Pathmalal Manage

• MSc. MSc. PH.D
• Professor at University of Sri Jayewardenepura

The use of biofertilizers has emerged as a promising alternative to chemical fertilizers. The phosphate-solubilizing fungi (PSF) play a pivotal role in transforming insoluble phosphorus (P) into plant available forms. This study aimed to isolate and characterize PSF strains from soil samples collected at open dump and compost sites in Karadiyana, S...

Scombridae fish are highly responsible for histamine fish poisoning. Histamine levels are considered a key indicator of fish quality. This study examined histamine variation in selected Scombridae fish; frigate tuna (Auxis thazard), skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis), and mackerel tuna (Euthynnus affinis) in response to environmental exposure over...

Heavy metal (HM) pollution has become a major environmental concern due to increased anthropogenic activities. The persistence and toxicity of HMs pose significant risks to ecosystems, biodiversity, and human health. This review highlights the pressing issue of HM contamination, its impact on ecosystems, and the potential risks of bio-magnification...

Histamine is a biogenic amine responsible for regulatory and inflammatory functions in the human body. However, histamine can cause histamine fish poisoning within histamine intolerant individuals. Due to its heat stability, histamine can survive during thermal processing, posing a potential risk in canned products. In the Sri Lankan market, variou...

The global population continues to rise steadily, making it increasingly challenging to feed the growing number of people without a substantial increase in agricultural production. The concept of biofertilizers has emerged as an innovative solution to enhance soil fertility and agricultural productivity. This study aims to isolate and characterize...

Biovalorization utilizes biological processes to convert waste materials into valuable products, enhancing sustainability and resource efficiency. This study focuses on developing and optimizing a sustainable approach to the production of fungal pigments via submerged fermentation (SMF) process using Fusarium proliferatum strain 08405. The fermenta...

Background: Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae has significant influence on ecosystems as primary producers and nitrogen fixers. Their proliferation results in harmful algal blooms (HABs), which produce cyanotoxins such as microcystins, cylindrospermopsin and nodularins and they pose ecological and public health risks. Microcystin-LR (MC...

In the growing demand for sustainability, research on inexpensive, non-toxic, and biodegradable materials has been in the limelight. This study presents the development of a novel Chitosan/ green ZnO nanocomposite membranes for wastewater treatment. The research highlights the use of sustainable materials: chitosan extracted from shrimp shells (sea...

This study explores the potential of indigenous non-Saccharomyces yeasts isolated from Vitis vinifera L. grape skins to improve the quality of regional wines by enhancing their physicochemical and sensory characteristics. Five promising yeast strains were identified at different stages of fermentation: Hanseniaspora opuntiae (J1Y-T1), H. guilliermo...

Lactic acid bacteria fermentation of tender coconut water creates a beverage with enhanced probiotic and biopreservation properties. This study examines the potential fermenters with a preferred volatile profile among four indigenous lactic acid bacteria inhabiting tender coconut water: Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CWJ3, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnos...

Employing composting for Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) helps divert organic waste fromlandfills, providing a cost-effective means of producing agricultural materials. This researchaimed to assess the quality of compost in MSW and commercially available compost. MSWcompost from Horana, Mathugama, Mirigama, Seethawaka, Kaduwela, and Karadiyanawere obta...

Histamine, a biogenic amine, is synthesised from histidine which can potentially cause histamine fish poisoning, depending on individual histamine intolerance. This study quantified histamine levels in four commercially important and widely consumed fish species (n = 20 each) obtained from open markets in Maharagama, Sri Lanka, including frigate tu...

Nitrogen-fixing bacteria play a critical role in sustainable agriculture by enhancing soil nitrogen availability, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers, and promoting plant growth. This study aimed to isolate and characterize nitrogen-fixing bacterial (NFB) strains from compost soil and evaluate their potential to improve nitrogen uptake and...

Biovalorization harnesses biological processes to convert waste materials into value added products, encouraging sustainability and resource efficiency. The current study aims to explore and optimize a sustainable method for the production of melanin pigment through the submerged fermentation (SMF) process by utilizing banana peel waste, affected S...

Water hardness is expressed as the concentration of dissolved minerals, mainly calcium and magnesium which are naturally present in both ground and surface water sources. Water hardness and fluoride levels in drinking water have significant impacts on human health. The synergistic effect of total hardness and fluoride is considered to be one of the...

