bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Chemical Analysis of Kitchen Waste for Developing Formulae for Compost Fertilizer
Authors: Ranasinghe S.D.  , Prashantha M.A.B.  , Godakumbura P.  
Published: February 2024

The rapid growth of the global population and changes in food consumption patterns have resulted in issues relating to food insecurity. Improved strategic solutions are needed to allow easy access to food and also to manage large volumes of waste efficiently. From this research, a microeconomic- level solution to manage the aforementioned issues is addressed. Common kitchen waste such as peels and discarded parts of fruits and vegetables can be combined to produce compost fertilizer. Producing compost fertilizer in this manner can be considered a microeconomic-level waste management strategy. Compost fertilizer produced using kitchen waste can subsequently be used in home gardening. Many vegetables and fruits can easily be cultivated in small, confined spaces such as in home gardens. This study analyzed chemical parameters such as total carbon and other total nutrient levels (N, P, Ca, Mg and K) in ten kitchen waste and two supplementary samples using standard methods. The kitchen waste samples consisted of peels and discarded parts of fruits and vegetables. The two supplementary samples- Tithonia diversifolia (Wild sunflower), and Gliricidia sepium were chosen because they are nutrient-rich organic fertilizers. The analysis results were then fed to a computer program developed for this study. It was based on the simulated annealing algorithm. The program generated different formulae for producing 100 g mixtures of raw materials for composting, by mixing the 10 kitchen waste and 2 supplementary samples in 24 different combinations. The nutrient levels of these mixtures were expected to match or exceed a calculated ―target nutrient level‖. It was calculated based on local compost fertilizer standards and the chemical analysis results. The target nutrient level calculated as the minimum required level by dry mass of each material was 25.00% Carbon, 1.25% Nitrogen, 0.63% Phosphorus, 1.25% Potassium, 0.88% Calcium, and 0.63% Magnesium. The program was able to generate mixtures of raw materials in which most of the levels matched or exceeded the target level. However, the phosphorus levels of all formulae fell below the target phosphorus level and in some mixtures, the magnesium level also was less than the targeted level. The actual nutrient level of one of the 100 g mixtures (combination C3) containing 0.19 g banana stem, 0.21 g discarded tea grounds, 0.41 g discarded scraped coconut, 0.57 g banana peel, and 97.34 g Gliricidia leaves was (% by dry mass), 85.68% Carbon, 2.20% Nitrogen, 0.25% Phosphorus, 1.32% Potassium, 2.24% Calcium and 0.71% Magnesium. This promising method can further be developed by adding more nutrient-rich raw materials to the program. The program could be a useful tool for compost fertilizer manufacturing, especially for small-scale horticultural purposes.
Keywords: Compost, Waste management, Nutrient analysis, Kitchen waste
Microplastics Trophic Transfer in Seafood Varieties Caught from the Coastal Waters off Negombo
Authors: Gammanpila G.D.N.P.  , Ranatunga R.R.M.K.P.  
Published: February 2024

Microplastics are a pervasive global pollutant that poses risks to marine organisms including commercially important species and poses threats even to humans. However, the trophic transfer of microplastics is yet to be understood. The present study was to study the occurrence of microplastics in five species used as seafood and in zooplankton, representing different trophic levels and feeding habits caught within coastal waters off Negombo. The Negombo coastal environs are known for high ecological diversity still subjected to massive anthropogenic activities as a major fishing and tourism hub in Sri Lanka. The same area was subjected to contaminating microplastics after the MV X-Press Pearl ship disaster which caught fire and spilled the largest point source of microplastic nurdles pollution in the world. Field sampling was carried out from October to-December 2021 in Negombo, Sri Lanka. The study included zooplankton, some fish (Sardinella gibbosa (n=10), Hemiramphus archipelagicus (n=10), and Ephipphus orbis (n=10)), crustaceans (Scylla serrata, (n=10)) and a bivalve (Perna perna, (n=10)). The samples were subjected to wet peroxide oxidation and acid digestion. Microplastic identification was conducted microscopically and confirmed with Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and Nile red staining techniques. Microplastics were present in all the species studied except zooplankton samples. Four polymer types were identified and confirmed as Polyamide (PA), Polystyrene (PS), Polypropylene (PP), and Polycaprolactone (PCL). According to the literature, this is the first recorded PCL contamination in marine species in Sri Lanka. Fibers were the most abundant microplastic type recorded followed by fragments, films, spheres, and flakes. Red, green, blue, yellow, black, and transparent microplastics were recorded while blue colour was the most prominent. The mean number of microplastics recorded was 0.93±0.29 for S. gibbosa, 0.97±0.17 for H. archipelagicus, 0.53±0.09 for E. orbis, 0.36±0.16 for S. serrata and 1.13±0.29 items/g for P. perna. Investigation of microplastic concentrations at different trophic levels suggests that organisms at lower trophic levels are at greater risk of microplastics.
Keywords: Microplastics, Trophic transfer, Marine organisms, Seafood, Negombo
Ascertainment of Photosynthetic Biomass Curves in the Early Growth Stages of Selected Dominat Native and Endemic Plant Species in Lowland Rainforest Ecosystems, Sri Lanka that as a Proxy for Value Primary Ecosystem Services and towards Conservation
Authors: Aberathna W.S.S.L.  , Chaturanga H.N.  , Senanayake F.R.  , De. Zoysa D.  
Published: February 2024

