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Search results for: HUMAN HEALTH
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A novel concept of negative CO2 emission power plant for utilization of sewage sludge
PublicationCarbon Capture and Storage (CSS) technology is considered an important “bridge technology”, allowing effective abatement of CO2 emissions for power units using fossil fuels. However, if biomass is used in a power plant, equipped with CCS system, negative CO2 emissions can be achieved. In practice, wide development of such technologies would enable not only reduction of CO2 emissions, but also reversal of the harm done so far. In...
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Polypropylene structure alterations after 5 years of natural degradation in a waste landfill
PublicationUp to 25% of plastic waste in Europe is still disposed of in landfills, despite recycling efforts. The plastic waste in the landfill plot may be exposed both to abiotic and biotic degradation processes, although it is thought that most of the plastic materials tend to be resistant to biodegradation or biodeterioration even after a long time. To verify if polypropylene (PP) can undergo the process of short-term biodegradation and...
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Remediation of soils on municipal rendering plant territories using Miscanthus × giganteus
PublicationPhytoremediation, as a cost-effective, highly efficient, environmentally friendly, and green approach, gained attention to the removal of metals, including heavy metals, from contaminated soils. The toxic nature of heavy metals can have an adverse effect on human health and the ecosystem, and their removal remains a worldwide problem. Therefore, in this study, a field experiment was carried out to evaluate the potential of Miscanthus × giganteus...
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Phytoextraction and recovery of rare earth elements using willow (Salix spp.)
PublicationSoil and water contaminations are caused by rare earth elements (REEs) due to mining and industrial activities, that threaten the ecosystem and human health. Therefore, phytoremediation methods need to be developed to overcome this problem. To date, little research has been conducted concerning the phytoremediation potential of Salix for REEs. In this study, two Salix species (Salix myrsinifolia and Salix schwerinii) and two Salix...
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Efficient Calibration of Cost-Efficient Particulate Matter Sensors Using Machine Learning and Time-Series Alignment
PublicationAtmospheric particulate matter (PM) poses a significant threat to human health, infiltrating the lungs and brain and leading to severe issues such as heart and lung diseases, cancer, and premature death. The main sources of PM pollution are vehicular and industrial emissions, construction and agricultural activities, and natural phenomena such as wildfires. Research underscores the absence of a safe threshold for particulate exposure,...
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The properties, functions and use of selenium compounds in living organisms
PublicationSelenium occurs in the environment in inorganic and organic compounds. For many years it was regarded as a toxic element, causing numerous illnesses and diseases. But research in the last 50 years has revealed a "bright side" to this element, especially as a component of selenoproteins, selenium makes a significant contribution to the health of humans and animals. The selenium content in an organism depends on its concentration...
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New Unsymmetrical Bisacridine Derivatives Noncovalently Attached to Quaternary Quantum Dots Improve Cancer Therapy by Enhancing Cytotoxicity toward Cancer Cells and Protecting Normal Cells
PublicationThe use of nanoparticles for the controlled drug delivery to cells has emerged as a good alternative to traditional systemic delivery. Quantum dots (QDs) offer potentially invaluable societal benefits such as drug targeting and in vivo biomedical imaging. In contrast, QDs may also pose risks to human health and the environment under certain conditions. Here, we demonstrated that unique combination of nanocrystals core components...
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Recent advances on magnetic carbon-related materials in advanced oxidation processes of emerging pollutants degradation
PublicationRecently, carbon-related materials have been proposed to improve the charge separation of the photogenerated carriers in the semiconductor matrices’ and surface properties. Carbon-related materials may act as co-catalysts, enhancing the pollutants adsorption on the surface, improving the charge carriers separation and photocatalyst stability and providing more active centres for photocatalytic reactions. This review summarizes...
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Investigation of RH effect on uncommon limonene ozonolysis products and SOA formation in indoor air with real time measurement techniques
PublicationScientific interest in SOA influence on indoor air quality increases since last 20 years. It is well known, that particles of nano-sized diameter pose a threat for human health causing, among others: eye, upper airway irritation, inflammatory response in cells, worsening asthma, hypertension, diabetes, and central nervous dysfunction. Terpenes are reactive VOCs, commonly emitted in indoor air and considered to be SOA precursors...
