Academic Building (B3)-Room 194
Department of Biosystems Technology
Faculty of Technology
University of Sri Jayewardenepura
Mahenwatte, Pitipana North
Homagama 10200
Sri Lanka

Email: pradeepgajanayake@sjp.ac.lk

Pradeep Gajanayake, an environmental engineer obtained his PhD from Saitama University, Japan. He received his BSc and M.Phil. degrees from University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka agricultural engineering as the major subject. Currently, he is working as a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Biosystems Technology, Faculty of Technology, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka

Research Keywords: wastewater treatment, waste management, construction and demolition waste management, water resource management, hydrology and meteorology, microplastic pollution.

Other Activities: Taekwondo player, Athletic, Swimming

PhD Projects:

• Immobilization of aromatic hydrocarbon degrading phyllosphere bacteria and fungi for bioremediation of polluted air
• Production of a new bioghurt direct vat starter culture for production of bioghurt with low postacidification
• Development of probiotic green coconut water beverage with bio-preservative ability using indigenous microbial consortium

Phil Projects:

• Bioremediation Potential of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) Using Fungi in Effluents fromSapugaskanda Oil Refinery in Sri Lanka.
• Analysis of Microplastic Prevalence in the Selected Soil-Grown Vegetables in Sri Lanka: Sustainable Bioremediation Approach of Microplastics in the Agricultural Fieldsanka
• Screening of Traditional Medicinal Plants in Sri Lanka against Obesity in-vitro
• Isolation and characterization of Low-Density polyethylene (LDPE) degrading fungi from urban dumpsites in Sri Lanka towards developing a mycoremediation technology
• Fabrication of winemaking machine with immobilized fermentation and ecofriendly carbonic maceration

Undergraduate Projects:

• Microbiological quality of ice cream production environment.
• Development of instant milk meat.
• Development of mango pieces added mango RTS with high shelf life.
• Suitability of Cassava as an adjunct instead of rice in beer production.
• Gap analysis and digitalization of food safety management prerequisite programs in the brewing industry
• Milk-added drink incorporated with palmyra treacle and molasses.
• Characterization of probiotic lactic acid bacteria inhabiting Sri Lankan buffalo milk.
• Determination of in-vitro antibacterial effectiveness of spice herb extracts against some bacterial infections in the human respiratory tract.
• Analysis of the effectiveness of food safety culture.
• Suitability of Cassava as an adjunct instead of rice in beer production.
• Development of an amino acid liquid fertilizer using brewing spent yeast extract.
• Enhancement of the dissolution rate and solubility of curcumin and piperine-developing ternary cocrystals with succinic acid.
• Physicochemical, microbial, and sensory properties of Sri Lankan natural strawberry puree added drinking yoghurt.
• Development of pineapple and ginger flavored beer.
• Pilot study on the determination of change in microbiological quality of cooked rice packets over time in Borella area in Colombo district.
• Characterization of physiochemical parameters of green coconut water in selected regions.

Microplastics pollution control, composting technology, solid waste and wastewater treatment, construction and demolition waste management, water resource management, GIS for agriculture.

• Green Building Council of Sri Lanka (GBCSL)- Accredited Professional
• Institute of Environmental Professionals Sri Lanka (IEPSL)- Member
• Sri Lanka Institute of Agriculture (SLIAg)- Associate Member
• International Water Association (IWA)- Member
• Cap-Net Lanka- Member
• Sri Lanka Academy of Young Scientist (SLAYS)- Member
• Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science (SLAAS)- Member
• National Science Foundation (NSF), Sri Lanka -Member

A.D. Igalavithana, M. G. Y. L. Mahagamage, Pradeep Gajanayake, Amila Abeynayaka, P. J. D. Gamaralalage, M. Ohgaki, M. Takenaka, T. Fukai, N. Itsubo. Microplastics and Potentially Toxic Elements: Potential Human Exposure Pathways through Agricultural Lands and Policy Based Countermeasures. Microplastics (2022), 1, 102-120. https://doi.org/10.3390/microplastics1010007.

G.M.P. Kumara, K. Kawamoto. Use of natural zeolite and its mixtures to refine high‑concentrated heavy metal‑contaminated wastewater: an investigation of simultaneous removal of Cd (II) and Pb (II) by batch adsorption method. Water Air Soil Pollut (2021) 232:463. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-021-05420-9

G.M.P. Kumara, K. Kawamoto. Steel Slag and Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Grains as Low-Cost Adsorbents to Remove Cd2+ and Pb2+ in Wastewater: Effects of Mixing Proportions of Grains and Liquid-to-Solid Ratio. Sustainability 2021, 13, 10321. https://doi.org/10.3390/su131810321.

