bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Solvent-Free Microwave-Assisted Extraction of Volatile Organic Compounds from Ananas comosus (Pineapple) Waste and Possible Skincare Products Development
Authors: Siriwardane S.M.D.S.H.  , Dasanayaka P.N.  , Dassanayake R.S.  , Samarasekara J.K.R.R.  , Liyanaarachchi G.D.3  , Perera H.D.S.M.  
Published: June 2022

Solvent-Free Microwave-Assisted Extraction (SFME) is a green analytical technique that uses no organic solvent in the extraction process. A significant amount of fruit waste such as seeds, rinds and peels are discarded daily by food processing operations, causing many environmental concerns. As an alternative approach to fruit-specific waste minimization, including pineapple waste, those fruit waste can be used to recover potentially valuable Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) to utilize as value-added products. This study aims to extract VOCs from different parts of matured pineapple fruit waste, including core and peel, for skincare products development. This process uses SFME to extract VOCs from pineapple waste. Extractions were performed at three different experimental conditions by varying microwave power and extraction time of 300 W for 15 min, 500 W for 10 min, and 700 W for 5 min, respectively. The highest yield of 47.20% was obtained for the extraction performed with 500 W power and 10 min extraction time. Volatile Organic Compounds extracted by SFME were identified and characterized using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC/MS). Major VOCs extracted from the pineapple waste include Heptadecane, γ-dodecalactone, Hexadecane, γ-decalactone and Decanal. However, the highest VOCs were found in the pineapple core over the peel. Extracted VOCs were used to formulate a moisturizing cream and tested for its organoleptic properties, pH and spreadability. Result suggests favourable organoleptic properties such as white to off-white, non-greasy and no phase separation. The formulated moisturizing cream was able to retain the pH of 6.32±0.01 at the temperature of 27±2 ℃, and the spreadability of 4.76±0.11. Findings of the study reveal that SFME extracted VOCs of pineapple waste show promising potential in natural skincare products development.
Keywords: Pineapple waste, Volatile Organic Compounds, Solvent-free Microwave-Assisted Extraction, GC-MS, Moisturizing cream
Assessment of Mangrove Restoration Potential in the North Western Province of Sri Lanka for Climate Change Mitigation
Authors: Mahawaththa M.W.I.C.  , Vidanage S.P.  , Premakantha K.T.  
Published: June 2022

Over the geological time, the planet's climate has been changing constantly, with large variations in global average temperatures. Millions of people are already suffering as a result of natural disasters worsened by climate change. The Paris Agreement is an international climate change treaty, and countries will present their climate action plans, referred to as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). In response to the Paris Agreement, Sri Lanka presented NDCs in 2016. In which the coastal and marine sector has a restoration target of 10,000 ha of mangroves as a coastal greenbelt with mitigation co-benefits. However, identification of potential lands for such restoration of mangroves has not been done. Therefore, identification of potential areas for mangrove restoration is most important because mangroves cannot be restored where they were not previously existed. The main objective of this research therefore was to identify potential areas for mangrove restoration within the North-Western Province. Identification of potential lands in North-Western Province were done by using Google Earth Pro and ArcGIS 10.2.2. Most important physicochemical parameters such as salinity, pH, soil organic matter content, soil water holding capacity were analyzed under laboratory conditions, samples were obtained by different sites of mangrove habitats. Soil salinity, pH were measured by using calibrated multiparameter. The loss of ignition method for soil organic matter content and a customized method for soil water holding capacity were used. All parameters were subjected to two-way ANOVA in MINITAB 14 after following Anderson Darling Normality test. The mean of soil salinity, pH, soil organic matter content, and soil water holding capacity were ranged respectively; 4.26% to 5.93%, 6.07 to 8.62, 3.40% to 9.31%, and 30.39% to 46.38%. The potential lands for restoring mangroves in North-Western Province were identified in Chilaw, Kalpitiya, Mundel, Panirendawa, Puttalam, Vanathawilluwa and Vennappuwa Divisional Secretariant Divisions. Among them, availability for historical images in Google Earth Pro there were specially chosen areas to restore the mangroves. There is no any significant difference of physicochemical parameters among mangrove habitats and an abandoned shrimp farm where there were previously mangrove plants existed. Hence, abandoned shrimp farms and salterns can be used to restore the mangrove plants and the assisted natural regeneration of mangroves in suitable abandoned shrimp farms by way of facilitating hydrology to be explored as the best option for mangrove restoration.
Keywords: Mangrove restoration, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), Assisted natural regeneration, Areas suitable for mangrove restoration
Climate Change Mitigation by Quantification of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Office Operations of a Global Logistics Company
Authors: Kariyawasam V.M.  , Witharana A.  , Pallewatta N.  
Published: June 2022

