Email: maha@chem.cmb.ac.lk

    Phone: (9411) 2503 367

    Fax : (9411) 2503 148

    Office: 205

Academic Record:

• Ph. D. (1990): Analytical Chemistry, Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, USA.

• M. Phil. (1989): Analytical Chemistry, Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, USA. 

• M. A. (1988): Analytical Chemistry, Queens College of the City University of New York, Flushing, New York, USA.

• B.Sc. [Chemistry Special, First Class]  (1984): Chemistry, University of Colombo, Colombo.

Research Interests:

• Air pollution and pollution control

• Indoor air quality

• Environmental Tobacco Smoke

• Water quality

• Low-cost instrumentation

• Quality assessment of the consumer products

• Health and safety

Awards:

• Merit award for scientific research 2001. National Science Foundation, Sri Lanka. Jointly awarded to K. R. R. Mahanama and D.P. Dissanayake for the research on “Method development for analysis and control of organic pollutants in diesel exhaust”.

• Presidential award for scientific publications in the year 2001.

Research Publications:

(23). Mahanama, K.R.R., [2005]. Green to greener; Elevation of the ubiquitous industrial emission to a greener solvent. In Industry and Environment. K.R.R. Mahanama [Ed]. Institute of Chemistry Ceylon pp 24-38

(22). Mahanama, K.R.R., [2005]. Air sampling and analysis. In Air Sampling and Analysis by Gas Chromatography. Division of Occupational Hygiene, Ministry of Labour Relations and Foreign Employment. pp 1-10.    

(21). Kularatne, K.I.A.; Dissanayake, D.P.; Mahanama, K.R.R. [2003] Contribution of dissolved sulfates and sulfides in hydrogen sulfide emission 

         from stagnant water bodies in Sri Lanka. Chemosphere 52, 901-907.

(20). Mahanama, K.R.R. [2003]. HPLC, GC – Chromatographic methods of analysis.  In Modern Analytical Methods. Institute of Chemistry, Ceylon.  pp 44-56.

(19). Mahanama, K.R.R. [2002]. Creating an environmental friendly work place – Air pollution and monitoring. In Proceedings of the training seminar on Towards a Cleaner Industrial Environment in the New Millennium. Institute of Chemistry Ceylon.  Samarasinghe, S [Ed] pp 42-49.

(18). Mahanama, K.R.R. [2002]. Supercritical fluids. Are they super? Chem. Sri Lanka. 19 (2), 23.

(17). Mahanama, K.R.R.  [2002]. London Smog to Los Angeles Smog. What is Next? Colombo Smog!!. Chem. Sri Lanka. 19 (1), 4-5.

(16). Hettige, C.; Mahanama, K.R.R.; Dissanayake, D.P. [2001]. Cyclohexane oxidation and carbon deposition over metal oxide catalysts. Chemosphere 43, 1079-1083.

(15). Jayathilaka, G.D.L.P; Hettige, C.; Mahanama, K.R.R.; Dissanayake, D.P. [2001]. Carbon formation during volatile organic compound oxidation over a nickel catalyst. Ind. J. Chem.-Section A. 40A, 392-395.

(14). Gundel, L.A.; Mahanama, K.R.R.; Apte, M.G.; Herring, A.S.V.; VanLoy, M.D.; Daisey, J.M. [1999]. Dynamic behavior of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in environmental tobacco smoke: Effects of aging and temperature variation on phase and size distribution. Proceedings of Indoor Air '99.  The 8th International Conference on Indoor Air Quality and Climate, 2, 915-920.

(13). Daisey, J.M.; Mahanama, K.R.R.; Hodgson, A.T. [1997].  Toxic volatile organic compounds in simulated environmental tobacco smoke: Emission factors for exposure assessment.  J. Exp. Anal. Environ. Epidem. 8, 313-334.

(12). Mahanama, K.R.R. [1997].  Indoor air quality.  Chem. Sri Lanka. 14, 13-16.

(11). Mahanama, K.R.R.; Daisey, J.M. [1996].  Volatile N-nitrosamines in environmental tobacco smoke:  Sampling, analysis and source emission factors.  Environ. Sci. & Tech. 30, 1477-1484. 

