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Textural and chemical characteristics of micro plastics in coastal sediments along the southeast coast of Sri Lanka: implications for possible sources
Get PDFAt present Microplastics (MPs) have been recognized as one of the most critical and emerging sources of marine pollution
with a significant impact on marine and coastal biota. The current study aimed to comprehend MP pollution along the
Southeastern coast of Sri Lanka by investigating their spatial distribution, morphology, composition and possible sources.
For the study, 23 coastal sediment samples were collected from straight beaches and 8 samples were collected from lagoon
areas of the Southeast coast extending from Kalmunai to Panama. About 5 kg of surface sediments were collected from the
wrack line to the berm zone at each sampling site. The MPs were isolated by density separation using 1.20 g/ml NaCl
solutions. The amount, shape, and colour of isolated MPs were analyzed on the petrographic microscope. The Scanning
Electron Microscope (SEM) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscope were employed to investigate their
morphology and chemical composition respectively. The results indicated the presence of both mesoscopic- and microscopicsized plastics in the studied sediments. The MPs occurred in five morphological categories; fibers (86.77%), flakes (6.61%),
fragments (3.58%), foams (1.93%), and films (1.10%), and nine various colours. The SEM images demonstrated the presence
of different weathering surfaces such as scratches, pores, protrusions, grooves, pits, and scales in these MPs. These weathered
surfaces may have been formed due to mechanical abrasion, chemical reactions, photodegradation, and microbial
degradation. The FTIR analysis revealed that the main polymer compositions of MPs are polyethylene and polystyrene. The
distribution of MPs along the coast varied greatly (from 0 to 45 MPs 500 g-1
) and shows the highest amount in lagoon
environments (>20 MP 500 g
-1
) indicating land-derived sources of MPs. An in-depth textural and compositional
characterization of MPs, and their spatial distribution investigations will advance the understanding of MP pollution in the
Southeastern coast of Sri Lanka
Environmental factors affecting living comfort perception in different localities in Sri Lanka
No full textLiving in comfort and the consequent healthier life is a reaction to the environment indicated by the absence
of environmental stressors. The present study investigated the factors influencing the living comfort
perception in an urban and a non-urban locality in Sri Lanka. A survey using a pre-tested questionnaire was
carried out to solicit the people’s perceptions on identified environmental factors randomly selecting fifty
households from each locality. It was found that the factors i.e., water bodies, space, natural beauty, and
biodiversity associated with the living comfort positively in the urban locality while the association was
neutral in non-urban locality. The factors i.e., stray animals, dust and garbage negatively influenced living
comfort in both urban and non-urban localities. The factors i.e., temperature, insects, flood, noise, smoke,
vibration, and bad odor negatively influenced living comfort in the urban locality while the influence was
neutral in non-urban locality. Further, the factors i.e., rainfall, wind, humidity and drinking water were not
important for living comfort perception in both localities. The factors identified in this study are useful in
zoning the localities according to their suitability in relation to public comfort perception. Further, the
identified factors can be manipulated to improve the living comfort perception in urban and non-urban
localities except for climatic factors
Development of bio degradable packaging materials from banana peels
Get PDFThis study focused on the development of eco-friendly biodegradable
packaging materials using banana peels, examining both fiber-based and
flexible types. The fiber sheet was prepared with HCl, NaOH, Banana peel
fiber, Glycerol, Rice husk, Paper pulp, Straw powder, and Gelatin. The
mixture was poured into molds, and dried at 130 ± 2⁰C for 30 minutes. The
flexible sheet was prepared with banana peel pulp, Ash plantation flour,
Glycerol, Vinegar and Water. Mixture was boiled for 30 minutes, and
thickened slurry spread on oil paper as thin layer followed by sun-drying for
2-3 days. Water absorption, moisture content, thickness, grammage and
biodegradability of the synthesized fiber sheet and flexible sheets were
determined. The mean grammage, thickness, moisture content, water
absorption of fiber sheet was recorded as 14.12 ±1.40g/m2
, 0.49± 0.08mm,
1.70±1.93%Whereas 1.39 ± 0.31g/m2
, and 0.12 ± 0.02 mm, 0.54 ± 0.20 % in
flexible sheet. The results showed the both type of materials was insoluble in
room temperature for 24 hours after being dipped in water, methanol, citric
acid, acetic acid, ammonia, acetone, chloroform, and sulfuric acid. Total
degradability was observed with both types of packing materials after 30
days of being buried in soil. Ongoing advancements in material properties
and production processes position banana peel-based packaging as a viable
and eco-friendly option for a sustainable future
Factors affect English speaking performance among learners of English as a second language in Sri Lankan context
Get PDFPurpose: English is used as the second language globally and the speakers still face
affecting factors in speaking. The purpose of the study is to identify the
factors
impact on English-speaking performance among second language learners of grade
ten students at Arafa Vidyalaya Addalaichenai. The Objectives of the study were; to
identify the barriers of English-speaking performance among second language
learners, to Examine the students’ attitude towards learning second language learners,
to Identify the ways to establish the English-speaking performance among second
language learners.
