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YSCMR-2022
Proceedings of the
Young Scientists’ Conference on
Multidisciplinary Research - 2022
Virtual International Conference
10th November 2022
“Multidisciplinary Research for Tomorrow’s Challenges”
ii
YSCMR - 2022
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research - 2022
10th November 2022
The material in this publication has been supplied by the authors, and only minor copy editing
has been done by YSCMR-2022 editorial committee. The views expressed in the abstracts in
this publication remain the responsibility of the named authors and do not necessarily reflect
those of the National Institute of Fundamental Studies (NIFS) or the NIFS-Young Scientists’
Association.
This document is made freely available on the public internet, permitting any users to read,
download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of research articles, crawl
them for indexing, pass them as data to software, or use them for any other lawful purpose,
without financial, legal, or technical barriers other than those inseparable from gaining access
to the internet itself. The copyright is shared by authors and YSCMR-2022 to control the
integrity of their work and the right to be properly acknowledged and cited.
Published by:
Young Scientists’ Association (NIFS-YSA),
National Institute of Fundamental Studies,
Hanthana Road, Kandy,
Sri Lanka.
www.nifs.ac.lk
Tel: +94 (0) 812 232 002
Email: ysa@nifs.ac.lk
Cover page design & Page setup
Mahesh Senarathna, Indika Samarakoon, Rasika Gunarathne,
Savani Ulpathakumbura, Jayani Kalinga
iii
YSCMR - 2022
TABLE OF CONTENT
Editorial Committee iv
Organizing Committee (YSCMR-2022) v
Acknowledgements vi
Message from the Chairman, NIFS vii
Message from the Director, NIFS viii
Message from the Advisory Committee, NIFS-YSA ix
Message from the Editor-in-Chief, YSCMR-2022 x
Message from the Conference Organisers, YSCMR-2022 xi
Keynote Speakers xii
List of Abstracts xiii
Abstracts
Biological Sciences 1
Physical Sciences 42
Chemical Sciences 56
Social Sciences 89
Author Index 102
iv
YSCMR - 2022
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE
Prof. N.K.B. Adikaram (Editor-in-Chief)
Prof. Lalith Jayasinghe
Prof. Lakshman Dissanayake
Prof. Rohan Weerasooriya
Prof. Saluka R. Kodituwakku
Prof. Siril Wijesundara
Prof. Dhammika Magana-arachchi
Prof. Nazrim Marikkar
Prof. Renuka R. Ratnayake
Dr. Ruvini Liyanage
Dr. Pathmanesan Sanmugeswaran
REVIEWERS
Biological Sciences
Prof. Nimal Adikaram
Prof. Suneth Agampodi
Prof. A.C.M. Fahim
Prof. Ananda Chandrasekara
Prof. C.L. Abayasekera
Prof. D.A. Nimal Dharmasena
Prof. G. Seneviratne
Prof. H.K.I. Perera
Prof. Inoka Karunaratne
Prof. J. K. Vidanarachchi
Prof. J.M.N. Marikkar
Prof. J.W. Damunupola
Prof. Jayanthi Edirisinghe
Prof. K. B. Ranawana
Prof. K.D.P. P. Gunathilake
Prof. Lalith Jayasinghe
Prof. M.S. Samantha Weerasinghe
Prof. N. Jayathilaka
Prof. P.L.A.G. Alwis
Prof. Renuka N. Attanayake
Prof. Renuka Ratnayake
Prof. Rohan Weerasooriya
Prof. Rupika Rajakaruna
Prof. Suranga Kodithuwakku
Prof. Susiji Wickramasinghe
Prof. Veranja Liyanapathirana
Prof. Vijith Jayamanne
Prof. W.A.M. Daundasekera
Prof. A.R.S.B. Athauda
Prof. Anura Wickramasinghe
Prof. Enoka Corea
Prof. Senanayake A. M. Kularatne
Dr. A.A.M. Subodinee
Dr. A.D. Sarangi N.P. Athukorala
Dr. Achala Attanayake
Dr. Chathuni Jayathilake
Dr. Hemal Fonseka
Dr. Isuru Wijesekara
Dr. Lochana Menikarachchi
Dr. P.L.N. Lakshman
Dr. P.M.H.D. Pathiraje
Dr. Priyanga Wijesinghe
Dr. R. J. K. Udayana Ranatunga
Dr. Ruvini Liyanage
Dr. Sudarshanee Geekiyanage
Dr. Susanthi Jayasinghe
Dr. Thusitha N. B. Etampawala
Dr. Aruna Dharshan De Silva
Mr. Rumesh Nelumdeniya
Ms. Sumudu Bandara
Chemical Sciences
Prof. B.M. Ratnayake Bandara
Prof. Rohan Weerasooriya
Prof. G.R.A. Kumara
Prof. H.K.I. Perera
Prof. J.M.N. Marikkar
Prof. Jayasundera Bandara
Prof. Mahinda Wickramaratne
Prof. Mayuri Napagoda
Prof. Nirmali Wickramaratne
Prof. P.A. Nimal Punyasiri
Prof. Priyani A. Paranagama
Prof. R.M. Gamini Rajapakse
Prof. Sanjeewa Malaviarachchi
Prof. Vajira. P. Bulugahapitiya
Prof. Veranja Karunaratne
Prof. W.M.A.T. Bandara
Prof. Ayanthi N. Navaratne
Dr. Chamila Liyanaarachchi
Dr. Gayan Bowatte
Dr. Lakmal Jayarathne
Dr. R. J. K. Udayana Ranatunga
Dr. Ruvini Liyanage
Dr. Sanjeewa K. Rodrigo
Dr. W.I.T. Fernando
Mr. Rumesh Nelumdeniya
Ms. Sumudu Bandara
Physical Sciences
Prof J.B. Ekanayake
Prof. A.D.L. Chandani Perera
Prof. L.R.K. Perera
Prof. N.D.K. Dayawansa
Prof. Tilak Hewawasam
Dr. A. K. Amarasinghe
Dr. A.G.H.J. Edirisinghe
Dr. A.M.A.N.B. Attanayake
Dr. Buddhika Dassanayake
Dr. Hemalika T.K. Abeysundara
Dr. Karunananda Pemasiri
Dr. L.V. Ranaweera
Dr. Lakshika S. Nawarathna
Dr. Niluka Rodrigo
Dr. Z.A.M.S. Juman
Social Sciences
Prof. A.L. Sandika
Prof. Camena Gunarathne
Prof. Juliana McDonald
Prof. Rathnayake M. Abeyrathne
Prof. V. Sivalogathasan
Prof. W.N. de Silva
Dr. Lathika Athauda
Dr. M.G.Y.L. Mahagamage
Dr. M.T. M. Mahees
Dr. Malathie P. Dissanayake
Dr. Neavis Morais
Dr. Rasanjalee Perera
Dr. Sepalika Welikala
Dr. Shantha Abeysinghe
Mrs. Thushari Gamage
Ms. Nadhiya Najab
Ms. Nipuni Ranaweera
Ms. Unnathi S. Samaraweera
v
YSCMR - 2022
ORGANIZING COMMITTEE (YSCMR–2022)
Steering Committee: Lasanga Amarasena (Conference Co-chair, YSCMR-2022),
Mahesh Senarathne (Conference Co-chair, YSCMR-2022), Anupama Amarasekara (Conference
Secretary, YSCMR-2022), Naruwan Dayananda (Conference Assistant Secretary, YSCMR-2022),
Malmi Wickramasinghe (Treasurer, YSCMR-2022), Sidath Ekanayake (Co-chair, NIFS-YSA),
Jayani Kalinga (Co-chair, NIFS-YSA).
Conference Proceedings Team: Tharangika Bowanage, Thilakshi Paranawithana,
Upesha Siriwardhane, Upeka Bandara, Himashee Narampanawa, Roshan Fernando,
Chathuranga Wijerathna, Umayangani Weerasinghe, Medhavi Abeysinghe, Harshani Nadeeshani,
Asiri Medagedara, Shashini Gunathilaka, Nirasha Atapattu, Jayani Bandara, Dilini Perera,
Nimashi Herath, Rasika Gunarathna, Savani Ulpathakumbura, Vindyani Sewwandi, Sanuri
Hettiarachchi, Mahesh Premarathna, Kulangana Theivendrarajah, Bhagya Madushani.
Main Event Team: Erandi Herath, Saduni Bandara, Sumana Sivalingam, Ishara Sandamali, Madara
Sarachchandra, Maheshika Perera, Mayomi Thilakarathne, Nalesha Mudannayake, Amali
Karunarathne, Tharuka Wijesekara, Charuni Herath, Hasini Poornima, Disara De Silva,
Yohan Jayawardhane, Dinusha De Silva, Tharushika Nirmani, Thampirasa Kumaresh.
Technical Team: Indika Bandara, Esmond Gunasekaran, Ravindu Pathirana, Dimuthu Rajakaruna,
Kavindya Samarakoon, Anjana Rathnayake, Achintha Sumithraarachchi.
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YSCMR - 2022
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
It is our utmost pleasure to present this volume marking the successful completion of the Young
Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research (YSCMR), 2022 organized by the Young
Scientists’ Association of the National Institute of Fundamental Studies (NIFS-YSA). We would
like to express our sincere gratitude to all those who have been involved in making this event a grand
success.
We would like to thank Prof. Athula Sumathipala, the Chairman of the NIFS,
Prof. Shaluka Kodituwakku, the Director, Mrs. Sagarika D.K. Mediwaka, the Secretary, Editor-in-
chief Prof. Nimal Adikaram, Editorial committee members and Advisory Committee of NIFS-YSA
for their valuable guidance, encouragement, and support.
We would like to extend our gratitude to the staff of the Director’s office, the Science Education and
Dissemination Unit, the Accountant, the Accounts Division, and the Administrative Division of the
NIFS for their immense support.
Organizing an event of this scale would not be possible without funding. Therefore, we would like
to thank our platinum sponsor, Bank of Ceylon and Mr. Gamini Silva for his generous sponsorship.
We also express our sincere gratitude to all the Reviewers and Session chairs for sharing their
experience in evaluating the papers and maintaining the quality of the conference on par with the
NIFS standards.
Finally, our heartfelt appreciation goes to all our colleagues who actively participated to make
YSCMR-2022 a huge success.
vii
YSCMR - 2022
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN,
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FUNDAMENTAL STUDIES
I am delighted to send this message as the Chairman of the National
Institute of Fundamental Studies (NIFS), which is a prestigious
premier research institution in Sri Lanka.
This is once again an unprecedented event in succession during a
complex socio-economic and political crisis. It was a very difficult
situation during COVID-19 pandemic to gather face to face. However,
the Young Scientists Association (YSA) which is a part of the NIFS
did a marvellous job in organising this virtual conference in 2020 &
2021. Now its post COVID-19 recovery stage. YSA has done its duty.
They have successfully received 114 abstracts of which, 52 would be
oral presentations and 45 presented as speed talks.
Over the last 3 years, we have witnessed the inseparable connection between education and health
which is more evident than ever before the pandemic. I emphasise that I refer to both physical and
mental health when I refer to health. It has also highlighted the role of research linked to both of
these aspect of life. The role of research in vaccine development is a classic example. Similarly, the
role of research in technological advances that helped us in the use of information technologies in
virtual working culture.
The post-industrial knowledge economy of today clearly displays the close correlation among
economic growth, innovation, and indigenous research capacity. University-based research has been
the most effective driver of such economically-relevant innovation. As a result, leveraging public
investment in Universities to stimulate innovative research and development (R&D) is now a critical
need for a country to remain competitive in the global arena. Sri Lanka needs a paradigm shift to
make research and innovation core components of undergraduate and postgraduate education, to
produce individuals with both a creative vision for innovation and sufficient intellectual breadth and
depth to realize that vision. Sri Lanka requires innovative R&D contributions to re-stabilize the
economy. However, a strategy is about capturing opportunities arising in a dynamic world, as
scientific opportunities cannot always be foreseen. The flexibility to respond to novel ideas with
solid potential and new funding opportunities for research is crucial for the success. Research
Universities work on basic and applied research for knowledge creation and dissemination. Through
collaborations with industry, they can utilize this knowledge effectively for intellectual property
generation, and knowledge/technology transfer for commercialization. The key components for
this transformation need to be viewed as a paradigm shift in strategy: to increase resources
through investment, spot and harness talent, recruit and retain the best of researchers and
make essential structural changes.
It is crucial to establish quality research centres of excellence and raise funds for research through
collaboration, develop the capacity to compete for international grants, and enhance research funding
through endowments. There should be more research-based postgraduate programmes around large-
scale research projects leading to implementation for meaningful impact. I very much hope the
young scientists at NIFS will be capable of giving the leadership needed for such an overarching
research culture in Sri Lanka
Prof. Athula Sumathipala
Chairman,
National Institute of Fundamental Studies,
Hanthana Road, Kandy.
viii
YSCMR - 2022
MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR,
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FUNDAMENTAL STUDIES
As the Director of the National Institute of Fundamental Studies
(NIFS), I am delighted and honored to bring this message to the
YSCMR-2022.
This year has been a significant year, as the young scientists of the
NIFS have decided to hold this annual conference. YSCMR-2022 has
been structured to address those challenges head-on. Our theme of
"Multidisciplinary Research for Tomorrow’s Challenges" was created
to leverage this amazing gathering of professionals to bridge the gaps
in science and to connect the gaps in a new and fresh way. This
conference will provide some valuable opportunities on top-notch
research in science, showcasing innovative research that are utilizing
revolutionary technologies. With a record number of participants
expected this year, I hope that this annual conference will become
larger and more substantial in the years to come. I hope that this conference will allow the
participants a productive discourse not only in aspiring excellence in research, but also in managing
scientific research.
As the Director of NIFS, I know that the success of the conference depends ultimately on the many
people who have worked in planning and organizing the conference. I'm constantly amazed by the
support given by the Scientists, Research Assistants and many others who have a very clear desire
to upgrade scientific research in the community in which we live.
In particular, I thank the conference committee for their wise advice and brilliant suggestions on
organizing the conference. All recognition should go to the committee members who have all
worked extremely hard on the details of important aspects of the conference programs. A note of
appreciation to the researchers for their thorough and timely reviewing of the papers.
Most of all, I thank you, the presenters, for enriching the conference by your presence. As is a
tradition with the conference, I hope you will enjoy the content, renew old fellowships, make new
fellowships, get new ideas, and above all, have a great deliberation.
On behalf of the NIFS, we're looking forward to seeing you at NIFS.
Prof. Saluka R. Kodituwakku
Director and CEO,
National Institute of Fundamental Studies,
Hanthana Road,
Kandy.
ix
YSCMR - 2022
MESSAGE FROM THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE,
NIFS - YOUNG SCIENTISTS’ ASSOCIATION
It’s a great pleasure to write this message on behalf of the advisory
committee of the Young Scientists Association (YSA) of the
National Institute of Fundamental Studies (NIFS). It is a very
proud moment for the advisory committee as, the Young Scientists
Association of NIFS, organizes its fourth consecutive research
conference; “Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary
Research (YSCMR) 2022”.
YSCMR-2022, is held as a virtual conference. Just like the
previous year, this year also, the conference has attracted a large
number of abstracts of research conducted in different parts of the
world under the themes of Biological Sciences, Chemical
Sciences, Physical Sciences and Social Sciences.
As you carry the theme, “Multi-disciplinary research for tomorrow’s challenges” YSCMR-2022, has
given the opportunity, for local and international early career researchers and postgraduate students
to present their research, and also a chance for the organizing committee who are the young scientists
of the National Institute of Fundamental Studies, to sharpen up their leadership skills.
As the advisors to the YSA, working with the young scientists of the NIFS has been an immense
joy, to experience the enthusiasm, leadership qualities and determination of the organizers of the
YSCMR-2022. With the commitment and dedication of the organizing committee, the event has
now come to a reality and, we would like to congratulate the organizing committee and all the
presenters of YSCMR-2022.
As the advisors of the YSA we would like to thank our invited speakers, for accepting our invitations
and delivering the speeches. We hope that the young scientists will get inspired by their talks and
we hope that this event will create new collaborations among the participants and will be an
unforgettable experience.
Dr. Lakmal Jayarathne
Dr. Shalini Rajakaruna
Advisor
Young Scientists’ Association
National Institute of Fundamental Studies,
Hanthana Road,
Kandy.
Advisor
Young Scientists’ Association
National Institute of Fundamental Studies,
Hanthana Road,
Kandy.
x
YSCMR - 2022
MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, YSCMR-2022
The “Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research
(YSCMR) 2022” is being organized by the Young Scientists’
Association (YSA) at the National Institute of Fundamental Studies
(NIFS) to be held on 10th November 2022 for the fourth time.
Postgraduate students and early career researchers from Universities
and Research Institutions, within and outside Sri Lanka, are expected
to participate in the Conference. Multidisciplinary research is quite
relevant to the present day challenges.
Building on the success of previous conferences, the YSCMR-2022
will be conducted under four themes, Biological, Chemical, Physical
and Social Sciences. Webinars, relevant to the preparation of Abstracts and presentation, were
conducted timely for the benefit of Abstract writers and presenters.
YSCMR-2022 features 10-minute oral presentations, 5-minute speed talks and inspirational keynote
speeches that will significantly benefit and inspire the young scientists. Over one hundred Abstracts
were received this year from young scientists engaged in multidisciplinary research. Each Abstract
was reviewed by expert-reviewers selected from a range of disciplines within the four conference
themes. Around 100 of them would be in-line for oral presentations and speed talks. YSCMR-2022
has provided an opportunity for everyone to network with fellow young scientists, and attend the
valuable conference sessions.
The Proceedings book, an assemblage of submissions made by the participants, will be an important
resource book for anyone involved in scientific research. It gives me immense pleasure, as the
Editor-in-Chief, to write this message on the occasion of the 4th YSCMR-2022.
I wish the Young Scientists’ Conference every success!
Prof. N. K. B. Adikaram
Editor-in-chief,
Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022,
National Institute of Fundamental Studies,
Hanthana Road,
Kandy.
xi
YSCMR - 2022
MESSAGE FROM THE CONFERENCE ORGANIZERS,
YSCMR-2022
It brings us great pleasure to write this message on behalf of the
organizing committee of the Young Scientists’ Conference on
Multidisciplinary Research (YSCMR), 2022 organized by the
Young Scientists’ Association of the National Institute of
Fundamental Studies (NIFS-YSA).
The NIFS-YSA was established in 2018 to encourage young
scientists to enhance their knowledge and skills in the field of
research while maintaining a friendly working environment
within the institute. This is a scientific community of Research
Assistants, Undergraduates, and Volunteers engaged in
research at the NIFS.
YSCMR is the annual research conference of the NIFS. It
started at an institutional level and was elevated to the national level in 2020 and the international
level in 2021. YSCMR-2022 is the 4th consecutive research conference organized by the NIFS-YSA.
This year we have taken a step further by calling for extended abstracts from local and international
postgraduates and early career researchers.
With the theme of ‘Multidisciplinary Research for Tomorrow’s Challenges’, the conference was
organized under four themes; Biological Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Physical Sciences and Social
Sciences, for which we received over a hundred abstracts. All the abstracts were reviewed by a
comprehensive panel of reviewers and 45 were accepted for oral presentations and 54 for speed
talks. The presenting authors presented their research findings virtually in 5 parallel sessions which
surely contributed to the improvement of research in Sri Lanka.
Organizing an event of this scale, especially as a virtual event in a post-pandemic era was truly a
challenge for the organizing committee. This event would not have been a success without the
immense support given by our fellow Research Assistants at NIFS. Their dedication and contribution
gave true meaning to what teamwork is.
We take this opportunity to thank the Chairman- NIFS, Director-NIFS, Editor-in-Chief, Editorial
Committee and Advisors of YSA, for their guidance throughout the process. Also, our heartfelt
gratitude goes to the expert panel of Reviewers, Chairpersons of technical sessions, Scientists and
Administrative staff of NIFS for their support to make this event a reality. We would also like to
thank the Science Education and Dissemination Unit (SEDU) of NIFS for their immense support in
organizing the sessions and their valuable guidance.
We extend our heartfelt appreciation to our Keynote Speakers, Prof. I.M. Dharmadasa and Prof.
Samantha C. Karunarathna for accepting our invitation and delivering their valuable and timely
speeches at the conference. We would like to congratulate all the presenters of YSCMR-2022 and
hope this virtual conference will give you the opportunity to network and share your knowledge with
the research community from around the world.
Mahesh Senarathne & Lasanga Amarasena
Sidath Ekanayake & Jayani Kalinga
Co-chairs, YSCMR-2022
Co-chairs, YSA-2022
xii
YSCMR - 2022
Keynote Speakers, YSCMR-2022
A Brief Biography of Professor I.M. Dharmadasa
I.M. Dharmadasa, is an Emeritus Professor at Sheffield Hallam University
in the United Kingdom. He has four decades of research experience in both
industry (BP Solar) and in academia. His research focuses on the
development of next generation, low-cost and high-efficiency solar cells
using electroplated semiconductors. Current efforts are focused on
developing graded bandgap multi-layer solar cells. Prof. Dharmadasa has
published over 260 articles, six patents, and two books on “Advances in
Thin Film Solar Cells” and “Graded Bandgap Multi-Layer Solar Cells”. In
this process, he has successfully supervised 30 PhDs, 14 years of
postdoctoral research and examined 32 doctoral candidates. He is also
actively involved in the promotion of clean energy for sustainable
development and reduction of poverty. He has designed, piloted in 2008, monitored for several years
and is now replicating the “Solar Village” project. Five large solar villages have been established,
and the replication is in progress.
Prof. Dharmadasa delivered his keynote address on ‘Use of readily available renewable energy in
Sri Lanka to solve the energy crisis in the country’.
A Brief Biography of Professor Samantha C. Karunarathne
Samantha C. Karunarathna, is a Professor at the Center for Yunnan
Plateau Biological Resources Protection and Utilization, Qujing Normal
University, Qujing City, Yunnan Province, P.R. China. Prof.
Karunarathna completed his B.Sc. special degree in Botany at the Faculty
of Science, the University of Peradeniya in 2006. After completing his
bachelor’s degree, he served as a lecturer at the Faculty of Applied
Sciences, the Rajarata University of Sri Lanka from 2007-2009. He joined
Mae Fah Luang University, Thailand as a Ph.D. student in 2010 and
completed his degree in 2016. To date, Prof. Karunarathna has published
approximately 200 SCI publications with an H-index of 35 and 6600
citations and is a co-author of three books. His research interests are
taxonomy, phylogeny, and domestication of mushrooms.
Prof. Karunarathne delivered his keynote address on "The remarkable potential of fungi".
xiii
YSCMR - 2022
List of Abstracts
Preliminary assessment of biodegradation of waste material by microbial consortia and
sequential fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae
A.H.D. Alahakoon1, E.M.J.M. Rizvi1* 2
Progress towards searching candidate genes for synchronization of Mungbean flowering using
bioinformatics techniques
H.U. Abhayarathne1, I.V. Hadungoda1, N.S. Kottearachchi1*, V. Herath2, D.S. Liyanage1 3
Conversion of farmers to integrated-nutrient management practices of rice-based cropping
systems in Kilinochchi district of Sri Lanka: Findings of a farmer survey
E.D.C.T. Chandrasekara1, N.A.S.A. Neththasinghe1, D.M.S.B. Dissanayaka1,
M. Ariyarathne1, W.M.U.K. Rathnayake2, D.N. Sirisena2, L.D.B. Suriyagoda1* 4
Variation of soil pH and electric conductivity in paddy-cultivated soils in Sri Lanka
K.H.B.H. Delgoda1, N.A.S.A. Neththasinghe1, E.D.C.T. Chandrasekara1,
D.M.S.B. Dissanayaka1, M. Ariyarathne1, L.D.B. Suriyagoda1* 5
Determination of sugar adulterations in high-grown orthodox black tea (Camellia sinensis)
using high-performance liquid chromatography technique
K.T.G.D. Darshika1, L.B. Dunsford1*, B. Gajanayake1, K.R.W. Abeywickrama2,
W.M.T.C. Weerakoon3 6
Physicochemical and bacteriological quality of domestic drinking water stored in clay pots in
Birnin Kebbi, Nigeria
M.M. Shamsudeen1*, B.G. Jega1, I. Muawuya2 7
Enzyme-assisted extraction of oleoresin from ginger (Zingiber officinale) and its effect on
extraction yield and gingerol and shogaol content
S.M.M.C. Sethunga1*, K.K.D.S. Ranaweera1, I. Munaweera2,
K.D.P.P. Gunathilake3 8
Consumer’s knowledge regarding genetically modified foods and artificial food additives in a
suburban area in Kalutara district, Sri Lanka
M.A. Dhananjani1, W.T.R. Wickramasinghe1, E.A.M. Ransika1, D.C. Pathirage1,
B.A.S. Yuwanthika1, H. Kulathunga1*, N. Ubhayawaradana2 9
Evaluation of the growth of Spirulina platensis in reduced-cost media
H.R.P.T. Padmabandu1*, P.M. Withanage2, A.C.M.C.L.K. Coswatte1, S.C. Jayamanne1 10
Review on wound-healing potential of Carica papaya Linn. (A preliminary study)
B.W.A.S. Gunarathna1*, H.S. Sakunthala2, D.M.A.C.E. Dissanayaka3 11
Identification of optimum concentration of 17- -methyltestosterone hormone on sex reversal
of Guppy (Poecilia reticulata)
R.M.S.P. Rajapaksha1*, W.M.H.K. Wijenayake2, R.G.S. Wijesekara2 12
xiv
YSCMR - 2022
Physiological responses of Pseudanabaena to the cyanolytic Pseudomonas fluorescens BG-E
M.M. Wijesooriya1, K. Masakorala1*, S.M.K.W. Gamage1 13
Diversity and antibacterial characteristics of fungal endophytes isolated from Sonneratia alba
(‘Kirilla’)
K. Rajan1, D.M.S.U. Dissanayaka1,2* 14
Evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of endophytic fungi isolated from Avicennia marina
and Excoecaria agallocha of Negombo
R. Baskaran1, D.M.S.U. Dissanayaka1,2* 15
Detection of the antibacterial activity of Chili (Capsicum annuum) fruit and Kappetiya
(Croton aromaticus) leaf extracts against food-borne pathogens
W.R.E.M. Fernando1*, U. Bandaranayake1, H. Mudalige1 16
Biochemical analysis of different samples from Cassava (Manihot esculenta) pomace
C.C. Akmeemana1*, M.A.D. Somendrika1, I. Wickramasinghe1, I. Wijesekara1 17
Determination of Arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea) flour colour from five different provinces
in Sri Lanka as a potential alternative for wheat flour
M.K.S. Malki1*, J.A.A.C. Wijesinghe1, R.H.M.K. Ratnayake2, G.C. Thilakarathna3 18
Analysis of cytotoxicity of some hepatoprotective herbs and their combination as finding a
remedy for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
A.M.A.U. Abeykoon1, M.P. Paranagama2*, K.K. Wijesundera1, R.P.V.J. Rajapakse1 29
Establishment of a polymerase chain reaction assay for detection of fungal species in clinical
samples
B.G.E.B. Mudalige1, T. Denipitiya1* 20
Physicochemical properties of collagen from a non-commercial sea cucumber species:
Holothuria atra
N.D. Wimalagunarathna1, J.M.N.J. Jayathilake1, K.V.K. Gunathilake1* 21
Determination of lycopene content in selected locally grown tomato cultivars (Solanum
lycopersicon L.)
