Search results for: AIR POLLUTANTS
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Occurrence of Surface Active Agents in the Environment
PublicationDue to the specific structure of surfactants molecules they are applied in different areas of human activity (industry, household). After using and discharging from wastewater treatment plants as effluent stream, surface active agents (SAAs) are emitted to various elements of the environment (atmosphere, waters, and solid phases), where they can undergo numerous physic-chemical processes (e.g., sorption, degradation) and freely...
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Pathways of nitrogen compounds depletion in hybrid constructed wetlands
PublicationHybrid Constructed Wetlands are composed of two or more filters with mixed flow direction of sewage. Apparently in the HCWS the benefits of both types of bed are merged, resulting in better effluent quality (organic and nitrogen componds removal). Such heterogeneous environment creates possibilities for different ways of nitrogen "disappearing". The objective of the present study was to compare the removal of nitrogen with accompanying...
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Application potential of dummy molecularly imprinted polymers as solidphase extraction sorbents for determination of low-mass polybrominated diphenyl ethers in soil and sediment samples
PublicationDespite the introduction of restrictive regulations in the USA and the European Union, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are still found in various types of environmental and biological samples at significant concentration levels. The presence of these persistent organic pollutants in the environment raises important issues because of their negative impact on immunological and neurological systems, and on the hormonal balances...
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Effective method of treatment of industrial effluents under basic pH conditions using acoustic cavitation – a comprehensive comparison with hydrodynamic cavitation processes
PublicationThe use of acoustic cavitation in advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) is a promising trend in research for treatment of industrial effluents. The paper presents the results of investigations on the use of acoustic cavitation aided by additional oxidation processes (ozonation/H2O2 oxidation/Peroxone/UV-C) for the treatment of effluents from the production of bitumens. Under these conditions, the total contaminant load, expressed...
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Correlations between organic pollution indicators in municipal wastewater
PublicationThe paper presents the results of a study of parameters used for determining the amount of organic pollutants in wastewater flowing into a collective wastewater treatment plant with a population equivalent of about 120 000 PE. The plant constituted part of a sewage system. Assays were performed for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (CODCr), permanganete index (CODMn) and total organic carbon (TOC). In addition,...
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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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Exploratory analysis and ranking of analytical procedures for short-chain chlorinated paraffins determination in environmental solid samples
PublicationShort-chain chlorinated paraffins are ones of the most recent chemical compounds that have been classified as persistent organic pollutants. They have various applications and are emitted to the environment. Despite the fact, that the content levels of these compounds in the environmental compartments should be monitored, there is still a lack of well-defined and validated analytical procedures, proposed or suggested by the national...
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Magnetic semiconductor photocatalysts for the degradation of recalcitrant chemicals from flow back water
PublicationIn the present study treatability of persistent organic compounds from the flow back water after hydrauling fracturing was investigated. The combination of TiO2 photocatalyst and magnetic oxide nanoparticles enhance the separation and recoverable property of nanosized TiO2 photocatalyst. Fe3O4/ TiO2 and Fe3O4@SiO2/TiO2 nanocomposites were prepared by heteroagglomeration. The photocatalysts’ characteristics by X-ray diffractometry...
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Pathways of Nitrogen Removal in Hybrid Treatment Wetlands
PublicationHybrid Treatment Wetlands (HTWs) are composed of two or more filters with different modes of flow, allowing the benefits of both types of bed to be combined, resulting in better effluent quality (nitrogen and organic compounds removal). Such a heterogeneous environment creates possibilities for different mechanisms of nitrogen removal. The objective of the present study was to investigate the removal of nitrogen versus a range...
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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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Toxicity and chemical analyses of airport runoff waters in Poland
PublicationThe aim of this study was to assess the ecotoxicological effects of various compounds in complex airport effluents using a chemical and ecotoxicological integrated strategy. The present work deals with the determination of sum of PCBs, PAHs, pesticides, cations, anions, phenols, anionic, cationic, non-ionic detergents, formaldehyde and metals – as well as TOC and conductivity – in runoff water samples collected from 2009 to 2011...
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Investigating the sustainability, utilisation, consumption and conservation of sea mammals – A systematic review
PublicationAlmost 80 % of the oceans, especially the Arctic and Subarctic are primarily inhabited by marine mammals. Marine species depend mostly on sea ice for food, raising their young ones and safeguarding themselves from predators. Consumption of marine mammals has always been recommended as healthy, but the truth is that it can be detrimental for human health because of sea water pollution from trash and chemicals. This systematic review...
