The chief purpose of this study is to investigate the process of adsorption of heavy metals in sands containing microplastics due to aging and bacterial culture. For this purpose, first, the experiment’s conditions were determined by reviewing previous studies and examining the effects of factors on the duration of bacterial culture and UV radiation. Finally, the test conditions were determined as follows: 25 g of adsorbent in 250 ml solution containing 50 mg/l of lead, cadmium, copper, zinc, chromium, and nickel, 750 micrograms of microplastic, bacterial culture time two days, aging time with UV light 14 days. Results of the study show that the addition of virgin microplastics has little effected on increasing the adsorbent strength, except in the case of nickel whichreduces adsorption strength. The aging process increases the absorption of all studied metals by up to 60%. Bacterial culture without an aging process reduces the absorption of nickel and cadmium. Simultaneous use of bacterial culture and aging increases the adsorption power by up to 80% for all metals.

The aim of the study was to determine the time-delayed (after three years from the moment of soil pollution) effect of petroleum-derived products (PDPs) (petrol, diesel fuel and used engine oil) on the interaction between selected host plant (broad bean) and a herbivorous insect closely related to it (Sitona spp.). We assessed the condition of the plant exposed to pollutants (i.e. its growth and chemical composition), then we evaluated the attractiveness of the plant for both larvae and adults of the insect. The evaluation covered also the effect of bioremediation by using ZB-01 biopreparation. The results showed that after 3 years from soil contamination, engine oil and diesel fuel limited the feeding of adult sitona weevils while petrol caused increase in the attractiveness of plants for these insects. The PDPs negatively affected the growth of plants. The changes in element content depended on the type of pollutant. The biopreparation ZB-01 eliminated or reduced the differences caused by the presence of PDPs in the soil regarding the chemical composition of the host plant, and limited feeding by both the larvae and adult individuals of sitona weevils. The negative relationships between the contents of both some macroelements (Mg, S) and heavy metals (Zn, Ni), and feeding of imago of Sitona were observed. The obtained results indicate that PDPs remain for a long time in the environment and adversely affect not only the organisms directly exposed to the pollution – plants growing on polluted soil but also further links of the trophic chain, i.e. herbivores

In Poland, in recent years, there has been a rapid accumulation of sewage sludge – a by-product in the treatment of urban wastewater. This has come about as a result of infrastructure renewal, specifically, the construction of modern sewage treatment plants. The more stringent regulations and strategic goals adopted for modern sewage management have necessitated the application of modern engineering methodology for the disposal of sewage sludge. One approach is incineration. As a consequence, the amount of fly ash resulting from the thermal treatment of municipal sewage sludge has grown significantly. Hence, intensive work is in progress for environmentally safe management of this type of waste. The aim of the experiment was to evaluate the possibility of using the fly ash that results from municipal sewage sludge thermal treatment (SSTT) as an additive to hardening slurries. The article presents the technological and functional parameters of hardening slurries with an addition of fly ash obtained by SSTT. Moreover, the usefulness of these slurries is analyzed on the basis of their basic properties, i.e., density, contractual viscosity, water separation, structural strength, volumetric density, hydraulic conductivity, compressive and tensile strength. The research on technological and functional properties was carried out, the aim of which was to determine the practical usefulness of the hardening slurries used in the experiment. Subsequently, leaching tests were performed for heavy metals in the components, the structure of the hardening slurries. An experiment showed leaching of hazardous compounds at a level allowing their practical application. The article presents the potential uses of fly ash from SSTT in hardening slurry technology.

In 1999 research on the range of pollution of fishes in antropogenie water ecosystem was carried out. These are the first results of investigation on heavy metals in fishes of this part of Upper Silesia region, especially in the dam-reservoir of the Kłodnica river. Concentration of Pb, Cd, Cu, Ni, Zn, Cr, Mn, in flesh and liver of some species of fish (Rutilus rutilus, Tinca tinca, Cyprinus carpio, Esox Lucius, Perea fluviatilis) in antropogenie ecosystem of water is given. The Dzierżno Duże dam-reservoir is artificial reservoir on the Kłodnica river, which flows through the Silesia region, the most industrialized region in Poland. The Coal-mine waters and other industrial pollution were collected in the sediments in this lake for years. The range of heavy metals concentration is higher than established standards for fish-food. The investigations will be continued.

