Research Associate Professor
Environmental/Analytical/Soil Chemistry
Program Area Affiliation: Environmental Soil and Water Sciences
Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences
Alabama A&M University
CCS-BW Room 207A
P. O. Box 1208
Normal, AL 35762
Phone: 256-372-4225
Fax: 256-372-5429
E-mail: thilini.ranatunga@aamu.edu
Degrees Earned
Ph.D. Chemistry (1995) Purdue University, IN
MS Chemistry (1990) Bowling Green State University, OH
BS Chemistry (1984) University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka
Teaching
Soil, Plant, and Water Analysis; Soil Chemistry
Research Interest
Research related to environmental/soil chemistry and analytical method development for environmental sample analysis
Current research
Studies on heat-induced structural changes in soil organic matter and black carbon distribution in a prescribed burned forest ecosystem
Studies on arsenic sorption/speciation in soil
Organic phosphorus transformation in forest soils
Phosphorus and metal distribution and sorption/release in soil aggregate factions from poultry litter applied soils
Studies on volcanic soils: Effect of Soufriere Hills volcanic eruption on plant and soil environment of Montserrat Island, West Indies
Studies on kinetics and mechanisms of heavy metal retention/release in geochemical processes in soil
Phosphorus transformation in poultry litter amended soil: phosphorus fractionation and phosphorus chemistry