M. Sukanya1*, K.B. Wijesekara1, K.G.C. Senarathna1 22
Effect of soil application different concentrations of chitosan on the vegetative growth of
tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cultivar Thilina
S.W.S.A. Amarasekara1, M. Sukanya1*, K.H.L.K. Hewavitharana1 23
Study on the risk factors associated with human leptospirosis in the District of Gampaha, Sri
Lanka
U.M.H.U. Uduwawala1, A. Manamperi1, L. Karunanayake3, G.P.S. Gunaratna2,
M. Hapugoda1* 24
xv
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Silver nanoparticles: eco-friendly synthesis using five varieties of Annonaceae leaf extract
and evaluation of antioxidant, photocatalytic, and antibacterial properties
K.D.S. Fernando1, M. Kandiah1* 25
Development of an efficient in vitro propagation protocol for Salicornia
E.M.T.S. Ekanayake1*, M.S. Gunasekara1, D. Perera1 26
Comparative analysis of antidiabetic activities and total phenolic content of Sri Lankan
herbal plants; Udahalu (Passiflora foetida), Heenbovitiya (Osbeckia octandra) and Ranawara
(Cassia auriculata) flowers
M.A. Wickramasinghe1, N.G.D. Anuradha1, P.G.I. Dias1, T.C. Kananke1*,
S.M.D.S. Gayathri1, M.G.A.N. Perera1, R.M.K.T. Rathnayaka1, R.S. Sabaragamuwa1,
M.N. Wickramarathne2, R.M.U.S.K. Rathnayaka1 27
Histological studies to determine the toxicity of Profenofos on genetically improved farmed
Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus (GIFT Tilapia)
D.N.G. Dayananda1*, S.N. Surendran1 28
Assessing the food safety and hygiene knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of street food
vendors in Pettah, Sri Lanka
M.G.W.L. Jayasekara1*, H.M.D. Nayomi1 39
Development of plant-based sausage analogue incorporating anti-diabetic herbs and
evaluation of its organoleptic and techno functional properties
K.M.S.A.K. Dehideniya1, V.P. Bulugahapitiya1*, R.S. Sabaragamuwa2,
T.C. Kananke2 30
Characterization of Salmonella spp in self-mixed chicken layer feed: Possible food safety risk
through food chain contamination
H.C. Gallage1, H.M.T.K. Karunarathna1, L.A.D.E. Weerasinghe2, R.S. Kalupahana1,
K.S.A. Kottawatta1* 31
An in-silico identification of potential tyrosine kinase inhibitors for wild-type and drug-
resistant T315I mutant in CML
J.L. Subasinghe1*, H.M.S.A. Kumari1 32
Development of a control program for coffee roasting profile
W.H.T.D. Wickramahewa1*, K.S.P. Amaratunga1, R.M.R.D. Abeyrathna1, M.I.M. Mowjood1,
A.A.P.S. Amarasinghe1, H.K.P.P. Kariyawasam2, E.M.A.C. Ekanayake3 33
Assessment of socio-demographic data and knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP)
regarding Vitamin D and its deficiency among undergraduates in KIU, Sri Lanka
R.H.R.N. Perera1, V.P.O.H. Pramodhya1, W.S.M.D. Abeysinghe1, P.V. Bhagya1,
J.A.D.K. Wimanshika1, P.J. Wijekumar1*, S. Chakrewarthy 2 34
Effects of freezing methods on the frozen tomato qualities
A.M. Rikasa1*, S.M.A.C.U. Senarathne2, K.M.S. Wimalasiri3 35
xvi
YSCMR - 2022
Evaluating the potential of wall materials to encapsulate pigments from Dandila (Dioscorea
alata) for natural food colourant
W.A.E.M.P. Menike1*, J.W.A. Sajiwanie2, R.M.U.S.K. Rathnayaka2 36
Impacts of various drying techniques on proximate quality of maize flour (Zea mays)
A.M. Rikasa1*, M.B.F. Jemziya1 37
Encapsulation of antioxidants of Polyscias scutellaria and Talinum triangulare in electrospun
Poly (Ethylene Oxide) nanofibers: Improve bioaccessibility fraction
P.S. Peduruhewa1, 2, K.G.L.R. Jayathunge1*, D.C. Manatunga1, R. Liyanage1,
W. R.M. De Silva3, K.M.N. De Silva3 38
Comparison of the in vitro cytotoxicity of the Sri Lankan Annona muricata immature and
mature leaves on cancer cell lines
O.C. Pathirana1, M.P Paranagama2*, R.P.V.J Rajapakse1, K.K Wijesundera1 39
A study on the dietary and behavioural factors influencing development of dental caries in
young adults of Sri Lanka
H.A.S. Yapa1, L.H. Walpola1*, H.M.S.N.B. Medawaththa1, A. Munazil1, P.J.N.N. Gomis1,
G.A.N. Perera1, P. Stephanie1, M.P.S. Arachchi1 40
Bacterial contamination and prevalence of MRSA and ESBL-producing bacteria on mobile
phones among KIU undergraduates
M.N.F. Shazna1, H.G.K. Shashikala1, B.R.J. Wimalarathna1, U.B.M.P.M. Thilakarathne1,
M.I. Ameer 1, S.S.S. Perera 2, L.H. Walpola1*, P.D.V.M. Perera3 42
The concept of convex function on topological manifold
P.G.P. Kumara1*, N.P.W.B.V.K. Senanayake1 43
Design a solar concentrator using Fresnel lens for Photovoltaic (PV) panels for efficiency
enhancement
S.S. Paniyanduwa1, R.H.G. Sasikala1* 44
Petrogenesis of dolerite dykes in Sri Lankan basement
S.A. Munasinghe1, P.L. Dharmapriya1*, S.P.K. Malaviarachchi1,
R. Kleinschrodt2, S.A.T.D. Kumarasiri3, S.A. Samaranayake4, B. Spiering5,
M. Hellers2, N.D. Subasinghe6 45
Petrogenesis of basement gneiss of Cauvery basin: Implications for linkage between the
Wanni Complex, Sri Lanka and the Southern Madurai Block, India
S.U. Hansini1, P.L. Dharmapriya1*, E.K.C.W. Kularathne2, R. Kleinschrodt3 46
Petrogenesis of flood basalt sequence in the Mannar Basin, offshore- Sri Lanka
A.M.S.M. Karunarathne1, P.L. Dharmapriya1*, W.M.H.M. Wijesinghe1,2, A.U. Wijenayake1,
H.M.T.G.A. Pitawala1,2, R. Kleinschrodt3, M. Hellers3, E.K.C.W. Kularathne4 47
xvii
YSCMR - 2022
Correlation analysis of image and physical parameters for studying the black tea fermentation
process
W.A.D.U. Ishadi1, B.J. Watawana2, T. Kartheeswaran3, W.K.I.L. Wanniarachchi1,
D. Wanniarachchi4* 48
Structural analysis of CZTS films grown by sequential and single-step electrodeposition
techniques
W.T.R.S Fernando1, K.M.D.C. Jayathilaka1, R.P. Wijesundera1*, W. Siripala1 59
Mathematical optimization of laccase activity of Phlebiopsis flavidoalba
H.H.K.D.C. Wickrama1*, B.D.H.N. Dharmasiri2, R.N. Attanayake2, G.S. Wijesiri1 50
Total absolute curvature of open curves of fixed length in
D.T.J.K. Weedagama1*, N.P.W.B.V.K. Senanayake1 51
Determination of optimum over excitation limits of cylindrical rotor generator with brushless
exciter to maximize the system performance
P.A.T. Wathsala1, K.M.G.Y. Sewwandi1* 52
The geochemical signature of feldspars from small-scale and larger bodies of granitic
pegmatite in Sri Lanka
P. Abewardana1,2*, P.L. Dharmapriya2, H.M.T.G.A. Pitawala2, S.P.K. Malaviarachchi1,
R.F. Martin3, N.D. Subasinghe4 53
Oil spill maritime disaster management using remote sensing application: X-press pearl
incident
H.K.H.D. Kankanamge1,2, S.M.D.M.C. Senarathna1,2*, B.A.Y.B. Jayawardhana1, D.A. Bandara3,
N.T.B. Madusankha4 54
A preliminary geomagnetic study of Wahawa-Padiyathalawa hot springs field
M.P. Thilakarathna1, A.M. Abeysinghe1, H.M.D.A.H. Bandara, N.D. Subasinghe1* 55
Temporal variations of selected surface water quality parameters and pollution status of
Batticaloa lagoon – A review
M.N.F. Nashath1, A.M.M. Asmath1*, M.R.F. Rishadha1 57
Microwave-assisted phytosynthesis of silver nanoparticles
C. Wickramarathne1*, S. Rajapakse2, V.N. Seneviratne3 58
Isolation of saponins from Guava leaves and evaluation of their antioxidant capacity
S. Kokilananthan1, V.P. Bulugahapitiya1*, H. Manawadu1, C.S. Gangabadage1 59
Composition accentuation and acetaldehyde generation in polyethylene terephthalate-made
water bottles during first-phase protocols
T. A. Vishwanath1,2, A.C.A. Jayasundera1,2,3* 60
xviii
YSCMR - 2022
The effect of membrane on the alkaline water production
H.M.B.N. Wickramasooriya1*, M.D.Y. Milani2, A.M.K.L. Abeykoon2, R.C.W. Arachchige2,
H.M.B.I. Gunathilaka2 61
Synthesis and characterization of bismuth oxyiodide-sensitized TiO2 electrodes for solar
energy conversion
M.A.K. Madhumekala1, M.G.R. Shyamamala2, G.D.M.H. Wijewardhana1,
M.S. Kandanapitiye3, T. Jaseetharan2,4, M.N.M. Farhath1,4* 62
Human histamine-1 receptor antagonist activity of flavonoids found in ‘Paspanguwa’
herbal formula
J.C. Gunaratne1*, D.R. Uduwela1,2, R.J.K.U. Ranatunga1,2 63
Formulation of antioxidants-rich herbal tea from medicinal plants for the replacement of
Psidium guajava tea
S. Lilachjini1, M.H. Haroon1* 64
Identification of residues of kerosene in fire debris evidence in the presence of polystyrene
interfering compounds in an arson investigation
A.C.W.W.M.N.P. Koswatta1*, S. Malavipathirana1, S.D.A. Sandanayaka1,
N.I.K. Fernando2 65
Targeting JAK2 with phytochemicals as antagonists via molecular docking approach
M. Ifran1, H. Mudalige1*, O. Perera1 66
Changes in pH of cow milk from cattle depending on saltmarsh pastures and dry pastures
during the lactation period
G.M.M. Kumari1*, A.N. Navaratne1,2, K.B Ranawana3 67
Sustainable synthesis and characterization of copper-modified zeolite Y (Kaolin-CuY) from
purified Meetiyagoda kaolin
R.A.L.R. Amarasena1,2*, W.M.A.T. Bandara3, R. Weerasooriya1, I.P.L. Jayarathne1 68
Estimation of route-specific vehicular air pollution via dispersion modelling: A case study
in Kandy, Sri Lanka
E.P.T.M. Rajaratne1, R.J.K.U. Ranatunga2* 69
Plants available in Sri Lanka with anti-viral potential – A review
H.D.T. Madhuranga1*, P.J. Wijekumar1, D.N.A.W. Samarakoon1 70
Development of sugar-free flavoured instant iced tea
A. Hettiarachchi1, D.G.N.G. Wijesinghe1*, L.P.I.N.P. Jayawardene2, W.L.C.M. Gunathilaka2 71
Enzyme inhibitory, antioxidant and phytotoxic properties of Pilea microphylla (Urticaceae)
K.A. Siriwardhene1, J.M.N. Marikkar1, L. Jayasinghe1*, N.K.B. Adikaram1 72
xix
YSCMR - 2022
Bioactive metabolite of endophytic fungus from Manihot esculenta
H.M.S.K.H. Bandara1,2, N.R. Amarasinghe3, N.K.B. Adikaram1, L. Jayasinghe1*
H. Araya4, Y. Fujimoto1,4 73
Investigation of antioxidant, cytotoxic and phytotoxic activity of plant extracts from
Eichhornia crassipes
T.M.K.P. Thennakoon1, D. Yakandawala2, J.M.N. Marikkar1, N.K.B. Adikaram1, L. Jayasinghe1* 74
Bioactivity studies of Bridelia retusa leave extracts
U. Siriwardhane1, N.K.B. Adikaram1, L. Jayasinghe1* 75
Bioassays and enzyme inhibitory activities of Alysicarpus vaginalis and Biophytum
reinwardtii
T.D.A.D.K. Kulathunge1, J.M.N. Marikkar1, N.K.B. Adikaram1, L. Jayasinghe1* 76
Chemical constituents of endophytic fungus associated with Citrus aurantiifolia and their
α-amylase inhibitory activity
N. Atapattu1, N.K.B. Adikaram1, L. Jayasinghe1*, H. Araya2, Y. Fujimoto1, 2 77
Synthesis of iron oxide (γ-Fe2O3) coated sand for adsorptive removal of arsenic from drinking
water
J.M.W.G.T.S. Senevirathne1*, W.M.A.T. Bandara2,3, R. Weerasooriya3,4, I.P.L. Jayarathne4,
P.M.C.J. Bandara4 78
Optimization of the solute descriptors for benzyl cinnamate by gas chromatography and
liquid-liquid partition systems
K.P. Hewage1,2, J.A.T.C. Ariyasena1,2* 79
Utilization of differently activated charcoal from coconut shells (C. nucifera) for textile dye
adsorption
R.M.H.Y. Rajapaksha1, M.F. Nawas2, M.N.M. Farhath2* 80
Effective removal of heavy metals from aqueous solutions by cost-effective adsorbents
R.M.H.Y. Rajapaksha1, O. H. P. Gunawardene2, C.A. Gunathilake3, M.N.M. Farhath4* 81
Bioactivity of different crude extracts of Salicornia brachiata
H.M.N.P. Herath1, M.N.F. Ifadha2, D. Perera2, N.K.B. Adikaram1, L. Jayasinghe1* 82
Enzyme inhibitors from an endophytic fungus associated with Myristica fragrans
K. Samarakoon1, T. Heenkenda1, C. Jayasooriya1, E.A.I.A. Perera1, D. Yakandawala2,
N.S. Kumar1, N.K.B. Adikaram1, L. Jayasinghe1*, H. Araya3, Y. Fujimoto1,3 83
Chemical quality of groundwater with high fluorides in Hambanthota district villages, Sri
Lanka
W.G.D. Chathurangi1, D.M.T.L. Dasanayaka1, J.A.T.C. Ariyasena2* 84
xx
YSCMR - 2022
Free radical scavenging and metal chelation potential of methanolic extracts of Annona
muricata leaf and seed materials
N.I.S. Dilshan1, S.K. Rodrigo1* 85
Bioactive secondary metabolites from an endophytic fungus associated with Gymnema
sylvestre
L. Jayawardana1,2, K. Samarakoon1, T. S. Kumarathunge1, D. Yakandawala3,
M. N. Wickramaratne2, N.S. Kumar1, N.K.B. Adikaram1, L. Jayasinghe1*, H. Araya4,
Y. Fujimoto1,4 86
Cytotoxicity and free radical scavenging capacity of aqueous fruit extract of Dillenia retusa
H. M. C. K Herath1, S. K. Rodrigo1*, N.K.B. Adikaram2, L. Jayasinghe2 87
Synthesis and characterization of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods confined in LTA zeolite by
post-synthetic hydrothermal encapsulation approach
M.D.R. Perera1*, W.M.A.T. Bandara2, R. Weerasooriya1, I.P.L. Jayarathne1 88
Evidence of the continuation of gendered space in the modern world: A case of air navigation
field in Sri Lanka
K.I.C. Weerawardana1, L.B. Dunsford2* 90
Performance management of agriculture research in Sri Lanka: Organizational dynamics
in operationalizing key performance indicators (KPIs)
K.B. Madhushani1*, P.C. Abeysiriwardana2, U.K. Jayasinghe-Mudalige1 91
Assessment of nutrition literacy and accuracy of nutrition journalism in selected social
segments of Sri Lanka
C.H.M.Y.R Chandrasekara1, M.A. Jayasinghe1*, M.A.D. Mallikarachchi1,
S.P.A.S. Senadheera2, S. Weerasinghe3, S.M. Zahra4 92
Youth empowerment on climate action in Sri Lanka: Addressing challenges an opportunities
A. Suresh1*, K. Suresh2 93
The portrayal of physical disability in selected Jataka Tales: a critical analysis
P.V.S.S. Ranthilini1* 94
The trend of fertilizer usage by paddy farmers in Ampara district, Sri Lanka
A.M.M. Asmath1*, M.N.F. Nashath1 95
Association of environmental stressors and perceived stress of undergraduates: A cross-
sectional study
M.V.N. Gunawardhana1, H.G.G. Rathnamali1, M.H. Mohamed1, K.M.W.M.L. Meerigama1,
S.W.S.S. Jayalath1, K.M.H.H. Kulatunga1*, D.L.N.L. Ubhayawardana2 96
Development of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) oil and Kithul (Caryota urens) treacle
incorporated set yoghurt
A.S. Hettige1*, S.H.P. Malkanthi1, S.H. Karunarathna2 97
xxi
YSCMR - 2022
Biodynamic farmer’s perceptions of biodynamic farming
K.M.R.M. Navoda1*, G.H.I. Anjalee1, P.G.W. Dutuwewa2, W.A.L.S. Boyagoda3 98
The emergence of water management in farming systems in the early world: Maya, Aztec and
Mesopotamian civilizations
S. Kulathunga1*, U. Perera1, C. Udawattha1 99
Study on the attitudes towards sexually transmitted diseases among undergraduates of KIU,
Sri Lanka
M.F.S. Minnath1, M.G.P.A. Gunarathne1, W.L.M. Alwis1, M.F.F. Fasmila1, R.M.S. Fernando1,
V.D.R. Tharindu1, M.K.A. Sampath2, K.M.H.H. Kulathunga1* 100
Secret scars and bitter truths of being sub-fertile: Confessions of men on their impaired
fertility experience and therapeutic negotiations
J.A.P.S. Perera1* 101
AUTHOR INDEX 102
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
2
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-005
Preliminary assessment of biodegradation of waste material by microbial
consortia and sequential fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae
A.H.D. Alahakoon1, E.M.J.M. Rizvi1*
1Southeastern University, Sammanthurai, Sri Lanka
*rizvijam@seu.ac.lk
The most promising near/long-term fuel candidate is lignocellulosic biomass. Bioethanol
derived from such sources could be used as a precursor to other fuels and chemicals that are
currently derived from unsustainable sources. Here, it was hypothesized that organic wastes
can effectively be converted to biofuel by applying enriched microbial consortia associated
with the wastes. The present study was aimed at comparing the extent of biodegradation of
three different lignocellulosic substrates (factory refuse tea, palmyra husk, and grass clippings)
by enriched microbial consortia included in cow dung, compost, coir retting water, and
assessing sequential fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae in ethanol production. Ground
and NaOH-pretreated lignocellulosic substrates were inoculated with the thrice enriched
microbial consortia in a basal medium of peptone and yeast extract, incubated at room
temperature in static conditions in a completely randomized design with eight replicates. On
the 5th day, biodegradation was analyzed in four replicates and the rest were inoculated with 1
g each of S. cerevisiae. Subsequently, the ethanol content was measured using solvent
extraction & dichromate oxidation spectrophotometry at 595 nm. The data were subjected to
one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s test (p < 0.05). Both degradation and ethanol yield
differed significantly among substrates and microbial consortia. The highest biodegradation
(80.95%) was shown in grass clippings with cow dung consortium, while palmyra with
compost consortium showed the lowest biodegradation (19.46%). The ethanol yield ranged
from 1.0048-1.4679 g/g which is higher than the maximum possible theoretical values,
probably due to the impact of medium contents i.e., peptone and yeast extract. There was no
significant correlation between degradation and ethanol yield (r = 0.0378 and P = 0.923).
Further studies in determining the sugar content of hydrolysates and the precise ethanol content
are necessary for arriving at conclusions on the efficacy of bioethanol production of the tested
substrates and microbial consortia.
Keywords: Biodegradation, bioethanol, enriched microbial consortia, fermentation,
lignocellulose substrates
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
3
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-007
Progress towards searching candidate genes for synchronization of Mungbean
flowering using bioinformatics techniques
H.U. Abhayarathne1, I.V. Hadungoda1, N.S. Kottearachchi1*, V. Herath2, D.S. Liyanage1
1Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture and Plantation Management,
Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, Makandura, Gonawila (NWP), 60170, Sri Lanka
2Department of Agricultural Biology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, 20400,
Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
*kottearachchins@yahoo.com
Mungbean (Vigna radiata) is an economically important, nutritious leguminous crop that is
grown widely around the world, especially in Asian countries. One of the major issues that
prevail within this crop is the asynchronous pod maturity. It has led to a low harvesting index
and many other problems during cultivating and harvesting mungbean. These reasons led to
analyzing flowering-related genes in mungbean using in silico comparative analysis with
sequenced plant genomes. In this study flowering-related genes in Arabidopsis thaliana, the
model plant was compared with the mungbean genome to identify new possible homologous
genes. Also, the protein domain structures of flowering genes of mungbean and six other plant
species were retrieved and compared with the help of the Simple Modular Architecture
Research Tool (SMART) Main Page. The protein domains of each flowering gene of
mungbean were compared with those of other selected plant species to identify any missing
domains. Next, a Multiple Sequence Alignment (MSA) was conducted using the MUSCLE
tool of UGene software to identify indels in the regions where the absence of protein domains
was observed in mungbean. The results showed nine novel candidate flowering-related genes
in mungbean that are homologous to A. thaliana, namely; DCL1, CUL3A, VIP5, PUB12,
RGL2, PHYD, GA20O∙3, RGL3, and GA20O∙2. Protein domain comparison between
mungbean and other plant varieties revealed the absence of important flowering-related
domains in mungbean in the genes; APRR9, MSI2, PHYA, SEC, COP1, PEP, AGL6, and
AT5G42910. The areas that were supposed to present these missing domains in mungbean
showed indels according to the Multiple Sequence Alignment (MSA) results. The analysis
further depicted the absence of some protein domains in mungbean and this can have a positive
impact on asynchronous pod maturity as the missing domains are responsible for many
flowering-related functions.
Keywords: Flowering genes, multiple sequence alignment, Vigna radiata
Acknowledgement: The authors acknowledge the research grant (SRHDC/RP/04/16-15) of Wayamba
University of Sri Lanka for providing financial assistance
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
4
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-011
Conversion of farmers to integrated-nutrient management practices of rice-based
cropping systems in Kilinochchi district of Sri Lanka: Findings of a farmer survey
E.D.C.T. Chandrasekara1, N.A.S.A. Neththasinghe1, D.M.S.B. Dissanayaka1,
M. Ariyarathne1, W.M.U.K. Rathnayake2, D.N. Sirisena2, L.D.B. Suriyagoda1*
1Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
2Rice Research and Development Institute, Department of Agriculture, Batalagoda, Sri Lanka
*lalith.suriyagoda@gmail.com
Kilinochchi is the major rice-growing district in the Northern Province which is located in the
Low country's Dry zone of Sri Lanka and contributes to 2.0% and 2.8% of total paddy
production in the country during the Yala and Maha seasons, respectively. The objective of
this study was to assess different agronomic practices adopted by the farmers in the Kilinochchi
district. For that, a questionnaire survey was conducted at the end of the Maha season
2021/2022. Data were collected from 355 farmers selected from major paddy tracks in the
district through the Agriculture Instructors attached to the Department of Agriculture. From
each track, one randomly picked farmer was selected. Widely cultivated rice varieties in the
Kilinochchi district were Bg 300 (35.5%), At 362 (15.7%), At 308 (9.6%) and Bg 360 (9.0%).
When considering the fertilizer management practices adopted, urea, triple super phosphate,
and muriate of potash were applied by 78%, 49%, and 61%, respectively for paddy cultivation.
Out of the total farmers surveyed, 10% applied only inorganic fertilizers, 15% applied only
organic fertilizers, and the rest 75% applied both organic and inorganic fertilizers. In addition,
nano-fertilizers and commercially produced organic fertilizers were applied by 40% of the
farmers. Out of the fields surveyed, 44% were under major irrigation and 53% were under
rainfed paddy cultivation during the Maha season. The majority of the farmers (87%) cultivated
paddy in the previous Yala season and 4% kept their fields to lie fallow. Moreover, 7% and
0.4% of paddy lands were occupied by other field crops and vegetables, respectively. These
findings reveal that paddy farmers in the Kilinochchi district, who largely depended on
inorganic fertilizers, have now moved to use both inorganic and organic fertilizers, and hence
there is a possibility of converting to integrated-nutrient and crop-management systems in rice-
based cropping systems in the district.
Keywords: Crop rotation, fertilizer, irrigation, paddy
Acknowledgement: Financial assistance from the World Bank, under the Accelerating Higher
Education Expansion and Development (AHEAD) (Grant No AHEAD/RA3/DOR/AGRI/PERA-No16)
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
5
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-012
Variation of soil pH and electric conductivity in paddy-cultivated soils in
Sri Lanka
K.H.B.H. Delgoda1, N.A.S.A. Neththasinghe1, E.D.C.T. Chandrasekara1,
D.M.S.B. Dissanayaka1, M. Ariyarathne1, L.D.B. Suriyagoda1*
1Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
*lalith.suriyagoda@gmail.com
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is the most important cereal crop grown in Sri Lanka. Soil reaction (pH)
and electrical conductivity (EC) are two important chemical properties that determine the
growth, productivity, and long-term sustainability of rice. However, the variation of soil pH
and EC in rice-cultivated soils in Sri Lanka has not been systematically explored. Therefore,
1300 soil samples representing rice-cultivated soils in Sri Lanka (six soil orders) were collected
through a stratified random sampling approach. In the laboratory, 10 g of air-dried and sieved
soil sample was mixed with 50 ml of distilled water. Then the samples were shaken for two
hours on an orbital shaker at room temperature. Finally, soil pH and EC were measured using
pH and EC meters. Soil EC values varied between 20 to 6336 µS cm-1, and those EC values
were similar among the six soil types (P > 0.05). Soil pH values varied between 3.0 and 7.6.
Vertisols (5.57 ± 0.094), Inceptisols (5.33 ± 0.072), and Alfisols (5.24 ± 0.028) had higher pH
values than Entisols (4.99 ± 0.044), Ultisols (4.81 ± 0.066) and Histisols (4.09 ± 0.21).
Moreover, 4% of the soil samples reported pH values less than 4, and less than 1% of the soil
samples reported pH values higher than 7.0. The observed variation in soil pH may be due to
climatic conditions such as the amount and intensity of rainfall and temperature. It would also
be affected by the parental materials forming the soil, and agronomic factors such as the
fertilization history. Knowledge of the variation in pH and EC among soils would be important
in managing different soils and increasing the productivity of paddy soils in Sri Lanka.
Keywords: Electrical conductivity, paddy, pH, soil types
Acknowledgement: Financial assistance from the World Bank, under the Accelerating Higher
Education Expansion and Development (AHEAD) (Grant No AHEAD/RA3/DOR/AGRI/PERA-No16)
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
6
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-013
Determination of sugar adulterations in high-grown orthodox black tea
(Camellia sinensis) using high-performance liquid chromatography technique
K.T.G.D. Darshika1, L.B. Dunsford1*, B. Gajanayake1, K.R.W. Abeywickrama2,
W.M.T.C. Weerakoon3
1Department of Plantation Management, Faculty of Agriculture and Plantation Management,
Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, Makandura, Gunwale (NWP), Sri Lanka
2Analytical Laboratory, Sri Lanka Tea Board, Colombo, Sri Lanka
3Horana Plantations PLC, Colombo, Sri Lanka
*dunsfordlb@wyb.ac.lk
Black tea is a type of tea manufactured by withering, rolling, roll breaking, and aeration
followed by drying of freshly plucked young shoots of the tea plant, Camellia sinensis (L.).
Among the major three elevation zones in Sri Lanka, teas from the high-grown zone are
cultivated in four agro-ecological regions viz. ‘Dimbula’, ‘Nuwara-Eliya’, ‘Udupussellawa’
and ‘Uva’. Malpractices were reported in tea factories with externally added sugar solutions
aimed to improve blackness and increase the weight of the manufactured tea. This
improvement happens due to the caramelization of sugar through the Millard reaction.
Therefore, adulteration of made tea using sugar solutions was one of the serious problems
emerging frequently in the tea industry which hinders the quality of Ceylon tea. This study was
carried out at Sri Lanka Tea Board to investigate the sugar contents in terms of fructose,
glucose, and sucrose available in manufactured black tea. This experiment was conducted
focusing on different grades produced in different agro-ecological regions of high-grown
elevation. Sugar contents were analyzed for the intermediate products produced during the
orthodox black tea manufacturing process and for the final product of black tea. Tea samples
were collected from randomly selected factories in each region and sugar content was estimated
chromatographically using the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method.
After analyzing a series of samples and triangulation with experienced tea tasters, the sugar
content of tea exceeding 16.42 mg g-1, can be determined as adulterated. The concentration
level obtained from the experiment could be used as a baseline for high-grown black tea to
determine the sugar adulteration level.
Keywords: Adulteration, black tea, liquid chromatography, sugar content
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
7
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-021
Physicochemical and bacteriological quality of domestic drinking water stored
in clay pots in Birnin Kebbi, Nigeria
M.M. Shamsudeen1*, B.G. Jega1, I. Muawuya2
1Department of Microbiology, Kebbi State University of Science and Technology Aliero, Nigeria
2Department of Animal and Environmental Biology, Kebbi State University of Science and
Technology Aliero, Nigeria
*deenshams2000@gmail.com
Drinking water can become contaminated after being collected from communal sources such
as wells, tap stands, and boreholes, as well as stored at home. The physicochemical and
bacteriological examination of drinking water stored in clay pots in Birnin Kebbi town was
carried out to determine the extent of the contamination. A total of twelve (12) water samples
were randomly collected from various households. These water samples were tested for
physicochemical properties and Bacteriological tests were performed. The spread plate
technique was used to determine the total viable count, while the multiple tube fermentation
technique was used to determine the Most Probable Number (MPN) of coliforms. All the
sampled water was clear in appearance, the colour was less than 1.0, the mean temperature
ranged from 19.25 °C to 20.26 °C, the mean pH ranged from 7.80 to 6.71, the mean turbidity
ranged from 10.7 NTU - 4.50 NTU and mean Total Dissolve Solids ranged from 62.53 (mg l-
1) to 41.66 (mg l-1). When compared to World Health Organization (WHO) standards, pH,
temperature, color, and appearance were all lower (below standard), while turbidity was higher
(above standard). The mean range for the total coliform count was 150 CFU/100 ml to 35
CFU/100 ml while the mean range for the total viable count is 11.1×103 CFU/100 ml -1.4×103
CFU/100 ml. Five samples (41.70%) had coliform count above the recommended limit set by
WHO whereas, seven samples (58.30%) were below the limits. The isolated organisms were
identified as Escherichia coli, Enterococcus spp., Proteus spp., and Pseudomonas spp. The
study found that coliform counts in some samples were within acceptable limits, while others
exceeded them. As a result, precautions should be taken to avoid placing potentially
contaminated items such as hands, cups, or ladles into stored water. Additionally, periodic
cleaning and disinfection of storage pots are highly recommended to prevent contamination.
Keywords: Coliform count, contamination, household drinking water, total viable count
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
8
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-022
Enzyme-assisted extraction of oleoresin from ginger (Zingiber officinale) and its
effect on extraction yield and gingerol and shogaol content
S.M.M.C. Sethunga1*, K.K.D.S. Ranaweera1, I. Munaweera2,
K.D.P.P. Gunathilake3
1Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri
Jayewardenepura, Gangodawila, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
2Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura,
Gangodawila, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
3Department of Food Science & Technology, Faculty of Livestock, Fisheries & Nutrition, Wayamba
University of Sri Lanka, Makandura, Gonawila, Sri Lanka
*maheshichathuranganee@email.com
Ginger oleoresin (GOR); the non-volatile essence of ginger is highly significant in the food
industry for many applications such as flavours, preservatives and nutraceuticals. The
traditional extraction routes are modified using novel technologies such as Enzyme Assisted
Extraction (EAE) to enhance the extraction yields and the main chemical compounds. The EAE
hydrolyses the cell wall materials and facilitates the easy release of flavour compounds. The
present study was done by EAE of GOR using different enzymes and different enzyme
concentrations for maximizing the extraction yield and enhancing the extraction of Gingerol
and Shogaol (GS) contents. Different aqueous enzyme solutions (0.25%, 0.5%, 1%) of
viscozyme and α-amylase were prepared and pH is adjusted to 4.5-5.0 with citric acid. The
crushed dried ginger slices were sprayed with prepared enzyme solution and incubated at 45 ±
2 °C for 90 min. The samples which were treated with enzymes and untreated samples (control)
were extracted by soxhelet extraction for 18 h using ethyl acetate. The yield of GOR was
determined and GS was analysed by HPLC. The enzyme pre-treatment significantly increased
the extraction yield and the GS content of GOR (P < 0.05 at 95% confidence level). The pre-
treated samples with the mixture of viscozyme (composed of Cellulase and Pectinase) and
alpha-amylase gave significantly higher extraction yield and GS content at 0.5% (8.5380 ±
0.0631%, 26.3766 ± 0.6254% respectively) and 1% (8.5477 ± 0.0650%, 26.3766 ± 0.7865%
respectively). There is no significant difference between 0.5% and 1% concentrations. The
present study reveals that EAE is a promising method for the extraction of GOR by maximizing
the extraction yield and GS content. Hence, the mixture of viscozyme and alpha-amylase at
0.5% concentration gave the maximum extraction yield and gingerol and shogaol content.
Keywords: Enzyme-assisted extraction, gingerol, ginger oleoresin, shogaol, yield
Acknowledgement: Authors acknowledge the financial support by university research grant from,
university of Sri Jayewardenepura (ASP/01/SCI/2021/12)
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
9
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-023
Consumer’s knowledge regarding genetically modified foods and artificial food
additives in a suburban area in Kalutara district, Sri Lanka
M.A. Dhananjani1, W.T.R. Wickramasinghe1, E.A.M. Ransika1, D.C. Pathirage1,
B.A.S. Yuwanthika1, H. Kulathunga1*, N. Ubhayawaradana2
1Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health Science, KIU, Sri Lanka
2Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Nursing, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka
*hiroshani@kiu.ac.lk
Genetically modified foods (GM) and artificial food additives have become a trend in the
modern world due to the increased demand for foods with risen population. Misinterpretations
and poor awareness of these foods lead to rising non-communicable diseases such as food
allergies, cancers, and diabetes among consumers. It is a timely need to identify the depth of
the public knowledge on GM foods and artificial food additives, which would have a direct
impact on sustaining the health of consumers through accessing high-quality foods. The study
was carried out in Kotigamgoda Grama Niladhari Division, Kalutara due to the presence of
people who originated from different backgrounds. A descriptive cross-sectional study was
carried out using systematic random sampling among 250 respondents (97 males, and 153
females). Data was collected using a pre-tested self-administered questionnaire which
specifically demanded information on socio-demographic data and knowledge. The results
showed that 99 (39.6%) participants had insufficient knowledge about GM foods, especially
regarding GM components and labelling. Diabetes and cancer-like diseases had a significant
relationship with knowledge about GM foods (p < 0.005). The number of 98 (39.2%)
participants had insufficient knowledge about artificial food additives while the mean total
value was 35.45 ± 6.65. Respondents had not known about the types of food additives and
causative health risks after prolonged usage of artificial additives. Education level may have
played a significant role in the low results of the knowledge of study, as most of the consumers
had GCE O/L and GCE A/L qualifications (n = 137, 54.8%). Since there was a lack of
knowledge among consumers, it needs to educate people regarding these concepts and further
studies are needed to find knowledge about GM foods and artificial food additives in various
communities.
Keywords: Artificial food additives, genetically modified foods, knowledge
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
10
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-027
Evaluation of the growth of Spirulina platensis in reduced-cost media
H.R.P.T. Padmabandu1*, P.M. Withanage2, A.C.M.C.L.K. Coswatte1, S.C. Jayamanne1
1Uva wellassa University, Badulla, Sri Lanka
2National Aquaculture Development Authority, Rambadagalla, Sri Lanka
*pavani.thathsarani@gmail.com
Spirulina platensisis a multicellular blue-green alga with higher popularity in the health and
food industries. Large-scale production of Spirulina in Sri Lanka is limited due to the high cost
of production and limited technical knowledge of cultural methods. The present study was
conducted to formulate a low-cost culture medium incorporated with only essential nutrients.
Accordingly, four culture media were developed with the control (Zorrouk media). [T1 -
NaHCO3 (16.8 g l-1), K3PO4 (0.5 g l-1), NaNO3 (2.5 g l-1), K2SO4 (1.0 g l-1), NaCl (1 g l-1),
Urea 3 g l-1] [T2 - NaHCO3 (16.8 g l-1) K3PO4 (0.5 g l-1), NaNO3 (2.5 g l-1), K2SO4 (1.0 g l-1),
Urea 2.5 g l-1, NaCl (1 g l-1)] [T3 - NaHCO3 (16.8 g l-1) K3PO4 (0.5 g l-1), NaNO3 (2.5 g l-1) ,
K2SO4 (1.0 g l-1), NaCl (1 g l-1) Urea 2.0 g l-1)], [T4 - NaHCO3 (16.8 g l-1), K3PO4 (0.5 g l-1),
NaNO3 (2.5 g l-1), K2SO4 (1.0 g l-1) NaCl (1 g l-1)]. Isolated pure culture of Spirulina was
inoculated into four types of media and in to control medium (Zorrouk medium) with three
replicates. The population density was measured by counting the number of cells of the algae
in each media maintained at 25 °C, pH 10.5 and light intensity of 4000 lux. Data were collected
once in three days for 24 days and normally distributed data were analysed by one-way analysis
of variance (ANOVA). The population densities of cultures were (T1: 0.732×104 ± 0.0312×103,
T2: 4.46×104 ± 0.00851×103, T3: 1.615×104 ± 1.147×103, T4:6.3333×104 ± 2.404×103, control:
1.27000×105 ± 3.512×103). Out of all the four newly developed media, no satisfactory growth
was observed in any medium compared to the control medium. Results indicate only NaHCO3,
K3PO4, K2SO4, NaNO3 and Urea are not enough for the higher growth of Spirulina platensis in
commercial-scale production.
Keywords: Growth, Spirulina platensis, urea, zorrouk medium
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
11
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-028
Review on wound-healing potential of Carica papaya Linn. (A preliminary study)
B.W.A.S. Gunarathna1*, H.S. Sakunthala2, D.M.A.C.E. Dissanayaka3
1University College of Kuliyapitiya, Kuliyapitiya, Sri Lanka
2Gampaha Wickramarachchi University of indigenous medicine, Yakkala, Sri Lanka
3Gampaha Wickramarachchi Ayurveda institute, Yakkala, Sri Lanka
*ayesha.sg.11@gmail.com
Plants or products, derived from herbal plant sources show a pivotal role in both the preventive
and curative aspects of diseases since ancient times. Carica papaya L. (family Caricaceae) is
one of the food crops and important medicinal plant that has been extensively used in traditional
medical systems C. papaya contains a wide range of valuable phytochemicals in the different
parts of the plant and each constituent plays a valuable role in the disease management and
health promotion. Especially for the wound-healing process. Wound healing is a complex and
dynamic biological process of replacing destroyed and missing cellular structures and tissue
layers. The healing action of Carica papaya L. was attributed to its several properties like as
anti-inflammatory, astringent property, vasodilation activity, antioxidant activity, analgesic,
antifungal, and antibacterial properties, and increase collagen synthesis. The objective of this
study was to collect literature data about the wound healing activity of this plant and develop
a new therapeutic agent by correlating its scientifically validated biological activities,
important phytochemicals, and ethnomedicinal uses through authentic traditional texts,
scientific journals, and other authentic texts regarding medicinal plants. According to the
analysis of literature data, it can be concluded that Carica papaya L. was contain a significant
wound healing activity as an invaluable herbal plant thus supporting its traditional uses.
Further, Carica papaya L. may consider as a potent herbal plant that can be developed into
herbal medicine to be utilized as an effective therapeutic agent to enhance the wound healing
process.
