Journal Issue: SLIIT Journal of Humanities & Sciences (SJHS)
Volume
Volume 04
Number
Issue ii
Issue Date
2023
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
2815-0120
Journal Volume
SLIIT Journal of Humanities & Sciences (SJHS)
(Volume 04)
Articles
Microbial Pigment Isolation, Culturing, and Extraction to Use as Textile Dyes
(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-07-26) Hewagama, H. L; Somarathna, G. M. T. K.; Herath, L.; Peiris, S. E.
The textile industry is one of the largest worldwide polluters of clean water due to the heavy use of
synthetic dyes. These chemicals negatively affect the environment, especially aquatic life due to their
toxic and mutagenic properties. Synthetic dyes cause harm to human health such as skin allergies and
respiratory sensitization. Several advantages such as ease of extraction, availability, high yields and no
seasonal variation make microbial pigments the most ideal source of natural pigments. This study was
done to isolate colour pigment producing bacteria and fungi from soil collected from organic farms
from various locations in Sri Lanka. Out of 7 soil samples, 3 yielded pigment producing bacteria and
fungi. In total, 9 pigment producing bacteria and 3 pigment producing fungi were isolated. Gause’s
synthetic agar yielded the most pigmented isolates. Isolates were inoculated in broths and pigment
production was observed. Extracellular pigments produced by 5 of the bacterial isolates were extracted
by a water-based method. The antibacterial activity of the pigments in their crude and concentrated forms
was tested using the well diffusion method against Escherichia coli ATCC 8739 and Staphylococcus
aureus ATCC 6538P. Inhibition zone against S. aureus was observed for both crude (12.33±0.58mm)
and concentrated pigments (9.67±0.58mm) extracted from purple pigment producing bacterial isolate
(BPU). This pigment has the potential to be used in antibacterial textile preparation. Extracted pigments
were used to dye scoured cotton fabric with the use of 3% alum as mordant. Pigment from BPU isolate
resulted in better coloured fabric.
Lichen-associated Fungi Inhabiting from a Mangrove Ecosystem in Sri Lanka: A Novel Source of Antibacterial Agents
(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-07-25) Happitiya, H. A. D. N. N; Nanayakkara, C. M.; Ariyawansa, K. G. S. U.; Ediriweera, S. S.; Wijayawardene, N. N.; Jayasinghe, R. P. P. K.; Dai, Don-Qin; Karunarathna, S. C.
The global threat of antimicrobial resistance has spurred interest in discovering innovative antimicrobial
agents from diverse sources. Amid the rise of new diseases, the quest for novel drug leads has intensified.
This study explores the antibacterial potential of lichen-associated fungi in mangrove ecosystems,
using NARA Regional Research Centre in Kalpitiya, Sri Lanka as the study site. Lichen-associated
fungi were isolated from collected lichens and the antibacterial activities of the isolates were tested
using two gram-positive bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923) and Bacillus cereus (ATCC
11778) and two gram-negative bacteria: Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 25853) and Escherichia
coli (ATCC 25922). Putative fungal isolates were primarily screened using agar plug diffusion assay
and ethyl acetate extracts of fungal isolates with marked activity were secondarily screened using the
well diffusion assay in triplicate. Isolate LIF 0803 identified as Trichosporon faecale showed the most
outstanding antibacterial activities as 2.58, 3.43, 4.2, 4.5 cm of zone diameter at 100 mg/mL, and 1.95,
3.08, 3.7, 4.3 cm of zone diameter at 50 mg/mL against P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, B. cereus, and E. coli
respectively. All nine fungal isolates showed promising antibacterial activity against both gram-positive
and negative bacteria. Therefore, this study showed that lichen-associated fungi in mangrove ecosystems
have potent antibacterial activities. Hence, bioassay-guided fractionation of active compounds from
lichen-associated fungi and structure elucidation are warranted.
Assessing Statistical Methods for Generating Forecasts for COVID-19
(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-06-09) Siriwardena, S. M. D. G. A; Dharmaratne, G.; Amaratunga, D.