Climate change is a global phenomenon that affects all continents. Climate change has become the most discussed topic in the last decade, owing to the increasing probability of extreme events occurring. Mitigation of climate change focuses on avoiding and reducing greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. The industrial sector significantly contributes to anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which are one of the primary causes of climate change. Calculating a company’s carbon footprint (CF) is an important step toward reducing quantifiable emissions because it indicates the contribution of each activity to GHG emissions. The objectives of this study were to identify the major contributors to organizational GHG emissions and provide possible solutions for emission reduction. This research examines the organizational CF of a logistics company for a year, from April 2020 to March 2021. That global company, which has more than 2,900 employees in 32 countries and provides freighting, warehousing, and other solutions to the community, contributes to GHG emissions through freight transport and office operations. Office operations were considered here, and operational boundaries were established within offices in fourteen countries. GHG Protocol was chosen as the methodology for quantifying the organization’s CF. GHG emitting activities were identified and classified into three categories under the GHG protocol. Secondary data was collected from the company database called Sustainable Management System for the calculation, and invoices and bills were checked to ensure data accuracy. To extract emission factors, publications from the United Kingdom's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority website, the Institute of Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) list of grid emission factors, and the World Bank Open Database were consulted. The annual carbon footprint was 3,710 tCO2e. The highest emission value resulted from indirect emissions associated with purchased electricity, which is 2,180 tCO2e and accounts for 58.8% of the company’s annual carbon footprint. The proportions of direct and other indirect emissions were reported to be 14.4%and 26.8%, respectively. Per capita consumption for the company was 2.18 tCO2e. The highest per capita consumption was reported from the stations in Sri Lanka which was 4.57 tCO2e. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions, measures such as implementing solar energy systems and setting emission reduction targets are proposed as the major suggestions. This study is a part of the initiatives undertaken by the company to reduce its GHG emissions.
Keywords: Carbon footprint, Climate change, Mitigation, GHG emissions
Removal of Rhodamine B and Malachite Green from Aqueous Solutions using Cinnamon Wood Biochar
Authors: Abeyrathna W.A.H.T.  , Cooray A.T.  , Walpita J.  
Published: June 2022

The dye and pigment industry have become a well-established industry now because color has been very close to man since ancient times. Color is being widely used to showcase the quality life. Recent reports estimate that greater than 0.7 million tons of dyes are manufactured annually all around the world. After the dyeing process, dye effluents are released into the environment from industries without proper treatment, and the amount is estimated to 1 to 1.5×105tons per year. Due to stability and complex structure, most of the dyes are resistant to degradation and they are highly toxic. It is required to remediate dye contaminated water effluents to protect natural water resources and ensure the well-being of the living organisms. In this study, an effort has been taken to develop biochar from low-cost precursor, cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) wood and its ability to remove model dyes rhodamine B (RDB) and malachite green (MG) were investigated. Prepared biochar was characterized by Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectroscopy to identify the surface functional groups. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the amorphous structure of cinnamon wood biochar (CWBC). Batch adsorption experiments were carried out to investigate the optimum conditions such as adsorbent dosage, contact time, pH, and initial dye concentration. The best conditions for the maximum adsorption for the RDB dye was achieved in less than 15 minutes, using 0.20 g adsorbent dose in 100.00 ml dye solution at pH 3.09. The MG dye was adsorbed to CWBC effectively within 60 minutes, 0.01 g of adsorbent dosage in 100.00 ml dye solution at the pH 6.75. The maximum adsorption capacity for the RDB removal was obtained as 2.01 mgg-1and that was 403.06 mgg-1for the MG removal. Langmuir model explained the dye adsorption behavior and also it suggested that, adsorption mechanism was favorable in MG adsorption. Freundlich isotherm fitted best to explain the adsorption of RDB. Thus, the results confirm the feasibility of CWBC to be used as an efficient adsorbent in the removal of RDB and MG from aqueous solutions.
Keywords: Rhodamine B, Malachite green, Cinnamon wood biochar, Adsorption, Dye removal
Assessment of the Factors Influencing the Green Professionals of Construction Industry in Purchasing Green Products in Sri Lanka
Authors: Perera A.L.W.M.  , Wijerathna S.D.S.A.  , Layanga A.G.P.  , Rajapakshe P.S.K.  
Published: June 2022