Plants require major nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus for their optimal growth. Phosphorus is an essential macronutrient, yet its availability in soil is often limited due to its insoluble form. Soil microbes can convert insoluble phosphate into soluble phosphate through various mechanisms. Phosphate-solubilizing fungi (PSF) play a vital r...

Phosphorus is a crucial macronutrient in plant growth and development. The lower bioavailability of phosphorus in agricultural lands causes phosphorus deficiency in plants leading to plant growth retardation. As a remedy, rock phosphate is incorporated into phosphorus fertilizers. However, the direct application of rock phosphate as a phosphorus fe...

Antibiotic residues in the environment contribute to the survival and growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) by applying selective pressure on microbial populations. This enables the quick spread of antibiotic-resistant factors among various bacterial populations in the environment. This research aimed to detect antibiotic residues in compos...

Composting is one of the integral components of the global circular bio-economy platform. Traditional composting requires a prolonged time, and the inoculation of efficient bacterial consortia is a novel technique to enhance the composting rate. Further, assessing compost quality is crucial because the application of immature compost can cause phyt...

People consume fish in order to fulfil their protein requirements. As fish contain high protein and amino acid levels and are susceptible to enzymatic and bacterial processes that result in the formation of biogenic amines like histamine, can lead to histamine fish poisoning. Histamine is a heat-stable compound, resistant to thermal processing and...

In response to the growing demand for sustainable industrial materials, this study focuses on the development and characterization of novel Chitosan/green ZnO nanocomposite membranes. This study aims to create an inexpensive, non-toxic, and biodegradable materials using sustainable sources. Chitosan, extracted from shrimp shells, was combined with...

This study isolated and characterized four indigenous lactic acid bacterial strains from naturally fermented green tender coconut water: Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CWJ3, Lacticaseibacillus casei CWM15, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei CWKu14, and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus CWKu-12. Notably, among the isolates, Lact. plantarum CWJ3 showed exception...

Naturally derived cyanotoxins, cylindrospermopsin (CYN), and microcystin-LR (MC-LR) have shown hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic effects in several studies. The present study aimed to determine the possible nephrotoxicity of MC-LR and CYN on mammalian kidneys using male Wistar rats as an animal model. Potential nephrotoxicity was evaluated at different d...

Composting is an integral component of sustainable Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) management within the circular bio-economy platform. However, it faces challenges due to malodorous emissions that impact environmental and societal equilibrium. The present study aims to minimize odorous emissions and expedite compost maturation using a novel, efficient...

The use of phytogenics that are low-cost and highly available has the potential to address some environmental, social, and economic issues in fish culture. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of the dietary application of pineapple ( Ananas comosus ) peel oil (PPO) on the growth performance of Swordtail ( Xiphophorous helleri )...

This study explores the intriguing regional disparities in the characteristics of green dwarf tender coconut water (Cocos nucifera L. var. nana) in Sri Lanka. Physicochemical parameters of coconut water subjected to a comprehensive analysis following standard AOAC methods. The prevalent sugar types in the samples were identified as fructose and glu...

Biochar (BC) is a well-established physical treatment method. The high-cost BC limits their use as adsorbents in wastewater. Thus, deriving BC from cheap and locally available waste materials is needed to develop a feasible waste removal technology. Nowadays, BC technology makes it possible to envision a new strategy to manage invasive plants by co...

Urbanization and rapid industrialization have led to the escalation of municipal solid waste generation and accumulation. Composting is widely recognized as a sustainable solution for solid waste management. However, its long-term investment is considered a disadvantage. The present research study discusses the rapid biotransformation of solid wast...

The rapid depletion of water quality in reservoirs is considered as a global ecological and health consequences. Hence, the regular monitoring of water quality status in such reservoirs is mandatory to ensure a safe water supply for the general public. The present study was conducted to evaluate the water quality, contamination status of cyanotoxin...

Wetlands are unique ecosystems because they are ecotones between terrestrial and aquatic environments. Bellanvila-Attidiya marsh is one of the most significant wetlands in the urban agglomerate of Colombo, Sri Lanka. The plankton community is a fundamental component of wetland biodiversity and plays a key role in the wetland food chains. Plankton s...

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a significant health problem in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka. CKD in this area is called Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown aetiology (CKDu). North Central, Northwestern, Uva, and Eastern provinces have been known as hotspots for CKDu, mostly among the farming communities. Several hypotheses like soil geolo...

