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Search results for: RANGIFER TARANDUS PLATYRHYNCHUS CONTAMINATION POLLUTION VEGETATION
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Svalbard reindeer as an indicator of ecosystem changes in the Arctic terrestrial ecosystem
PublicationOver the years, noticeable effort has been directed towards contaminant determination in multiple biotic samples collected from the inhabitants of the Arctic. Little consideration has been given to polar herbivores, however, especially those from the European parts of the Arctic. To provide a broader perspective, we aimed to decipher trace element concentration in hairs of the key species in the Arctic, namely the Svalbard reindeer...
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Biological responses to environmental contamination. How can metal pollution impact signal honesty in avian species?
PublicationEnvironmental pollution, for example with metals, can significantly affect the ecosystem balance leading to severe changes. Biologically active pigments are relevant for the appearance and condition of birds. Melanin and carotenoid particles are the most frequently deposited pigments in avian integument. They are responsible for the majority of colors of bird plumage. The phenotypic expression can be affected by metal contamination....
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Sources of contamination in sediments of retention tanks and the influence of precipitation type on the size of pollution load
PublicationDensification of cities and urban population contributes to increased runoff and suspended solids and alteration of the urban water cycle. Nowadays, Blue-Green Infrastructure is promoted to increase a city’s resilience to floods; however, stormwater drainage systems, supported with retention tanks are still important in protecting urban areas against floods. Sediment accumulation in stormwater infrastructure relates to an issue...
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The use of RP-HPLC–Q-TOF–MS as a powerful tool for wastewater composition profiling and selection of water pollution marker specific to wastewater contamination
PublicationLimited drinking water resources and water pollution are one of the main worldwide problems. To reduce the consumption of fresh water resources, the use of treated wastewater has been proposed. The farmlands have been irrigated with wastewater for centuries, but the composition of used sewage has changed over the years. Recent research has revealed the presence of hundreds of new organic contaminants in many environmental waters,...
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Nitrogen pathways during sewage treatment in constructed wetlands in temporary climate
PublicationThe objectives of this paper is to estimate the role and quantity of the unit process responsible for removal or/and retention of nitrogen in different types of constructed wetlands in vegetation season and outside vegetation season. To estimate the role of the plant two objects inhabited one with willow and the other with reed were selected to assessment. Among anthers it was indicated that the concentrations of contamination...
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Trace elements content of surface peat deposits in the Solovetsky Islands (White Sea)
PublicationPeatlands form environmental archives of trace element deposition. In this regard they are particularly valuable for areas such as the Arctic, where regular pollution monitoring is either impossible or extremely costly. The aim of this study was to assess pollution in the Solovetsky Islands (65° 05' N, 35° 53' E) by examining the spatial variability in trace element content of the uppermost layer of peat, immediately below the...
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Arctic Freshwater Environment Altered by the Accumulation of Commonly Determined and Potentially New POPs
PublicationChemical composition of Arctic freshwater ecosystems depends on several factors. They include characteristics of the surrounding landscape, its lithology, geomorphology, vegetation, and hydrological features, as well as accumulation of anthropogenic pollution. In the Arctic, the problem of environmental contamination is widespread. That is why research on lakes and river catch-ments in terms of their chemical composition has enjoyed...
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Operation of multistage constructed wetlands systems in temporary climate
PublicationThe investigation were carried out at two different hybrid constructed wetlands, which treated municipal sewage after mechanical treatment from small villages in Pomeranian Region. In all facilities first step of biological treatment were horizontal flow beds. The main difference concern configuration of the facilities and sewage distributions systems into vertical flow beds. The measurement period was divided into vegetation...
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Urban Vegetation in Air Quality Management: A Review and Policy Framework
PublicationRecent episodes of high air pollution concentration levels in many Polish cities indicate the urgent need for policy change and for the integration of various aspects of urban development into a common platform for local air quality management. In this article, the focus was placed on the prospects of improving urban air quality through proper design and protection of vegetation systems within local spatial planning strategies....