Keywords: Chronic wounds, ethno medicine, medicinal plant, papaya, wound cure
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
12
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT- 029
Identification of optimum concentration of 17- -methyltestosterone hormone on
sex reversal of Guppy (Poecilia reticulata)
R.M.S.P. Rajapaksha1*, W.M.H.K. Wijenayake2, R.G.S. Wijesekara2
1Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
2Faculty of Livestock, Fisheries and Nutrition, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka
*shanirajapaksha95@gmail.com
This study was conducted to determine the optimum 17- -Methyltestosterone hormone
concentration required to produce phenotypically sex-reversed guppy among different
concentrations of 10, 20, 30, and 40 mg kg-1 feed used as treatments along with the control.
Each treatment and the control had three replicates with 70 fries reared in glass tanks until 75
days of the experimental period. Hormone-incorporated powdered feed was fed to fish which
was prepared using Prima naught fish feed (800 g), fish meal (200 g), and vitamin-mineral
mixture (10 g) for preparation of 1 kg of experimental feed. The hormone was mixed with feed
by using the ethanol spray method. Treatment feeds were given during the first 21 days
followed by the control feed for the rest of the period. In the end, morphological features were
assessed in each fish. The survival rate showed an inverse relationship with hormone
concentration while no significant difference (p > 0.05) among different levels of hormone-fed
groups. Bodyweight gain and masculinization were increased with the increment of the
concentration with significant differences among each other (p < 0.05). There was no
significant difference in the colour intensity of guppy among different 17- -Methyltestosterone
hormone-fed groups (p > 0.05). However, significantly higher colour intensities were observed
guppy in treatment groups than in the control (p < 0.05) while the fish under 40 mg kg-1
treatment showed the highest body weight gain and masculinization than others. There was no
significant difference in survival rate between the 30 mg kg-1 and 40 mg kg-1 hormone-treated
groups (p > 0.05). The findings of this study concluded that 17- -Methyltestosterone
concentration of 30 mg kg-1 can be used as the optimum hormone concentration for sex reversal
of the guppy with a minimum cost.
Keywords: Guppy, 17- -methyltestosterone, sex reversal
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
13
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-030
Physiological responses of Pseudanabaena to the cyanolytic Pseudomonas
fluorescens BG-E
M.M. Wijesooriya1, K. Masakorala1*, S.M.K.W. Gamage1
1Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Ruhuna, Matara, Sri Lanka
*mas@bot.ruh.ac.lk
Pseudanabaena is a frequently found bloom-forming filamentous cyanobacteria in Sri Lankan
freshwater reservoirs. Bacteria-mediated controlling measures are effective approaches to curb
these nuisance blooms. During a cyanolytic process, antagonist bacteria lyse cyanobacterial
cells and interfere with their normal metabolism. However, detailed studies on cell lysis
mechanisms and physiological responses of filamentous cyanobacteria to bacterial attack are
lacking. This study investigated the physiological responses of filamentous Pseudanabaena
species against the cyanolytic bacterium, Pseudomonas fluorescens BG-E. Two axenic cultures
of Pseudanabaena sp. and Pseudanabaena lonchoides at a cell density of 0.020 (OD730) were
inoculated with 15% (v/v) of the P. fluorescens BG-E cell suspension (6×107 cells ml-1) and its
cell-free supernatant respectively. Bioassays were carried out to determine the changes in
intracellular protein, carbohydrate, and proline contents as measures of physiological responses
of Pseudanabaena towards cyanolytic bacteria at time intervals of 0, 2, 5, 8, and 10 days. There
was a significant increase in protein content of both treatments until the fifth day with 20.19
and 18.27 mg g-1 in Pseudanabaena sp. and P. lonchoides respectively, which drastically
reduced thereafter. In contrast, carbohydrate contents in Pseudanabaena sp. showed a sharp
decrease from 0.582 to 0.056 mg g-1 towards the fifth day. After that, it started to increase and
reached 0.653 mg g-1 by 10 days. Although a similar downward trend was observed in the
carbohydrate contents of P. lonchoides, the level of reduction was comparatively low and the
least reduction, 0.326 mg g-1 was observed on the eighth day. At the end of 10 days, it reached
1.244 mg g-1, which was higher than the control (1.235 mg g-1). The changes in proteins and
carbohydrates between the two treatments of Pseudanabaena species were significant (P <
0.05) throughout the incubation period. This indicates that two species respond differently to
the same antagonist. The proline content in treatments increased and reached a peak on the fifth
day and thereafter, decreased gradually. As proline is a stress-responsive metabolite, its
accumulation in bacteria-treated Pseudanabaena might be a mechanism to alleviate the stress
and the subsequent decrease might be due to the inhibition of proline synthesis as a
consequence of free-radical overproduction. In conclusion, these physiological assays infer that
P. fluorescens BG-E and its secreted metabolites have induced stress responses and impeded
the normal metabolic functions of Pseudanabaena sp. and P. lonchoides respectively.
Keywords: Antagonist, metabolic functions, physiological responses, stress
Acknowledgement: The research was supported by the Accelerating Higher Education Expansion and
Development Operation of the Ministry of Higher Education funded by the World Bank
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
14
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-031
Diversity and antibacterial characteristics of fungal endophytes isolated from
Sonneratia alba (‘Kirilla’)
K. Rajan1, D.M.S.U. Dissanayaka1,2*
1School of Science, Business Management School, Colombo, Sri Lanka
2Edith Cowan University, Australia
*udeshinis@gmail.com
Endophytes colonize plants asymptomatically and generate secondary metabolites of
pharmaceutical, agricultural and industrial significance. They aid in the adaptability of the
hosts such as mangrove plant species to unfavourable habitats. Despite the frequent studies
conducted on the unique properties of mangrove fungal endophytes, only a little information
is available on their antimicrobial properties. Hence, the current study is aimed at testing the
antibacterial properties of fungal endophytes isolated from Sonneratia alba, a true mangrove
species of the family Sonneraticeae. Fungal endophytes were isolated from pneumatophores,
leaves and twigs of S. alba from Negombo, Sri Lanka using Potato Dextrose Agar and broth
media. Ethyl acetate extracts of the isolates were screened using the antimicrobial sensitivity
tests against two test organisms: Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) and Staphylococcus aureus
(ATCC 25923). The tests were repeated twice and the average values were compared to that of
Gentamicin and autoclaved distilled water which was used as the positive and negative
controls, respectively. Seven endophytic fungal isolates were obtained including five species,
namely, Penicillium citrinum, P. brevicompactum, P. limosum, Aspergillus terreus and A.
niger, of which P. citrinum was isolated from all three plant parts. According to the zones of
inhibition in diameter, P. citrinum isolated from the leaves exhibited the highest inhibition
against E. coli (12 ± 4.92 mm) and S. aureus (15 ± 2.68 mm). A Minimum Inhibitory
Concentration of 0.12 mg ml-1 was exhibited by all the fungal isolates, whereas the highest
bactericidal action against both the test organisms was exhibited by P. citrinum isolated from
pneumatophores. The lowest inhibitory action (S. aureus: 7 ± 2.71 mm; E. coli: 5 ± 4.80 mm)
and bactericidal action (Minimum Bactericidal Concentration: 0.5 mg ml-1) were exhibited by
A. terreus. Extracts of other fungal isolates possessed low to moderate antibacterial potency.
The antimicrobial effects exhibited by the endophytic fungal species in this study depict their
potential for generating broad-spectrum drugs against pathogenic infections.
Keywords: Antimicrobial, endophytes, fungi, mangroves
Acknowledgement: The authors thank the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development
Agency, Negombo, Sri Lanka for providing the plant samples
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
15
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-032
Evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of endophytic fungi isolated from
Avicennia marina and Excoecaria agallocha of Negombo
R. Baskaran1, D.M.S.U. Dissanayaka1,2*
1School of Science, Business Management School, Colombo, Sri Lanka
2Edith Cowan University, Australia
*udeshinis@gmail.com
Endophytes are described as bacteria or fungi that reside within plant species while helping
strengthen the plant’s defence mechanism. Thus, plant-endophyte relationships are often
described to be as symbiotic. Drug resistance of certain microorganisms has been and still is a
hurdle in the medicinal industry, thus plant-based drugs are one of the most resourceful ways
to overcome this situation. Bioactive metabolites from fungal endophytes are well known for
eliciting medicinal properties. This study aims to focus on fungal endophytes selected from
two mangroves species: Avicennia marina and Excoecaria agallocha and to examine their
antibacterial properties against a gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and gram-negative
bacterium (Escherichia coli). Undamaged stems, roots, and leaves of both species were
collected from Negombo, Sri Lanka. Subsequent to triple sterilization, fungal endophytes were
cultured on potato dextrose agar, which were later identified based on different morphological
characteristics. The crude extract from these endophytes was subjected to antibacterial activity
tests: viz; Well diffusion, Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and Minimum bactericidal
concentration (MBC). Among the five fungal isolates obtained, four of the isolates belonged
to genus Penicillium while the other isolate belonged to genus Aspergillus. The identified
species were P. citrinum, P. chrysogenum and A. versicolor. The crude extract from all five
endophytic fungi types had some degree of antibacterial activity. The crude extract of P.
citrinum (from the leaves of A. marina) had the largest mean zone of inhibition (MZI) of 17.5
mm against S. aureus and 20 mm against E. coli, while P. chrysogenum has the lowest MZI
against S. aureus (14 mm) and E. coli (10 mm). Moreover, larger MBC values were seen
exerted by crude extracts from P. chrysogenum (1.25 mg ml-1 - S. aureus and 2.5 mg ml-1 - E.
coli), it concludes that these extracts were the least effective. Thus, all three endophytes had an
anti-bacterical activity with P. citrinum being the most effective.
Keywords: Antibacterial activity, crude extracts, mangroves, well diffusion
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
16
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-034
Detection of the antibacterial activity of Chili (Capsicum annuum) fruit and
Kappetiya (Croton aromaticus) leaf extracts against food-borne pathogens
W.R.E.M. Fernando1*, U. Bandaranayake1, H. Mudalige1
1School of Science, Business Management School, Colombo, Sri Lanka
*roshell98fdo@gmail.com
Discovering alternative therapeutics for bacterial infections has become a global concern due
to the increasing antibacterial resistance. Plants endowed with antibacterial phytochemicals
have become more promising in these discoveries. Chilli (Capsicum annuum) fruits and
Kappetiya (Croton aromaticus) leaves have been reported to have antimicrobial properties, as
evidenced by previous research studies. This study was used to assess the antibacterial
properties of the ethanolic extracts of chilli fruit and Kappetiya leaves against Escherichia
coli (ATCC 25922) and Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923) bacterial strains using
antibiotic susceptibility testing (ABST). Ethanolic extracts were obtained by maceration of
dried powders in aqueous ethanol (ethanol: water, 80:20 v/v). ABST was carried out by agar
well diffusion technique, and the zones of inhibition were measured. The highest zones of
inhibition were observed in Kappetiya extract of 100 mg ml-1 and 50 mg ml-1 concentrations
against S. aureus at 13.66 ± 0.47 mm, and 12.66 ± 0.47 mm, respectively. The zones of
inhibition observed for chilli fruit extracts were 11 ± 0.81 mm (100 mg ml-1) against E. Coli and
11.66 ± 0.47 mm (100 mg ml-1) against S. aureus, and low inhibition zones were observed in
50 mg ml-1 extracts. Gentamycin (1 mg ml-1) and DMSO (200 mg ml-1) were used as the
positive and negative controls, respectively. The zone of inhibition data was recorded in
triplicates and statistically analysed for each sample using two-way ANOVA in Graphpad
Prism (9.1.0) software. Chilli extract showed no significant difference between the
concentration and antimicrobial activity against different bacterial strains (P > 0.05). In the
Kappetiya extract, ABST results were observed to be significant (P < 0.05). The ability of
ethanolic extracts to display relatively good inhibition zones could be attributed to the presence
of bioactive compounds in the tested plant parts, which could potentially be a viable source of
antibacterial agents.
Keywords: Antibacterial activity, antibiotic susceptibility testing, Capsicum annuum,
Croton aromaticus, zone of inhibition,
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
17
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT 039
Biochemical analysis of different samples from Cassava (Manihot esculenta)
pomace
C.C. Akmeemana1*, M.A.D. Somendrika1, I. Wickramasinghe1, I. Wijesekara1
1Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri
Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
*chathurangichalani@sci.sjp.ac.lk
Cassava is considered as a low-risk crop due to the ability of adaptability to various
agrochemical constituents. The postharvest shelf life of cassava is reduced due to the
accumulation of cyanogenic glucosides and microbial actions. Cassava starch production is
one of the major industrial utilization of cassava. A solid residual called cassava pomace is
generated as a by-product during the cassava starch processing. Here analysed cassava
pomace’s functional properties. A knowledge of cassava pomace's characteristics is important
in value-added product development. Cassava starch extraction processes were conducted
using three variables of cassava root; without whole peel, with sclerenchyma, and without
sclerenchyma. After straining, the remaining residue on the muslin cloth was collected and
dried in a dehydrator at 60 °C for 12 h. The moisture, pH, oil holding capacity, water holding
capacity, and colour values were recorded in each sample. The moisture values (%) as 10.71 ±
0.09, 10.24 ± 0.37, 10.31 ± 0.19 pH values as 6.57 ± 0.06, 5.06 ± 0.06, 6.08 ± 0.05 oil holding
capacities as 1.58 ± 0.07, 1.43 ± 0.08, 1.54 ± 0.06 water holding capacities as 1.82 ± 0.01, 1.81
± 0.08, 2.09 ± 0.06 were obtained for samples of cassava pomace without whole peel, Cassava
pomace without sclerenchyma, cassava pomace with sclerenchyma respectively. colour values
obtained with corresponding to the L* values as 95.00 ± 0.46, 94.72 ± 1.13, 82.72 ± 0.58 a*
values as 0.50 ± 0.29, -0.82 ± 0.77, 2.78 ± 0.13 b* values as 6.74 ± 2.05, 2.08 ± 0.62, 10.00 ±
0.35, respectively. A significant difference (p < 0.05) was observed concerning pH, water
holding capacities, and colour values between the three samples while no such effects (p >
0.05) were observed for moisture content and oil holding capacity. The colour of the samples
tends to brown with the addition of sclerenchyma. The obtained results showed a remarkable
increase of water holding capacity in cassava pomace with sclerenchyma sample. Results
showed the promising application potential of three samples of cassava pomace in different
food and packaging applications.
Keywords: Cassava pomace, colour value, moisture, pH, water and oil holding capacities
Acknowledgement: The authors thank the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka for
providing the financial assistance for this study (Grant Number: ASP/01/RE/SCI/2022/23)
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
18
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-048
Determination of Arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea) flour colour from five
different provinces in Sri Lanka as a potential alternative for wheat flour
M.K.S. Malki1*, J.A.A.C. Wijesinghe1, R.H.M.K. Ratnayake2, G.C. Thilakarathna3
1Department of Bio-systems Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture and Plantation Management,
Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, Makandura, Gonawila, 60170, Sri Lanka
2Department of Horticulture and Landscape Gardening, Faculty of Agriculture and
Plantation Management, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, Makandura, Gonawila, 60170,
Sri Lanka
3Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Rajarata University of
Sri Lanka, Puliyankulama Jaffna Road, Anuradhapura, 50000, Sri Lanka
*malkisuz@gmail.com
As a key ingredient in the bakery industry, wheat flour has become one of the most commonly
imported agricultural products in Sri Lanka. Due to its functional and nutritional properties as
well as its odourless, white, and gluten-free characteristics, arrowroot is one of the best
alternatives to wheat flour while its utilization is quite little in Sri Lanka. The objective of this
study was to evaluate the possibility of replacing wheat flour with arrowroot flour by taking
into account the colour of the flour, which is an important organoleptic component in the
production of food products. Colourimeter was used for instrumental colour determination
(PCE-CSM 2, United States). Five distinct provinces (Western, North Western, Southern, Uva,
and Sabaragamuwa) were sampled for arrowroot flour. Three colour attributes, L* (lightness),
a* (redness or greenness), and b* (blueness or yellowness) were used to determine the colour.
The deviation in the colour of arrowroot flour was calculated as ΔE using the colour of wheat
flour as the standard. The lightness and redness of the arrowroot flour samples collected were
not statistically different, but yellowness was. The colour deviation from wheat flour ranged
from 3.17 to 4.46, indicating a smaller variance. For all of the arrowroot flour samples, the
colour deviation from wheat flour was not significantly different. Strong negative correlations
between L* and a* (-0.791; P < 0.05) and L* and b* (-0.831; P < 0.05) were observed, and the
cluster analysis revealed that colour attributes for arrowroot flour samples from five different
provinces exhibited a significant degree of familiarity. The colour features of the three
arrowroot flour samples varied slightly, although they were all fairly close to the colour of
wheat flour.
Keywords: Colourimeter, correlation, deviation, L* a* b* values, substitute
Acknowledgement: National Research Council grant 20-074 is acknowledged for providing financial
assistance
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
19
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-049
Analysis of cytotoxicity of some hepatoprotective herbs and their combination as
finding a remedy for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
A.M.A.U. Abeykoon1, M.P. Paranagama2*, K.K. Wijesundera1, R.P.V.J. Rajapakse1
1Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine & Animal Science,
University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya 20400, Sri Lanka
2Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya
20400, Sri Lanka
*madhaviparanagama@gmail.com
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is identified as the most common chronic liver
disease worldwide. Since ancient times, medicinal herbs have been used in traditional medicine
to manage liver diseases. However, their toxic effects must be comprehensive studies before
using them as remedies for NAFLD. The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vitro
cytotoxicity of a polyherbal formula prepared from traditionally used hepatoprotective herbs
in Sri Lanka; Vernonia cinerea (Monarakudumbiya) (whole plant), Atalantia ceylanica (Yaki
Naran) (leaves) and Osbeckia octandra (Heenbowitiya) (leaves). The herbs were authenticated,
washed, air-dried and ground into a fine powder. They were mixed in a 1:1:1 ratio and extracted
in hot water. Individual plants were also extracted for the purpose of comparison. The
cytotoxicity of the freeze-dried hot water extracts was determined by MTT assay. Vero 76 cells
(ATCCCRL-1587) were treated for 48 h with serial dilutions of extracts (10 mg ml-1 to 0.078
mg ml-1). The results were expressed as the mean cell viability ± SD (n = 8). The IC50 values
of the samples were compared using one-way ANOVA followed by post hoc Tuckey’s test.
P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. The lowest IC50 value was shown by V. cinerea
(1.57 ± 0.39 mg ml-1) which was significantly lower than that of A. ceylanica (4.32 ± 0.47 mg
ml-1), O. octandra (9.9 ± 0.31 mg ml-1) and the polyherbal mixture (2.99 ± 0.43 mg ml-1).
Among the tested herbal extracts, O. octandra has the lowest cytotoxicity and V. cinerea has
the highest cytotoxicity on Vero 76 cells. The cytotoxicity of the polyherbal formula was
significantly higher than that of O. octandra and A. ceylanica, but lower than that of V. cinerea.
Future studies are directed to analyse the direct cytotoxic effect of the herbal extracts using
trypan blue dye exclusion assay on human fibroblast cell line and hepatic cell line in-vitro and
subsequently using an animal model in vivo.
Keywords: Atalantia ceylanica, Osbeckia octandra, poly herbal mixture, Vernonia cinerea
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
20
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-051
Establishment of a polymerase chain reaction assay for detection of fungal species
in clinical samples
B.G.E.B. Mudalige1, T. Denipitiya1*
1Department of Molecular Diagnostics, Lanka Hospital Diagnostics, Colombo 05, Sri Lanka
*erangaamudalige@gmail.com
The pathogenic fungal infection has been increasing in recent years due to elevating of the
population of immune-compromised patients, and the widespread use of broad-spectrum
antibiotics. The conventional and standard methods for the diagnosis of fungal infections in the
clinical laboratory include culture and histopathology which are based on morphological and
physiological tests. These methods often require three or more days for reporting the results
and indicate less sensitivity and specificity. A PCR assay based on molecular techniques for
the detection of fungal DNA may be the optimal diagnostic tool because it offers highly
sensitive and specific results than culture-based methods and can be applied to a variety of
specimens with rapid diagnosis. By designing primers that are able to identify fungi at the
species or genus level, particular sequences from purified fungal DNA are amplified. The
internal transcribed spacer (ITS) 1, 5.8S and ITS2, 28S sections are all found in the rRNA gene
cluster, a well-liked target. The small and big ribosomal RNA subunits are produced from this
cluster of genes. The test becomes more sensitive because fungal cells have numerous copies
of this cluster. This PCR assay can be used to diagnose a wide range of fungi, but six commonly
available fungi were used as reference samples for the diagnosis of patients. Six reference
samples with resulted band sizes are Candida tropocalis (720-800 bp), C. glabrata (520-600
bp), C. albicans (520-600 bp), Trichosporon (520-600 bp), Beauveria (600-720 bp),
Aspergillus niger (720-800 bp). Therefore, ITS genes from the different types of fungi species
were well-amplified by using universal IT primers. Optimized and established PCR
assay might focus on novel diagnosis assay for fungal infections. It is rapid and more sensitive
than conventional methods which are currently available for the diagnosis of fungal infections.
Keywords: Molecular assay, optimization, sensitivity, specificity, universal primers
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
21
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-052
Physicochemical properties of collagen from a non-commercial sea cucumber
species: Holothuria atra
N.D. Wimalagunarathna1, J.M.N.J. Jayathilake1, K.V.K. Gunathilake1*
1Department of Zoology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura,
Gangodawila, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
* varunig@sjp.ac.lk
Amongst a large number of sea cucumber species, most remained non-commercial and thus
neglected without bioprospecting. Sea cucumbers can be considered as one of the potential
marine sources of high collagen content, thus serving as a promising source of marine collagen.
The current study aims at extracting collagen from a non-commercial sea cucumber species;
Holothuria atra and investigating its physicochemical properties. Fresh sea cucumber samples
were collected from Mannar, Sri Lanka and collagen was extracted by Acid-Solubilized
Collagen (ASC) extraction. Collagen yield was calculated while moisture content and pH value
of the extracted collagen were measured. Attenuate Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform
Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy and Scanning Electron
Microscopy (SEM) analyses were carried out to investigate the physical properties of extracted
collagen. The results indicated 0.95% of collagen yield (w/w) based on the dry weight while
moisture content and pH were measured as 7.246% and 3.95 respectively. The ATR-FTIR
analysis confirmed amide A (3282.60 cm-1), amide B (2900-3080 cm-1), amide I (1631.75 cm-
1), amide II (1330-1545 cm-1), amide III (1075-1240 cm-1) functional groups having preserved
triple helix structure with amide III/II ratio (0.85). According to the UV-Vis spectrum,
maximum absorbance was reported at 232 nm indicating the presence of collagen type I in the
ASC. Moreover, the ultrastructure of the collagen; bundles of fibrils with similar
circumference, irregular and dense in appearance, and loosely arranged porous structure was
observed by SEM. Thus, the present study for the first time reported Holothuria atra, as a
source of type I collagen. Further research is underway to evaluate the bioactivities and toxicity
of the extracted collagen from Holothuria atra.
Keywords: Acid-solubilized collagen, marine collagen, moisture content, pH, physical
properties
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
22
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-054
Determination of lycopene content in selected locally grown tomato
cultivars (Solanum lycopersicon L.)
M. Sukanya1*, K.B. Wijesekara1, K.G.C. Senarathna1
1Department of Biosystems Technological Studies, Faculty of Technological Studies
Uva Wellassa University, Badulla, Sri Lanka
*msukanya92@gmail.com
Lycopene is an important carotenoid present in tomatoes. The antioxidant activity of lycopene
is linked with many health benefits including reducing the risk of certain chronic diseases
including cancer. The daily intake of lycopene for an adult is between 8-12 mg. There are many
locally grown tomato cultivars yet no detailed report is available on their lycopene content.
This study determines the lycopene content of five tomato cultivars ‘Ravi’, ‘Rajitha’, ‘Thilina’,
‘Lanka sour’, and ‘Maheshi’ cultivated extensively in Sri Lanka. Both fresh and sundried forms
of tomatoes were analysed for their lycopene content. Certified seeds were obtained from the
Plant Genetic Resources Centre (PGRC) at Gannoruwa. Firstly, the seeds were raised
separately and after three weeks vigorous seedlings were transferred into the plastic pots. This
plastic pot each has a capacity of 0.01 m3. The pots were filled using top red soil, and compost
at a ratio of 1:1. This experiment was laid out in a Complete Randomized Design with ten
replications and a number of fifty pots were enrolled for this study. Tomato plants of all five
cultivars were grown to maturity in a protected house. Lycopene content was measured in each
cultivar in the harvesting stage. There were significant differences (p < 0.05) between the
lycopene contents of the selected tomato cultivars. The highest fresh and sundried lycopene
contents were obtained in Lanka sour (fresh 112.8 kg mg-1 and sundried 431 mg kg-1). The
lowest lycopene contents were found in Ravi (fresh 54.08 mg kg-1 and sundried 119.2 mg kg-
1). Hence, the present study has proved that the ‘Lanka Sour’ tomato cultivar has given a high
lycopene content on fresh and sundried among the five cultivars.
Keywords: Fresh tomato, lycopene, local cultivars, sun-dried tomato
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
23
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-055
Effect of soil application different concentrations of chitosan on the vegetative
growth of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cultivar Thilina
S.W.S.A. Amarasekara1, M. Sukanya1*, K.H.L.K. Hewavitharana1
1Department of Biosystems Technology Faculty of Technological Studies, Uva Wellassa University,
Badulla, Sri Lanka
*msukanya92@gmail.com
Proper nutrients and fertilizer are mandatory for the growth and development of plants. There
is a need to use alternative fertilizers effectively and efficiently due to the scarcity of chemical
fertilizers in Sri Lanka. Considering the current situation. This experiment was conducted at
Uva Wellassa University Sri Lanka during the 2022 ‘Yala’ season to determine the effect of
soil application of different concentrations of chitosan on the growth of tomato cultivar
(Thilina) during the vegetative stage. Seeds were sown in a nursery tray and after 3 weeks
healthy seedlings were transferred to the 128 polythene pots (42 cm in height and 36 cm in
width) filled with a potting mixture of red soil and compost in a ratio of 1:2 respectively. An
experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four treatments
and four replications. Chitosan was applied in liquid form to soil with three different
concentrations of 70 mg l-1, 80 mg l-1, and 120 mg l-1, and deionized water was used as the
control treatment. There were significant differences between the treatments for the measured
growth attributes of the ‘Thilina’ cultivar during the vegetative stage. The 120 mg l-1 of chitosan
had a significant effect on plant leaf area (10 cm2), plant height (31 cm), and dry weight (3.15
g) compared to the control. Hence, this study revealed that 120 mg l-1 of chitosan as soil
application showed better performance in the ‘Thilina’ cultivar during the vegetative stage.
Keywords: Chitosan, dry weight, leaf area, plant height, tomato
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
24
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-059
Study on the risk factors associated with human leptospirosis in the District of
Gampaha, Sri Lanka
U.M.H.U. Uduwawala1, A. Manamperi1, L. Karunanayake3, G.P.S. Gunaratna2,
M. Hapugoda1*
1Molecular Medicine Unit, Faculty of Medicine University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka
2Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka
3National Reference Laboratory for Leptospirosis, Medical Research Institute, Sri Lanka
*menakaha@kln.ac.lk
Leptospirosis is one of the widespread zoonosis with a high incidence of cases in most of the
districts in Sri Lanka influenced by ecological factors recognized to affect the transmission of
leptospirosis. The retrospective study was focused to identify the socio-economic,
occupational, and environmental risk factors involved in the transmission of leptospirosis in
the District of Gampaha. Data collection was performed at the household level using a
descriptive interviewer-administrated questionnaire. Laboratory-confirmed patients infected
with leptospirosis in the hospital-based study represented the index group (n = 97) and non-
leptospirosis as the control group (n = 97) during the period of June 2018 to December 2019.
Categorical risk factor data were compared using the chi-square test (SAS software).
Surrounding cleanliness (χ2 = 41.5, P = 0.00), type of sanitary facilities (χ2 = 25.7, P = 0.00),
waste disposable method (χ2 = 32.5, P = 0.00), and proximity to garbage place (χ2 = 3.2, P =
0.00) were identified as significant associated environmental factors. There was no significant
difference between the index group and control group for the animal contact extended with
rodent/domestic animal presence (χ2 = 4.2, P > 0.05), environmental factors such as type of
premises (χ2 = 2.1, P > 0.05), vegetation cover (χ2=3.4, P > 0.05), type of drinking water
(χ2=21.6, P>0.05) and socio-economic factors including family income (χ2 = 12.2, P > 0.05),
educational level (χ2 = 6.8, P > 0.05), previous attacks of leptospirosis (χ2 = 2.2, P > 0.05) and
any known incidence of leptospirosis (χ2 = 4.3, P>0.05). Socio-economic factors, gender (χ2 =
35.2, P = 0.00), and the age group (χ2 = 41.2, P = 0.00) showed significant association with the
transmission of leptospirosis. Suggestively results indicated that 90% of leptospirosis patients
were males and age group 41-60 were endangered to the leptospirosis risk. Occupational
exposure was a significant risk factor (P = 0.00, χ2 = 72.4) and results suggest that most of
leptospirosis infected patients were farmers (49.5%), laborers (15.5%), and masons (10.3%)
with a proneness to get the infection through the contaminated environment. Identification of
the potential risk factors suggests the transmission dynamics of leptospirosis initiate control
and preventive measures to reduce the disease burden.
Keywords: Environment, leptospirosis, occupation, surveillance
Acknowledgement: Financial assistance and technical support by the University of Kelaniya,
research grant (RP/03/SR/04/16/01/2016)
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
25
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-060
Silver nanoparticles: eco-friendly synthesis using five varieties of Annonaceae leaf
extract and evaluation of antioxidant, photocatalytic, and antibacterial properties
K.D.S Fernando1, M. Kandiah1*
1School of Science, BMS, 591. Galle Road, Colombo, Sri Lanka
*mathi@bms.ac.lk
The development of reliable, eco-friendly, and sustainable methods to synthesize silver
nanoparticles (AgNPs) is a rapidly developing field in nanotechnology. In this study, five
varieties of Annona leaves were used to synthesize AgNPs to investigate their antioxidant,
photocatalytic and antibacterial properties. The water extract was prepared by mixing 2 g of
sample with 50 ml of water and was heated at 95 °C for 20 minutes. The phytochemical analysis
uncovered the presence of phytochemical compounds that were responsible for the formation
and stabilization of AgNPs. 1 ml of water extract was mixed with 9 ml of 1 mM AgNO3
solution and was optimized at different temperatures and time intervals, such as room
temperature at 24 hours, 90 °C and 60 °C at 15, 30, 45 and 60 minutes. Initially, the formation
of AgNPs was observed by a colour change and was confirmed by the UV-Vis spectroscopy
which displayed a plasmon resonance peak between 420-440 nm at room temperature. The size
and shape of Annona squamosa red AgNPs were analyzed by the scanning electron
microscope, and it was spherical in shape and with a size of 40 nm. The antioxidant properties
were analyzed by Total Phenolic Content, Total Antioxidant Content, and Total Flavonoid
Content. High levels of antioxidants were observed in the AgNPs than in water extracts. The
photocatalytic activity of Annona squamosa red AgNPs was analyzed by Methyl Red for 267
mg l-1, and 4000 mg l-1 and under sunlight with and without the presence of NaBH4 catalyst.
The degradation of methyl red was partially achieved without NaBH4 in 75 minutes; however,
the dye was completely degraded with NaBH4 in 120 minutes in the presence of sunlight. The
AgNPs showed significant antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus
aureus assayed by the well diffusion method. Therefore, the results confirmed that the
synthesized AgNPs can be used in a variety of medical and environmental applications.
Keywords: Annonaceae leaves, antimicrobial, antioxidant, photocatalyst, silver nanoparticles
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
26
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-067
Development of an efficient in vitro propagation protocol for Salicornia
E.M.T.S. Ekanayake1*, M.S. Gunasekara1, D. Perera1
1Department of Bioprocess Technology, Faculty of Technology, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka,
Mihinthale, Sri Lanka
*sadiniekanayake@yahoo.com
Salinization has been identified as a major global problem as it results in a serious loss of arable
lands and freshwater required for cultivation and irrigation. It leads to a declined crop yield
that could have otherwise been used to satisfy global demand for food, feed and raw material
for various industries. In remediating the issue, developing greater salt-tolerant crops will take
a long time and therefore introducing naturally salt-tolerant plants (i.e., halophytes) will be a
feasible option. Salicornia is an annual succulent halophyte that is already utilized as a food in
many parts of the world and is a potential raw material for several industries including
pharmaceutical, biofuel, textile and edible oil. Even though some countries have already
established Salicornia commercial cultivation, large-scale production of uniform plants
throughout the year is still a challenge. In vitro techniques are widely used to regenerate many
crops on a large scale but Salicornia has received less attention for in vitro multiplication. Thus,
the current study aimed to develop a simple and rapid, yet efficient in vitro propagation protocol
to regenerate native Salicornia species. First, the sterilization protocol for shoot tips was
optimized where initial washing with a detergent for 1 min followed by immersion in 70%
ethanol for 30 secs and then washing with 10% Clorox for 15 min was found to be the most
effective (two-way ANOVA with 5% significance level). Different concentrations and
combinations of 6-Benzylaminopurine and 1-Naphthaleneacetic acid are being used in
Murashige and Skoog basal media and the best combination of those plant growth regulators
for successful direct shoot initiation will be identified. The putative in vitro regeneration
protocol developed for Salicornia will facilitate rapid clonal multiplication of Salicornia in
large-scale cultivation.
