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Search results for: photodegradation of pollutant
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Enhanced Visible Light Active WO3 Thin Films Toward Air Purification: Effect of the Synthesis Conditions
PublicationTaking into consideration, our current environmental situation in the world people should face with growing problem of air and water pollution. Heterogeneous photocatalysis is highly promising tool to improve both, air and water quality through decomposition/mineralization of contaminations directly into harmless CO2 and H2O under ambient conditions. In this contribution we focused on the synthesis of self-assembly WO3 thin films...
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On Memory-Based Precise Calibration of Cost-Efficient NO2 Sensor Using Artificial Intelligence and Global Response Correction
PublicationNitrogen dioxide (NO2) is a prevalent air pollutant, particularly abundant in densely populated urban regions. Given its harmful impact on health and the environment, precise real-time monitoring of NO2 concentration is crucial, particularly for devising and executing risk mitigation strategies. However, achieving precise measurements of NO2 is challenging due to the need for expensive and cumbersome equipment. This has spurred...
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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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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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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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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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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...
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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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Chemical hazard in glacial melt? The glacial system as a secondary source of POPs (in the Northern Hemisphere). A systematic review
PublicationToxicity of compounds belonging to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) iswidely known, and their re-emission from glaciers has been conclusively demonstrated. However, the harmful effects associated with such secondary emissions have yet to be thoroughly understood, especially in the spatial and temporal context, as the existing literature has a clear sampling biaswith the best recognition of sites in the European Alps. In this...
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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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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...
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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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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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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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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...
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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...
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Comprehensive Analysis and Environmental Risk Assessment of Benzotriazoles in Airport Stormwater: A HS-SPME-GC × GC-TOF-MS-Based Procedure as a Tool for Sustainable Airport Runoff Water Management
PublicationDespite the numerous benefits of intensive air transport development, many activities associated with the operation of airports contribute to environmental pollution. The purpose of this research was the development, optimization, and validation of a headspace–solid-phase microextraction–comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography–time of flight–mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC × GC-TOF-MS)-based procedure for determining anti-corrosive...
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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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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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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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Emerging contaminants and pathogenic microorganisms elimination in secondary effluent by graphitic carbon nitride photocatalytic ozonation processes
PublicationThe complexity of water contaminants, both chemical and biological requires an efficient and feasible treatment alternative. Herein, the photocatalytic ozonation treatment using graphitic carbon nitride catalysts was effectively applied for the elimination of a mixture of targeted chemical contaminants, and both Escherichia coli bacteria and Human polyomavirus JC (JC virus) in real secondary wastewater. The exfoliation treatment...
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Toward the next generation of air quality monitoring: Mercury
PublicationMercury is a global pollutant that is ubiquitous in the environment. Enrichment of mercury in the biosphere as the result of human activities and subsequent production of methylmercury (MeHg) has resulted in elevated concentrations in fish, wildlife and marine mammals globally. Elemental mercury (Hg0) is the most common form of mercury in the atmosphere, and the form that is most readily transported long distances from its emission...
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Solar light driven degradation of norfloxacin using as-synthesized Bi 3+ and Fe 2+ co-doped ZnO with the addition of HSO 5 – : Toxicities and degradation pathways investigation
PublicationIn this study, solar light responsive Bi3+ and Fe2+ doped ZnO were synthesized and used for photocatalytic degradation of norfloxacin (NOR), an emerging water pollutant. Analysis with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), selected area electron...
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Electrocatalytic performance of oxygen-activated carbon fibre felt anodes mediating degradation mechanism of acetaminophen in aqueous environments
PublicationCarbon felts are flexible and scalable, have high specific areas, and are highly conductive materials that fit the requirements for both anodes and cathodes in advanced electrocatalytic processes. Advanced oxidative modi- fication processes (thermal, chemical, and plasma-chemical) were applied to carbon felt anodes to enhance their efficiency towards electro-oxidation. The modification of the porous anodes results in increased...
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Activated sodium percarbonate-ozone (SPC/O3) hybrid hydrodynamic cavitation system for advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) of 1,4-dioxane in water
PublicationHydrodynamic cavitation (HC) was employed to activate sodium percarbonate (SPC) and ozone (O3) to degrade recalcitrant 1,4-dioxane. The degradation efficiency > 99 % with a rate constant of 4.04 × 10−2 min−1 was achieved in 120 min under the optimal conditions of cavitation number (Cv) 0.27, pH 5, molar ratio of oxidant to pollutant (rox) 8, ozone dose of 0.86 g h−1 under 25 ± 2 °C with initial concentration of 1,4-dioxane 100...
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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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Study on a polish peat bog “Rucianka” as a source of yeast strains capable of effective phenol biodegradation
PublicationPhenol is one of the most widely distributed environmental pollutants which can be found in wastewaters and industrial effluents. Due to its toxicity and resistance to self-degradation, it could become even lethal for humans and animals. The treatment of this toxic compound is focused on psychical–chemical methods, although biological treatment of phenol is preferable for economic aspects related to relatively...
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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...
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Miniaturized solid phase microextratcion
PublicationWithout any doubt analytical laboratories have an essential role in environmental protection due to the fact that they takes an active part in the monitoring pollutants present in air, water or soil. From the other side, the analytical activity is involved in the generation of toxic waste what is associated with the use of not eco-friendly reagents and solvents. For these reasons, green analytical chemistry (GAC) was introduced...
