The paper presents the results of the research on particle size distribution of dust emitted from drybottom boilers burning pulverized coal. A cascade impactor separated fly-ash particles into seven size fractions with the following equivalent aerodynamic diameters: 0.38; 0.88; 1.9; 2.9; 6.3; 10.0 μm. Cumulative size-specific emission factors were determined. In order to obtain some information on the trace elements distribution in the fly-ash size-fraction concentration of Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Zr, Sr, Pb, Br was determined in the samples collected. The elemental analysis was performed by Proton Induced X-Ray Emission Spectroscopy. Small mass loadings obtained from the cascade impactor, which are often insufficient for other analytical methods, are well within the sensitivity range of the PIXE/RBS analysis. The results of the research concerning one of the domestic power stations arc presented as an example.

Nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (nitro-PAHs) may be formed during combustion of Diesel and gasoline rud and may be produced in gas-phase reactions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with oxides of nitrogen. These compounds can form a significant fraction olthc mainly direct-acting mutagenie compounds present in extracts of ambient air particles. Using own analytical method of nitro-PAHs determination, concentrations or total PAHs, nitro- and dinitro-PAHs in urban and non-urban area of three cites of Upper Silesia in Poland were measured. The dependence between concentration of PAHs and nitro-pAHs in urban and non-urban area as well as their distribution depending on roadway distance were searched. The study showed a significant influence of road transport on the levels ofnitro-PAHs concentration.

The welfare and healthy growth of poultry under intensive feeding conditions are closely related to their living environment. In spring, the air quality considerably decreases due to reduced ventilation and aeration in cage systems, which influences the meat quality and health of broilers during normal growth stages. In this study, we analyzed the airborne bacterial communities in PM2.5 and PM10 in cage broiler houses at different broiler growth stages under intensive rearing conditions based on the high-throughput 16S rDNA sequencing technique. Our results revealed that PM2.5, PM10 and airborne microbes gradually increased during the broiler growth cycle in poultry houses. Some potential or opportunistic pathogens, including Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, Enterococcus, Microbacterium, etc., were found in the broiler houses at different growth stages. Our study evaluated variations in the microbial communities in PM2.5 and PM10 and potential opportunistic pathogens during the growth cycle of broilers in poultry houses in the spring. Our findings may provide a basis for developing technologies for air quality control in caged poultry houses.

Developed a method of a complex estimation of efficiency of the diesel particulate filter according to three criteria: the counting, the surface and the mass concentration of particulate matter considering their dispersion composition. The results of efficiency evaluation of a diesel particulate filter of freight car are presented using the proposed technique.

Size distribution of particulate matter (PM) emitted from coal combustion in residential furnaces as well as emission of Hg, Zn, Pb and Cu were investigated. The metals emission was characterised by partition factors K. The factor expresses the distribution of metal streams between the feed coal and its combustion products emitted to the atmosphere. The values of factors K for Zn, Pb and Cu were 0.59, 0.33 and 0.34 respectively; the relevant variance coefficients were 37, 46 and 44%. Much better variance coefficient of factor K (17%) appeared in the case of mercury. It was found that 52% of Hg in feed coal was emitted to the air in gaseous form. Particulate matter emission from 7 coal combustion sources was investigated and fine particles were found as the main fraction. About 76% of PM were emitted as the size fractions up to 12 μm. The share of size fractions between 12-29 μm was 9%. It means that the impact of PM emission from residential furnaces is not of local scale but the particles containing heavy metals can be transported on long distances in the atmosphere.

The paper presents a method of identifying distant emission sources of fine particulate matter PM2.5 affecting significantly PM2.5 concentrations at a given location. The method involves spatial analysis of aggregate information about PM2.5 concentrations measured at the location and air masses backward trajectories calculated by HYSPLIT model. The method was examined for three locations of PM2.5 measurement stations (Diabla Góra, Gdańsk, and Katowice) which represented different environmental conditions. The backward trajectories were calculated starting from different heights (30, 50, 100 and 150 m a. g. l.). All points of a single backward trajectory were assigned to the PM2.5 concentration corresponding to the date and the site of the beginning of trajectory calculation. Daily average concentrations of PM2.5 were used, and in the case of Gdańsk also hourly ones. It enabled to assess the effectiveness of the presented method using daily averages if hourly ones were not available. Locations of distant sources of fine particulate matter emission were determined by assigning to each grid node a mean value of PM2.5 concentrations associated with the trajectories points located within the so-called search ellipse. Nearby sources of fine particulate matter emission were eliminated by filtering the trajectories points located close to each other (so-called duplicates). The analyses covered the period of January-March 2010. The results indicated the different origin of air masses in the northern and southern Poland. In Diabla Góra and Gdańsk the distant sources of fine particulate matter emission are identified in Belarus and Russia. In Katowice the impact of the Belarusian PM2.5 emission sources was also noted but as the most important fine particulate matter emission sources were considered those located in the area of Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Ukraine.

Fine particulate matter ( PM) air pollution is one of the main environmental health problems in developed countries. According to modeling estimates the PM,, concentrations in Poland arc among the highest in Europe. In this article we focus on exposure assessment and estimation of adverse health effects due to PM, air pollution. This art i ck consists of two parts. The first part, we discuss the main methods used to estimate emission-exposure relationships and adverse health effects due to PM, air pollution. In the second part, we present an assessment framwork for Poland. We illustrate this framework by estimating the premature deaths and change in life expectancy in Poland caused by anthropogenic. primary PM,, emissions from different European countries, and, in proportion. the premature deaths in different European countries caused by primary PM,, emissions from Poland. The PM,, emissions were evaluated using the inventory of the European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (EMEP). The emission-exposure relationships were based on the previously published study and the exposure-response functions for PM,, air pollution were estimated in expert elicitation study performed lor six European experts on air pollution health effects. Based on the assessment. the anthropogenic primary PM, from the whole or Europe is estimated to cause several thousands of premature deaths in Poland, annually. These premature deaths arc both due to PM, emissions from Poland and transportation of PM,, from other European countries. both of these in almost equal parts. The framework presented in this article will be developed in the near future to a full scale integrated assessment. that takes into account both gaseous and PM air pollution.

Knowledge on the physicochemical properties of PM emitted from industrial installations is necessary for assessing current state of ambient air and selecting proper methods for preventing suspended PM from degrading the air quality. Similar to many other industries, fast developing ceramic tile industry releases some amounts of PM to the atmosphere. Samples of PM were taken from main technological operations of three tile manufacturing installations, located in three various plants. The collected PM was examined for granular composition, morphology, phase composition and heavy metal content by using instrumental methods.

Concentrations and elemental composition of fine (PM2.5) and coarse (PM2.5-10) ambient particles,

at two sampling points located at the same urban background sites, were investigated. The points were 20 m

distant from each other and at various heights (2 and 6 m) above the ground. A dichotomous sampler, equipped

with a virtual impactor, and a cascade impactor were used to sample the dust. An X-ray fluorescence spectrometer was used in the elemental analyses. The investigations revealed heterogeneity of the spatial distribution

and the elemental composition of suspended dust at the investigated urban background site. Coarse dust, whose

concentration at 2.0 m above the ground was affected by secondary emission from roads, soil and other local

low-level sources in some periods, appeared more heterogeneous.