Keywords: Direct organogenesis, halophytes, micropropagation, sterilization
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
27
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-070
Comparative analysis of antidiabetic activities and total phenolic content of
Sri Lankan herbal plants; Udahalu (Passiflora foetida), Heenbovitiya
(Osbeckia octandra) and Ranawara (Cassia auriculata) flowers
M.A. Wickramasinghe1, N.G.D. Anuradha1, P.G.I. Dias1, T.C. Kananke1*,
S.M.D.S. Gayathri1, M.G.A.N. Perera1, R.M.K.T. Rathnayaka1, R.S. Sabaragamuwa1,
M.N. Wickramarathne2, R.M.U.S.K. Rathnayaka1
1Faculty of Applied Sciences, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, P.O. Box 02, Belihuloya,
Sri Lanka
2Faculty of Medicine, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, P.O. Box 01, Hidellana, Sri Lanka
*thilini@appsc.sab.ac.lk
At the present, diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the major health problems in the world, which
affects the consequences of human health. A number of conventional antidiabetic drugs are
available with unavoidable side effects. But researchers revealed that medicinal plants may act
as an alternative source of antidiabetic agents because of their biologically active components.
In this study, herbal plants of Udahalu (Passiflora foetida), Heenbovitiya (Osbeckia octandra)
and Ranawara (Cassia auriculata) flowers were subjected to air-drying process and the
extractions were done by using hot water. The freeze-drying process was carried out to obtain
the crude contents of these extracts while calculating the extraction yields. For these crude
extracts, antidiabetic activities were analysed by using an alpha-amylase inhibition activity
assay and the results were presented as IC50 values. Total Phenolic Content (TPC) was
determined by the Folin-Cioacalteu method. Data analysis was carried out by using CompuSyn
and Minitab software. According to the results, the extraction yields of samples were in the
range of 20.35- 44.92% and the highest yield was shown by Udahalu (Passiflora foetida) 44.92
± 2.45%. IC50 values for the alpha-amylase inhibition activities of plants ranged from 23.67-
277.7 µg ml-1. That value was higher than the IC50 value of acarbose (50.2 ± 3.8 µg ml-1). The
Total Phenolic Content (TPC) of these plants was in the range of 1.97-2.16 GAE mg/100 g,
and the highest TPC and antidiabetic activities were obtained from Heenbovitiya (Osbeckia
octandra). There was a strong negative (-0.99033) correlation was expressed between TPC and
alpha-amylase inhibition activities. Therefore, this study sums up the diverse importance of the
Heenbovitiya (Osbeckia octandra) herbal plant and its effectiveness for therapeutic natural
food product developments.
Keywords: Antidiabetic, herbal plants, phenolic, therapeutic
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
28
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-073
Histological studies to determine the toxicity of Profenofos on genetically
improved farmed Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus (GIFT Tilapia)
D.N.G. Dayananda1*, S.N. Surendran1
1Department of Zoology, University of Jaffna, Jaffna, Sri Lanka
*ngdayananda23@gmail.com
The extensive use of pesticides in modern agriculture can cause severe consequences because
of their bio-magnification and persistence. This research was designed to study the toxicity of
Profenofos, an Organophosphate pesticide used to control pests in agricultural lands on the
genetically improved strain of farmed Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). The LC50 value of
Profenofos for fingerlings with (2 ± 0.5) g average weight and (6 ± 0.5) cm average total length
was determined by probit analysis using MS Excel 2013 software. Subadults with (14.0 ± 0.5)
cm average total length and (71.0 ± 0.5) g average weight were stocked and exposed to different
concentrations of Profenofos ranging from 0 to 0.20 mg l-1 for four weeks and the histological
alterations of the liver, kidney, and gills were examined. The 72 hours LC50 value
for Oreochromis niloticus fingerlings was 0.26 mg l-1 at 30.1 ± 1 °C. Histological results
revealed that Profenofos causes histopathological alterations such as cytoplasmatic
vacuolation, swelling hepatocytes with pyknotic nuclei, and severe infiltration of erythrocytes
in the livers of exposed fish. Small vacuoles, pyknotic nuclei, glomerular Shrinkage, renal
epithelium degeneration, and infiltration of erythrocytes were noticed in the exposed kidneys.
Degeneration of gill epithelium in secondary lamellae and infiltration of leucocytes were
noticed in the gills of exposed fish. The study revealed that Profenofos cause histological
alterations in the genetically improved strain of Oreochromis niloticus and should be
considered when used in agricultural fields close to natural freshwater bodies.
Keywords: Aquatic toxicology, fish, histology, pesticides
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
29
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-074
Assessing the food safety and hygiene knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of street
food vendors in Pettah, Sri Lanka
M.G.W.L. Jayasekara1*, H.M.D. Nayomi1
1Faculty of Science, Horizon Campus, Malabe, Sri Lanka
*wjayasekara@horizoncampus.edu.lk
Street food plays a key role in feeding urban populations with cheap, affordable and nutritious
food. However, street food is also seen as a potential health hazard as food safety has become
a public health issue where major outbreaks of foodborne illness have been documented,
highlighting both the public health and social significance. The majority of street food vendors
lack training in food safety and hygiene and work in unregulated businesses. The knowledge
on food safety and hygiene is essential for street food vendors to ensure that the food served
for the consumers is safe for consumption, the goal of this study is to present considerations
regarding the practices of street food vendors in terms of food safety and hygiene, at Pettah
market located in the city of Colombo, Sri Lanka. The study was conducted by the means of
face-to-face interview involving 20 participants selected by simple random sampling. A
structured questionnaire and an observation checklist were used to collect data covering their
demographic information, Knowledge on personal hygiene, sanitary requirements, food
storage and handling practices. The data was analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 26.0. All
(100%) of street food vendors were males and only 35% had no formal education. Most
(53.7%) street food vendors had good personal hygiene knowledge and only 40% of street food
vendors had no good food storage and handling practices. The results indicate that majority
(70%) of street food vendors had good sanitary requirements. However, 60% of street food
vendors lack sufficient knowledge concerning the environmental cleanliness around the stall.
The general food safety and hygiene knowledge of street food vendors in Pettah market was
moderate and the study suggests, better training for them in order to ensure that the street food
vendors improve their knowledge on food safety and hygiene.
Keywords: Food safety, food hygiene, health hazard, street food, street vendor
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
30
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-075
Development of plant-based sausage analogue incorporating anti-diabetic herbs
and evaluation of its organoleptic and techno functional properties
K.M.S.A.K. Dehideniya1, V.P. Bulugahapitiya1*, R.S. Sabaragamuwa2,
T.C. Kananke2
1Department of Chemistry, University of Ruhuna, Matara, Sri Lanka
2Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences,
Sabaragamuwa University, Belihuloya, Sri Lanka
*vajira@chem.ruh.ac.lk
This study aimed to develop a plant-based sausage analogue as a vegan counterpart of meat-
based sausages. Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus), kohila stalk (Lasia spinosa) and soy
protein (texturized vegetable protein) were used as the base of the product to obtain the required
level of protein and the desirable texture. In addition, low glycemic ingredients, antidiabetic
herbs (with ethnomedicinal and in-vitro proven evidence) and the mixture of spices were used
to enhance the binding and flavour properties as well as added health benefits. Different
formulations prepared based on three grinding and bawl chopping intensities. The varied
texture and flavour profiles were organoleptically evaluated by hedonic test, to select the most
preferable sensory attributes. Proximate analysis (AOAC methods) for the final product and
microbial analysis were conducted over one month. No additional preservatives or artificial
flavours are added to the vacuum-packed product. Moisture, crude protein, total fat, crude fiber,
ash, and total carbohydrate contents of the developed sausage were 40.08 ± 0.30%, 2.26 ±
0.26%, 3.07 ± 0.10%, 6.70 ± 0.83%, 7.60 ± 1.68%, and 40.29% respectively. The microbial
analysis revealed that the total plate count was at a safe level (2.8×105cfu/g), and no detectable
yeast and mould counts were reported over one month stored at 4 °C. Water activity of 0.96 ±
0.01, emulsion stability of 46.75 ± 0.57%, frying loss of 1.32 ± 0.17%, pH value of 5.71 ± 0.10
and calorific value of 4.72 ± 2.34 kcal g-1 (dry basis) were determined. Colour of the sausage
was dark brown, measured as L*; 44.37 ± 1.20, a*; 7.36 ± 0.02, and b*; -20.48 ± 0.27 values
with Konica minolta CR- 400 colorimeter. The texture attributes measured by the Brookfield
texture analyzer gave values; 1765.10 ± 33.23 g, 3.18 ± 0.17 mm, 0.59 ± 0.06, 921.06 ± 2.33
g and 29.66 ± 1.28 mJ for its hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, gumminess, and chewiness,
respectively. This plant-based sausage analogue will serve as a competitive meat alternative
with healthy ingredients and comparable sensory and textural properties, especially for
vegetarian and vegan consumers seeking novel food products to satisfy their palate.
Keywords: Antidiabetic, low glycemic ingredients, meat alternative, sausage, vegan
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
31
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-076
Characterization of Salmonella spp in self-mixed chicken layer feed: Possible food
safety risk through food chain contamination
H.C. Gallage1, H.M.T.K. Karunarathna1, L.A.D.E. Weerasinghe2, R.S. Kalupahana1,
K.S.A. Kottawatta1*
1Department of Veterinary Public Health and Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and
Animal Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
2Hayleys Agriculture Holdings Limited, Colombo, Sri Lanka
*sarunika@yahoo.com/sandavphp@gmail.com
Feed is one of the potential sources for introducing hazardous microorganisms to animal-
derived food chains. Fitting to EU standards, a feed sample with acceptable quality should be
free from Salmonella. Salmonella is considered a major foodborne pathogen with greater public
health importance. In a previous study, we found that compound feed manufactured for feeding
chickens was free from Salmonella. Therefore, with this study, we aimed to investigate the
presence of Salmonella in self–mixed chicken layer feed. Thirty-five feed samples in triplicates
were collected from 35 layer farms located in three veterinary ranges: Bingiriya,
Panduwasnuwara, and Kobeiganein Kurunegala district. The Salmonella detection methods
described in ISO 6579:2002 and SLS: 516:5:1992 were used to isolate and identify Salmonella.
Salmonella isolates were confirmed by Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the invA
gene. Thereafter, PCR-confirmed isolates were subjected to hanging drop and SIM tests to
identify the motility of the organisms while using Salmonella typhimurium and Shigella ATCC
23354 as positive and negative control respectively. Phenotypic antibiotic susceptibility
profiling of Salmonella isolates was performed by disk diffusion method for 10 antimicrobials.
A Salmonella culture received from WHO with known Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profile
was used as a quality control strain. Out of 35, seven samples (20%) were confirmed positive
for Salmonella and two (5.7%) were positive for the motility test. The highest AMR was
reported for ampicillin (3.8%). Apart, 1.9% of Salmonella were resistant to each gentamycin
and streptomycin. All the isolates were susceptible to tetracycline,
sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, and chloramphenicol. The least susceptibility (47.2%) was
reported for streptomycin. The absence of Salmonella in compound feed but the presence of
the same in self-mixed feed alarm the necessity of testing raw materials used for self-mixed
feed production and evaluating the process of self-mixing to take necessary precautionary
measures to produce quality and safe feed.
Keywords: Antimicrobial resistance profile, invA gene, motility, PCR
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
32
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-080
An in-silico identification of potential tyrosine kinase inhibitors for wild-type and
drug-resistant T315I mutant in CML
J.L. Subasinghe1*, H.M.S.A. Kumari1
1Department of Chemistry, University of Jaffna, Jaffna, Sri Lanka
*janyalumbini0@gmail.com
Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative disorder characterized by the BCR-
ABL oncogene present in the Philadelphia chromosome, and therapies with tyrosine kinase
inhibitors (TKI) are reported to be highly effective. However, TKI resistance may occur
secondary to the development of ABL1 mutations. T315I is a common mutation that accounts
for 20% of clinical resistance to TKIs such as Imatinib, Dasatinib, and Nilotinib. Even though
Ponatinib is sensitive to the T315I mutant, some patients have developed Ponatinib resistance.
Chemoinformatics and structure-based virtual screening approaches were used in this study to
identify potential TKIs sensitive to the wild-type and the T315I mutant. The two kinases were
docked against 24 compounds (18 novel and 6 compounds from PubChem), after which the
top hits were filtered and their pharmacokinetic properties were evaluated to identify leads
from hits. The candidate compounds were developed by applying a combination strategy of
bio-isosteric replacement and conformational restrictions based on the structures of Nilotinib
and Ponatinib. Target compounds consist of two heterocyclic fragments: one that binds to the
adenine pocket and the other that attaches to the allosteric pocket. A carbon-carbon triple bond
was used to avoid the steric clash of the bulky isoleucine residue in T315I. Autodock Vina was
used to obtain their binding affinities and to propose structural hypotheses of how the
molecules could inhibit the target. The target protein kinases were retrieved from the Protein
data bank. According to the results, 6b was found to be highly potent against the wild-type Bcr-
Abl. However, 6b violated 2 of Lipinski’s rules, and modifications are essential to enhance its
drug-likeness. Overall, 13 hits were found sensitive to the T315I mutation and 8 lead
compounds (1b, 3a, 3d, 4b, 4d, 5b, 5c, and 6c) complied well with Lipinski’s rules,
bioavailability, and synthetic availability scores, turning hits into leads. The heterocyclic
fragments of the 8 lead compounds consist of modified pyridine, pyrimidine, pyrazine, and
imidazole rings. Furthermore, MD simulations and in vitro validations can be carried out to
assess their stability in a biological environment.
Keywords: BCR-ABL, molecular docking, pharmacokinetic properties, T315I, TKIs
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
33
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-081
Development of a control program for coffee roasting profile
W.H.T.D. Wickramahewa1*, K.S.P. Amaratunga1, R.M.R.D. Abeyrathna1, M.I.M. Mowjood1,
A.A.P.S. Amarasinghe1, H.K.P.P. Kariyawasam2, E.M.A.C. Ekanayake3
1Department of Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya,
Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
2Department of Agricultural Technology, Faculty of Technology, University of Colombo, Colombo,
Sri Lanka
3Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
*tdilshan18offc@gmail.com
There is a need for an appropriate coffee roaster for speciality coffee processing in Sri Lanka
as most of the available coffee roaster machines do not satisfy roasting uniformity. Coffee
roasting machines require a controlling system to follow coffee roasting profiles to maintain
the standard quality of the final product. Therefore, this study was conducted to develop the
essentials to produce an open-source program to follow the temperature of the coffee roasting
profile assuring the uniformity of roasting, and improve the ability to change the roasting
profile controlling program, by anyone according to the requirements of the roast master. The
control program was written by using the python language on a Raspberry Pi microcontroller
board to measure the real-time temperature every 25 ms using a K-type thermocouple
(MAX6675). The pulse width modulation (PWM) technique was used to control the heating
element by considering the difference between the set value and the real-time mean temperature
value in 250 ms time intervals. The parallel multiprocessing programming technique was used
to run this programme as it facilitates real-time temperature monitoring and control. A roasting
cylinder having 0.19 m3 volume and a 1000 W hot air blower were used to calibrate the program
by providing PWM ranges at various duty cycles with the aid of a predetermined standard
temperature curve obtained from an experienced roast master. During the evaluation process,
the temperature control system could maintain the roasting temperature with a Standard Error
of Estimate (SSE) of ± 2 °C throughout the standard temperature curve. The results revealed
that the python-based control system is a viable method to precisely control the temperature of
the coffee roasting process.
Keywords: Coffee roasting profile, parallel multiprocessing programming, pulse width
modulationreal-time temperature controlling, specialty coffee
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
34
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-082
Assessment of socio-demographic data and knowledge, attitudes, and practices
(KAP) regarding Vitamin D and its deficiency among undergraduates in KIU,
Sri Lanka
R.H.R.N. Perera1, V.P.O.H. Pramodhya1, W.S.M.D. Abeysinghe1, P.V. Bhagya1,
J.A.D.K. Wimanshika1, P.J. Wijekumar1*, S. Chakrewarthy 2
1Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, KIU, Sri Lanka
2Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka
*jalini@kiu.ac.lk
Vitamin D deficiency is a major public health problem worldwide because a significant portion
of the global population is at risk of deficiency and insufficiency in all age groups. Many
biological, ethnocultural, environmental, and lifestyle factors affect vitamin D deficiency. This
study aimed to assess the association between socio-demographic factors and the level of KAP
towards vitamin D and its deficiency among undergraduates in the Tertiary Educational
Institute (KIU) in Sri Lanka. A descriptive cross-sectional study using a validated, self-
administered questionnaire was conducted among a selected group of undergraduates at KIU.
A total of 374 students (279 females and 95 males) participated. SPSS version 25 was used for
the statistical analysis. Among the total population (n = 374), 279 (74.6%) were females and
95 (25.4%) were males. The mean age of the sample was 24.28 ± 2.04 years. Gender, civil
status, ethnicity, study program, current academic year, place of residence, and employment
status were included as socio-demographic factors. Among the study participants, 82 were
residents of the Colombo district (21.9%). Most of the 333 (89.0%) respondents were
unmarried. 174 (46.5%) of participants were students of the Biomedical Science degree
program, and the majority were in the fourth year of their study program. Most students lived
at home with their parents (44.7%), and most were unemployed. The Chi-square test was used
to assess the association between socio-demographic data with KAP. The study revealed that
the socio-demographic factors such as gender, study program, and current academic year of the
undergraduates were significantly associated with the level of knowledge regarding vitamin D
and its deficiency (p < 0.05). There was a significant association between attitudes and socio-
demographic factors (study program; P = 0.044, current academic year; P = 0.016). There was
no association between practices and socio-demographic factors. Thus, the results conclude
that socio-demographic factors and attitudes significantly affect knowledge regarding vitamin
D and its deficiency. The study further suggests carrying out awareness programs among the
population regarding Vitamin D and its usage, which could reduce the prevalence of the
deficiency of Vitamin D.
Keywords: Knowledge, population, undergraduates, vitamin D deficiency
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
35
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-085
Effects of freezing methods on the frozen tomato qualities
A.M. Rikasa1*, S.M.A.C.U. Senarathne2, K.M.S. Wimalasiri3
1Department of Biosystems Technology, Faculty of Technology, South Eastern University of Sri
Lanka, Sri Lanka
2Food Research Unit, Department of Agriculture, Gannoruwa, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
3Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya,
Sri Lanka
*aasrikasa13@gmail.com
In Sri Lanka, tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is the second most widely grown crop, although
it also has a larger potential for rapid degradation. This makes preserving such vegetables
crucial. For keeping fruits and vegetables in their fresh state, freezing is one of the most
practical and straightforward preservation techniques. This study examined the effect of the
different freezing conditions on tomato quality. The cut (1/3 of whole fruit) tomato (cultivars
Thilina and RIDA F1) pieces were pre-treated with 2.4% of calcium chloride solution for
3.5minutes. Then the tomato pieces were frozen for this investigation under air blast freezing
(-30 °C, 3 m s-1 air velocity) and conventional freezing (-18 °C) conditions and thawed at room
temperature conditions. The drip loss, pH, colour (L*, a*, b* and ΔE), ascorbic acid content,
hardness and cutting shearing strength were analysed. Sensory analysis was done using a 5-
scale hedonic test with 30 semi-trained panellists. The L* values of colour, pH and ascorbic
acid content revealed substantial differences (p < 0.05) except for drip loss, a* and b* values
of color, hardness, and cutting shearing strength. But conventional freezing caused more
magnitude of color alterations (ΔE). Respect to sensory analysis, colour, odour, texture and
overall quality of frozen tomatoes showed significant differences (p < 0.05) among the 2
freezing conditions and most preferred the air blast frozen tomatoes. Therefore, when it comes
to some physiochemical analysis and sensory criteria of both tomato varieties, air blast freezing
is superior to conventional freezing conditions.
Keywords: Air blast freezing, conventional freezing, frozen tomato, tomato deterioration
Acknowledgement: Funded by AFACI and technically supported by CRYSBRO
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
36
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-096
Evaluating the potential of wall materials to encapsulate pigments from Dandila
(Dioscorea alata) for natural food colourant
W.A.E.M.P. Menike1*, J.W.A. Sajiwanie2, R.M.U.S.K. Rathnayaka2
1Faculty of Graduate Studies, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, Belihuloya, Sri Lanka
2Faculty of Applied Sciences, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, Belihuloya, Sri Lanka
*erandipremachandra@gmail.com
Natural pigments are gaining worldwide attention in colouring foods, due to the potential health
risks caused by synthetic colourants. However, natural colours are easily degraded mainly due
to light, oxygen, temperature, and water activity. Thus they are difficult to store in ambient
conditions limiting their utilization as food colorants in the industry. Therefore, this study
aimed to assess the potential of two wall materials to encapsulate pigments from Dandila using
the Microwave-assisted encapsulation technique to enhance the storage stability of the
pigments in ambient conditions. Dandila’s anthocyanin pigments were extracted by
Microwave-assisted extraction with acidified water as the solvent in a ratio of 1:3 (W/V) for
15 minutes. The extraction process had repeated six times. The Total Monomeric Anthocyanin
(TMA) content of the pigment extract was measured using the pH-differential method.
Extracted pigments were encapsulated with Microwave-assisted encapsulation using
maltodextrin and Gum Arabic as wall materials in three ratios of 10, 20, and, 30 mg per
milliliter of pigment extract. The efficiency of encapsulation (EE) was calculated as the
percentage of anthocyanins encapsulated throughout the process. The data were analyzed using
analysis of variance (ANOVA) with the Minitab 19 statistical software. For 1 g Dandila yam,
0.187 ± 0.025 mg of anthocyanin pigments were extracted. Among the tested wall materials,
the Encapsulation Efficiency of maltodextrin (94.38 ± 2.50%) was significantly higher (p <
0.05) compared to Gum Arabic (88.25 ± 5.28%). However, there were no significant
differences (p > 0.05) among the Encapsulation Efficiency values obtained for ratios of
maltodextrin. Therefore, maltodextrin can be successfully used as a wall material to
encapsulate Dandila anthocyanin pigments while ensuring potential use and storage stability in
ambient conditions.
Keywords: Anthocyanin, Dioscorea alata, encapsulation, natural pigments
Acknowledgement: financial assistance by the Sri Lanka council for agricultural research policy of
the ministry of agriculture for research grant NARP/19/SU/FS/01 is acknowledged
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
37
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-098
Impacts of various drying techniques on proximate quality of maize flour
(Zea mays)
A.M. Rikasa1*, M.B.F. Jemziya1
1Department of Biosystems Technology, Faculty of Technology, South Eastern University of Sri
Lanka, Oluvil, Sri Lanka
*rikasaseusl@seu.ac.lk
A common and well-liked gluten-free cereal is maize (Zea mays). Maintaining a sufficient food
supply for people all around the world depends on maize biodiversity. There is empirical
evidence that it enhances nutrition and lowers poverty in the world. It contains crucial elements
that are often lacking in diets around the world, such as protein, minerals (iron, zinc) and
vitamin A. However, post-harvest losses lead to food insecurity, and to address this problem,
preservation techniques must be used. Drying off the surplus moisture from the fresh material
is the simplest method of preservation. Other drying techniques also yield high-quality dried
seeds in addition to the sun drying that is frequently used in Sri Lanka. Therefore, in this
experiment, the impact of different drying processes on maize flour's nutritional qualities (Jet
999-variety) was determined by proximate analysis. Direct fire drying (200 °C for 8 hrs), hot
air drying (105 °C for 1 hr), field drying (37-45 °C, RH 50% for 2 days), solar drying (32-35
°C, 55% of RH for 2 days), forced air drying (105 °C for 5 hrs) and greenhouse drying (40-50
°C, RH 55% for 2 days) methods were used. The different drying processes exhibited
significant (p < 0.01) changes in terms of moisture, fat, protein and fiber content of the flour.
However, the amount of ash in the flour didn't change considerably (p < 0.01) with different
drying methods. Samples dried by direct force drying were superior in quality as they contained
higher protein, less fat and less moisture. Field-dried and greenhouse-dried samples showed
the lowest gluten content. Respect to the gluten content, greenhouse drying and field drying
are safe for health. In addition, the amount of protein varied considerably depending on how
long the food was dried. As a result, the proximate properties of the maize flour are altered
differentially by the various drying procedures for different food applications.
Keywords: Drying methods, flour quality, food applications, maize flour
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
38
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-104
Encapsulation of antioxidants of Polyscias scutellaria and Talinum triangulare in
electrospun Poly (Ethylene Oxide) nanofibers: Improve bioaccessibility fraction
P.S. Peduruhewa1, 2, K.G.L.R. Jayathunge1*, D.C. Manatunga1, R. Liyanage1,
W.R.M. De Silva3, K.M.N. De Silva3
1Department of Biosystems Technology, Faculty of Technology, University of Sri
Jayewardenepura, Homagama, Sri Lanka
2Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
3CAMD research laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Colombo,
Colombo, Sri Lanka
*lasanthi@sjp.ac.lk
The effectiveness of plant-derived antioxidants against reactive oxygen species promotes
numerous health effects. However, antioxidants are sensitive to chemical and mechanical
degradation during gastrointestinal digestion. Depletion of antioxidants due to various stress
conditions leads to their low bioaccessibility and also reduces their functionality. Therefore,
the encapsulation of antioxidants is a growing trend in the food industry for the development
of functional foods with a high bioaccessibility fraction. In this study, nanofiber mats enriched
with plant derived-antioxidants were successfully obtained by electrospinning technique.
Ethanol extracts of selected underutilized plants including Polyscias scutellaria (Koppa kola)
and Talinum triangulare (Gasnivithi) (0.2%) were loaded into poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO)
nanofibers using the electrospinning technique. The nutritional properties of electrospun
nanofiber mats were investigated and digested fiber mats were tested to the determination of
their bioaccessibility fraction. Physical properties were revealed by scanning electron
microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. Total polyphenol contents were calculated
using the Folin ciocalteu reagent method while the antioxidant capacity was evaluated using
2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic
acid (ABTS) assays. Antioxidant activity of T. triangulare loaded fiber mat was found to be
0.173 mg ml-1 and 431.11 Trolox equivalents antioxidant capacity from DPPH and ABTS
assays respectively. The total phenolic content of T. triangulare and P. scutellaria fiber mates
ranged between 347-357 gallic acid equivalents (GAE) mg per 100 g and ascorbic contents
were observed between 4 to 8 mg per 100 g. In terms of bioaccessibility, both electrospun mats
showed more than a 50% increment in bioaccessibility fraction while it was 53.54% in the P.
Scutellaria loaded fiber mat and 61.54% in the T. triangulare loaded fiber mat. This study
provided information on effective antioxidant encapsulation techniques to improve the
bioaccessibility fraction of T. triangulare and P. scutellaria plants.
Keywords: Antioxidants, bioaccessibility, electrospinning, encapsulation, underutilized
Acknowledgement: Financial assistance from the Faculty of graduate studies, University of Sri
Jayewardenepura (Grant No ASP/RE/01/FOT/2019/59) is acknowledged
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
39
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-107
Comparison of the in vitro cytotoxicity of the Sri Lankan Annona muricata
immature and mature leaves on cancer cell lines
O.C. Pathirana1, M.P. Paranagama2*, R.P.V.J. Rajapakse1, K.K. Wijesundera1
1Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine & Animal Science,
University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya 20400, Sri Lanka
2Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya
20400, Sri Lanka
*madhaviparanagama@gmail.com
Annona muricata Linn. is a tropical plant receiving global interest as a nutraceutical to prevent
numerous diseases including cancer. As phytoconstituents concentrations may vary according
to the geographical location, climate and maturity stage of the leaf, Sri Lankan varieties of A.
muricata are worth exploring for their therapeutic effects on cancer. This study is aimed to
investigate the in vitro cytotoxicity of A. muricata leaves on two different cancer cell lines and
a normal cell line. A. muricata both mature and immature leaves were authenticated, air-dried
and extracted (leaves-to-water ratio of 1:6). The cytotoxicity of the freeze-dried aqueous
extracts was determined by MTT assay. MCF-7 (ATCC HTB-22), DLD-1 (ATCC CCL-221)
and Vero 76 cells (ATCC CRL-1587) were treated for 48 h with serial dilutions of extracts (1.6
mg ml-1 - 3.1×10-3 mg ml-1). The results are expressed as the mean cell viability ± SD (n = 8)
and the IC50 values were calculated. The results were compared using one-way ANOVA
followed by post hoc Tukey’s test. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Bleomycin
was used as the standard. The immature leaves aqueous extract showed IC50 values of 2.29 ±
0.13 mg ml-1, 2.17 ± 0.38 mg ml-1 and mature leaves aqueous extract showed IC50 values of
1.52 ± 0.35 mg ml-1, 1.76 ± 2.1 mg ml-1 on MCF-7 and DLD-1 cell line, respectively. However,
cell viability of the normal cell line was not inhibited by 50% even at a concentration of 4 mg
ml-1. In conclusion, the aqueous extracts of both immature and mature leaves had a significant
cytotoxic activity on cancer cell lines. Comparatively, the immature leaves extract has a
significantly higher cytotoxic activity than the mature leaves extract. Therefore, future in vivo
studies will commence testing the anticancer effects of A. muricata immature leaves.
Keywords: Anticancer, nutraceutical, therapeutic
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
40
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-111
A study on the dietary and behavioural factors influencing development of dental
caries in young adults of Sri Lanka
H.A.S. Yapa1, L.H. Walpola1*, H.M.S.N.B. Medawaththa1, A. Munazil1, P.J.N.N. Gomis1,
G.A.N. Perera1, P. Stephanie1, M.P.S. Arachchi1
1Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health Science, KIU, Battaramulla, Sri Lanka
*hasanthika@kiu.ac.lk
Dental cavities are among the world's most common health problems and occurance of dental
cavities has a multifactorial origin. Young adults aged 18 to 35 years are also a particularly
important age group in the study of tooth decay and oral health. Many factors influence the
risk of developing dental caries, including environmental agents, behavioral factors, oral
hygiene, tooth position and morphology, enamel composition, saliva composition, and flow
rate and socio demographic characteristics. Among the many factors that contribute to dental
caries, diet play a major role and different properties of food which alter the physical and
chemical nature of teeth as well as the oral cavity. Thereby several dietary factors and
behavioural factors such as food patterns, different types food and beverages and smoking
affect for the occurance of dental caries in young adults were assessed. A descriptive cross-
sectional study was carried out by convienient sampling method with 442 young adults in the
age group 18 to 35 (304 females and 133 males) belonging to the young adult population of
Sri Lanka by distributing self-administered questionnaires. SPSS version 25 was used for the
analysis of data. In this study, out of all the dietary factors analyzed a significant aasociation
(p = 0.000) was discovered between frequency of drinking alcoholic beverages and occurance
of dental cavities. From the behavorioral factors, a significant association (p = 0.026) was
found between the occurance of dental caries and smoking. Therefore, this study concludes
that there is an influence of diet and behavioural factors for the occurance of dental caries and
for good oral health. Frequency of drinking alcoholic beverages and smoking showed a
significant influence on development of dentalcaries in young adults in Sri Lanka.
Keywords: Behavioural factors, dental caries, dietary factors, young adults
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
41
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-112
Bacterial contamination and prevalence of MRSA and ESBL-producing bacteria
on mobile phones among KIU undergraduates
M.N.F. Shazna1, H.G.K. Shashikala1, B.R.J. Wimalarathna1, U.B.M.P.M. Thilakarathne1,
M.I. Ameer 1, S.S.S. Perera 2, L.H. Walpola1*, P.D.V.M. Perera3
1Department of Biomedical Science, KAATSU International University, Colombo, Sri Lanka
2Faculty of Sciences, University of Adelaide, Australia
3Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka
*hasanthika@kiu.ac.lk
The mobile phone has become a mere extension of human hands, especially that of youth. With
a wide range of surfaces, they come in contact with, they could be a reservoir as well as a route
of transmission for potential pathogens including antimicrobial-resistant pathogens such as
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase
(ESBL) producing bacteria. These pathogens pose a serious threat to the community causing
life-threatening infections. Therefore, this study aims to determine bacterial contamination of
mobile phones along with the prevalence of MRSA and ESBL-producing bacteria among the
Undergraduates of KIU. Among KIU Undergraduates who carry mobile phones, 50
participants were randomly selected for this lab study. Swab samples were collected from the
mobile phones of the participants. Samples were cultured in agar medium and then subjected
to differential staining (Gram staining). Separate colonies were tested according to different
colony morphologies using catalase, coagulase and oxidase tests. Subsequently, an antibiotic
susceptibility test (ABST) was performed for the screening of MRSA and ESBL-producing
bacteria using augmentin (30 µg), cefoxitin (30 µg), and ceftazidime (30 µg) discs. Out of 50
samples, 48 (96%) were culture positive with one or more organisms in each. Gram-positive
cocci were found in 39 (78%) mobile phone samples while 31 (62%) mobile phones harboured
gram-negative bacilli. Among the 49 samples, 15 (30%) Staphylococcus aureus, 25 (50%)
coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CNS) and 19 (38%) Streptococcus spp. were isolated as
per the total population of this study. Out of 50 mobile phone samples, 27 (54%) had oxidase-
positive gram-negative bacilli. ABST results revealed a 10% presence of MRSA along with a
6% presence of ESBL-producing bacteria. This study confirms the contamination of mobile
phones with potential pathogens and the potential transmission of such pathogens, as well as
the dissemination of AMR through mobile phones.
