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Identifying the groundwater potential zones using GIS and RS techniques: with special reference to Rambukkana Ddivisional Secretariat Division
Get PDFGroundwater is an important resource that contributes
significantly to domestic and industrial purposes. The water demand is
increasing due to the depletion of groundwater. Uncontrolled drilling of wells,
construction of agricultural wells, and abstraction cause various water-related
problems. However, groundwater availability is depleted considerably due to
overexploitation, which has led to the collapse of land in some places. The
combination of remote sensing (RS) and geographic information systems
(GIS) to explore groundwater resources is a breakthrough in the field of
groundwater research. It helps in the monitoring, conservation, and
assessment of groundwater resources. The main objective of this research is
to identify the groundwater potential of the study area through the technique
of identifying groundwater potential zones using remote sensing and a
Geographic Information System. Satellite data and other secondary data
sources were used to obtain the slope, geology, geomorphic units, lineament
density, and drainage density, which are considered key parameters that can
provide accurate information in identifying groundwater potential zones.
Identification and mapping of groundwater potential analysis were done using
the weighted overlay method in ArcGIS. The study identified water potential
zones of poor (7%), moderate (36%), good (40%), and excellent (17%)
groundwater potential zones in the Rambukkana area. Additionally,
groundwater potential zones based on Village Officer (GN) divisions of the
region are analyzed to add strength to the study
Biodiesel production through the transesterification of waste cooking oil over typical heterogeneous base or acid catalysts
Get PDFFor the production of biodiesel from waste cooking oil with an acid value of 1.86 mg
KOH/g,fiveheterogeneous catalysts—Ba(OH)2, CaO, MgO, ZnO, and AlCl3—were employed. To
optimize the reaction parameters of each catalyst, the influence of crucial process variables, such
as catalyst loading, methanol-to-oil ratio, and reaction duration, was investigated. In addition, the
effect of acetone as a cosolvent toward the progress of biodiesel production and the reusability of the
heterogeneous catalysts were also examined, and the data were statistically evaluated with a 95%
confidence level. Ba(OH)2 performed exceptionally well, with a 92 wt.% biodiesel yield, followed by
CaOwith an 84 wt.% yield. However, none of the results for MgO, ZnO, or AlCl3 were adequate.
In addition, regardless of the type of catalyst utilized, adding 20 vol.% acetone to the biodiesel
manufacturing process led to an increase in output. Furthermore, every heterogeneous catalyst was
reusable, but only Ba(OH)2 and CaO produced a significant yield until the third cycle. The other
catalysts did not produce yields of any significance
Analysis of total polyphenol content of fresh tea leaves and black tea from fifteen distinct tea cultivars
Get PDFThe most popular beverage in the world is tea, which is made from Camellia
sinensis (L). O. Kuntze. Polyphenols are abundant in tea leaves. The
antioxidative property of tea polyphenols has been partially attributed to the
potential health benefits of tea consumption. The objectives of this study are
to determine the total polyphenol content of fresh leaves from 15 different
tea cultivars and black tea prepared using the same cultivars. The tea leaves
were collected from tea estate managed by TRISL, which were then freeze
dried. The total polyphenol of the freeze-dried tea samples was analyzed by
spectrophotometer using folin-ciocalteu method. Using a miniature
manufacturing process, fresh leaves were turned into black tea. Then the total
polyphenol content of the black was analyzed. The presence of more than
18% of polyphenol content in the processed black tea were considered the
best samples. The sensory evaluation using 5-point hedonic scale was
conducted for the black tea produced from cultivars TRI 3041, TRI 3055,
TRI 4049 and TRI 4042 by using thirty untrained panelists. According to the
results total polyphenolic content was significantly (p<0.05) high in fresh
leaf of TRI 3035 (26.739%) and for black tea TRI 3041(23.189%). The
sensory evaluation revealed that there were significant differences (p<0.05)
in the sensory attributes among the black teas that were prepared, and the
cultivar TRI 3055 was chosen as the best by the sensory panel. Thus, TRI
3055 demonstrated the best outcomes based on sensory evaluation and
polyphenol content. The TRI 3055 cultivar may be utilized in the future to
boost the polyphenols content in black tea and to raise human immunity
Isolation and evaluation of endophytic bacteria from rubber leaves (hevea brasiliensis) against circular leaf spot disease
Get PDFThis study was conducted at the Rubber
Research Institute, Dartonfield, Agalawatta, Sri Lanka
to identify alternative biological control agents to
manage the Circular Leaf Spot Disease in rubber
cultivation. The newly reported Circular Leaf Spot
Disease caused by the Colletotrichum spp and
Pestalotioides group which is distributed in Sri Lanka
and also other rubber growing countries in the world. In
Sri Lanka, the incidence of the disease is increasingly
destructive in rubber plantations. In this study, we
isolated endophytic bacteria to assess their antagonistic
activity against pathogens causing Circular Leaf Spot
Disease (Gunarathne & Fernando, 2017). The
endophytic bacteria were isolated from Rubber leaves
using 3 clones (RRIC 100,121 and RRISL 203) at bud
wood nursery. The isolated endophytic bacteria were
analyzed using cultural and microscopic characters.