The construction industry is a major industry in Sri Lanka that consumes a large amount of material and energy. The production of construction materials results in many environmental issues such as natural resource depletion, climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, waste generation, and so on. Therefore, construction industry professionals should realize the importance of environmentally friendly construction materials. In the process of manufacturing construction materials, it is vital to maintain environmental, social, and economic sustainability. With that background, this study was aimed to assess the factors influencing the green professionals of the construction industry in purchasing green products in Sri Lanka. A purposive sampling technique was used to select green professionals of Green Building Council of Sri Lanka (GBCSL) and primary data was gathered using a close-ended questionnaire. Binary logistic regression analysis was employed to analyze 200 valid responses where interest in purchasing green products as the dependent variable and education and awareness, the difference compared to conventional products, sustainability, transparency, and price as independent variables. According to the survey, the majority of professionals (65.5%) represented the private sector whereas the minority of professionals (4%) represented the non-governmental sector. Further, 98.5% of green professionals in GBCSL were interested in purchasing green products. Logistic regression analysis revealed that sustainability (p>0.000), transparency (p>0.049), and price (p>0.022) are significantly affecting the green professionals of the construction industry in purchasing green products. Moreover, education and awareness, and the difference compared to conventional products were not significant determinants among green professionals over purchasing of green products. In conclusion, sustainability, transparency, and price are influencing the personal perspective of green professionals to purchase green production materials in Sri Lanka. Hence, thisstudy recommends that construction material manufacturers should ensure the product’s environmental friendliness, accurate information and affordability and accurate information in order to ensure the long-term sustainability.
Keywords: Construction industry, Green products, Green professionals, Environmental issues, Sustainability
Fabrication of Eco-friendly Lithium Titanium Phosphate/Lithium Polysulfide/Graphite Rechargeable Batteries
Authors: Piyatilaka P.H.R.D.  , Jayaweera P.M.  , Palliyaguru L.  
Published: June 2022

The average global temperature has not changed by more than 1° C over 10,000 years. It is predicted that the global temperature will rise by 3° C by the year 2100, unless action is taken to limit temperature increment to 1.5° C. Since the beginning of the century, the field of lithium-ion battery development has skyrocketed. Li-ion batteries have become the primary electrical energy storage device for portable electronic devices in today's world. This study aims to innovate high-performance, less toxic, low-cost rechargeable lithium-ion batteries with lithium titanium phosphate as anode material, graphite as cathode material and lithium polysulfide as electrolyte under standard laboratory conditions. Cell performance was analyzed by observing the charge and discharge curves. In this research work, the charge-discharge performance was analyzed using LabJack U3-HV with LabJack software. The cell voltage was recorded with time, and using a fixed resistor, current flow was calculated. The cell showed initial voltage of 1.3 V and 10 mA in the first charge curve, the initial voltage was increased to 3.2 V in the second charge curve, and the current has decreased to 5.1 mA. During the discharging process, fast discharging was observed from 2.2 V to 0.2 V, giving current from 3.1 mA to 0.3 mA across 657 Ω. In the charging curve, small voltage plateaus can be seen around 1.5-2.0 V. It was observed that the voltage of charging cycles increases due to the increasement of the cell's internal resistance with time. When increasing the charging voltage across the cell, the current passing through the circuit was decreased by proving Ohm’s law and discharge curves demonstrated fast discharge within 60 minutes.
Keywords: Li-ion, Lithium titanium phosphate, Charge curve, Discharge curve
Solvent-Free Green Synthesis of Cu0.5Ti2(PO4)3 and Cu0.5TiO(PO4) NASICON-Type Compounds from Ilmenite Mineral Sand
Authors: Perera S.A.L.  , Palliyaguru L.  , Jayaweera P.M.  
Published: June 2022

Ilmenite is a naturally available black or steel-gray color mineral, called titanium iron oxide, FeTiO3.This valuable mineral comprises a significant amount of titanium that can be utilized as a titanium source to synthesize various materials. This study focused on synthesizing copper titanium phosphate compounds via an eco-friendly solid-state reaction route. α-titanium bismonohydrogen orthophosphate monohydrate (α-Ti(HPO4)2.H2O/α-TiP), derived from beach sand ilmenite used as the starting material for the synthesis. α-TiP was obtained by digesting ilmenite with 85 wt% phosphoric acid under reflux conditions. The XRD pattern of the obtained white powder confirmed the formation of α-TiP. The synthesized α-TiP and copper (Ⅱ) acetate were ground with different molar ratios (1:2, 1:1, and 2:1) until it forms a fine powder following a solvent-free solid grinding method. These powder mixtures were calcined at 800 °C for 4 hours utilizing a muffle furnace. The obtained solid solutions developed green and two different shades of yellow color. The samples werecharacterized by XRD, Thermogravimetry (DSC/TGA) techniques, and Raman spectroscopy. The XRD results revealed the formation of solid solutions containing copper titanium phosphate (Cu0.5Ti2(PO4)3) at 1:1 and 2:1 molar ratios of α-TiP to copper (Ⅱ) acetate while the products obtained at 1:2 and 1:1 molar ratios confirmed the formation of copper titanium oxyphosphate (Cu0.5TiOPO4). Moreover, TGA results confirm the development of these mixed metal phosphates which can be further analyzed for applications in the ceramic industry. Therefore, calcination of the reaction mixtures by changing the molar ratios produced different colored stable compounds that can potentially be used as ceramic pigments, coatings, and electrode materials.
Keywords: Copper titanium phosphate, α-titanium bismonohydrogen orthophosphate monohydrate, Solid-state reaction route
Awareness, Practice and Perception of General Public using Native Plants for Landscaping: A Case Study from Diyatha Flower Market
Authors: Wijetunga A.D.M.A.K.  , Yakandawala K.  , Ranasinghe L.M.M.  , Udayanga N.W.B.A.L.  
Published: June 2022