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Assessing groundwater vulnerability to pollution in the Puck region (denudation moraine upland) using vertical seepage method
PublicationDegradation of groundwater quality can cause a serious water supply and environmental problems. The identify of potential groundwater pollution can be determined by assessment of groundwater vulnerability method. The assessment of groundwater vulnerability to pollution was based on estimation of migration time of potential conservative contamination through the vadose zone. Area of investigation is a type of denudation moraine...
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Nitrogen and phosphorus compounds in coastal aquifers in Puck municipality area (northern Poland)
Publication1. Groundwater study shows local variations in chemical composition of selected aquifers caused by human impact The diversity is mainly manifested in • time variation of groundwater chemical composition of all analyzed parameters especially in shallow aquifers (Q1) • relationship between t he ground water chemical composition and depth of the aquifer where an inverse concentration distribution occurs higher concentrations are observed...
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The effect of groyne field on trapping macroplastic. Preliminary results from laboratory experiments
PublicationMacroplastic, a precursor of microplastic pollution, has become a new scope of research interest. However, the physical processes of macroplastic transport and deposition in rivers are poorly understood, which makes the decisions of where to locate macroplastic trapping infrastructure difficult. In this research, we conducted a series of experiments in a laboratory channel, exploring the impact of groynes and flexible artificial...
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Air quality policy in the U.S. and the EU – a review
PublicationThe high level of atmospheric pollution is a global problem that has taken on particular significance in recent years and will continue to grow in the near future. Air pollution directly affects the health, living organisms, vegetation, water, soil and buildings. Additionally, it moves easily even over long distances. Certain air pollutants influence the climate, cause negative processes in the protective ozone layer and contribute...
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Birds' feathers – Suitable samples for determination of environmental pollutants
PublicationThe intensive development of industry and human population results in large amounts of different xenobiotic emitted into individual ecosystem components. As a consequence, monitoring of the level of pollution of particular elements of the environment by exotoxins has become a common interest. The determination of environmental changes by different types of biological indicators is called bioindication, which is used as one of the...
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Annual variability of heavy metal content in Svalbard reindeer faeces as a result of dietary preferences
PublicationDuring both winter and summer, Svalbard reindeer selectively feed on different types of vegetation that are not only a source of nutritional value, but also a place of heavy metal accumulation. In the present study, the content of cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, nickel, manganese, and zinc in reindeer excrement was measured. The main aims were to determine the seasonal content of several heavy metals in Svalbard reindeer...
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Unlocking the Secrets of River Pollution: Analyzing Organic Pollutants in Sediments—Experimental Study
PublicationUntreated wastewater released into rivers can result in water pollution, the spread of waterborne diseases, harm to ecosystems, contamination of soil and groundwater, as well as air pollution and respiratory problems for nearby humans and animals due to the release of greenhouse gases. The current study aims to investigate the recent input of anthropogenic loads into the rivers using linear alkylbenzene (LAB), which is one of the...
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POLLUTANTS PRESENT IN DIFFERENT COMPONENTS OF THE SVALBARD ARCHIPELAGO ENVIRONMENT
PublicationDuring last years an interest in the processes of transport and fate of pollutants to the polar regions located distantly from industrial centers, has significantly increased. The current analytical techniques enabling conducting studies prove that the Arctic regions (in the past considered as a pollution free area) have become an area of highly intensive anthropopresion. Svalbard archipelago stands out from the other polar regions...
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Use of Brassica plants in the phytoremediation and biofumigation processes
PublicationIn recent decades, serious contamination of soils by heavy metals has been reported. It is therefore a matter of urgency to develop a new and efficient technology for removing contaminants from soil. Another aspect to this problem is that environmental pollution decreases the biological quality of soil, which is why pesticides and fertilizers are being used in ever-larger quantities. The environmentally friendly solutions to these...
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Heavy Metals in Sediments of Urban Streams: Contamination and Health Risk Assessment of Influencing Factors
PublicationSediments of two urban streams in northern Poland outflowing to the Baltic Sea were assessed to explain the spatial variation in relation to urbanization level of the catchment, the role of retention tanks (RTs) and identification of pollution level. During the 3 month period of investigation sediment samples were collected from the inflow (IN) and outflow (OUT) of six RTs located on streams for flood protection. Six heavy metals...