Cellulase is a complex of enzymes which consists of β-1,4-endoglucanase, cellobiohydrolase, and β-glucosidase. Cellulase contributes a significant share to the world enzyme market and is used in number of industries viz; paper and pulp, food and beverage, bioethanol, detergent and textile. The harsh industrial conditions such as high temperature, e...

Solid-waste leachate is an effluent produced due to rainwater percolation through solid waste. Land Fill Leachate (LFL) consists of more organic matter, ammonia nitrogen, humic substances, heavy metals, and xenobiotic toxic compounds. The direct discharge of LFL causes several ecological circumstances, such as groundwater pollutants and eutrophicat...

Composting is a crucial part of global sustainable municipal solid waste management. However, the odorous emissions during composting are considered a major social and ecological concern. Most of the available physical-chemical methods to eliminate odor emission during composting are not successful and economically not viable. Thus, the present stu...

Eutrophic conditions in freshwater bodies cause the formation of cyanobacterial blooms. Cylindrospermopsin (CYN) is a tricyclic alkaloid cytotoxin produced by cyanobacteria as a secondary metabolite. Exposure to elevated concentrations of CYN could cause liver and kidney damage in fish. The present study focused on the acute toxicity effects of CYN...

Phosphate is an essential nutrient for plant growth, playing a significant role in different physiological and biochemical processes. Phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) have emerged as eco-friendly and sustainable alternatives to chemical fertilizers, enhancing soil fertility and promoting plant growth. PSB convert the insoluble phosphate into t...

The contamination of groundwater by pathogenic microorganisms is a crucial health concern worldwide. Salmonella sp., Shigella sp., and virulent E. coli are the major pathogenic microbial species causing severe health consequences for the general public. Therefore, the present study focused on identifying Salmonella sp., Shigella sp., and pathogenic...

Negombo Lagoon is one of Sri Lanka's largest, shallow, basin-like estuaries running parallel to the western coast. Lagoon is fed by many channels which carries effluent water with massive loads of microorganisms. E. coli O157 is a particular serotype of Escherichia coli, which is capable of producing intimin and shiga toxins that causing severe hum...

Antibiotics are chemical substances that kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria by interfering with metabolic processes. The resistance among various bacterial species to different antibiotics has emerged as a cause of public health threat all over the world at a terrifying rate. Antibiotic residues and antibiotic-resistant bacteria can enter the e...

Water pollution is one of a major ecological circumstance in Sri Lanka, particularly in metropolitan areas that are subjected for rapid urbanization and poor waste management practices. Colombo is the capital city of the country which contains a number of polluted cannels due to the extensive population density causing for spreading of diverse dise...

Biodegradable products drive much attention because of their apparent significant impact on the environment. Their degradability under natural conditions is identified as a solution for waste plastic accumulation. Mismanaged non-degradable wastes from islands are carried to the ocean, and cause irreversible damage to organisms, the environment, and...

The intensive use of inorganic fertilizers causes many economic, ecological, and social issues around the world. In the search to discover an effective fertilizer, biochar has been in the spotlight in recent years. Hence, the present study was focused on utilizing biochar derived from pond apple (Annona glabra), which is an aquatic invasive plant a...

Phosphorus plays a significant role in numerous physiological and metabolic processes in plants. Soil phosphorus is immobilized due to the formation of insoluble complexes. The use of efficient phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms opens up a new prospect for better crop productivity and for greater yield performance without affecting the soil heal...

Pollutants in aqueous solutions have negative environmental, economic, and societal consequences. In rural and urban regions, pollution caused by nitrite, nitrate, ammonia, and phosphorus is a significant concern. Nitrate is one of the most prevalent contaminants found in groundwater. Increased use of artificial fertilizers, waste disposal, and cha...

Anthropological activities associated with urbanization result in significant wastewater generation. Xenobiotic pollutants in wastewater treatment have resulted in severe environmental issues. Improper discharge of wastewater into the natural environment has several adverse effects on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Significantly, wastewater co...

This research delves into the unexplored potential of tender coconut water as a rich source of probiotics, with a focus on identifying promising probiotic lactic acid bacteria (LAB). By employing biochemical screening techniques, four potential LAB strains were isolated: Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CWJ3, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei CWKu14, Lacti...