Keywords: AMR, Staphylococcus aureus
PHYSICAL SCIENCES
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
43
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-008
The concept of convex function on topological manifold
P.G.P. Kumara1*, N.P.W.B.V.K. Senanayake1
1Department of Mathematics, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka
*prasadkgsc@gmail.com
The concept of a convex function plays an important role in many areas of mathematics. One
can investigate the structure of a topological manifold by looking at the properties of convex
functions defined on it. The concepts of convex sets and convex functions are intimately
connected, as convex functions can be characterized as functions whose epigraph is a convex
set. There are many equivalent definitions of a convex function φ on a topological manifold
M. In this study, we use the definition: A function φ: M→R on topological manifold is convex
if its restriction to every geodesic, i.e., if for every geodesic segment ζ: [µ,ν] → M and every γ
[0,1], φoζ((1−γ)µ + γν) ≤ (1−γ)φoζ(µ) + γφoζ(ν). The differentiable structure of a convex
function on a complete non-compact manifold has been discussed in a paper by Greene and
Shihoma in 1981. In the present work, the topological structure of a manifold is taken into
consideration without appealing to the smooth structure of the manifold. In the theorems
proved herein, the only assumption employed is that the domain of a function is a subset of a
topological manifold. The first step of this discussion is to investigate the level sets of such a
function. We prove, using the method of contradiction, that the level sets Ma(φ) of a convex
function φ is a convex closed set for all a R. Throughout the research, we assume the convex
function to be locally non-constant. As the next theorem, we prove that the level set of a strictly
convex function in a topological manifold of dimension at least two is arc-wise connected.
Finally, special properties of Ends were used to discuss the convex function on the manifold
from the topological point of view.
Keywords: Convex function, convex set, geodesic, level sets, topological manifold
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
44
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-042
Design a solar concentrator using Fresnel lens for Photovoltaic (PV) panels for
efficiency enhancement
S.S. Paniyanduwa1, R.H.G. Sasikala1*
1Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The Open University of Sri Lanka, Nawala,
Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
*rhsas@ou.ac.lk
Photovoltaics (PV), is one of the fastest-growing renewable energy technologies and is ready
to play a major role in the future global electricity generation mix. One of the Photovoltaics
technologies is Concentrated PV (CPV). Unlike conventional PV systems, it uses lenses or
curved mirrors to focus sunlight. There were different lenses and mirrors available for large-
scale development projects but for household applications use of lenses is limited due to their
associated cost. In Sri Lanka, solar PV installations in domestic rooftop applications are
significantly increasing with the present energy crisis, which mostly uses fixed solar panels for
small installations. Solar tracking systems are rarely used in domestic installations due to high
costs and technical complications. This research study intends to develop a Fresnel lens-based
solar tracking system where the lens is rotated to get maximum solar irradiance. The proposed
Fresnel lens is used to focus the sunlight into the conventional PV panel to enhance its
efficiency and reduce the panel area. Therefore, the main objective of this research is to design
and develop a Fresnel lens-based solar tracking system which simultaneously rotates the prisms
in the lens resulting in higher solar irradiance while keeping the solar panel fixed to the
installation. This Fresnel lens-based setup acts as a concentrated PV for fixed solar panels.
Servo motors are used to control the angle of prisms in the Fresnel lens and an Arduino
microcontroller is used as the main controller to rotate each prism in various pre-determined
sets of angles to focus more sun rays on the solar panel. The increment of output power was
calculated as the average of 17.46% for both measured days after introducing the concentrator.
The results showed that the prototype is useful for improving the efficiency of the solar panel
throughout the day and it can reduce the solar panel area and reduce the cost of developing new
tracking systems.
Keywords: Concentrated PV, fresnel lens, microcontroller, prisms, solar tracking system
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
45
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-045
Petrogenesis of dolerite dykes in Sri Lankan basement
S.A. Munasinghe1, P.L. Dharmapriya1*, S.P.K. Malaviarachchi1, R. Kleinschrodt2,
S.A.T.D. Kumarasiri3, S.A. Samaranayake4, B. Spiering5, M. Hellers2, N.D. Subasinghe6
1Department of Geology, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
2Institute for Geology and Mineralogy, University of Cologne, Germany
3Wimpey Laboratories, Muscat, Oman
4National Ocean Affairs Committee, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sri Lanka
5Steinmann Institutfr Geologie, University of Bonn, Germany
6National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka
*prasanad@sci.pdn.ac.lk
Dolerite dykes represent the youngest post-tectonic intrusions in the Sri Lankan basement. To
this day, dolerites have mainly been reported from the Vijayan Complex (VC). Other than a
few published literatures on those occurrences, no regional survey of dolerites in Sri Lanka has
been conducted. Study of representative samples from five (05) localities in the VC (two
samples each from Wahawa, Rukkamputur, and Gallodai) and one each in the Highland
Complex (HC) (close to Badulla) and Wanni Complex (WC) (close to Kurunegala) is presented
here. Mineralogy, mineral textures, mineral chemistry and petrography of the dolerite at these
localities have been used to characterize composition of their parent magma, probable
crystallization temperature, and petrogenesis. Mineral chemical data of four (04) samples (from
Wahawa, Rukkamputur, Badulla, and Kurunegala) were obtained by Electron Probe
Microanalysis (EPMA). The dolerites are composed of plagioclase (An40-79, Ab21-55), Fe-Ti-
oxides, clinopyroxene (mainly augite: Fs10-30-En37-51-Wo20-40), ± orthopyroxene (Fs15-42-En60-
80-Wo4-9), ± olivine (Fo82-84-Fa16-17-Tp1-3). Studied dolerites can be divided into two groups:
namely, olivine-bearing dolerites (HC and WC) and olivine-absent dolerites (all from VC).
Both groups contain porphyritic, ophitic, sub-ophitic, and inter-granular textures, typical of
mafic igneous rocks. Serpentine, biotite, and quartz occur as secondary mineral phases in all
dolerites while Hornblende only found in Wahawa samples. Both groups host dendritic and
skeletal Fe-Ti oxides, and are characterized by orthopyroxene, outlined by a thin, discontinuous
clinopyroxene rim. Based on Ol-Spl and two-pyroxene thermometers, it is estimated that the
crystallization of olivine from parent magma commenced at temperature (T) 1300 °C, and
dolerites have been crystallized at T 1100–1200 °C respectively. The absence of primary
hydrous minerals in the dolerites indicates the dry nature of the parent magma. The olivine-
bearing HC and WC dolerites are likely to represent an earlier stage of fractional crystallization
compared to those from the VC. The presence of chromite inclusions within olivine
phenocrysts provides evidence for the linkage of parent magma with a mantle source.
Keywords: Dolerites, crystalline temperature, parent magma, petrogenesis
Acknowledgements: The National Research Council, Sri Lanka Grant No. 19-092 and the German
Academic Exchange Service Fellowship for Research stay for University Academics and Scientists,
2021 (grant no. 5755233) are acknowledged
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
46
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-046
Petrogenesis of basement gneiss of Cauvery basin: Implications for linkage
between the Wanni Complex, Sri Lanka and the Southern Madurai Block, India
S.U. Hansini1, P.L. Dharmapriya1*, E.K.C.W. Kularathne2, R. Kleinschrodt3
1Department of Geology, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
2Petroleum Development Authority of Sri Lanka
3Institute for Geology and Mineralogy, University of Cologne, Germany
*prasanad@sci.pdn.ac.lk
Cauvery basin is interpreted as a failed rift basin located marginal to the Southern Madurai
Block (SMB) in India and Wanni Complex (WC) in Sri Lanka. Geophysical investigations
indicate the continental lithosphere between the eastern margin of India and the northwestern
margin of Sri Lanka was little deformed during the riftrelated evolution of the Cauvery basin.
Six oil-exploration wells drilled in the Sri Lankan sector of the basin penetrated the
metamorphic basement. However, no attempt has been made to study the nature of these
basement rocks. In this study, the basement rocks (three samples) of the central part of the
Cauvery Basin were studied to envisage their petrogenesis. Core drill samples of basement
rocks of the Pedro-1 well were (depth ≈1425 m - 1428 m) collected from the Petroleum
Development Authority of Sri Lanka. The samples are well foliated and the petrographical
studies indicate the presence of quartz, plagioclase, alkali feldspar, hornblende, and
clinopyroxenes as major minerals, biotite, orthoclase as minor minerals and apatite, magnetite,
titanite, ilmenite as accessory phases. Biotite mainly occurs as a retrograde product. Based on
the mineralogy and mineral modes present, the rock can be classified as a metadiorite. The
amoeboid texture is common among the quartz and feldspar and the preferred oriented
hypidiomorphic to xenomorphic clinopyroxene represents the major lineation of the rock.
Electron Probe Micro Analysis of mineral chemistry indicated that the clinopyroxene is
diopside and the hornblende is Ferro-tschemakite. Plagioclase composition varies from
labradorite to bytownite. Pressure-Temperature (P-T) estimations using conventional
thermobaromery indicated that the rock has metamorphosed at T ≈800 °C at P 5.5-7 kbar. These
conditions suggest that the rock has metamorphosed at granulite facies conditions and the
mineral assemblage suggests that the rock belongs to the hornblende granulite subfacies.
Estimated P-T conditions are well correlated with those in SMB India and WC Sri Lanka and
hence provide useful insights into the presence of continental linkage between SMB and WC
across the Cauvery Basin.
Keywords: Basement rocks, Cauvery basin, Madurai Block, Wanni Complex
Acknowledgement: The Petroleum Development Authority of Sri Lanka is acknowledged for
providing samples. EPMA was carried out under the support of the German Academic Exchange
Service (DAAD) grant “DAAD Fellowship for Research stay for University Academics and Scientists,
2021 (grant no. 5755233)
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
47
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-047
Petrogenesis of flood basalt sequence in the Mannar Basin, offshore- Sri Lanka
A.M.S.M. Karunarathne1, P.L. Dharmapriya1*, W.M.H.M. Wijesinghe1,2, A.U. Wijenayake1,
H.M.T.G.A. Pitawala1,2, R. Kleinschrodt3, M. Hellers3, E.K.C.W. Kularathne4
1Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
2Postgraduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
3Institute for Geology and Mineralogy, University of Cologne, Germany
4Petroleum Development Authority, Sri Lanka
*prasannad@sci.pdn.ac.lk
Explorations for hydrocarbons have revealed regionally distributed igneous sequences,
interbedded within the sedimentary rocks of the Mannar basin. These igneous sequences show
whole-rock geochemical characteristics of flood basalts (resulting from a series of eruptions 60
- 62 Ma ago). However, no study has been carried out on the petrogenesis of this flood basalt.
Here, we provide mineralogical compositions, mineral chemistry, and crystallization
temperatures. These data help to gain better insights into the petrogenesis of the igneous
sequences, as well as into the sedimentological characteristics of the interlayered sedimentary
layers using the unwashed drill cuttings of the Barracuda well (covering 4000-4200 m depth
range). Petrographic and Electron Probe Microanalysis (EPMA) observations showed that
basalts are composed of plagioclase (An50-75) and clinopyroxene (mainly augite) as major
mineral constituents and orthopyroxene (En50-60) and magnetite as minor phases. The bottom-
most basalt layer (4200-4210 m) contains olivine (Fo55-72). Plagioclase, clinopyroxene and
olivine are present as both phenocrysts and matrix minerals. Geothermometric calculations
(clinopyroxene-liquid, plagioclase-liquid and two pyroxene geothermometers) indicate that the
basalts crystallized at around 1000-1100 °C. The interbedded sedimentary rocks are dark-
coloured and consist of weathered feldspar and clinopyroxenes with minor quartz and calcite.
The Powder X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis indicated the presence of clay minerals such as
smectite, antigorite, attapulgite, and chlorite in these sedimentary rocks. The absence of
primary hydrous mineral phases in basalt indicates the dry nature of the parent magma. The
presence of olivine-bearing basalt probably originates from a more primitive magma relative
to the samples from the upper part of the studied section. The interlayered sedimentary rocks
can be interpreted as volcanoclastic sediments derived from the weathering of individual layers
of the flood basalt sequence after their eruption.
Keywords: Basalt sequence, petrogenesis, Mannar basin, volcanoclastic sediments
Acknowledgement: The authors are grateful to the Petroleum Development Authority, Sri Lanka
(PDASL) for providing the samples. PGIS Research Grant (rant No PGIS/2020/03) is acknowledged
for funding the XRD analysis and EPMA was carried out at the University of Cologne, under the
support of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD; grant “DAAD Fellowship for Research
stay for University Academics and Scientists, 2021 (grant no. 5755233)
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
48
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT- 068
Correlation analysis of image and physical parameters for studying the black tea
fermentation process
W.A.D.U. Ishadi1, B.J. Watawana2, T. Kartheeswaran3, W.K.I.L. Wanniarachchi1,
D. Wanniarachchi4*
1Department of Physics, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka
2Department of Industrial Management, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka
3Department of Physical Science, Faculty of Applied Science, Vavuniya Campus, Kurumankadu,
Vavuniya, Sri Lanka
4Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka
*dakshikacw@kln.ac.lk
Sri Lanka is a country that produces tea throughout the year and the tea industry is a major
partner of the Sri Lankan economy. Among the main tea manufacturing steps, the fermentation
process plays a vital role. This stage is crucial for the final quality of tea. Since the beginning
of the tea industry, the fermentation process has been controlled by subjective methods. Tea
inspectors examine the colour, aroma and taste to decide the optimum fermentation level. It is
not always possible to gain a consistent result with these methods. This study aimed to find the
colour changes in the tea particles during the fermentation process. Images were captured
during the fermentation by an image acquisition system. The system acquired 1234 images of
tea particles from 28 batches during the fermentation stage. Colour and texture are essential
characteristics that can be used to examine the patterns and correlation of tea images. The
extracted image features, measured physical parameters and fermentation time were analysed
to find the correlation between those characteristics after eliminating outliers. The batch-wise
correlation analysis results revealed that the colour and texture features of the green and blue
colour matrices have the highest negative and positive correlation with the fermentation time
when compared to red. Among the physical parameters, the bottom temperature has a
noticeable correlation with the fermentation time. All the colour and texture features of the
green matrix are significantly correlated to the temperature parameters. Furthermore, the
batches kept under fermentation for more than 50 minutes show that the gap between green
and blue colour mean values decreases and coincides with each other after 50 minutes.
Meanwhile, the bottom temperature shows a steady variation with fermentation time after 50
minutes. It can be concluded that the image features significantly depend on fermentation time
and temperature parameters.
Keywords: Colour matrices, correlation, digital image processing
Acknowledgement: Funds received from the national research council grant 17-038
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
49
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-084
Structural analysis of CZTS films grown by sequential and single-step
electrodeposition techniques
W.T.R.S. Fernando1, K.M.D.C. Jayathilaka1, R.P. Wijesundera1*, W. Siripala1
1Department of Physics, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya
*palitha@kln.ac.lk
A comparative study on CZTS films grown by two different techniques, namely, sequential
electrodeposition and single-step electrodeposition, has been carried out. Electrodeposition of
Cu, Sn and Zn stack layers followed by sulphurisation with H2S is one of the CZTS growth
techniques. Growth parameters of sequentially electrodeposited CZTS were optimized based
on photoactive measurements of CZTS thin films in a photoelectrochemical cell (PEC). Cu
thin film was electrodeposited on Mo substrate at -0.89 V vs Ag/AgCl in an electrochemical
cell containing 0.4 M CuSO4, 3 M lactic acid and NaOH at pH 11. Deposition of Sn thin film
on Mo/Cu electrodes was carried out at -1.2 V vs Ag/AgCl in an electrochemical cell containing
0.055 M, 2.25 M NaOH and 8 ml of sorbitol. Zn thin film was electrodeposited on Mo/Cu/Sn
at -1.2 V vs Ag/AgCl in an electrochemical cell containing 0.2 M ZnSO4. In order to grow
CZTS, Mo/Cu/Sn/Zn thin films were annealed at 550 °C for 60 min in H2S. For single-step,
CZTS thin films on Mo substrate were potentiostatically electrodeposited at -1.05 V vs
Ag/AgCl for 40 min in a three-electrode electrochemical cell containing 0.02 M copper (II)
sulfate pentahydrate (CuSO4·5H2O), 0.01 M zinc sulfate heptahydrate (ZnSO4·7H2O), 0.02 M
tin sulfate (SnSO4) and 0.02 M sodium thiosulfate (Na2S2O3) at room temperature. 0.2 M tri-
sodium citrate (C6H5Na3O7) was used as the complexing agent. Ag/AgCl and platinum
electrodes were used as the reference and the counter electrodes, respectively. Then samples
prepared were annealed at 550 °C for 30 min in H2S. X-ray diffraction was carried out to study
the structural analysis of CZTS films grown by two techniques. Lattice parameters, i.e. a, c,
the unit cell volume, the crystallite size (D), lattice strain, dislocation density (δ), stress and
energy density of the CZTS sample are 5.42 Å, 11.0 Å, 323.21 Å3, 35.55 nm, 1.17×10-3,
0.7×1015 m-2, 6.46×107 N m-2, 3.9×104 J m-3 and 5.42 Å, 10.83 Å, 318.44 Å3, 26.76 nm -
1.19×10-3, 1.3×1015 m-2, -6.55×107 N m-2, 3.7×104 J m-3 for single step and sequential
electrodeposition, respectively. In conclusion, the single step exhibits higher crystallite size in
comparison to sequential electrodeposition indicating a lowering of the dislocation density.
The increase in crystallite size has an advantage for photovoltaic applications.
Keywords: Cu2ZnSnS4, Cu/Sn/Zn metal stack layers, I-V characteristics, single-step
electrodeposition
Acknowledgement: National Research Council is gratefully acknowledged for the financial
assistance through the research grant NRC 15-41
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
50
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-095
Mathematical optimization of laccase activity of Phlebiopsis flavidoalba
H.H.K.D.C. Wickrama1*, B.D.H.N. Dharmasiri2, R.N. Attanayake2, G.S. Wijesiri1
1Department of Mathematics, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka
2Department of Plant and Molecular Biology, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka
*chamodini1996@gmail.com
Laccase is an enzyme produced by fungi with great market demand in biotechnological, and
industrial applications. However, laccase production by fungi under natural conditions is
insufficient. Wet lab experiments have found that factors like carbon, nitrogen, and metal ion
sources affect laccase secretion. This study focuses on the mathematical optimization of the
laccase activity of Phlebiopsis flavidoalba in the presence of the above sources. Woodchips,
starch, cellulose, lignin, and glucose were used as carbon sources, NH4Cl, NH4NO3, peptone,
urea, and yeast were used as nitrogen sources, and CuSO4, FeSO4, and ZnSO4 were used as
metal ion sources. Liquid Potato Dextrose Broth mediums amended with each C, N, or metal
ions were incubated separately for 3, 6, 9, 12 and 14 days and laccase activities were
determined. The objectives of this study were to optimize the incubation period
mathematically, and culture medium composition for the best laccase activity. Graphical
analysis was done using Microsoft Excel by drawing scatter plots and trend lines. Linear
regression equations were obtained to predict the activity on a given day for a source. Statistical
analysis was done by R programming. Carbon and metal ion sources had the highest activity
on the 14th day. Generalized linear models (gamma regression) were developed for each source
to determine the optimum medium on the 14th day where woodchips, urea, and CuSO4 were
found as key components. By the coefficients of the regression model, a regression equation
was formed by introducing two dummy variables such that combinations of optimum mediums
can be obtained. It was predicted that if the media is amended with CuSO4 and woodchips, it
will enhance laccase activity by 43-fold. However, if CuSO4, woodchips, and urea were used,
it would reduce the laccase activity by 2-fold. Mathematical optimization could be used in
predicting and for effective in-vitro assay designs.
Keywords: Gamma regression, laccase activity, linear regression
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
51
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-102
Total absolute curvature of open curves of fixed length in
D.T.J.K. Weedagama1*, N.P.W.B.V.K. Senanayake1
1Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka
*toreen075@gmail.com
This research is about finding a lower bound for a non-closed curve with the help of total
absolute curvature and the main theorem. In this study, we focused on giving precise proof of
the main theorem. The notion is extended to piecewise linear curves. We study the family of
planar curves which attains the infimum of the total absolute curvature in the family of curves
with fixed endpoints, end directions and a fixed length. When a curve is closed, then the lower
bound is , which does not depend on the length. But when the curve is not closed, it depends
on the length. Accordingly, we considered finding a lower bound for a non-closed curve
through a well-explained main theorem. Also, we have used mainly ten lemmas and many other
results to explain the proof of the main theorem. The importance of minimizing the total
absolute curvature of curves is also discussed by mentioning some applications of total absolute
curvature.
Keywords: Lower bound, non-closed curves, piecewise linear curves, total absolute curvature
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
52
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-117
Determination of optimum over excitation limits of cylindrical rotor generator
with brushless exciter to maximize the system performance
P.A.T. Wathsala1, K.M.G.Y. Sewwandi1*
1The Open University, Nawala, Sri Lanka
*ysewwandi91@gmail.com
The performance of the excitation system is a major factor that affects the voltage stability of
the power grid. The Excitation system generates variable DC voltage and current to the rotating
field to regulate the terminal voltage of the generator within the permissible operating range.
In brushless excitation systems, the main field is excited by a rotating AC exciter and there is
no possibility to get actual instantaneous field current and voltage values to the automatic
voltage regulator (AVR). The field current and field voltage of the rotating AC exciter gives
the image of the main field current and voltage for excitation controls. Therefore, due to a lack
of parameter details, AVR configuration engineers are using typical generator and system
parameter values and which creates problems with generator performance. Especially in
excitation limiter configuration, these engineers are concerned more safe operation rather than
optimum performance generators with optimum limiter values. Hence AVR manufacturers
elaborately maintain their limits within the safe region, without allowing machines to reach
their optimum levels. Hence the utilization limits of the generator have not been supported by
transient and steady-state generator performance. It may directly affect the stability of the
system. The research was carried out based on one of the 20 MW gas turbines in Kelanitissa
Power Station. With the excitation limitations, these small gas turbines are currently operating
at the 12 MW-15 MW range and that will directly affect the generator's performance.
Therefore, it will be more beneficial to optimize the excitation limits to extract maximum
benefits from these generating units to optimize the performance of peak operating generator
units.
Keywords: Automatic voltage regulator, brushless exciter, over excitation limiter
Acknowledgement: We gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Eng. R.R.T.W.M.R.A.I. Madawala to
conduct this research
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
53
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-118
The geochemical signature of feldspars from small-scale and larger bodies of
granitic pegmatite in Sri Lanka
P. Abewardana1,2*, P.L. Dharmapriya2, H.M.T.G.A. Pitawala2, S.P.K. Malaviarachchi1,
R.F. Martin3, N.D. Subasinghe4
1Department of Geology, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
2Postgraduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
3Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
4National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka
*pahana@sci.pdn.ac.lk
Pegmatites are post-kinematic plutonic igneous rocks with grain sizes that generally range from
giant crystals to fine groundmass crystals. Furthermore, granitic pegmatites represent a typical
mineral assemblage of quartz, albite, and potassium feldspar and mainly serve as storehouses
for economically important minerals. Since the formation and mineralization of pegmatites are
directly correlated with the chemical composition of their source magma, the K-feldspar as a
key mineral can provides information on the petrogenetic evolution of pegmatites and can also
be used as an indicator for mineral explorations. Although several researchers have studied the
economic mineralization of the Sri Lankan pegmatites, only a handful of studies were carried
out to determine their origin. Here we attempted to study the origin of Sri Lankan pegmatites
using their major and trace element geochemistry of K-feldspars. K-feldspar samples of small-
scale pegmatites (4 samples) and large-scale granitic pegmatites (15 samples) were selected
from the mantle areas of pegmatite bodies. Trace element geochemical analysis was conducted
at the Actlabs, Ontario, Canada laboratories. Obtained results were interpreted with the aid of
chemical discrimination diagrams. According to the K/Rb vs Ga diagram, all analyzed samples
represent NYF group pegmatites which are enriched in Nb, Y, and F (with Be, Sc, Ti, Zr, Th,
U, and REE) indicating an origin from A-type granites typically associated with anorogenic
suites, emplaced in extensional zones in the crust. Considering the K/Rb vs Rb correlation, the
studied pegmatite samples show primitive nature which suggests the formation of the parent
melt through the anatexis process. A barren pegmatite signature is observed for the analyzed
K-feldspars in the correlation of the K/Rb vs Cs discrimination diagram while the large
pegmatite samples indicate a negative correlation. According to the K/Rb vs Cs, Ba, Sr, and
Ga discrimination diagrams, generally undeformed small-scale pegmatites indicate scattered
nature while the large pegmatite K-feldspar samples represent negative correlations inferring
the pegmatites are the products of the late residual portion of the parental melt.
Keywords: Deformed, granitic pegmatite, geochemical signature, Sri Lanka, undeformed
Acknowledgement: This project is funded by National Research Council Grant no: 19-092
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
54
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-123
Oil spill maritime disaster management using remote sensing application;
X-press pearl incident
H.K.H.D. Kankanamge1,2, S.M.D.M.C. Senarathna1,2*, B.A.Y.B. Jayawardhana1,
D.A. Bandara3, N.T.B. Madusankha4
1National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka
2Postgraduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
3Institute of Geology, Mineralogy and Geophysics, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universittsstraße 150,
44801 Bochum, Germany
4Department of Indigenous Medical Resources, Faculty of Indigenous Health Sciences and
Technology, Gampaha Wickramarachchi University of Indigenous Medicine, Kandy Road, Yakkala,
Sri Lanka
*mahesh.se@nifs.ac.lk
Maritime vessel disasters are critical in environmental concerns and challenging to manage
under real scenarios. As Sri Lanka is located on the maritime hub of the Silk Road, there is an
abundance of shipment activities. Risk exposure includes crude oil shipments, hazardous
chemicals and infectious substances. Therefore, Sri Lanka needs to acknowledge the necessary
equipment and information to identify and manage such events. Unfortunately, developing
countries are running lack information, expertise, and resources. Remote sensing lay an
emerging technique to manage such events in an informative manner. In this study, our focus
is to identify an X-press pearl oil spill using remote sensing techniques. The Landsat 8 OLI
spectral data were used to evaluate oil spills in the Mannar basin. The spectral bands of 1 to 7
were used to develop an algorithm related to oil spill detection. Initially, spectral bands were
transformed into planetary reflections using QGIS for atmospheric correction. Then, Landsat
8 oil slick detection index (L8OSDI) normalization algorithm was iterated using Green and
NIR spectral bands. The verification of the L8OSDI normalization algorithm for this study area
was conducted using the Gulf oil spill. The reflectance of normal sea water and suspected oil
slicks show considerable separation along the bandwidth. This confirms that the earlier sea
condition of the same oil slick coordinates prior to months of the incident, with higher
reflectance and no suspected oil spills. Therefore, the practical accountability of L8OSDI is
well described with derived normalization and shape of oil slicks delineated from the seawater.
With the wind effect following towards the land area, cloudy oil seepage can be identified with
the form of spread. The validity of the normalization model with older gulf studies confirms
good fitting and depicts applicability to the Mannar basin in the Indian Ocean.
Keywords: Landsat 8, oil slicks, remote sensing, X-press pearl
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
55
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-124
A preliminary geomagnetic study of Wahawa-Padiyathalawa hot springs field
M.P. Thilakarathna1, A.M. Abeysinghe1, H.M.D.A.H. Bandara1, N.D. Subasinghe1*
1National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka
*deepal.su@nifs.ac.lk
Sri Lanka represents a tiny crustal fragment located far away from active plate boundaries.
However, there are nine geothermal springs found in Sri Lanka. Among them, six geothermal
springs are associated with dolerite dykes (160 Ma to 170 Ma). Several studies suggest that
dolerite dykes play a major role in the geothermal occurrences of Sri Lanka. However, no
conclusion has been made on the role of dolerite dykes in the formation of geothermal
resources. The study was conducted at Wahawa-Padiyathalawa hot springs cluster to identify
any relation between dolerite dyke and thermal discharges. Wahawa-Padiyathalawa
geothermal discharges occur as a cluster of about 18 individual thermal springs in the paddy
fields and as one artesian well. The study area has been intruded by a dolerite dyke that extends
for 60 km in the North-West direction. A preliminary desk study has been carried out using
geological maps and satellite images to study surface geology including lithological variations,
intrusions and structural features such as lineaments. All the geological and structural features
were compiled into digital maps using Arc GIS software to study any relation between geology
and structural features. A magnetic survey was conducted using an Overhauser magnetometer
and data were collected every 2 seconds covering a 5 km2 area around the hot spring cluster.
There are several fractures interconnected with each other and some of them seem to cut across
the dolerite dyke and hot springs. The magnetic anomaly map obtained from the survey clearly
shows a low magnetic anomalous structure in the vicinity of the hot spring cluster. Negative
anomalies were observed in the area where fractures are accumulated and oriented in different
directions. It is envisaged that the deep fractures are interrupted by the dolerite dyke which
would allow the deep groundwater to rise to the surface. The deep water retains a considerable
amount of heat even at the surface, due to the steeper geothermal gradient in the area. Thus, it
is evident that the dolerite dykes at least play a passive role in producing thermal springs.
Keywords: Geothermal, geological features, magnetic survey
CHEMICAL SCIENCES
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
57
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-009
Temporal variations of selected surface water quality parameters and pollution
status of Batticaloa lagoon – A review
M.N.F. Nashath1, A.M.M. Asmath1*, M.R.F. Rishadha1
1Department of Biosystems Technology, Faculty of Technology, South Eastern University of Sri Lanka
*mohamedasmath@seu.ac.lk
Batticaloa lagoon is an economically important ecosystem on the East Coast of Sri Lanka. It is
surrounded by densely populated areas, rice and coconut plantations, as well as fish and shrimp
farms. Large-scale rapid development, extensive agricultural practices and anthropogenic
activities have degraded the quality of the lagoon water threatening the sustainability of the
ecosystem. Hence, this review was conducted to study the variations of selected water quality
parameters including electrical conductivity (EC), salinity, dissolved oxygen (DO) and nitrate
and phosphate content of Batticaloa lagoon to determine the variation in pollution status of the
lagoon. Data were obtained from previous studies conducted from 2004 to 2019. The results
showed that the maximum EC value of the Batticaloa lagoon has been increasing from 2013
(170 mS m-1) to 2019 (590 mS m-1) exceeding the allowable range for aquatic water. Salinity,
DO and nitrate content fluctuated during the study period, making the lagoon water not suitable
for human consumption but favourable for the growth of aquatic species. The highest values
for salinity (35 ng l-1), DO (19.93 mg l-1) and nitrate content (8.3 mg l-1) had been recorded in
2004, 2019 and 2013 respectively. The phosphate content range surpassed the maximum
permissible level, causing threats to aquatic life and enhanced eutrophication. Based on the
results, Batticaloa lagoon is severely polluted making it not suitable for drinking purposes.
However, it can be still used for the production of brackish water fish and prawns and irrigation.
Increased agrochemical usage, shrimp farming and the release of waste effluents without
proper pre-treatment are considered to be the primary pollution sources of Batticaloa lagoon.
Continuous surveillance through regular monitoring programs is needed to conserve this
valuable resource from complete loss. It is also important to educate people living there about
the current status of the lagoon and the consequences of its pollution.
Keywords: Anthropogenic activities, Batticaloa lagoon, ecosystem, pollution, water quality
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
58
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-010
Microwave-assisted phytosynthesis of silver nanoparticles
C. Wickramarathne1*, S. Rajapakse2, V.N. Seneviratne3
1Postgraduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
2Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya,
Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
3Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
*chayauwickramarathne@gmail.com
Phytosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by means of microwave irradiation in the
presence of plant gums had gained widespread attention. Plant gums are reliable and promising
nano-factories owing to their high metal tolerance and economic feasibility. The applications
of bio-nano-synthetic methods are limited due to the difficulty in controlling particle size,
shape, crystallinity, polydispersibility and slow rate of production. It is evident that microwave
heating is advantageous owing to the promotion of homogeneous nucleation due to fast and
uniform heating within a short time. This leads to high crystallinity, narrow size distribution,
and controlled morphology while enhancing the experimental efficiency. Hitherto AgNPs
synthesis employing the gum of Commiphora wightii (guggul) had not been reported. It is a
medicinal plant used in therapeutics for centuries. The objective of this study was to develop a
viable, one-step, efficacious and cost-effective procedure with the potential of scaling up for
different applications. AgNPs were fabricated by microwaving the guggul extract and AgNO3
mixture for 2 min at full power in a microwave oven of 1800 MW. The colour transformation
to brownish-maroon and surface plasmon band at 442 nm preliminarily indicated AgNP
formation. TEM revealed the presence of different morphologies such as polyhedral-like, few
prism-like and rod-like AgNPs of an average size of 20 nm. FTIR was used to identify the
specific functional groups that reduced AgNO3 and stabilized AgNPs. The spectra depicted the
availability of amines, alcohols, aromatic functional groups etc. in the gum and the change in
intensity with a shifting of band positions in AgNPs revealed their involvement in synthesis.
Compared to other studies, using guggul gum is more advantageous owing to the low
concentration of gum extract required and less time taken to produce AgNPs. The feasibility,
cost-effectiveness, energy and time efficiency of this one-pot synthetic approach, propose its
applications in myriad fields augmenting its scale-up possibility. Studying the effect of
irradiation time, microwaving power and the optimization of the procedure to fabricate AgNPs
of single morphology will be performed in future experiments.
Keywords: Commiphora wightii, guggul, microwave, plant gum
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
59
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-014
Isolation of saponins from Guava leaves and evaluation of their antioxidant
capacity
S. Kokilananthan1, V.P. Bulugahapitiya1*, H. Manawadu1, C.S. Gangabadage1
1Depertment of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Ruhuna, Matara, Sri Lanka
*vajira@chem.ruh.ac.lk
Saponins are a broad class of chemicals that comprises glycosylated steroids, steroidal
alkaloids, and triterpenoids and are found across the plant kingdom with diverse applications
in the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. Though Psidium guajava (Guava) is
known to be an important medicinal tree, especially in the Asian region, no adequate studies
have been reported on its saponins content and its antioxidant properties. Therefore, this study
aimed to isolate saponins from the leaves of guava (P. guajava, common guava), and assess
the antioxidant activity of the isolated saponins. The dried powder of guava leaves was
sonicated with ethanol (80%), and the crude was subjected to a sequential extraction technique
to extract saponins. The individual saponins from the crude were obtained using size-exclusion
chromatography and HPLC. Isolated saponins were qualitatively analysed using TLC with a
Vanillin-sulfuric acid visualization test and Froth test. FRAP and DPPH assays were carried
out to assess the antioxidant capacity where Trolox and Ascorbic acid were used as standards.
