palm kernel shell (PKS) based char was developed by pyrol...

The present work is on the transesterification of soybean oil to biodiesel under microwave irradiation using a biomass and MOF−derived CaO−ZrO2 heterogeneous catalyst. The optimisation of different parameters was processed by adopting a central composite design for a response−surface methodology (RSM). The experimental data were fitted to a quadrat...

The by-product of the previous transesterification, glycerol was utilised as an acid catalyst precursor for biodiesel production. The crude glycerol was treated through the sulfonation method with sulfuric acid and chlorosulfonic acid in a reflux batch reactor giving solid glycerol-SO3H and glycerol-ClSO3H, respectively. The synthesised acidic glyc...

Biodiesel is an alternative fuel in many developing and developed countries worldwide. Biodiesel has significant and numerous economic, environmental, and social benefits. However, the problem with conventional biodiesel production is the high industrial production cost, mainly contributed by the raw materials. Therefore, catalysts and feedstock ar...

Syngas is a valuable entity for downstream liquid fuel production and chemical industries. The efficient production of syngas via catalytic partial oxidation of methane (CPOM) is an important process. In this study, partial oxidation of methane (POM) was carried out using CaO decorated TiO2 catalysts. The catalysts were synthesized employing the so...

The adsorption process combined with electrocoagulation is a highly effective technique for dye removal. Calcinized and non-calcinized composites based on bentonite and sodium zeolite were prepared for adsorptive removal of Foron EBL blue, Terasil brown 2RFL, Torque blue PG, and Orange P3R dyes. Factors affecting the adsorption process, such as con...

Pollution of water has become the main problem around the world; chromium (Cr) has several industrial applications. However, Cr is considered very toxic pollutant, because of its carcinogenicity and high toxicity. The existing methods for the treatment of heavy metals are not economical, difficult to operate, and not eco-friendly. The biosorption p...

The properties of biodiesel are completely dependent on the fatty acid profile of feedstock oils. Several feedstocks are not in use for biodiesel production because of the presence of unsuitable fatty acids in their oils. The present study was conducted to overcome this problem by the utilization of interesterification and hydrolysis processes. The...

This study examined the efficiency of fungal strain (Cunninghamella bertholletiae) isolated from the rhizosphere of Solanum lycopersicum to reduce symptoms of salinity, drought and heavy metal stresses in tomato plants. In vitro evaluation of C. bertholletiae demonstrated its ability to produce indole-3-Acetic Acid (IAA), ammonia and tolerate varie...

In this study, black carbon derived from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) wastes was utilized as the precursor for heterogeneous bifunctional nanocatalyst, which successively catalyzed waste cooking oil into biodiesel. The nano-sized catalysts were prepared by impregnation method with different heat treatment techniques, such as reflux, hydrotherma...

Fungal strains isolated from the rhizosphere of healthy Solanum lycopersicum were examined to mitigate symptoms of drought and salinity stresses. The fungal strains were identified as Actinomucor elegans and Podospora bulbillosa based on their DNA sequencing and morphological analysis. Additionally, the fungal strains were assayed for a number of p...

Fungal strains isolated from the rhizosphere of healthy Solanum lycopersicum were examined to mitigate symptoms of drought and salinity stresses. The fungal strains were identified as Actinomucor elegans and Podospora bulbillosa based on their DNA sequencing and morphological analysis. Additionally, the fungal strains were assayed for a number of p...

In this research work, a simple, efficient, and eco-friendly procedure for the biosorption of Cr(VI) ions was studied. A detailed comparative study was performed to check the adsorption efficiency of agrowaste (banana and potato peels)-based adsorbents. Firstly, mixed biosorbent was washed, dried and ground into powder, secondly, biosorbent was pyr...

In this research work, a simple, efficient, and eco-friendly procedure for the biosorption of Cr(VI) ions was studied. A detailed comparative study was performed to check the adsorption efficiency of agrowaste (banana and potato peels)-based adsorbents. Firstly, mixed biosorbent was washed, dried and ground into powder, secondly, biosorbent was pyr...