(10). Hodgson, A.T.; Daisey, J.M.; Mahanama, K.R.R.; Ten Brinke, J.A.; Alevantis, L.E. [1996].  Use of volatile tracers to determine the contribution of environmental tobacco smoke to concentrations of volatile organic compounds in smoking environments. Environ. Int. 22, 295-307. 

(9).   Hodgson, A.T.; Daisey, J.M.; Alvenatis, L.E.; Mahanama, K.R.R.; Ten Brinke J. [1996]. Use of volatile tracers to determine the contribution of environmental tobacco smoke to concentrations of volatile organic compounds. Proceedings of Indoor Air '96.  The 7th International Conference on Indoor Air Quality and Climate, 4, 57-62.

(8).   Gundel, L.A.; Mahanama, K.R.R.; Daisey, J.M. [1995].  Semi-volatile and particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in environmental tobacco smoke:  Cleanup, speciation and emission factors. Environ. Sci. & Tech. 29, 1607-1614. 

(7).   Gundel, L.A.; Lee, V.C.; Mahanama, K.R.R.; Stevens, R.K.; Daisey, J.M. [1995].  Direct determination of the phase distribution of semi-volatile polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons using annular denuders.  Atmos. Environ. 29, 1719-1733. 

(6).   Whompler, D.A.; Miller-Leiden, S.; Nazaroff, W.W.; Litvak, A.; Mahanama, K.R.R.; Nematollahi, M.; Gadgil A.J. [1995].  Effectiveness of smokeless ashtray.  J. Air & Waste Manage. Assoc. 45, 494-500.

(5).   Mahanama, K.R.R.; Gundel, L.A.; Daisey, J.M. [1994].  Selective fluorescence detection of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in environmental tobacco smoke and other airborne particles.  Int. J. Environ. Anal. Chem. 56, 289-309. 

(4).   Daisey, J.M.; Mahanama, K.R.R.; Hodgson, A.T. [1994].  Indoor air: Air toxics from environmental tobacco smoke.  Proceedings of the 5th Annual West Coast Conference on Current Issues in Air Toxics, 135-143.

(3).   Gundel, L.A.; Mahanama, K.R.R.; Daisey, J.M. [1993].  Fractionation of polar organic extracts of airborne particulate matter using cyanopropyl bonded silica in solid phase extraction.  J. Chromatogr. 629, 75-82. 

(2)    Gundel, L.A.; Daisey, J.M.; Mahanama, K.R.R.; Lee, V.C.; Stevens, R.K. [1993].  Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in indoor air and environmental tobacco smoke measured with a new integrated organic vapor-particle sampler.  Proceedings of Indoor Air '93.  The 6th International Conference on Indoor Air Quality and Climate, 1, 279-284.

(1).   Schneiderman, M.A.; Sharma, A.K.; Mahanama, K.R.R.; Locke, D.C. [1988].  Determination of vitamin K-1 in the commercial infant formulae using supercritical fluid extraction and HPLC with electrochemical detector.  J. Assoc. Offic. Anal. Chem., 71, 815-817.

Teaching:

Conduct lectures and practical sessions for undergraduate and post-graduate students in environmental, analytical, inorganic and radio & nuclear chemistry courses in University of Colombo, University of Kelaniya, University of Sri Jayawardenapura, University of Ruhuna and Sabaragamuwa University in Sri Lanka. Supervise graduate and undergraduate students in analytical and environmental research projects. Actively involve in public awareness programs and school programs to promote environmental education in Sri Lanka.

Employment History:

• Senior Lecturer I (2002 - present): Department of Chemistry, University of Colombo, Colombo.

• Senior Lecturer II (1995 - 2002): Department of Chemistry, University of Colombo, Colombo.

• Staff Scientist (1993-1995): Energy and Environment Division, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory University of California, Berkeley, California, USA.

• Post-Doctoral Fellow (1990-1993): Applied Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA.

• Graduate Teaching Assistant (1986-1990): Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Queens College of the City University of New York, Flushing, New York, USA.

• Assistant Lecturer (1985-1986): Department of Chemistry, University of Colombo.