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The presence of toxic polonium-210 (Po-210) in the environment is due to the decay of primordial uranium-238. Meanwhile, several studies have reported elevated Po-210 radioactivity in the rivers around the world due to both natural and anthropogenic factors. However, the primary source of Po-210 in Langat River, Malaysia might be the natural weathering of granite rock along with mining, agriculture and industrial activities. Hence, this is the first study to determine the Po-210 activity in the drinking water supply chain in the Langat River Basin to simultaneously predict the human health risks of Po-210 ingestion. Therefore, water samples were collected in 2015&ndash, 2016 from the four stages of the water supply chain to analyze by Alpha Spectrometry. Determined Po-210 activity, along with the influence of environmental parameters such as time-series rainfall, flood incidents and water flow data (2005&ndash, 2015), was well within the maximum limit for drinking water quality standard proposed by the Ministry of Health Malaysia and World Health Organization. Moreover, the annual effective dose of Po-210 ingestion via drinking water supply chain indicates an acceptable carcinogenic risk for the populations in the Langat Basin at 95% confidence level, however, the estimated annual effective dose at the basin is higher than in many countries. Although several studies assume the carcinogenic risk of Po-210 ingestion to humans for a long time even at low activity, however, there is no significant causal study which links Po-210 ingestion via drinking water and cancer risk of the human. Since the conventional coagulation method is unable to remove Po-210 entirely from the treated water, introducing a two-layer water filtration system at the basin can be useful to achieve SDG target 6.1 of achieving safe drinking water supplies well before 2030, which might also be significant for other countries.

Water is not only a resource, it is a life source; therefore, the water should be healthy, secure, and sustainable for people. Watersheds are nature’s boundaries for surface water supplies, and thus, the quality of the drinking water at a consumer’s tap depends on the quality of watershed. The risk assessment which is a process used to define the probability and magnitude of adverse effects of an environment from stressors can be used to estimate the costs and benefits of changes in a watershed in terms of risk. This chapter describes the source of pollution and the framework for assessing risk in Malaysian watershed.

Due to inadequate planning, rapid development and urbanization have polluted watersheds. Hence, watersheds must be managed properly to ensure their sustainability, by taking into account the importance of landscape and ecology and different socio-economic conditions, culture and religion. Among others, one of the ways to enhance watershed management is via adequate institutional arrangement and legal framework. This chapter has selected Malaysia as a case study, and by focusing on the discharge of pollutants, this chapter demonstrates how both federal and state governments complement each other to strengthen the regulatory framework in preventing pollution in watersheds. While the federal government regulates the discharge from manufacturing processes, the state government regulates activities that are not covered by the federal government, such as aquaculture and farming.

Watersheds provide ecological services that benefit flora and fauna, and people are also benefited from the ecological services, particularly for living and development purposes. Hence, watersheds must be managed in holistic and integrated manners to ensure their sustainability. Nonetheless, rapid development has polluted watersheds, and some of the watershed pollutants are chemicals and hazardous substances. This chapter explains the concept of chemical risk and introduces a framework for chemical risk assessment and management that takes into account the importance of human and environmental health. The chapter also discusses chemicals that cause air pollution (such as ground-level ozone and asbestos) and water pollution (such as different types of heavy metals). In the conclusion, this chapter highlights that we cannot avoid dealing with chemicals in our daily life but we can reduce the risks associated with them.

Integrated Langat River Basin Management lacks appropriate leadership of appropriate agency due to the conflict among jurisdictions since Langat River drains through three different constituency. Meanwhile, pollution of the river and frequent shutdown incidents of water treatment plants in the basin are evident due to both point and non-point sources of pollutions. Moreover, the statistically significant trend of annual rainfall (2005-2016) and temperature (2005-2016) in the basin clearly indicates the impact of climate change because of uncertain rainfall and temperature patterns. Flood incidents (2004-2016) within the basin in comparison with the rainfall and temperature also indicate short duration heavy rainfall at local level to enhance the pollution of the river. Contrary, the review of literature and informal interviews with the public, private and civil sectors highlight the attitude problem of the stakeholders along lack of leadership of LUAS in managing the river and drinking water in the basin. Therefore, the ‘proactive’ leadership of Local Authority under the Local Government Act 1976 could be successful to coordinate with stakeholders through multi stakeholders’ platform and several stages of quality control and quality assurance to manage water resources. The study suggests a new Langat Basin Management Authority under the Local Authority leadership as well as a Two-Layer water filtration technology in basin management. Henceforth, implementing the recommendations will facilitate Malaysia to achieve SDGs 2030 and National Transformation 2050 within the stipulated timeframe.

