The article presents the research into hygienizing process of chicken manure using calcium peroxide (CaO₂) as an environmentally friendly biological deactivation agent. The influence of the addition of CaO₂ to chicken manure on the bioavailability of phosphorus was also analyzed. The process of biological deactivation using CaO₂, CaO and Ca(OH)₂ agents was analyzed applying the disk diffusion method. To optimize the effect of the hygienizing parameters, (CaO₂ concentration, pH, temperature and time) on the reduction of Enterobacteriaceae count the Taguchi method was applied. The content of bioavailable phosphorus was measured with the Egner-Riehm method and determined with spectrophotometry. The reduction in bacterial count followed an increase in the concentration of CaO₂ in a sample. The optimal experimental conditions (CaO₂=10.5 wt.%, pH=9.5, T=40°C, t=180 h) enabled a significant decrease in the Enterobacteriaceae count, from 10⁷ cfu/g to 10² cfu/g. Analysis of the samples with Egner-Riehm method showed that the phosphorus content decreased with the addition of biocide CaO₂: from 26.6 mg/l (for 3.5 wt.%) to 3.5 mg/l (for 10.5 wt.%). These values were slightly higher than the content of phosphorus deactivated with Ca(OH)₂ i.e., from 11.25 mg/l (for 3.5 wt.%) to 4.49 mg/l (for 10.5 wt.%). The application of CaO₂ for hygienizing chicken manure enables effective reduction of Enterobacteriaceae count to an acceptable level (below 1000 cfu/g). In comparison with the traditional techniques of hygienization, the application of CaO₂ has a positive effect on the recovery of bioavailable phosphorus.

The contents of total P and its bioavailable forms. as well as of Fe, Al, Mn, Ca, and OM in the bottom sediments of the Solina-Myczkowce (S-E Poland) cascade of reservoirs, are presented. Notwithstanding a relatively low calcium content, it is the apatite fraction that accounts for the largest share of total phosphorus in the shallower parts of the Solina and Myczkowce Reservoirs. In turn, while contents of iron and aluminium (and manganese in the Solina Reservoir) are high, the fraction containing non-apatite inorganic phosphorus accounts for the smallest portion of the total phosphorus in the bottom sediments of both reservoirs. Bottom sediments of the Solina Reservoir are also characterised by significant correlations between total phosphorus content and aluminium content. Otherwise, significant correlations are reported for only some of the stations at each of the reservoirs.

Fossils are a source of great interest, even fascination. They offer evidence of the past existence of living things, somewhat different from life as we know it today. Yet not many fossil-hunters realize that these traces of a bygone past are often a source of radiation.

The objective of the study was to trace the variability of the hydrochemical conditions in three lakes of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship (Poland) – Starzyca, Maszewskie and Nowogardzkie in the annual cycle. The research was done in 2018–2019, and samples for analysis were collected 4 times a year. All analyses were performed applying standard methods. Such hydrochemical indices were determined as dissolved oxygen, chemical oxygen demand, content of orthophosphates, total phosphorus, nitrite, nitrate, ammonium, chlorophyll a and iron. The study showed that all lakes in the research cycle were characterised by a polymictic type of water mixing, and the trophic level, based on the adopted criteria, indicated advanced eutrophy, which may also be caused by anthropogenic pressure. Oxygen conditions characterised by deoxidation of the waters in the bottom layer in the spring and summer seasons, and clear oxygenation in the surface water layer (in Lake Maszewskie reaching even 188.5% in the spring) confirm the significant advancement of the eutrophication process. The supply of phosphorus and nitrogen in spring from pelagic waters in the waters of the examined lakes influences concentrations of chlorophyll a in the summer. The influence of “internal supply” (bottom waters and bottom sediments) on the amount of nutrients available for autotrophs is clearly visible in the analysed lakes – an increase in nitrogen and mineral phosphorus concentrations in relation to surface waters was observed in the bottom layer.