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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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Atmospheric degradation mechanism of anthracene initiated by OH•: A DFT prediction
PublicationDensity functional theory (DFT) calculations at the M06-2X/def2-TZVP level have been employed to investigate the atmospheric oxidation mechanism of anthracene (ANT) initiated by HO•. Direct hydrogen atom abstraction from the ANT using HO• takes place hardly at ambient conditions while the addition of HO• to the C1, C2, and C4 sites are thermodynamically and kinetically more advantageous. The addition reactions are controlled by...
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Entrained Flow Plasma Gasification of Sewage Sludge–Proof-of-Concept and Fate of Inorganics
PublicationSewage sludge is a residue of wastewater processing that is biologically active and consists of water, organic matter, including dead and living pathogens, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and heavy metals, as well as organic and inorganic pollutants. Landfilling is on the decline, giving way to more environmentally friendly utilisation routes. This paper presents the results of a two-stage gasification–vitrification system, using...
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Recent Advancements in Cyclodextrin-Based Adsorbents for the Removal of Hazardous Pollutants from Waters
PublicationWater is an essential substance for the survival on Earth of all living organisms. However, population growth has disturbed the natural phenomenon of living, due to industrial growth to meet ever expanding demands, and, hence, an exponential increase in environmental pollution has been reported in the last few decades. Moreover, water pollution has drawn major attention for its adverse effects on human health and the ecosystem....
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New light on the photocatalytic performance of NH4V4O10 and its composite with rGO
PublicationSolar-driven photocatalysis has shown great potential as a sustainable wastewater treatment technology that utilizes clean solar energy for pollutant degradation. Consequently, much attention is being paid to the development of new, efficient and low-cost photocatalyst materials. In this study, we report the photocatalytic activity of NH4V4O10 (NVO) and its composite with rGO (NVO/rGO). Samples were synthesized via a facile one-pot...
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Model of Nutrient and Pesticide Outflow with Surface Water to Puck Bay (Southern Baltic Sea)
PublicationCoastal basins are particularly exposed to the adverse impact of anthropogenic stress. In many places, despite only the seasonal increase in the number of residents, progressive urbanization and associated changes in the catchment characteristics are noticeable. Puck Bay is part of the Gulf of Gdansk and belongs to the Baltic Sea. Although the area of Puck Bay is covered by the Natura 2000 Network, this has not saved it from eutrophication...
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Mercury concentrations in Antarctic zooplankton with a focus on the krill species, Euphausia superba
PublicationThe Antarctic is the most isolated region in the world; nevertheless, it has not avoided the negative impact of human activity, including the inflow of toxic mercury (Hg). Hg deposited in the Antarctic marine environment can be bioavailable and accumulate in the food web, reaching elevated concentrations in high-trophic-level biota, especially if methylated. Zooplankton, together with
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ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT OF THE PLANNED SEWAGE DISCHARGE FROM THE ‘NORTH’ POWER PLANT ON THE VISTULA WATER QUALITY
PublicationThe paper presents results of analysis of the industrial sewage discharge impact from the ‘North’ Power Plant on the Vistula water quality around 45+330 of the river kilometer. For the analysis, the two-dimensional models of flow, impurities and temperature transport were used. Hydrological conditions of the analyzed section of the river, characteristic flows and bathymetry of the riverbed in the first instance were defined....
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Highly effective degradation of selected groups of organic compounds by cavitation based AOPs under basic pH conditions
PublicationCavitation has become on the most often applied methods in a number of industrial technologies. In the case of oxidation of organic pollutants occurring in the aqueous medium, cavitation forms the basis of numerous advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). This paper presents the results of investigations on the efficiency of oxidation of the following groups of organic compounds: organosulfur, nitro derivatives of benzene, BTEX, and...
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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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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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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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MOF/TiO2 erythrocyte-like heterostructures decorated by noble metals for use in hydrogen photogeneration and pollutant photodegradation
PublicationVarious metal–organic framework (MOF)/TiO2 heterostructures can be obtained by the partial hydrolysis or calcination of Ti-based MOFs. By adjusting the hydrolysis and calcination steps of NH2-MIL-125 (Ti), a novel photoactive material composed of a MOF (NH2-MIL-125 (Ti)) and TiO2, with a unique “erythrocyte” shape, was developed. Furthermore, modification of the composition prepared by the partial hydrolysis of NH2- MIL-125 (Ti)...