The lowland rainforests play a significance role in maintaining the rich biodiversity of threatened endemic and native species of flora. However, the physiognomy of many species is still poorly known. The main objective of this study was to established the gains in photosynthetic Biomass (PB) during the early growth phases of three native and endemic tree species Garcenia quaesita, Dipterocarpus zeylanicus and Artocapus nobilis, which are frequently found in the low land rainforest ecosystems in south-west Sri Lanka. The study was based on field data collection and through observations based on empirical measurements which focused on PB accumulation in the early growth stages of above tree species. The sampled individuals were found in the reforested site in Hinduma, Sri Lanka and Sampling was carried out in four sites which represented the growth at 1, 2, 3 and 4 years. Purposive sampling was carried out and 30 individuals from each and individual age group as mentioned above, totaling 360 individuals of the plant species. Fresh weight was measured from collected leaves and analyzed to derive PB curves using statistical software Minitab version 15. Oxygen production (1 g of PB gives 0.4 g of Oxygen) was quantified using the measured PB value applied to the standard allometric equation. PB and Oxygen production of selected tree species demonstrated an exponential growth after the age of 3 years. Results shows that at the end of 4th year D. zeylanicus produce highest PB value, i.e., 2,483.55 grms and then 550.92 and 421.36 grams occupied by A. nobilis and G. quaesita. Also, PB and Oxygen production had a significant relationship with the age. In conclusion all the selected species under the given climatic conditions shows an increasing rate of PB, and oxygen production with age up to 3 years with an exponential growth thereafter. The findings of this study will be used to explored and included in the contractual process of value Primary Ecosystem Services (PES) hence all the PES derivatives such as carbon sequestering values and oxygen production based on the PB value of that given plant species. Therefore, it creates new scientific proven records to archive economic opportunities, which are not still identified and value of primary ecosystem services of tree dominated ecosystems/land uses to achieve national green economic policy management objectives. Such an economy described above, can generate new ecosystem servicing values and socioeconomical benefits which, at the same time, promotes conservation of these species and their unique environments.
Keywords: Conservation, Green economy, Lowland rainforests, Photosynthetic Biomass, Primary ecosystem services
Analysis and Characterization of Four Selected Sri Lankan Seed Oils for the Potential Applications in Cosmetics and Dietary Supplements
Authors: Thathsara K.A.H.  , Chinthaka S.D.M.  
Published: February 2024