The study presents the results of the research into different phosphorus forms in the bottom sediments of anthropogenic limnic ecosystems i.e. the reservoirs of Pławniowice, Rybnik and Goczałkowice (SP). The bottom sediments of dam reservoirs were investigated by chemical extraction procedure for phosphorus forms. The lowest value of the mean AAP form percentage in the Pławniowice bottom sediments reflected the effect of reclamation with the hypolimnetic removal that had been conducted in the reservoir since 2003. The highest percentage of the RDP form (2%) was found in the Goczałkowice bottom sediments. The order of the specific speciation forms in the bottom sediments of the examined reservoirs was:

Rybnik: AAP > EP > WDP > RDP; 4,630> 3,740 > 117 > 65 > 3.5 mgP/kg

Pławniowice: AAP > EP > WDP > RDP; 916 > 783 > 107 > 15 > 1.4 mgP/kg

Goczałkowice: AAP > WDP > EP > RDP; 686 > 628 > 51 > 7 > 0.14 mgP/kg

The mutual correlations between the phosphorus speciation forms (AAP : EP : WDP : RDP) were as follows:

Rybnik: 1,323 : 1,068 : 33 : 18 : 1;

Pławniowice: 654 : 559 : 76 : 11 : 1;

Goczałkowice: 4,900 : 4,485 : 364 : 50 : 1.

The comparison of the mean concentration values for specific phosphorus forms in the bottom sediments of the three investigated reservoirs demonstrated that the Rybnik sediments had the highest contents of phosphorus. The contents in Pławniowice and Goczałkowice were 5-7 times lower

The study of groundwaters was carried out in two different forest ecosystems of Słowiński National

Park: Vaccinio uliginosi-Betuletum pubescentis and Empetro nigri-Pinetum in the period of 2002-2005. Differences were found in the position of the groundwater table and in the concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus

compounds in the investigated forest associations. In the Vaccinio uliginosi-Betuletum pubescentis association

the groundwater table was found on average at a depth of -73.3 cm, while in Empetro nigri-Pinetum at -90.2

cm. No statistically significant effect of precipitation on the position of the groundwater table was found in

this study. Statistical calculations (U Mann-Whitney test) for groundwaters in the analyzed forest associations

showed statistically significant differences in the dynamics of concentrations of total nitrogen (T-N), organic

nitrogen (Norg.), nitrate nitrogen (N-NO3

), total phosphorus (T-P), organic phosphorus (Porg.) and the level of

groundwaters.

This study presents the results of research on the effect of long-term use of phosphorus fertilizers on permanent sugar beet crops for more than 50 years and on the transformation of phosphate forms on light chestnut soil and its yield. Our work aims to establish the main factors of quantitative and qualitative changes in various phosphates in light chestnut soil. Despite the large amount of practical material, the influence duration of phosphorus fertilizer application has not been sufficiently studied on the irrigated soils of Kazakhstan. It should be noted that the current study was carried out in long-term stationary experimental sites for the production of sugar beet with permanent sowing. The introduction of phosphate fertilizers primarily on the permanent crops of sugar beets in the same norms contributes to a more significant increase in gross phosphorus reserves. The soil content of gross phosphorus for 58 years on the control and nitrogen-potassium variants show practically no changes. Furthermore, when phosphorus fertilizers are applied on the variant with the annual application of a single norm of phosphorus and its amount for 58 years (4400 kg∙ha–1 of application doses) its content increased by 2660 mg∙kg–1, and with the introduction of its one and a half norms (6600 kg of application doses) by 2860 mg∙kg–1 of soil.

This paper presents the results of tests performed on an installation with an aerated microelectrolytic bed (MEL-bed) and sludge sedimentation. The systems were designed in two versions, differing in the aeration method, i.e., a mechanically aerated coagulator (MAC) and an automatically aerated coagulator (AAC). The experiment demonstrated a high (approx. 84%) efficiency of phosphorus removal from a model solution for both versions. The corroding bed was the source of iron in the solution. In the initial phase aeration method affected the phosphorus removal rate, flocculation and sedimentation processes. Physical and chemical changes in the MEL-bed packing were observed.