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ACTIVATED BIOCHAR AS AN ADSORBENT OF ORGANIC POLLUTANTS FOR WATER AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT
PublicationThe use of biomass, especially waste biomass, as an alternative energy source is a very important issue today. Pyrolysis is a process of thermal degradation of raw material and one of its products is biochar. This product is mainly distinguished by its high carbon content, and by improving its quality through activation, it can be more widely used. Activated biocarbon has a strongly developed surface and porous structure, and as...
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Ti/TiO2 nanotubes sensitized PbS quantum dots as photoelectrodes applied for decomposition of anticancer drugs under simulated solar energy
PublicationOne of the challenges in research into photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) degradation of pollutants is finding the appropriate photoanode material, which has a significant impact on the process efficiency. Among all others, photoelectrodes based on an ordered TiO2 nanotube arrays are a promising material due to well-developed surface area and efficient charge separation. To increase the PEC activity of this material, the SILAR method was...
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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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Design and synthesis of TiO2/Ti3C2 composites for highly efficient photocatalytic removal of acetaminophen: The relationships between synthesis parameters, physicochemical properties, and photocatalytic activity
PublicationIn this study, we report the potential of TiO2/Ti3C2 composite fabricated by oxidation of MXene for degradation of persistent organic pollutants. The effect of the synthesis conditions (time, temperature, and reaction environment) on the morphology, physicochemical properties, and photocatalytic activity was investigated. It was found that acetaminophen degradation was positively correlated with TiO2 content in the composite structure. Furthermore,...
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S-scheme heterojunction Bi2O3-ZnO/Bentonite clay composite with enhanced photocatalytic performance
PublicationThe industrial waste water is always a bottleneck problem in the modern civilization of the present era. In a quest to develop effective methods for the elimination of lethal pollutants from the waste water and water remediation, this work is focused on the development of a rapid and proficient approach for preparing supported binary metal oxide catalyst for photocatalytic advance oxidation process used in waste water treatment...
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Synthesis of Titanium Dioxide via Surfactant-Assisted Microwave Method for Photocatalytic and Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Applications
PublicationIn this study, titania nanoparticles were obtained using the microwave-assisted technique. Moreover, different surfactants (PEG (Mn = 400), Pluronic P123 and Triton X−100) were used during the synthesis in order to determine their impact on the crystallinity and morphology of the final products. Subsequently, techniques such as XRD, SEM and TEM (performed in high contrast and high-resolution mode), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy...
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Józef Pacyna prof. dr hab. inż.
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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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The newest researches and applications of treatment wetlands in sewage sludge management
PublicationIn the paper the newest researches and applications of treatment wetlands conducted by re-searchers of Civil and Environmental Faculty are presented. Among others it was proved that this technology could be successfully implemented for highly polluted wastewater treatment. Within the research project two multistage treatment wetlands, one for landfill leachate and the second for reject water from digested sewage sludge centrifugation,...
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RAPESEED PELLET - A BYPRODUCT OF BIODIESEL PRODUCTION - AS AN EXCELLENT RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCE
PublicationVegetable oils are renewable feedstock currently being used for production of biofuels from sustainable biomass resources. The existing technology for producing diesel fuel from plant oils, such as rapeseed, soybean, canola and palm oil are largely centered on transesterification of oils with methanol to produce fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) or biodiesel. Rapeseed pellet - crushed seed residue from oil extraction is a byproduct...
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Treatment Wetlands in Rural Areas of Poland for Baltic Sea Protection
PublicationWater and wastewater management, especially in rural areas, greatly affects loads of nutrients discharged to the Baltic Sea. In Poland, this management is unbalanced because of the dispersed development and in many locations construction of sewerage system is uneconomic or even impossible. For this reason, a significant part of sewage from single-family houses in rural areas must be discharged into domestic sewage systems. The...
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Determination of fuel combustion product in airport runoff water samples using liquid–liquid extraction with gas chromatography–spectrometry
PublicationDetermination of xenobiotics in samples of airport runoff water is both a complex and indispensable task due to an increasing threat resulting from the activities of numerous airports. The aim of this study was to develop, optimize, and validate a procedure based on liquid–liquid extraction (LLE) coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). So far, no...
