SLIIT International Conference On Engineering and Technology Vol. 02 [SICET] 2023
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://rda.sliit.lk/handle/123456789/3551
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Publication Open Access Keynote Address-1: Multi-scale Experimentation and Modeling for Problem Solution in Water and Environmental Systems – Challenges and Opportunities(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Illangasekare, TMeeting the increasing needs of a growing world population, exacerbated by climate change, will continually challenge water and environmental scientists and engineers for years to come. Theoretical, modeling, computational advances, and monitoring and characterization technologies will help meet some of these challenges. Field and laboratory studies for conceptualization, hypothesis testing, and modeling have continued to advance the sciences. However, the data to study some problems cannot always be obtained in the field where many factors contribute to the uncertainty of measurements and model parameter estimates. The primary thesis of this talk is that laboratory experiments conducted at multiple test scales in conjunction with multi-scale models will provide new insights into complex processes and accurate data for reliable predictions. Design and implementation of theory-driven experiments from examples of groundwater contamination, carbon dioxide storage to mitigate global warming, and land/atmospheric interactions applied to food security are presented to show how advances can be made for practical problem solutions. A case is made that addressing water and environmental problems requires laboratory and field studies and modeling interaction. Further, water and environmental scientists and engineers must work in multidisciplinary teams at the disciplinary interfaces of earth, water, energy, and the environment to address current and emerging local and global problems of water and the environment.Publication Open Access A Multifunctional Communication System for Differently Abled People(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Gunaratne, K.M.S.T.; Senanayaka, V.P.; Walakuluarachchi, E.I.; Malasinghe, LA person should be able to connect with other people to have a fulfilling life. Having challenges such as being blind, deaf, or mute is a significant concern in this matter. According to world statistics and research, it has shown that 0.2% of the world’s population lives with severe deaf blindness. This project aims to design and develop a communication system to improve interactions between a person without any disability and a deaf-blind person or between two deaf-blind people. Each may communicate differently, so this system will have a textual display for those who can see, a speech output for those who can hear, and a tactile braille display for those who cannot see or hear. This system can benefit educational institutes and care homes facilitating people with the above disabilities. The primary purpose of this system is to make the differently abled people feel independent and confident by seeing, hearing, and talking to each other without facing the barriers in the translation.Publication Open Access Effect of Project Duration Decision at the Bidding Process on Cost Overruns of Sri-Lankan Building Projects(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Kumarathunga, J.U; Wijekoon, W.M.C.L.K.; Kalugala, CCost overruns are a significant issue in the construction industry, particularly from the standpoint of clients. Many studies have been interested in the unpredictable situations that lead to cost overruns, with the primary goal of pinpointing the precise causative factors. There is a knowledge gap about whether cost overruns could be prevented through effective decision-making at a project’s earliest phases. Therefore, the aim of this research was to critically review if the impact of the project duration decision taken at the bidding process could lead to cost overruns of Sri Lankan building projects, and to provide recommendations of preventive measures to be taken. Deductive research approach and qualitative analysis was used to achieve the four main objectives set for this study. The literature review was able to identify the significant causative factors for cost overrun in the construction industry. The analysis of data collected through questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviews revealed that there are several causative factors for cost overrun, that stem from the project duration being excessive or inadequate : Claims and disputes, inadequate planning and scheduling, unrealistic work schedule, expense due to completion delay and extension of time, and difficulty in predicting the future. This study was able to identify that there is a relationship between project duration decision and cost overrun, where if the project duration decided at the bidding process is excessive or inadequate, it will be causative of cost overruns. Finally, this study has provided preventive measures to avoid cost overrun at the bidding process when deciding the project duration.Publication Open Access Analysis of a Solar Thermal Based Hot Water System for a Non- Residential Application(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Aslam, M.A.Industries in Sri Lanka rely heavily on the use of hot water for their day-to-day applications. Industries such as hotels and hospitals utilise electrically powered geysers, while industries such as wood treating factories, garment