Phosphorus removal and recovery from domestic wastewater is urgent nowadays. A novel process of nutrients removal coupled with phosphorus recovery from domestic sewage was proposed and optimization of induced crystallization reaction was performed in this study. The results showed that 92.3% of phosphorus recovery via induced Hydroxyapatite crystallization was achieved at the optimum process parameters: reaction time of 80 min, seed crystal loads of 60 g/L, pH of 8.5, Ca/P mole ratio of 2.0 and 4.0 L/min aeration rate when the PO43--P concentration was 10 mg/L in the influent, displaying an excellent phosphorus recovery performance. Importantly, it was found that the effect of reaction temperature on induced Hydroxyapatite crystallization was slight, thus favoring practical application of phosphorus recovery method described in this study. From these results, the proposed method of induced HAP crystallization to recover phosphorus combined with nutrients removal can be an economical and effective technology, probably favoring the water pollution control and phosphate rock recycle.

The research was conducted in a relatively small (26.8 ha) but quite deep (17.3 m) Lake Długie in Olsztyn, Poland. For over 20 years the lake was collecting sewage which eventually caused its complete degradation. In 1987-2000 the lake was restored using the artificial aeration method with destratification of water. The results showed that the artificial aeration effectively limited the internal loading. Application of this restoration method resulted in reduction of phosphorus compounds concentrations in the analyzed water strata. The decrease of TP in bottom sediments (to the level of 3-4 mg P g·' DW) was probably associated with the fact that a new layer of sediments was created, reflecting a change in the aquatic conditions caused by the restoration. The investigations conducted in the reference years showed that the changes were not permanent. A high concentration of phosphorus compounds in bottom sediments, low sorptivc capacity and a tendency to oxygen deficiency, indicate that further possibility to decrease the amount of phosphorus compounds in the lake by this restoration method is limited.

Studied was a small (4.6 ha) meromictic lake situated in a deep land hollow surrounded by a highinclination slope. The lake was made shallower two times (from 20 to 18 m) by collapsed shores. It is fed by underground waters and has relatively constant outflow. Limited water dynamics reduced the epilimnion thickness (from 4 to 2 m) and influenced the monimolimnion setting below 13 m depth with a characteristic small (0.2°C) temperature increase in the vertical profile and a permanent deoxygenation of the water below 7-11 m depth. The relationship between the organic matter parameters BOD; and COD-Mn before the shore collapse revealed the dominance of matter produced in the reservoir. In the final period the situation was opposite. In the monimolimnion allochthonous matter accumulated which due to anaerobic decomposition generated large amounts of ammonium. Observed in the same water layer was also a decrease of the conductivity.

An attempt was made to determine the correlation between the granulometric structure of bottom sediments and the content of speciation forms of phosphorus and selected metals. Using the sedimentation method, the bottom sediments of a thermally contaminated dam reservoir were divided into fast and slow-draining fractions. Measurements of granulometric composition were made, determining the volume proportions of sediment particles in the range of 0.1 m to 650 m. Particle share sizes were determined in the size range: 0.1–50 m (F1), 50–100 m (F2), 100–200 m (F3), 200–400 m. (F4). The study showed that the content of speciation forms of phosphorus and selected metals remains related to the granulometric structure of bottom sediments. The content of organic matter in sediments is determined by the proportion of the smallest particles, from 0.1 to 50 μm, at the same time these particles most strongly aff ect the reduction conditions of sediments. According to Gilford›s correlation thresholds, there was no correlation between the proportion of sediment particles with dimensions of 0.1–50 μm and the concentration of speciation forms of phosphorus. For particles with dimensions of 50–100 μm, the strongest correlation was observed for the concentration of the EP fraction and for the WDP fraction (r2 = 0.4048, r2 = 0.3636). A strong correlation between the size of sediment particles and the concentration of speciated forms of phosphorus was noted for particles with dimensions of 100–200 μm and 200–400 μm. The coeffi cient of determination was for AAP, EP, WDP and RDP, respectively: 0.8292, 0.891, 0.7934, 0.47. The relationship between particles in the 0.1–50 m range and iron (Fe) concentration, R2 – 0.3792, aluminum (Al) R– 0.3208, and zinc (Zn) R2 – 0.4608, was classifi ed as medium. For particles in the 50–100 m range, a medium correlation with calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) concentrations is apparent, R2 0.4443 and 0.3818, respectively. For particles 100–200 mm and 200–400 mm, an almost full correlation is noted for iron (Fe) R2 – 0.9835, aluminum (Al) R2 – 0.9878, calcium (Ca) R2 – 0. 824, very strong for manganese (Mn) R2 – 0.6817, and zinc (Zn) R2 – 0.7343. There is a very strong correlation between the concentration of the AAP fraction with the concentration of iron (Fe) R2 – 0.8694 and a strong correlation between the concentration of EP with the concentration of iron (Fe) R2 – 0.609. There is a strong correlation between the concentration of the AAP and EP fractions with the concentration of aluminum (Al) R2 – 0. 6253 and 0.8327. The concentration of AAP and EP fractions with the concentration of calcium (Ca) R2 – 0.5941 and 0.7576 remains in a strong relationship. The correlation between the concentration of RDP fractions and the concentration of magnesium (Mg) and manganese (Mn) remains in a medium relationship. The concentration of the EP fraction (Olsen-P) is in a strong relationship with the concentration of organic matter (R2 –.0.6763). No correlation was found between the concentration of the residuum form and the concentrations of organic matter, iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al). A medium correlation was found between the concentration of the residuum form and the concentration of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn) – R2 = 0.4206 and zinc (Zn).

