Medicine
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This repository contains the published and unpublished research of the Faculty of Medicine by the staff members of the faculty
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Item A determination of air pollution in Colombo and Kurunegala, Sri Lanka, using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry on Heterodermia speciosa(The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, 2011) Gunathilaka, P.A.D.H.N.; Ranundeniya, R.M.N.S.; Najim, M.M.M.; Seneviratne, S.ABSTRACT: Sri Lanka is facing severe environmental problems such as air and water pollution due to rapid industrialisation and urbanisation. Because there have not been many studies on heavy metal pollution in Sri Lanka, the present study attempts to contribute to the literature a determination of metal pollution using indicators found in lichen specimens. Our study utilised energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry to determine element concentrations resulting from air pollution in the lichen species Heterodermia speciosa Wulfen. These samples, collected from Colombo and Kurunegala, Sri Lanka, were analysed using the energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) method in order to determine the concentrations of 13 different elements. A radioisotope excited X-ray fluorescence analysis was applied to the elemental analysis of lichens using the method of multiple standard addition. Our qualitative analysis of spectral peaks showed that the samples contained potassium, calcium, titanium, iron, manganese, copper, zinc, lead, bromine, rubidium, strontium, yttrium, and gallium. Samples from the environment around Colombo, which is a highly congested urban area with much industrial development, were found to be more polluted when compared with Kurunegala, a city that is less congested and without industries. Concentrations of K, Ca, Ti, and Fe were always higher than other elemental concentrations in the lichens we analysed, a fact attributed to the proximity to the sea or exposed earth crustal sources. From the elements reported from the 2 cities, K, Ca, Ti, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Pb were reported at concentrations higher than background levels. Levels of Pb and Zn in samples from Colombo were higher than those from Kurunegala, reflecting the increased vehicular traffic. This study reveals that the common lichen species Heterodermia speciosa can be used as an indicator lichen to analyse the pollution level and other elements in the atmosphere. © TÜBITAK. AUTHOR KEYWORDS: Air; EDXRF; Heterodermia; Lichens; Metal pollution. INDEX KEYWORDS: atmospheric pollution; concentration (composition); fungus; heavy metal; lichen; radionuclide; spectrometry; urban area; X-ray fluorescence, Colombo; Sri Lanka; Western Province [Sri Lanka], Heterodermia; Heterodermia speciosaItem Health and social impact of indoor air pollution(Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Nandasena, S.Indoor air pollution from combustion of solid fuel used for cooking and heating is one of the 10 leading contributors to the global burden of disease. Three billion of the world’s population and up to 90% of rural households in developing countries and 78% of Sri Lankan households still rely on solid fuel for cooking. Out of the households that use solid fuel for cooking, about 65% cook inside the main households. Only 72% of such households have a chimney. Reported air quality levels in the majority of Sri Lankan households are several fold higher than the WHO guideline values. Infiltration of air pollutants from outdoors is a key source of indoor air pollution in urban settings especially if the households are close to industries and major roads. The evidence for indoor air pollution and acute respiratory infections in children and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or chronic bronchitis in women is compelling, while effects on adverse pregnancy outcomes, low birth weight and infant neurodevelopment is growing.