Search
Search results for: water pollutants
-
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...
-
New procedure for the control of the treatment of industrial effluents to remove volatile organosulfur compounds
PublicationWe present a new procedure for the determination of volatile organosulfur compounds in samples of industrial effluents using dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction and gas chromatography with flame photometric detection. Initially, the extraction parameters were optimized. These included: type and volume of extraction solvent, volume of disperser solvent, salting out effect, pH, time and speed of centrifugation as well as extraction...
-
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...
-
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...
-
Silver-modified titania with enhanced photocatalytic and antimicrobial properties under UV and visible light irradiation
PublicationCommercial titania photocatalysts were modified with 2 wt% of silver by photodeposition. The properties of the samples were characterized by DRS, XPS, XRD, FE-SEM and STEM. The modified samples exhibited activity under visible light and enhanced activity under UV irradiation for 2-propanol and acetic acid oxidation, respectively. The time-resolved microwave conductivity (TRMC) analysis indicated that enhanced activity (2.5–8-fold...
-
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...
-
Analysis of air mass back trajectories with present and historical volcanic activity and anthropogenic compounds to infer pollution sources in the South Shetland Islands (Antarctica)
PublicationThis work analyses atmospheric transport of natural and anthropogenic pollution to the South Shetland Islands (SSI), with particular reference to the period September 2015 – August 2017. Based on data from the Global Volcanism Program database and air mass back trajectories calculated using the HySPLIT model, it was found that it is possible that in the analysed period volcanic pollution was supplied via long-range transport from...
-
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,...
-
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...
-
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...
-
Application of the Chimney Cap as a Method of Improving the Effectiveness of Natural Ventilation in Buildings
PublicationAdequately designed natural ventilation is the cheapest and easiest way to effectively remove indoor pollutants and keep the air inside a building fresh. A prediction of the performance and effectiveness of ventilation in order to determine the design of a ventilation system can provide real and long-term cost savings. The worst time in terms of the efficiency of natural ventilation is the spring-autumn transition period [7]. In...
-
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...
-
Graphitic carbon nitride/bismuth-based Z-scheme heterojunctions for the photocatalytic removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products — a review
PublicationZ-scheme heterojunction in recent years is one of the most promising approaches in photocatalytic materials in solar light region for various environmental applications, including the removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs). Integrating g-C3N4 and Bi-based semiconductors via Z-scheme is highly effective in providing efficient flow of charge carriers along with suitable redox sites. The g-C3N4/Bi-based photocatalysts...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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
-
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...
-
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)...
-
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...
-
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...
-
Recent advances on SOA formation in indoor air, fate and strategies for SOA characterization in indoor air - A review
PublicationRecent studies proves that indoor air chemistry differs in many aspects from atmospheric one. People send up to 90 % of their life indoors being exposed to pollutants present in gas, particle and solid phase. Particle phase indoor is composed of particles emitted from various sources, among which there is an indoor source – secondary chemical reactions leading to formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA). Lately, researchers'...
-
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...
-
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...
-
Graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets decorated with HAp@Bi2S3 core–shell nanorods: Dual S-scheme 1D/2D heterojunction for environmental and hydrogen production solutions
PublicationBy combining different semiconductors, scientists have developed innovative materials capable of converting solar energy into useful forms of energy or driving chemical reactions that clean up pollutants. These materials offer a promising path to combat global environmental and energy challenges. In this study, HAp@Bi2S3 core–shell structures were synthesized using a facile microemulsion technique, and then loaded onto graphitic...
-
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...
-
Using On-line Measurement by Electronic Nose and Computer Simulations for Real-time Control at WWTP
PublicationContinuous investigation of wastewater quality can be carried out by a device called an e-nose. One important feature of the proposed real-time control system for WWTP is that using on-line measurements by e-nose together (Figure 1) with technological sets picked on this basis by means of computer models, it is possible to change treatment process parameters, depending on the current quality of wastewater. It can be used for the...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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...
-
Possibilities for Developing Electromobility by Using Autonomously Powered Trolleybuses Based on the Example of Gdynia
PublicationTrolleybus transport refers to contemporary challenges related to a reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases and CO2 into the atmosphere formulated by international institutions, such as the United Nations, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, or the European Union. Departure from fossil fuels in urban transport is one of the key challenges for the coming years. Trolleybuses are an important tool in this...
-
Coastal cliff erosion as a source of toxic, essential and nonessential metals in the marine environment
PublicationDue to the rising environmental awareness, emissions and releases of pollutants, including metals, have been considerably reduced in the last decades. Therefore, the remobiliza-tion of natural and anthropogenic contaminants is gaining importance in their biogeochemical cycle. In the marine coastal zone, this process occurs during the erosion of a shore, especially the most vulnerable cliffs. The research was conducted in the...
-
APPLICATION OF CHEMOMETRIC ANALYSIS TO THE STUDY OF SNOW AT THE SUDETY MOUNTAINS, POLAND
PublicationSnow samples were collected during winter 2011/2012 in three posts in the Western Sudety Mountains (Poland) in 3 consecutive phases of snow cover development, i.e. stabilisation (Feb 1st), growth (Mar 15th) and its ablation (Mar 27th). To maintain a fixed number of samples, each snow profile has been divided into six layers, but hydrochemical indications were made for each 10 cm section of core. The complete data set was subjected...