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Literature review of user needs, toward user requirements
PublicationThis report has been developed in the frame of the IEA SHC Task 61 Subtask A “User requirements”. The main objective was to rethink and reformulate user requirements to lighting (daylighting and electric lighting) in public buildings on the basis of a thorough literature study. The work is a joint effort of a number of scientists and represents collective knowledge in this topic. The concept of Lighting quality is the one, among...
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Efficacy of coping with work-related stress by firemen
PublicationThe aim of this study was efficacy of coping with work-related stress by firemen with reference to subjective health evaluation. Theoretical model of process of stress by Lazarus was applied. The group consistent of 230 line-duty firemen. Participation in traumatic events and sense of coherence both directly and indirectly, by stress, affected the health among firemen. In stress confrontation a wider array of task and emotional...
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Methodology for assessing end-user requirements in the Ella4Life project: elders’ perspectives about self-monitoring
PublicationThe purpose of this paper is to explore elders’ perspectives about self-monitoring and using specially developed sensor technology for measuring health indicators. The qualitative research method is focus-groups with guidelines that were designed for understanding elder’s requirements about monitoring health indicators. We present them two devices: the first sensor is a device for monitoring of cardiac action potential fixed into...
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Mechanics of Micro- and Nano-Size Materials and Structures
PublicationNanotechnology knowledge is always looking to expand its boundaries to achieve the mostsignificant benefit to human life and meet the growing needs of today. In this case, we can refer tomicro- and nanosensors in micro/nano-electromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS). These electricaldevices can detect minimal physical stimuli up to one nanometer in size. Today, micro/nano-sensordevices are widely used in the...
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Multimedia System for Environmental Noise Monitoring. [Multimedialny System Monitorowania Hałasu Środowiskowego]
PublicationIntroductionNumerous reports relating to noise threats in Poland indicate that they occur commonly. The noise has an enormous impact on the health and life quality of the human beings. Noise pollution in Poland is greater than in others UE countries, moreover it has been increased recently. Taking into account 2002/49/WE directive related to the control and assessment of environmental noise a necessity of monitoring these threats...
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An overview of the cognitive and biological effects of city nighttime illumination including a London case study
PublicationCurrent scientific research demonstrates how critical the effects of city nighttime illumination are upon cognitive and biological health1 – which needs to be adequately acknowledged, understood and addressed by conscious cities and the plans they develop. Until recent decades, the design of nighttime lighting was determined mostly by electrical engineers who often applied technical standards to meet the requirements of vehicle-focused...
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A Special Section on Intelligent User Interfaces in Healthcare (IUIH)
PublicationA concept of interface has evolved from the first appearance in the form of a command line interface to the established use of direct manipulation or WIMP (windows, icons, menus and pointing) interfaces in nearly all applications. Intelligent user interfaces (IUI) form a subfield of Human-Computer Interaction research. Optimal human-computer interactions are defined as ones where users are able to perform complex tasks more quickly...
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Evolutionary benefits of personality traits when facing workplace bullying
PublicationFacing workplace bullying negatively affects physical and mental health, and consequently quality of life and well-being. Personality traits that can help an individual survive and reproduce entail more benefits than costs. Building on two evolutionary theories, Life History Theory and Costly Signaling Theory, this study aims to provide novel insights into how and why personality traits are associated with facing workplace bullying...
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Biznesplan dla zakładu podstawowej opieki zdrowotnej o rozszerzonej działalności na obszarze dzielnicy Gdańsk-Południe
PublicationIn recent years we have seen the dynamic development of medical services sector in Poland. Private health centres focus on aggressive development strategy. The role of primaryhealth care facilities, which provide services financed from the public funds, declined.The purpose of the article is to present methods of strategic planning which allow toopen new healthcare entity. The next purpose is to make in practice...
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Evidence of the impact of sport policies on physical activity and sport participation: a systematic mixed studies review
PublicationParticipation in sport contributes to increased physical activity (PA) levels. Increasing PA is a public health concern due to its recognised impact on health outcomes. International policy actors such as the Council of Europe, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Society for Physical Activity and Health (ISPAH) have recommended that ‘sport for all’ is promoted both for public health and as a basic right. This...
