News story: Wells around Navinna- Maharagama dumping site contaminate with Heavy toxic metals

Dumping of metal products as municipal solid waste has become a serious problem around Navinna area as the some heavy metals such as chromium, cadmium and lead have leached to the groundwater table with toxic concentrations. Large number of residents in the area consumes well water for their daily need of drinking and cooking. Hence daily exposure of the heavy metals may lead to chronic or long term toxicities says researchers at Department of Zoology, University of Sri Jayewardenepura based on a research conducted in collaboration with the Department of Chemistry, University of Kelaniya.

This research was conducted by Dr. Pathmalal M Manage, Dr. Janitha A Liyanage and Mr. Aakash Welgama, which is to be presented at International Forestry and Environment Symposium on 30 November 2007 organized by Department of Forestry and Environmental Science, University of Sri Jayewardenepura