As a tropical country, Sri Lanka has a wide variety of oil-bearing seeds explicitly used in Ayurvedic and indigenous medicine. Plant seed oils offer an exciting avenue for the use in cosmetic and dietary supplements due to their fatty acid composition and other non-polar constituents specially found in unsaponifiable fraction. This study aimed to characterize plant seed oils by determining Fatty Acids (FA) composition, constituents in unsaponifiable matter, and other physical properties. Mesua ferrea L. (Na), Crotalaria juncea L. (Hana), Ricinus communis L. (Thel edaru), and Bauhinia acuminata L. (Koboleela) seeds having some medicinal values were selected. The oil was extracted using soxhlet extraction method with Hexane. Moisture and ash content, Acid Value (AV), Iodine value (IV), and Smoke Point were also determined. Prepared Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME) and unsaponifiable matter were analyzed using GC-MS. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) was performed to access the thermal stability. M. ferrea obtained the highest oil yield of 63.87% while others lay within the range of 28.59-29.94%. Smoke point values of these oils varied from 179.0±10.5oC to 241.5±6.2o C. AVs lay between 4.62±1.18-49.64±2.92 mgKOH/g range. IVs ranged from 6.82±0.89 to 16.82±0.45 gI2/100g. Ash content values varied from 1.42±0.33% to 3.69±0.29% while the moisture content ranged from 0.69±0.09% to 4.46±0.51%. The yield of unsaponifable matter of these four seed oils ranged from 0.7024±0.0001% to 1.5864±0.0001%. All except M. ferrea oil exhibited higher levels of unsaturated fatty acids than saturated fatty acids. In contrary M. ferrea contained almost equal amounts of UFAs and SFAs. The most abundant FA constituents of all the oils were long-chain FAs like Oleic, Linoleic, and α-Linolenic Acid. γ- Sitosterol was the most dominant compound in unsaponifiable fraction in most of the seed oils which indicate their potential use in dietary supplements. The high level of Squalene found in R. communis shows its applicability in the cosmetic industry as a moisturizing agent. This analysis found that all 4 oils have the potential to use in dietary supplements and cosmetics.
Keywords: Seed oils, Unsaponifiable matter, Fatty acids, Cosmetics and dietary supplements
The Opportunity Cost Analysis of using Jack Fruit Timber as a Construction Material in Sri Lanka
Authors: Kaluwila K.M.C.N  , Udawattha C.D.  
Published: February 2024

The miracle tree in the world is thought to be the jackfruit tree. Its fruit-bearing capacity was well- documented by history academics. However, jackfruit wood is also regarded as one of Sri Lanka's more expensive wood types. Instead of considering the quality of the actual lumber material, this is only dependent on its legendary value. It was not considered how much money the timber was worth. They are carelessly used as one of the finest luxury lumber materials, disregarding the fact that they were originally planted as fruit trees. In an effort to compare the true worth of jackfruit wood to the current palette of premium timber materials, this study was initiated. Thus, it will assist legislators in passing a new law that forbids Sri Lanka from using jackfruit trees as a source of lumber. First, a life cycle model was used to determine the yield value and market value of jackfruit timber. The perceived value of the timber and the yield were then contrasted with the timber's real market worth. The study discovered that, before the age of 50 years, the jack fruit tree's yield value was significantly higher than its timber value. Only Rs. 100,000.00 is the typical timber value anticipated from a jackfruit tree. Only eight years of average yield value are required to restore the value of the timber. In order to preserve the jack fruit tree as one of the top fruit-bearing trees in the world, a new policy should be developed to change the jack fruit tree cutting age to a minimum of 50 years.
Keywords: Jack fruit tree, Yield value, Selling price, Timber value
Floods and Land Use Land Cover Changes in the Kalu River Basin: A Call to Action
Authors: Amarakoon V.  , Wickramasinghe D.D.  , Premasiri H.M.R.  , Shaw R.  , Mukherjee M.  
Published: February 2024