In this research work, a simple, efficient, and eco-friendly procedure for the biosorption of Cr(VI) ions was studied. A detailed comparative study was performed to check the adsorption efficiency of agrowaste (banana and potato peels)-based adsorbents. Firstly, mixed biosorbent was washed, dried and ground into powder, secondly, biosorbent was pyr...

The hazardous dyes on mixing with water resources are affecting many life forms. Granite stone is popular worldwide for decorating floors, making other forms of decorative materials and items. Granite stone powder waste can be obtained free of cost from marble factories as factories spend on the disposal of this waste. In the present study, novel g...

Drought is a serious threat worldwide to soybean and maize production. This study was conducted to discern the impact of salvianolic acid treatment on osmotic-stressed soybean (Glycine max L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings from the perspective of physiochemical and molecular reactions. Examination of varied salvianolic acid concentrations (0, 0...

Magnetic bifunctional nanocatalyst supported on activated carbon (AC), CaO-Fe2O3/AC was synthesized via wet impregnation method and was utilized for catalytic transesterification of waste cooking oil (WCO). A series of characterization techniques were performed to determine acid-base properties, magnetism, thermal stability, crystallinity, chemical...

The extensive use of plastics in industries and households contributes to the proliferation of plastic waste (PW) in landfills, the oceans, and the environment, which represents a serious threat to numerous fragile ecosystems. Recycling rates for PW are still low, so solutions to the problem of waste accumulation are urgently needed. We report the...

Presently, the biodiesel (BD) is commonly produced using a base‐catalyzed transesterification reaction because it involves low temperature and pressure processing, high conversions, no intermediate steps, and lower costs of processing materials. This chapter discusses the feasibility of BD production from multi‐feedstock vegetable oil sources. All...

Nearly 15 billion metric tons of fossil fuels are consumed each year all over the world resulting in the depletion of non-renewable energy resources day by day therefore in the coming years, the shortage and price hikes of these fuels are inevitable. On the other hand, the global energy demand is projected to rise by almost 28% by 2040 compared to...

This study was aimed at evaluating the artificial neural network (ANN), genetic algorithm (GA), adaptive neurofuzzy interference (ANFIS), and the response surface methodology (RSM) approaches for modeling and optimizing the simultaneous adsorptive removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total organic carbon (TOC) in produced water (PW) using te...

Biodiesel is one of the best alternatives to conventional fossil fuels. Biodiesel is renewable, energy efficient, non-toxic, biodegradable, and safe for use in sensitive environments. Malaysia is now moving toward large-scale production of biodiesel, especially from palm oil-based oil such as waste cooking oil (WCO); palm fatty acid distillate (PFA...

The importance of carbon-based nanomaterials for various uses in today's world has prompted efforts to develop simple, cost-effective synthesis methods from abundantly available wastes. By thermally processing organic waste, pyrolysis in a broad spectrum is commonly used for the creation of carbon nanostructures. The growth of carbon nanomaterials...

Biodiesel is currently regarded as a sustainable and renewable alternative to depleting fossil fuels such as petro-diesel. Biodiesel production on a large scale could have a positive impact on the energy sector and the environment by lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Disadvantages of biodiesel include utilization of high-cost edible oils for produ...

The importance of carbon-based nanomaterials for various uses in today's world has prompted efforts to develop simple, cost-effective synthesis methods from abundantly available wastes. By thermally processing organic waste, pyrolysis in a broad spectrum is commonly used for the creation of carbon nanostructures. The growth of carbon nanomaterials...

Background The subcontinent is famous for its variety of seasonal foods cooked in vegetable seed cooking oils at elevated heating. Oils are often of poor quality that effect to consumer health. The work, therefore, planned to examine the effects of heat on the quality of mixed canola cooking oils (MCCOs). MCCOs were analyzed by preparing volatile f...

The global e-waste generation is projected to leap tremendously over the following years due to the fast urbanization and increasing population. Inadequate management and uncontrolled disposal may impact significantly to the health and environment. E-waste could become a significant source of precious metals at the end of e-waste life. The recovery...