The aim of the study was to estimate the influence of metallurgical slag on heavy metal concentration in tree species. The research included pH-reaction and conductivity of slag samples, heavy metal content (Pb, Zn, Cd, Cu, Ni) in slag, needles and leaves samples. The waste material is covered by vegetation and fulfils a soil function. The vegetation is self-sending. The plant cover being a result of natural succession consists of weeds, grasses, perennials, bushes and trees. Dominant tree species are birches and willows as well as poplar and pine. In slag samples are observed the raised concentration of cadmium, lead and copper. The low content of zinc is surprising. In tree material observed excessive heavy metal concentration especially lead and cadmium. Their accumulation is undoubtedly depended on tree species, but in this case heavy metal content in plant samples is a result of their presence in slag material. The higher heavy metal content in slag results the higher concentration in needles and leaves (probes S1 and S2, T1 and T2). Exception to this rule is the birch - probe B,, but in this case the pH is crucial. In samples with pH over 6.8 heavy metal mobility, their solubility and phytoavailability decrease. pH below 7 results in higher trace element uptake in plants.

The aim of the present work was to analyse the results of investigations on the heavy metals content in the water of the Nakło-Chechło Reservoir. In this study the importance of this element in the characteristic of aquatic environment is stressed. Small content of heavy metals has excluded the possibility of the discharge of municipal and industrial sewage. All of these toxic substance included in water have confirmed that the Nakło- Chechło Reservoir is under strong hydrological and chemical influence of the precipitation and surface run off from the Reservoir basin area.

Charakterystyką objęto 12 próbek zwałowanych odpadów serpentynitowych oraz 2 próbki gliniastego nadkładu. Próbki odpadów odznaczają się obojętnym i alkalicznym odczynem, bardzo wysoką zawartością przyswajalnego magnezu, natomiast bardzo niską - przyswajalnego fosforu i potasu. Spośród badanych metali ciężkich, chrom i nikiel występują w największych ilościach (odpowiednio do 760 i 4130 mg/kg), potencjalnie toksycznych dla roślin. W odpadach stwierdzono również występowanie azbestu chryzotylowego. Obecność azbestu oraz niekorzystne właściwości chemiczne powodują konieczność przykrycia odpadów serpentynitowych warstwą czwartorzędowych glin występujących w nadkładzie złoża. Warstwa taka zabezpieczy sąsiadujące tereny przed emisją ze zwałowisk oraz stworzy korzystniejsze warunki wegetacji roślinności wprowadzonej w trakcie rekultywacji.

The aim of these studies was to determine solubility and availability of the heavy metals in soil using single extraction procedure. The acid extractants: 1 M HCI, 10% HNO, and 0.43 M CH,COOH were tested as eluents. Extracting capacity of inorganic acids were higher than 65% of total Pb and Zn and hardly depended on their total content. Acetic acid leached less than 5% of total Cu, Ni and Pb. A statistical analysis showed that physico-chemical soil parameters affected heavy metals solubility in acids eluents. Single extraction in acid solution is a simple way to determine the soil contamination with heavy metals.

Geopolymers are a new class of materials that can be synthesized using natural minerals, and waste materials. Among these substrates, the use of fly ash is desirable as it involves the conversion of a copious waste material into a useful product. The aim of the research was geopolymers synthesis from coal fly ash and biomass ash. Concentrated sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate solutions were used as activators in geopolymerisation reaction. The results show that both coal fly ash and biomass ash can be utilized as source materials for the production of geopolymers. The surface morphology and chemical composition analysis were examined for the obtained geopolymers and ashes from coal and biomass combustion by SEM-EDS methods. It was found almost total disappearance of spherical forms of grains and reduction the porosity of structure for geopolymer based on fly ash from coal combustion. While the structure of the geopolymer based ash from biomass combustion is more porous. The UV-VIS-NIR spectra were performed on the coal fly ash, biomass ash and geopolymers. They showed that the obtained geopolymers possess optical and photocatalytic properties. The similarity of the geopolymer network and the zeolite framework in relation to ion exchange and accommodation of metal ions open questions on possibilities for the application of geopolymer materials as amorphous analogues of zeolite. The FT-IR spectra analyses were used on the geopolymers before and after metals sorption. It was found that geopolymer based on ash from biomass combustion has better sorption properties compared to geopolymer based on ash from coal combustion.

