Search results for: ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANTS
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Characteristics of odors emitted from municipal wastewater treatment plant and methods for their identification and deodorization techniques
PublicationOdors emitted from municipal wastewater treatment plants belong to a group of pollutants, which is the main cause of people complaining about atmospheric air quality. The limitation of emissions of unpleasant odors generated by wastewater treatment plants by using appropriate deodorization methods is omitted on numerous occasions. This can have a negative inflence on public trust and the quality of atmospheric air. The article...
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Carbon nanoarchitectures as high-performance electrodes for the electrochemical oxidation of landfill leachate
PublicationNanomaterials and assemblies of the aforementioned into complex architectures constitute an opportunity to design efficient and selective solutions to wide spread and emerging environmental issues. The limited disposal of organic matter in modern landfills generates extremely concentrated leachates characterised by high concentrations of refractory compounds. Conventional biochemical treatment methods are unsuitable, while advanced...
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Single-Family Treatment Wetlands Progress in Poland
PublicationLong distances from one farm to another as well as unfavourable terrain configuration in rural areas in Poland result in high investment and operation costs of sewerage systems. Treatment wetlands (TWs) can be an alternative solution to sewage treatment in rural communities, schools, at campsites and for single houses. In this paper the results of 4 years monitoring of single-family treatment plants (SFTWs) in Kaszuby Lake...
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Agata Kot-Wasik prof. dr hab. inż.
PeopleAgata Kot-Wasik, born in 1964 in Siedlce, graduated in 1988 from the Faculty of Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology in Industrial and Technical Analysis. In 1988-1992 she was employed in the Department of Organic Chemistry. In 1990, she completed postgraduate studies "Instrumental techniques in the traces analysis and Environmental Protection" at GUT, and in 1992 began PhD Studies at the Faculty of Chemistry, GUT, which...
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Photocatalytic degradation and pollutant-oriented structure-activity analysis of carbamazepine, ibuprofen and acetaminophen over faceted TiO2
PublicationPhotocatalytic degradation of carbamazepine, ibuprofen, acetaminophen and phenol was studied in the presence of anatase photocatalyst, exposing three different crystal facets in the majority of {0 0 1}, {1 0 0} or {1 0 1}. It was found that octahedral anatase particles exposing {1 0 1} facets allow to achieve the best degradation and mineralization of all persistent organic pollutants. This confirms that the previous findings,...
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Distribution of pollutants in the Odra River system part II. Organic pollutants in Odra River water
PublicationW pracy przedstawiono wyniki oznaczeń zanieczyszczeń organicznych (pestycydy, lotne związki chlorowcoorganiczne, wielopierścieniowe węglowodory aromatyczne, chlorobenzeny, polichlorowane bifenyle) w próbkach wody zebranych w trakcie 8 Kampanii (w okresie 1997-2000) zorganizowanej w ramach Międzynarodowego Projektu Badań Dorzecza Rzeki Odry (IOP).
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Closing the loop: Upcycling secondary waste materials into nanoarchitectured carbon composites for the electrochemical degradation of pharmaceuticals
PublicationIn this study, we demonstrated the application of electrochemical oxidation as a safer and cleaner technology for minimizing the impact of pharmaceuticals in wastewaters, simultaneously mediated by upcycled secondary waste materials (SWMs)-derived electrodes, to further reduce their environmental impact. The modularity, scalability, ease of operation and reliability make electrochemical oxidation an ideal process for the destruction...
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Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs): Sediments and Water Analysis
PublicationUnfavorable side effects of different forms of anthropogenic activities can be found anywhere in the world. One of the basic characteristics of pollutants entering marine and ocean waters is their spread and movement in the global ocean. A portion of the substances entering the marine environment is rapidly degraded by chemical processes occurring in the air, sediments, and water, thereby losing their toxic properties. The biggest...
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Is sequential batch reactor an efficient technology to protect recipient against non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and paracetamol in treated wastewater?