As a result, seven saponins were isolated (GuSBF1, GuSBF2, GuSBF3, GuSBF4, GuSLF1,
GuSLF2, and GuSLF3) from guava leaves. Interestingly, crude saponins as well as isolated
saponins showed high antioxidant capacity. When compared with crude saponins, most of the
isolated saponins have shown higher antioxidant capacity. The FRAP and DPPH assays
revealed that out of all the crude and isolated saponins, the GuSBF3 showed the highest total
antioxidant capacity (1753.86 ± 1.52 mg Trolox Eq/g) and radical scavenging capacity (IC50
value: 78.47 ± 0.02 mg l-1). In conclusion, this is the very first study of isolating saponins from
guava grown in Sri Lanka. Seven saponins were isolated and almost all the isolated saponins
as well as crude saponins show high antioxidant capacity, of them GuSBF3 shows outstanding
antioxidant capacity based on FRAP and DPPH assay.
Keywords: Antioxidants, chromatographic techniques, isolation, Psidium guajava, saponins
Acknowledgement: Authors wish to thank AHEAD-DOR-RUH (No-05) project for financial support.
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
60
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-015
Composition accentuation and acetaldehyde generation in polyethylene
terephthalate-made water bottles during first-phase protocols
T.A. Vishwanath1,2, A.C.A. Jayasundera1,2,3*
1Postgraduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
2Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
3Division of Mathematics and Science, Missouri Valley College, Marshall, MO, 65340, USA
*acaj@sci.pdn.ac.lk
Polyethylene terephthalate-made bottles are widely known for their safe packaging for drinking
water. But, extensive production controls during the first phase of the manufacturing process
called drying and injection moulding leads to thermal degradation. One such degradation
species is acetaldehyde. Thus, the studying of general practices of manufacturing provides a
scientific approach to reducing health concerns with better process controls. To that, moisture
analysis followed by ATR and acetaldehyde investigation discloses the fewer degradation by-
products. For drying, PET underwent 170 - 180 °C for less than 7 hours, 170 - 180 °C for
around 8 hours, and 180 °C with a 6-hour process. In injection moulding practices, 14g preform
was tested against two cyclic times with the same barrel temperature as well as nearly 82 g
preform was studied with higher cyclic time and same barrel temperature. Additionally, 18g
preform was tested against the least possible cyclic time and barrel temperature with advanced
technology called a double-barrel. Moisture analysis reveals 180 °C with a 6-hour process
contains the least moisture with 0.002%. Yet, all three ATR spectrums of the drying processes
show no difference around the 3535 cm-1 hydroxyl peak. Simultaneously, all three drying
processes show acetaldehyde at nearly 1 mg kg-1. During the injection moulding process, 18 g
preform indicates the most minor acetaldehyde level of 5.28 mg kg-1. The 14 g preform having
17 s cyclic time acquired a 7.51 mg kg-1 acetaldehyde level while 16 s acquired 6.59 mg kg-1.
The 82 g preforms’ acetaldehyde found to be 11.89 mg kg-1. Accordingly, ATR spectrums
show an increase in carbonyl peak. Thereby, maintaining low cyclic time with possibly low
barrel temperature leads to the genesis of fewer degradation products. Considering the weight
of the preform both the polymer amount and the cyclic time together decide the degradation
amount. Practising double barrel technology against single barrel discloses the advantages.
Keywords: Acetaldehyde, bottled drinking water, injection moulding, PET degradation, PET
ATR spectrum
Acknowledgement: All the technical support relevant to manufacturing and acetaldehyde analysis
was given by snacking’s (Pvt.) ltd. exact manufacturing controls are intellectual properties of the
snacking’s (Pvt.) ltd. including such parameters in this content was represented as proximate or
round-up values
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
61
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-033
The effect of membrane on the alkaline water production
H.M.B.N. Wickramasooriya1*, M.D.Y. Milani2, A.M.K.L. Abeykoon2, R.C.W. Arachchige2,
H.M.B.I. Gunathilaka2
1Uva Wellassa University, Badulla, Sri Lanka
2Industrial Technology Institute, Colombo, Sri Lanka
*wickramasooriyabhagya96@gmail.com
The alkaline ionized water (AIW) produced by the electrolysis process has growing demand
due to several health benefits in humans as it hinders the oxidation process caused by free
radicals. A batch-mode membrane-aided ionizer is developed in the current research study to
produce AIW. Electrodes and cation exchange membrane are the major parts of the device, and
the selective penetration of mineral cations into the cathode chamber is governed by the
membrane, which further enhances the electrolysis at the cathode to produce more hydroxyl
ions, hydrogen, and active hydrogen in the cathode chamber. The produced hydroxyl ions
increase the alkalinity of water. Furthermore, the membrane avoids the direct intermixing of
the water and gases in between electrode chambers. Four different membranes such as
polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), cellulose filter paper (CFP), polyethersulfone (PES), and
polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), were characterized and used in batch ionizer for selective
penetration of mineral cations into AIW, and the ionizer performance is investigated against a
control experiment without using a membrane. In PVDF and CFP membranes, the pH values
were increased and reached the desired 9.5 pH level in 7.2 and 6.4 minutes respectively.
However, PES PTFE and control did not achieve desired 9.5 pH. CFP might reach the 9.5 pH
level in a short time due to its high ion conductivity (3.8×10-3 S cm-1) than PVDF (9.1×10-5 S
cm-1) and larger pore size (~8 µm) than the other membrane types (~0.45 µm). The durability
and chemical/physical stability of CFP are lower than PVDF. Furthermore, the membrane is
essential for generating AIW without intermixing the water in between the cathode and anode
chamber. As a result of that, the present study concluded PVDF is found to be a highly suitable
and the best membrane for the proper functioning of the ionizer to produce mineral and
antioxidant-enriched AIW.
Keywords: Electrodes, ionizer, penetration
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
62
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-036
Synthesis and characterization of bismuth oxyiodide-sensitized TiO2 electrodes for
solar energy conversion
M.A.K. Madhumekala1, M.G.R. Shyamamala2, G.D.M.H. Wijewardhana1, M.S.
Kandanapitiye3, T. Jaseetharan2,4, M.N.M. Farhath1,4*
1Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Applied Sciences, South Eastern University of
Sri Lanka
2Department of Physical Sciences, Faculty of Applied Sciences, South Eastern University of
Sri Lanka
3Department of Nanoscience Technology, Faculty of Technology, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka
4Science Research Centre, Faculty of Applied Sciences, South Eastern University of
Sri Lanka
*mmohamed@seu.ac.lk
Bismuth Oxyiodide (BiOI) have recently gained considerable attention as a non-toxic
sensitizing material in the solar energy conversion process. Usually, in dye-sensitized solar
cells, Ru-based dyes are used as sensitizers and they are high-cost materials. In the present
work, BiOI nanofilms were deposited on TiO2 nanoporous electrodes by the Successive Ionic
Layer Adsorption and Reaction (SILAR) method and the optical and electrical properties have
been studied. BiOI film shows better absorption in the visible region of the solar spectrum. In
order to find the suitable number of SILAR cycles for high-performance BiOI-sensitized solar
cells, FTO/TiO2/BiOI/electrolyte/Pt type solar cells have been fabricated and characterized.
Iodide/triiodide redox couple-based liquid has been used as electrolytes in solar cells. TiO2
electrode fabricated with 15 SILAR cycles of BiOI shows a maximum power conversion
efficiency of 0.54% while N719 dye-sensitized solar cell shows an efficiency of 3.39% under
the simulated light of 100 mW cm-2 with AM 1.5 spectral filter. However, N719 dye is an
expensive commercial dye and BiOI is a new low-cost alternative sensitizer for dye-sensitized
solar cells.
Keywords: Bismuth oxyiodide, dye-sensitized solar cell, photoanode, sensitizer, successive
ionic layer adsorption and reaction
Acknowledgement: Authors gratefully acknowledge the Condensed Matter Physics and Solid State
Chemistry project, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka.
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
63
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-043
Human histamine-1 receptor antagonist activity of flavonoids found in
‘Paspanguwa’ herbal formula
J.C. Gunaratne1*, D.R. Uduwela1,2, R.J.K.U. Ranatunga1,2
1Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
2Postgraduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
*s16180@sci.pdn.ac.lk
Globally, many traditional medicinal systems acknowledge the efficacy of flavonoid-rich
therapeutics against allergy and inflammation. In Sri Lanka, ‘paspanguwa’ is a popular
traditional medicine used to treat and prevent the mentioned ailments. In western allopathic
medicine, the first-line treatment of allergy and inflammation are oral antihistamines, which
act as Histamine-1 Receptor (H1R) antagonists. We hypothesise that flavonoids from
‘paspanguwa’ could act as H1R antagonists and show favourable binding at the active site of
the receptor. Kaempferol from Coscinium fenestratum, quercetin from Zingiber officinale, and
apigenin from Solanum xanthocarpum were identified as flavonoids present in the formula.
Molecular docking was carried out using AutoDock Vina to evaluate the binding of flavonoids
to the H1R active site. Physiological ligand histamine and clinical oral antihistamines were
used for comparative analysis. UCSF Chimera and BIOVIA Discovery Studio were used to
analyse non-covalent interactions between ligands and H1R. The GROMACS 2021.5 code was
used for molecular dynamics simulations. Flavonoid-H1R complexes were simulated for 40 ns
using CHARMM36 all-atom force field under physiological conditions. Flavonoids showed
binding free energies higher than that of histamine and clinical antihistamines. They also
formed molecular interactions with H1R that are deterministic for ligand binding at the active
site. Key interactions were observed with Asp 1073.32, Tyr 1083.33, Lys 179ECL, Lys 1915.39, and
conserved residues Trp 4286.48, Tyr 4316.51, Phe 4326.52, and Phe 4356.55. No conformational
changes were observed during the simulation trajectory and ligand RMSD was less than 2 Å
indicating the flavonoid-H1R complexes and the binding were stable. This study showed that
flavonoids from ‘paspanguwa’ may have the capacity to block the H1R active site. The reported
anti-inflammatory properties of the formula may, at least in part, be due to the H1R antagonism
of kaempferol, quercetin, and apigenin.
Keywords: Antihistamine, molecular docking, molecular dynamics
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
64
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-044
Formulation of antioxidants-rich herbal tea from medicinal plants for the
replacement of Psidium guajava tea
S. Lilachjini1, M.H. Haroon1*
1Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Applied Sciences, South Eastern University of Sri
Lanka, Sri Lanka
*haroonmh@fas.seu.ac.lk
Herbal tea has been consumed as a beverage for health in Asia owing to people feeling they
are natural, and safe, and can help treat or control a variety of diseases. Even though guava
tea's anti-diabetic and antioxidant qualities have already been established and demonstrated.
This study aimed to improve the pharmacological quality of guava tea by developing a guava
leaf-based herbal tea by incorporating some other medicinal plants including cinnamon
(Cinnamomum zeylanicum) leaf and bark, avaram senna (Senna auriculata) flower, gurmar
(Gymnema Sylvestre), holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum) leaf and lemon (Citrus limon) leaf.
Plant materials were collected, cleaned, and processed to prepare herbal tea. Nine different
combinations of herbal teas were prepared using above mentioned plants along with guava tea
for comparison. Extraction of tea was done by infusion the total antioxidant capacity was
determined by FRAP (Ferric reducing antioxidant power) assay, radical scavenging activity
was determined by DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl) assay, and the toxicity was assessed
using the brine shrimp micro-well cytotoxicity assay and finally, the sensory evaluation also
was conducted with a semi-trained panel. According to the findings, the combination of guava-
leaf: cinnamon-bark: cinnamon-leaf: avaram senna-flower: gurmar-leaf: holy basil-leaf:
lemon-leaf: (35:20:1:1:1:1:1) exhibited the highest antioxidant capacity (82.33 mg Ascorbic
acid Eq ml-1) and also, it showed nontoxic to brine shrimp. Interestingly, this was the one
mostly preferred by semi-trained sensory panels due to its taste, colour, smell, and texture. In
conclusion, the developed herbal tea showed the highest antioxidant capacity, and nontoxic
nature and was mostly preferred by the panel. Further analysis is required based on anti-diabetic
properties in order to compare the anti-diabetic property of guava tea.
Keywords: Antioxidants, brine shrimp, guava-tea, herbal-tea, toxicity
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
65
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-050
Identification of residues of kerosene in fire debris evidence in the presence of
polystyrene interfering compounds in an arson investigation
A.C.W.W.M.N.P. Koswatta1*, S. Malavipathirana1, S.D.A. Sandanayaka1,
N.I.K. Fernando2
1Department of Physical Sciences and Technology, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka
2Forensic Explosive and Fire Investigation Section, Government Analyst’s Department, Sri Lanka
*pknilakshi@gmail.com
Forensic science, in its broadest sense, refers to the application of different scientific disciplines
to subjects that may have legal implications. In this context, the use of forensic science to
investigate fires and fire-related crimes covers all evidence of the investigation of the cause
and origin of the fire scene. The study involves the results of the analysis of polystyrene- (PS-
) based household products without burning and burning under various test conditions for the
purpose of identifying potential interfering compounds in kerosene-accelerated fires. Volatile
compounds, in polystyrene with and without burning, were solvent extracted using passive
headspace adsorption by charcoal strips followed by acetone. This assessment was carried out
by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), and the data evaluation was done by
extracted ion profiling (EIP) and target compound analysis. Data interpretation was found to
be somewhat complicated if fire debris samples include PS-based products in kerosene-
accelerated fires. Because PS-interfering compounds resemble target compounds of C12-C15
alkanes in kerosene with a Gaussian pattern. Therefore, it will cause pattern distortions and
might be mistakenly interpreted as both a false negative by masking alkane peaks and a false
positive for kerosene. However, Styrene was identified as the prominent interfering compound
in both PS tested. Nevertheless, PS-interfering compounds did not elute C3 aromatics (C3
alkylbenzenes) as in kerosene and it shows a styrene peak. Hence, these important key features,
styrene peak and also consecutive C3 aromatics (castle group compounds) and target kerosene
compounds could be considered to resolve this misinterpretation since kerosene in Sri Lanka
contains aromatics in addition to alkanes relatively with a low abundance when it comes from
the refinery.
Keywords: Arson, castle group, GC-MS, interferences, pyrolysis
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
66
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-057
Targeting JAK2 with phytochemicals as antagonists via molecular docking
approach
M. Ifran1, H. Mudalige1*, O. Perera1
1591, School of Science, BMS, Colombo-6, Sri Lanka
*heshani.m@bms.ac.lk
Cancer is one of the most studied diseases in the world due to its prevalence, types, and
morbidity rate. It is caused by various pathophysiological pathways. Harmful side effects of
current treatments are drawbacks and problems. Targeting the Jase Kinase-2 (JAK-2) pathway
of oncogenesis is crucial to discovering potent drugs since its mutation is involved in many
types of cancer. This study primarily aims to uncover potent novel drug candidates from
various plant sources to target the JAK-2 pathway through protein-ligand docking using
Autodock vina 1.2.6. The 3D structure of JAK-2 was downloaded from the RCSB PDB
website. The structures of the phytochemicals were retrieved from the NCBI PubChem
database and the docking procedure was executed. The ADME properties were assessed using
the SwissADME web tool. Visualization of the interactions was observed in BIOVIA DS. The
natural ligand was re-docked for the validation of the methodology. Among the docked 24
ligands, Liriodenine Cliomiscosin, Ajmalimine, Hecogenin and Ellagic acid showed the higher
binding affinity, -10.3, -9.7, -9.5, -9.5, and -9.0 kcal mol-1 respectively and these
phytochemicals formed hydrogen bonds with the receptor. The re-docked value was obtained
as -9.9 kcal mol-1. The ADME analysis revealed that except for Ajmalimine, all the other top
5 phytochemicals are suitable for further analysis. In ADME analysis GI absorption, Lipinski’s
rule and total polar surface area (TPSA) were assessed for all the ligands. Corresponding to the
hydrogen bond, LEU 932 was identified as a common residue. VAL 863, LEU 855 and LEU
983 were identified as common amino acid residues in the binding pocket of JAK-2 with
respect to hydrophobic interactions. In vitro and in vivo research to discover the possibility of
these compounds being utilized as effective therapy can be carried out.
Keywords: ADME, ajmalimine, cliomiscosin, BIOVIA DS
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
67
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-062
Changes in pH of cow milk from cattle depending on saltmarsh pastures and dry
pastures during the lactation period
G. M. M. Kumari1*, A.N. Navaratne1,2, K.B Ranawana3
1Postgraduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
2Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
3Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
*gmadushikamk@gmail.com
pH in raw cow milk is an important physical property that ranges between pH 6.6 and pH 6.8
during the non-colostrum lactation period of dairy cattle. The pH value of raw cow milk is
related to the composition of chemical constituents, especially the concentration of soluble
calcium and phosphate ions. The stability of the casein micelle of the protein constituent of
milk is related to the pH value of milk where the micellar size expands with the increasing pH
value of milk. Acidification on the other hand results in decreasing the size of the micellar. The
low raw milk pH is also an indication of bacterial contamination of milk while the high pH
value (≥ 7.0) is a pre-determination of the mastitis condition of lactating dairy cattle. Hence,
evaluation of the raw cow milk pH value is important during the lactation period of cattle. This
study focuses on the evaluation of raw cow milk pH variation within the lactation curve in the
indigenous breed of dairy cattle fed on two different feeding pastures, namely saltmarsh
pastures and dry pastures. Samples were collected during the early, mid and late lactation
stages, from the two cattle groups namely, saltmarsh-pasture cattle (n = 90) in Mannar and dry-
pasture cattle (n = 90) in Medawachchiya. During the complete lactation period, the mean raw
milk pH values of salt marsh-pasture cattle and pasture-feeding cattle were 6.50 ± 0.08 and
6.61 ± 0.04, respectively. In their mid-lactation stage, the pH of both salt marsh-pasture and
dry-pasture cattle’s milk resulted in high pH of 6.58 ± 0.06 and a pH of 6.63 ± 0.02,
respectively. However, the saltmarsh pasture feeding cattle’s milk resulted in a low pH value
during the three lactation stages compared to the dry pasture feeding cattle’s milk. Results
suggested that the pH value of cow milk was dependent on the feeding pasture as well as the
lactation stage of cattle. The compositional behaviour of pH-dependent constituents of milk
during lactation would require further investigation.
Keywords: Lactation stage, pasture, raw milk
Acknowledgement: The authors are grateful to the National Science Foundation, Sri Lanka for
providing financial assistance to the success of this study
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
68
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-065
Sustainable synthesis and characterization of copper-modified zeolite Y (Kaolin-
CuY) from purified Meetiyagoda kaolin
R.A.L.R. Amarasena1,2*, W.M.A.T. Bandara3, R. Weerasooriya1, I.P.L. Jayarathne1
1National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka
2Postgraduate Institute of Science (PGIS), University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
3Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
*lrlasanga@gmail.com
Sustainable synthesis of zeolite is important since zeolites are employed in many industrial and
environmental applications. However, the use of pure chemicals on large scale is not
sustainable due to the high cost and production of hazardous chemical waste. To avoid these
negative impacts natural aluminosilicate materials can be used. Among various raw materials,
it has been investigated that kaolin is very suitable as a starting material which has an uncharged
layer with a silica tetrahedral sheet and alumina octahedral sheet. Kaolin is naturally available
but needs to purify before the synthesis process to remove impurities. The main objectives of
this study are the synthesis of faujasite type Zeolite-Y from kaolin which was mined from
Meetiyagoda, Sri Lanka, and modification by copper cation. Copper-modified zeolites can be
used as a catalyst in many applications. To synthesize gel precursors, known ratios of purified
metakaolin, silica, NaOH and water were mixed. An environmentally friendly hydrothermal
seed-assisted method was used for the crystallization process. Synthesized zeolite was labelled
as Kaolin-Y and it was modified with copper(II) cation (Kaolin-CuY). These materials were
characterized by PXRD, FTIR and Raman spectroscopy by comparing the structure of Zeolite-
Y. The availability of characteristic diffraction of Zeolite-Y in Kaolin-Y data representing
zeolite synthesis becomes successful. In FTIR spectra a small band is appearing around 612
cm-1 representing the loading of cation (M-O bond) with internal deformation vibration modes
of T-O-T bridging bonds. A small peak that appears in the Kaolin-CuY Raman spectrum
around 129 cm-1 represents the formed M-O bond that affects the O-Si-O bond and a peak at
202 cm-1 in Kaolin-CuY also proves cation loading. According to these results, in this study
synthesis and modification of Kaolin Y have been successfully achieved. The application of
copper-modified kaolin in the catalytic reaction will be studied.
Keywords: Characterization, copper modification, metakaolin, zeolite Y
Acknowledgement: Financial assistance from National Research Council (Grant No: NRC 19-090) is
acknowledged
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
69
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-066
Estimation of route-specific vehicular air pollution via dispersion modelling:
A case study in Kandy, Sri Lanka
E.P.T.M. Rajaratne1, R.J.K.U. Ranatunga2*
1Department of Environmental and Industrial Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya,
Sri Lanka
2Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
*udayana.ranatunga@sci.pdn.ac.lk
Vehicular emissions contribute to more than half of the air pollution in Sri Lanka. Despite
having a lower number of sources, Kandy city experiences higher air pollution due to the basin
effect. Regular monitoring of air quality is imperative to ensure public health, however,
monitoring equipment is often stationary, expensive, and only provides in situ measurements
of pollutants. Therefore, we intended to use dispersion modelling techniques to investigate the
vehicular Carbon monoxide (CO) pollution in a section of Kandy, namely, the Kandy Lake
route from Saṅgarāja Mawatha up to Dharmarāja College Junction (B518AA026). A
primary goal was to identify areas that exceed maximum permissible ambient CO levels: 1
hour () and 8-hour () averages, 26 and 9 ppm respectively. Specific emission rates
of the route were estimated using semi-empirical formulae and analogous emission
factor data for CO from a study conducted in China in 2008. Dispersion modelling was
conducted over a km2 domain centred on the Kandy Clock Tower, using AERMOD
(Gaussian plume dispersion model). Semi-empirical estimations showed maximum
of
2.215 mg s-1 m-2 occurring at 07:00 and 13:45 on weekdays. Weekends reported maxima of
1.813 mg s-1 m-2 and 1.536 mg s-1 m-2, respectively at 11:45 (both days) and 12:30 (Sundays).
Modelling results revealed that > 90% of the domain experiences 0.5 mg l-1. Five
locations exceeded up to 33 mg l-1. Thirty-two locations exceeded up to 21 mg l-1.
Furthermore, Mahāmāyā Primary and Secondary College premises experience elevated
levels: 5.1 ~ 8.7 mg l-1 and 1.2~11.7 mg l-1 respectively. This study shows that model
estimations of vehicular CO pollution alone exceed gazetted thresholds at several locations,
and chronically expose over five thousand students attending two schools adjacent to the route.
Also, this study ascertains that dispersion modelling provides viable estimates in the absence
of actual measured data and instruments.
Keywords: Carbon monoxide, population health, traffic
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
70
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-069
Plants available in Sri Lanka with anti-viral potential : A review
H.D.T. Madhuranga1*, P.J. Wijekumar1, D.N.A.W. Samarakoon1
1Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, KIU, Battaramulla, Sri Lanka
*kiu.b56365@kiu.ac.lk
The available treatments for viral infections are limited, and they tend to be ineffective due to
emerging resistant viral strains. Therefore, new anti-viral compounds with high efficacy need
to be investigated for future drug development. Herbal plants possess a distinctive efficacy for
many diseases. Herbal plant-based medications are effective for viral infections due to several
advantages: less expensive, accepted among people due to a long history of use, better patient
tolerance, and fewer or no side effects. As well as, there is a huge demand for identifying the
therapeutic importance of herbal plants to treat viral diseases since the novel COVID-19 has
become a significant healthcare threat to almost all countries worldwide. A literature search
was conducted using PubMed® (US National Library of Medicine, USA), Google Scholar, and
Hinary (WHO, Switzerland) to provide evidence-based recommendations for these traditional
natural plants. This review documents previous study evidence about 30 medicinal plants used
as anti-viral herbs in the Sri Lankan community. The most used literature evidence richer plants
and their chemical constituents identified in this survey were Curcuma longa (curcumin),
Zingiber officinale (zingiberene, α-farnesene, and β-sesquiphellandrene), Allium sativum (Allin
and Allicin), Terminalia chebula (Chebumeinin A, Chebumeinin B, and Casuarimin), Citrus
aurantiifolia (Hesperidin), Mentha spicata/Mentha longifolia (Piperitenone oxide),
Azadirachta indica (Nimbidin), Phyllanthus amarus (Corilagin), Aloe barbadensis (Aloe-
emodin and Aloetic acid) and Andrographis paniculate (Andrographolide). Among these 30
plants, most plants pointed to in vivo activity against Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1), Herpes
Simplex Virus (HSV-2), Influenza A (H1N1) Virus, and several viruses such as SARS COVID-
19 virus (SARS-CoV2). The most documented active biological compounds from these 30
plants were alkaloids, flavonoids, and terpenoids. However, there is a scarcity of knowledge
on plant-based medications for viral infections, and the scientific forums lack evidence for most
herbal plants. Thus, this review focuses on documenting the herbal plants with recognized anti-
viral activity abundant in Sri Lanka and their chemical constituents.
Keywords: Anti-viral, herbal plants, treatment, viral infections
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
71
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-071
Development of sugar-free flavoured instant iced tea
A. Hettiarachchi1, D.G.N.G. Wijesinghe1*, L.P.I.N.P. Jayawardene2, W.L.C.M. Gunathilaka2
1Department of Food Science & Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya,
Sri Lanka
2Aletek International (Pvt) Ltd., Ranaviru Prabhath Cooray Mawatha, Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka
*wijeng@agri.pdn.ac.lk
Tea (Camellia sinensis) is a widely consumed beverage with many health benefits. Iced tea is
a chilled, ready-to-drink (RTD) tea beverage. The use of instant tea powder as a substitute for
black tea extract, the conventional ingredient, is the main difference of this study. The use of
instant tea powder is simple, affordable, and has the expected physicochemical and health
benefits of tea, along with its high solubility and reconstituting properties. The goal was to
create sugar-free iced tea premixes using instant tea (IT) of selected flavours that could be sold
on the market. Iced tea premixes were developed using instant black tea powder, ascorbic acid,
tri-sodium citrate, citric acid, sucralose, and maltodextrin with four flavours: apple, ginger,
bergamot, and cardamom. After several preliminary trials, 2 formulations (F1& F2) were
selected for each flavour by slight alterations of the above ingredients. To identify the sensory
properties of tea premixes, colour, aroma, mouthfeel, and overall acceptability were determined
using a five-point hedonic scale sensory analysis, with thirty in-house semi-trained panellists.
Based on the analysis, the best formulation out of the 2 formulations was selected for each
flavour. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 26 statistical software with a p < 0.05 level
of significance. From the iced tea premixes, panellists preferred formulation 2 (F2) for apple
flavour, formulation 1 (F1) for ginger flavour, and formulation 2 (F2) for cardamom flavour
but for bergamot flavour none of the formulations was preferred. Out of the four flavours, apple
flavour was the most preferred flavour (4.63 ± 0.10), followed by ginger (4.27 ± 0.12),
cardamom (4.17 ± 0.12), and bergamot flavour (2.25 ± 0.12), respectively. Based on the
sensory analysis, three flavours of apple, ginger, and cardamom were identified for the
production of instant iced tea premixes. Before introducing them to the market, premixes need
to be examined and improved upon their physicochemical and microbiological qualities during
storage.
Keywords: Physicochemical properties, premixes, ready-to-drink, statistical analysis, sensory
analysis
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
72
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-088
Enzyme inhibitory, antioxidant and phytotoxic properties of Pilea microphylla
(Urticaceae)
K.A. Siriwardhene1, J.M.N. Marikkar1, L. Jayasinghe1*, N.K.B. Adikaram1
1National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka
*lalith.ja@nifs.ac.lk
Pilea is the largest genus of the family Urticaceae with over 600 species, and one of the largest
genera within the Order Urticales. The plant is mostly distributed throughout the tropics,
subtropics, and warm temperate regions. The majority of species are succulent herbs,
epiphytes, or small shrubs that could be found growing in heavy shade. In June 2017, during
the study of the alien urban flora of Palermo, a remarkable Pilea microphylla was discovered.
P. microphylla is generally known as Angelwood, Joypowder plant, Artillery plant, and/or
Brihantina. The present study was carried out to evaluate the bioactivity of P. microphylla. The
methanolic extract obtained from the plant was screened for antifungal (against Cladosporium
cladosporioides), antioxidant (against DPPH), cytotoxic (against Artemia salina), phytotoxic
properties (against root and shoot inhibition of Lactuca sativa) and enzyme inhibitory activities
on α-amylase (from the porcine pancreas), acetylcholinesterase (from Electrophorus
electricus) and lipase (from the porcine pancreas). The results showed that the MeOH extract
does not exhibit antifungal properties, cytotoxicity, or α-amylase inhibitory activities. IC50
values for antioxidant, acetylchlolinesterase inhibitory, and lipase inhibitory assays were 46.69
mg l-1, 132.53 mg l-1 and 25.15 mg l-1 respectively. Chemical investigations on the active
compounds are in progress.
Keywords: Acetylchlolinesterase, lipase, P. microphylla
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
73
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-089
Bioactive metabolite of endophytic fungus from Manihot esculenta
H.M.S.K.H. Bandara1,2, N.R. Amarasinghe3, N.K.B. Adikaram1, L. Jayasinghe1*
H. Araya4, Y. Fujimoto1,4
1National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka
2Department of Biochemistry, Medical Research Institute, Colombo, Sri Lanka
3Faculty of Allied Health Science, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
4School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Kawasaki 214-8571, Japan
*lalith.ja@nifs.ac.lk
Fungi are among the most important organisms in the world because of their very important
roles in ecosystem functions and power on humans and human-related activities. Since the
discovery of penicillin, natural product discovery from fungi has added considerable attention
and force. Plant endophytic fungi have been recognized as an important source of natural
products with potential applications in industries. In this paper, the chemistry and bioactivity
of endophytic fungi in leaves of Manihot esculenta were investigated to find the possible
application in health and agriculture. Triple sterilized leaf segments of M. esculenta were
placed on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) medium and incubated at room temperature to obtain
endophytic fungi. The identification of endophyte is in progress. The pure culture of
endophyte was fermented in 12 L of Potato Dextrose Broth (PDB) medium. The medium was
filtered and the filtrate was extracted with ethyl acetate (EtOAc) and residual mycelium was
extracted using EtOAc and methanol (MeOH). The combined EtOAc extract was
chromatographed over silica gel (n-hexane-EtOAc-MeOH) followed by PTLC to give 5-
methylmellein (1), 6-O-methylreticulol (2), 7-hydroxy-5-methylmellein (3) and saccharonol B
(4). With availability of compounds, only 1 was screened for antifungal activity against
Cladosporium cladosporioides, phytotoxicity (lettuce seed germination assay), antioxidant
activity using DPPH, brine shrimp toxicity (Artemia salina) and enzyme inhibitory assays on,
α-glucosidase, acetylcholinesterase and lipase. Compound 1 showed brine shrimp lethality at
LC50- 10.11 mg l-1 and strong antioxidant activity against DPPH at IC50- 0.23 mg l-1. It
displayed the shoot inhibition of lettuce seedlings at IC50- 82.53 ppm while root inhibition of
lettuce seedlings at IC50- 137.47 ppm. The mild acetylcholinesterase enzyme inhibitory activity
was observed at IC50- 815.32 mg l-1 and the antifungal activity against C. cladosporioedes was
observed. Therefore, endophytic fungus from M. esculenta can be considered a potential source
for the isolation of new therapeutic agents.
Keywords: Antifungal, antioxidant, cytotxicity, Manihot esculenta, phytotoxicity
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
74
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-090
Investigation of antioxidant, cytotoxic and phytotoxic activity
of plant extracts from Eichhornia crassipes
T.M.K.P. Thennakoon1, D. Yakandawala2, J.M.N. Marikkar1, N.K.B. Adikaram1,
L. Jayasinghe1*
1National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka.
2Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
*lalith.ja@nifs.ac.lk
Eichhornia crassipes, (Family Pontederiaceae), commonly known as “Japan Jabara”, is an
invasive aquatic plant found in tropical and subtropical regions. Its origin is the Amazonia
basin in South America. It has been used in the past for medicinal purposes such as treatment
for cholera, sore throats, and snake bites. The objective of the study was to determine antifungal
activity against Cladosporium cladosporioides, antioxidant activity against DPPH (2.2’-
diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), cytotoxicity against brine shrimps, phytotoxicity against lettuce
seed germination, α-amylase inhibitory activity and lipase enzyme inhibitory activity of the
crude extracts of the shoot (SH) and root (RT) obtained from E. crassipes plant by using
solvents which have different polarities. The hexane, ethyl acetate (EtOAc) and methanol
extracts of E. crassipes RT, assessed for cytotoxicity properties, revealed 100%, 97% and 90%
cell death (mortality) respectively. Similarly, EtOAc extracts of E. crassipes RT showed
substantial inhibition of both the shoot (77.57%) and root (67.52%) while EtOAc extracts of
E. crassipes SH exhibited good phytotoxic effects on the shoot (70.78%) and root (78.14%)
than the other extracts. The lowest DPPH free radical scavenging activity (IC50 = 39.94 mg l-
1) was found in the SH- EtOAc extract, while IC50 of 15.94 mg l-1 was found in the RT- EtOAc
extract indicating that the root extract has the strongest antioxidant activity. Further, the study
revealed the lack of α-amylase inhibitory activity, antifungal properties or lipase inhibitory
activity in any of the crude extracts of E. crassipes tested. The extracts of E. crassipes are a
promising source for the isolation of bioactive compounds since it possesses significant
antioxidant, cytotoxic and phytotoxic properties.
