Search results for: POLLUTION
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Bartłomiej Luks dr
PeopleI'm a snow researcher, working in the Arctic for almost 20 years. I've started as a field assistant on a geological expedition to Bellsund (Spitsbergen), then did my masters on soil pollution in the vicinity of Polish Polar Station Hornsund and PhD on dynamics of snowpack in the SW Spitsbergen. Since 2013 I'm an Assistant Professor at the Department of Polar and Marine Research IG PAS in Warsaw. My main research interests are the...
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Place attachment, place identity and aesthetic appraisal of urban landscape
PublicationAs the aesthetic of the Polish cities became a topic of wider discussions, it is important to detect the potentialrole of human-place relations. Two studies (N = 185 & N = 196) were conducted to explore the relationship betweenplace attachment, place identity and appraisal of urban landscape. Satisfaction with urban aesthetic was predicted by twodimensions of place attachment (place inherited and place...
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Do the New Requirements for the Use of Energy Efficient Lighting Design Mean the End of Creativity?,
PublicationThis paper addresses issues strongly connected to recent environmental discussions which are currently taking place in Europe, Asia, America, Australia and other parts of the world about global warming, the Greenhouse Effect, light pollution and other negative impacts artificial lighting has on our planet and what can be done about it. The author also attempts to answer indirectly two of the most important questions for lighting...
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Traffic-induced vibrations. The impact on buildings and people
PublicationTraffic-induced vibrations have recently been of major concern to engineers as one of the aspects of so called physical environmental pollution. The interest is related to the observations of serious negative effects of such kind of vibrations on buildings and their inhabitants. Traffic-induced vibrations may cause plaster cracks, structural damage and even failure and collapse of the structure. They may also be the reason of serious...
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Smart and resilient cities- new challanges for Polish cities in terms of 2020 energy efficiency and climate action
PublicationGlobal climate change action along with energy efficiency optimizations are becoming increasingly pressing principles in terms of moving towards sustainable development. As a member of EU and UN Poland is also obliged to follow restricted rules concerning energy efficiency of buildings which come to force in 2020. To meet new goals, innovative approaches - like moving towards smart and resilient cities -may be required. Through...
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Creating Acoustic Maps Employing Supercomputing Cluster
PublicationThe implemented online urban noise pollution monitoring system is presented with regard to its conceptual assumptions and technical realization. A concept of the noise source parameters dynamic assessment is introduced. The idea of noise modeling, based on noise emission characteristics and emission simulations, was developer and practically utilized in the system. Furthermore, the working system architecture and the data acquisition...
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Automatic Detection and Monitoring of Cyanobacterial Blooms in the Context of the Marine Cadastre
PublicationIn the wake of the European and global spatial data infrastructures (SDI) it is important to build information systems which use and serve thematic data in compliance with the INSPIRE Directive. In the context of hydrographic data, the Directive requires EU member states to collect and share information on maritime areas divided into regions and sub-regions, as well as coastal zone management areas. These data are part of recently...
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The impact of the Tri-City Ring Road on surface water of small endorheic wetlands
PublicationThe paper presents the results of the impact of the Tri-City Ring Road on small endorheic catchment basins. Particular attention was paid to pollution discharged from the road to the surface water, as well as changes in hydrological conditions in the vicinity of the road. In the study, surface water samples were analysed in terms of their electrolytic conductivity, pH and content of major minerals. GIS was also used to study transformation...
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Decrease in Photovoltaic Module Efficiency Due to Deposition of Pollutants
PublicationThe deposition of pollutants on the surface of photovoltaic (PV) modules reduce the efficiency that can be achieved in given climatic conditions. This results in the loss of energy yield obtained from the solar installation. A number of factors determine the scale of this problem. The first of these is the amount of impurities deposited, the associated amount of precipitation, and the speed and direction of the wind. A second aspect...
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Miniaturized Solid Phase Extraction techniques for different kind of pollutants analysis: State of the art and future perspectives – PART 1
PublicationSolid Phase Extraction (SPE) has been practiced in a modern form for more than half a century. It was constantly developing, driven by the analysts needs. These needs are coming from the importance to select an appropriate analytical method, which should have satisfactory accuracy, precision and sensitivity. In the case of sorbent-based microextraction techniques, the choice of miniaturized variants that meet these requirements...
