Judul: Pencirian membran karbon dalam mengadsorpsi zat warna biru metilena
Abstrak: Penggunaan arang aktif dalam pengolahan limbah meskipun sangat efektif, tetapi memerlukan biaya yang cukup tinggi karena harganya yang relatif mahal terutama jika digunakan dalam skala besar atau konsentrasi yang tinggi. Oleh karena su, untuk mengatasi permasalahan ini digunakan teknologi membran. Bahan baku yang digunakan pada penelitian ini adalah arang aktif dari batu bara. Be Arang aktif dilarutkan ke dalam larutan polivinil asetat (PVAc) dengan empat ragam 30, 35, 40, dan 45% b/v sampai terbentuk adonan homogen yang siap cetak. Seperangkat alat saring cross-flow digunakan untuk pencirian membran karbon yang diperoleh, meliputi pengukuran nilai fluks air serta nilai fluks dan indeks rejeksi biru metilena. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa nilai fluks air membran karbon meningkat seiring bertambahnya tekanan. Nilai fluks air terbesar diperoleh pada tekanan 15 psi untuk keempat membran berturut-turut 378.6517, 129.5345, 146.7095, dan 45.4254 L/m² jam. Penambahan konsentrasi PVAc menurunkan nilai fluks air, fluks biru metilena, dan indeks rejeksi biru metilena. Penambahan konsentrasi biru metilena menurunkan nilai fluks biru metilena. Membran terbaik ialah membran dengan konsentrasi polivinil asetat 30% b/v yang mempunyai nilai fluks terbesar untuk konsentrasi biru metilena 12 ppm dan 18 ppm, yaitu 112.3596 dan 46.3884 L/m² jam dan indeks rejeksi terbesar untuk konsentrasi biru metilena 12 ppm dan 18 ppm, yaitu 100.00% dan 98.79%.
Keyword: Reverse osmosis, Cross flow, Casting solution

Judul: Synthesis and Application of Polyacrylonitrile-α-Fe2O3-Bentonite Composite Photocatalytic Membrane for Degradation of Methylene Blue
Abstrak: Pewarna tekstil merupakan salah satu senyawa pencemar yang secara signifikan memberikan dampak buruk terhadap lingkungan perairan, kesehatan manusia, dan sumber daya air alami. Metode pengolahan limbah zat warna yang efektif dan ramah lingkungan terus dikembangkan. Saat ini, fotokatalitik berbahan dasar semikonduktor menjadi salah satu metode yang banyak diteliti untuk menghilangkan pewarna dari air. Metode ini mampu mendegradasi senyawa pewarna menjadi bentuk yang lebih sederhana tanpa menghasilkan polutan baru yang berbahaya. Salah satu bahan fotokatalis yang cukup efektif menghilangkan zat warna adalah komposit α-Fe2O3-bentonit. Fotokatalis komposit α-Fe2O3-bentonit berbentuk bubuk telah dilaporkan mampu mendegradasi zat warna indigo karmina dengan efisiensi degradasi mencapai 99%. Namun, masalah pemulihan kembali partikel fotokatalis setelah digunakan menjadi salah satu keterbatasan penggunaan bahan fotokatalis berbentuk bubuk. Oleh karena itu, perlu dilakukan modifikasi fotokatalis menjadi bentuk yang lebih mudah untuk digunakan kembali. Salah satu solusi yang dapat dilakukan adalah dengan memodifikasinya menjadi membran. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menghasilkan membran fotokatalitik komposit poliakrilonitril-α-Fe2O3-bentonit (PAN-α-Fe2O3-bentonit) dan mengevaluasi aktivitas fotokatalitiknya terhadap degradasi pewarna biru metilena (BM) serta melakukan uji penggunaan kembali membran yang dihasilkan. Komposit α-Fe2O3-bentonit disintesis dengan metode penggilingan mekanis menggunakan planetary ball mill. Komposit yang disintesis dicampurkan pada berbagai konsentrasi (1; 1,5; dan 2%) ke dalam larutan poliakrilonitril (PAN) melalui teknik inversi fasa, kemudian dicetak menjadi bentuk membran. Aktivitas fotokatalitik membran diuji terhadap berbagai parameter seperti konsentrasi awal larutan BM, pH dan sumber radiasi. Hasil karakterisasi komposit α-Fe2O3-bentonit dengan transformasi fourier inframerah dan difraksi sinar-X mengonfirmasi bahwa komposit telah berhasil disintesis. Analisis SEM menunjukkan bahwa membran 2% PAN-α-Fe2O3-bentonit memiliki struktur berpori dengan lapisan atas yang padat. Analisis sinar-X dispersi energi menunjukkan unsur Fe, Si, Mg, dan Al ditemukan dalam membran dengan persentase rendah. Kinerja membran fotokatalitik komposit 2% PAN-α-Fe2O3-bentonit terbukti efektif dan efisien dalam mendegradasi zat warna BM dengan persentase degradasi sebesar 99,84% pada pH larutan 11,5 dan konsentrasi awal BM 10 ppm di bawah sinar matahari. Penggunaan kembali membran fotokatalitik komposit 2% PAN-α-Fe2O3-bentonit dalam lima kali siklus menunjukkan bahwa kinerjanya tidak berubah secara signifikan., Textile dyes are pollutant compounds that significantly negatively impact the aquatic environment, human health, and natural water resources. Methods for treating effective and environmentally