Keywords: α-amylase, aquatic plant, Japan Jabara, lipase
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
75
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-092
Bioactivity studies of Bridelia retusa leave extracts
U. Siriwardhane1, N.K.B. Adikaram1, L. Jayasinghe1*
1National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka
*lalith.ja@nifs.ac.lk
Bridelia retusa commonly known as spinous kino tree is widely used as a medicinal plant to
treat urinary problems, rheumatism, diarrhea and diabetes. This study was carried out to
investigate the bioactivities of different extracts of B. retusa leaves. The leaves were air-dried
and powdered using a grinder. The powdered sample was sequentially extracted into hexane,
ethyl acetate (EtOAc) and methanol (MeOH) using a sonicator. The extracts were evaporated
using a rotary evaporator to obtain crude extracts. The extracts were screened for antioxidant
activity against DPPH (2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), antifungal activity against
Cladosporium cladosporioides, cytotoxic activity against Artemia salina, phytotoxic activity
against lettuce seed germination, and enzyme inhibitory assays against α-amylase, α-
glucosidase, and lipase. The results obtained showed that all three extracts possess antioxidant
activity of which hexane and MeOH extracts showed IC50 values of 17.23 ± 7.90 mg l-1 and
5.33 ± 4.59 mg l-1. The EtOAc extract showed the highest antioxidant activity of 0.03 ± 0.00
mg l-1. None of the extracts showed inhibition against Cladosporium cladosporioides. All
extracts demonstrated low cytotoxicity and, none of the extracts exhibited phytotoxicity against
lettuce seed germination within 1000 mg l-1 concentration. Only the methanolic extract of the
leaves showed α-amylase inhibitory activity (IC50 = 187.46 ± 4.35 mg l-1). All extracts showed
α-glucosidase inhibitory activity where, hexane and EtOAc extracts showed IC50 values of
800.31 ± 34.39 mg l-1 and 631.44 ± 21.11 mg l-1, while methanol extract showed the highest
activity of 0.25 ± 0.18 mg l-1. In the lipase enzyme inhibitory assay, the hexane extract showed
an IC50 value of 475.80 ± 15.84 mg l-1. EtOAc and MeOH extracts showed IC50 values of 718.38
± 15.01 mg l-1 and 457.95 ± 2.43 mg l-1 respectively. Activity-guided fractionation of the
extracts is in progress. These results suggest that Bridelia retusa leaves have the potential to
isolate bioactive compounds.
Keywords: Antioxidants, bioactivities, cytotoxicity, enzyme inhibitors, phytotoxicity
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
76
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-093
Bioassays and enzyme inhibitory activities of Alysicarpus vaginalis and
Biophytum reinwardtii
T.D.A.D.K. Kulathunge1, J.M.N. Marikkar1, N.K.B. Adikaram1, L. Jayasinghe1*
1National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka
*lalith.ja@nifs.ac.lk
Sri Lankan traditional medicine utilizes mainly herbal preparations for the treatment of
diseases. They have a broad literature on 2000 species, but only a few of these have been
examined for bioactivities and chemical compositions. This research is directed towards the
discovery of the bioactivities of Alysicarpus vaginalis and Biophytum reinwardtii. Whole
plants of both species were selected for the study. The plants were collected from the Central
province of Sri Lanka, washed, air-dried and finely powdered. Extracts obtained using n-
hexane, ethyl acetate (EtOAc) and methanol (MeOH) were subjected to phytotoxic activity
against Lettuce seeds, cytotoxicity against brine shrimp, antifungal activity against
Cladosporium cladosporioides, DPPH (2,2- diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging
antioxidant activity, α-amylase inhibitory activity and lipase enzyme inhibitory activity. None
of the crude extracts showed any significant phytotoxicity or cytotoxicity. MeOH extract of B.
reinwardtii (BM) exhibited the highest antioxidant activity (IC50 43.7 mg l-1) compared to
ascorbic acid (IC50 2.21 mg l-1) and other extracts also showed antioxidant activity IC50 in the
range of (43-665) mg l-1. None displayed any inhibition zone against C. cladosporioides.
MeOH extracts of both plants showed α- amylase enzyme inhibitory activity where BM (IC50
743.43 mg l-1) and MeOH extract of A. vaginalis (AM) (IC50 1015.98 mg l-1). EtOAc extract
of A. vaginalis (AE) (IC50 332 mg l-1), exhibited lipase enzyme inhibition. This study revealed
that both plants contain compounds with adequate properties which can further focus on the
isolation of bioactive compounds responsible for these bioactivities.
Keywords: a-amylase, antifungal, antioxidant, cytotoxicity, lipase, phytotoxicity
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
77
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-094
Chemical constituents of endophytic fungus associated with Citrus aurantiifolia
and their α-amylase inhibitory activity
N. Atapattu1, N.K.B. Adikaram1, L. Jayasinghe1*, H. Araya2, Y. Fujimoto1, 2
1National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka
2School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Kawasaki, Japan
*lalith.ja@nifs.ac.lk
Endophytes can act as a reliable source of bioactive compounds. The objective of this study
was to investigate the endophytic fungi isolated from the leaves of Citrus aurantiifolia which
is commonly known as lime, for their chemistry and bioactivity. C. aurantiifolia leaves are
used as a flavouring agent and mashed leaves are consumed for headaches and colds. Fresh
and healthy leaves of C. aurantiifolia were collected from the Central Province of Sri Lanka.
Small segments (5 × 5 mm2) of the tripled sterilized leaves were placed on Potato Dextrose
Agar plates and were incubated in the dark at room temperature (27 °C) for seven days until
the appearance of fungal mycelium. The grown fungus was subcultured to obtain pure cultures.
The pure fungus was cultured large scale and kept for 21 days in shakers at room temperature.
After 21 days the medium was filtered and the filtrate was extracted using EtOAc. Mycelium
was crushed and extracted with EtOAc and MeOH sequentially. EtOAc extract of the filtrate
and the EtOAc and MeOH extracts of mycelium were subjected to α-amylase inhibitory assay.
EtOAc extract of the filtrate showed the highest activity with an IC50 value of 522.45 ± 46.23
mg l-1 and EtOAc and MeOH extracts of mycelium did not show any α-amylase inhibitory
activity. The chromatographic separation of (silica gel column followed by Sephadex LH-20
and PTLC) of EtOAc extract of filtrate resulted in succinic acid (1, 4-butanedioic acid) and 4-
methoxy-4-oxobutanoic acid. The bioactivity studies of pure compounds are in progress.
Keywords: α -amylase inhibition, Citrus aurantiifolia, endophytic fungus, 4-methoxy-4-
oxobutanoic acid, succinic acid
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
78
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-097
Synthesis of iron oxide (γ-Fe2O3) coated sand for adsorptive removal of arsenic
from drinking water
J.M.W.G.T.S. Senevirathne1*, W.M.A.T. Bandara2,3, R. Weerasooriya3,4, I.P.L. Jayarathne4,
P.M.C.J. Bandara4
1Department of Environmental and Industrial Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya,
Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
2Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
3China-SRI Lanka Joint Research and Demonstration Center for Water Technology, Ministry of
Water Supply, EOE Pereira MW, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
4National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka
*s16135@sci.pdn.ac.lk
In recent years, arsenic (As) contamination of surface and groundwater has become an issue in
many countries due to the weathering of As-containing rocks, industrial wastewater discharge,
and the utilization of agricultural fertilizers. Ion exchange, coagulation, adsorption, co-
precipitation, and microfiltration are the methods used to remove As from drinking water.
Adsorption is a widely used method for removing As that exceeds the permissible level (10 µg
l-1) as per the drinking water guidelines recommended by the World Health Organization
(WHO). Maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) nanoparticles (NPs) have gained a lot of interest owing to their
ability to remove heavy metals from drinking water. Direct implementation of iron oxide NPs
may present issues due to their tendency to agglomerate in aqueous media. Therefore, NPs are
coated onto the filter material (sand). γ-Fe2O3 coated sand was prepared by a double coating
process at 110 and 400 °C temperatures. The synthetic γ-Fe2O3 coated sand was characterized
by Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) and Raman spectroscopy. Characteristic Raman peak
values of γ-Fe2O3 are observed in the 670 cm-1 and 1330 cm-1 band positions, and the IR peaks
that were observed in the (450–460) cm-1 range can be attributed to Fe–O stretching vibrations.
This work revealed that γ-Fe2O3 coated sand has a high affinity to remove both arsenite (As
(III)) and arsenate (As (V)). The batch experiments showed the maximum adoption with γ-
Fe2O3 coated sand for both As (III) and As (V) at pH 7.0, contact time of 7 hours, at 27 °C room
temperature, and 25 g l-1 fixed adsorbent dose at 1.0 ppm initial As (III) and As (V) solutions.
Maximum removal efficiency for As (III) and As (V) was 92.0% and 99.3% respectively under
the aforementioned optimum conditions. The results indicate that γ-Fe2O3 coated sand can be
used as an adsorbent for reducing both As (III) and As (V) concentrations from drinking water.
Keywords: Adsorption, arsenate, arsenite, coating, γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles
Acknowledgement: The National Research Council of Sri Lanka (NRC TO 16-015), all the research
assistants, and the technical staff of the NIFS and the JRDC are acknowledged for their support.
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
79
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-099
Optimization of the solute descriptors for benzyl cinnamate by
gas chromatography and liquid-liquid partition systems
K.P. Hewage1,2, J.A.T.C. Ariyasena1,2*
1Postgraduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
2Department of Chemistry, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
*jatca@sci.pdn.ac.lk
Benzyl cinnamate is an important additive used in the products such as fine fragrances,
shampoos and soaps. The worldwide usage of benzyl cinnamate is in the range of 10-100 metric
tons per year, yet the studies on the toxicological properties of benzyl cinnamate are minimum.
This is because the traditional methods for studying these properties such as LD50
determination using animals are time-consuming, costly and difficult. This can be overcome
by the use of the Abraham solvation parameter model which is based on the Quantitative
Structure-Property Relationships. This model can be expressed as
for transfers between two condensed phases. The transfer from the gas
phase to a condensed phase is given by . Here SP
is a Free energy-related solute property, simple letters are system constants and capital letters
are Solute descriptors. V: McGowans Characteristic Volume, E: excess molar refraction, S:
dipolarity/polarizability, A and B: hydrogen-bond acidity and basicity. L is the Gas-
Hexadecane Partition coefficient. The gas chromatographic technique was used to optimize the
solute descriptors for benzyl cinnamate and this was carried out using the
poly(dimethyldiphenylsiloxane) and poly(cyanopropylphenyldimethylsiloxane) stationary
phases and organic biphasic partition systems. The stationary phases were calibrated and
isothermal retention factor values were determined from 80 °C to 260 °C at 20 °C intervals.
Benzyl cinnamate was equilibrated in 20 organic biphasic systems and the partition coefficients
were determined. The aforementioned experimental values were combined with the reported
retention factor values in the literature to optimize the descriptors using the Solver algorithm
in MS excel® such that the standard deviation would be minimum. The optimized descriptor
values for benzyl cinnamate are, E = 1.304, S = 1.501, A = 0.000, L = 8.938, B = 0.617 and V
= 1.919 respectively. These optimized descriptor values can be used to estimate the distribution
of benzyl cinnamate in environmental compartments and to estimate toxicological properties.
Keywords: Benzyl cinnamate, descriptors, gas chromatography, solvation parameter model
Acknowledgement: Financial assistance from National Research Council (Grant no: 20-086) is
acknowledged
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
80
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-100
Utilization of differently activated charcoal from coconut shells (C. nucifera) for
textile dye adsorption
R.M.H.Y. Rajapaksha1, M.F. Nawas1,2, M.N.M. Farhath2*
1Department of Chemical Science, Faculty of Applied Sciences, South Eastern University,
Sammanthurei, Sri Lanka
2Science Research Centre, Faculty of Applied Sciences, South Eastern University, Sammanthurei, Sri
Lanka
*mmohamed@seu.ac.lk
Dye effluents released from numerous dye-utilizing industries are toxic and carcinogenic to
both aquatic life and human beings. Before discharging, dye wastewater should be treated to
minimize its harmful effects on the environment and other living beings. Numerous studies
have demonstrated that the best alternative approach for dye adsorption is the utilization of
activated charcoal. In this study, activated charcoal made from coconut shells in three different
weight ratios of carbon to sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and three different pyrolysis temperatures
were adopted for the adsorption process with four different industrial dyes taken from textile
industries. FTIR spectroscopy was employed to identify the functional groups in the
adsorbents. Further, the effects of contact time on dye adsorption were studied. The
experimental result showed that the best adsorption capacity of activated carbon was AC-9 at
a weight ratio of carbon to NaOH, 1:3, and a pyrolysis temperature of 800 °C, for dye
adsorption. According to the results, higher pyrolysis temperatures and higher carbon: NaOH
weight ratios have a direct impact on adsorption capacity development and changed the
physical properties of activated carbon. The greater the quality of the activated carbon
produced, the larger the surface area and pore diameter. When investigating the effect of
contact time, initially increased rapidly and reached the maximum adsorption capacity after
some time. After carrying out rigorous experiments, it was concluded that activated carbon
prepared from coconut shells under high conditions can be effective for the removal of textile
dye. This would have the potential to use in large-scale processes, due to their low cost, easy
synthesis pathway, and ready availability.
Keywords: Adsorbents, contact time, pyrolysis temperature, sodium hydroxide to carbon
weight ratio
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
81
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-101
Effective removal of heavy metals from aqueous solutions by cost-effective
adsorbents
R.M.H.Y. Rajapaksha1, O.H.P. Gunawardene2, C.A. Gunathilake3, M.N.M. Farhath4*
1,4Department of Chemical Science, Faculty of Applied Science, South Eastern University,
Sammanthurei, Sri Lanka
2 Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of
Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
3Department of Nano Science Technology, Faculty of Technology, Wayamba University, Kuliyapitiya,
Sri Lanka
4Science Research Centre, Faculty of Applied Sciences, South Eastern University, Sammanthurei,
Sri Lanka
*mmohamed@seu.ac.lk
Heavy metals are detrimental to human health and the environment with, negative
consequences. Such as kidney and nervous system disorders, and for plants; inhibition of
photosynthesis. Thus, efficient strategies must be applied to eliminate heavy metal cations from
contaminated water. Normally, bricks and activated charcoal (AC) are well-known adsorbents
in wastewater treatment. In this study, naturally available brick material from the Deegawapi
area and commercially available AC were used to remove lead (Pb2+) and cadmium (Cd2+) ions
from an aqueous solution. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt at, a comparison
of AC and bricks in the heavy metal adsorption process and herein, the best adsorbent among
these two was determined. The Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models were used to
analyse the equilibrium adsorption data. As a measure of the fit, the coefficient correlation (R2)
was used. The equilibrium data of Pb2+ treated with both adsorbents, better fitted to the
Langmuir isotherm exhibited higher correlation coefficients (R2 ≥ 0.90). The maximum
adsorption capacity of Pb2+ on AC was remarkably higher as compared to Pb2+ on brick
samples, with the 303.03 mg g-1 maximum adsorption value. Equilibrium data of Cd2+ on both
adsorbents were fitted to the Freundlich model with the correlation coefficient (R2) less than
or equal to 0.97 (R2 ≥ 0.97). From fitted data, Cd2+ on AC showed larger KF values over Cd2+
on brick, indicating AC’s higher adsorption capacity and affinity towards Cd2+ ions. The
adsorption of both metal ions on AC followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model with a
correlation coefficient over 0.97 (R2 ≥ 0.99) than the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. The
Pb2+ and Cd2+ treated with AC show the maximum concentration adsorption rate (h) of 1.896
mg g-1 min and 1.179 mg g-1 min, respectively. According to data, AC was determined as the
best adsorbent owing to its higher adsorption capacity, better chemical stability, excellent
mechanical properties and well-developed mesopores than bricks. Future researchers must
focus on the synthesis of AC, containing functional groups and develop this technique for water
purification systems.
Keywords: Activated charcoal, bricks, cadmium ion, lead ion
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
82
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-105
Bioactivity of different crude extracts of Salicornia brachiata
H.M.N.P. Herath1, M.N.F. Ifadha2, D. Perera2, N.K.B. Adikaram1, L. Jayasinghe1*
1National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka
2Department of Bioprocess Technology, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, Mihintale, Sri Lanka
*lalith.ja@nifs.ac.lk
Salicornia brachiata is a halophytic herb which can be found primarily in salt marshes. It is
commercially grown for food, feed, oil seed, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical purposes in
many regions of the world. Chemically, a wide variety of secondary metabolites of economic
interest have been previously reported in many Salicornia species worldwide. We screened the
bioactivity of extracts of a locally available Salicornia brachiata: air-dried and powdered
shoots sequentially extracted into n-hexane (NH/S/Hs), ethyl acetate (NH/S/Es), and methanol
(NH/S/Ms) and roots extracted into the same types of solvents respectively (NH/S/Hr,
NH/S/Er, and NH/S/Mr). The extracts were evaluated for antioxidant activity (using 1,1-
diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl [DPPH]), total phenolic content (TPC) (using Folin-Ciocalteau
reagent), cytotoxicity (using the brine shrimp lethality assay), antifungal-activity (against
Cladosporium cladosporioides), and phytotoxicity (against Lactuca sativa). NH/S/HS showed
very low antioxidant properties (DPPH, 861 mg l-1), contained very low TPC (7.14 ± 4.91 mg
GAE/g) and mildly toxic (100 < LC50 ≤ 500 μg ml-1). NH/S/Hr displayed low anti-oxidant
(DPPH, IC50 523 ± 2 mg l-1) properties and, highly toxic (LC50 ≤ 12 μg ml-1). NH/S/Es
displayed strong antioxidant properties (DPPH, IC50 137 ± 4 mg l-1); contained high TPC
(32.12 ± 7.04 mg GAE/g), however, displayed higher toxicity (LC50 > 0 μg ml-1). NH/S/Er
moderate antioxidant (DPPH, IC50 173 ± 29 mg l-1) and inhibited C. cladosporioides. NH/S/Ms
showed law antioxidant properties (DPPH, IC50 412 ± 112 mg l-1), but displayed low toxicity
(500 < LC50 μg ml-1). NH/S/Mr is moderate antioxidant (DPPH, IC50 175 ± 30 mg l-1); contain
high TPC (29.00 ± 15.81 mg GAE/g); moderately toxic (12 < LC50 ≤ 100 μg ml-1) and showed
antifungal activity. The S. brachiata extracts were negative for phytotoxicity in root and shoot
inhibition. S. brachiata extracts examined here are potential sources for developing safe
antioxidants.
Keywords: Antioxidant, antifungal, cytotoxicity, phytotoxicity, total phenolic content
Acknowledgement: Asian Development Bank (through Science and Technology Human Resource
Development Project, Ministry of Education) [ADB STHRDP] is acknowledged for financial support
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
83
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-106
Enzyme inhibitors from an endophytic fungus associated with Myristica fragrans
K. Samarakoon1, T. Heenkenda1, C. Jayasooriya1, E.A.I.A. Perera1, D. Yakandawala2,
N.S. Kumar1, N.K.B. Adikaram1, L. Jayasinghe1*, H. Araya3, Y. Fujimoto1,3
1National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka
2Department of Botany, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
3School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Kawasaki, Japan
*lalith.ja@nifs.ac.lk
Myristica fragrans (Nutmeg) of the family Myristicaceae is a popular spice used worldwide
and known to be rich in bioactive compounds and natural enzyme inhibitors. Endophytic fungi
are searched for their potential to produce bioactive metabolites due to their symbiotic
association with plants. This study was conducted to isolate and investigate the enzyme
inhibitory activities of secondary metabolites of an endophytic fungus associated with M.
fragrans. An endophytic fungus was isolated from triple sterilized fresh leaves of M. fragrans
collected from Central Province, Sri Lanka. Pure culture of an emerged fungus was inoculated
to Potato Dextrose Broth and kept for 21 days with shaking at room temperature. The broth
was filtered and extracted to EtOAc and mycelium was separately extracted to EtOAc followed
by MeOH. EtOAc extract was separated using chromatographic techniques (Silica gel column,
Sephadex LH-20, HPLC, PTLC) to furnish four pure compounds and their structures were
elucidated using NMR spectra and reported data. The endophytic fungus obtained was
tentatively identified as Phyllosticta sp. by amplification of ITS regions of the fungal rDNA
gene. Further identification using other gene regions is in progress. The isolated compounds
were aurasperone F (1), foncesin B (2), rubrofusarin B (3) and 4-methoxy-6-(2-methyl-1-
oxopropyl)-2H-pyran-2-one (4). Compounds were screened for enzyme inhibitory activities
against α-glucosidase, acetylcholinesterase and lipase enzymes. Compounds 1, 2, and 3 showed
high α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with IC50 values of 16.13 mg l-1, 15.66 mg l-1 and 15.29
mg l-1 respectively. Positive control Acarbose showed IC50 of 107.76 mg l-1. Compound 3
resulted in high acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity (IC50 70.29 mg l-1) whereas 2 showed
mild activity for acetylcholinesterase inhibition with IC50 310.82 mg l-1. Compound 1 showed
very low acetylcholinesterase activity. Positive control Donepezil showed IC50 of 0.03 mg l-1.
Compound 2 had moderate lipase inhibitory activity with IC50 131.53 mg l-1. Positive control
Orlistat showed IC50 of 3.125 mg l-1. Results suggest the potential of this endophytic fungus as
a source of natural enzyme inhibitors.
Keywords: α-glucosidase, acetylcholinesterase, Myristica fragrans, secondary metabolites
Acknowledgement: Financial assistance from National Science Foundation (Grant No:
RG/2017/BS/06) is gratefully acknowledged
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
84
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-110
Chemical quality of groundwater with high fluorides in Hambanthota district
villages, Sri Lanka
W.G.D. Chathurangi1, D.M.T.L. Dasanayaka1, J.A.T.C. Ariyasena2*
1Department of Industrial and Environmental Sciences, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya
2Department of Chemistry, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
*jatca@sci.pdn.ac.lk
Groundwater is a major drinking water source throughout the world due to little pollution from
anthropogenic sources. Due to the long residence time, the groundwater is enriched with high
solute concentrations. This effect is critical in tropical regions of the world due to intense
weathering. We selected 3 villages from Sri Lanka Hambantota: Medamulana,
Galsiyambalayaya and Warayaya known for dental and skeletal fluorosis and as adversely
affected by the non-availability of fresh water, to determine pH, electrical conductivity, salinity
and fluoride ion concentration for ten months. The pH and EC of the water samples were
determined by a multi-parameter detection method. TDS was calculated from EC data. The
fluoride concentrations were determined by ion chromatographic method. Atomic absorption
spectroscopic method was used for detection of Ca2+ and Mg2+. Variations of temperature, pH,
TDS, salinity and electrical conductivity (EC) were (24.0 °C to 32.0 °C), (7.50 - 8.90), (68 mg
l-1 to 1340 mg l-1), (51 mg l-1 to 947 mg l-1), and (96 µS cm-1 to 1886 µS cm-1), respectively.
Fluoride concentration in the Medamulana, Galsiyambalayaya and Warayaya are varied in the
range of (0.5 mg l-1 to 1.4 mg l-1), (0.5 mg l-1 to 3.5 mg l-1) and (1.8 mg l-1 to 3.5 mg l-1)
respectively, and exceeded the WHO limit of 1.5 mg l-1. Total hardness in the selected areas
varied from (250 mg l-1 to 670 mg l-1), (100 mg l-1 - 700 mg l-1) and (500 mg l-1 - 1100 mg l-1)
respectively, and almost all the sites exceeded WHO recommended limit of 180 mg l-1 in most
months. Saltwater intrusion may be the reason for the high salinity and high EC in months of
October in 2020 and January, March, April, June, July and October in 2021. Our results show
that precautionary measures should be taken in this region by the relevant authorities to prevent
people from overexposure to fluoride, calcium, and magnesium ions through drinking water.
Keywords: Dental fluorosis, groundwater, saltwater intrusion, skeletal fluorosis, Sri Lanka
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
85
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-114
Free radical scavenging and metal chelation potential of methanolic extracts of
Annona muricata leaf and seed materials
N.I.S. Dilshan1, S.K. Rodrigo1*
1Department of Chemistry, The Open University of Sri Lanka, Nawala, Sri Lanka
*srodr@ou.ac.lk
Oxidative stress is a condition which leads to numerous pathological issues in the human body
and it is accelerated by ferrous ions. All parts of Annona muricata are extensively used in
traditional medicines. However, the activities of phytochemicals partly depend on the
extraction method and type of plant material. In our work, methanol extracts of leaves and
seeds of A. muricata obtained using Soxhlet, sonicator and bottle-shaker extraction methods
were examined for Ferrous chelation activity and antioxidant capacity. 1000 mg l-1
concentration of all dried extracts were prepared in methanol. The Ferrous chelation activity is
reported as percentage inhibition of 1,10 – Phenanthroline – Fe2+ complex using EDTA as the
positive control. The antioxidant capacity is reported as the percentage inhibition of DPPH
using ascorbic acid as the positive control. The Soxhlet method gave the highest yield
percentages for both leaf (20.08%) and seed (32.35%) extracts. Leaf extract obtained using the
sonicator method was found to have the highest ferrous chelating capacity (53%) while the leaf
extract prepared by the shaker method showed 50% and 47% observed for the leaf extract-
soxhlet method. Seed extract obtained using the Soxhlet method showed 39% as the highest
activity among seed extracts while the seed extract obtained from the sonicator method showed
32% and 28% observed for the seed extract-shaker method. EDTA showed 85% ferrous
chelation activity at 1000 mg l-1. All leaf extracts were found to have a promising antioxidant
capacity range within 91-93% while ascorbic acid showed 97% at 1000 mg l-1. But all seed
extracts gave weak antioxidant activities and seed extract obtained using Soxhlet showed 55%
as the highest activity among seed extracts. A. muricata leaf has a significant antioxidant
capacity and moderate ferrous chelation potential while the seed has moderate antioxidant
activity and marginal ferrous chelation potential. The Soxhlet method is preferable for studies
of both extracts in terms of yield percentage and bioactivities.
Keywords: Annona muricata, antioxidant, iron chelation
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
86
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-116
Bioactive secondary metabolites from an endophytic fungus associated with
Gymnema sylvestre
L. Jayawardana1,2, K. Samarakoon1, T. S. Kumarathunge1, D. Yakandawala3,
M. N. Wickramaratne2, N.S. Kumar1, N.K.B. Adikaram1, L. Jayasinghe1*, H. Araya4,
Y. Fujimoto1,4
1National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka
2 Faculty of Applied Sciences, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka
3Department of Botany, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
4School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Kawasaki, Japan
*lalith.ja@nifs.ac.lk
Gymnema sylvestre R.Br. (Masbedda) of Asclepiadaceae family is a medicinally important
plant with many therapeutic effects, mainly antidiabetic property. Endophytic fungi live
symbiotically within plants, produce secondary metabolites with a broad range of bioactivities
and have emerged as alternative sources of bioactive compounds. This study was conducted to
isolate and investigate the enzyme inhibitory activities of secondary metabolites of an
endophytic fungus associated with G. sylvestre. Fresh leaves of G. sylvestre were collected
from the Central Province, of Sri Lanka. Small segments (5×5 mm) were triple sterilized,
placed on Potato Dextrose Agar and incubated at room temperature. Endophytic fungus
obtained was tentatively identified as Colletotrichum sp. by amplification of ITS regions of
fungal rDNA gene. Further identification by other gene regions is in progress. Pure culture of
endophytic fungus was inoculated into Potato Dextrose Broth, and kept for 21 days with
shaking at room temperature. Then medium was filtered and filtrate was partitioned with Ethyl
acetate (EtOAc). Mycelium was separately extracted with EtOAc. Both EtOAc extracts were
combined based on similar TLC patterns. Chromatographic separation (silica gel column,
Sephadex LH-20, HPLC, PTLC) of EtOAc extract furnished three compounds cytidine (1),
uridine (2) and acropyrone (3). Their structures were elucidated by Nuclear Magnetic
Resonance. All compounds were screened for enzyme inhibitory activities. Cytidine (1) and
acropyrone (3) showed high α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with IC50 8.75 mg l-1 and 6.29
mg l-1 respectively. α-amylase inhibitory activity was not detected in any of the compounds.
Cytidine (1) showed high acetylcholinesterase inhibition with IC50 22.07 mg l-1. Uridine (2)
and acropyrone (3) showed low inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase enzyme with
7015.87 mg l-1 and 1521.59 mg l-1 IC50 values respectively. Compounds 1 and 2 showed mild
lipase inhibition with IC50 of 894.49 mg l-1 and 647.89 mg l-1 respectively. These findings
suggest that this endophytic fungus produces secondary metabolites with enzyme inhibitory
activities which can be used as potential drug leads.
Keywords: Enzyme inhibitors, Gymnema sylvestre, secondary metabolites
Acknowledgement: Financial assistance from National Research Council (Grant No: NRC-17-054) is
gratefully acknowledged.
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
87
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-119
Cytotoxicity and free radical scavenging capacity of aqueous fruit extract of
Dillenia retusa
H.M.C.K Herath1, S.K. Rodrigo1*, N.K.B. Adikaram2, L. Jayasinghe2
1The Open University of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka
2National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka
*srodr@ou.ac.lk
The Dillenia retusa (Dilleniaceae), “Godapara", is an endemic plant to Sri Lanka. According
to the literature this plant is extensively used in traditional medicines against an array of human
ailments and diseases. In this work, a hot aqueous extract of the fruit of D. retusa was evaluated
for its cytotoxicity and free radical scavenging capacity. The extract was evaluated for its
potential free radical scavenging capacity using two different in vitro methods: DPPH (2,2-
diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazil) assay in which the antioxidant activity is reported as percentage
inhibition of DPPH, total phenolic content was determined with Folin-ciocalteu method.
Cytotoxicity was screened against brine shrimp (Artemia salina). The extract showed 74%
antioxidant activity at 500 mg l-1 and the IC50 was 180.0 ± 5.3 mg l-1 while it showed weak
cytotoxicity (LC50 = 735.94 ± 8.7 mg l-1). Total phenolic content turned out to be 39 mg g-1
gallic acid equivalent (GAE) g-1. The results indicate the presence of free radical scavenging
principles with D. retusa. Further, low cytotoxicity warrants the use of such extracts in
prophylaxis.
Keywords: Cytotoxicity, gallic acid standard curve, pharmacology, radical scavenging
capacity
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
88
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-120
Synthesis and characterization of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods confined in LTA
zeolite by post-synthetic hydrothermal encapsulation approach
M.D.R. Perera1*, W.M.A.T. Bandara2, R. Weerasooriya1, I.P.L. Jayarathne1
1National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka
2Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
*dilini.pe@nifs.ac.lk
Recently, 1D ZnO nanorods have attracted intensive research attention due to their outstanding
properties, such as high electron mobility in the growth direction, high surface-to-volume ratio,
and good thermal and chemical stability. However, due to the higher presence of active surface
atoms, deactivation (dramatic decrease in stability) by secondary nucleation and
recrystallization, as well as aggregation during the fabrication process tend to limit their
practical applications. Therefore, the stabilization of ZnO nanorods has emerged as a
challenging area of research. This study aimed to confine and stabilize ZnO nanorods inside
the porous structure of LTA-type zeolites. A modified post-synthetic hydrothermal
encapsulation approach was used to synthesize LTA-encapsulated ZnO nanorods where, pre-
synthesized LTA zeolites are introduced into the ZnO nanorod synthesis precursor medium,
followed by the hydrothermal crystallization. The resulting materials were characterized by
scanning electron microscopic (SEM) and powder X-ray diffraction (p-XRD) techniques. The
scanning electron micrographs (SEM) revealed the formation of rod-shaped ZnO
nanomaterials in the LTA zeolite confinement with much smaller nanorod diameters (~20 ± 5
nm) when compared to those of bare ZnO nanorods synthesized (~200 ± 5 nm). Further, the
majority of ZnO nanorods were in a well-separated manner, which implies an increased surface
area. Moreover, the p-XRD results confirm the successful synthesis of ZnO nanorods, which
are in good agreement with those of the hexagonal symmetry and wurtzite structure.
Interestingly, after the ZnO impregnation, the sample still maintains good crystallinity (78%)
and the LTA zeolite structure has not been altered. Furthermore, the absence of additional
peaks other than LTA zeolite and ZnO nanoparticles in the p-XRD suggests the phase purity
of the resulting material. In conclusion, the study suggests the modified hydrothermal
confinement approach as a reliable method to synthesize ZnO nanorods confined in LTA
zeolites that would have prospective applications.
Keywords: Confinement, hydrothermal, LTA zeolite, nanorods, ZnO
SOCIAL SCIENCES
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
90
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-019
Evidence of the continuation of gendered space in the modern world: A case of air
navigation field in Sri Lanka
K.I.C. Weerawardana1, L.B. Dunsford2*
1Department of Management & Business Organization Studies, Faculty of Management & Finance,
University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka
2Department of Plantation Management, Faculty of Agriculture and Plantation Management,
Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, Makandura, Gonawila (NWP), Sri Lanka
*dunsfordlb@wyb.ac.lk
The present scenario witnesses many gender disparities for women in their jobs which are
normalized to be operated as masculine. In this gendered space, studies have found that women
face many difficulties to succeed in their careers. Aviation is such an industry that was
established as masculine and progressively diluted to absorb women into specific jobs.
However, Air Navigation is one of the few fields in aviation that witnessed this change at a
relatively gradual pace. Consequently, the masculine space is strongly visible in the air
navigation field even in the present day. In this study, exploring the gendered space in the air
navigation field was done under the qualitative approach as a case study from an interpretive
epistemology. The findings of the study are based on the in-depth interviews of nine
participants - selected purposively, and reflexive accounts of the researcher’s over 25 years of
experience in the air navigation field. Through the theoretical lenses of gendered organization
and the production of space, results show that gender inequality, lack of empowerment of
women, lack of social support from the division, managers, and family, and stereotyping are
the current situations and challenges faced by women in air navigation field, often leading them
to frustration and quit. This study contributes to the debates on gendered organizational space
from a non-western context. The findings of the study will have implications for managers in
the way they view organizational space from women’s point of view, the policies and practices
that would garner the support of female employees, through human resource development,
career enhancement, and recruitment policies of the organization.
