Wyniki wyszukiwania dla: prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms
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The Use of Vegetables in the Biomonitoring of Cadmium and Lead Pollution in the Environment
PublikacjaLead 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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Insight into heart regeneration
PublikacjaThe mammalian heart is thought to be incapable of regeneration because of the limited ability of cardiomyocytes. to proliferate. However, it has been recently shown that the neonatal murine heart is able to restore its normal function after coronary artery ligation or even partial resection. Unfortunately, this feature is lost in a few days after birth, although lower vertebrates as zebrafish or newt, retain this ability until adulthood. Therefore,...
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The difficulties in polybrominated diphenyl ethers identification by GC-EI-MS technique
PublikacjaAwareness about the harmful effects of brominated flame retardants on living organisms increases mainly due to link their presence in the human environment with health disorders. Therefore is a need to conduct research aimed at content control of these chemicals in the environment. Recent improvements in injection techniques and mass spectrometer ionization methods have led to a variety of options to determine PBDEs in environmental...
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[Soft Skills] Smart metering - social risk perception and risk governance (2023/2024)
Kursy OnlineThe aim of the course is to broaden the understanding of the risks associated with technology and to present the concept of social risk perception and risk management in the context of smart metering technology. In the current phase of technological development - called the Fourth Industrial Revolution - rapid and profound changes are creating new, particularly destabilizing threats. In the increasingly complex technological systems...
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Determination of Toxicological Parameters of Selected Bioactive Organic Chemicals Using the Ostracodtoxkit FTM
PublikacjaAssessment of the impact of pharmaceutical residues on living organisms is very complex subject. Apart from taking into account the toxicity of individual compounds also their presence in mixtures should be taken into account. In this work, attempts were made to assess the ecotoxicity of biologically active substances (with 50 % effective concentration (EC50) values growing from fluoxetine (EC50 = 4.431 nM) >> gemfibrozil ≈ 17α-ethinylestradiol...
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The impact of lipophilicity on environmental processes, drug delivery and bioavailability of food components
PublikacjaLipophilic properties of the compound allow to predict its fate in living organisms and to propose the models of chemicals transport and accumulation in the ecosystem. Lipophilicity is also useful as the characteristic of chemicals in respect to their optimal attributes for specific biological and non-biological tasks. The lipophilicity descriptors define the potency of endo- and xenobiotics to metabolic transformations and their...
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The metabolic activity of denitrifying microorganisms accumulating polyphosphate in response to addition of fusel oil
PublikacjaThe effect of distillery waste product (fusel oil) as an alternative external organic carbon source (EOCS) was investigated in terms of the metabolic properties of denitrifying polyphosphate accumulating organisms (DPAOs). Samples of the non-acclimated biomass were collected from a local full-scale wastewater treatment plant employing A2/O type bioreactors. The acclimated biomass was obtained after cultivation (with fusel oil added)...
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Smart metering - social risk perception and risk governance (10h, 2 ECTS credits)
Kursy OnlineThe goal of the course is to broaden the understanding of technology-related risks and to present the concepts of social risk perception and risk governance in the context of smart metering technology. In current phase of technological development – known as the fourth industrial revolution – rapid and profound changes are setting up new and particularly destabilizing risks. In more and more complex technological systems that constitute...
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Status and trends of mercury pollution of the atmosphere and terrestrial ecosystems in Poland
PublikacjaThe goal of this paper is to assess the current status and trends of total mercury (THg) contamination of the atmosphere and terrestrial ecosystems in Poland. The study shows that the reduced domestic and worldwide atmospheric emission of Hg resulted in decreased THg level in the terrestrial biotope and biosphere. Considering that Poland is one of the main Hg emitters in Europe, the THg concentrations in its abiotic environment...
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State of the art and prospects of methods for determination of lipophilicity of chemical compounds
PublikacjaLipophilicity of the compounds is useful to (i) explain their distribution in biological systems, which is different in plant and in animal organisms, (ii) predict the possible pathways of pollutant transport in the environment, and (iii) support drug discovery process and select optimal composition in terms of bioactivity and bioavailability. The lipophilic properties can be determined by two main approaches, experimental, which...
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Aminy w środowisku - niebezpieczeństwo czy jego naturalny element?
PublikacjaA lot of amines and their compounds are used in the industry. First of all they are used for the preparation of medicines, plant protection agents, fertilizers and plastics. Amines are also released into the environment as a result of natural biological processes such as the release of certain species of flowers to lure insects, and also biochemical breakdown of amino acids in the protein during decomposition of organic matter. Unfortunately,...
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Similar concentration of surfactants in rural and urban areas
PublikacjaSince surfactants are used in various products, they end up in surface and wastewater. Surfactants may therefore impact ecosystems and living organisms. Actually, only few anionic surfactants and some alkylphenols are regulated. There is no comprehensive evaluation of surfactants in the atmosphere, surfaces and waters of areas of increasing anthropic levels. Here, we measured the levels of cationic, anionic and nonionic surfactants...