industries, and paper manufacturing industries rely on boilers to obtain heated water. The rising cost of electricity production and the pollution associated with current power generation technologies in Sri Lanka have led to a need for a water heating framework which focuses on harnessing renewable energy. Since Sri Lanka is located in close proximity to the equatorial belt, solar thermal water heaters were selected as one of the most viable options. In this study, a hospital was selected as the base scenario onto which a solar water heating framework was to be designed for. The framework focused on the feasibility of three collector types, i.e., Flat Plate Collector, Evacuated Tube Collector and Parabolic Trough Collector. Initially theoretical efficiencies of each collector type were determined for the average annual solar radiation in Sri Lanka. Finally, RETScreen simulation software was used to perform sizing analysis of each water heating system, analyse each systems financial viability and analyse the reduction in annual Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions.Publication Open Access Optimum Synchronization of Grid-connected Renewable Energy Source(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Fernando, N; Ganepola, D; Hettiwatte, SIn the last decades, wind power production has become one of the major concerns to investigate in enhancing the utilization of renewable energy resources in microgrids. Wind power can regulate environmental-friendly power generation which helps to satisfy the power demand in the grid whenever it is essential. This research has been carried out for analyzing behavior of Wind Energy Conversion System (WECS) and appropriate technique for grid synchronization in optimum way. Therefore, this includes the analysis of synchronization procedures and design an optimization technique for synchronization of WECS which is connected to the grid via an inverter. Also, it comprises existing renewable energy systems and applications on synchronization techniques. Mainly, this paper proposes an optimal synchronizing control scheme which verifies deterministic and reliable reconnection to the grid. The control scheme was designed using MATLAB Simulink software and the results were interpreted that the concept is efficient and reliable to optimize the microgrid operations.Publication Open Access Keynote Address-2: Securing critical infrastructure and the IIoT(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Murray, IWith the advent of the IoT and its application in industrial settings, there is a significant gap in security policy and implementation as data traverses the traditional Operational Technology (OT) infrastructure and into the IT space. Data gathered in the OT environment now needs to traverse the corporate network to decision makers opening up an array of security and compatibility issues that need to be addressed to keep our critical infrastructure safe.Publication Open Access Application of Peak Over Threshold Approach to Model Extreme Motor Insurance Claims: A Case Study(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Appuhamy, P.A.D.A.N.; Borelessa, N.K.; Ekanayake, E.M.P.Prior to the economic recession in Sri Lanka, the motor insurance business grew significantly due to the excessive importation of vehicles. More vehicles on the road and reckless driving increase the risk of extreme claims, which creates a negative impact on the industry. In order to mitigate this issue, researchers attempted to model extreme claims and thereby to provide information for better management of business. The objective of this study is to identify the best fit model for tail of the claim distribution based on data obtained from a pioneer insurer in Sri Lanka from July to December of 2021. The Peak Over Threshold approach of the Extreme Value Theory was applied to model the extreme claims. The claims at 20 percentiles between 79% and 98% were considered as tentative thresholds and the excessive amounts over each of these thresholds were modeled separately as Generalized Pareto Distributions (GPDs) using four different parameter estimation methods. Then the Mean Squared Error (MSE) at each threshold for each parameter estimation method was examined to compare their performances. The threshold and the parameter estimation method with the minimum MSE were selected as their optimum values while identifying the GPD fitted as the best model. The Bootstrap goodness of fit measured the validity of modelling. The extent of claims varied from Rs. 2167.00 to 193,065.00 during the study period with a positive skewness of 2.45 and leptokurtic, which confirmed the existence of a heavy tailed distribution for claims. The best fitted model was the GPD with the shape and scale of 1.02 and 92.09 respectively, which was attained at the optimal threshold of 91st percentile using the Biased Probability Weighted Moment method. The information on the tail helps review existing strategies for the better management of risk due to such extreme claims in future.Publication Open Access Study on the Impact of Cost Controlling Techniques in Mini Hydropower Projects in Sri Lanka(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Hirunika, S; Gunarathna, N; Perera, SDue to the worst economic crisis, Sri Lanka is currently facing sporadic power failures. There is a lack of dollar reserves to pay for the fuel suppliers and the existing national grid network has failed to power the whole nation. The prevailing situation is becoming quite