The COVID-19 pandemic, a persistent global health emergency that has affected almost all facets of
daily life, was initially discovered in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Since that time, the virus has
rapidly spread over the globe, causing serious social and economic upheavals necessitating the need for
reliable forecasting methods. This study compares ten distinct models to predict the number of confirmed
COVID-19 cases in Sri Lanka, aiming to assess the performance of statistical models using limited and
volatile real-world data characterized by trends, random peaks, and autocorrelations. In addition to the
classical ARIMA model, various smoothing and filtering techniques were explored to capture the unique
characteristics of the data. The model consistencies in multiple-day predictions were demonstrated, and
robust evaluation criteria, along with non-robust measures, were utilized to enhance the effectiveness
of the evaluation process. The results highlight the effectiveness of traditional smoothing and filtering
strategies such as Simple Exponential Smoothing, Holt’s Exponential Smoothing, and the Smoothing
Splines technique coupled with the ARIMA model. This study also discovered that the ARIMA model,
when applied directly to the original data without using any smoothing or filtering approaches, failed to
forecast adequately, thereby demonstrating the insufficiency of the ARIMA model on its own to provide
credible forecasts when given a volatile set of data.
Synthesis and Characterization of ZnO/Cu2O and Co co-doped Ag-ZnO/Cu2O Nanoparticles with Possible Photovoltaic Applications
(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-05-30) Kariyawasam, M. I.; Hewage, J. W
The Photovoltaics phenomenon is one of the major turning points in the battle against the depletion
of fossil fuels. Sunlight is the main resource in photovoltaics, but there remains a quest to harvest it
efficiently to generate electricity. This study is focused on designing basic, cost-effective prototype
solar cells using ZnO/Cu2O nanoparticles (NPs) and Co(cobalt) co-doped Ag-ZnO/Cu2O NPs under
normal university laboratory conditions. ITO-coated glass was used as the substrate of the solar cell
and a modified low-temperature chemical bath deposition method was used for fabrication. Both ZnO
and Cu2O NPs were synthesized by aqueous precipitation methods and the fabrication was performed
successfully using ZnO and Cu2O NPs. However, the fabrication with Co co-doped Ag-ZnO and Cu2O
NPs requires more research since the Co co-doped Ag-ZnO NPs were synthesized by solvothermal
method, and it appeared as a fine powder which was not thick enough to hold onto the Cu2O layer. The
UV-spectroscopic analysis confirmed the characteristic band of ZnO NPs at 367.5 nm, Cu2O NPs at 360
nm, and Co co-doped Ag-ZnO NPs at 378 nm. The FTIR spectrum showed sharp peaks at 460 cm-1 and
606 cm-1 for the corresponding Zn-O bond and Cu-O bond, respectively with a broad peak at 1329 cm-1
for Cu2O FTIR, due to the chemisorbed and/or physiosorbed H2O and CO2 molecules on the surface of
the nanostructure. The EDX analysis showed the presence of slight carbon impurity in ZnO NPs which
resulted in a deviated XRD pattern while Cu2O NPs showed the characteristic XRD pattern. The solar
cell illuminated under three different lux conditions, had the characteristic J-V plot when measured
through Gamry Potentiostat.
Challenges and Frontiers in Intellectual Property Rights Amidst the Rise of Artificial Intelligence
(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-05-25) Mahingoda, C.D
This article investigates the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on intellectual property (IP) rights,
addressing challenges in ownership and authorship of AI-generated creations while exploring legal and
ethical dilemmas in traditional IP domains. It offers strategies for navigating these complexities, drawing
on legal precedents, international agreements, and policy recommendations. The research emphasizes
the urgent need for legislative updates to address these challenges effectively. Recommendations
include the enactment of innovative constitutional provisions, updating IP legislation to encompass
AI-related issues comprehensively, and advocating for effective judicial intervention. By implementing
these strategies, Sri Lanka can foster a harmonious coexistence of AI and IP, ensuring the protection of
intellectual property rights while stimulating innovation in the AI era.
Description
Keywords
Intellectual Property Rights, Artificial Intelligence, AI Regulation, ZnO Nanoparticles, Cu2O Nanoparticles, Co-doped Nanoparticles, Photovoltaic Applications, COVID-19 Forecasting, Statistical Methods, Lichen-associated Fungi, Mangrove Ecosystem, Antibacterial Agents, Microbial Pigments, Textile Dyes, Pigment Extraction