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Dr. Ariyawathie (ARI) Nissanka
Title: Staff Scientist; Chemical and Physical Ecology Program
Phone: 941-388-4441
Email:
Dr. Nissanka has been with the Laboratory since 1992. She is the Laboratory and Analytical Manager of the Chemical and Physical Ecology Program of the Directorate of Environmental Health and Ocean Technology (EH&OT). She is responsible for day-to-day analytical activities in the department including sample custody, scheduling, and method and data quality objective compliance, data review and analysis. She is knowledgeable with the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference (NELAC) and Quality Assurance requirements and maintains laboratory systems to support the Program’s NELAC certification. She is also responsible for all management, revives and reporting for all nutrients, inorganic ions, physical parameters, demands, and pigments data produced by the department. Since joining the laboratory, Dr. Nissanka has contributed in various capacities on multi disciplinary studies involving water, storm water, sediments, seagrass, light requirements, and atmospheric deposition.
Prior to employment at Mote, Dr. Nissanka was an adjunct professor at Manatee Community College in Venice, Florida and taught and conducted laboratory classes in general biology. She lectured in Botany at the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. She was also a microbiologist for the Department of Fisheries, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Among her research accomplishments in Sri Lanka are an environmental profile of the Kalutara District, highlighting pollution aspects. She was co-supervisor of a Masters Degree student research project on biological control of water pollution caused by rubber effluent and she initiated work on biological control of water pollution caused by distillery waste. While in Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan, working toward her M. Sc and D. Sc., she initiated studies on the removal of nitrogen, phosphorus and COD from wastewater with the aid of emerged plants such as Phragmites australis, Zizania latifolia and Typha latifolia. Education D.Sc. Biology, Dissertation title: Studies on the biological control of water pollution using emerged plants, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
M.Sc. Biology, Dissertation title: Making use of Phragmites communis for removal of nitrogen and phosphorus from waste water, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
B.Sc. Honours. Major: Botany; Minor: Chemistry; Sub-Minor: Zoology, University of Ceylon, Colombo, Sri Lanka Publications Selected Publications, Reports and Presentations
Nissanka, A, Dixon, L. K and Hall E. R. 2011 Nutrient Strategies of Krenia brevis at Elevated Cell Densities Along the West Central Florida Coast: Poster presentation at 6th Symposium on Harmful Algae in U. S. Austin, Texas
Nissanka, A, Dixon, L. K. 2011 Water Quality Analyses in Conjunction with Evaluation of Pilot and Commercial Wastewater Systems Associated with Inland Production of High-Value Marine Fish: Progress Report: Florida Sea Grant R/LR-A-48. Mote Marine Laboratory Technical Report No. 1575
Dixon L Kellie, Ari Nissanka, K. Lansdowne, P. Minotti, J. Perry. 2005 Sarasota County Ambient Monitoring Program: Summary Report, 1998-2005. Submitted to Sarasota County Water Resources. Mote Marine Laboratory Technical Report No. 1019
Nissanka A, L. K. Dixon. 2003. Water and Sediment Sample Collection and Analyses, July 1999-July 2002 Pre- and Post- restoration Comparison. Hog Creek, Sarasota FL and Palma Sola Creek, Bradenton FL. Mote Marine Laboratory Technical Report No. 854
Dixon L Kellie, Ari Nissanka. 1997. Data Inventory, Trend Analysis, and Recommended Monitoring: Florida Springs Coast. Volume II. Data Summaries. Submitted to Southwest Florida Water Management District, Surface Water Improvement and Management. Mote Marine Laboratory Technical Report No. 547
Amara, B., W.G.A. Nissanka, K. Abeyanayake. 1992. Biological treatment of distillery waste. J. Nat. Sci. Coun. Sri Lanka 20(2): 237-250.
Abeynayake, K., W. G. A. Nissanka. 1989. Environmental profile of the Kalutara District. Prepared for Central Environmental Authority of Sri Lanka.
Suzuki, T., W.G.A. Nissanka, Y. Kurihara. 1988. Amplification of total dry mater, nitrogen and phosphorus removal from stands of Phragmites australis by harvesting and reharvesting regenerated shoots. In Constructed Wetlands for Wastewater Treatment: Municipal, Industrial and Agricultural (Hammer, D.A., ed.), Lewis Publ., Inc., pp. 530-555.
Wathugala , A.G., T. Suzuki, Y. Kurihara. 1987. Removal of nitrogen, phosphorus and COD from waste water using sand filtration systems with Phragmites australis. Water Research, 21(10: 1217-1224. Department: Directorate of Environmental Health & Ocean Technology
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