challengeable since there is a huge power crisis due to the shortage of fuel oil which causes to fail whole operations of oil power plants. Therefore, Sri Lanka has relied on hydropower for a majority of its electricity needs. The share of mini hydropower power plants is performing a significant role in contemporary electricity generation considering national policy targets in order to move with sustainable green energy. Consequently, the necessity of the establishment of MHP plants has become higher but there are significant cost overrun factors identified in the construction phase of MHP projects. This research was carried out to identify the cost overrun factors in MHP projects in Sri Lanka. As a result, efficient cost-control measures will be required to address the above matter. Therefore, it was expected to explore the current practices of cost control techniques used in infrastructure projects based on the findings. Various cost control approaches have been created from time to time throughout the last few years. These may include Earn Value Management (EVM), performance reviews, variance analysis, value engineering, site meetings, work programmes, daily material and labor controlling, etc. The data collection process was conducted through questionnaire surveys which are distributed between industry professionals who have enough knowledge and experience regarding the MHP projects. The set of data was converted into quantitative values and collected data from the questionnaire surveys were evaluated by using percentage analysis and weighted score analysis. The results indicates the challenges in current cost control practices and identify the mechanisms to overcome those challenges and determine their effectiveness in mini hydropower project delivery in Sri Lanka.Publication Open Access Durability of Cold Formed Steel Structures used in residential and industrial construction(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Cooray, K.P.; Tharmarajah, GCold formed steel is an attractive alternative to traditional construction materials such as masonry and concrete owing to the advantages such as easy fabrication, light weight, reusability of the material and higher level of recyclability. Cold formed steel buildings are also appreciated for better insulation and lower energy consumption during operation. However, durability of the steel was the main concern for stakeholders as corrosive conditions can damage the material and deteriorate the condition of the building. Therefore, it is important to understand the durability of cold formed steel coated with zinc and zinc alloys. In this study, experimental data related to durability studies available in literature was collected and presented through an analysis. The data obtained from literature indicate that if the building envelop was designed appropriately to protect the steel from exposure conditions, the steel can fulfil the expected service life of residential buildings independent of environmental and climatic conditions. Therefore, this study helps to alleviate concerns regarding durability of cold formed steel in residential construction.Publication Open Access 𝒌 – Graceful Labeling of Triangular Type Grid Graphs 𝑫𝒏(𝑷𝒎) and 𝑳 – Vertex Union of 𝑫𝒏(𝑷𝒎)(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Indunil, W.K.M.; Perera, A.A.I.Graph labeling is one of the most popular research topics in the field of graph theory. Prime labeling, antimagic labeling, radio labeling, graceful labeling, lucky labeling, and incidence labeling are some of the labeling techniques. Among the above-mentioned techniques, graceful labeling is one of the most engaging graph labeling techniques with a vast amount of real-world applications. Over the past few decades, plenty of studies have been conducted on this area in various dimensions. Grid graphs are very much useful in applications of circuit theory, communication networks, and transportation networks. However, in the literature, there are not many research papers on the graceful labeling of grid graphs except a few on odd graceful labeling. In our work, we prove that triangular-type grid graphs, 𝐷𝑛(𝑃𝑚) and 𝐿 – vertex union of 𝐷𝑛(𝑃𝑚) admit 𝑘 – general graceful labeling and 𝑘 – even and 𝑘 – odd graceful labeling. Further, we introduce combinatorial proofs for them as well.Publication Open Access Physical and Mechanical Characteristics of Lime-based Cementitious Grout(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Thienoosan, S.; Goonewardena, D.J.C.Y.; Tharmarajah, G.Grout is an essential part in soil and rock anchoring while large amount of grout is consumed in anchoring process and capacity of anchoring can be increased by strengthening the grout. Increasing the strength of the grout or achieving the strength of the cement-based grout by partially replacing the cement with hydrated lime and by adding coir fiber can produce sustainable and structurally acceptable grout. This research study investigates grout with water/solid (w/s) ratio of 0.45, 0.7 while replacing the blended Hydraulic cement (BHC) content with hydrated lime by 35%, 50% and 65% with 1% coir fiber, superplasticizer and silica fume. The results show that flow of the grout is reduced with the addition of lime, fiber. Bleeding is improved in the lime-based grout. Compressive strength reduces with the addition of lime while grout achieves improved strength in long term. Compositions with 35% Lime content showed better performance and w/s ratio of 0.45 had the best compositions comparing the