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Wstępna ocena wielkości stężeń związków azotu i fosforu odprowadzanych z wodami powierzchniowymi do Zatoki Puckiej z terenu gminy Puck
PublicationThe ferilizers used in agriculture negatively affect the surface and groundwater quality. The Bay of Puck is a semi-closed part of the Gulf of Gdańsk, which is particularly vulnerable to eutrophication caused by the inflow of nutrient substances. The Bay is surrounded by the lands intensively used in agriculture. Also a number of touristic resorts is located on its coast. The streams and rivers carry the load of nitrogen and phosphorus...
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Visual Traffic Noise Monitoring in Urban Areas
PublicationThe paper presents an advanced system for railway and road traffic noise monitoring in metropolitan areas. This system is a functional part of a more complex solution designed for environmental monitoring in cities utilizing analyses of sound, vision and air pollution, based on a ubiquitous computing approach. The system consists of many autonomous, universal measuring units and a multimedia server, which gathers, processes and...
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Evaluation of the prediction ability of air pollutants based on the electronic nose responses
PublicationElectronic noses are able to perform on-line measurements of the toxic volatile compounds in air. Due to their low cost and compact size they can be placed in the areas exposed to pollution, outside the laboratory. Those advantages, on the other side, force the need for development of the reliable sensors data analysis procedures. One of the most important issues connected with electronic noses is the lack of stability of the gas...
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Treatment of malodorous air in biotrickling filters: A review
PublicationOdour nuisance, resulting mainly from the presence of the compounds containing osmophore group and characterized by low olfactory threshold, is associated with danger and may be the cause of negative psychosomatic symptoms. Among different methods of malodorous air treatment, biological methods are of importance, mainly due to reduced operating costs, high purification efficiency of voluminous gas streams characterized by low concentrations...
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Remote Monitoring of Environmental Pollutants
PublicationAtmospheric air quality is one of the key factors influencing human health. Air quality evaluation is not an easy task as the atmosphere is a complex system subjected to continuous changes in time. Observed progress in the development of measurement devices and technologies is fundamental for acquisition of more reliable information about condition and quality of atmospheric air. Unfortunately, this process leads to an increase...
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One-step recovery of REE oxalates in electro-leaching of spent NdFeB magnets
PublicationRecovery of rare-earth elements (REEs) from spent NdFeB magnets is receiving great attention because of high amount of neodymium and potential risk of environmental pollution. In this study, a novel environment-friendly hydrometallurgical route is proposed for efficient recovery of REEs during electrochemical leaching with sulfuric and oxalic acids. With proper adjustment of the electrolyte composition and operating conditions,...
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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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Temperature Sensors Based on Polymer Fiber Optic Interferometer
PublicationTemperature measurements are of great importance in many fields of human activities, including industry, technology, and science. For example, obtaining a certain temperature value or a sudden change in it can be the primary control marker of a chemical process. Fiber optic sensors have remarkable properties giving a broad range of applications. They enable continuous real-time temperature control in difficult-to-reach areas, in...
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Geographic information system for remote integration of diverse under-water acoustic sensor data
PublicationMaritime and port areas throughout the world are exposed to many different hazards, like pollution, terrorism and natural disasters. Early detection, identification and preparation of appropriateesponse strategies is especially important in the case of semi-enclosed basins like the Baltic Sea, mainly due to the marine ecosystems' continuous absorption of pollutants including oil, heavy metals and chemicals. Many of those agents...
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Towards an integrated assessment of environmental and human health impact of energy sector in Poland
PublicationReferat prezentuje system zintegrowanej oceny wpływu sektora energetycznego na stan środowiska i zdrowie ludzkie w Polsce. W podejściu wykorzystano kombinację modelu transportu zanieczyszczeń w powietrzu POLAIR 3D z modelem informacyjno-symulacyjnym RAINS. Model oszacowuje emisje i koncentracje zanieczyszczeń powietrza, koszty kontroli emisji zanieczyszczeń i inne koszty związane z różnymi scenariuszami rozwoju sektora energetycznego.The...
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Design and distribution of air nozzles in the biomass boiler assembly
PublicationDue to energy crisis as well as increasing pollution of the environment, renewable energy sources usage increases all over the world. These facts encouraged authors to start research over developing a uniform biomass boiler calculation model. This paper presents a design of biomass boiler assembly created for ORC (Organic Rankine Cycle) unit since these systems could achieve strong position in energy industry....
