Su Shiung Lam

Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Eastern Corridor Renewable Energy Group (ECRE), School of Ocean Engineering, Faculty Member

University of Cambridge, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Postdoctoral Research Associate

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Dr. Lam is a tenured Professor (Assoc.) at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT). His academic background cover mainly on Chemical & Environmental Engineering, focusing on Waste Management, Thermal Process (Pyrolysis, Gasification, Microwave Heating), Waste & Biomass Utilization, Clean Technology. He has professional qualification as Certified Environmental Professional for Hazardous Waste Management.

Lam collaborates with Web of Science Highly Cited Researchers and currently Visiting Professor of Henan Agricultural University (China), Associate Fellow of UK Higher Education Academy, Visiting Research Fellow of Education University of Hong Kong, Visiting Researcher of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (China). He is an Auditor for Malaysia Research Assessment (MYRA) and Evaluation Committee Member of National Research Grant (FRGS, PRGS) appointed by Ministry of Education Malaysia, and recognized as a Professional Technologist (Ts.) by Malaysia Board of Technologists.

Together with 12 members of ‘Pyrolysis Technology Research Group’ led by him, Lam has published 87 papers, 5 of which are ranked as Web of Science ESI top papers, receiving a H-index of 26 and 1886 citations recorded in Google Scholar. He is one of the pioneers researching on microwave pyrolysis in the world, working on the development, optimization, and application of this technology in many aspects. He ranks among the top in the field of pyrolysis for the past 10 years with respect to the number of SCI-indexed publication, currently ranked No. 4 in the world in microwave pyrolysis and No. 1 in Malaysia for pyrolysis.

Lam is active in expanding and maintaining his professional network worldwide through his service as Associate Editor for Energy & Environment and Frontiers in Energy Research, and Guest Editor of special issues of internationally renowned journals, e.g. Journal of Hazardous Materials, Bioresource Technology, Journal of Cleaner Production, Environmental Research, Environmental Pollution, etc.
Supervisors: Professor Emeritus Howard Chase, Professor Emeritus Mohd. Azmi Ambak , Professor. Ahmad Jusoh, and Professor. Norhayati Mohd. Tahir
Phone: +609-6683844
Address: University Malaysia Terengganu,
Eastern Corridor Renewable Energy Group (ECRE), School of Ocean Engineering, 21030 Kuala Terengganu,
Terengganu, Malaysia

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Papers by Su Shiung Lam

Pyrolysis using microwave absorbents as reaction bed: An improved approach to transform used frying oil into biofuel product with desirable properties

Journal of Cleaner Production, 2017

cracking capacity to pyrolyze the used oil, thus showing favorable features that could lead to 34... more cracking capacity to pyrolyze the used oil, thus showing favorable features that could lead to 34 short process time and less energy usage. This resulted in a production of a high yield of a 35 biofuel product (up to 73 wt%) in a process taking less than 35 min. The biofuel showed a 36 composition dominated by light C 5-C 20 aliphatic hydrocarbons with low amounts of oxygenated 37 compounds (≤ 11%). In particular, the oil product obtained from activated carbon bed showed a 38 low nitrogen content and was free of carboxylic acid and sulphur. The absence of carboxylic 39 acids with low amounts of oxygenated compounds could reduce the formation of oxygenated by-40 2 products that could generate undesirable acidic tar or potentially hazardous sludge in the biofuel 41 during storage. Combined with the detection of a high calorific value (46 MJ/kg) nearly 42 comparable to diesel fuel, the biofuel shows great promise to be upgraded for use as a 'cleaner' 43 fuel source with potentially reduced oxygenated by-products plus low or zero emissions of NO x 44 and SO x during the use of the fuel in combustion process. This study also revealed that the use of 45 activated carbon bed results in the highest energy recovery (88-90%) from the used frying oil. 46 Our results demonstrated that the use of a microwave-heated reaction bed of activated carbon 47 shows great potential as an improved and sustainable pyrolysis approach that is energy-efficient 48 and timesaving for the recycling of used frying oil into a biofuel product with desirable 49 properties. This pyrolysis approach provides an alternative to transesterification that avoids the 50 use of solvents and catalysts, and thus could be developed further as a promising route to recycle 51 various types of waste and biomass materials.