Design/methodology/approach: Descriptive cross-sectional study and self
administered questionnaire were to collect data with simple random sampling and
SPSS version 25 software with Excel were for the analysis. 50 students were in the
analysis and results were presented using texts, tables, charts, and graphs.
Findings: The study reveals that 66% of participants are male and 34% are female.
Most students (44%) do not participate in English-related activities outside the
classroom, while 24% actively engage. A majority (76%) struggle with expressing
their ideas, with only 24% feeling confident in doing so. Key factors influencing
speaking performance include fear of mistakes, lack of confidence, anxiety, and fear
of criticism. Additionally, 24% of students identified the classroom environment as a
significant factor affecting their speaking practice.
Practical implications: The study highlights a lack of vocabulary as a key linguistic
challenge. It recommends that teachers create a supportive environment to boost
students' confidence in communicating in English.
Originality value: The study emphasizes strategies to improve English-speaking
performance in schools, guiding school management on best practices and supporting
policymakers in developing effective language policies
A study on consumer purchasing behavior on spicy products special reference to Matara district
Get PDFSpices carry important medicinal properties and are widely used in
alternative medicine and pharmacology. A large number of factors can affect
the consumption of spicy products by individuals. The current study focuses
on identifying the determinants that affect the purchasing decisions of
consumers in Matara District, their awareness of the spicy products available,
and prospective demand trends. A semi-structured questionnaire survey was
conducted based on the DS division. The randomly selected sample of 384
consumers of spicy products in the Matara district to gather data across eight
dimensions. The most of the consumers are Female and 18-29 years old. The
29.69% consumers have 25000-49999 income level. Based on output, the
quality, nutritional value and price have a significant positive influence on
purchasing decisions, while the impact of other factors was not statistically
significant at 0.05. Further, there is a preference hierarchy among consumers,
with chilli pieces being the most preferred. The investigation into Freelan's
spicy product line reveals high consumer awareness, with most of
participants acknowledging familiarity with the brand. The main avenues
through which people learn about Freelan products are Freelan Outlets and
supermarkets. This research provides valuable insights for marketers and
producers of spicy products, emphasizing the importance of focusing on
competitive pricing strategies and brand development to align with consumer
preferences and enhance market share in the Matara district
Flora in peril: uncovering environmental assessment gaps after MV X-Press Pearl disaster
Get PDFThe MV X-Press Pearl cargo vessel disaster in May 2021, caused by a fire aboard the
ship, resulted in significant and irreversible damage to Sri Lanka's territorial waters.