PublicationThe tested facility was a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Swarzewo, where the wastewater treatment takes place in aeration chambers with activated sludge using sequential batch reactors (SBRs). The concentration of the following pharmaceuticals: ibuprofen, paracetamol, flurbiprofen, naproxen, diclofenac, and its metabolites 5OH-diclofenac and 4OH-diclofenac was tested in influents and effluents. Simultaneously, the conventional...
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Removal efficiency of phenol by ozonation process with calcium peroxide from aqueous solutions
PublicationPhenol has been introduced as a priority pollutant by the US Environmental Protection Agency. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are one of the most efcient methods for removal of non-degradable organic pollutants in aqueous solutions. The removal efciencies of phenol and COD under optimal conditions pH=3, phenol concentration=5 mg/L, CaO2 concentration=0.025 mg/L, temperature 25 °C, 1 g/min ozonation rate and contact time=90...
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A review on electrospun membranes for potential air filtration application
PublicationAir pollution is one of the major environmental concerns in most highly populated cities, which is typically caused by particulate (PM2.5 and PM0.1) or gaseous pollutants that can be removed using electrospun membranes. These membranes are characterized by different features in terms of uniform and controllable structure, tuneable porosity, and high surface area, where their separation efficiency strongly depends on their properties....
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Local variability in snow concentrations of chlorinated persistent organic pollutants as a source of large uncertainty in interpreting spatial patterns at all scales
PublicationSingle point sampling, a widespread practice in snow studies in remote areas, due to logistical constraints, can present an unquantified error to the final study results. The low concentrations of studied chemicals, such as chlorinated persistent organic pollutants, contribute to the uncertainty. We conducted a field experiment in the Arctic to estimate the error stemming from differences in the composition of snow at short distances...
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Trophic Transfer of Mercury in a Temperate Marine Food Web, Southern Baltic Sea
PublicationMercury (Hg) is considered to be one of the most dangerous global environmental pollutants. The toxicity and bioavailabilityof Hg depend on its chemical form, and the greatest hazard is posed by the organomercurial compounds. Hg is introduced into the human body primarily through the consumption of fish and seafood. Despite numerous studies on Hg in marine organisms, there is still a gap in the knowledge on Hg uptake and...
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Bisphenols (A, S, and F) affect the basic hormonal activity determined for pharmaceuticals – Study of Saccharomyces cerevisiae
PublicationPharmaceuticals and analogs of bisphenol A (BPA) are increasingly threatening environmental pollutants. In this study, mixtures of selected pharmaceuticals (diclofenac sodium salt, chloramphenicol, oxytetracycline hydrochloride, fluoxetine hydrochloride, estrone, ketoprofen, progesterone, gemfibrozil and androstenedione) were prepared with BPA and its two analogs (namely, bisphenols F and S) at such ratios to reflect environmentally...
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Pharmaceuticals and another groups of emerging contaminants: Occurrence and sources in Admiralty Bay (King George Island, Maritime Antarctica)
PublicationEveryday live activities may introduce a wide range of chemicals into wastewater systems. In this study presence of selected types of pharmaceuticals from cardiovascular system group, nervous and muscolo-skeleton system group, antimicrobial agents, genitourinary and sex hormones were tested in the wastewater from H. Arctowski Antarctic station. Moreover, the receiver of discharged wastewater (Admiralty Bay) were also studied. Considering...
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Environmental problems and health risks with disposable baby diapers: Monitoring of toxic compounds by application of analytical techniques and need of education
PublicationDue to the widespread use of disposable diapers in healthy babies as well as children prone to allergiesand premature babies with reduced immunity, disposable diapers should only be made of non-toxic andnatural ingredients. Unfortunately, disposable diaper manufacturers are reluctant to present their exactchemical composition, claiming that their trade secrets apply. However, several reports show thatdisposable diapers of well-known...