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Editorial: Energy and Resource Valorization of Biomass and Waste Toward Sustainable Environment via Thermochemical and Biological Application

Frontiers in Energy Research

Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE), Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries ... more Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE), Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries (AKUATROP), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Terengganu,Malaysia, Department of Science and Environmental Studies, The Education University of HongKong, Tai Po, Hong Kong, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan, Center for International Education, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan, Combustion and Sustainable Energy Laboratory (ComSEL), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Arkansas Tech University, Russellville, AR, United States, Center of Excellence for Green Energy and Environmental Nanomaterials (CE@GrEEN), Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Kinetic Study of Horse Manure through Thermogravimetric Analysis

School of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UT... more School of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia. Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton Malaysia (UoSM), 79200 Iskandar Puteri, Johor, Malaysia. UTM Centre for Low Carbon Transport in cooperation with Imperial College London, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia. Pyrolysis Technology Research Group, Eastern Corridor Renewable Energy Group, School of Ocean Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia. China-UK Low Carbon College, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Lingang, Shanghai 201306, China. [email protected]

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Process and Energy Intensification of Glycerol Carbonate Production from Glycerol and Dimethyl Carbonate in the Presence of Eggshell-Derived CaO Heterogeneous Catalyst

Energies

The process and energy intensifications for the synthesis of glycerol carbonate (GC) from glycero... more The process and energy intensifications for the synthesis of glycerol carbonate (GC) from glycerol and dimethyl carbonate (DMC) using an eggshell-derived CaO heterogeneous catalyst were investigated. The transesterification reaction between glycerol and DMC was typically limited by mass transfer because of the immiscible nature of the reactants. By varying the stirring speed, it was observed that the mass transfer limitation could be neglected at 800 rpm. The presence of the CaO solid catalyst made the mass transport-limited reaction process more prominent. Mass transfer intensification using a simple kitchen countertop blender as an alternative to overcome the external mass transfer limitation of a typical magnetic stirrer was demonstrated. A lower amount of the catalyst and a shorter reaction time were required to achieve 93% glycerol conversion or 91% GC yield, and the turnover frequency (TOF) increased almost 5 times from 1.5 to 7.2 min−1 when using a conventional magnetic stirr...

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Fungi as Bioreactors for Biodiesel Production

Fungi in Fuel Biotechnology

Exergy intensity and environmental consequences of the medical face masks curtailing the COVID-19 pandemic: Malign bodyguard?

Journal of Cleaner Production

An Overview on the Conversion of Forest Biomass into Bioenergy

Frontiers in Energy Research

Biomass plays a crucial role in mitigating the concerns associated with increasing fossil fuel co... more Biomass plays a crucial role in mitigating the concerns associated with increasing fossil fuel combustion. Among various types of biomass, forest biomass has attracted considerable attention given its abundance and variations. In this work, an overview is presented on different pathways available to convert forest biomass into bioenergy. Direct use of forest biomass could reduce carbon dioxide emissions associated with conventional energy production systems. However, there are certain drawbacks to the direct use of forest biomass, such as low energy conversion rate and soot emissions and residues. Also, lack of continuous access to biomass is a severe concern in the long-term sustainability of direct electricity generation by forest biomass. To solve this problem, co-combustion with coal, as well as pelletizing of biomass, are recommended. The co-combustion of forest biomass and coal could reduce carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and sulfide emissions of the process. Forest biomass ...