Phosphogypsum (PG) – a waste material generated in enormous amounts, accumulates a wide range of pollutants and thus represents a major environmental problem. Among the proposed potential strategies for PG management, none has been implemented on a large scale up to date. At the same time, the rapid depletion of phosphorite resources, used to manufacture most commercial phosphorus (P) fertilizers, poses unprecedented challenges for future agriculture and environmental protection. The aim of this study was to assess the possibility of using PG as a source of P for fertilizing plants. The effect of PG fertilization on the dry mass accumulation, P and sulphur (S) contents in soil and in the above-ground parts of plants, as well as on the level of heavy metal contaminations, were studied in the experimental model consisted of 12 genotypes of three lupine species – Lupinus angustifolius, Lupinus albus and Lupinus luteus. The PG application increased the content of both the available and active P in the soil. The increased P bioavailability resulted in an elevated uptake and intracellular content of this nutrient in the studied plant species in a dose- and variety-dependent manner. The heavy metals present in the waste did not affect their accumulation in the plants. The results indicate the possibility of using P forms present in PG as an alternative source of this component in plant nutrition, at the same time allowing elimination of the waste deposited on huge areas, which will certainly contribute to improving the quality of the environment.

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) isolated from the rhizosphere soil of eight field crops at different locations in Egypt were identified. Rhizobacteria strains were identified as Bacillus endophyticus AW1 5, B. filamentosus EM9, ET3, Micrococcus luteus KT2, FW9, FC13, SaW4, Enterobacter cloacae SK18, Pseudomonas azotoformans TPo10, Citrobacter braakii TC3. All isolates solubilised insoluble phosphate and produced IAA, while only six were able to produce siderophores in vitro. Vegetative growth and yield of wheat cv. ‘Sakha 94’ were enhanced after the application of single inoculation of each isolate compared to the control. Grain yield was increased by 20.7– 96.5% over the control according to bacterial isolates. Available phosphorus (P) and counts of total bacteria in soil were observed to be significantly increased in treatments than in control. After the wheat harvest, soil pH was observed to be decreased, and a highly significant negative correlation was observed between soil pH and the levels of available phosphorus. Significant increases in grain and straw yields, as well as uptake of nitrogen (N) and P by plants, were observed due to inoculation with PGPR isolates. Levels of photosynthetic pigments, free amino acids, free phenolics, and reducing sugars in flag leaf and spikes were significantly enhanced by the application of all PGPR isolates compared to the control. Thus this study identifies the PGPR isolates for the improvement of the growth, yield, and quality of wheat. The study may be also useful for field evaluation under different soils and environmental conditions before generalising PGPR isolates as biofertilisers.