A native plant is a species indigenous to a given region or ecosystem hence occurring naturally in a given area. The contribution attired by native plants ranges from conservational purposes to aesthetics. At present, landscaping using native plants is a major constituent in sustainable industries, which is highly popular owing to its capability to improve the ecological significance of the environment. Even though Sri Lanka has a vast pool of native plants, the tendency towards purchasing and using native plants are relatively low. Since the lack of knowledge and the small market create a divergence, exotics are used and maintained unknowingly at the residential level. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess the consumers’ knowledge, attitude, and practices on using native plants at Diyatha Flower Market of Sri Lanka. A pre-tested interviewer administrated questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic information, knowledge, attitudes and practices of respondents (n=147) on the usage of native plants in landscaping. Five points Likert scale was used to rank the attributes and the association between purchasing native plants and demographic factors, knowledge, attitude, the practice of the respondents was measured by Pearson chi square test. According to the results, purchasing native plants for landscaping was influenced by several factors; occupation (p=0.034), practising of landscaping (p=0.003), attitudes (p=0.049) and the respondents’ knowledge (p=0.008) on native plants. Gender, age and educational level did not significantly correlate to purchasing behaviour, while limited diversity (61.9%), lack of knowledge (51.7%), and unavailability of native plants in the market (29.9%) were reported as the major causes for not purchasing native plants. Only 3.4% indicated insect attraction as a reason for purchasing native plants, implying the lack of interest in wildlife gardening/pollinator conservation concepts in Sri Lanka. A notably higher percentage of respondents had a moderate level of knowledge (49.6%) on natives. However, 42% of respondents denote low preference of using natives at the home garden level through majority of participants showed a highly favorable level of attitudes (91.1%) towards natives. This proved that people support native plants in general but lack of using the native species at the residential level. Hence, enhancing the knowledge and attitude of using native plants among the general public and encouraging research and extension work to popularize native species for landscaping is recommended.
Keywords: Diyatha flower market, Landscaping, Knowledge, Native plants, Public perception
An Empirical Analysis of Export Market Competitiveness of Spice Sector in Sri Lanka
Authors: Gunaratne M.D.N.  , Joseph R.  
Published: June 2022

Ceylon spices had been popular in the world as far as the 15th century. The product range of the spice sector comprise of cinnamon, pepper, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg, mace and vanilla. The spice crop production continues to be largely confined to mix home gardens agroforestry systems in Sri Lanka particularly for pepper, cloves, nutmeg, and cardamom. But 70% of the cinnamon is grown as a pure crop in small holdings. Sri Lanka is a lower middle-income country with a small economy of around US$ 80.7 billion (nominal) gross domestic production (GDP) in 2020 and the value of spice exports was equivalent to 3.3 % of total merchandise exports. The trend of both spice sector export value and the contribution to the total exports are increasing over time. The objective of this study is to empirically analyze the market competitiveness of spice sector of Sri Lanka in international trade. Export statistics of spices over the period between 2001 and 2020 was used for the analysis of export performances in terms in terms of Country Share, Revealed Symmetric Comparative Advantage (RSCA) and Herfindahl Index (HHI). According to the export statistics, cinnamon (Cinnamomum zelanicum) exports show a steady increasing trend over time. Both pepper and cardamom show a zigzag variation in exports. The country’s export shares in the world export (in value term) are 21% in cinnamon, 1% pepper, 4% cloves, 1% in nutmeg, mace and cardamoms, 0.02% vanilla, and ginger and others 0.2%. The essential oil (mainly extracted from spices) contributes 0.86%. However, Sri Lanka is gradually losing its ground in spice sector except in essential oil. The RSCA was calculated, and Ceylon cinnamon shows the highest value of 0.995. The RSCA of clove, pepper, nutmeg- mace and cardamom are 0.979, 0.928 and 0.923 respectively. According to RSCA, theses spices are the foremost commodities enjoying a comparative advantage in Sri Lanka with RSCA value greater than 0. The HHI values of spices have reached the level of 0.25 indicating decreasing competition and the market is getting high concentration by countries like China, Vietnam, and India. This study shows although there is an increasing trend of the Ceylon Spice exports over time, but it is not enough to meet the rapid increase of demand of spice exports in the world market and the market is getting more concentrated by other players over time in international trade.
Keywords: Spices, Exports, Competitiveness, Market concentration