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The Use of Vegetables in the Biomonitoring of Cadmium and Lead Pollution in the Environment
PublicationLead and cadmium emitted from various anthropogenic sources have the ability to accumulate in tissues of living organisms. The phenomenon of accumulation of metals in the body is harmful and undesirable. On the other hand, the ability of plants to accumulate heavy metals from the individual elements of the environment has been used in biomonitoring of pollution. Leaf and root of vegetables have particular predisposition for accumulating...
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Preliminary estimation of groundwater recharge on Brda river outwash plain
PublicationEstimation of groundwater recharge is one of the most challenging subjects in hydrogeology. It is a critical factor influencing the pollution migration, assessment of aquifer vulnerability to contamination, small-scale groundwater budget calculation, modeling of nutrient cycling and detailed flow path calculations. In Poland an infiltration rate method is widely used, which depends on a system of rate coefficients referring to...
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Reducing Monitoring Costs in Industrially Contaminated Rivers: Cluster and Regression Analysis Approach
PublicationMonitoring contamination in river water is an expensive procedure, particularly for developing countries where pollution is a significant problem. This study was conducted to provide a pollution monitoring strategy that reduces the cost of laboratory analysis. The new monitoring strategy was designed as a result of cluster and regression analysis on field data collected from an industrially influenced river. Pollution sources in...
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Arctic catchment as a sensitive indicator of the environmental changes: distribution and migration of metals (Svalbard)
PublicationArctic regions experience metal pollution, despite their remote location, and the distribution and migration of those metals determine their potential impact on the local environment. Here, a High-Arctic catchment (Revelva, Svalbard) located remotely from human-induced pollution sources is studied with respect to the distribution and migration of chosen trace elements (Ag, Al, As, B, Ba, Bi, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Cs, Mo, Ni, Pb,...
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Speciation of heavy metals in bottom sediments of a drinking water reservoir for Gdańsk, Poland – changes over the 14 years
PublicationThere was conducted a comparative study of the concentrations of heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Pb, andCd) in the surface layer of sediments collected in two investigation periods: 1999–2000 and 2013.The results demonstrated that the degree of metals pollution decreased over time. The contaminationfactors (Cf) calculated for Zn, Cu, Pb, and Cd were respectively 3.63, 3.86, 3.23, and 3.25 in thefirst period of...
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Mercury contamination, a potential threat to the globally endangered aquatic warbler Acrocephalus paludicola
PublicationMercury (Hg) contamination is considered a global concern for humans and wildlife, and although the number of studies dealing with that issue continues to increase, some taxonomic groups such as small passerine birds are largely understudied. In this paper, concentration of mercury in the aquatic warbler (Acrocephalus paludicola) feathers, a globally threatened passerine species, was examined. The concentration differences between...
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Urban city lights. Light pollution as one of the effects of incorrectly designed external illumination. How can a successful lighting masterplan diminish its impact?
PublicationIn the modern world, artificial lighting brings many tangible benefits such as the ability to extend working hours and so increase production, recreational use of the city after dark, or the possibility to travel regardless of the time of day. However, this flexibility comes at a price and negatively impacts on the environment. One such negative phenomenon is Light Pollution ‐ a term used to describe excessive nighttime artificial...
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Spatial and vertical distribution analysis of heavy metals in urban retention tanks sediments: a case study of Strzyza Stream
PublicationConcentrations of seven heavy metals (HMs): Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, Ni, Cr, and Fe in core samples of bottom sediments from four retention tanks (RTs) located along the Strzyza Stream in northern Poland (Gdansk) were measured to obtain a general view of sediment quality. The recognition of contamination and potential environmental impacts is the main aim of this paper. A total of 96 sediment samples were collected from eight sampling sites...