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A novel method for archiving multibeam sonar data with emphasis on efficient record size reduction and storage
PublicationOver the past few years considerable advances in sonar technology, spatial positioning capabilities and computer processing power have lead to significant improvements in mapping, imaging and technologies of seafloor exploration. Recently, modern multibeam echosounder systems (MBES) capable of recording backscatter data for the whole water column, not just for the seabed, have become available thus providing data allowing for...
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A Model-Based Improved Control of Dissolved Oxygen Concentration in Sequencing Wastewater Batch Reactor
PublicationBiochemical processes at wastewater treatment plant are complex, nonlinear, time varying and multivariable. Moreover, relationships between processes are very strong. One of the most important issues is exerting proper control over dissolved oxygen levels during nitrification phase. This parameter has a very large impact on activity of microorganisms in activated sludge and on quality of pollution removal processes. Oxygen is supplied...
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Novel approach to ecotoxicological risk assessment of sediments cores around the shipwreck by the use of self-organizing maps
PublicationMarine and coastal pollution plays an increasingly important role due to recent severe accidents which drew attention to the consequences of oil spills causing widespread devastation of marine ecosystems. All these problems cannot be solved without conducting environmental studies in the area of possible oil spill and performing chemometric evaluation of the data obtained looking for similar patterns among pollutants and optimize...
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DETERMINATION OF THE EFFECT OF ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS ON THE CORROSION OF WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM BASED ON ANALYSIS OF ON-LINE CORROSION MONITORING RESULTS
PublicationCorrosion of water distribution system is a significant issue causing problems with quality, safety and continuity of distribution. The changes of corrosion rates of the water distribution systems in Cracow made of carbon steel were investigated by analysis of online corrosion monitoring system results. Corrosion rates were determined using the linear polarization method. The impact of rain, temperatures, conductivity, dissolved...
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Solid phase microextraction–comprehensive twodimensional gas chromatography–time-of-flight mass spectrometry: a new tool for determining PAHs in airport runoff water samples
Publicationfundamental aspect of airport operations is the pollution caused by airport runoff waters. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are one of the most important groups of xenobiotics which are commonly found in runoff water originating from airports. Only very limited data on the analysis of airport runoff water have been published until now. Therefore, a reliable and accurate analytical method based on headspace solid-phase microextraction...
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SURFACTANTS IN KLODNICA RIVER (KATOWICE, POLAND). PART I. LINEAR ALKYLBENZENE SULPHONATES (LAS)
PublicationSurfactants are a group of compounds with specific physico-chemical properties and therefore they are used in many spheres of human activity. Surface-active substances undergo various physico-chemical transformations, what enables their migration between different elements of the environment and may lead to its pollution. Selected anionic surfactants were determined in samples of water from the Klodnica river (25 samples) and bottom...
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Concentrations of heavy metals and PCBs in the tissues of European beavers (Castor fiber) captured in northeastern Poland
PublicationEuropean beavers (Castor fiber) from two regions were examined to identify exposure to persistent environmental contaminants. A reference group was comprised of six animals from the Forest Division of Srokowo, and an exposed group was comprised of five animals from the vicinity of a former military airport operated in 1918–1986—both from Warmia land in Poland. 137 Cs in beavers' muscles was considered negligible for the overall...
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Elucidating the impact of enzymatic modifications on the structure, properties, and applications of cellulose, chitosan, starch and their derivatives: a review
PublicationPolysaccharides, as one of the most prominent natural biopolymers, display numerous biological activities and industrial applications. Nevertheless, some polysaccharides lack biological properties or display weak biological activities. Besides, practical usages of polysaccharides still remain challenging because of their poor solubility and inappropriate hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance. Hence, enzymatic or chemical modifications...
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Adaptive stochastic and hybrid nonlinear optimization algorithms for improving the effectiveness of the biological processes at WWTP
PublicationWastewater treatment plays an important factor in the modern world. Insufficient treatment may result in environmental pollution which can further lead to disasters and diseases. However, processes that take place inside wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) are highly complex in nature, therefore it is difficult to design an efficient, optimal control system. The problem regarding biochemical reactions inside Sequential Batch Reactor...
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Insights into Seawater Biodegradation of Sustainable Mater-Bi/Poly(ε-caprolactone)-Based Biocomposites Filled with Diisocyanate-Modified Cellulose Particles
Publication: Due to rapid economic growth, the use of plastics in almost all areas of human life has significantly increased over recent decades, leading to massive pollution. Therefore, works dealing with sustainable and biodegradable polymer materials are vital now. Herein, sustainable MaterBi/poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)-based biocomposites, filled with diisocyanate-modified cellulose particles, were prepared and subjected to 12-week seawater...