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Comparative Evaluation of Selected Biological Methods for the Removal of Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Odorous VOCs from Air
PublicationDue to increasingly stringent legal regulations as well as increasing social awareness, the removal of odorous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from air is gaining importance. This paper presents the strategy to compare selected biological methods intended for the removal of different air pollutants, especially of odorous character. Biofiltration, biotrickling filtration and bioscrubbing technologies are evaluated in terms of...
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Determination of hormones in water samples using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry
PublicationOver the past few years, many synthetic (ethinylestradiol) and natural (estradiol,estriol, estrone) compounds present in the environment have been affecting the hormonalbalance of humans and animals. Steroid hormones are very often used for medical purposesand have high estrogenic activity what makes them endocrine disrupters. Most hormonalcompounds are released into the water as a result of their incomplete removal in wastewatertreatment...
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Bacterial presence in polar regions associated with environment modification by chemical compounds including contaminants
PublicationMicrobes are omnipresent and diverse members of all biological communities. In marine and freshwater ecosystems, microorganisms form the base of the food chain supporting higher trophic levels. Even though, microbes generally are thought to live in warm regions of Earth, many of them develop in cold climates. Polar regions remain relatively protected from widespread anthropogenic disturbances, which is a consequence of its remoteness...
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Determination of organophosphorus and organonitrogen pesticides in water samples
PublicationPesticides are among the most dangerous environmental pollutants because of their stability, mobility and long-term effects on living organisms. Their presence in sources of drinking water, essential to life, is a particular danger. In water, these compounds can undergo transformations, leading to the production of substances of even greater toxicity. Legal regulations are in force, stipulating the highest permissible level of...
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Contamination of Runoff Water at Gdańsk Airport (Poland) by Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
PublicationAirport runoff can contain high concentrations of various pollutants, in particular polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), the environmental levels of which have to be monitored. Airport runoff water samples, collected at the Gdańsk-Rębiechowo Airport from 2008 to 2009, were analysed for PAHs and PCBs by gas chromatography. The aromatic fractions were separated by liquid-liquid extraction...
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Determination of Selected Organic Acids in Animal Farm Water Samples by Ion Chromatography
PublicationLow molecular mass carboxylic acids (LCAs) occur in many environmental compartments due to natural processes and human activity. They are an important group of organic pollutants of waste water that mainly includes, volatile fatty acids, and also dicarboxylic, aromatic, hydroxy- and ketoacids. LCAs are present in the environment at concentrations between 1 to 5000 ppm and different methods have been reported for their determination...
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Gentiana asclepiadea exerts antioxidant activity and enhances DNA repair of hydrogen peroxide- and silver nanoparticles-induced DNA damage
PublicationExposure to high levels of different environmental pollutants is known to be associated with induction of DNA damage in humans. Thus DNA repair is of great importance in preventing mutations and contributes crucially to the prevention of cancer. In our study we have focused on quantitative analysis of Gentiana asclepiadea aqueous or methanolic extracts obtained from flower and haulm, their antioxidant potency in ABTS post-column...
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Modeling of behavior of organic pollutants in aquatic and related ecosystems
PublicationW pracy omówiono możliwości wykorzystania różnych modeli do opisu zjawisk migracji oraz przemian w środowisku wodnym ksenobiotyków z grupy trwałych zanieczyszczeń organicznych (TZO). Przedstawiono charakterystykę zarówno modeli otwartych, jak i zamkniętych w warunkach ustalonych, jak i w warunkach nierównowagowych.
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Toxicity of sediments and its relations with the mobility of pollutants on the basis of studies of Lake Turawskie
PublicationPraca niniejsza jest raportem z badań nad toksycznością i jej powiązaniem z mobilnością zanieczyszczeń. Moblilność zanieczyszczeń uzależniona jest od pH próbki. Próbki pobierano z Jez. Turawskiego, toksyczność była mierzona przy użyciu testu Microtox (AZUR Environmental, USA).