While the environmental impact assessments were largely centered on the faunal loss,
this incident also impacted important coastal vegetation cover including mangroves,
macro algae, and submerged aquatic vegetation that significantly contribute to carbon
sequestration and biodiversity in these habitats .Despite the significant damage caused
to the flora by the X-Press Pearl disaster in the affected area, which is rich in valuable
vegetation, this region has received limited research attention. This review aims to
identify the gaps in environmental impact assessments for the flora in this ecologically
important zone. By addressing these gaps, the study advocates for improved research
efforts and more effective protective strategies. The review methodology involved
Qualitative content analysis and an extensive search of databases using keywords,
primarily focusing on papers published between 2021 and 2024, while incorporating
earlier publications for additional context and supporting details. A comprehensive
review of 120 peer-reviewed journal papers, conference and workshop proceedings,
grey literature, and country reports were carried out. This review analyzes the
degradation of coastal flora following the X-Press Pearl incident. Based on the review,
the disaster along Sri Lanka's western coastline, spanning approximately 120 kilometers
from Negombo to Bentota, significantly impacted marine biodiversity and coastal
vegetation. Toxic substances such as nitric acid (25 tonnes), plastic nurdles (billions),
and oil (328 tonnes) were the most hazardous pollutants that impacted the flora. Among
the publications reviewed, none of the papers analyzed a statistical evaluation of the
impact on floral vegetation resulting from the disaster. The results underscore the
critical importance of scientific evidence and more powerful monitoring and restoration
actions for coping with future extended long-term consequences on the vegetation of
impaired coastal ecosystems
Unveiling the transtensional geodynamics of cenozoic depocenter changes in the andaman sea: seismic evidence for the existence of the East Sagaing fault and the Andaman Basin Central Fault Zone in the Tanintharyi region
Get PDFThe Andaman Sea, situated at the highly oblique convergent boundary of the Indian and the
Sunda in the eastern Indian Ocean, has been shaped by transtensional geodynamics throughout the Cenozoic and has given rise to the formation of fault systems in the Andaman back-arc region. Out of these faults, the Sagaing Fault system exists as the active transform boundary between the Burmese and Eurasian Plates. The East Sagaing Fault, which runs through the Gulf of Martaban in the Andaman Sea, is a critical component of this Sagaing Fault system in fostering the transtensional regime and contributing to the opening of
the Andaman Sea as a pull-apart basin. In contrast, the Andaman Basin Central Fault Zone,
previously misinterpreted as the South Sagaing Fault, is an inactive fault system that experienced
deformation until the Middle Miocene and is currently concealed beneath the East Andaman
Basin. This temporal disparity in the Andaman Basin Central Fault Zone and East Sagaing Fault
activity patterns has led to uncertainty regarding their existence within the Tanintharyi region of
the Andaman Sea. To address this uncertainty, 2D and 3D seismic data interpretations were used
to explore the distribution of faults, including the presence and extent of these two faults in the Tanintharyi region. Through a comparative analysis of the structural characteristics of the East
Sagaing Fault in the northern part, and the Andaman Basin Central Fault Zone in the southern
part of the Andaman Sea, this study presents compelling evidence confirming the existence of
both faults in the Tanintharyi region with their structural implications. The innovative discoveries
in this article contribute to a deeper understanding of Cenozoic depocenter changes in the
Tanintharyi region, substantiating the significance of these two faults in transtensional geodynamics and allowing for a comprehensive examination of geodynamic evolution in the Andaman Sea region
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No full textBeetles represent a significant portion of Sri
Lanka’s biodiversity, with 115 families (ca. 3,033
species) documented, making them the largest
faunal group on the island. The larval and adult
phases of about 75% of beetle species are
phytophagous and considering their significant
damage to economically important crops for
agriculture. Substantial agricultural yield is lost
each year due to rapid insect infestations could
significantly impact national food availability. It
is extremely necessary to document insect pests in
the country fundamental to pest management
strategies. This review focuses on enhancing the
understanding of major beetle pest species that
affect crops such as vegetables, fruits, grains,
coconut, rubber, rice and tea. The review
encompasses 60 species from 14 families, with a
predominant presence of pests from the
Chrysomelidae, Scarabaidae, Curculionidae,
Cerambycidae and Meloidae families. Recent field
observations suggest significant damage to
cashew plants in Wanathawilluwa. Phytophagous
beetles significantly impact vegetable crops in the
Solanaceae and Cucurbitaceae families by feeding
on soft tissues. Larvae contribute to damage by
attacking roots and stems, causing necrosis.
Within families Coccinellidae, Carabidae, and
Cicindelidae, many beetles exhibit predatory
behaviours,
while
some
demonstrate
phytophagous tendencies as opportunistic feeders.