Spent coffee grounds biochar from torrefaction as a potential adsorbent for spilled diesel oil recovery and as an alternative fuel

Energy

Comparative Fatty Acid Profiling of Edible Fishes in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia

Foods

The aim of this study was to compare the relative nutritional benefit of edible Malaysian fishes ... more The aim of this study was to compare the relative nutritional benefit of edible Malaysian fishes from the coast of Terengganu in Malaysia, as well as to perform a taxonomical characterization and metal assessment. Discrimination between species was carried out by a morphological and molecular approach by evaluating the total concentrations of metals by ICP-MS analyses and the fatty acids (FA) composition using the GC–MS approach on the fish fillet tissues. The taxonomical studies detected fishes of 11 families and 13 species. The heavy metal assessment showed that all detected elements did not exceed the regulatory limit stated by Malaysian Food Regulations. The proportion of saturated fatty acids (SFA) ranged from 33 to 58.34%, followed by the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) values from 24 to 51.8%, and the lowest proportion was of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), ranging from 12.7 to 35.9%. The ω-3/ω-6 PUFA and PUFA/SFA ratios were determined in the range 1.1 to 7.4 and 0.35...

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Describing biomass pyrolysis kinetics using a generic hybrid intelligent model: A critical stage in sustainable waste-oriented biorefineries

Renewable Energy

Abstract The pyrolysis process is one of the most widely practised thermochemical pathways for co... more Abstract The pyrolysis process is one of the most widely practised thermochemical pathways for converting biomass into biofuel. The most challenging aspect of the pyrolysis conversion is modelling the thermal decomposition kinetics of lignocellulosic biomass. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a generic hybrid intelligent model to describe biomass pyrolysis kinetics based on the ultimate analysis (carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur content) and process heating rate. First, an analytical model was fitted to the experimental data from thermogravimetric analysis reported in the published literature to determine the pyrolysis kinetic parameters of a wide range of biomass feedstocks. The derived kinetic parameters of biomass pyrolysis (i.e., reaction order, frequency factor, activation energy) were then modelled using three exclusive Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) models tuned by genetic algorithm (GA). The capability of the GA-ANFIS approach in modelling the kinetic parameters of biomass was also compared with that of the classical ANFIS model. The obtained results showed that the GA-ANFIS approach outperformed the classical ANFIS model in estimating the pyrolysis kinetic parameters of biomass. Generally, the highly nonlinear and extremely complex kinetic parameters of biomass thermal degradation were satisfactorily estimated using the GA-ANFIS models with a coefficient of determination exceeding 0.940 and a mean absolute error lower than 0.096. The pyrolysis reaction kinetics of five biomass materials, unexploited during the development of the GA-ANFIS models,‏ were estimated with a correlation coefficient higher than 0.811 and a mean absolute error lower than 0.7376 using the generic hybrid intelligent model. The promising agreement between the predicted and experimental kinetic data suggested that the generic hybrid intelligent model could be an alternative to the laborious experimental thermogravimetric measurements, thereby allowing pyrolysis process optimization, monitoring, and controlling to be more effectively conducted. Finally, an easy-to-use software package was developed based on the developed generic hybrid intelligent model to describe the devolatilization behaviour of biomass.‏

Ethylbenzene and toluene interactions with biochar from municipal solid waste in single and dual systems

Environmental Research

Exergetic, economic, and environmental life cycle assessment analyses of a heavy-duty tractor diesel engine fueled with diesel–biodiesel-bioethanol blends

Energy Conversion and Management

Comparative Investigation of Yield and Quality of Bio-Oil and Biochar from Pyrolysis of Woody and Non-Woody Biomasses

Energies

This study investigated the quantitative and qualitative attributes of liquid product and biochar... more This study investigated the quantitative and qualitative attributes of liquid product and biochar obtained from pyrolysis of woody biomass (rubberwood sawdust (RWS)) and non-woody biomasses (oil palm trunk (OPT) and oil palm fronds (OPF)). The prepared biomass was pyrolyzed at temperatures of 500 °C, 550 °C, and 600 °C by using an agitated bed pyrolysis reactor, and then the yields and characteristics of liquid product and biochar were determined. The results showed that liquid product and biochar yields were in the respective ranges of 35.94–54.40% and 23.46–25.98% (wt.). Pyrolysis of RWS at 550 °C provided the highest liquid yield. The energy content of the water free liquid product was in the range 12.19–22.32 MJ/kg. The liquid product had a low pH and it mainly contained phenol groups as indicated by GC-MS. The biochars had high carbon contents (75.07–82.02%), while their oxygen contents were low (14.22–22%). The higher heating value (HHV) of biochar was in the range 26.42–29.33...