Keywords: Gendered organizations, imaginary space, organizational space, physical space,
production of space
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
91
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-020
Performance management of agriculture research in Sri Lanka: Organizational
dynamics in operationalizing key performance indicators (KPIs)
K.B. Madhushani1*, P.C. Abeysiriwardana2, U.K. Jayasinghe-Mudalige1
1Department of Agribusiness Management, Faculty of Agriculture and Plantation Management,
Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, Makandura, Gonawila (NWP)
2Ministry of Education (Research and Innovation), Sethsiripaya Stage I, Battaramulla, Sri Lanka
*stcmadushanik@gmail.com
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) play an essential role in evaluating a set of Key
Performance Drivers intended to achieve the vision of an organization that depends on the
targets established through SMART objectives. The focus of this study was to assess the current
status of the implementation of KPIs in agriculture-oriented research institutes in Sri Lanka
and to identify the gaps in relation to the efficient execution of such a performance management
system. The top administrative officers attached to those research institutes were approached
via semi-structured personal interviews supported by an Online Video Conferencing Facility.
Qualitative research methods were applied to the thematic analysis of data, where the
MAXQDA 2022 software was operated in particular to evaluate respondents' expressions
obtained in the form of attitudinal statements to reflect 15 inquiries covering some important
aspects of KPIs (e.g. formulating, establishing, measuring). The outcome of the analysis
revealed significant relationships exposing several conclusive themes, i.e., “Technology
Integrated Performance Management Systems”; “Research for Society”; “Institutional
Research Management”; “Research Collaboration”, and “Research Commercialization”. These
imply that technology adoption is a key to improving the performance of Sri Lanka's
agricultural research system, and warrants stimulating associations among the conclusive
themes emphasized in such an attempt to generate more policy directives on research
performance management.
Keywords: Commercial agriculture, key performance indicators (KPIs), organizational
dynamics, research management
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
92
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-038
Assessment of nutrition literacy and accuracy of nutrition journalism in selected
social segments of Sri Lanka
C.H.M.Y.R. Chandrasekara1, M.A. Jayasinghe1*, M.A.D. Mallikarachchi1,
S.P.A.S. Senadheera2, S. Weerasinghe3, S.M. Zahra4
1Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri
Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
2Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Allied Sciences, Rajarata University of Sri
Lanka, Saliyapura, Sri Lanka
3Department of Sports Science, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura,
Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
4Department of Environmental Design, Health and Nutritional Sciences, Allama Iqbal Open
University, Islamabad, Pakistan
*madhurasci@sjp.ac.lk
The level of nutrition literacy is often discussed as a factor in maintaining health and preventing
non-communicable diseases. Written articles in newspapers, magazines, and the internet are
common sources for nutrition information and the scientific accuracy of the majority of these
articles is problematic. People’s cognitive ability to understand nutrition literature is a potential
factor for nutrition literacy. The primary objective of the study was to determine nutrition
literacy, cognitive ability to understand nutrition information and nutrition reporting accuracy
in Sri Lanka. Electronic questionnaires were used to assess the nutritional literacy and the
cognitive ability to understand the nutrition information of the study population (N = 123, 80
respectively). Associations between the variables (generation, using media) were assessed
statistically using Pearson’s chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Kruskal-Wallis’s test.
The scientific accuracy of selected articles was evaluated by a committee of 4 experts having
PhD or above qualifications. Not enough evidence was found to suggest an association between
generations and the nutrition literacy levels, (p = 0.209) and there was no evidence to support
a difference between the nutrition literacy scores of the two generations (U = 1115.00, N1 =
96, N2 = 27, p = 0.264, two-tailed). A significant difference was found between the nutrition
literacy scores for frequent and occasional blog readers (U = 1246.00, N1 = 75, N2 = 48, p =
0.004, two-tailed). No significant difference was found in overall scientific accuracy between
the article groups (Kruskal-Wallis’s statistic = 5.17, p = 0.395). There was a significant
difference in unbiased reporting between the article groups (Kruskal-Wallis’s statistic =
11.286, p = 0.046). Not enough evidence was found to suggest an association between
generations and cognitive ability to understand and answer the questions based on the provided
nutrition information (p = 0.200). Nutrition literacy as well as the cognitive ability to
understand nutrition information are non-associated with the generations among the
population. The scientific accuracy of the nutrition literature was non-associated with the
concerned article category groups.
Keywords: Food literacy, nutrition journalism, nutrition literacy, nutrition reporting
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
93
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-040
Youth empowerment on climate action in Sri Lanka: Addressing challenges and
opportunities
A. Suresh1*, K. Suresh2
1Ocean University of Sri Lanka, Colombo 15, Sri Lanka
2Open University of Sri Lanka, Nawala, Sri Lanka
*ahalyaa@ocu.ac.lk
As youth are at the forefront of climate change impacts, it is vital to understand their awareness,
capacity and willingness to address the issue. The research aims to identify the opportunities
and challenges youth face to engage in the climate action agenda in Sri Lanka. This research
used a mixed methods approach that allows the study to build upon the strengths and
compensate for the weaknesses inherent in different strategies. A cohort of 239 youth of ages
18 - 35 were invited to an online webinar on capacity-building on climate action and was asked
to fill out an online survey. Focus group discussions contributed towards qualitative data
collection regarding the status of Sri Lankan youth engagement in climate action. Participants
of the webinar represented youth from all 9 provinces, with the majority from the Western
province (17%). Most respondents (42%) were between 18-25 years of age, with the sex
distribution relatively similar with 51% of females and 48% of males. The findings from the
survey revealed, an overwhelming majority (96%) found it is important for youth in Sri Lanka
to engage in climate action. While 42% of the participants are currently involved in climate
action, 55% of the remaining respondents stated they are willing to get involved. Awareness
creation and outreach (23%), climate education (19%), and training and capacity building
(17%) were the key opportunities highlighted by youth to be played in climate action. Further,
during the discussion, they pointed out multiple challenges faced and opportunities available
for them across four key areas including awareness and climate education (30%),
environmental factors (26%), access to finance (23%), and technical factors (21%). The outputs
from the study can be used by respective stakeholders to develop training and capacity building
for youth to fight against climate change.
Keywords: Capacity development, climate action, climate change, empowering youth, Sri
Lanka
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
94
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-058
The portrayal of physical disability in selected Jataka Tales: a critical analysis
P.V.S.S. Ranthilini1*
1University of Ruhuna, Matara, Sri Lanka
*ranthilinivithanage@gmail.com
Religious texts such as Buddhist Jataka Tales (BJTs) hold a dominant position in their
respective cultures and often serve a didactic purpose. The literature shows that BJTs have been
studied by multiple scholars focusing on various aspects such as the maritime imagery and the
woman figure in BJTs. However, a lacuna exists regarding studies focusing on disability in
BJTs. This research addresses the said lacuna by studying the portrayal of physical disability
in BJTs. Accordingly, the research objective is to critically analyze the depiction of physical
disability in BJTs. The research adopts a qualitative methodology and a textual analysis of the
selected BJTs was conducted. Mile’s annotated bibliography (2013) was used to identify the
BJTs featuring characters with physical disabilities. Out of the identified BJTs, seven were
randomly selected as primary data. They were interpreted using a theoretical framework
comprising models of disability and ableism. The research suggests that BJTs present disability
as caused by sins committed in past lives, thereby promulgating the religious understanding of
disability. The Jataka storyteller characterizes people with disabilities (PWDs), with the notable
exclusion of the Bodhisatta character, as incapable and requiring assistance, highlighting
disability as a personal tragedy arising from individual deficits. The research further finds that
the exclusion of disability from the ableist society that mandates compulsory able-bodiedness
is portrayed through the BJTs. The liberation of disabled sexuality from the binary conception
of asexuality and hypersexuality can be understood as the progressive element in BJTs.
However, this liberation is contested in itself as it contributes to a larger narrative relating to
the immorality of PWDs. Thus, the research concludes that the BJTs portray physical disability
in a negative light and suggests the exploration of disability in BJTs with regard to the
construction of the disabled Bodhisatta character for future research.
Keywords: Buddhist Jataka tales, Pansiya Panas Jataka Katha, physical disability, textual
analysis
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
95
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-061
The trend of fertilizer usage by paddy farmers in Ampara district,
Sri Lanka
A.M.M. Asmath1*, M.N.F. Nashath1
1Department of Biosystems Technology, Faculty of Technology, South Eastern University of Sri Lanka
*mohamedasmath@seu.ac.lk
Paddy farmers have abandoned the systematic method of fertilizer application and
inappropriate usage of fertilizers has challenged human and environmental health. Hence, it is
vital to comprehend the trend of fertilizer usage by farmers to prevent excessive application.
Therefore, a survey was conducted from April to August 2021 among 296 commercial male
paddy farmers in the Ampara district to study their fertilizer usage trend. There were four
distinct methods that farmers used to fertilize their farms. During seed sowing 58% of farmers
applied TSP, followed by NPK mixture, cow and goat dung, while 32% of the farmers did not
apply any fertilizer and instead of it they increased tillage, burned their fields, and created water
ponds to retain moisture in their fields. Very few farmers took no action at this point. Most of
the farmers (67%) applied only urea while the remaining applied different varieties of fertilizers
with urea 14 to 21 days after sowing. Farmers used varieties of fertilizer mixtures depending
on the state of the rice plant. Additionally, farmers who did not use TSP during the sowing
period did so now. After 28 to 30 days of sowing, 73% of the farmers added urea, while others
used a mixture of urea with discovery/ microvee/TSP/Ammonium sulfate. During 35 to 40 days
following sowing, 92% of the farmers used a mixture of urea with MOP, whereas the remaining
used different varieties of mixtures with urea. In addition to these, wealthy farmers applied
additional urea to raise production, while some used TSP sparingly throughout the
aforementioned times. Based on this study, most of the farmers applied a higher amount of urea
and TSP than the recommended level. Hence, it is suggested to educate the farmers about the
importance of fertilizer usage efficiency compared to fertilizer usage intensity.
Keywords: Ampara district, fertilizer, paddy farmers, seed sowing
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
96
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-079
Association of environmental stressors and perceived stress of undergraduates:
A cross-sectional study
M.V.N. Gunawardhana1, H.G.G. Rathnamali1, M.H. Mohamed1, K.M.W.M.L. Meerigama1,
S.W.S.S. Jayalath1, K.M.H.H. Kulatunga1*, D.L.N.L. Ubhayawardana2
1Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, KIU, Sri Lanka
2Department of Basic Science, Faculty of Nursing, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka
*hiroshani@kiu.ac.lk
Undergraduates are exposed to different types of stressors including environmental stressors.
These include environmental challenges that are not directly related to academics, namely
automotive or transportation, computer problems and crowded traffic, messy living conditions,
etc. These factors were highly altered during the COVID-19 pandemic, and they influenced the
students’ lives immensely. Therefore, this study was conducted to examine the level of
perceived stress and its association with environmental stressors among undergraduates at
Kaastu International University (KIU). A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted
enrolling 235 undergraduates from KIU. Ethical approval was obtained from the ethics review
committee of KIU and informed written consent from each participant. A pre-tested self-
administered questionnaire consisting of a perceived stress scale and selected environmental
stressors was circulated online with a simple random sampling approach. The majority of the
participants were females (67.65%) and 96.17% were between 18-30 years. Seventy percent
(70%) of the respondents reported having mild to high levels of perceived stress. Fifty percent
of the participants reported having high levels of environmental stressors while 45% and 4%
reported moderate levels and low levels of environmental stressors respectively. It was found
that there was a significant association between environmental stressors and perceived stress
(p = .0001). Environmental factors have significantly affected the perceived stress of KIU
undergraduates. It is vital to implement stress management strategies.
Keywords: COVID-19, environmental stressors, perceived stress, undergraduates
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
97
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-087
Development of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) oil and Kithul (Caryota urens)
treacle incorporated set yoghurt
A.S. Hettige1*, S.H.P. Malkanthi1, S.H. Karunarathna2
1Department of Agribusiness Management, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Sabaragamuwa
University of Sri Lanka
2Milco Private Limited, Digana, Kandy
*sandamini178@gmail.com
Recently, there has been a growing interest among consumers to try out innovative products
with natural, nutritious ingredients and additional health benefits. Thus, this is an attempt to
develop a new variety of set yoghurt using vegetable oil as a milk fat replacer and with low
added sugar. The main objectives of this study were to develop a sunflower oil and Kithul
treacle incorporated set yoghurt with higher organoleptic acceptability and determine the shelf
life by evaluating its physicochemical and microbial properties. The study was conducted in 3
phases. In phase 1, yoghurt samples with 50%, 60%, 70%, and 80% sunflower oil out of the
final fat percentage (3%) were developed to determine the best sunflower oil incorporation.
The sample with 50% (w/v) sunflower oil was chosen as the best percentage with highly
acceptable organoleptic properties from the sensory evaluation. In phase 2, five yoghurt
samples were developed with 0:1, 1:1, 2:1, 1:2, and 1:0 sugar: Kithul treacle ratios to determine
the best ratio to incorporate into set yoghurt by a sensory evaluation using 20 panellists. The
sample with a 0:1 (sugar: Kithul) ratio was chosen as the best, with the highest mean values
for all the organoleptic attributes. In phase 3, those five samples were analyzed for their
physicochemical and microbial properties during refrigerated storage at 4 °C for 20 days at five
days intervals. Physicochemical properties were significantly different (P < 0.05) among the
samples. The shelf life of the samples was determined as 15 days with the microbial parameters.
The sample with 50% (w/v) sunflower oil and 0:1 (sugar: Kithul treacle) ratio was chosen as
the best sample from all evaluated attributes as the main finding of this study. The product was
successful at the laboratory level. Therefore, a consumer survey has to be conducted before
commercial-level production.
Keywords: Microbial parameters, milk fat replacer, physicochemical properties, product
development, sensory properties
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
98
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-108
Biodynamic farmer’s perceptions of biodynamic farming
K.M.R.M. Navoda1*, G.H.I. Anjalee1, P.G.W. Dutuwewa2, W.A.L.S. Boyagoda3
1Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, Makandura, Sri Lanka
2Bio Foods (Pvt)Ltd, Kandy, Sri Lanka
3University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
*madushi.m.navoda@gmail.com
Biodynamic farming is an advanced organic farming technique that increases crop yield and
quality in a sustainable manner. Biodynamic farmers play a major role in increasing foreign
exchange in developing countries such as Sri Lanka, as most foreign buyers give a premium
for certified biodynamic products. Demeter is an international certification label that use to
verify biodynamic farming in many countries including Sri Lanka. Although a lot of benefits
are associated with this, at present most biodynamic farmers tend to detach from biodynamics.
Most of them got disqualified for their certifications due to their different levels of knowledge
and perception of biodynamic farming. Thereby, this study aims to identify their demographic
factors, preferred information sources, and perceptions of biodynamic farmers in relation to
their knowledge of specific biodynamic farming strategies. A simple random sampling
technique was applied to select 65 biodynamic farmers in the Kandy district, Sri Lanka. The
data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-Square Test. Chi-Square Test was used
to find whether there is a significant relationship between the biodynamic farmers’ knowledge
of biodynamic farming and their perception of biodynamic farming. Results show that
biodynamic farmers in the study area are mostly male, married, above 51 years, and without
formal education. Their most preferred sources of information are NGO representatives, family
members who have biodynamic experience from previous generations, and farmer
associations. Farmers with high knowledge of biodynamic farming have a favourable
perception of biodynamic farming. Results further show that significant relationships exist
between knowledge of biodynamic farming and biodynamic farmers’ perception of
biodynamic farming. According to the results, it can be suggested that biodynamic farmers
should be motivated through knowledge-based training and mechanisms to exchange farmers’
knowledge using their most preferred information sources to ensure retain biodynamic farming
in the future.
Keywords: Demeter, information sources, knowledge, organic
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
99
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-115
The emergence of water management in farming systems in the early world:
Maya, Aztec and Mesopotamian civilizations
S. Kulathunga1*, U. Perera1, C. Udawattha1
1Department of Estate Management and Valuation, Faculty of Management Studies and
Commerce. University of Sri Jayawardhanapura
*sadani.kulatunge@yahoo.com
Due to the lack of food in metropolitan areas, urban gardening is becoming more prevalent and
it is seeing a popularity resurgence that started decades ago. It is now widely recognized and
regarded as a way to achieve several environmental, financial, and social benefits. With limited
resources available to the urban population, obstacles to urban farming are prevalent, including
space, water, and fertilizers. In recent years, due to insufficient rain, desertification, and other
climatic changes, many agricultural activities are depleting. However, ancient civilizations
managed these resources efficiently to produce necessary crops. Therefore, it is crucial to
record the many urban agricultural methods that early civilizations used. The objective of this
study is to understand how civilizations have to manage their agricultural management systems
to keep up with the rising urban population. The Urban farming and civilization-related words
and keywords were separated into 3 groups, Mayan Civilization, Aztecs Civilization, and
Mesopotamian Civilization to organize the database. Following that, a set of various keyword
combinations for both "history" and "Urban farming" were searched using the online databases
Scopus, ScienceDirect, and ISI Web of Science (WoS) were chosen. 60 papers were curated
and gathered. According to the resulting literature, early civilizations not only had all the
necessary tools for urban farming but also had a deep understanding of water and soil
management. The majority of early civilizations had various techniques for carrying out urban
and communal farming in constrained areas.
Keywords: Water management, urban agriculture, urban farming
Acknowledgment: This research was financially supported by the Research Council, University of
Sri Jayewardenepura, research grant no: ASP/01/RE/MGT/2022/43
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
100
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-121
Study on the attitudes towards sexually transmitted diseases among
undergraduates of KIU, Sri Lanka
M.F.S. Minnath1, M.G.P.A. Gunarathne1, W.L.M. Alwis1, M.F.F. Fasmila1,
R.M.S. Fernando1, V.D.R. Tharindu1, M.K.A. Sampath2, K.M.H.H. Kulathunga1*
1Department of Bio Medical Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, KIU Sri Lanka
2Sri Lanka institute of Bio Technology-Colombo, Sri Lanka
*hiroshani@kiu.ac.lk
WHO predicted more than 1 million STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases) were
asymptomatic in 2020. The young adult population (18-30 years) of the Colombo district is at
a higher risk for STDs compared to the older population. It is due to the influence of peer
pressure and the urge to experiment with sexual activity. To prevent the condition from
spreading among young adults, it is important to evaluate the level of attitude toward STDs. At
KAATSU International University (KIU), a descriptive cross-sectional study was done,
enrolling 390 undergraduates. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire.
Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the ethics review committee of KIU
(KIU/ERC/2021/2022). The SPSS Software, Version 25.0 was used for statistical analysis. The
levels of attitudes were determined using Bloom's cutoff values. A total score of 22-24 was
considered, a good level of attitude while 20 to 22 is moderate and below 20 a poor level of
attitude. 265 of the 390 participants were female, and 125 were male. Most females had a
favourable attitude about taking precautionary measures to avoid STDs. (n = 118, 44.5%) and
male (n = 53, 42.4%) undergraduates had a good level of attitude. Moderate level of attitudes
was observed in 29.4% (n = 78) of females and 30.4% (n = 38) of males while poor level of
attitudes was observed in 26% of females (n = 69) and 27.2% of males (n = 34). Statistically,
a significant association was not observed between the attitude levels of male and female
participants and between the faculty of health sciences and non-health sciences students (p <
0.05). Religion, marital status and academic year showed a statistically significant association
with attitude. Additional awareness of STDs is required for male young adults and non-health
science students to prevent the future spreading of STDs by enhancing their attitude level.
Keywords: Attitudes, STD, undergraduates
Acknowledgement: Authors would like to acknowledge the KIU, Sri Lanka
ISSN 2815-0260
Proceedings of the Young Scientists’ Conference on Multidisciplinary Research-2022
Young Scientists’ Association, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka
10th November 2022
101
YSCMR - 2022
Paper ID: CMT-122
Secret scars and bitter truths of being sub-fertile: Confessions of men on their
impaired fertility experience and therapeutic negotiations
J.A.P.S. Perera1*
1The Open University of Sri Lanka, Nawala, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
*japer@ou.ac.lk
Having children is highly desirable in the context of Sri Lanka due to strong gender and
pronatalist norms. Further, having genetically related progeny is a significant element of
Lankan family life. Consequently, impairment in fertility becomes a frantic circumstance for
both men and women, and they tend to go to any extent of diagnostic and therapeutic options
available to conceive a child. Although male-factor infertility (MFI) is a major cause of
childlessness, scholarship on infertility primarily focuses on women, from women’s
perspective. Hence, there is a paucity of efforts to understand the infertility experience from
the perspective of men. Therefore, from a qualitative approach, this study explored the MFI
from the perspective of men with impaired fertility. Ten men from two state sector subfertility
clinics in Colombo were purposively chosen for in-depth interviews, and a thematic analysis
technique was manually used to analyse data. Analysis recognized five key themes: a)
awareness of men on MFI, b) defensive and dismissive reactions to a diagnosis of MFI, c)
coping with MFI, d) secretive and manipulative therapeutic pursuits, and e) implications for
fertility care service providers. Results revealed that men were defensive and dismissive of the
diagnosis of MFI, devastated by a deep feeling of emasculation and losing vigour, attempting
to conceal fertility impairment from their kins and social networks. Denial and concealment of
MFI have negatively affected timely fertility treatment seeking which has consequently
affected their women. Men confessed that they were manipulative in their therapeutic pursuits
from folk therapies to new procreative technologies by avoiding diagnosis tests, deliberately
delaying treatments, and attempting to negotiate with hospital staff to manipulate treatment
procedures such as changing or mixing sperm samples without the consent of wives. Hence
these findings are insightful from a fertility care service provision perspective in terms of
fertility counselling and making fertility awareness.
Keywords: Gender, male-factor-infertility, procreative technologies, Sri Lanka, subfertility
102
YSCMR - 2022
AUTHOR INDEX
A
Abewardana P. 53
Abeykoon A.M.A.U. 19
Abeykoon A.M.K.L. 61
Abeyrathna R.M.R.D. 33
Abeysinghe A.M. 55
Abeysinghe W.S.M.D. 34
Abeysiriwardana P.C. 91
Abeywickrama K.R.W. 6
Abhayarathne H.U. 3
Adikaram N.K.B. 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 82,
83, 87
Akmeemana C.C. 17
Alahakoon A.H.D. 2
Alwis W.L.M. 100
Amarasekara S.W.S.A. 23
Amarasena R.A.L.R. 68
Amarasinghe A.A.P.S. 33
Amarasinghe N.R. 73
Amaratunga K.S.P. 33
Ameer M.I. 41
Anjalee G.H.I. 98
Anuradha N.G.D. 27
Arachchi M.P.S. 40
Arachchige R.C.W. 61
Araya H. 73, 74, 77, 83
Ariyarathne M. 4,5
Ariyasena J.A.T.C. 79, 84
Asmath A.M.M. 57, 95
Atapattu N. 77
Attanayake R.N. 50
B
Bandara D.A. 54
Bandara H.M.D.A.H. 55
Bandara H.M.S.K.H. 73
Bandara P.M.C.J. 78
Bandara W.M.A.T. 68, 78, 88
Bandaranayake U. 15
Baskaran R. 14
Bhagya P.V. 34
Boyagoda W.A.L.S. 98
Bulugahapitiya V.P. 30, 59
C
Chakrewarthy S. 34
Chandrasekara C.H.M.Y.R 92
Chandrasekara E.D.C.T. 4, 5
Chathurangi W.G.D. 84
Coswatte A.C.M.C.L.K. 10
D
Darshika K.T.G.D. 6
Dasanayaka D.M.T.L. 84
Dayananda D.N.G. 28
De Silva K.M.N. 38
De Silva W.R.M. 38
Dehideniya K.M.S.A.K. 30
Delgoda K.H.B.H. 5
Denipitiya T. 20
Dhananjani M.A. 9
Dharmapriya P.L. 45, 46, 47, 53
Dharmasiri B.D.H.N. 50
Dias P.G.I. 27
Dilshan N.I.S. 85
Dissanayaka D.M.A.C.E. 11
Dissanayaka D.M.S.B. 4, 5
Dissanayaka D.M.S.U. 13, 14
Dunsford L.B. 90
Dutuwewa P.G.W. 98
E
Ekanayake E.M.A.C. 33
Ekanayake E.M.T.S. 26
F
Farhath M.N.M. 62, 80, 81
Fasmila M.F.F. 100
Fernando K.D.S 25
Fernando N.I.K. 65
Fernando R.M.S. 100
Fernando W.R.E.M. 15
Fernando W.T.R.S. 49
Fujimoto Y. 73, 74, 83, 86
G
Gajanayake B. 6
Gallage H.C. 31
Gamage S.M.K.W. 12
Gangabadage C.S. 59
Gayathri S.M.D.S. 27
Gomis P.J.N.N. 40
Gunarathna B.W.A.S. 11
Gunarathne M.G.P.A. 100
Gunaratna G.P.S. 24
Gunaratne J.C. 63
Gunasekara M.S. 26
Gunathilaka H.M.B.I. 61
Gunathilaka W.L.C.M. 71
Gunathilake C.A. 81
Gunathilake K.D.P.P. 8
Gunathilake K.V.K. 21
103
YSCMR - 2022
Gunawardene O.H. P. 81
Gunawardhana M.V.N. 96
H
Hadungoda I.V. 3
Hansini S.U. 46
Hapugoda M. 24
Haroon M.H. 64
Heenkenda T. 83
Hellers M. 45, 47
Herath H.M.C.K 87
Herath H.M.N.P. 82
Herath V. 3
Hettiarachchi A. 71
Hettige A.S. 97
Hewage K.P. 79
Hewavitharana K.H.L.K. 23
I
Ifadha M.N.F. 82
Ifran M. 65
Ishadi W.A.D.U. 48
J
Jaseetharan T. 62
Jayalath S.W.S.S. 96
Jayamanne S.C. 10
Jayarathne I.P.L. 68, 78, 88
Jayarathne L. 75
Jayasekara M.G.W.L. 29
Jayasinghe L. 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 82, 83,
86, 87
Jayasinghe M.A. 92
Jayasinghe-Mudalige U.K. 91
Jayasooriya C. 83
Jayasundera A.C.A. 60
Jayathilaka K.M.D.C. 49
Jayathilake J.M.N.J. 21
Jayathunge K.G.L.R. 38
Jayawardana L. 86
Jayawardene L.P.I.N.P. 71
Jayawardhana B.A.Y.B. 54
Jega B.G. 7
Jemziya M.B.F. 37
K
Kalupahana R.S. 31
Kananke T.C. 27, 30
Kandanapitiye M.S. 62
Kandiah M. 25
Kankanamge H.K.H.D. 54
Kariyawasam H.K.P.P. 33
Kartheeswaran T. 48
Karunanayake L. 24
Karunarathna H.M.T.K. 30
Karunarathna S.H. 97
Karunarathne A.M.S.M. 47
Kleinschrodt R. 45, 46, 47
Kokilananthan S. 59
Koswatta A.C.W.W.M.N.P. 65
Kottawatta K.S.A. 31
Kottearachchi N.S. 3
Kularathne E.K.C.W. 46, 47
Kulathunga H. 9
Kulathunga K.M.H.H. 96
Kulathunga S. 99
Kulathunge T.D.A.D.K. 76
Kulatunga K.M.H.H. 100
Kumar N.S. 83, 86
Kumara P.G.P. 43
Kumarasiri S.A.T.D. 45
Kumarathunge T. S. 86
Kumari G. M. M. 67
Kumari H.M.S.A. 32
L
Lilachjini S. 64
Liyanage D.S. 3
Liyanage R. 38
M
Madhumekala M.A.K. 62
Madhuranga H.D.T. 70
Madhushani K.B. 91
Madusankha N.T.B. 54
Malaviarachchi S.P.K. 45, 53
Malavipathirana S. 65
Malkanthi S.H.P. 97
Malki M.K.S. 18
Mallikarachchi M.A.D. 92
Manamperi A. 24
Manatunga D.C. 38
Manawadu H. 59
Marikkar J.M.N. 72, 74,76
Martin R.F. 53
Masakorala K. 12
Medawaththa H.M.S.N.B. 40
Meerigama K.M.W.M.L. 96
Menike W.A.E.M.P. 36
Milani M.D.Y. 61
Minnath M.F.S. 100
Mohamed M.H. 96
Mowjood M.I.M. 33
Muawuya I. 7
Mudalige B.G.E.B. 20
Mudalige H. 15, 66
104
YSCMR - 2022
Munasinghe S.A. 45
Munaweera I. 8
Munazil A. 40
N
Nashath M.N.F. 57, 95
Navaratne A.N. 67
Navoda K.M.R.M. 98
Nawas M.F. 80
Nayomi H.M.D. 29
Neththasinghe N.A.S.A. 4, 5
P
Padmabandu H.R.P.T. 10
Paniyanduwa S.S. 44
Paranagama M.P. 19, 39
Pathirage D.C. 9
Pathirana O.C. 39
Peduruhewa P.S. 38
Perera D. 26, 82
Perera E.A.I.A. 83
Perera G.A.N. 40
Perera J.A.P.S. 101
Perera M.D.R. 88
Perera M.G.A.N. 27
Perera O. 66
Perera P.D.V.M. 41
Perera R.H.R.N. 34
Perera S.S.S. 41
Perera U. 99
Pitawala H.M.T.G.A. 47, 53
Pramodhya V.P.O.H. 34
R
Rajan K. 13
Rajapakse R.P.V.J. 19, 39
Rajapakse S. 58
Rajapaksha R.M.H.Y. 80, 81
Rajapaksha R.M.S.P. 12
Rajaratne E.P.T.M. 69
Ranatunga R.J.K.U. 63, 69
Ranawana K.B. 67
Ranaweera K.K.D.S. 8
Ransika E.A.M. 9
Ranthilini P.V.S.S. 94
Rathnamali H.G.G. 96
Rathnayaka R.M.K.T. 27
Rathnayaka R.M.U.S.K. 27, 36
Rathnayake W.M.U.K. 4
Ratnayake R.H.M.K. 18
Rikasa A.M. 35,37
Rishadha M.R.F. 57
Rizvi E.M.J.M. 2
Rodrigo S.K. 85, 87
S
Sabaragamuwa R.S. 27, 30
Sajiwanie J.W.A. 36
Sakunthala H.S. 11
Samarakoon D.N.A.W. 70
Samarakoon K. 83, 86
Samaranayake S.A. 45
Sampath M.K.A. 100
Sandanayaka S.D.A. 65
Sasikala R.H.G. 44
Senadheera S.P.A.S. 92
Senanayake N.P.W.B.V.K. 51, 48
Senarathna K.G.C. 22
Senarathna S.M.D.M.C. 54
Senarathne S.M.A.C.U. 35
Senevirathne J.M.W.G.T.S. 78
Seneviratne V.N. 58
Sethunga S.M.M.C. 8
Sewwandi K.M.G.Y. 52
Shamsudeen M.M. 7
Shashikala H.G.K. 41
Shazna M.N.F. 41
Shyamamala M.G.R. 62
Siripala W. 49
Sirisena D.N. 4
Siriwardhane U. 75
Siriwardhene K.A. 72
Somendrika M.A.D. 17
Spiering B. 45
Stephanie P. 40
Subasinghe J.L. 32
Subasinghe N.D. 45, 50, 55
Sukanya M. 22,23
Surendran S.N. 28
Suresh A. 93
Suresh K. 93
Suriyagoda L.D.B. 4, 5
T
Tharindu V.D.R. 100
Thennakoon T.M.K.P. 74
Thilakarathna G.C. 18
Thilakarathna M.P. 55
Thilakarathne U.B.M.P.M. 41
U
Ubhayawaradana N. 9
Ubhayawardana D.L.N.L. 96
Udawattha C. 99
Uduwawala U.M.H.U. 24
Uduwela D.R. 63
105
YSCMR - 2022
V
Vishwanath T. A. 60
W
Walpola L.H. 40, 41
Wanniarachchi D. 48
Wanniarachchi W.K.I.L. 48
Watawana B.J. 48
Wathsala P.A.T. 52
Weedagama D.T.J.K. 51
Weerakoon W.M.T.C. 6
Weerasinghe L.A.D.E. 31
Weerasinghe S. 92
Weerasooriya R. 68, 78, 88
Weerawardana K.I.C. 90
Wickrama H.H.K.D.C. 50
Wickramahewa W.H.T.D. 33
Wickramarathne C. 58
Wickramarathne M.N. 27
Wickramaratne M.N. 86
Wickramasinghe I. 17
Wickramasinghe M.A. 27
Wickramasinghe W.T.R. 9
Wickramasooriya H.M.B.N. 61
Wijekumar P.J. 34, 70
Wijenayake A.U. 47
Wijenayake W.M.H.K. 12
Wijesekara I. 17
Wijesekara K.B. 22
Wijesekara R.G.S. 12
Wijesinghe D.G.N.G. 71
Wijesinghe J.A.A.C. 18
Wijesinghe W.M.H.M. 47
Wijesiri G.S. 50
Wijesooriya M.M. 12
Wijesundera K.K. 19, 39
Wijesundera R.P. 49
Wijewardhana G.D.M.H. 62
Wimalagunarathna N.D. 21
Wimalarathna B.R.J. 41
Wimalasiri K.M.S. 35
Wimanshika J.A.D.K. 34
Withanage P.M. 10
Y
Yakandawala D. 74, 83, 86
Yapa H.A.S. 40
Yuwanthika B.A.S. 9
Z
Zahra S.M. 92
106
107