Among the elements that compose steel slags and blast furnace slags, metallic precipitates occur alongside the dominant glass and crystalline phases. Their main component is metallic iron, the content of which varies from about 90% to 99% in steel slags, while in blast furnace slags the presence of precipitates was identified with the proportion of metallic iron amounting to 100%. During observations using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray spectral microanalysis it has been found that the form of occurrence of metallic precipitates is varied. There were fine drops of metal among them, surrounded by glass, larger, single precipitates in a regular, spherical shape, and metallic aggregates filling the open spaces between the crystalline phases. Tests carried out for: slags resulting from the open-hearth process, slags that are a by-product of smelting in electric arc furnaces, blast furnace slags and waste resulting from the production of ductile cast iron showed that depending on the type of slag, the proportion and form of metallic precipitates is variable and the amount of Fe in the precipitates is also varied. Research shows that in terms of quality, steel and blast furnace slag can be a potential source of iron recovery. However, further quantitative analyses are required regarding the percentage of precipitates in the composition of slags in order to determine the viability of iron recovery. This paper is the first part of a series of publications aimed at understanding the functional properties of steel and blast furnace slags in the aspect of their destructive impact on the components of devices involved in the process of their processing, which is a significant operational problem.

Elevated content or heavy metals in soils is characteristic of the Dąbrowa Górnicza region. The highest concentrations of lead. cadmium and zinc exceed herc 650, 15, and 1000 mg/kg of soil, respectively. Samples of soi I from selected sites underwent the speciation analysis with the use of the Tessier method. modified according to Kersten and Forstner. Results of the investigations proved the highest concentrations or these metals in the area of Trzebiesławice. They occur here in the strongly bound forms and, mainly, their occurrence is related to presence of limestone rocks. The greatest amounts of these metals in easily assimilable to plant forms occur within the area of the town of Dąbrowa Górnicza. The most probable source ot· most of these heavy metals in soils are here contaminants emitted by the industry, mainly by the metallurgy. In the vicinity of the town of Błędów, mainly sandy soils occur, characteristic or which is low content of considered metals. Weak sorption capacities of these soils account for relatively good cxtractability of the three metals. In soils from the Lęka area, strong binding of these metals was confirmed. Occurrence or cadmium should be of special attention because this metal occurs as built in the crystal lattice of minerals.

Metals are useful raw materials used in various industries. But one of the side-effects of their production is pollution of the marine environment.

Concentration of Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb and Co have been determined in Antarctic water (South Shetland Islands) and in krill exoskeletons with the help of atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Concentrations of these metals both in sea-water and in krill exoskeleton are in order Zn > Cu > Cd > Ni > Pb > Co. Comparing concentrations of these metals in sea-water to their concentrations in krill exoskeleton, the factors have been calculated giving a list of metals in the order of krill chitin ability, which is Ni > Cu > Zn > Cd > Pb > Co accumulation. The highest accumulation factors for Ni and Cu point out to the special role played by these metals in krill life.

The distribution of heavy metals in the bonom sediments has been determined, It has been shown that they are spaciously differentiated. The differentiation is a result of water movement, eutroficat ion, bioaccurnulation and anthropoprcsion processes. As a result of specific water movement the area of intensity of the heavy metals accumulation was created. This area (about 150 ha) is located in the northwest part of the reservoir. The maximal concentrations of heavy metals for this region are: for cadmium 30 mg Cd/kg, for nickel 55 mg Ni/kg, for chromium 130 mg Cr/kg, for lead 160 mg Pb/kg, for copper 1000 mg Cu/kg, for zinc 1300 mg Zn/kg. The localization of the most polluted areas is essential for possible reclamation procedures to improve water and overall ecosystem quality.