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Noise in electrical double-layer capacitors (EDLCs)
PublicationWe present methods and problems of noise measurements in electrical double-layer capacitors (EDLC). Detailed noise equivalent electronic circuit is considered, and two possible ways of observations of random processes generated in the EDLCs structures are studied. We conclude that noise is a useful tool for characterization of the EDLC structures and their state-of-health, as in other materials and electronic devices. Eventual,...
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BIG DATA SIGNIFICANCE IN REMOTE MEDICAL DIAGNOSTICS BASED ON DEEP LEARNING TECHNIQUES
PublicationIn this paper we discuss the evaluation of neural networks in accordance with medical image classification and analysis. We also summarize the existing databases with images which could be used for training deep models that can be later utilized in remote home-based health care systems. In particular, we propose methods for remote video-based estimation of patient vital signs and other health-related parameters. Additionally, potential...
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Interaction with medical data using QR-codes
PublicationBar-codes and QR-codes (Quick Response ) are often used in healthcare. In this paper an application of QR-codes to exchange of laboratory results is presented. The secure data exchange is proposed between a laboratory and a patient and between a patient and Electronic Health Records. Advanced Encryption Standard was used to provide security of data encapsulated within a QR-code. The experimental setup, named labSeq is described....
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ECONOMIC MEASURES AGAINST A PANDEMICS
PublicationThe appropriate level of treatment during periods of increasing workload in the health care system or a particular hospital is ensured either by changing the organization of the system and the principles of use of resources such as space, staff and consumables or their redistribution, or by financial resources such resources are increased or replenished. This article contributes to improve the concept of resource allocation as...
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Analiza SWOT i analiza 5 sił Portera dla rynku podstawowej opieki medycznej na obszarze miasta Gdańska
PublicationIn recent years we have seen the dynamic development of medical services sector inPoland. Private health centres focus on aggressive development strategy. The role of primaryhealth care facilities, which provide services financed from public funds, declined. The purpose of article is to describe medical services market in Gdańsk, especially in Gdańsk-South district. Itincludes demographics, the number and characteristics...
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Influence of the Addition of Selected Spices on Sensory Quality and Biological Activity of Honey
PublicationBee honey is nutritious and has numerous health benefits, but its taste is for many people too bland. Honey with addition of spices could be important to the food industry as a functional product with positive health image and interesting taste. Such product would definitely meet health-driven consumers’ expectations. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of addition of selected spices on sensory, antimicrobial,...
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Kombucha from alternative raw materials – The review
PublicationNowadays, people's awareness about the role of diet in maintaining well-being and good health has increased. Consumers expect that the products not only provide them with essential nutrients but will also be a source of biologically active substances, which are beneficial to their health. One of the "healthy trends," which has appeared among the consumers worldwide is kombucha, a tea drink with high antioxidant potential, obtained...
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EFFICIENCY OF HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS IN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES - THE DEA NETWORK APPROACH
PublicationHealthcare systems in Europe are constantly undergoing reforms which adapt them to social, economic and political requirements. The aim of this article is to examine the efficiency of healthcare systems in 30 European countries in 2014. The Network Data Envelopment Analysis (NDEA) model was used. The efficiency of the countries’ overall health systems and their two main components were examined: the public health system and the...
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Updating a hospital building. A task for innovation design
PublicationRefurbishment of a hospital, especially located in a historical building, is a task that goes far beyond a standard framework of architectural practice. A concept of modularity in the architecture of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century was only just to happen, building system installations and technical equipment appeared as the simplest solutions. Inscribing complex functional solutions into such a space is an interesting...
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The added value of using the HEPA PAT for physical activity policy monitoring: a four-country comparison
PublicationBackground Public policy is increasingly recognized as an important component of physical activity promotion. This paper reports on the current status of physical activity policy development and implementation in four European countries based on the Health-Enhancing Physical Activity Policy Audit Tool (HEPA PAT) developed by WHO. It compares the findings to previous studies and discusses the general utility of this tool and its...