Solar thermal energy captures the heat energy, directly from the solar radiations. The electricity produced by the solar photovoltaic (SPV) system can either be stored or directly be used for different purposes. Special types of semiconductor materials are used for the manufacturing of photovoltaic cells, having higher energy-conversion-efficiencie...

Geothermal energy is the thermal energy generated and stored in the Earth. Geothermal power is reliable, sustainable, cost-effective, and environmental friendly; however, these were historically limited to areas near tectonic plate boundaries. Recent advances in technologies used for harnessing geothermal energy have dramatically expanded the size...

Affordability of energy and its easy availability are the major issues of modern politics. A critical overview of four major types of nonrenewable energy resources is provided in this chapter. Coal, the most plentiful fuel, has the longest and the most varied history in the entire fossil family. Coal is ranked or divided into four major types: (1)...

A newer hybrid technology named as “photovoltaic diesel hybrid system” contains the photovoltaic system, diesel gensets, and appropriate management system, in order to ensure the amount of available solar energy, fed inside the system, exactly matching the demands at that time. In the past few years, gradual revolution starting from the conventiona...

Fossil fuels are a valuable source of energy. However, burning of fossil fuels emits several air pollutants that are harmful to both the environment and public health. Renewable energy promises a clean future energy for the mankind. Various terms such as “cleaner energy resources,” “renewable energy,” and “green energy technologies” are all the sam...

Fast blowing air and natural wind energy have played an important role in human civilization. Wind-based kinetic energy is an indispensable resource of energy. Several types of wind turbines do exist and explained in detail in this chapter. Depending on the applications of “wind power generation,” it is categorized into three options: (1) stand-alo...

Biomass-based energy resources contain significant amount of stored energy of the solar radiations. All forms of the bio-based energy resources contain appreciable amount of organic matter, including both animal waste and dead plant material, along with their by-products. Processes such as Torre faction and pyrolysis do not directly produce useful...

Over the past few centuries, burning of fossil fuels, rapid deforestation, and industrial activities, have released high concentration of “heat-trapping agents” commonly known as “greenhouse gases” (GHGs) into the atmosphere. The rapid increase in global temperature, due to the rich accumulation of GHGs, is mainly responsible for increasing the lev...

Shale gas and wind power are important sources of energy. Wind-based energy resources are still considered to be the safest possible option worldwide, for the generation of huge amount of electrical energy, to fulfill the rapidly increasing global energy demands. The cost of the off-shore wind power plants largely depends on the (1) distance from t...

In tidal power plants, the power is obtained by the sudden rise and fall of the tides in the rivers and oceans for the generation of electrical energy. There are three basic types of the tidal plants: (1) tidal fences, (2) barrage tidal plants, and (3) tidal turbines. The wave energy of oceans is directly captured by the surface waves and fluctuati...

There is a long history of using flowing water for the production of mechanical energy. Hydropower is the energy generated from water. Hydropower plants and hydro-based energy resources are still the most widely used renewable energy resources of the world. According to an estimate, almost less than one quarter of the “technical hydropower potentia...

Electricity is produced in a fuel cell (FC) through a chemical reaction without combustion. FC is a potential electrochemical system, known to convert the “chemical energy” of conventional fuels directly into “direct current” or “electrical energy.” The FCs are capable of empowering all the types of portable devices, generally using the batteries a...

Activated carbon (AC) has received tremendous attention over the last decade because of its unique and modifiable physical and chemical properties. This chapter aims to highlight the effect of AC on various chemical applications. The applications of AC and exploitation of its adsorption properties for electrochemical, oxidation-reduction, catalytic...

Biomass and plastic wastes which produced from various sources including agricultural, industrial and domestic activities had created a chronic situation towards environmental health. The recycling of these wastes by mean of transforming it into carbon-based product via thermal decomposition approach is one solution for the environmental pollution...

A robust, magnetically recoverable Fe3O4@SiO2-SO3H [email protected] nanoparticulate acid catalyst was successfully synthesized by a stepwise co-precipitation, coating, and functionalization. It was utilized as a heterogeneous catalyst for the transesterification and esterification of triglycerides and free fatty acids in Jatropha curcas oil (JCO)...