Results revealed that 16 endophytic bacteria were
isolated and six strains (Ctr EB1, P44, EB3, Cfr EB4,
Cfr EB1, Cfr EB4 and P20 EB5) were identified as the
most potent antagonistic endophytic bacteria based on
their inhibition percentage. This study highlights the
high potential of the isolated highest inhibition
percentage endophytic bacteria to combat the circular
leaf spot pathogens in Hevea brasiliensis
Towards a More Efficient In and Ex Situ Conservation of Sri Lankan Wild Rice Species
Get PDFFive species of wild Oryza (O. nivara, O. rufipogon, O. eichengeri, O. rhizomatis and O. granulata), including the endemic species O. rhizomatis, have been recorded in Sri Lanka. These species are facing continuous decline in their populations due to natural and anthropogenic processes, with habitat loss being the main threat. This study aimed to provide information on the distribution, the current status of ex situ and in situ conservation, and to identify high-priority species and sites of wild rice in Sri Lanka, in order to improve the effectiveness of conservation efforts. Occurrence records of Sri Lankan wild rice species were collected from literature, gene banks, and field surveys. The distribution of these species was mapped, and areas with high species richness were identified. A gap analysis was conducted to determine the high-priority areas and species for ex situ and in situ conservation. It was found that about 23% of the wild rice populations in Sri Lanka were within protected areas, and by expanding these protected areas by 1 km, an additional 22% of the populations located on the border of these areas could be effectively conserved. Our analysis also revealed that 62% of Sri Lankan wild rice populations were not represented in gene banks. The species-rich areas were found to be in only two districts (Polonnaruwa and Monaragala), and less than 50% of these areas were within protected areas. Based on these findings, O. rhizomatis, O. eichengeri, and O. rufipogon were identified as high-priority species for in situ conservation. Ex situ collections were also deemed necessary for O. granulata and O. rhizomatis to ensure diversity representation in gene banks
Geoinformatics application for estimating and forecasting of periodic shoreline changes in the east coast of Ampara district, Sri Lanka
No full textThe shoreline has dynamic characteristics since it experiences several coastal processes resulting in progradation and retrogradation. The shoreline is a sensitive environment where human activities interact with the natural environment. Therefore, this study examines the spatiotemporal shoreline dynamics in the east coast of Ampara District, Sri Lanka, for the periods of 1991, 2001, 2011, and 2021. It also aims to forecast the state of 2031 and 2041 coastlines to show the intensity of shoreline changes due to erosion and accretion in the study area. The shoreline of each year was delineated using the Google Earth Pro images having freed the geometric errors. To validate the position of the shoreline, 50 random ground truth points were pinpointed with the GPS tool based on the natural and human-made permanent aspects. The extracted shorelines were inserted to the DSAS (Digital Shoreline Analysis System) tool, customized in ArcGIS 10.3. The statistical methods, such as Net Shoreline Movement (NSM), End Point Rate (EPR), and Linear Regression Rate (LRR) (R2 = 0.986) were computed to show the intensity of the shoreline changes. The Kalman filter model was used to predict the future trend of shoreline movement in the study area. The highest and lowest NSM rate was calculated as −300.3 m/year to −171.4 m/year in the Oluvil area and 224.1–395 m/year in the port and closest point of the port in the southward direction respectively. EPR was recorded as 8 m/year to 13.4 m/year southward of the port and in −10.2 m/year to −5.6 m/year northward of the port. The LRR was computed northward of the port where the erosion is anomalous at a rate of −5.6 m/year to −9.2 m/year and the beach advances at a rate of 19.01 m/year, whereas the accumulation was recorded as 8.9 m/year to 15.9 m/year. In 2031, the erosion would be approximately 61.4 ha meanwhile the accretion would be 33.4 ha. In 2041, at the study area the approximate erosion would be 81.7 ha whereas the accretion would be 44.9 ha. According to the forecast, in the next two decades, the erosion and accretion rate would be anomalous unless protective measures are implemented. Therefore, it is crucial to protect the coastal habitats in Ampara with the integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) process in order to mitigate the climatic and/or anthropogenic vulnerabilities
Safezone: an android-mobile app for University Students to prevent violence and ragging
No full textRagging, a practice involving the hazing of new students by senior students, can result
in various negative outcomes, including mental, physical, and verbal abuse. To address