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Superheroes or Super Spreaders? The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Social Attitudes towards Nurses: A Qualitative Study from Poland
PublicationThe social perception of the nursing profession in Poland is profoundly affected by social stereotypes that may discourage young people from entering the profession and lead to prejudice towards nurses. During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses gained visibility, which caused the social image of nurses to likewise grow. In this study, we explore nurses’ experiences with respect to how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the social image...
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Do You Know What You Drink? Comparative Research on the Contents of Radioisotopes and Heavy Metals in Different Types of Tea from Various Parts of the World
PublicationThe aim of this study was to assess the potential health risks of radioactive elements and heavy metals ingested through the consumption of various types of tea imported to the Polish market (black, green, red, oolong and white). The concentrations [Bq/kg] of radionuclides (40K, 137Cs, 226Ra, 210Pb and 228Th) in tea leaves before and after brewing were measured using γ-ray spectrometry with high-purity germanium (HPGe). The concentrations...
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IMPACT OF THE FINANCING STRUCTURE ON EFFICIENCY OF HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS IN THE FORMER EASTERN BLOC COUNTRIES
PublicationOut-of-pocket expenditures are a significant barrier in accessing health services. This paper aims to analyse the structure of financing system in the context of the performance indicators of healthcare systems. The study was conducted for the 28 countries of the former Eastern bloc in the years 2000 and 2013, based on data from the World Health Organization. In the DEA-CCR input-oriented model, inputs are the percentage share...
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The Use of Sensory Analysis Techniques to Assess the Quality of Indoor Air
PublicationThe quality of indoor air is one of the significant elements that influences people's well-being and health inside buildings. Emissions of pollutants, which may cause odor nuisance, are the main reason for people's complaints regarding the quality of indoor air. As a result, it is necessary to perform tests aimed at identifying the sources of odors inside buildings. The article contains basic information on the characteristics...
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Special Issue: “Non-Destructive Testing of Structures”
PublicationThe Special Issue “Non-Destructive Testing of Structures” has been proposed to present recent developments in the field of diagnostics of structural materials and components in civil and mechanical engineering. The papers highlighted in this editorial concern various aspects of non-invasive diagnostics, including such topics as condition assessments of civil and mechanical structures and connections of structural elements, the...
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Multi-layered tissue head phantoms for noninvasive optical diagnostics
PublicationExtensive research in the area of optical sensing for medical diagnostics requires development of tissue phantoms with optical properties similar to those of living human tissues. Development and improvement of in vivo optical measurement systems requires the use of stable tissue phantoms with known characteristics, which are mainly used for calibration of such systems and testing their performance over time. Optical and mechanical...
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Integrating heterogeneous systems with high-dependability requirements by means of web services
PublicationWeb services are commonly used on boundaries of heterogeneous components in Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) as they provide a universal communication channel not bound to any particular programming language or run-time platform. This paper describes how web services can be used to integrate heterogeneous systems which serve purposes requiring high dependability, reliability and availability. Examples of such systems include...
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Roads unsafety - social costs
PublicationThe condition of road safety has a significant impact on the quality of citizens' life. Yearly, one in a hundred families in Poland suffers because of road accidents. It is affected by them not only in material terms but first and foremost in moral terms. Road accidents are one of the main causes of degradation in the quality of life. In Poland we hardly know anything about the fate of the road traffic victims, their life problems...
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Active and Dynamic Graphical Code for Object Identification in Healthcare
PublicationA new approach for item marking using two dimensional discrete graphics markers. Proposed solution allow o change the code rapidly, upon request and in the case of thermal markers make the code invisible for unauthorized observers. Connecting the proposed codes with wearable multmedial platform such as eGlasses can create new possibilities in human-environment interaction.
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Expectation-Maximization Model for Substitution of Missing Values Characterizing Greenness of Organic Solvents
PublicationOrganic solvents are ubiquitous in chemical laboratories and the Green Chemistry trend forces their detailed assessments in terms of greenness. Unfortunately, some of them are not fully characterized, especially in terms of toxicological endpoints that are time consuming and expensive to be determined. Missing values in the datasets are serious obstacles, as they prevent the full greenness characterization of chemicals. A featured...