physical and mechanical characteristics. The fiber grout sample with w/s = 0.45 and 35% lime content had the best results with flow of 135mm, final bleeding of 3.75%, bleeding settlement in less than one hour and compressive strength at 7days, 28days are 10.4Mpa, 21.75Mpa respectively.Publication Open Access Appropriateness of Commercial Mediation as an Alternative Dispute Resolution Method for Subcontractor Disputes in Sri Lanka(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Hettiarachchi, D.D; Wijesinghe, T; Perera, B.K.CDisputes in relation to construction sub-contractors are undeniable and quite diversified in common dispute arena with the legal concerns arising out of Doctrine of Privity of Contracts. Continuation of these disputes can adversely affect the cost, quality, and time metrics in a construction project. The merits of commercial mediation as an alternative dispute resolution method, in this regards Sri Lankan construction industry were less explored. Thus, the aim of this research is to determine the appropriateness of commercial mediation as an alternative dispute resolution method for subcontractor disputes. To achieve this aim, a mixed research approach was adopted. Qualitative data was collected through semi structured expert interviews. Then through a questionnaire survey, quantitative data has been gathered. While qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis, quantitative data were analyzed through relative importance index and descriptive analysis based on central tendency dispersion. Initially, both common attributes of commercial mediation and subcontractor disputes in construction industry were listed out. Then, the inter-relationship between two factors were observed. According to the findings, bespoke and incomplete contracts, subcontractor unawareness and lack of knowledge about contract details, liability and responsibility issues, failure to respond in time, interface issues and lack of coordination were identified as the most significant attributes of subcontractor disputes. Further, it was proven that except the attribute ‘having freedom to accept or reject the solution’, all the other attributes of commercial mediation were applicable in resolving subcontractor disputes. Hence, the commercial mediation was determined as an appropriate alternative dispute resolution method in resolving subcontractor disputes in construction projects. All the limitations and necessary recommendations for further studies are presented at the end of the study.Publication Open Access Enhancement of Images Under Low Light Conditions Using Artificial Intelligence(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Marzook, M; Herath, M; Liyanage, M; Thilakanayake, TImages taken in low light conditions do not contain all the information well-lit images contain. Various features including the colours of objects, details and the quality are lost. Extracting these features from images is very important for any kind of application of it. This study proposes a model to enhance the features of the image taken under low light conditions, by delivering a solution which improves the quality of the image through Artificial Intelligence. Through the proposed method, the clarity of the image is improved, making it closer to a well-lit image equivalent. Both Image Processing and Deep Learning based techniques are explored, including Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) based generative models. The Generative models considered are Autoencoders (AE) and Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs). The study has been carried out by using several datasets combined together, which include image pairs of well-lit and low light images. A comparison between the two CNN-based generative models is carried out. Through the study, it is quantitatively found, by the Structural Similarity Index and supported by the Peak Signal to Noise Ratio, that the proposed CNNbased Autoencoder model overrides the proposed CNN-based GAN model. This is further supported by qualitative observations of the image results. Both models, however, greatly enhance the low light images, bringing to light features that were not visible beforehand, and also provide results with good colour accuracy. Through this research study, the methods and solutions to enhance low light images have been addressed, as well as providing a comparison between two suitable models, Autoencoders and GANs. The proposed solution is able to address many of the limitations existing in the extent literature.Publication Open Access OPTIMUM ROUTE PLAN FOR EFFECTIVE COLLECTION OF AN INDUSTRY LEVEL BY PRODUCT/WASTE(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Peiris, M; Gamlath, I; Bandara, SEffective waste management is critical for sustainable development in manufacturing industries, especially in managing industrial waste. Industrial waste can be transformed into high-quality products through circular economic practices, promoting sustainable development. This research aims to develop a methodology to identify an optimal route plan for collecting and distributing industrial waste and products, promoting circular economy practices. To achieve this objective, waste generated by a selected industry needs to be investigated to determine its potential for reuse in other industries. Data on the quantity and variety of waste generated daily was collected, and industries that use waste as a resource to develop their products were identified. The linkage between industries that demand