this issue, we need a mechanism to secretly inform the officials when an incident
happens to safeguards students from ragging incidents. This project aims to design a
mobile app dedicated to enhancing security alert systems for university students. Our
study focuses on creating an application that provides protection for newly entered
university students, specifically against ragging incidents. By adopting this app,
students can easily and secretly share their current location and send an alert via SMS to
required officials. One of the key advantages of this prototype is the ability to report
incidents anonymously without revealing any personal information like phone numbers
or names. By pressing a single button, this prototype allows students to share their
current location and send SMS alerts. This app utilizes OpenAPI for secure data
exchange, alongside the Google Maps API for location services and the Android SMS
API for alert delivery. The is developed using Android Studio by utilizing an Android
mobile device to send location-based SMS alerts within few minutes to security people,
so that they can track the victim casually and prevent any dangerous harm to the
victims. The functionality of this prototype is tested with 50 users, demonstrating high
accuracy in location sharing and positive user feedback regarding its anonymity and
ease of use. Further, we have designed the app to be adaptable for various locations and
platforms. By emphasizing the importance of students’ safety and utilizing technology,
this prototype offers a solution to address the issue of ragging incidents in universities.
Also, will plan to collaborate with universities to integrate Safe Zone with existing
security systems and promote it as an official safety resource, conduct user testing with
diverse group of university students. This will allow us to refine the app’s usability,
effectiveness and user experience based on real user feedback, develop and integrate
advanced safety features such as emergency contacts, real-time tracking, panic buttons
and AI integration for incident detection and continuously improve security and privacy
measures to ensure strong data protection and user anonymity
A comparative review on iron deficiency anemia among children and long-term strategy
Get PDFBackground:One of the most prevalent dietary disorders in the world is iron deficiency
anemia (IDA) which impacts people of all ages, genders, and physiological categories. In
the current situation, iron fortification in food is seen as a long-term, cost-effective, and
sustainable technique. Scope and approach: The ideal mix of iron form and food carrier,
as wellas the food circumstances in which it is consumed, are critical.Combining iron
with a bioavailability booster and avoiding interactions with iron inhibitors are suggested.
As a result, this paper provides a thorough examination of the high prevalence of IDA,
its various causes, absorption of haem and non-haem iron, and bioavailability,in addition
to iron fortification strategies. Results: Ascorbic acid and meat components in animal
tissue are the most prominent enhancers of iron absorption in diets. Polyphenols, phytates,
and calcium are the utmost potentinhibitors of iron absorption. Additional approaches to
minimize iron uptake from diets may include changes in diet that lower iron consumption
and reduce iron bioavailability. Conclusion: Food fortification is a viable technique for
lowering anemia prevalence. The combination of iron fortificants and food vehicles should
be harmless, agreeable, and ingested by the target population for an effective fortification
program.It should also have no negative impact on the ultimate product’s acceptance
and stability. Novel food fortification techniques may lead to the development of new
approaches to treating iron deficiency and anemia
Effect of organic potting media on growth performance of rose stem cuttings
Get PDFThe pot experiment was carried out to study the
effect of different organic potting media on the
growth parameters of rose stem cuttings. It was
carried out with five treatments with four
replications comprised of different organic
potting media, T1 (no organic manure), T2
(cow dung), T3 (sawdust), T4 (poultry
manure), T5 (goat manure). in a Completely
Randomized Design. The results confirmed that
the different organic potting media had significant
differences in the number of leaves, number of
sprouts, length of internodes, length a diameter of
the main root, root area and root volume, fresh
and dry weights of shoot and fresh and dry weights
of the root. According to the statistically analyzed
results, T4 (Poultry manure) gave a higher growth
in the tested growth parameters of rose cutting
which could be used as potting media for
vegetative plant propagation. Poultry manure is
environmentally friendly organic manure and it
contains high nutrients, thereby it could be used
for enhancing the growth of rose stem cuttings