Mineral fertilisers are one of the most important nutrients that plants need in large quantities, which help to greatly increase crop yields, and yeast is considered a bio-stimulator of plants. However incorrect implementation of both can make them more susceptible to pest infestations. The mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), is an economically important polyphagous pest that destroys okra plants in Egypt. This work focused on the evaluation of mealybug infestations and okra plant productivity responses to mineral fertilisers (nitrogen and phosphorus), yeast (without and with) and their interactions. This study was executed in a private okra field (‘Balady’ cultivar) in Luxor Governorate, Egypt, during 2021 and 2022 seasons. A split plot design was applied, where two levels (with and without yeast) were used in the main plots, where seven levels of nitrogen and phosphorus were applied in the split plots. The results indicated that the addition of 286 kg N∙ha ^–1, 143 kg P∙ha ^–1 and yeast to okra plants led to a maximum increase in the population densities of pest, and this caused a decrease in the vegetative stage of okra that would affect the final yield as compared to the other treatments throughout the two seasons. However, the application of 190 kg N∙ha ^–1, 107 kg P∙ha ^–1, and yeast to okra plants gave the highest values for vegetative growth characteristics and resulting yield during the two studied seasons. This work aids farmers in improving okra production by comprehending good farming practices and avoiding the spread of mealybugs.

The study included bituminous coal seams (30 samples coal from the Bogdanka and Chełm deposits)

of the Lublin Formation, the most coal-bearing strata in the best developed and recognized in

terms of mining parts of the Lublin Coal Basin in Poland. High phosphorus concentrations in coal of

the Lublin Formation were found (1375 g/Mg) as well as P2O5 in coal ash (2.267 wt%). The phosphorus

contents in coal and coal ash from the 385 and 391 coal seams in the area of the Lubelski Coal Bogdanka

Mine and in the area of its SE neighbor is the highest (max. 2.644 wt. % in coal and 6.055 wt. %

of P2O5 in coal ash). It has been shown that mineral matter effectively affects phosphorus contents

in coal and coal ash. At the same time, phosphate minerals (probably apatite and crandallite) present

in kaolinite aggregates of tonsteins contain the most of phosphorus and have the greatest impact on

the average P content in the 382, 385, 387, and 391. The secondary source of phosphorus in these

coal seams and main source of phosphorus in these coal deposits that do not contain mineral matter

of pyroclastic origin (378, 389, 394) may be clay minerals, which absorbed phosphorus compounds

derived from organic matter released during coalification. Phosphorus-rich ash from the combustion

of the Lublin Formation coal tend to be environmentally beneficial to the environment and also useful

for improving the soil quality. Due to the low degree of coalification and high content of phosphorus

in coal, this coals of little use for coking.

Due to insufficient operation efficiency, the studied treatment plant has undergone modernization. The aim of this study was to assess whether this modernization improved quality of the STP effluent and water quality in the receiver. The research period of fifty months covered time before and after the modernization. Samples were collected in four sites – upstream and downstream of the STP and by the sewage discharge. Electrolytic conductivity, water temperature and pH were measured onsite. Chemical analyzes were based on ion chromatography and determined the concentration of NH₄⁺, NO₃^-, NO₂^-, PO₄^3-, TDS. Microbiological analysis comprised serial dilutions to assess the number of mesophilic and psychrophilic bacteria and membrane filtration to enumerate E. faecalis, total and fecal coliforms as well as total and fecal E. coli. Values of most analyzed parameters did not improve after the modernization, or improved for a very short period of time (NH₄⁺), while some of them even increased, such as PO₄^3-, total and thermotolerant coliforms and E. coli. The maximum value of thermotolerant E. coli reached nearly 7 million CFU/100 ml and was observed after modernization. Also at the sites situated downstream of the STP some of analyzed parameters increased. The conducted modernization did not improve the quality of treated sewage and even a further deterioration was observed. It could have been a result of rapidly growing number of tourists visiting the studied area, thus generating large amounts of sewage causing STP overload coupled with poor water and wastewater management. Significant percentage of unregistered tourists hinders proper assessment of the STP target efficiency.

The paper presents the research results for the soils sampled from the area located in the eastern part of the Chodzieskie Lakes, between the Middle Noteć River Valley and the Wełna River Valley, the right tributary of the Warta River. The research involved 7 soil samples from the surface horizons, allocated to the cultivation of various plant species (cereals and vegetable crops). The following were determined in the soil material: the content of phytoavailable forms of selected heavy metals Zn, Cu, Pb, Ni, Fe and Mn, active and available to plants phosphorus against the activity of selected oxydo-reduction and hydrolytic enzymes. The soil under the vegetable crops showed a very high richness in phosphorus available to plants, which must have been related to an intensive fertilisation. There were identified relatively low contents of the available forms of the heavy metals investigated, the fact that points to their natural content in soil, which triggered the inhibition of neither the oxydo-reduction nor hydrolytic enzymes.