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Investigation of functional layers of solid oxide fuel cell anodes for synthetic biogas reforming
PublicationSolid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are one of the most promising energy conversion devices due to their high efficiency, low pollution and fuel flexibility. Unfortunately, when hydrocarbons are used as a fuel, for example in the form of a biogas, solid carbon can deposit on the anode surface. This process leads to the degradation of the fuel cell performance. A possible solution to this problem is to apply an additional catalytic material,...
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Plastic Debris in the Stomach of the Invasive Signal Crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus from a Baltic Coastal River
PublicationPollution by plastic debris, widely recognized as a growing global problem [1-3] is caused by the production of synthetic polymers. Over recent years, the production of plastics has increased, while in Europe, fossil-based plastics production has decreased, and recycled plastics production has increased [4]. There are different types of plastics. Some types of plastic ingredients, applied in a wide variety of cosmetics and personal...
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Mobility and bioavailability of mercury in sediments of the southern Baltic sea in relation to the chemical fractions of iron: Spatial and temporal patterns
PublicationMarine sediments play a significant role as reservoirs for mercury (Hg), a bioaccumulative toxic pollutant that poses risks to human and ecosystem health. Iron (Fe) has been recognized as an influential factor in the complexation and bioavailability of Hg in sediments. However, limited studies have investigated the interactions between the chemical fractions of these elements in natural settings. This study aims to examine the...
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Corrosion monitoring as a factor increasing the safety of hydrotechnical infrastructure
PublicationWater distribution systems at KGHM S.A. are of great importance for the efficient production of copper and environmental protection. For failures leading to perforation and leakage, the corrosion processes are responsible. This paper aims to assess corrosion on the basis of the analysis of the exposure of the Hydrotechnical Plant pipelines. To this end, the system of transfer and deposition of post-flotation waste as well as the...
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Determination of total mercury in raw petrol using cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry
PublicationPresence of different forms of mercury in petroleum based products may impair the proper operation of the equipment or led to poisoning of automotive catalysts. However much more important problem is environmental pollution with mercury emitted from different types of fossil fuels. Although the average mercury concentration in petroleum based products (automotive fuels) is on the level around 1 ppb, taking into account annual...
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A method of selecting light sources from night satellite scenes
PublicationSatellite images carries a lot of data. Very sophisticated methods of analyses may reveal very complicated nature of the observed objects. In case of night images, lights play the role of information sources. In this paper we would like to present results of the research aimed to describe light sources from satellite night images by providing description of their luminosity. The authors point source imaging data from the satellite...
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The application of environmental issues in designing urban structures – a framework for comprehensive local planning policies
PublicationThe implementation of environmental issues in planning and designing urban structures is becoming a novel approach and a common practice consistent with the paradigm of sustainable development. Maintaining environmental quality in urban areas, managing natural resources and understanding the complexity of urban systems is becoming increasingly challenging. Therefore, it is important to develop strategies for the integration of...
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Assessment of Trace Metals Leaching During Rainfall Events from Building Rooftops with Different Types of Coverage – Case Study
PublicationRunoff water is an important medium transporting various types of pollution originating from the atmosphere and washed out from roofing materials. The study presents a quality assessment of runoff from different roofs in the context of trace metal concentrations. The analysed rooftops were covered with copper, tar paper and ceramic tile. The quality of the rain water collected at the same time satisfies the demands of the first...
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Potential of Functionalized Polyolefins in a Sustainable Polymer Economy: Synthetic Strategies and Applications
PublicationPolymers play a crucial role in our modern life as no other material exists that is so versatile, moldable, and lightweight. Consequently, the demand for polymers will continue to grow with the human population, modernization, and technological developments. However, depleted fossil resources, increasing plastic waste production, ocean pollution, and related growing emission of greenhouse gases has led to a change in the way we...
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SMART AND RESILIENT CITIES – NEW CHALLENGES FOR POLISH CITIES IN TERMS OF 2020 BUILDING ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION.
PublicationGlobal climate change action along with energy efficiency optimizations are becoming increasingly pressing principles in terms of moving towards sustainable development. As a member of EU and UN Poland is also obliged to follow restricted rules concerning energy efficiency of buildings which come to force in 2020. To meet new goals, innovative approaches - like moving towards smart and resilient cities -may be required. Through...