Indian blackberry (Syzygium cumini L.) is an evergreen tree in the Myrtaceae family. It is used in traditional medicine due to its significant bioactivities and presence of polyphenols with antioxidant activities. The present study describes the effect of seasonal variations on Indian blackberry leaf essential oil yield and chemical composition, pr...

The aquatic environment is continuously being polluted by heavy metals released from industrial, domestic, agricultural, and medical applications. It is difficult to remove heavy metals, as they are nonbiodegradable. Heavy metals cause genotoxicity and serious carcinogenic disorders. Various conventional methods have been used for the removal of he...

The synthesis of biodiesel from Jatropha curcas by transesterification is kinetically controlled. It depends on the molar ratio, reaction time, and temperature, as well as the catalyst nature and quantity. The aim of this study was to explore the transesterification of low-cost, inedible J. curcas seed oil utilizing both homogenous (potassium hydro...

Disadvantages of biodiesel include consumption of edible oils for fuel production, generation of wastewater and inability to recycle catalysts during homogenously catalyzed transesterification. The aim of the current study was to utilize low-cost, inedible oil extracted from Sinapis arvensis seeds to produce biodiesel using a novel nano-composite s...

The untreated effluents discharged by different industries, such as metallurgy, fertilizers, pesticide, leather, mining, electroplating, surface finishing, aerospace, and electroplating, have increased the risk of the contamination of bodies of water by heavy metals. Herein, hybrid biosorbent–nanofiltration processes for Pb(II) removal from wastewa...

The interest in the NLO response of organic compounds is growing rapidly, due to the ease of synthesis, availability, and low loss. Here, in this study, Cu(II)-catalyzed selective N-arylation of 2-aminobenzoimidazoles derivatives were achieved in the presence of different bases Et3N/TMEDA, solvents DCM/MeOH/H2O, and various aryl boronic acids under...

Yields of carbonaceous char with a high surface area were enhanced by decreasing the temperature to improve the conversion of hazardous plastic polypropylene (PP), the major component in abundantly used isolation gowns. This study applied pyrolysis with different low pyrolytic temperatures to convert disinfected PP-based isolation gown waste (PP-IG...

In this study, a novel idea was proposed to convert the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste drinking-water bottles into activated carbon (AC) to use for waste cooking oil (WCO) and palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD) feasibility to convert into esters. The acidic and basic char were prepared by using the waste PET bottles. The physiochemical prope...

The aim of this study was to select the optimal conditions for the carbonization process followed by surface modification treatment with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to obtain a highly microporous activated carbon structure derived from palm kernel shells (PKS) and coconut shells (CS). The effects of the carbonization temperature and NaOH concentration...

A large amount of waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs) has been generated due to the tenacious scientific development and therefore, the improvement of expectations for everyday comforts. The unprecedented acceleration of electronic waste (e-waste) and informal disposal at end-of-life display the adverse impact of digitalization. Recently, home tel...

Biodiesel has attracted considerable interest as an alternative biofuel due to its many advantages over conventional petroleum diesel such as inherent lubricity, low toxicity, renewable raw materials, biodegradability, superior flash point, and low carbon footprint. However, high production costs, poor low temperature operability, variability of fu...

Water pollution due to the discharge of untreated industrial effluents is a serious environmental and public health issue. The presence of organic pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) causes worldwide concern because of their mutagenic and carcinogenic effects on aquatic life, human beings, and the environment. PAHs are pervas...

Pesticides are the leading defence against pests, but their unsafe use reciprocates the pesticide residues in highly susceptible food and is becoming a serious risk for human health. In this study, mint extract and riboflavin were tested as photosensitisers in combination with light irradiation of different frequencies, employed for various time in...

The hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) technique is known for its advantages in producing hydrochar from biomass samples with high water content compared to conventional pyrolysis techniques. This study utilized HTC to produce an activated carbon catalyst from renewable mesocarp fiber derived from palm oil processing. The introduction of K2CO3 and Cu...