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Remediation techniques for elimination of heavy metal pollutants from soil: A review
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Calibration of the Chemcatcher passive sampler for the monitoring of priority organic pollutants in water
PublicationNa Univeristy of Portsmouth (UK) opracowano próbnik pasywny typu Chemcatcher, który może być stosowany do długotrwałego monitoringu organicznych zanieczyszczeń wody. Na działanie wszystkich próbników pasywnych wpływ mają warunki środowiskowe takie jak np. ruch wody czy temperatura. Przed użyciem próbnika Chemcatcher w badaniach polowych wymagana więc była wcześniejsza kalibracja w laboratorium. Przedstawiono wyniki serii doświadczeń...
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Diamondized carbon nanoarchitectures as electrocatalytic material for sulfate-based oxidizing species electrogeneration
PublicationThe introduction of nanotechnology seems to be an imperative factor to intensify the synergic effects of electrocatalytic materials to produce strong oxidant species or to increase the active sites on their surfaces as well as to enhance the conversion yield in a fuel cell, high-added value products, electrolytic treatment for environmental protection or the detection limit in electroanalysis. Recently, a new type of 3D-diamond...
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Green and Sustainable Membranes: A review
PublicationMembranes are ubiquitous tools for modern water treatment technology that critically eliminate hazardous materials such as organic, inorganic, heavy metals, and biomedical pollutants. Nowadays, nano-membranes are of particular interest for myriad applications such as water treatment, desalination, ion exchange, ion concentration control, and several kinds of biomedical applications. However, this state-of-the-art technology suffers...
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Application of subsurface vertical flow constructed wetlands to reject water treatment in dairy wastewater treatment plant
PublicationThe paper presents the effects of applying subsurface vertical flow constructed wetlands (SS VF) for the treatment of reject water generated in the process of aerobic sewage sludge stabilization in the biggest dairy wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Poland. Two SS VF beds were built: bed (A) with 0.65 m depth and bed (B) with 1.0 m depth, planted with reeds. Beds were fed with reject water with hydraulic load of 0.1 m d-1 in...
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Wastewater reuse in agriculture: Prospects and challenges
PublicationSustainable water recycling and wastewater reuse are urgent nowadays considering water scarcity and increased water consumption through human activities. In 2015, United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 (UN SDG6) highlighted the necessity of recycling wastewater to guarantee water availability for individuals. Currently, wastewater irrigation (WWI) of crops and agricultural land appears essential. The present work overviews...
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Extraction and evaluation of gas-flow-dependent features from dynamic measurements of gas sensors array
PublicationGas analyzers based on gas sensors are the devices which enable recognition of various kinds of volatile compounds. They have continuously been developed and investigated for over three decades, however there are still limitations which slow down the implementation of those devices in many applications. For example, the main drawbacks are the lack of selectivity, sensitivity...
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A review on hydrophobic electrospun nanofibers-based materials and membranes for water treatment: Challenges, outlook, and stability
PublicationMembrane technology is well recognized as a dependable means of supplementing the availability of potable water through processes such as water purification and desalination. Electrospun nanofiber membranes have garnered significant attention because of their advantageous features, including a greater specific surface area, increased porosity, reduced thickness, and popularity. Consequently, ENMs have emerged as an up-and-coming...
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Silver nanoparticles incorporated with superior silica nanoparticles-based rice straw to maximize biogas production from anaerobic digestion of landfill leachate
PublicationTreating hazardous landfill leachate poses significant environmental challenges due to its complex nature. In this study, we propose a novel approach for enhancing the anaerobic digestion of landfill leachate using silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) conjugated with eco-friendly green silica nanoparticles (Si NPs). The synthesized Si NPs and Ag@Si NPs were characterized using various analytical techniques, including transmission electron...
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Employment of passive sampling in monitoring indoor air quality in selected residences in a Tri-city area in Poland
PublicationTime-weighted average concentrations of selected volatile compounds were measured in chosen residences in a Tri-City area of Poland by means of passive sampling. The results were compared to those obtained by dynamic technique – sorption tubes filled with Tenax TA sorbent. Results obtained by employing the two techniques were similar. Total volatile organic compound (TVOC) parameters were also determined. An attempt was also...