-
Photocatalytically Active TiO2/Ag2O Nanotube Arrays Interlaced with Silver Nanoparticles Obtained from the One-Step Anodic Oxidation of Ti–Ag Alloys
PublicationThe development of a photocatalyst with remarkable activity to degrade pollutants in aqueous and gas phase requires visible lightresponsive stable materials, easily organized in the form of a thin layer (to exclude the highly expensive separation step). In this work, we present a one-step strategy for synthesizing material in the form of a self-organized TiO2/Ag2O nanotube (NT) array interlaced with silver nanoparticles (as in a...
-
Effective Air Quality Prediction Using Reinforced Swarm Optimization and Bi-Directional Gated Recurrent Unit
PublicationIn the present scenario, air quality prediction (AQP) is a complex task due to high variability, volatility, and dynamic nature in space and time of particulates and pollutants. Recently, several nations have had poor air quality due to the high emission of particulate matter (PM2.5) that affects human health conditions, especially in urban areas. In this research, a new optimization-based regression model was implemented for effective...
-
Shape-dependent enhanced photocatalytic effect under visible light of Ag3PO4 particles
PublicationSilver phosphate (Ag3PO4) could be considered as visible light induced photocatalyst for pollutants degradation, due to its narrow band gap (∼2.4 eV). However, Ag3PO4 photoactivity depends on surface properties and synthesis route. In this study, differently shaped Ag3PO4 photocatalysts have been synthesized through the precipitation, ion exchange, soft-chemical or hydrothermal method. To correlate surface properties with photoactivity all...
-
25 years of research and experiences about the application of constructed wetlands in southeastern Poland
PublicationThis paper is a review of research and experiences related to the application of constructed wetland systems (CWs) in southeastern Poland in 1992–2016. On the basis of literature data, a comparison between pollutant removal efficiencies of one-stage and hybrid CWs was made. Some problems regarding the operation of these treatment plants were also presented. Data from various facilities indicate that one-stage CWs with horizontal...
-
Chemical analysis of low carbon content coals and their applications as dye adsorbent
PublicationCoal is primarily a fuel material but lately it has been utilized as an adsorbent for removing toxic metal ions. However, its usage for removing organic pollutants is not well studied. We report here a systematic study on the use of coal samples of varying carbon contents as adsorbents for removing Basic Blue 41 as a model cationic dye. The coal samples were collected from coal mines and were thoroughly characterized. The concentrations...
-
Comprehensive evaluation of the carbon footprint components of wastewater treatment plants located in the Baltic Sea region
PublicationFinland and Poland share similar environmental interests with regard to their wastewater effluents eventually being discharged to the Baltic Sea. However, differences in the influent wastewater characteristics, treatment processes, operational conditions, and carbon intensities of energy mixes in both countries make these two countries interesting for carbon footprint (CF) comparison. This study aimed at proposing a functional...
-
Real-time monitoring of volatiles and particles emitted from thermoplastic filaments during 3D printing
PublicationThe proliferation of consumer-grade three-dimensional (3D) printers using fused deposition, also known as fused filament fabrication, has given rise to concerns over the exposure of users to potentially harmful substances. Thermoplastic filaments made of different polymers are extruded through a heated printer nozzle and deposited layer by layer on a build platform to form the printed object. This process leads to the emission...
-
Atmospheric deposition in coniferous and deciduous tree stands in Poland
PublicationThe objective of this study was to assess the transformation of precipitation in terms of quantity and chemical composition following contact with the crown layer in tree stands with varied species composition, to investigate the effect of four predominant forest-forming species (pine, spruce, beech, and oak) on the amount and composition of precipitation reaching forest soils, and to determine the sources of pollution in atmospheric...
-
The effect of metal cluster deposition route on structure and photocatalytic activity of mono- and bimetallic nanoparticles supported on TiO2 by radiolytic method
PublicationTiO2 (P25) was modified with small and relatively monodisperse mono- and bimetallic clusters (Ag, Pd, Pt, Ag/Pd, Ag/Pt and Pd/Pt) induced by radiolysis to improve its photocatalytic activity. The as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF), photoluminescence spectrometry (PL), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), X-ray powder diffractometry (XRD), scanning transition electron microscopy (STEM)...
-
Statistical Data Pre-Processing and Time Series Incorporation for High-Efficacy Calibration of Low-Cost NO2 Sensor Using Machine Learning
PublicationAir pollution stands as a significant modern-day challenge impacting life quality, the environment, and the economy. It comprises various pollutants like gases, particulate matter, biological molecules, and more, stemming from sources such as vehicle emissions, industrial operations, agriculture, and natural events. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), among these harmful gases, is notably prevalent in densely populated urban regions. Given...
-
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...
-
Application of a Gas Sensor Array to Effectiveness Monitoring of Air Contaminated with Toluene Vapors Absorption Process
PublicationThis article demonstrates the application of a gas sensor array to monitor the effectiveness of the absorption process of air stream purification from odorous compounds (toluene vapors). A self-constructed matrix consisting of five commercially available gas sensors was used. Multiple linear regression (MLR) was selected as the statistical technique used to calibrate the matrice. Gas chromatography coupled with a flame ionization...
-
The efficiency and reliability of pollutant removal in a hybrid constructed wetland with giant miscanthus and Jerusalem artichoke in Poland
PublicationIn this paper, we analysed the pollutant removal efficiency and reliability of a vertical and horizontal flow hybrid constructed wetland (CW) planted with giant miscanthus and Jerusalem artichoke. The wastewater treatment plant, located in south-eastern Poland, treated domestic sewage at an average flow rate of 1.2m3·d−1. The tests were carried out during. 5-years of operation of the sewage treatment plant (2011–2016). During this...