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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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Spatial Differences in the Chemical Composition of Surface Water in the Hornsund Fjord Area: A Statistical Analysis with A Focus on Local Pollution Sources
PublicationSurface catchments in Svalbard are sensitive to external pollution, and yet what is frequently considered external contamination may originate from local sources and natural processes. In this work, we analyze the chemical composition of surface waters in the catchments surrounding the Polish Polar Station in Svalbard, Hornsund fjord area. We have pooled unpublished and already published data describing surface water composition...
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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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Trace Metal Contamination of Bottom Sediments: A Review of Assessment Measures and Geochemical Background Determination Methods
PublicationThis paper provides an overview of different methods of assessing the trace metal (TM) contamination status of sediments affected by anthropogenic interference. The geochemical background determination methods are also described. A total of 25 papers covering rivers, lakes, and retention tanks sediments in areas subjected to anthropogenic pressure from the last three years (2019, 2020, and 2021) were analysed to support our examination...
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Monitoring strategy for industrially contaminated rivers - A study of all year round behaviour of Klodnica river catchment, upper Silesia, Poland
PublicationThe study was undertaken to thoroughly characterise the contamination of water in industrially influenced river Klodnica, in order to explore monitoring strategies in case of limited analytical capacity. Statistical analysis undertaken after a short study was found to be helpful in reducing monitoring efforts in the future.Klodnica river is located within area of dominating coal mining, metallurgy, and additionally being influenced...
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Urban dew formation efficiency and chemistry in Poland
PublicationThe measurements of dew formation efficiency and chemistry were performed in Poland in September 2009, as a part of a longer, two-year sampling campaign. Pairs of sites, representing centers of major Polish cities and rural conditions in three different regions, were compared. With the aim to get more detailed landuse-oriented characteristics of dew, two additional sites were set close to Wroclaw. Collection of dew at each site...
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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...
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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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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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Storm petrels as indicators of pelagic seabird exposure to chemical elements in the Antarctic marine ecosystem
PublicationData on trace element bioavailability in the south-polar marine ecosystem is still scarce, compared to that relating to temperate zones. Seabirds can be used as indicators of ecosystem health and sentinels of environmental pollution, constituting a link between marine and terrestrial environments. Here, we analysed the concentration of 17 elements (with special emphasis on mercury, Hg) in feathers of adults and chicks of two pelagic...
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Analytical progress on emerging pollutants in the environment: An overview of the topics
PublicationThis overview discusses the ideas behind a collection of articles by invited authors on a diverse range of complex chemical mixtures and analytical methods which represent some of the most relevant and interesting issues on emerging contaminants of environmental health concerns. These chemicals, including those in high volume production, are released on an ongoing basis as a result of various human activities. Moreover, these emerging contaminants...
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Methods of Assessment of Metal Contamination in Bottom Sediments (Case Study: Straszyn Lake, Poland)
PublicationThe concentrations of six metals (Zn, Cu, Pb, Ni, Cr, and Cd) were investigated in bottom sediments of Straszyn Lake (North Poland). This study was designed to determine a total content of metals and to assess their mobility and bioavailability. The sequential extraction was used to fractionate metals into five fractions: exchangeable, bound to carbonates, bound to Fe–Mn oxides, bound to organic matter, and residual. The evaluation...
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Soil and groundwater fecal contamination as a result of sewage sludge land application.
PublicationThe release of sludge-born bacteria and their further transport in subsurface was studied. The migration of bacteria was investigated in column experiments which were carried out under the conditions corresponding to naturally occurring extreme rainfall. Coal fly ash as well as coarse and medium grained sand, which properties are similar to the soils present in degraded areas, were used as column beds. Sewage sludge was applied...
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Phylogenetic relationship and antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli isolated from the Reda River and the Oliwski Stream, Northern Poland = Lekooporność i przynależność filogenetyczna szczepów Escherichia Coli izolowanych z rzeki Redy i Potoku Oliwskiego
PublicationThe high abundance of fecal bacteria in surface water is usually related to poor agricultural practice, pollution caused by domesticated and wild animals as well as with septic tank failures. Identification of fecal contamination sources seems to be crucial in order to effectively estimate the inherent risk. In this study, the phylogenetic relationship of 30 isolates of E. coli, originated from surface water, was estimated by employing...