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Exploring synergistic effects in physical-chemical activation of Acorus calamus for water treatment solutions
PublicationThe research proposed a novel method of obtaining sorption material from readily available Acorus calamus bio- mass through a combination of physical and chemical activation processes. The material with the highest specific surface area (1652 m2 g−1) was obtained by physical activation with CO2, followed by chemical activation with KOH. Reversing the order of activation methods resulted in a lower specific surface area (1014 m2...
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Sludge Treatment Reed Beds (STRBs) as a Eco-solution of Sludge Utilization for Local Wastewater Treatment Plants
PublicationSewage sludge is a by-product of wastewater treatment processes. In Poland, the amout of sewage sludge has been still growing in recent years, due to inhencement of pollutants removal in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). One of the systems used to transform sewage sludge into fertilizer is a technology called Sludge Treatment Reed Beds (STRBs). Reed systems are periodically irrigated with sewage sludge with a low dry matter...
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Structural insights, biocatalytic characteristics, and application prospects of lignin-modifying enzymes for sustainable biotechnology
PublicationLignin modifying enzymes (LMEs) have gained widespread recognition in depolymerization of lignin polymers by oxidative cleavage. LMEs are a robust class of biocatalysts that include lignin peroxidase (LiP), manganese peroxidase (MnP), versatile peroxidase (VP), laccase (LAC), and dye-decolorizing peroxidase (DyP). Members of the LMEs family act on phenolic, non-phenolic substrates and have been widely researched for valorization...
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A New Approach for Investigating the Impact of Pesticides and Nutrient Flux from Agricultural Holdings and Land-Use Structures on Baltic Sea Coastal Waters
PublicationKnowledge related to land-use management impacts on the Baltic Sea ecosystem is limited. The constant release of pollutants into water bodies has resulted in water quality degradation. Therefore, only the innovative approaches integrated with research will provide accurate solutions and methods for proper environment management and will enable understanding and prediction of the impacts of land-use in the Baltic Sea region. Modelling...
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Photocatalytic Decomposition of Air Pollutants using Electrodeposited Photocatalysts on Stainless Steel
PublicationThe aim of research was to develop an immobilization method for photocatalysts, which is an alternative to the sol-gel or dip coating methods and can be simply scaled up for technical applications. The investigated photocatalyst was TiO2, which was electrochemically deposited onto a cathode made of stainless steel. This deposited film was photocatalytically active. In order to enhance the photoactivity of the TiO2 film, commercially...
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Inorganic pollutants deposition in Gdańsk Region in relation to the critical load cencept
PublicationBadano depozycję kwaśnych zanieczyszczeń poprzez pomiar stężenia siarczanów, azotanów, azotu amonowego w opadach atmosferycznych zbieranych na terenie stacji monitoringowej w leśnictwie Stara Piła. Wyznaczono depozycję suchą i mokrą. Wyniki uzyskane w okresie od 1994 do 2001 roku porównano z krytycznym ładunkiem dla siarki i azotu określonym dla rejonu gdańskiego.
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The impact of sediment, fresh and marine water on the concentration of chemical elements in water of the ice-covered lagoon
PublicationThe common use of chemical elements by man has been contributing to their extraction for centuries. As a consequence, they have been directly or indirectly introduced into the biogeochemical cycle. In the framework of many conventions, mining and processing of elements are currently subject to many restrictions. However, their large load that has already been deposited in the soil and bottom sediments can be remobilised and...
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Ag modified ZnO microsphere synthesis for efficient sonophotocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants and CO2 conversion
PublicationThe synthesis and design of non-precious and efficient sonophotocatalyts by an environment friendly technique are requisites for solar energy conversion and environmental remediation. This work reports the preparation of Ag/ZnO microspheres with different Ag contents through deposition–precipitation method for pollutant degradation and CO2 conversion. Detail structural investigation reveals that ZnO microspheres and Ag-ZnO microspheres...