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Cuticular lipids of insects as potential biofungicides
PublikacjaThe term ''lipids'' refers to fatty acids, their derivatives and substances related with them biochemically or by the functions in the body. Lipids include compounds with different chemical structure. There are lipids with structures based on long-chain carboxylic acids and their direct derivatives, namely: fatty acids, alkanes, some alkenes, aldehydes and long chain alcohols and their derivatives (esters). The variety of lipid...
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Green aspects of techniques for the determination of pesticides in fruits and vegetables
PublikacjaApplied all over the world, pesticides are some of the most dangerous pollutants of the environment because of their stability, mobility, their ability to accumulate in the environment and their consequent long-term adverse effects on living organisms in general and human health in particular. Their presence in the environment is a particular danger. It is therefore crucial to monitor pesticide residues using all available analytical...
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Reducing nighttime light exposure in the urban environment to benefit human health and society
PublikacjaNocturnal light pollution can have profound effects on humans and other organisms. Recent research indicates that nighttime outdoor lighting is increasing rapidly. Evidence from controlled laboratory studies demonstrates that nocturnal light exposure can strain the visual system, disrupt circadian physiology, suppress melatonin secretion, and impair sleep. There is a growing body of work pointing to adverse effects of outdoor lighting...
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Influence of Different Nanometals Implemented in PMMA Bone Cement on Biological and Mechanical Properties
PublikacjaCemented arthroplasty is a common process to fix prostheses when a patient becomes older and his/her bone quality deteriorates. The applied cements are biocompatible, can transfer loads, and dampen vibrations, but do not provide antibacterial protection. The present work is aimed at the development of cement with antibacterial effectivity achieved with the implementation of nanoparticles of different metals. The powders of Ag,...
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Journey towards light – evolutionary adaptations of humans, flora and fauna. Guidelines for safe and healthy illumination
PublikacjaThe paper examines using relatively recent discoveries on how evolution has embedded within all living organisms a natural sensitivity towards their native environment, in particular luminance levels and specific wavelengths of light. The studies conducted so far indicate that lighting installations that are visible after dark impact on humans, flora and fauna and influence our evolutionary dispositions, possibly with negative...
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Ergonomic Aspects of Development of Architecture in the Context of Sanitary and Hygiene Safety
PublikacjaAbstract Ergonomics answers the need of safe development of space by creating spatial forms which help to implement the safety procedures and limit the threats involved both in ordinary use of the spaces and in case of unforeseen events. Using the knowledge of ergonomics and architecture on the basis of defining the routes of germ transmission, allows to limit the spread of those organisms. Ergonomics of developing architectural...
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The Occurrence and Role of Tetrasphaera in Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal Systems
PublikacjaThe application of enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) has commonly been utilized worldwide. However, the optimum efficiency has not been realized over the past decades, prompting many studies and publications. The limitations, especially comprehension of the abundance and actual potential of polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs), are not fully understood. Recently identified...
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Aspects of pollution in Gdansk and gdynia Harbours at the coastal zone of the South Baltic Sea
PublikacjaOrganotin compounds (OTC), as well as metals, are toxic to many organisms. Even at very low concentrations OTC and metals can have several negative effects. The paper discusses key issues relating to the location of harbours in the coastal zone (including near the river mouths and semi-closed access to the sea) and the pollution of harbour sediments with heavy metals (e.g. zinc, copper, nickel and lead) and organotin derivatives...
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The Fate of BTEX Compounds in Ambient Air
PublikacjaAs a result of the industrialization and urbanization in the world, human pressure on the environment is intensifying, leading to detrimental changes in both biotic and abiotic compartments. One of the many consequences of this state of affairs is the increasing rate of emission into the atmosphere of volatile organic compounds, including the so-called BTEX (benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene, xylenes) compounds. The authors review...
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Speciation of Iron in the Aquatic Environment
PublikacjaIron is one of the basic metals occurring in the aquatic environment and it is considered a macroelement with regard to live organisms. This metal has a broad range of applications that, together with factors conditioning its chemical transitions, results in the occurrence of many iron species in water. Depending on water and land development type, as well as the use of water for household and industrial purposes, iron may be found...
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Air quality policy in the U.S. and the EU – a review
PublikacjaThe 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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Environmental fate of BTEX compounds in ambient air
PublikacjaAs a result of the industrialization and urbanization in the world, human pressure on the environment is intensifying, leading to detrimental changes in both biotic and abiotic compartments. One of the many consequences of this state of affairs is the increasing rate of emission into the atmosphere of volatile organic compounds, including the so-called BTEX (benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene, xylenes) compounds. The article reviews...
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Problems and chellenges to determine pesticide residues in bumblebees
PublikacjaBumblebees play an important role in t he pollination process of many crops and flowers. Therefore, taking action to protect and assess the impact of p esticides on these insects is fully justi fied. Pesticides may cause mortality and also sub-lethal effects that are not always directly visible. Bumblebees, like honeybees, can be used as indicators for environmental monitoring contamination. Two approaches are mainly used for the...