A.B.P. Bandara, G.M.P. Kumara, A. Matsuno, K. Kawamoto. Examination of crushed laterite brick for removal of chromium and arsenic from wastewater. Inte. Jour. Geomate. 19(74): (2020), 22-30.

G.M.P. Kumara, K. Kawamoto, T. Saito, S. Hamamoto, S. Asamoto. Evaluation of autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) fines for removal of Cd(II) and Pb(II) from wastewater. Jour. Envir. Engi. American Society of Civil Engineering, 145(11): (2019), DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)EE.1943-7870.0001597.

G.M.P. Kumara, K. Kawamoto. Applicability of crushed clay brick and municipal solid waste slag as low-cost adsorbents to refine high concentrate Cd (II) and Pb (II) contaminated wastewater. Inte. Jour. Geomate. 17(63): (2019), 133-142.

G.M.P. Kumara, T. Saito, S. Asamoto, K. Kawamoto. Reviews on the applicability of construction and demolition waste as low-cost adsorbents to remove-heavy metals in wastewater. Inte. Jour. Geomate. 14(42): (2018), 44-51.

Pradeep Gajanayake, Y.G.D.P. Wijewardana, S.K.D. Wijesinghe, M.I.M. Mowjood, L.W. Galagedara. Assessment of the variability of soil properties for OFC cultivation under minor irrigation systems. Jour. Agri. Susta. 11(1): (2018), 11-34.

G.M.P. Kumara, H. Rathnasekara, M.D.D. Perera, M.I.M. Mowjood, L.W. Galagedara. Market Orientation and Market Participation of Farmers in Awlegama, Wariyapola, Sri Lanka: Constrains and Potentials for Crop Diversification and Commercial Transformation. Inte. Jour. Soci. Eco. Res. 5(4): (2015), 132-149.

G.M.P. Kumara, S.M.L.D. Samarakon, Y.G.D.P. Wijewardana, M.I.M. Mowjood, L.W. Galagedara. Evaluation of paddy fields system layout for other field crops (OFC) in a minor irrigation system. Trop. Agri. Res. 28(4): (2017), 364-374.

K.R. Thilakasiri, G.M.P. Kumara, M.I.M. Mowjood, L.W. Galagedara. Strategies to improve water productivity in small tank system: A case study from Kurunegala district in Sri Lanka. Trop. Agri. Res. 26(4): (2015), 684 – 692.

1. mila Abeynayaka., Induka Werellagama., Pham Ngoc-Bao., Matthew Hengesbaugh.,Pradeep Gajanayake., Bhagya Nallaperuma., Selim Karkour., Bui Xuan-Thanh., Norihiro Itsubo. Microplastics in Wastewater Treatment Plants: Recent Developments and Future Directions. Advances in Biological Wastewater Treatment Systems- Chapter 11, Elsevier (2021)

2. Lareef Zubair., Sarath, P. Nissanka., Weerakoon, W.M.W., Dumindu I. Herath., Asha S. Karunaratne., Prabodha, A.S.M., Agalawatte, M.B., Rasnayaka M. Herath., Zeenas Yahiya, S., Punyawardhene, B.V.R., Janan Vishwanathan., Punya Delpitiya., A. Erandika N.Wijekoon., Janaka Gunaratna, Sewwandhi S. K. Chandrasekara., Wickramagamage, P., Weerasinghe, K.D.N., Champa M. Navaratne., Ruchika S. Perera., Asela I. Gunesekara., G. M. Pradeep Kumara., Daniel Wallach., Roberto O. Valdivia, and Sonali McDermid. Climate Change Impacts on Rice Farming Systems in Northwestern Sri Lanka, Chapter 10, Handbook of Climate Change and Agroecosystems (2015). Imperial College Press. ISBN: 978-1-78326-563-3 (Online reading:http://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/p970#t=toc).

Selim Karkour, Amila Abeynayaka, Pradeep Gajanayake, Safa Rachid, Chia-Chun Lin, Bhagya Madusanka, Mariem Maaoui, Warefta -E-Mursshed. Overview of life-cycle assessment applied to building life-cycle. 12th ICSECM (2021), Kandy, Sri Lanka.

A.B.P. Bandara, G.M.P. Kumara, A. Matsuno, T. Saito, K. Kawamoto. Utilization of autoclaved aerated concrete and crushed laterite block as low-cost adsorbents for removal of heavy metals from wastewater. 10th ICSECM (2019), Kandy, Sri Lanka.