waste as a raw material and those that generate waste can be established using a Geographical Information System. The study focuses on concrete demolition waste and aims to link metal crushing, aggregate suppliers, and concrete block manufacturing industries. The optimized route plan would benefit third-party subdistributors, reducing transportation costs and facilitating effective transportation. Additionally, it would enable new entrepreneurs to establish industries and maintain a good supply chain, creating jobs.Publication Open Access Critical Driving Factors Influencing Awareness and Application of Industrialized Building System (IBS) Technology Among the Building Contractors in Sri Lanka(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Chandrasena, S; Mallawaarachchi, HAs the commonly applied approach in building construction, conventional construction approach is linked to low quality and productivity, higher danger to employee safety, high reliance on labour and cost and time overruns. Hence, Industrialised Building System (IBS) has been emerged as an alternative for conventional construction by overcoming its shortfalls. Previous studies identified the lack of awareness and application can be taken as most critical factor influencing the application of IBS. Also, there are some of other critical factors which directly influence for this regard. Since a few studies has been focused on evaluating the significance of such driving factors, the purpose of this research was to assess the criticality of driving factors influencing awareness and application of IBS technology among the building contractors in Sri Lanka. In order to fulfil aim and objectives of the research, deductive approach under quantitative phenomenon was used. The Survey strategy was adopted as the most ideal research strategy as this research focused on evaluating the criticality of driving factors. Questionnaire survey was used as the primary data collection technique. Accordingly, the questionnaire was distributed to 50 randomly selected practitioners from the building contracting organisations, such as Architects, Quantity Surveyors and Engineers to collect the data. Data were analyzed by using Weighted Mean Average (WMA) and Relative Importance Index (RII) techniques. As derived through analysis, 13 factors affecting the level of awareness and application of IBS, which were identified through literature review were assessed to determine the significant factors. Results revealed that cost of construction is the most significant factor while small contractors’ involvement is the least significant factor. As the main implication this research provides a basis to further improve the use of IBS technology in Sri Lanka and introduce different methods to reduce the initial cost of the construction.Publication Open Access Using Coconut Fibre To Improve The Tensile Characteristics Of Concrete(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Jayamanne, B.C.D.; Velauthapillai, SEven though the building industry is modernizing in terms of technology and materials used, construction costs have risen, as has the environmental impact. The behavior of coconut fiber in a concrete structure is described in this paper. Coconut fiber increases a range of technical qualities in concrete. Sustainability is a generally accepted concept in today's construction industry. Coconut fibers have the highest tenacity of any natural fiber. They can be used for reinforcement in low-cost, basic concrete structures. The experiment will be conducted out on concrete with fibre inclusion in four different mix proportions (0%, 2%, 4%, and 6% by weight of the cement). This experiment will assess the compressive strength and split tensile strength of coconut fiber-reinforced concrete after 7 and 28 days. This test is sufficient for M20 and M30 grade concrete. According to this study, CFRC with a fiber fraction of 2% had the best Split Tensile Strength. Additionally, adding coconut fibers reduces the compressive strength of concrete.Publication Open Access Odd Prime Labeling of Snake Graphs(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) De Silva, K.H.C.; Perera, A.A.I.Graph theory is one of the branches of mathematics which is concerned with the networks of points connected by lines. One of the most important research areas in graph theory is graph labeling, which dates back to the 1960s. Graph labeling is assigning integers to the vertices, edges, or both depending on conditions. Labeled graphs are helpful in mathematical models for a wide range of applications such as in coding theory, circuit theory, computer networks, and in cryptography as well. There are various types of graph labeling techniques in graph theory such as radio labeling, graceful labeling, prime labeling, antimagic labeling, and lucky labeling, etc. In this research, we use one of the variations of prime labeling called odd prime labeling of snake graphs. Recent works on odd prime labeling investigate about families of snake graphs, complete graphs, etc and there they discuss about one odd integer sequence only. In this research, we introduce odd prime labeling method for snake graphs for any odd integer sequence and we give a proof for it as well.Publication Open Access Effect on Time Management Due to Variations in Road Construction Projects in Sri Lanka(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Atapattu, A.L.S.O.; Bandara, R.P.H.S.Variations are reoccurring and inevitable incidents in construction projects. It alludes to