The results of the first (since 1939) investigation of Gliwice Channel have been presented. The concentrations of mobiles and constant forms of heavy metals in the bottom sediments have been given. The changes range was: for chromium 4.8-463.2 mg Cr/kg, for cadmium 0.6-18.2 mg Cd/kg, for lead 4-197 mg Pb/kg, for cupric 6-2152 mg Cu/kg, for manganese 33-1664 mg Mn/kg, for nickel 5-85.2 mg Ni/kg, for zinc 64-2244 mg Zn/kg, for iron 2080-94080 mg Fe/kg. The percent participation of stable forms of chromium decreases during longitude profile of canal whereas participation of mobile forms is increases. The stable and mobile forms of cadmium (Cd) increase. The concentrations of stable and mobile form of lead (Pb) decrease. The percent participation of stable forms of copper (Cu) is high (82- 100%). On total longitude of canal the participation of mobile forms of manganese (Mn) increases, but stable forms have advantage. For nickel (Ni) the stable forms are prevail too (form 55% to 81%). The participation of mobile forms of zinc (Zn) is 18% to 60%. The sharply outlined relationship between metals and organic matter concentrations indicates the significance in the metals transport processes from water to bottom sediments. Consequently, pollution of bottom sediments by heavy metals is the secondary result of organic substances of water enrichment. The relationships between total metals and iron (Fe) concentration points to the role of heavy metals stable amalgamations with amorphous ferric oxides. The cascade character and pulsatory water flow of Gliwice Channel makes the concentrations of heavy metals in bottom sediments successfully decrease in each canal section. At the same time, in each section of the canal gradual increase in metals concentration occurs and the maximum values for all determinated metals are present just before sluices closing sections. The best ecological effect, from the economical point of view, is obtained by bottom sediment removal on the about 1 km sectors over each of the sluice.

Vegetable oils belong to a large group of substances consumed on a daily basis. World vegetable oil production is soaring, reducing the popularity of animal fats. Heavy metals pose a threat to human health. It is estimated that about 80% of the daily dose of heavy metals enters the human body through the consumption of food. Hence, it is necessary to monitor their concentrations in food products. Besides, the presence of heavy metals is thought to have possible negative influence on the quality of oils, especially on their taste and smell. Heavy metals may also accelerate the process of the rancidifiction of oils. Rapeseeds, soybean seeds and linseeds were selected for the analysis because they are one of the most popular oilseeds and at the same time they differ in terms of growing conditions. The analyses of different fractions and the ready-made product were also performed. The aim of the study was to determine the variation in concentrations of heavy metals, iron and manganese in different fractions during production. The significant concentrations of iron, manganese and zinc were observed in oilseeds. It was also shown that during different stages of oil refining the concentrations of metals decrease. The concentrations of metals are compared with those reported in literature.

Heavy metal (As, Mn, Ni, Sn, Ti) concentrations were determined in soil and plant samples collected in different areas of the railway junction Iława Główna, Poland. Soil and plant samples were collected in four functional parts of the junction, i.e. the loading ramp, main track within the platform area, rolling stock cleaning bay and the railway siding. Four plant species occurring in relatively higher abundance were selected for heavy metals analysis, although in the loading ramp and platform areas only one species could be collected in the amount which makes chemical analysis possible. The selected species included three perennials (Daucus carota, Pastinaca sativa and Taraxacum officinale) and one annual plant (Sonchus oleraceus).