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Effective assessment of biopolymer-based multifunctional sorbents for the remediation of environmentally hazardous contaminants from aqueous solutions
PublicationPersistent contaminants in wastewater effluent pose a significant threat to aquatic life and are one of the most significant environmental concerns of our time. Although there are a variety of traditional methods available in wastewater treatment, including adsorption, coagulation, flocculation, ion exchange, membrane filtration, co-precipitation and solvent extraction, none of these have been found to be significantly cost-effective...
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Effect of housing geometry on the performance of Chemcatcher passive sampler for the monitoring of hydrophobic organic pollutants in water
PublicationZaprojektowano nową obudowę próbnika typu Chemcatcher, tzw. próbnik typu Chemcatcher drugiej generacji. Większość badań kalibracyjnych przeprowadzono stosując próbnik typu Chemcatcher pierwszej generacji. Dlatego zbadano wpływ obudowy próbnika typu Chemcatcher na jego działanie.
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The solubilization of hydrocarbon mixtures as one of the mechanisms of hydrophobic pollutants removal from soil
PublicationBadano solubilizację mieszanin węglowodorów alifatycznych (dekanu, dodekanu, tetradekanu, heksadekanu) i aromatycznych (toluenu, o-xylenu) w roztworach micelarnych surfaktantów niejonowych - oksyetylenowanego alkoholu (Rokanol NL6) i alkilopoliglukozydów (Triton BG10, AG 6210). Najwyższą efektywność solubilizacji uzyskano dla Rokanolu NL6. Efektywność solubilizacji mieszaniny zależała od rozpuszczalności poszczególnych jej składników...
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Removal of hydrophobic organic pollutants from soil by surfactants and biosurfactants solution flushing
PublicationPrzedstawiono wyniki solubilizacji dwóch związków hydrofobowych - tetrachloroetylenu i dodekanu oraz dwóch bazowych olejów mineralnych - SAE 30/95 i PAO6 w wodnych roztworach syntetycznych związków powierzchniowo czynnych oraz biosurfaktantów. Zaobserwowano liniowy wzrost solubilizacji wraz ze wzrostem stężenia surfaktantu.Przedstawiono także wyniki wymywania oleju PAO6 ze sztucznie zaolejonego piasku (w kolumnie) z pomocą roztworów...
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Effect of transregional transport of pollutants on atmospheric air quality in the Tricity area of Poland
PublicationDwuwymiarowa analiza wariancji wyników oznaczania jonów nieorganicznych, pH oraz przewodnictwa konduktometrycznego w próbkach wód opadowych zebranych w rejonie Trójmiasta pokazała, że transregionalny transport substancji zanieczyszczających środowisko ma wpływ na jakość powietrza w tym rejonie. W całym Trójmieście wahania stężeń analitów w wodach opadowych nie są spowodowane w znacznym stopniu przez lokalizacje miejsc pobierania...
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Effects of beach wrack on the fate of mercury at the land-sea interface – A preliminary study
PublicationSince the 1970s, the amount of aquatic plants and algae debris, called beach wrack (BW), has increased along the shores of industrialised regions. The strong ability of primary producers to accumulate pollutants can potentially result in their deposition on the beach along with the BW. Despite that, the fate and impact of such pollutants on sandy beach ecosystems have not been investigated so far. This study examines the fate...
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Stannates, titanates and tantalates modified with carbon and graphene quantum dots for enhancement of visible-light photocatalytic activity
PublicationMost efforts in heterogeneous photocatalysis are focused on development of new and stable photoactive materials efficient in degradation of various pollutants under visible-light irradiation. In this regard, the wide-bandgap perovskite semiconductors, i.e., SrTiO3 (titanate), SrSnO3 (stannate) and AgTaO3 (tantalate), were prepared by a solvothermal method, and then modified with carbon quantum dots (CQDs) or graphene quantum dots...