Probiotics are renowned for their beneficial impact on human health, including their antioxidative properties. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB), which constitute a major group within probiotics, have been recognized for their ability to act as potent antioxidants, providing relief from oxidative stress in the host. This study aims to evaluate the antioxi...

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons constitute a class of chemical compounds characterized by the presence of multiple fused aromatic ring structures. These compounds have caused environmental contamination and have emerged as a ubiquitous global concern. Naphthalene and phenanthrene represent two examples of low-molecular-weight polycyclic aromatic h...

The present study aimed at understanding the degradation potential of three commercially available products labelled "compostable" and/or "biodegradable" under ultraviolet radiation for simulating natural environmental conditions. A garbage bag (GB), salad plate (SP) and lunch sheet (LS) were selected as test samples whereas cellulose filter paper...

Probiotics are live microbes that promote human health, with potential benefits. Tender coconut water is an unexplored promising source of probiotics. This study aimed to identify probiotic strains from tender coconut water that can survive under human gastrointestinal conditions. Tender coconut samples from seven districts in Sri Lanka were colle...

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are pervasive pollutants in marine and coastal settings. Naphthalene (NAP) and Phenanthrene (PHE) are among the sixteen PAHs recognized as priority pollutants by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Due to their persistence, bioaccumulative capacity, and probable carcinogenicity, PAHs pose a ser...

Drinking water in areas with a high prevalence of chronic kidney disease of unknown aetiology (CKDu) in Sri Lanka is known to have high concentrations of fluoride and hardness. The present study evaluated the individual and combined effects of water hardness and fluoride on potential nephrotoxicity, using Wistar rats as an animal model. Thirty-five...

Glyphosate, a widely used broad-spectrum herbicide in agricultural practices, has been a subject of ongoing debate regarding its potential adverse effects on human health. This research aimed to investigate the cytotoxicity effect of glyphosate on the Vero cell line, a common continuous mammalian cell line utilized for toxicological studies. Vero c...

River basins are logical units interacting with geological formations and anthropological footprints while providing many rewards to humans and the associated ecosystems. Yan Oya is the primary surface water source in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka. The timely study focused on analyzing the present status of surface water quality in the Ya...

Tender coconut (Cocos nucifera L. var. Nana) water is an underutilized product in Sri Lanka, despite having a distinct flavor and rich nutritional profile. Its nutritional profile is still totally unknown. Therefore, the present study examines the physicochemical and nutritional properties of dwarf tender coconut water (maturity stage 6-8 months),...

In a paradigm shift in plastic wastes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, wetlands such as mangroves are threatened by a new form of pollution, plastics, on top of the eutrophication of estuar-ine waters due to nitrogen and phosphorus wastes/effluents that lead to cyanobacterial proliferation. Both plastic and nutrient pollution lead to prosperity of cya...

The clear liquid obtained from coconuts (Cocos nucifera L.) is called coconut water. As a refreshing beverage, coconut water is popular with customers for its nutritional value and health benefits. The function of coconut water in health and medical applications is highly supported by science, which increases the demand and consumption of coconut w...

Waste generation is increasing rapidly worldwide; compared to 2018, there will be a 19% upsurge in developed countries and a 40% increase in developing countries by 2050. Currently, 33% of municipal solid waste (MSW) generated globally is dumped on open sites; in contrast, nearly all the waste generated in developing countries is openly dumped, whe...

Chemical wastes generated through industrial settings due to the excess usage of chemical catalysts drastically affect the floral and faunal diversity of the ecosystem. To minimize the number of chemical catalysts used in industries, thermophilic bacteria inhabiting hot springs can provide substitutions. The extremozymes produced by these bacteria...

Negombo lagoon is a bar-built estuary with a surface area of around 3,200 ha. It is an important aquatic resource with extensive biodiversity. However, the accelerated urbanization and industrialization-related anthropogenic activities cause a rapid depletion of water quality in the Negombo lagoon. The direct discharge of household and hotel efflue...

The occurrence of high Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) values in leachate is a potential health risk since it can contaminate ground water sources. The COD refers the amount of oxygen consumed by organic matters when they are oxidizing into inorganic compounds in water. The landfill leachate is one of the most significant types of waste water which co...