A.B.P. Bandara, Y. Yoshida, G.M.P. Kumara, A. Matsuno, K. Kawamoto. Application of crushed grains of laterite and autoclaved aerated concrete for heavy metal removal from wastewater. JPGU (2019), Tokyo, Japan.

T. Saito, G.M.P. Kumara, A. Matsuno, K. Kawamoto. Neutralization of acid discharged water around the Kusatsu hot spring area in Japan using construction and demolition wastes. AGU fall meeting (2018), Washington, D.C, USA.

G.M.P. Kumara, T. Saito, K. Kawamoto. Industrial slags as a low cost adsorbents to refine heavy metal contaminated wastewater. JPGU (2018), Tokyo, Japan.

T.D.M. Hai, G.M.P. Kumara, K. Kawamoto. Adsorption of cadmium onto aerated lightweight concrete (ALC) fines. JPGU (2018), Tokyo, Japan.

G.M.P. Kumara, T. Saito, K. Kawamoto. Use of construction and demolition waste (CDW) and its recycled materials for the removal of heavy metals in wastewater. 5 th SLJCR (2017), University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.

G.M.P. Kumara, M.D.D. Perera, S. Pathmarajah, N.D.K. Dayawansa, M.I.M. Mowjood. Water Pollution in an Urban Stream, Kandy, Sri Lanka: A review. IPWE (2016), Colombo, Sri Lanka.

G.M.P. Kumara, Y.G.D.P. Wijewardana, M.I.M. Mowjood, L.W. Galagedara. Assessment of soil properties variability on other field crops cultivation under minor irrigation systems. WinC (2016), Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka.

G.M.P. Kumara, L.W. Galagedara, M.D.D. Perera, S.S.K. Chandrasekara. Development of water management system to BG358 rice variety using a computer model. RISTCON (2015), University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka.

G.M.P. Kumara. Constrains and potentials of a paddy field irrigation system for other field crops cultivation under minor irrigation system. E-Conference- Agriculture and Food Security (2015), Orel State Agrarian University, Russia.

H.M.P.N. Herath, G.M.P. Kumara, L.W. Galagedara, M.I.M. Mowjood. Development of an area-capacity curve and effect of tank water for groundwater availability of command area of the Badabeddegama minor irrigation tank. 1st FAuRS (2014), University of Peradeniya,
Sri Lanka.

G.M.P. Kumara, L.W. Galagedara, R.P.R.K. Amarasingha, S.S.K. Chandrasekara. Modeling the effect of water stress on paddy yield using APSIM. iPURSE (2013), University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.

“පෙරදිග ධානයාගාරයේ අනාගතය කෙසේ විසදෙවිද?” Pradeep Gajanayake, Ada Newspaper, 11^th October 2022, pp. 5.

“කාබනික තීන්දුවේ වින්නැහිය” Pradeep Gajanayake, Lankadeepa Newspaper, 29^th September 2022, pp. 4.

“ගොවියන්ට සහනාධාර දෙන්න හොදම වෙලාව මේකයි” Pradeep Gajanayake, Aruna Newspaper, 22^nd September 2022, pp. 4.

“ලංකාව දැවැන්ත ආහාර අර් බුදයක් අබියස?” Pradeep Gajanayake, Mawbima Newspaper, 19^th April 2022, pp. 4.

“රසායනික පොහොර නැතුවම බැරිද?” Pradeep Gajanayake, Mawbima Newspaper, 21^th February 2022, pp. 4.

“පිට පොට නොපනින කාබනික වගාව”. Pradeep Gajanayake, Aruna Newspaper, 19^th October 2021, pp. 4.

 “ආහාර සුරක්ෂිතතාවට වැටක් වන කාබනික වගාවක අවශ්‍යතාව”. Pradeep Gajanayake, Aruna Newspaper, 01^st September 2021, pp. 4.

“පොහොර විප්ලවය සහ ආහාර සුරක්ෂිතතාව මැද ගෙවුම් ශේෂ අර්බුදය”. Pradeep Gajanayake and Hasara Rathnasekara, Aruna Newspaper, 20^th July 2021, pp. 4.

Chemical fertilizer ban: A policy blunder. Pradeep Gajanayake and Hasara Rathnasekara, Sunday Times Newspaper, 18^th July 2021, pp. 4.

“කාබනික කෘෂි විප්ලවයේදී අමතක නොකළ යුතු සංයමය”. Pradeep Gajanayake, Aruna Newspaper, 17^th June 2021, pp. 5.