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Determination of Heavy Metals Concentration in Water and Soil at Various Locations in Lahore and their Harmful Impacts on Human and Plants life
PublicationHeavy metals poisoning of soil and water has resulted from industrial expansion in Lahore, Pakistan, creating a significant environmental hazard. As a result, monitoring the contamination of soil and water around industrial sites is critical. The fact that higher concentrations of heavy metals have a negative influence on both plants and human life and this cannot be ignored. Higher heavy metal concentrations have a direct impact...
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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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A multi‑criteria approach to investigate spatial distribution,sources, and the potential toxicological effect of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediments of urban retention tanks
PublicationBottom sediments deposited in retention tanks (RTs) located on two urban streams (Oliwski and Strzyza) in the central part of Gdansk (Poland) were analysed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons’ (PAHs) content. PAHs were extracted from samples with methylene chloride, then the extracts were subjected to clean-up applying the solid phase extraction (SPE) method. Quantitative and qualitative determination of 16 PAHs was performed...
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Seasonal contributions of nutrients from small urban and agricultural watersheds in northern Poland
PublicationDiffuse sources of pollution like agricultural or urban runoff are important factors in determining the quality of surface waters, although they are more difficult to monitor thanpointsources.Theobjectiveofourstudywastoverifyassumptionsthattheinflow from agricultural nutrient sources is higher than from urbanized ones. It has been done by comparing the nutrients and organic matter concentrations and loads for three small streams...
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Sources and composition of chemical pollution in Maritime Antarctica (King George Island), part 1: Sediment and water analysis for PAH sources evaluation in the vicinity of Arctowski station
PublicationThe paper presents a study regarding the identification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in fresh waters and surface sediments on the western shore of Admiralty Bay over four sampling seasons from 2017 to 2018. The results were compared to literature data from 2016 to provide a more comprehensive image of the environmental fate of PAHs over the years. The highest value of Σ PAHs was 82.9 ng/L and 445 ng/g dw in water...
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Stormwater runoff in the urbanized coastal basin of Gdańsk Urbanized basin of Gdańsk
PublicationAnthropopressure strongly affects the primal water cycle. Alternation of the natural basins imposes changes of drainage patterns, reduction of bioretention, infiltration and base flow. As a result the overland flow predominates and greater runoff rates flow into storm water collection systems and reservoirs. Moreover changing climatic conditions increase the frequency of rapid extreme weather events. Infrastructures of urban areas...
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Polysaccharide nanocomposites in wastewater treatment: A review
PublicationIn modern times, wastewater treatment is vital due to increased water contamination arising from pollutants such as nutrients, pathogens, heavy metals, and pharmaceutical residues. Polysaccharides (PSAs) are natural, renewable, and non-toxic biopolymers used in wastewater treatment in the field of gas separation, liquid filtration, adsorption processes, pervaporation, and proton exchange membranes. Since addition of nanoparticles...
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The fate and contamination of trace metals in soils exposed to a railroad used by Diesel Multiple Units: Assessment of the railroad contribution with multi-tool source tracking
PublicationSoil samples from cut slopes from lightly loaded railway lines used by Diesel Multiple Units for 5 years in Gdansk (Poland) were collected and analyzed for trace metals (TMs): Zn, Pb, Cd, Ni, Cr, Cu, and Fe. The main aim was to assess soil enrichment, contamination status, and distribution of TMs relative to the distance from the railway track. Extensive source tracking analyses were performed using cluster analysis (CA) and the...
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Optimization and Modeling of Cr (VI) Removal from Tannery Wastewater onto Activated Carbon Prepared from Coffee Husk and Sulfuric Acid (H2SO4) as Activating Agent by Using Central Composite Design (CCD)
PublicationThe primary goal of this research is to lower the hexavalent chromium (Cr (VI)) concentration that has occurred from the growth of the tannery industry. As a result, the potential for heavy metal concentration is increasing day by day. Industrial effluent containing Cr (VI) contributes significantly to water pollution. Chromium hexavalent ion (Cr (VI)) in wastewater is extremely hazardous to the environment. It is critical to address...