Consumable water in Sri Lanka's arid agricultural areas has been researched for more than 20 years as a potential factor contributing to the widespread Chronic Kidney Disease with unknown aetiology (CKDu). Due to intensive agriculture that relies mainly on irrigation, excessive pesticide use, and a growing human population that results in over-extr...

Modern wines are produced by inoculated fermentation, resulting in predictable sensory properties and consistency in quality. In order to avoid this situation, controlled mixtures of unconventional yeast and bacteria inhabiting the grape microbiota are used in wine fermentations through the different steps of alcoholic and malolactic fermentation....

Increasing population and industrial demand have led the world towards an energy crisis. Finding alternative energies to overcome this upcoming problem in an environmentally sustainable manner is targeted by scientists all over the world. Among the available alternative energy options; Microbial Fuel Cells (MFC) are an upcoming trend in finding a l...

Cyanotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by different types of cyanobacteria. Among them, Cylindrospermopsin (CYN), Microcystins (MCs) and Nodularin (NOD) stand out due to their wide geographical distribution. The toxicity of cyanotoxins in various organs, including the kidney, has been documented using animal models. However, studies on rena...

During the past few decades, water resources have been subjugated towards anthropogenic activities such as municipal water supply for drinking and household usage, power generation, agriculture, food production, etc. Around 60% of Sri Lanka's population depends on shallow dug wells for water, while the rest relies on surface water reservoirs. Catch...

Industrial wastewater pollution has exerted serious environmental threats in recent past. In the quest of exploring green technology for water treatment, biochar (BC) is deemed to be in the limelight. Current advancement in BC technology facilitates a new strategy to manage invasive plants through the production BC. Hence, the present study was des...

Industries produce wastewater at an alarming rate, which may have a negative impact on the environment. Recently, Biochar (BC) has become a promising agent for wastewater treatment. Production of BC using aquatic invasive plants is an alternative management strategy to control invasive plants. In this study, invasive aquatic plant Pistia spp. was u...

Synthetic textile dyes are highly resistant to natural degradation and persist in the environment creating various negative impacts. Mycoremediation is one of the best green alternatives for removal of synthetic textile dyes, compared to the available physical and chemical treatment methods that are not accessible for all due to high installation a...

Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is a widely used polyethylene material globally. Due to the persistent nature of the material in the natural environment, the accumulation of LDPE leads to adverse effects on human and ecosystem health. The conventional LDPE waste treatment methods are usually expensive, labor-intensive, and require sophisticated inf...

Textile dyes that persist in the environment are highly resistant to the natural degradation processes that occur in the environment. Therefore, the present study isolated, identified, and optimized textile dye decolorization by fungi and elucidated the dye decolorization pathway to develop a low-cost biotechnological approach for decolorization an...

The demand for more environmentally friendly alternative renewable fuels is growing as fossil fuel resources are depleting significantly. Consequently, bioethanol has attracted interest as a potentially viable fuel. The key steps in second-generation bioethanol production include pretreatment, saccharification, and fermentation. The present study e...

Sri Lanka’s Western-Southern coastal area, home to more than 40% of the country’s population and the commercial capital city of Colombo, receives the most attention. Fisheries, tourism, hotel and restaurant, commercials, and administrations are among the government and non-government enterprises established in the area, demonstrating localization t...

Induced kidney injury in mammals have been reported by hepatotoxins; Microcystin-LR (MC-LR), Microcystin-RR (MC-RR) Nodularin (NOD) and cytotoxin; Cylindrospermopsin (CYN). The present study was done to evaluate the cytotoxicity of MC-LR, MC-RR, NOD and CYN on (Vero-89) kidney cell line. Cells were exposed 24 hours to pure MC-LR, MC-RR, NOD and CYN...

Microcystins produced by cyanobacteria has been identified as a potent hepato and neuro toxicant to human and livestock. The present study was aimed to determine the possible hepatotoxic effects of MC-LR on mammals using male Wistar rats as an animal model. An ethically accepted experimental protocol was used in the study enrolling thirty-five rats...

Characterization of hot spring microbiota is useful as an initial platform for exploring industrially important microbes. The present study focused on characterization of microbiota in four hot springs in Sri Lanka: Maha Oya; Wahava; Madunagala; and Kivlegama using high throughput 16S amplicon sequencing. Temperatures of the selected springs were r...