Floods are one of the most common natural disasters worldwide. Apart from rainfall, Land Use Land Cover (LULC) changes too are a main contributory factor for floods. This study attempted to understand the link between floods and LULC changes in Kalu river basin, which is the second largest river basin and an area that experiences recurrent floods in Sri Lanka. We studied peak water levels, number of flood events, changes in land use types and impacts in rapidly urbanizing two districts, Rathnapura (upper basin) and Kalutara (lower basin) during 2001-2020. The satellite images (LANDSAT) were obtained for 2001, 2009, 2015 and 2020 and land use classification was done using ArcGIS and Remote Sensing Tools. Main land use types and their transformations were investigated and ground-truthing was carried out. Accordingly, the main types of land uses identified were Natural Vegetation and forests (NV), Settlements (ST- housing and industrial lands), Cultivated Lands (CL), Water Bodies (WB) and Bare Lands (BL). The results indicated that the most drastic change was found in the natural areas (NV) and they have diminished while the lands with anthropogenic impacts (ST, CL and BL) have increased across years. The NV had occupied the highest land area in 2001 (42.4%) and has reduced by 14.2% by 2020. The ST and CL have increased by 8.6 % and 5.2% respectively. The monthly rainfall of Rathnapura and Kalutara (Source: Department of Meteorology, Sri Lanka) has increased with time, which is a main reason for the increasing peak water levels of these areas (Source: Department of Irrigation, Sri Lanka). However, a significant correlation also exists between the change of the settlement area with the peak river water levels in the lower basin (p=0.03, R2=99%; regression analysis). Rathnapura has experienced 3 major floods (floods above the high water alert level) from 2001-2020, while 16 major floods have occurred in Kalutara. During the major flood in 2017, the number of child deaths in Rathnapura was 14 while in Kalutara it was 24. Accordingly, the LULC changes of the whole basin along with rainfall seem to influence on the severity of floods in Kalutara more, as it is located in the lowest elevation level. When natural lands are transformed to anthropogenic- impacted areas with disturbances to the water cycle, increased impervious surfaces, reduced water storage capacities and loss of natural drainage, the flood risk tends to increase. Proactive approaches including proper land use planning and rainwater storage are urgently needed as the climate change too would trigger more floods. Thus, the flood mitigatory actions, especially, in the lower river basin should be a priority to ensure resilience and sustainability.
Keywords: Kalu river basin, Land Use Land Cover (LULC) changes, Floods
The Effect of Nitrogen-Enriched Partially Burnt Paddy Husk on Growth and Yield of Rice (Oryza Sativa)
Authors: Jayarathna J.G.S.N.  , Godakumbura P.I.  , Ratnayake W.M.U.K.  
Published: February 2024

Paddy husk can be defined as a material that can be easily accessed by small-scale, resource-poor farmers in Sri Lanka. It is being produced in large quantities during the production of milled rice as by-products. Currently, most paddy husk is underutilized or left unused due to their intrinsic properties. Partially burnt paddy husk (PBPH) is an organic material that is prepared by incomplete combustion of paddy husk. The use of PBPH as a soil amendment to fix soil fertility problems has been well recognized. It contains a higher porous structure and an enhanced adsorption capacity, therefore, has the ability to slow down nutrient leaching by capturing nutrients in its porous structure. In the present study, a farmer-friendly, biochar-based organic nitrogen fertilizer was developed by nitrogen-enriching PBPH using nitrogen-rich liquid fertilizers in order to determine its effect on the growth and yield of rice. A pot experiment was conducted at the Rice Research and Development Institute, Bathalagoda based on a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with eight treatments and five replicates.The treatments included T1 (Gliricidia extract+PBPH), T2 (cow urine+PBPH), T3 (poultry manure+PBPH), T4 (fish tonic+PBPH), T5 (compost tea+PBPH), T6 (urea+PBPH), T7 (PBPH only) and T8 (no treatment). Nitrogen (N) content of raw materials, liquid fertilizers, N-enriched PBPH, and N uptake of plants were determined using Kjeldahl method. Phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) contents of PBPH were determined by using UV-Visible Spectrophotometer and Flame Photometer, respectively. Plant height and greenness (SPAD results) were recorded as growth parameters and finally, number of tillers, panicles, grains per pot and grain weight per pot were obtained as the yield parameters. Significantly, the highest N content was found in urea liquid fertilizer (3.42%) whereas the lowest was found in Gliricidia extract (0.35%). Significantly, the highest N content (1.735%) of N-enriched PBPHs was found in T6 (urea+PBPH), while the lowest (0.058%) was found in T7 (PBPH only). Significantly, the highest N uptakes (1.98% and 1.86%) of rice plants were found in T6 (urea+PBPH) and T4 (fish tonic+PBPH) respectively while the lowest (0.56%) was found in the T8 (no treatment). SPAD readings, the number of panicles, tillers and grain yield, and biomass were significantly increased in all treatments over T7 (PBPH only) and T8 (no treatment) treatments. The overall study concluded that the application of N-enriched PBPH has improved the growth and yield of rice, therefore it can be used as a farmer-friendly, sustainable, and organic nitrogen source in paddy cultivation in Sri Lanka.
Keywords: Nitrogen, Partially burnt paddy husk, Nitrogen enrichment
Conversion of Marginalized Tea Lands into Timber Plantations and its Impact on Soil Organic Carbon Content: A Case Study in Central Highlands of Sri Lanka
Authors: Rotawewa B.  , Lokupitiya E.Y.K.  
Published: February 2024