The research objective was to study temporal and spatial relations between specific phosphorus species as well as to examine total phosphorus content in the bottom sediments of an anthropogenic, hypertrophic limnic ecosystem Rybnik Reservoir, functioning under thermal pollution conditions. The chemical extraction procedure for the speciation of bioavailable phosphorus forms was used. It was found that available algae phosphorus was the most dominant phosphorus species in both sediment layers (83%), while the lower share was readily desorbed phosphorus form (0.1%). The phosphorus species concentrations depended on the organic matter concentration. The differences between phosphorus species contents in the upper (5 cm) and lower (15–20 cm) sediment core layers were low. The biologically active sediment layer extended from the sediment surface to at least 20 cm depth of the sediment core. Distributions of the concentrations within the year and at specific sampling points resulted from the variability observed for particular points and transformation intensity. Furthermore in the following study, the reaction rate constant for the increase and decrease in the concentrations of the phosphorus species in sediments was given. It was indicated that the speed of the phosphorus species transformations was affected by the environment temperature. In the heated water discharge zone (water temp. 17–35°C) the concentrations of selected speciation phosphorus forms increased more than in the dam zone (5–25°C). It was also found that the abundance of the bottom sediments with phosphorus species was related to the oblong and transverse asymmetry of reservoir depth.

The elemental composition and morphology of aerobic granules in sequencing batch reactors (GSBRs) treating high-nitrogen digester supernatant was investigated. The investigation particularly focused on the effect of the number of anoxic phases (one vs. two) in the cycle and the dose of external organics loading (450 mg COD/(L·cycle) vs. 540 mg COD/(L·cycle)) on granule characteristics. Granules in all reactors were formed of many single cells of rod and spherical bacteria. Addition of the second anoxic phase in the GSBR cycle resulted in enhanced settling properties of the granules of about 10.6% and at the same time decreased granule diameter of about 19.4%. The study showed that external organics loading was the deciding factor in the elemental composition of biomass. At 540 mg COD/(L·cycle) the granules contained more weight% of C, S and N, suggesting more volatile material in the granule structure. At lower organics loadings granules had the higher diameter of granules which limited the diffusion of oxygen and favored precipitation of mineral compounds in the granule interior. In this biomass higher content of Mg, P and Ca, was observed.

Organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in the soils of the High Arctic play an important role in the context of global warming, biodiversity, and richness of tundra vegetation. The main aim of the present study was to determine the content and spatial distribution of soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (N tot ), and total phosphorus (P tot ) in the surface horizons of Arctic soils obtained from the lower part of the Fuglebekken catchment in Spitsbergen as an example of a small non−glaciated catchment representing uplifted marine terraces of the Svalbard Archipelago. The obtained results indicate that surface soil horizons in the Fuglebekken catchment show considerable differences in content of SOC, N tot , and P tot . This mosaic is related to high variability of soil type, local hydrology, vegetation (type and quantity), and especially location of seabird nesting colony. The highest content of SOC, N tot , and P tot occurs in soil surface horizons obtained from sites fertilized by seabird guano and located along streams flowing from the direction of the seabird colony. The content of SOC, N tot , and P tot is strongly negatively correlated with distance from seabird colony indicating a strong influence of the birds on the fertility of the studied soils and indirectly on the accumulation of soil organic matter. The lowest content of SOC, N tot , and P tot occurs in soil surface horizons obtained from the lateral moraine of the Hansbreen glacier and from sites in the close vicinity of the lateral moraine. The content of N tot ,P tot , and SOC in soil surface horizons are strongly and positively correlated with one another, i.e. the higher the content of nutrients, the higher the content of SOC. The spatial distribution of SOC, N tot , and P tot in soils of the Hornsund area in SW Spitsbergen reflects the combined effects of severe climate conditions and periglacial processes. Seabirds play a crucial role in nutrient enrichment in these weakly developed soils.