any adjustment in project scope at any instance of construction process. There are numerous causes of variation depending upon different parties involved, complexity of project and the type of project. These variations are acknowledged to affect different viewpoints of the projects. The thesis evaluated the effect of time management due to variations in road projects in Sri Lanka to diminish them. In order to achieve the study objectives, a basic survey of literature review was done accompanied with a quantitative survey with industry experts were carried out to gather data on impact of time management due to variations in construction projects. Through the writing study, 50 causes of variation orders were recognized but, they were shortlisted since there were so many similar causes. Out of them design faults were identified as the major cause of variations. When it comes to the impact on time overrun, it was discovered that variations affect on time of a project adversely. Finally, mitigation strategies for variations have been proposed in the study. The recognized results from literature overview were moreover subjected to a test by the 33 specialists in the industry including contractors, consultants, and clients to be more precise. The results were analyzed using SPSS. The study's final recommendation is that to all parties to get involved, to reduce variation orders beginning with the initial design phase, manage variation orders during the construction phase using an efficient change management system, and adopt various technologies to speed up the variation management procedure.Publication Open Access Development of Coir Fiber Reinforced Polymer Reinforcing Bars for Concrete Structures(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Tharmarajah, G; Wimalasuriya, W.B.UAt present, global warming increment and petroleum reserve depletion have been a major threat to the environment. These occur due to various human activities. Construction industry contributes 40 % for the global carbon emission. From that 10% is contributed from the manufacture of cement and the rest is contributed by the other requirements in the construction industry. Therefore, scientists are now more focused to involve bio-based products to minimize the emission of carbon. This resulted in, paying more attention towards the natural composite materials that can be used instead of artificial materials. Scientists are eager to find natural materials which are locally available. The structures built today, does not survive the entire service life of the structure. This is due to corrosion of steel, especially in coastal areas. So, in order to overcome this, use of a natural material which can provide the same tensile strength can be used. Over the past few decades engineering materials like composites, plastics, ceramics has dominated the engineering industry. There are new polymer materials introduced such as glass fiber, carbon fiber and aramid but they are not eco-friendly. The main problem associated with these is the high production cost. Therefore, new composites which are environmentally friendly should be found in order to replace other materials. Even though there has been much research published on different natural fiber composite materials, here an attempt has been made to use coir to produce reinforcement bars in order to combat corrosionPublication Open Access Microplastic Content in Non-Point Source And Point Sources of Colombo And Suburbs – Experimental Study on the Impact of Seasonal Variation(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Ariyawansha, R.B.V.K.; Gomes, P.I.A.Microplastics, which can enter aquatic environments through various sources, are small plastic pieces that are less than 5 mm in length. There are two types: primary and secondary microplastics. Sri Lanka has limited studies on microplastics in inland water bodies, so this research aims to quantify the levels of microplastic pollution in Colombo's surface waters in a spatiotemporal manner. Samples were taken from Beira Lake, Dutch canal network, Talangama canal, in wet and dry seasons. Microplastic concentrations were determined using NOAA guidelines and an optical microscope. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS version 21, including One-way Anova and Pearson correlations to identify significant differences and correlations. The study found that Dutch Canal had the highest average microplastic concentration of 12.7 mg/L during the wet season, and the lowest of 4.2 mg/L during the dry season. Both Dutch Canal and Talangama canal showed significantly higher microplastic concentrations during the wet season than the dry season, while the opposite was found in Beira Lake. The statistical analysis showed significant differences between microplastic concentrations in wet and dry seasons in all three water bodies. The microplastic levels in Beira Lake were higher on the surface water during the dry season (4.32 mg/L) and wet season (13.77 mg/L) compared to point sources (4.05 mg/L and 11.68 mg/L, respectively). Furthermore, Dutch canal's point sources showed higher during the dry season (8.47 mg/L) than the wet season (11.51 mg/L) and concentration of microplastics on the surface water was higher during the wet season (5.73 mg/L) than the dry season (7.16 mg/L). Talangama canal had similar patterns to Beira Lake. The study found microplastic contamination in urban and semi-urban surface waters at levels comparable to some industrialized countries, highlighting a concerning issue.
