Dr. Nur Nadhirah Mohamad Zain is a senior lecturer at the Department of Toxicology, USM since 2015. She obtained her Doctor of Philosophy, PhD, in the Analytical Chemistry with specialization in separation science from University of Malaya in 2015. She has been actively involved in research includes the development of new green magnetic/non-magnetic materials for the application of separation techniques in separation and adsorption. She delivers her skills and expertise through scientific publications, student supervisions, and service consultation. She also involves in reputable publisher as a reviewer such as Elsevier journal. She has acquired professional training in Safety in the Use of Chemicals (NIOSH), ICOP CLASS 2014 Implementation for Chemical Classifier (MIHA), MS ISO/IEC 17025:2017 (MMIC) and Procedure of Method Validation and Verification (MMIC). Currently, her research interests are focusing on development of green materials based deep eutectic solvents as an alternative solvent in extraction techniques for monitoring pesticide and pharmaceutical residues in food and environmental matrices. She is a member of Royal Society Chemistry (MRSC) and Malaysian Institute of Chemistry (MMIC). Recently, she has been consulting the safety data sheet and involving as an internal auditor for ISO/IEC 17025: 2017.

 Research Interest: 

Currently, her research is focused on the development of green materials based on deep eutectic solvents and supramolecular solvents which are trends in the field of the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry. She is particularly interested in their potential as alternative solvents/functional group materials, in extraction techniques for monitoring carcinogenic pollutants, pesticides, and pharmaceutical compounds in food and environmental matrice.

List of Publications: 

1. N.N.M. Zain, N.K. Abu Bakar, S. Mohamad, N.M. Saleh, Optimization of a greener method for removal phenol species by cloud point extraction and spectrophotometry, Spectrochim. Acta - Part A Mol. Biomol. Spectrosc. 118 (2014) 1121–1128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.saa.2013.09.129
   