friendly dyestuffs are constantly being developed. Semiconductor-based photocatalytic is one of the most advanced methods for removing dyes from water. This approach is considered to be beneficial since it can degrade dye compounds into simpler forms without producing new contaminants. It has been reported that the fine photocatalyst α-Fe2O3-bentonite can degrade indigo carmine dyes with a degradation efficiency of up to 99%. However, the challenge of recovering the photocatalyst particles after use is one of the drawbacks of using finely ground photocatalyst materials. Therefore, the photocatalyst must be modified into a more reusable form. Modifying it to take on a membrane form is one potential solution. This study aims to produce photocatalytic membranes composite polyacrylonitrile-α-Fe2O3-bentonite (PAN-α-Fe2O3-bentonite) evaluate the photocatalytic activity against methylene blue (MB) degradation, and conduct the membranes' reusability. The α-Fe2O3-bentonite composite was synthesized by a mechanical milling method using a planetary ball mill. The synthesized composite was mixed at various concentrations (1; 1.5; and 2%) into a polyacrylonitrile (PAN) solution via
Keyword: bentonit, biru metilena, hematit, komposit α-Fe2O3-bentonit, membran fotokatalitik

Judul: Dog Ticks Infestation and Its Correlation to Tick-Borne Diseases.
Abstrak: Ticks infestation on dog could lead to itchiness, anemia, skin disorders, and tick-borne diseases, such as Ehrlichiosis, Babesiosis, Anaplasmosis and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Besides dogs, Ehrlichiosis were known to be zoonotic. Pre-mature stage tick life cycle that occur outside its host, will enhance contacts between ticks and human. The study of ticks infestation and tick-borne diseases on the dog is necessary, because it has not a lot of information about the diversity, prevalence and degree of ticks infestation in Indonesia. Ticks survey, included ticks sampling and dogs blood test were performed at Animal Police Directorate Security Agency (Baharkam) and Atang Sendjaja Air Force (ATS). Meanwhile ticks sampling also data of cases of ticks infestation and diseases transmitted obtained from 21 veterinary clinics in Bogor, Jakarta and Bandung. All ticks samples stored in bottles containing 70% alcohol for identification. Blood tests performed for Ehrlichiosis, Babesiosis and Anaplasmosis diagnosis. The identification results of the 950 ticks samples that obtained from 97 dogs of Baharkam, ATS and veterinary clinics in Bogor, Jakarta and Bandung, showed only one ticks species, Rhipicephalus sanguineus. This ticks belong to three-host tick, which require three hosts to complete its life cycle. Each ticks stage need a host, either same dog (if it is in place there is only one or a few dogs), as well as different dogs. Research in Baharkam conducted on 81 dogs (53 males and 28 females). The prevalence of dogs infested by ticks was 67.90%. The percentage of male dogs that infested by ticks are larger (69.81%) than female (64.29%). Based on Chi-Square test, there was no relationship between sex and breed of dog with degree of ticks infestation. Generally dogs infested with mild infestation category (41.98%), meanwhile moderate category was 18.52%, 2.47% high and 4.94% very high. The dog’s body region that the most infested by R. sanguineus was dog's back. Probably these body regions were be preferred because they are less accessible for the dog to remove them with its paws. Collection of ticks with tick-drag on Baharkam grass field showed positive results on the field that was more often used to practice by dogs. The samples that obtained was larvae stage ticks with density 152 larvae on 215m2 area of the field. Adult stage ticks and several adult females which laying eggs on the cage wall were obtained in the dog kennels. Whole of male and female ATS dogs infested with ticks (14 dogs). In general, dogs infested with very high infestation category was 64.29%, compared by high degree category (21.43%) and moderate (14.29%). Ticks predilection were found mostly on the dog’s head – neck. On ATS grass field did not reveal any ticks, but positively inside the kennels. It happens probably because dogs are rarely released from the kennel, so that the ticks was did drop-off inside the kennel. The total cases of ticks infestation of dogs at Bogor, Jakarta and Bandung veterinary clinics in 2008 until June 2013 as many as 731 cases. In general, there was an increases of the ticks infestation prevalence at three cities in that range
Keyword: Anaplasma, Babesia, Ehrlichia canis, Rhipicephalus sanguineus