Category Archives: Publications

S.S. Wijerathna, A.G.W.U. Perera, S.D.M. Chinthaka

Published in Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology

Highlights of the research

• Acorus calamus essential oil was toxic to S. oryzae, R. dominica, O. surinamensis.
• α-Asarone enriched oil produced significant repellency on test insects in an hour.
• Botanical was a potent feeding deterrent against S. oryzae, and R. dominica in 72 h.
• The essential oil induced phagostimulant activity against O. surinamensis adults.
• A. calamus oil caused severe ultrastructural impacts on insects’ cuticular surfaces.

Kakunawela Pathirana Amaya Imanthi, Fathima Sumaiya Idroos and Marakkala Manage Pathmalal

published in Songklanakarin J. Sci. Technol.

Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) is an environmentally friendly and sustainable technology where microbial degradation on organic substrates generates electricity, with potential application to wastewater treatment. This study mainly focused on investigating the effects of wastewater source on efficient electricity generation using a bio-cathode. Carbon cloth (2 × 4 cm2) were used as anode and cathode electrodes with 0.33Ω external resistor. Anode medium was leachate (setup 01) and rice wash water (setup 02) and cathode medium was Chroococcus sp. culture. Control setup was maintained by adding distilled water in cathode. Landfill leachate and rice wash water were used as the wastewater sources, all other conditions were the same in both setups. Highest electricity generation and wastewater treatment were recorded in setup 02 with rice wash water. The maximum voltage was 1,111 mV with current 3,366.67 mA and 467.55 mW m-2 power density. The wastewater treatment efficiencies reported as reductions in COD, Nitrate, Nitrite and Orthophosphate were 61.94%, 61.01%, 55.14%, and 26.01% in setup 02. These study outcomes disclose that dual chamber MFC with rice wash water as the wastewater source has potential for simultaneous power generation and wastewater treatment.

Madhava Meegaskumbura; Gajaba Ellepola; Gayani Senevirathne; Kelum Manamendra-Arachchi; Nayana Wijayathillaka; Marcio Pie; Dan Sun; Rohan Pethiyagoda; Christopher J. Schneider

published in bioRxiv

Ecomorphs result from divergent natural selection, leading to species-rich adaptive radiations. Identifying ecomorphs and the resulting adaptive radiations in frogs is challenging due to conserved morphology and high species diversity. In this study, we demonstrate the ecological and climate specializations that have driven the diversification of shrub frogs of the genus Pseudophilautus in Sri Lanka, a tropical continental island. We use a time-calibrated phylogeny, morphometric analyses, and climate-niche evolution, and identify five ecomorphological categories, including Tree-shrub, Rock-boulder, Leaf-litter, Habitat Generalists, and Canopy forms, and describe their evolution. Body size is the primary factor separating species, and specific body features correlate with habitat type. Ecomorphs likely evolved multiple times in disparate lineages, and in different regions and altitudes, during cold climatic periods owing to monsoon cycles resulting from the Himalayan-Tibetan orogeny. The common ancestor was a medium-sized, wet-adapted, tree-shrub habitat specialist which originated in the late Oligocene. Extreme size classes (diminutive leaf litter forms and large canopy forms) evolved recently and suggest that morphological disparity arose late in diversification, possibly aided by favorable climates. This work will facilitate understanding of adaptive radiations in frogs, which possibly will help uncover the prevalence of subtle adaptive radiations in frogs, just as in tailed-vertebrates.

A. K. C. Wijerathna, K. P. P. Udayagee, F. S. Idroos & Pathmalal M. Manage

Book chapter published in Sustainable Valorization of Agriculture & Food Waste Biomass

There has been a significant increase in global waste generation owing to rapid urbanization and industrialization. Anthropogenic activities associated with exploiting natural resources pose severe threats to the long-term resilience of ecosystems. The buildup of waste biomass in ecosystems causes various adverse environmental conditions, such as greenhouse gas emissions, global warming, bioaccumulation and biomagnification of hazardous chemicals, surface and groundwater pollution, and acid rains suppress and lessen biological diversity. According to the World Bank predictions, 3.4 billion tons of municipal solid waste will have been generated by 2050. Thus, effective waste biomass management through valorization is critical in circular bio-economy and meeting environmental feasibility. Due to its abundance and renewability, lignocellulosic waste biomass can be a beneficial substrate to produce many high-value goods such as biofuels, biofertilizers, composts, biochar, pharmaceuticals, bioplastics, and food additives. This chapter summarizes the potential of hydrothermal conversion processes, including hydrothermal carbonization, hydrothermal liquefaction, and hydrothermal gasification, in producing a range of value-added products from solid waste substances. Moreover, the future trends of biological conversions that use microbial bioconversion generate a number of eco-friendly valorized products like biopesticides, biohydrogen, organic acids, antibiotics, enzymes, food colors, amino acids, and single-cell proteins were discussed. Further, this chapter highlights the multidisciplinary approaches for waste biomass valorization combined with advanced bio-nanotechnology, enzymatic sequent biomass hydrolysis treatments that are becoming popular and research gaps to overcome the challenges of waste biomass valorization by enhancing the process efficiency.

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