2. N.N.M. Zain, N.K. Abu Bakar, S. Mohamad, Study of removal of phenol species by adsorption on non-ionic silicon surfactant after cloud point extraction methodology, Desalin. Water Treat. 57 (2016) 3532–3543. https://doi.org/10.1080/19443994.2014.987176.
3. N.N.M. Zain, N.K. Abu Bakar, S. Mohamad, Cloud point extraction of 2,4−dichlorophenol from aqueous samples employing β−cyclodextrin, Sep. Sci. Technol. 51 (2016) 653–663. https://doi.org/10.1080/01496395.2015.1119852.
4. N.N.M. Zain, M. Raoov, N.K. Abu Bakar, S. Mohamad, Cyclodextrin modified ionic liquid material as a modifier for cloud point extraction of phenolic compounds using spectrophotometry, J. Incl. Phenom. Macrocycl. Chem. 84 (2015) 137–152. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10847-015-0591-y.
5. N.I. Mohd, N.N.M. Zain, M. Raoov, S. Mohamad, Determination of carcinogenic herbicides in milk samples using green non-ionic silicone surfactant of cloud point extraction and spectrophotometry, R. Soc. Open Sci. 5 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.171500.
6. N.I. Mohd, M. Raoov, S. Mohamad, N.N.M. Zain, Performance evaluation of non-ionic silicone surfactants OFX 0309 and DC 193C as a new approach in cloud point extraction-spectrophotometry for determination of atrazine in water samples, RSC Adv. 8 (2018) 13556–13566. https://doi.org/10.1039/c8ra00868j.
7. N.I. Mohd, K. Gopal, M. Raoov, S. Mohamad, N. Yahaya, V. Lim, N.N.M. Zain, Evaluation of a magnetic activated charcoal modified with non-ionic silicone surfactant as a new magnetic solid phase extraction sorbent with triazine herbicides as model compounds in selected milk and rice samples, Talanta. 196 (2019) 217–225. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.talanta.2018.12.043.
8. P. W. Ooi, M. Raaov, N. Yahaya, N.N.S.N.M. Kamal, K. Gopal, N.A. Husin, N.N.M. Zain, Removal of phthalates in aqueous samples using non-ionic silicone surfactant mediated cloud point extraction via spectrophotometry, Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences, (2019).
9. K. Gopal, N.I. Mohd, M. Raoov, F.B.M. Suah, N. Yahaya, N.N.M. Zain, Development of a new efficient and economical magnetic sorbent silicone surfactant-based activated carbon for the removal of chloro- and nitro-group phenolic compounds from contaminated water samples, RSC Adv. 9 (2019) 36915–36930. https://doi.org/10.1039/C9RA07151B.
10. K. Gopal, I. Al deeb, M. Raaov, F.B.M. Suah, N.A. Samad, N. Yahaya, V. Lim, N.N.M. Zain, Supramolecular solvent combined with dispersive solid phase extraction based magnetic silicone surfactant activated charcoal adsorbent for extraction of phenolic compounds from industrial wastewater, Microchem. J. 157 (2020) 105110. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.microc.2020.105110.
11. N.M. Badu Latip, K. Gopal, M. Suwaibatu, N.M. Hashim, N.Y. Rahim, M. Raoov, N. Yahaya, N.N. Mohamad Zain, Removal of 2,4-dichlorophenol from wastewater by an efficient adsorbent of magnetic activated carbon, Sep. Sci. Technol. 56 (2021) 252–265. https://doi.org/10.1080/01496395.2020.1719156.
12. N.A. Husin, N.M. Hashim, N. Yahaya, M. Miskam, M. Raoov, N.N.M. Zain, Exploring magnetic particle surface embedded with imidazole-based deep eutectic solvent for diclofenac removal from pharmaceutical wastewater samples, J. Mol. Liq. 332 (2021) 115809. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molliq.2021.115809.
13. N.A. Husin, M. Muhamad, N. Yahaya, M. Miskam, N.N. Syazni Nik Mohamed Kamal, S. Asman, M. Raoov, N.N. Mohamad Zain, Application of a new choline-imidazole based deep eutectic solvents in hybrid magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer for efficient and selective removal of naproxen from aqueous samples, Mater. Chem. Phys. 261 (2021) 124228. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matchemphys.2021.124228.
14. S. Mamman, F.B.M. Suah, M. Raaov, F.S. Mehamod, S. Asman, N.N.M. Zain, Removal of bisphenol A from aqueous media using a highly selective adsorbent of hybridization cyclodextrin with magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer, R. Soc. Open Sci. 8 (2022) 201604. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.201604.
15. V. Elencovan, J. Joseph, N. Yahaya, N. Abdul Samad, M. Raoov, V. Lim, N.N.M. Zain, Exploring a novel deep eutectic solvents combined with vortex assisted dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction and its toxicity for organophosphorus pesticides analysis from honey and fruit samples, Food Chem. 368 (2022) 130835. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.130835.
16. V. Elencovan, N. Yahaya, N.A. Samad, N.N.M. Zain, Evaluation of green silicone surfactant‐based vortex assisted dispersive liquid‐liquid microextraction for sample preparation of organophosphorus pesticide residues in honey and fruit sample, J. Sep. Sci. 45 (2022) 2865–2876.
17. V. Elencovan, N. Yahaya, M. Raoov, N. Nadhirah Mohamad Zain, Exploring a novel silicone surfactant-based deep eutectic solvent functionalized magnetic iron particles for the extraction of organophosphorus pesticides in vegetable samples, Food Chem. (2022) 133670. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2022.133670.
18. S. Mamman, S. Yaacob, M. Raoov, F.S. Mehamod, N.N.M. Zain, F.B.M. Suah, Exploring the performance of magnetic methacrylic acid-functionalized β-cyclodextrin adsorbent toward selected phenolic compounds, J. Anal. Sci. Technol. 14 (2023) 3.
19. N.M. Hashim, M. Mohamad, N.N.S.N.M. Kamal, M.Y. Aziz, S. Mohamad, N. Yahaya, N.N.M. Zain, Revolutionizing Drug Removal: Green Magnetic Nanoparticles Functionalized with Hydrophobic Deep Eutectic Solvents for Anti-Inflammatory Drug Adsorption, J. Mol. Liq. (2023) 122082.
20. N.I.M. Husaini, N.A.I.M.Hisham, N.M. Hashim, C.S.A. Lasu, N. Yahaya, M. Raoov, N.N.M. Zain, Magnetic Nanoparticle for Removing Sunset Yellow Dye: Taguchi Optimization, Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences, (2023).
21. Green Metrics for Analytical Methodologies: Uncovering Sustainable Chromatography Approaches for Detecting Emerging Contaminants in Food and Environmental Water.