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Can popular films instil carcinophobia? Images of cancer in popular Polish cinema
PublicationIntroduction: Although cancer is currently considered a serious socio-medical challenge and health education in Poland has been positioned as a public health priority, the impact of popular culture on people’s ideas about cancer has been neglected. This study therefore aims to analyse the way popular Polish films portray cancer and the experience of cancer.Material and Methods: Seven popular Polish films featuring cancer...
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Protect our right to light
Publication“The struggle for light” is how the Swiss architect Le Corbusier described the history of architecture in 1935. Today, with the skies crowded out by buildings in modern cities, those words should ring in the ears of policymakers and planners. Skyscraper construction is booming. China is the leader, last year completing 88 of the 143 buildings around the world that are taller than 200 metres (see ‘Vertical growth’). As the nation’s...
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The Latest Advances in Wireless Communication in Aviation, Wind Turbines and Bridges
PublicationPresent-day technologies used in SHM (Structural Health Monitoring) systems in many implementations are based on wireless sensor networks (WSN). In the context of the continuous development of these systems, the costs of the elements that form the monitoring system are decreasing. In this situation, the challenge is to select the optimal number of sensors and the network architecture, depending on the wireless system’s other parameters...
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Impact assessment culture in the European Union. Time for something new?
PublicationCurrent approaches and cultures for the economic evaluations of environmental and health policies may suffer from excessive reliance on a standard neoclassic economic toolbox that neglects alternative perspectives. This may prematurely limit the spectrum of available policy options. Here we show how the inclusion of neglected currents of thought such as non-Ricardian economics, bioeconomics and a set of qualitative-quantitative...
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Modern Material Solutions Applied in Pediatric Facilities
PublicationNew tendencies in forming of the health services functional buildings’ systems shaped along with the emergence of caring for patient’s mental condition in medical sciences. The interior design harmonized with the medical function became an incredibly important feature. This opened up new opportunities for the architecture of health care facilities. A positive architecture’s impact on the user’s well-being is remarkably important...
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Enhanced Remote Control Providing Medical Functionalities
PublicationThis paper presents the enhanced remote control and its role in pervasive healthcare in the home. The device was equipped with health-related measurement modules and a message-processing unit. Preliminary results are presented for monitoring of a pulse, hand tremors, grip forces, and for self evaluation procedures. The interaction of the device with the smart environment is presented and discussed.
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Role of the Synergistic Interactions of Environmental Pollutants in the Development of Cancer
PublicationThere is a growing awareness that the large number of environmental pollutants we are exposed to on a daily basis are causing major health problems. Compared to traditional studies that focus on individual pollutants, there are relatively few studies on how pollutants mixtures interact. Several studies have reported a relationship between environmental pollutants and the development of cancer, even when pollutant levels are below...
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A place of school in the idea of the sustainable development
PublicationWell designed school space enables social contacts, increases activity of pupils and improves the condition of their health. However, the best design would not bring the expected benefits if it is not integrated with the surroundings in terms of transportation, security and local needs. In the sustainable development, the social goals are in harmony with ecological aims according to the rule of "3 r" (reduce, reuse, recycle).
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Assessment of Citizens’ Actions against Light Pollution with Guidelines for Future Initiatives
PublicationDue to the wide reach of media reports about scientific research and technological tools such as the world wide web (WWW), the Internet, and web browsers, citizens today have access to factual information about the negative impact of artificial light at night (ALAN) on their dark skies, and their health and well-being. This means they can now make educated decisions and take the necessary steps to help protect themselves and their...
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Three Principles for Healthy Living with Light and Lighting
PublicationThe lockdown measures applied to cities and towns during the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic have had a widespread impact on people’s lives. Some have found themselves confined to their homes, with limited social contact and a reduced quality of life. Others have found that the lockdown improved their wellbeing, as more time was spent outside, instead of commuting and working in an office building, plus the benefits of spending increased...
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Assessing Acute Toxicity of Selected Packages Internal Layers Extracts using Microtox®
PublicationIn the scientific literature related to the widely understood issue of packaging materials designed to have contact with food (food contact materials), there is much information on raw materials used for their production, as well as their physiochemical properties, types and parameters. Unfortunately, not much attention is given to the issues concerning migration of toxic substances from packaging and its actual influence on the...