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Recent advances in asphaltene transformation in heavy oil hydroprocessing: Progress, challenges, and future perspectives

Fuel Processing Technology

Co-Combustion of Blends of Coal and Underutilised Biomass Residues for Environmental Friendly Electrical Energy Production

Sustainability

This study investigated the co-combustion of the blends of coal and biomass residues from poplar ... more This study investigated the co-combustion of the blends of coal and biomass residues from poplar sawdust, rice husk, pine nut shells, and sunflower residues for ecofriendly energy production. Proximate and ultimate analyses and calorific values of the coal and biomass residues were also carried out to evaluate the properties of the coal and biomass residues. The volatile matter in coal was reported as 43.38 wt% and ranged from 56.76 wt% to 80.95 wt% in the biomass residues. The ultimate analysis reported the carbon and sulfur content of coal as 68.7 wt% and 5.5 wt%, respectively. The coal and biomass blends were prepared using different ratios on the thermal basis of coal and biomass given as 100:0, 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, and 50:50 by weight percentage. The consequent stoichiometric air requirements for all the blends were also calculated. The results revealed that the combustion of 60:40 of coal and sunflower residue blend was the most efficient blend, resulting in less emissi...

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Vertical flow constructed wetlands using expanded clay and biochar for wastewater remediation: A comparative study and prediction of effluents using machine learning

Journal of Hazardous Materials

Production of high quality biodiesel from novel non-edible Raphnus raphanistrum L. seed oil using copper modified montmorillonite clay catalyst

Environmental Research

Emerging contaminants and biological effects in Arctic wildlife

Trends in Ecology & Evolution

Production of magnetic sodium alginate polyelectrolyte nanospheres for lead ions removal from wastewater

Journal of Environmental Management

Polyelectrolyte composite nanospheres are relatively new adsorbents which have attracted much att... more Polyelectrolyte composite nanospheres are relatively new adsorbents which have attracted much attention for their efficient pollutant removal and reuse performance. A novel polyelectrolyte nanosphere with magnetic function (SA@AM) was synthesized via the electrostatic reaction between the polyanionic sodium alginate (SA) and the surface of a prepared terminal amino-based magnetic nanoparticles (AMs). SA@AM showed a size of 15-22 nm with 6.85 emu·g-1 of magnetization value, exhibiting a high adsorption capacity on Pb(II) ions representing a common heavy metal pollutant, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 105.8 mg g-1. The Langmuir isotherm adsorption fits the adsorption curve, indicating uniform adsorption of Pb(II) on the SA@AM surfaces. Repeated adsorption desorption experiments showed that the removal ratio of Pb(II) by SA@AM was more than 76%, illustrating improved regeneration performance. These results provide useful information for the production of bio-based green magnetic nano scale adsorption materials for environmental remediation applications.

Phenol removal via activated carbon from co-pyrolysis of waste coal tar pitch and vinasse

Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering

The behavior and characteristics of phenol adsorption by activated carbon produced from co-pyroly... more The behavior and characteristics of phenol adsorption by activated carbon produced from co-pyrolysis of coal tar pitch and vinasse were investigated. Coal tar pitch and vinasse (mass ratio of 1:3) were firstly co-pyrolyzed and carbonated at 400 °C for 2 h. The carbonized material produced was then soaked with saturated KOH solution and activated at 800 °C for 1 h to form activated carbon. Results from the phenol wastewater adsorption experiments suggest that pseudo-second-order kinetics and the Weber-Morris model could reflect the time-dependent adsorption behavior of phenol wastewater by the activated carbon, revealing that internal diffusion represents the rate-limiting procedure and dominant process to control the adsorption rate in the early stage of the adsorption. Monolayer adsorption played the key role during the phenol adsorption. The adsorption was an endothermic reaction in temperature ranging from 15 °C to 35 °C, indicating that the adsorption speed could be stimulated by the increasing temperature. This study establishes a theoretical foundation for the usage and the potential application of the activated carbon derived from coal tar pitch and vinasse in wastewater treatment.