The increased generation of landfill leachate has become a challenging issue in the world. Landfill leachate is considered as one of the wastewater types, which requires extensive treatment due to the varying composition of the pollutants. Direct discharge of the untreated leachate to the environment causes adverse environmental impacts for aquatic...

Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is known as a potent hepatotoxin, and recent, limited studies have shown nephrotoxicity of MC-LR in mammals. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the potential chronic effects of MC-LR on the kidney of Wistar rats. Rats were randomly divided into five groups (n = 7) and four groups were treated with different concentra...

Nearly 80% of the population in the Colombo district fulfill their major requirement from the Kelani river. Recent studies are interoperating: most groundwater and surface water in Sri Lanka are contaminated with waterborne pathogens and antibiotics. In the present study, nine antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were screened which were belonging to...

Tributyltin (TBT) is a toxic organotin compound that belongs to the group of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and it is documented to cause severe sexual disorders development in aquatic fauna. According to the present study, The TBT concentration in coastal water ranged from 303 ± 7.4 ngL⁻¹ to 25 ± 4.2 ngL⁻¹ wherein sediment was from 107 ± 4.1...

The effectiveness of four aquatic floating plants: Eichhornia crassipes, Pistia stratiotes, Lemna minor, Salvinia sp., and a submerged plant Hydrilla sp. on decolorization and detoxification of five structurally different textile dyes: CI Direct Blue 201 (DB 201), Cibacron Blue FR, Cibanone Gold Yellow RK, Vat Green FFB, and Moxilon Blue GRL were s...

The present study records the detection of PAHs such as naphthalene and anthracene and isolation of PAHs degrading bacteria from a restaurant site, Weras River Park, in Boralesgamuwa, Sri Lanka. Water samples were collected in seven locations of the study area. Water temperature (oC), pH, and electric conductivity (EC) were measured at the site its...

Cellulase is an inducible enzyme through medium optimization since there is a complex relationship between bacterial growth and enzyme yields with a variety of environmental factors. Thus, to obtain the maximum yield of cellulase, optimization is a cost-effective important aspect. In the present study, efficient cellulolytic bacteria were isolated...

Cyanobacterial blooms pose a major threat to the drinking water treatment industry due to their ability to produce different congeners of Microcystins (MCs). Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) has been recorded as the most potent microcystin which is fatal to humans, livestock, pets, and aquatic life even at very low concentrations. Current cyanotoxin detectio...

Bioethanol is an alternative energy fuel for the current fossil fuel depletion and it can be used either as a fuel enhancer or as an independent fuel. Bio-ethanol production include two major conversions; cellulose into fermentable sugar and sugar into ethanol. There are three major bio-processing methods that convert cellulose biomass into the end...

Yan Oya is the 5 th longest river (142 km) in Sri Lanka, and it is the main surface water source in the areas of North Central Province (NCP). People reside in Padaviya and adjacent areas often suffer from drinking and irrigation water shortage. Therefore, a dam across the Yan Oya in Padaviya was constructed to make a reservoir to provide water for...

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) generates bio-electricity as alternative green energy source by consuming waste compounds. Subsequently, there is a great opportunity of using cyanobacteria as catholyte in the MFC systems for waste water treatment as well. The present study records the power generation using rice washed wastewater as the anolyte and a p...

Chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) is an emerging global concern affecting several agricultural communities in the Americas and South Asia. Environmental contaminants such as heavy metals (e.g., Cd, As, Pb, and V) and organic pesticides (e.g., glyphosate) in the drinking water have been hypothesized to play a role in childhood onset...

Waterborne diseases are a global problem that causes more than 2.2 million deaths annually. Therefore, the present study was focused on microbiological contamination of both ground and surface water by means of total coliform, Escherichia coli (E. coli), Salmonella spp., Shigella spp. and Campylobacter spp. Seventy two groundwater and 45 surface wa...

The Kelani River is the second largest watershed in Sri Lanka and the main water-supply intake point for the Greater Colombo. The present study focuses to identify the sources of pollutants of the meandering zone of the Kelani River, particularly due to the absence of more recent information. Accordingly, a survey was conducted to obtain informatio...

Cyanobacterial blooms are a serious threat to public health and water quality due to the production of cyanotoxins as a result of nutrient pollution from industry, agriculture, domestic waste as well as global warming. The microcystins (MCs) are the most abundant cyanotoxins consisting of >200 analogues causing both acute and chronic toxicity, some...