State University of Makassar

Activated carbon derived from coconut shell waste has attracted considerable attention as a sustainable adsorbent for water treatment due to its high carbon content and tunable porous structure. However, the interplay between activation strategies, resulting physicochemical properties, and practical adsorption performance remains inconsistently interpreted across studies. This review critically synthesises current research to establish structure–property–performance relationships governing coconut-shell-derived activated carbon. Comparative analysis reveals that although chemical activation often enhances surface area and microporosity, higher surface area does not universally translate into superior adsorption capacity. Instead, pore size distribution, surface functional groups, and adsorbate–adsorbent compatibility play equally decisive roles in determining removal efficiency and adsorption kinetics. Quantitative benchmarking highlights significant variability in reported capacities due to inconsistent operating conditions, underscoring the need for standardised evaluation metrics. Regeneration studies indicate moderate capacity retention across cycles, yet structural degradation, pore blockage, and energy-intensive reactivation remain critical challenges for long-term application. Furthermore, the review evaluates sustainability trade-offs associated with chemical activation, including reagent consumption, secondary effluent generation, and environmental burden, and discusses greener alternatives and resource-efficient strategies. By integrating adsorption performance, cyclic stability, and sustainability considerations, this work provides a comprehensive framework for rational design and scalable implementation of coconut-shell-derived activated carbon. in water treatment systems.

Goby fish (Sicyopterus sp.), a globally distributed freshwater genus, is widely marketed as a dried product. However, traditional sun drying is inefficient, weather-dependent, and prone to quality degradation problems. Although microwave drying offers a rapid dehydration alternative, it often induces textural hardening and non-uniform heating. To mitigate these limitations, pretreatments (blanching and salt immersion) were hypothesized to modify the tissue matrix, thereby improving moisture diffusivity and preserving sensory quality. This study analyzed the effects of microwave power (240, 400, and 640 W) and pretreatment (control, blanching, and salt immersion) on the drying kinetics and product quality of dried goby fish. Drying kinetics were evaluated to accurately model the moisture transfer mechanism and determine the activation energy, alongside quality characteristics (proximate, sensory, color, and fatty acid profiles). The results showed that drying occurred exclusively during the falling-rate period and was best described by the Modified Midilli-Kucuk model. Effective moisture diffusivity significantly increased with power, ranging from 1.04 × 10− 8 to 4.90 × 10− 8 m2/s, while salt immersion resulted in the highest activation energy (11.25 W/g). Both microwave power and pretreatment were critical factors influencing the final quality (p < 0.05). Notably, higher power levels significantly reduced lightness, with L* values dropping to a minimum of 36.13 in the 640 W control group. While the 640 W salt-immersion treatment yielded the lowest moisture content (0.11

Sere bissu is a Bugis ritual performance in Bone Regency, South Sulawesi, that continues to function as a living tradition while facing pressures of modernization and recontextualization. This study investigates how educational values are embedded and transmitted through the ritual structure of Sere bissu as a form of nonformal cultural pedagogy. A qualitative interpretive design was applied through fieldwork-intensive ethnography, combining participant observation, in-depth interviews, and performance documentation. Data were analyzed using a socio-semiotic interpretation of embodied signs and iterative thematic coding to identify value patterns and ritual functions. The results show that Sere bissu is organized as an ordered sequence of ritual segments that communicate educational values through embodied action, symbolic objects, and communal recognition. Religious and spiritual learning is enacted through devotion, reverence, and ritual accountability. Social values emerge through collective participation that strengthens cohesion, sustains Bugis identity, and reinforces shared stewardship. Moral education is most visible in Maggiri, where disciplined invulnerability signifies efficacy and recognition, and in Mappatabe, where gratitude and respect frame ethical closure. These findings highlight Sere bissu as a culturally grounded educational medium and support safeguarding approaches that prioritize community-led transmission and spiritually contextualized cultural sustainability.

The swift rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized academic writing methods, with systems like ChatGPT becoming widely incorporated into higher education settings. Although current research has explored AI-assisted writing in essays and other general academic assignments, there has been no focus on its role in thesis proposal preparation, a genre that requires both linguistic precision and methodological clarity. This study examines postgraduate students’ reflections on their use of ChatGPT for drafting thesis proposals at one of the universities in Indonesia. Employing a qualitative case study approach, data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and document analysis involving eight students who utilized ChatGPT in their writing process. The results indicate that ChatGPT enhanced efficiency by decreasing drafting time, facilitated idea formation through varied views, and fostered creativity and vocabulary development. Students demonstrated adaptive prompting strategies and ethical awareness by verifying AI outputs. Through the lens of reflective practice in analyzing the data, the students’ reflections illustrated varying levels—from descriptive to critical—of engagement with AI as a cognitive and ethical collaborator in writing thesis proposals. The study concludes that structured reflection enhances students’ metacognitive regulation and ethical literacy in AI-assisted thesis writing. These findings contribute to the growing discourse on responsible AI integration in postgraduate academic writing contexts. Additionally, the study offers pedagogical implications for supervisors and institutions in guiding reflective and ethical use of generative AI tools.

Mangrove restoration is widely recognized as a nature-based solution for enhancing blue carbon storage and mitigating climate change. However, quantitative assessments of biomass and carbon recovery in restored mangrove systems remain limited, particularly in Indonesia's ecotourism landscapes. This study evaluated aboveground and belowground biomass and associated carbon stocks in rehabilitated mangrove stands in the Balang Baru Ecotourism Area, Jeneponto Regency, South Sulawesi. Field measurements were conducted in April 2025 across five sampling stations, with 15 nested plots. Tree diameter at breast height (DBH) and height were recorded for all individuals with DBH ≥ 5 cm. Aboveground biomass (AGB) and belowground biomass (BGB) were estimated using allometric equations, and carbon stocks were derived using standard biomass-to-carbon conversion factors. The results indicated substantial biomass accumulation in the restored mangrove stands. Mean AGB and BGB were estimated at 95.20 Mg ha⁻¹ and 41.23 Mg ha⁻¹, respectively. Corresponding carbon stocks averaged 45.70 Mg C ha⁻¹ for aboveground carbon (AGC) and 16.08 Mg C ha⁻¹ for belowground carbon (BGC). Biomass and carbon stocks varied spatially among stations, with the highest values recorded at Station 5 (AGB: 126.19 Mg ha⁻¹) and the lowest at Station 4 (AGB: 67.30 Mg ha⁻¹). However, one-way ANOVA showed no statistically significant differences among stations (p > 0.05), indicating relatively comparable biomass recovery across the rehabilitated area. These findings suggest that restored mangrove stands in Balang Baru have developed substantial biomass and carbon storage capacity despite their relatively young age. The results highlight the potential contribution of community-based mangrove restoration to blue carbon initiatives and coastal ecosystem recovery. Continued long-term monitoring, along with the inclusion of soil organic carbon assessments, is recommended to obtain more comprehensive estimates of total carbon storage in restored mangrove ecosystems. Highlights Restored mangroves in Balang Baru demonstrate significant biomass recovery. AGB reached 20 ± 10.56 Mg ha⁻¹ and BGB 41.23 ± 3.83 Mg ha⁻¹. Carbon stocks averaged 70 ± 5.07 Mg C ha⁻¹ (AGC) and 16.08 ± 1.49 Mg C ha⁻¹ (BGC). Biomass distribution among stations showed no significant differences. Restored mangroves contribute to blue carbon and climate mitigation.