Pyrolysis using microwave absorbents as reaction bed: An improved approach to transform used frying oil into biofuel product with desirable properties

Journal of Cleaner Production, 2017

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Editorial: Energy and Resource Valorization of Biomass and Waste Toward Sustainable Environment via Thermochemical and Biological Application

Frontiers in Energy Research

Kinetic Study of Horse Manure through Thermogravimetric Analysis

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Process and Energy Intensification of Glycerol Carbonate Production from Glycerol and Dimethyl Carbonate in the Presence of Eggshell-Derived CaO Heterogeneous Catalyst

Energies

Download

Fungi as Bioreactors for Biodiesel Production

Fungi in Fuel Biotechnology

Exergy intensity and environmental consequences of the medical face masks curtailing the COVID-19 pandemic: Malign bodyguard?

Journal of Cleaner Production

An Overview on the Conversion of Forest Biomass into Bioenergy

Frontiers in Energy Research

Spent coffee grounds biochar from torrefaction as a potential adsorbent for spilled diesel oil recovery and as an alternative fuel

Energy

Comparative Fatty Acid Profiling of Edible Fishes in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia

Foods

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Describing biomass pyrolysis kinetics using a generic hybrid intelligent model: A critical stage in sustainable waste-oriented biorefineries

Renewable Energy

Ethylbenzene and toluene interactions with biochar from municipal solid waste in single and dual systems

Environmental Research

Exergetic, economic, and environmental life cycle assessment analyses of a heavy-duty tractor diesel engine fueled with diesel–biodiesel-bioethanol blends

Energy Conversion and Management

Comparative Investigation of Yield and Quality of Bio-Oil and Biochar from Pyrolysis of Woody and Non-Woody Biomasses

Energies

Download

Recent advances in asphaltene transformation in heavy oil hydroprocessing: Progress, challenges, and future perspectives

Fuel Processing Technology

Co-Combustion of Blends of Coal and Underutilised Biomass Residues for Environmental Friendly Electrical Energy Production

Sustainability

Download

Vertical flow constructed wetlands using expanded clay and biochar for wastewater remediation: A comparative study and prediction of effluents using machine learning

Journal of Hazardous Materials

Production of high quality biodiesel from novel non-edible Raphnus raphanistrum L. seed oil using copper modified montmorillonite clay catalyst

Environmental Research

Emerging contaminants and biological effects in Arctic wildlife

Trends in Ecology & Evolution

Production of magnetic sodium alginate polyelectrolyte nanospheres for lead ions removal from wastewater

Journal of Environmental Management

Phenol removal via activated carbon from co-pyrolysis of waste coal tar pitch and vinasse

Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering

From crankcase to gas tank: New microwave method converts used motor oil into fuel

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A simulation study of the removal efficiency of granular activated carbon on cadmium and lead

by Megat Johari Megat Mohd Noor and Su Shiung Lam

Desalination, 2007

The excessive release of heavy metals into the environment is a major concern worldwide. Adsorpti... more The excessive release of heavy metals into the environment is a major concern worldwide. Adsorption process is among the most effective techniques for heavy metals removal from waste streams and activated carbon has been widely used as an adsorbent. Therefore, this study was carried out to examine the potential and effectiveness of granular activated carbon (GAC) to remove heavy metals, particularly cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) through adsorption from the prepared solutions respectively. A fixed bed column test was conducted to simulate the actual condition of adsorption in a continuous manner in a filtration process. Different flow rates were used to evaluate their effects on the column performance where different breakthrough curves were obtained. The Adam-Bohart breakthrough curve equation was used to predict the breakthrough curve and to obtain the adsorption capacity of cadmium and lead on GAC. The results showed that the Adam-Bohart equation fitted the experimental data well and cadmium and lead can be successfully removed by granular activated carbon (GAC) through the column test.

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Su Shiung Lam

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