Traditional brick manufacturing processes that rely heavily on fossil fuels generate significant air pollutants, particularly carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅), leading to severe environmental degradation and public health concerns. To address these issues, this study focuses on the development and optimisation of a biomass-fired vertical fixed-bed combustion chamber as a cleaner alternative for small-scale thermal applications. A 10 kWth combustion prototype was fabricated using heat-resistant steel, insulated with 50 mm ceramic fibre, and equipped with a dual-stage air supply system. Three biomass fuels, rice husk, sawdust, and palm biomass, were experimentally evaluated under stoichiometric air conditions. Sawdust achieved the highest thermal efficiency (approximately 73 %), followed by rice husk (around 68 %) and palm biomass, while maintaining relatively low CO and PM₂.₅ emissions. Sawdust demonstrated moderate thermal efficiency with comparatively lower particulate emissions, whereas palm biomass showed the lowest efficiency and higher PM₂.₅ levels. Complementary Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations successfully predicted temperature fields and emission trends, with relative deviations of less than 6 % compared to experimental measurements. Further optimisation revealed that positioning the secondary air inlet at 250 mm and adopting a chamber height-to-diameter ratio of 2.3:1 enhanced combustion stability and reduced CO emissions by 23 % compared to the baseline configuration. The novelty of this work lies in the validated integration of experimental and CFD methods to iteratively refine the combustion chamber geometry and airflow distribution. Overall, the results confirm the potential of optimised biomass combustion systems, particularly those fuelled by rice husk, as efficient and environmentally sustainable alternatives to fossil-fuel-based heating for decentralised industrial applications.
Aceh has a long history of oil and gas activities, creating economic opportunities while also generating environmental risks that require effective management and meaningful community participation. This community outreach article aims to strengthen public understanding of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA/AMDAL) and promote awareness of sustainable oil and gas management based on local environmental conditions and community perceptions. The activity employed a descriptive, survey-based, and participatory approach through field observations, structured questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, photographic documentation, and direct environmental outreach in selected communities in Aceh. Participants included residents and community members whose livelihoods are closely connected to coastal resources, fisheries, small-scale trade, and other local economic activities. The findings indicate that community livelihoods depend heavily on environmental quality, particularly coastal and marine resources, while awareness of environmental risks and participation in environmental management still require continuous strengthening. Field observations of fish drying, sorting, and handling activities further showed how vulnerable local livelihoods are to pollution, waste, and declining environmental quality. The outreach process also enabled two-way communication, allowing residents to express concerns while improving their understanding of AMDAL, environmental monitoring, pollution prevention, and public participation. The study highlights the importance of integrating local knowledge with technical environmental assessment. In conclusion, survey-informed community outreach can strengthen environmental literacy, support more inclusive decision-making, and contribute to more transparent, participatory, and sustainable oil and gas governance in Aceh.
International community service is an important strategy for strengthening academic partnerships, knowledge exchange, intercultural understanding, and institutional capacity among higher education institutions. This article reports a collaborative community service program between the Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Serambi Mekkah, Banda Aceh, Indonesia, and Politeknik Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, Terengganu, Malaysia. The program aimed to strengthen international cooperation through academic discussion, engineering knowledge sharing, institutional benchmarking, facility observation, and intercultural interaction, while identifying opportunities for sustainable future collaboration. The study used a descriptive, participatory approach, involving lecturers, staff, students, and institutional representatives from both institutions. Data were obtained through direct observation, discussion records, institutional documents, activity notes, and photographic documentation, and were analysed qualitatively through data reduction, categorisation, and interpretation. The results showed that the program successfully facilitated reciprocal knowledge exchange, improved communication among participants, strengthened professional and intercultural relationships, and broadened participants’ understanding of academic management, engineering education, technical learning environments, and community engagement practices. The collaborative activities also generated potential follow-up initiatives, including joint community service, applied research, academic benchmarking, technical training, and student and lecturer mobility. The discussion indicates that face-to-face international engagement can effectively support mutual learning, institutional networking, and sustainable partnership development. In conclusion, the program provided meaningful academic and social benefits and demonstrated a practical model for long-term Indonesia–Malaysia collaboration in engineering education and community engagement.
Environmental problems increasingly affect not only ecological quality but also public health, livelihoods, social interaction, and overall community well-being. This community outreach article aimed to strengthen stakeholder awareness of the relationship between environmental impacts and social well-being while promoting collaborative responsibility for locally relevant environmental issues. The program employed a participatory community-engagement design involving preliminary coordination, stakeholder identification, field observation, direct interviews, focus group discussions, environmental awareness socialisation, and post-activity reflection. Participants included community representatives, informal-sector workers, local stakeholders, and government officials. Data were obtained from observations, stakeholder discussions, interview responses, and activity documentation, and were interpreted using descriptive and thematic approaches. The results showed that direct engagement helped participants identify environmental concerns more clearly, link environmental conditions to health, livelihood security, comfort, and quality of life, and offer practical suggestions for community-based action. The discussion highlighted that two-way communication and multi-stakeholder participation were more meaningful than one-way information delivery because they incorporated local experience and strengthened shared understanding. Engagement with community representatives and local authorities also supported cooperation and created opportunities for continued environmental awareness activities. In conclusion, the outreach program demonstrated that integrating environmental education with participatory stakeholder engagement can strengthen socio-environmental awareness, collective responsibility, and collaboration within the community. Future programs should include broader participation, repeated activities, and longer-term evaluation to assess sustained behavioural and community-level impacts.
Acid mine drainage (AMD) is a major environmental problem due to its high acidity and metal content. This study aims to develop a sustainable alumina-chitosan-modified monolithic activated carbon derived from empty fruit bunches (EFB) for AMD treatment. The synthesis process involved low-temperature pyrolysis (precarbonization) at 110 degrees C, followed by calcination at 600 degrees C, alumina and chitosan modification, and molding into a monolithic form. The resulting material was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), 3D surface topography, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) analyses. The SEM results revealed a highly porous surface with roughness values ranging from 4800 mu m to 65,600 mu m and porosity between 0.62 and 0.77, corresponding to pore percentages of 61.64-76.50 %. XRD analysis confirmed the formation of a gamma-Al2O3 phase, with sharp peaks at 2 theta = 25.4 degrees, 31.6 degrees, 37.8 degrees, and 45.3 degrees, while BJH analysis indicated a mesoporous structure (10-18 & Aring;) and total pore volume of 0.0078 cm3/g. The novelty of this study lies in integrating alumina and chitosan within a monolithic carbon matrix, improving both mechanical stability and adsorption potential. Overall, the EFB-derived composite exhibits strong structural integrity and enhanced surface reactivity, demonstrating high potential as a sustainable and efficient adsorbent for AMD remediation.