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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...
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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...
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Volatile Organohalogen Compounds Determination with Dispersive Liquid-Liquid Microextraction Applying Solvent Lighter than Water
PublicationBackground: Volatile organohalogen compounds (VOX) are a group of environmental pollutants that risk the quality of drinking water. These compounds are characterized by certain acute and chronic toxicities, possessing mutagenic properties. Because of these potential risks factors that these compounds cause, the maximum allowable concentrations (MACs) have been established by respective organizations. The abundance of VOX, their...
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Synergistic effects of hybrid advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) based on hydrodynamic cavitation phenomenon – A review
PublicationHigh-performance water treatment systems based on cavitational processes have received an increasing interest of scientific community in the past few decades. Numerous studies indicated the advantageous application of hydrodynamic cavitation as an alternative, reagent-free treatment method of various pollutants in water. Both approaches were proved as an effective method to achieve mineralization of many organic contaminants as...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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Scheelite-Type Wide-Bandgap ABO4 Compounds (A = Ca, Sr, and Ba; B = Mo and W) as Potential Photocatalysts for Water Treatment
PublicationIn the present study, alkaline-earth metal scheelite-type compounds ABO4 (A = Ca, Sr, Ba, B = Mo, W) synthesized by a hydrothermal method were systematically studied. The as-obtained photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area analysis (BET), UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DR/UV-Vis), photoluminescence, and thermoluminescence (TL)...
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A Comprehensive Approach to Azo Dichlorotriazine Dye Treatment: Assessing the Impact of Physical, Chemical, and Biological Treatment Methods through Statistical Analysis of Experimental Data
PublicationThis exploration investigates integrated treatment systems combining advanced oxidation processes (Fenton and photo-Fenton) with biological methods for the effective elimination of stubborn organic compounds in simulated textile wastewater composed of azo Dichlorotriazine dye. A comprehensive optimization of key process factors including catalyst dosage, hydrogen peroxide quantity, irradiation duration, etc. was systematically...
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Expermental investigation on adsorption of methylene blue dye from waste water using corncob cellulose-based hydrogel
PublicationHydrogel from corncob cellulose was synthesized in this investigation. The synthesized Hydrogel was characterized by SEM, XRD, and FTIR instruments. As the results indicate the synthesized hydrogel has required and important features, these suggest the suitability of hydrogel for the adsorption of methylene blue dye (MBD). Three important process variables (dosage, contact time, and initial concentration) with three levels were...
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Direct determination of paraquat herbicide by square-wave voltammetry by two-step transfer mechanism at heterogeneous boron-doped carbon nanowall electrodes
PublicationBoron-doped carbon nanowalls (B:CNW) versus boron-doped diamond (BDD) materials were investigated for the effective electrochemical detection of highly toxic herbicide paraquat (PQ). Depending on the surface morphology and functional groups of BDD and B:CNWs, the electrochemical absorption and detection of the target analyte PQ revealed different detection mechanisms. The surface absorption mechanism was mainly observed for BDD,...
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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...
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High-Performance Machine-Learning-Based Calibration of Low-Cost Nitrogen Dioxide Sensor Using Environmental Parameter Differentials and Global Data Scaling
PublicationAccurate tracking of harmful gas concentrations is essential to swiftly and effectively execute measures that mitigate the risks linked to air pollution, specifically in reducing its impact on living conditions, the environment, and the economy. One such prevalent pollutant in urban settings is nitrogen dioxide (NO2), generated from the combustion of fossil fuels in car engines, commercial manufacturing, and food processing. Its...
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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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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)...
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Phytoplankton communities of polar regions–Diversity depending on environmental conditions and chemical anthropopressure
PublicationThe polar regions (Arctic and Antarctic) constitute up to 14% of the biosphere and offer some of the coldest and most arid Earth's environments. Nevertheless several oxygenic phototrophs including some higher plants, mosses, lichens, various algal groups and cyanobacteria, survive that harsh climate and create the base of the trophic relationships in fragile ecosystems of polar environments. Ecosystems in polar regions are characterized...
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Comparison of hydrochemistry and organic compound transport in two non-glaciated high Arctic catchments with a permafrost regime (Bellsund Fjord, Spitsbergen)
PublicationAn increase in air temperature related to climate change results in the retreat of glaciers, the degradation of permafrost, and the expansion of glacier-free areas in the polar regions. All these processes lead to changes in the Arctic landscape. They influence the hydrochemistry of streams and rivers fed by glaciers and thawing permafrost. In this study, we examine eighty two water samples from two non-glaciated catchments with...
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Synthesis, characteristics, and photocatalytic activity of zinc oxide nanoparticles stabilized on the stone surface for degradation of metronidazole from aqueous solution
PublicationAbstract Background: The presence of antibiotics such as metronidazole in wastewater even at low concentrations requires searching for a suitable process such as advanced oxidation process (AOP) to reduce the level of pollutants to a standard level in water. Methods: In this study, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were synthesized by thermal method using zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) as a precursor, then, stabilized on stone and was used...
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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...
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From the pills to environment – Prediction and tracking of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug concentrations in wastewater
PublicationThe extend of environment pollution by pharmaceuticals is in a stage that required more automatic and integrated solutions. The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are one of the most popular pharmaceutical in the world and emerging pollutants of natural waters. The aim of the paper was to check the correlation of the sales data of selected NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac) and their concentration in the WWTP...