The entire area of the railway junction showed elevated concentrations of heavy metals when compared to the control level. It was most pronounced for the platform area and railway siding. The concentration of arsenic, manganese and nickel in plants growing in these parts of the junction exceeded the toxic level. The highest contamination of soil and plants found in the platform area suggested advanced emission process of the analyzed metals from wheel and track abrasion. Literature review showed that the concentration of the investigated metals in soil was generally higher than that found in centers of cities and along traffic roads proving that the railway is an important linear source of soil contamination

This study was undertaken to determine the effectiveness of biosurfactants - saponin, tannin and rhamnolipids JBR 515 and 425, for the removal of cadmium, zinc and copper from activated sludge immobilized in 1.5% sodium alginate with 0.5% polyvinyl alcohol. We also established the impact of pH value on biosorbent regeneration with the analyzed biosurfactants and determined the critical micelle concentration (CMC) in solutions containing the biosorbent and biosurfactant and in exact samples with heavy metals. Saponin exhibited the highest effectiveness of metals leaching at pH 1-5, and rhamnosides at pH 5-6. In addition, the study demonstrated a significant effect of the ratio of biosorbent mass to washing agent volume (m/V) on the effectiveness of metals leaching. Of the biosurfactants analyzed, saponin was ca. 100% effective in leaching zinc and copper. The effectiveness of the other biosurfactants was lower and depended on the metal being leached

Serpentine soils from 16 sample points in Serbia as well as the roots and shoots of eight Brassicaceae family species: Aethionema saxatile, Alyssum montanum, Alyssum repens, Cardamine plumieri, Erysimum linariifolium, Erysimum carniolicum, Isatis tinctoria, Rorippa lippizensis, were analyzed with regard to their concentrations of P, K, Fe, Ca, Mg, Ni, Zn, Mn, Cu, Cr, Cd, and Pb. Most of the soil samples were typical of ultramafic sites with low concentrations of P, K and Ca and high concentrations of Mg, Fe, Ni and Zn. Ca/Mg ratio was <1 in most soil samples and Brassicaceae plants. Only in A. montanum, A. repens, E. linariifolium and R. lippizensis was the Ca/Mg ratio >1. The levels of P, K, Fe and Zn were high, Mn and Cu occurred in low amounts, whereas Cr, Cd, Co and Pb were only traceable. In the roots and shoots of A. montanum and A. repens the measured concentrations of Ni were 657 mg kg-1 and 676 mg kg-1 respectively, which is the first instance that such high concentrations of Ni were detected in these two species.

Zawartość cynku w glebach wokół huty cynku ,,Miasteczko Śląskie”

Study on water and bottom sediment quality of the Kozłowa Góra drinking water reservoir in Silesian province was carried out. Heavy metal concentrations in water body and bottom sediment of the reservoir were determined. Water quality assessment was perform by comparing concentration of heavy metals to standards for I class water quality. The degree of sediment contamination was carried out by calculating cumulation coefficient: sediment/water and sediment/ geochemical background. Present water and sediment contamination in the reservoir was compared with the state 20 years ago, which was a period of intensive metallurgical industry development in this region. At the same time, heavy metals speciation in sediment for those of high rate accumulation: Zn, Pb and Cd was determined. The results of heavy metal speciation in sediment provided a basis to secondary water pollution assessment, due to migration of these metals to water body.

Soils that have been exposed to flood waters can be heavily polluted by inorganic and organic compounds. They are mainly compounds which appear in dissolved or suspended form flowing together with heavily laden floodwater, as well as compounds created as a result of reactions in the soil profile, mostly due to anaerobic transformation of organic matter. Heavy metals brought with flood waters are absorbed by the soil and also washed out from flood sediments by precipitation when the flood recedes. This paper presents the results of research on the effects of fertilization with ash from incineration or pyrolysis of biomass on the migration process of heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb, Cd, Mn) in the arable layer of soil. It has been shown that the metals in the flood sediment migrate actively in the soil profile what leads to the enrichment of the soils, also in the case of the soil fertilization with biomass ash.

The presented paper deals with the investigations on the content of chosen trace impurities in offal taken at various stages of technological process in felt production in hat industry, and its possible. The contents of lead, zinc, cadmium, iron, cobalt, copper, nickel and chromium in Bove hair washer wastes, in wastes from rinsing of washer, and in wastes from felting process were determined by spectrophotometric methods because of their simplicity and relative availability.