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Ultrasound assisted solvent extraction of porous membrane-packed samples followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for determination of BADGE, BFDGE and their derivatives in packed vegetables
PublicationThe problem of the presence of trace organic pollutants in food is of growing importance due to increasing awareness about their impact on newborns, infants and adults of reproductive age. Despite the fact that packaged food products offer many advantages, packaging can be a source of contamination for stored food. Thus, monitoring such pollution in food is of high importance. In this work, a novel methodology based on the solvent...
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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...
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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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High-performance activation of ozone by sonocavitation for BTEX degradation in water
PublicationThis work presents a novel advanced oxidation process (AOP) for degradation of emerging organic pollutants – benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEXs) in water. A comparative study was performed for sonocavitation assisted ozonation under 40–120 kHz and 80–200 kHz dual frequency ultrasounds (DFUS). Based on the obtained results, the combination of 40–120 kHz i.e., low-frequency US (LFDUS) with O3 exhibited excellent oxidation...
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Analytical applications of smartphones for agricultural soil analysis
PublicationSoil is one of the most important farming resources. Appropriate managing of its quality promotes productive and sustainable agriculture. The valuable farm practice in soil quality managing is based on regular soil analysis with the aim to determine the exact amount of nutrients or other chemical, physical and biological soil properties. Soil analysis usually requires samples collection at desired sampling depth following by samples...
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Simultaneous opto-electrochemical monitoring of carbamazepine and its electro-oxidation by-products in wastewater
PublicationThe growing human impact on aquatic environments, due to the extensive use of pharmaceuticals and the release of persistent pollutants, makes it necessary to implement new widespread methods for the characterisation and quantification of such contaminants and relative degradation products. Carbamazepine, 5H-dibenzo[b,f]azepine-5-carboxamide, (CBZ) is a widely used anti-epileptic drug, characterised by its limited removal by conventional...
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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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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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Lead In drinking water: Adsorption method and role of zeolitic imidazolate frameworks for its remediation: A review
PublicationDue to various characteristics properties lead(II) metal is utilized in many applications like lead ion batteries, water pipes, ammunition and paints. For this reason, concentration of lead(II) ions in water is increasing days by days which is alarming for water pollution. Water pollution is a major problem worldwide which affects biosphere badly, and causes continuous reduction of accessible sources of fresh water and ground water, available...
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Surface and Trapping Energies as Predictors for the Photocatalytic Degradation of Aromatic Organic Pollutants
PublicationIn this study, anatase samples enclosed by the majority of three different crystal facets {0 0 1}, {1 0 0}, and {1 0 1} were successfully synthesized. These materials were further studied toward photocatalytic degradation of phenol and toluene as model organic pollutants in water and gas phases. The obtained results were analyzed concerning their surface structure, reaction type, and surface development. Moreover, the regression...
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Functionalized nanodiamonds as a perspective green carbo-catalyst for removal of emerging organic pollutants
PublicationRapid industrial and urban development jointly with rising global population strongly affect the large-scale issues with drinking, groundwater, and surface water pollution. Concerns are not limited to environmental issues but also human health impact becoming serious global aspect. Organic pollution becomes a primarily serious hazard, therefore, the novel sophisticated approaches to treat them are thoroughly investigated. Among...
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Electrodes criticality: the impact of CRMs in the leachate electrochemical oxidation
Publication. Landfill leachate possesses high concentrations of ammonia, micropollutants, and heavy metals, and are characterised for low biodegradability. For this reason, conventional treatment technologies may result ineffective for complete pollutant removal. Electrochemical oxidation allows most of the of recalcitrant pollutants to be oxidised effectively within an easy operational and acceptable retention time, without the need to provide...
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A High-Arctic flow-through lake system hydrochemical changes: Revvatnet, southwestern Svalbard (years 2010–2018)
PublicationLake ecosystems are strongly coupled to features of their surrounding landscapes such as geomorphology, lithology, vegetation and hydrological characteristics. In the 2010–2018 summer seasons, we investigated an Arctic flow-through lake system Revvatnet, located in the vicinity of the coastal zone of Hornsund fjord in Svalbard, characterising its hydrological properties and the chemical composition of its waters. The lake system...