Beetle
pests
in
families
Curculionidae,
Cerambycidae, and Scolytidae are predominantly
associated with woody crops. Understanding the
economic pest status of these beetles and their
sporadic population dynamics is crucial due to
past outbreaks in neighbouring countries,
highlighting potential risks to agriculture and
ecosystems
Determination of anti oxidative ability of clove, nutmeg and cinnamon essential oils on the oxidative stability of coconut oil
Get PDFCoconut Oil in many forms such as Virgin Coconut Oil (V.C.O), White
Coconut Oil (W.C.O) and Refined, Bleached, and Deodorized (RBD)
Coconut oil. Lipid oxidation is a primary factor influencing the rancidity of
coconut oil. Considering the hazardous effect of synthetic antioxidant where
natural antioxidant is successive alternative. Three coconut oil types were
treated with cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg essential oil separately with
concentration of 0.5g/L stored at (30 0C±1) to be tested across 8 weeks with
2-weeks interval. Peroxide value (PV) (AOAC 965.33), Iodine value (IV)
(AOAC 993.20) and Free Fatty Acid (FFA) value (AOAC 940.28) of control
and treated samples were analyzed. Control sample of RBD resulted in PV,
IV and FFA value as 2.62±1.15, 9.54±0.22 and 0.07±0.01 respectively.
Control sample of WCO and VCO did not recorded peroxide value. IV and
FFA value of VCO were as 5.71±0.24 and 0.45±0.11. While WCO received
7.64±0.32 and 0.64±0.18 for IV and FFA value. Nutmeg oil treated VCO and
WCO has recorded lowest IV as 5.37±0.34, 7.24±0.24 and shown lowest FFA
for clove treated oil as 0.30±0.19 and 0.429±0.13. Treated RBD sample
resulted with significant lowest peroxide value with cinnamon 2.07±1.06.
RBD with Clove resulted lowest IV 9.09±0.27. RBD with Nutmeg resulted
lowest FFA value 0.04±0.01. All treated samples of RBD, VCO and WCO
depicted significantly (p<0.05) lower concentration of PV, IV and FFA value
compared to the control samples. Research has indicated that the essential oil
of clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon could be used favorably to delay the
oxidation process of coconut oil
Does an augmented fama and French (2015) five factor model work better in Sri Lanka?
Get PDFPurpose: This research aims to empirically evaluate the effectiveness of an
augmented Fama and French (2015) Five-Factor Model in explaining the variation of
stock returns on the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) in Sri Lanka.
Design/Methodology/Approach: The study uses monthly data from April 2012 to
March 2022, focusing on non-financial firms. The Newey-West heteroscedasticity
and autocorrelation consistent estimator is employed to predict the applicability of
the model. The empirical model tests the validity of seven factors including market
factor (Rm-Rf), size factor (SMB), value factor (HML), profitability factor (RMW),
investment factor (CMA), momentum factor (WML), and liquidity factor (IML).
Factor mimicking portfolios for the Sri Lankan market are constructed following
methods from Fama and French (2015) and Carhart (1997), with liquidity factor
construction inspired by Chai, Faff, and Gharghori (2013).
Findings: The augmented five factor model is found to be applicable in Sri Lanka as
the regression models are significant in almost all the cases. Yet, there is no significant
improvement in the augmented model noticed in many regression portfolios with the
addition of momentum and liquidity. The market premium found to be positive and
significant in explaining the stock return variation in Sri Lanka and the influence of
market premium on the cross-sectional variation of stock returns are very robust.
Practical Implications: The findings suggest that investors and financial analysts in
emerging markets, such as Sri Lanka, can achieve better asset pricing predictions by
incorporating liquidity and momentum factors into their models. This enhanced
model could improve investment strategies, portfolio management, and risk
assessment in such markets.
Originality value: This study contributes to the asset pricing literature by offering an
empirical assessment of the augmented Fama-French Five-Factor Model in the
context of an emerging market, particularly Sri Lanka. The unique inclusion of
liquidity and momentum factors provides fresh insights into the model's applicability
and performance in markets with distinctive characteristics