Tea (Camellia sinensis) plantations can be in production for about 100 years under well-managed conditions. However, soil degradation makes the tea lands marginalized and uneconomical. Land use conversion is an option for marginalized tea lands that could gain numerous environmental and economic benefits. This study estimated and compared the soil organic carbon stocks (SOC) in the surface soil layer (0–30 cm) of marginalized tea lands against those converted to timber plantations in the Badulla and Nuwaraeliya districts. Disturbed and undisturbed soil samples were collected from the top layer (0-30 cm) of the selected sites of marginalized tea lands and those converted to timber plantations for analysis. Organic matter percentage in the site-level dry soil samples was analysed using the loss on ignition method. The final carbon stocks (t C ha-1) for samples from both land use types were then estimated using the SOC percentages and bulk density estimates. The carbon stocks for the soil samples collected at marginalized tea lands and the marginalized tea lands converted to timber plantations were then statistically analysed (descriptive statistics, normality tests and two-sample t-tests) using Minitab 21.2 software. The pH of marginal tea lands (5.34±0.14) and the marginal tea lands converted to timber plantations (5.20±0.13) was slightly acidic in nature. The bulk density estimates of marginalized tea lands and marginalized tea lands converted to timber plantations were very close and estimated as 1.15±0.02. The statistical analysis showed that overall mean SOC was significantly higher under the marginalized tea lands converted to timber plantations (155.3±10.0 t C ha-1) compared to the marginalized tea lands (126.7±5.8 t C ha-1). Land use conversion has increased the SOC stocks gradually after forest establishment. The increased carbon stocks could be attributed to consistent addition of litter layer on the soil, less soil disturbance, and retarded soil erosion contributing to the buildup of soil organic matter and SOC. On the other hand, low carbon stocks in the marginalized tea land could be attributed to unsustainable agronomical practices. Our findings suggest that converting marginalized tea lands in central highlands into timber plantations could enhance the sequestration of atmospheric CO2, significantly contributing to climate change mitigation.
Keywords: Soil organic carbon, Land use change, Climate change, Tea plantations
Visitor Perception on Urban Green Space and its Contribution for Human Well-being, A Case Study for Henarathgoda Botanic Garden
Authors: Chandrathilaka G.G.T.  , Samarasekara S.  , Jayasooriya V.  
Published: February 2024

Botanical gardens vary widely in design and purpose, but most are typically associated with Ex-situ conservation, education, or historical interpretation. Yet, few studies have shown that botanic garden visitors are often motivated by recreational and leisure interests. While visitor motivations and benefits have been the focus of a number of botanical garden and green space visitor studies. The main objective of the study was to investigate the perceptions of benefits for wellbeing of community, by visiting Henarathgoda Botanic Garden (HBG) and the Specific objectives were; to identify the range of different specialized visitors to the HBG, identify the activity patterns of community visitation associated with HBG and to examine visitor preferences/perceptions for various combinations of social, resource and management conditions, and study the different wellbeing benefits obtained by visiting the garden related to physical and aesthetics aspects. This study employed means-end theory to investigate the links visitors make between garden attributes, consequences, and values. Structured questionnaire based in-person interviews were conducted with garden visitors (n=200) and surveys took place representing whatsoever the community visiting the HBG during February to March 2022. The overall study resulted that the garden visitation has been drastically affected by COVID-19 pandemic situation before, during, and after the pandemic respectively. This study reveals that the main top two reasons for visiting the HBG of respondent were because of relaxation and pleasure. This shows HBG should provide a suitable place for recreational activities for visitors. Further, the highest percentage of the respondents (36%) were commented that HBG‘s management should consider improving the services providing and maintaining more facilities and need for the visitors. The most positive benefit wanted to gain responders by visiting HBG, which was understanding and enjoying nature in different garden sections established at HBG (42%).
Keywords: Urban green spaces, Well-being benefits, Botanic garden, Psychological benefits, Questionnaire survey