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Badania nad rozdzielaniem grupowym i analityką składu grupowego olejów bazowych i smarowych, zwłaszcza o szerokim zakresie polarności składników
PublicationRozprawa to studia i badania nad rozdzielaniem i analityką składu grupowego olejów bazowych i smarowych o szerokim zakresie polarności składników. Studium literatury wykazało brak metodyk badania udziału frakcji naftowej i roślinnej w takich olejach oraz nieadekwatność w tym celu HPLC. Pierwsza część pracy to badania nad opracowaniem wielokrotnie zastosowanej w praktyce terenowej metodyki i wyposażenia dla zastosowania fluorescencji...
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Comparison of PM10 concentration in Gdansk and London using electron microscopy
PublicationParticulate matter (PM) has been considered as one of the most dangerous elements of air pollution. Multiply analytical methods are employed to identify the composition of particles present in the air. The theoretical part of this work is a description of different research centres all over the world where particulate matter is being analyzed using various techniques. The purpose of this project is to analyze and compare particles...
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Analysis of causes of crude oil tankers' disasters
PublicationW referacie przedstawiono dane statystyczne dotyczące rozlewów ropy surowej oraz opis katastrof tankowców w latach 1999-2003. Zlekceważenie problemów poprawnej eksploatacji wielokrotnie kończy się tragicznie. Z tych powodów wypełniony ropą grecki tankowiec ''Amaragos'' czy też maltańska ''Erika'' złamały się na pół i poszły na dno. Przykładów takich jest więcej. W referacie przedstawiono analizę przyczyn rozlewów olejowych według...
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Modeling the effect of electric vehicles on noise levels in the vicinity of rural road sections
PublicationNumerous European countries experience a steady increase in the share of electric (EV) and hybrid electric (HEV) vehicles in the traffic stream. These vehicles, often referred to as low- or zero-emission vehicles, significantly reduce air pollution in the road environment. They also have a positive effect on noise levels in city centers and in the surroundings of low-speed roads. Nevertheless, issues related to modeling noise from...
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Development and validation of an eco-compatible UV–Vis spectrophotometric method for the determination of Cu2+ in aqueous matrices
PublicationCu 2+ are ubiquitous ions in the ecosystem and are responsible of serious environmental pollution. Indeed, the development of sensitive methods for Cu 2+ detection is an urgent demand. In this work, we proposed a new spectrophotometric method for Cu 2+ determination in different water matrices (distilled water, drinking water, wastewater, and river water). The method employs a bio-based organic ligand namely tetrasodium iminodisuccinate...
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Mobility and biodegradability of an imidazolium based ionic liquid in soil and soil amended with waste sewage sludge
PublicationSorption on solids and biodegradation are main phenomena that can mitigate the pollution of soil and water by ionic liquids (ILs). ILs sorbed on soil particles become immobilized (temporarily or permanently) which prevents them from spreading into deeper layers of soil or groundwater but which also makes them less bioavailable. In this study we attempt to examine if amendment of soil with waste sludge has a potential to mitigate...
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Recycled Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as Construction Material in Civil Engineering: A Review
PublicationIn general, the quantity of plastics of all types consumed annually all over the world has been growing in a phenomenal way. The manufacturing processes, service industries and municipal solid wastes (MSW) generate numerous waste plastic materials. The increasing awareness about the environment has tremendously contributed to the concerns related with disposal of the generated wastes. It is believed that the management of solid...
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New Trends in Sample Preparation Techniques for the Analysis of the Residues of Pharmaceuticals in Environmental Samples
PublicationPharmaceutical residues in the environment is a field of special interest due to the adverse effects to either human health or aquatic and soil environment. Pharmaceuticals have been already detected in underground, surface and wastewaters, soils, manure and sediments. The growing awareness of environmental pollution arising from human activity forces the need for their comprehensive determination. Environmental samples are complex...
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Analytical studies on the environmental state of the Svalbard archipelago - critical source of information about anthropogenic global impact
PublicationThe Svalbard archipelago differs from other polar regions due to its specific environmental conditions and geographic location which make the area gather pollution from long-range transport. Due to the recent development in analytical techniques it is possible to determine the concentration of pollutants at the level present there. This paper collates and discusses the information from the literature about: pollutants present in...