For the determination of glufosinate ammonium residue in soil and water samples, different solid phase extraction (SPE) sorbent efficiency was studied. Four different SPE sorbents i.e.: CROMABOND PS-H+, CROMABOND PS-OH−, ISOLUTE ENV+, Water Sep-Pak and OASIS HLB were used. Sample clean-up performance was evaluated using high performance liquid chromatography (Agilent 1220 infinity LC) with fluorescence detector. Detection of FMO-derivatives was done at λ ex = 260 nm and λ em= 310 nm. OASIS HLB column was the most suitable for the clean-up in view of the overall feasibility of the analysis.

The European Union (EU) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have applied different approaches to facilitate the implementation of the UN Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). The EU applied the mandatory approach by gazetting the EU Regulation 1272/2008 incorporating GHS elements on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures in 2008; whereas the WHO utilized a voluntary approach by incorporating GHS elements in the WHO guidelines entitled 'WHO Recommended Classification of Pesticides by Hazard' in 2009. We report on an analysis of both the mandatory and voluntary approaches practised by the EU and the WHO respectively, with close reference to the GHS 'purple book'. Our findings indicate that the mandatory approach practiced by the EU covers all the GHS elements referred to in the second revised edition of the GHS 'purple book'. Hence we can conclude that the EU has implemented the GHS particularly for industrial chemicals. On the other hand, the WHO guidelines published in 2009 should be revised to address concerns raised in this paper. In addition, both mandatory and voluntary approaches should be carefully examined because the classification results may be different.

Chemical classification and labelling systems may be roughly similar from one country to another but there are significant differences too. In order to harmonize various chemical classification systems and ultimately provide consistent chemical hazard communication tools worldwide, the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) was endorsed by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Several countries, including Japan, Taiwan, Korea and Malaysia, are now in the process of implementing GHS. It is essential to ascertain the comprehensibility of chemical hazard communication tools that are described in the GHS documents, namely the chemical labels and Safety Data Sheets (SDS). Comprehensibility Testing (CT) was carried out with a mixed group of industrial workers in Malaysia (n=150) and factors that influence the comprehensibility were analysed using one-way ANOVA. The ability of the respondents to retrieve information from the SDS was also tested in this study. The findings show that almost all the GHS pictograms meet the ISO comprehension criteria and it is concluded that the underlying core elements that enhance comprehension of GHS pictograms and which are also essential in developing competent persons in the use of SDS are training and education.

After the 1970s, Malaysia's economy diversified from agriculture into manufacturing. The manufacturing sector's contribution grew from a mere 13.4% of the total GDP in 1970, to 30.3% of the GDP in 2007. Realising that increasing industrialisation causes threats to the environment, Malaysia has always emphasised environmental protection. The 2008 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) study carried out by Yale University and Columbia University ranked Malaysia 26th out of 149 countries that participated in the study. However, there are still a number of challenges that need immediate attention, particularly issues pertaining to chemical management. Several initiatives pertaining to chemical management are currently carried out by various agencies across government, private sector and civil society but these initiatives take a sectoral approach. Several structures are suggested towards the establishment of a sound chemical management system (CMS) in Malaysia, namely the gazetting of a Chemical Act, the establishment of a designated Chemical Authority and the development of a Malaysian Chemical Database (MyCD). A set of economic policy instruments is also prescribed in this paper to aid the appropriate authorities in their efforts to materialize a sound chemical management system in Malaysia. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Received May 7, 2009; Accepted Aug 25, 2009 Published online in J-STAGE Oct 16, 2009 Correspondence to: G.C. Ta, Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), 43600 UKM BANGI, Selangor, Malaysia (e-mail: gohchoota@ukm.my) Model for the Implementation of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS): Lessons Learned from Japan

A colorimetric biosensor using immobilised alkaline phosphatase (AP) to detect Hg/sup 2+/ was developed. Copolymer poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-butyl acrylate) (poly(HEMA-co-BA)) were use as matrix to entrap AP. It was discovered that incubation time was needed before the mixture of HEMA/BA and AP (in Tis-HCl) undergo UV-initiated photopolymerisation due to hydrophilic and hydrophobic characteristic of monomer HEMA and nBA, respectively. Sensors HB91-AP, HB82-AP and HB73-AP showed a similar optimum pH at pH 8.5. Quantitative determination of Hg/sup 2+/ using sensor, generate a linear response range from 1 - 5 mM Hg/sup 2+/(R/sup 2/ = 0.9247).