(MPOB Transfer of Technology)
Peat with an area totalling approximately 2.6 million hectares is considered a major problem soil in Malaysia (Mutalib et al., 1991). In Sarawak alone, peat area covers approximately 1.6 million hectares or 13% of the total land area in the state (Teng, 2003). The poor inherent physical and chemical properties of peat make its development for … Read more
Advances in MPOB’s genetic engineering programme have made it possible to genetically engineer oil palm for producing valuable commercial products such as high oleate, high stearate and biodegradable plastics. New approaches have been invented to produce transgenic palms such as establishment of a transformation system, isolation of important genes and promoters, construction of transformation vectors with the … Read more
Main Research: Zubaidah Ramli
Surface and interfacial tension is a force that keeps a fluid together at the air/ fluid and fluid/oil interface respectively (Figure 1). It is the intermolecular force of attraction between adjacent molecules, expressed in force per unit width as dynes centimetre-1 (dynes cm-1) or milliNewtons metre (mN m-1). Water, at ambient temperature, has a high surface … Read more
Optical microscopy is one of the techniques which involve the use of polarized light to detect liquid crystalline structure (Figure 1). A polarizing microscope equipped with a heating stage permits visual observation of the phase transformations, from micelles phase through liquid crystal phase (Figure 2). The transformation could be as a result of the change of temperature … Read more
Most of the products which we encountered daily are homogeneous mixtures of chemical species dispersed at a molecular level. Some of these particles are so small that they are invisible to our naked eyes. For example, a microemulsion solution appears to be clear and colourless. Some of the examples of dispersion of particles, which we … Read more
Pantha rei” as the Greek philosopher said everything flows. We live in a world whereby everything flows in a matter of time. To describe these flows, we have come up with a variety of terms such as flowing, gushing slipping, dripping, running, squirting, oozing, seeping, etc. and we can immediately associate each word with the motion … Read more
Thermal analysis is defined as the measurement of changes in chemical or physical properties of a sample as a function of temperature or time in a controlled atmosphere. A special instrument called the TGA (thermogravimetric analysis) which consists of a furnace, weight balance and photodiode sensors is designed to make such measurements (Figure 1). TGA measures … Read more
The levels of heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, copper, tin, zinc, mercury and cadmium in edible oils and fats have been monitored because of their toxicity. The maximum permissible limit of these metals in edible oils and fats are stated in the Malaysian Food Regulations and Codex. Main Research: Dr. Mohtar Yusof
Esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid such as methyl, ethyl, propyl and butyl, commonly known as parabens are widely used as preservatives in cosmetic and personal care (CPC) products because they have a broad-spectrum anti microbial activity, non -irritating and non-sensitizing. They are stable over wide pH range and are sufficiently soluble in water to produce the effective … Read more