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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
PublikacjaBottom 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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DETERMINATION OF SURFACTANTS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLES. PART II. ANIONIC COMPOUNDS
PublikacjaSurfactants (SAA) with negative charge of polar group are named as anionic compounds. They are main constituent of most products containing synthetic surfactants. The linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS), alkyl ethoxysulfates (AES) and alkyl sulfates (AS) are typically applied from this class of compounds. Those surfactants are ingredients of household detergents and cleaners, laundry detergents, cosmetic. Moreover they can be...
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Electrochemical oxidation of landfill leachate using boron-doped diamond anodes: pollution degradation rate, energy efficiency and toxicity assessment
PublikacjaElectrochemical oxidation (EO), due to high efficiency and small carbon footprint, is regarded as an attractive option for on-site treatment of highly contaminated wastewater. This work shows the effectiveness of EO using three boron-doped diamond electrodes (BDDs) in sustainable management of landfill leachate (LL). The effect of the applied current density (25–100 mA cm−2) and boron doping concentration (B/C ratio: 500 ppm, 10,000...
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Recombinant !ermostable AP Exonuclease from Thermoanaerobacter tengcongensis: Cloning, Expression, Purification, Properties and PCR Application
PublikacjaApurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) sites in DNA are considered to be highly mutagenic and must be corrected to preserve genetic integrity, especially at high temperatures. !e gene encoding a homologue of AP exonuclease was cloned from the thermophilic anaerobic bacterium Thermoanaerobacter tengcongensis and transformed into Escherichia coli. The protein product showed high identity (80%) to human Ape1 nuclease, whereas to E. coli exonuclease...
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Conserved motifs of MutL proteins
PublikacjatThe MutL protein is best known for its function in DNA mismatch repair (MMR). However, there isevidence to suggest that MutL is not only the linker connecting the functions of MutS and MutH in MMR,but that it also participates in other repair systems, such as Very Short Patch (VSP), Base Excision (BER)and Nucleotide Excision Repair (NER). This study set out to identify the most highly conserved aminoacid sequence motifs in MutL...
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Masowe wymieranie pszczół – problem nie tylko pszczelarzy
PublikacjaPestycydy to bardzo liczna grupa różnorodnych związków chemicznych stosowanych w rolnictwie. Ze względu na swoją trwałość gromadzą się w różnych elementach środowiska i mogą występować w obszarze, na którym nigdy nie zostały użyte. Zachodzi także proces ich bioakumulacji w tkankach oraz narządach zwierząt i roślin. Stosowane w rolnictwie środki ochrony roślin (szczególnie w okresie wzmożonych zabiegów agrotechnicznych wiosną...
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Novel approach to ecotoxicological risk assessment of sediments cores around the shipwreck by the use of self-organizing maps
PublikacjaMarine 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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Selected anionic and cationic surface active agents determined in river sediments – the Klodnica catchment
PublikacjaSurface active agents (SAAs) are specific compounds that contain hydrophilic/ hydrophobic group in their molecules named as amphiphilic structures. According to charge on the hydrophilic part of surfactants they can be classified into three main groups: anionic, cationic and non-ionic compounds. Due to the amphiphilic structure of SAAs they have specific properties (e.g. ability to adsorption at different surfaces, reduction of...
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Pesticides in the Environment
PublikacjaApplied all over the world, pesticides are some of the most dangerous pollutants of the environment becauseof their mobility and ability to accumulate in the environment and their consequent long-term adverseeffects on living organisms in general and human health in particular. For these reasons, it is essential tomonitor and analyze pesticide residues in the environment. This entry discusses the classification of pesticidesas...
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The particle method for simulation of self-organization phenomena
PublikacjaThe aim of the work was to design, implement, and use, in a number of experiments, an abstract software environment (an artificial world)suitable for modelling systems consisting of many moving and interactingobjects distributed in space. The environment, named DigiHive, is directed towards modeling of complex systems manifested by processes of self-organization, self-reproduction and self modifications. The environment is mainly...
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Development and validation of an LC–MS/MS method for the determination of biogenic amines in wines and beers
PublikacjaBiogenic amines are group of organic, basic, nitrogenous compounds that naturally occur in plant, microorganism, and animal organisms. Biogenic amines are mainly produced through decarboxylation of amino acids. They are formed during manufacturing of some kind of food and beverages such as cheese, wine, or beer. Histamine, cadaverine, agmatine, tyramine, putrescine, and b-phenylethylamine are the most common biogenic amines found...
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Influence of Selected Saccharides on the Precipitation of Calcium-Vaterite Mixtures by the CO2 Bubbling Method
PublikacjaCalcium carbonate is a compound existing in living organisms and produced for many biomedical applications. In this work, calcium carbonate was synthesized by a CO2 bubbling method using ammonia as a CO2 absorption promotor. Glucose, fructose, sucrose, and trehalose were added into the reaction mixture to modify characteristics of precipitated calcium carbonate particles. To determine the polymorphic form of produced calcium carbonate...
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Modeling N2O behavior during denitrification with different carbon sources and electron acceptors
PublikacjaA mathematical model was developed for identification of the most important mechanism leading to nitrous oxide (N2O) accumulation in denitrifying activated sludge systems. The activated sludge model No. 2d (ASM2d) was extended to include intermediate three steps of the denitrification process. The formation and accumulation of nitric oxide (NO) was assumed to be very low in the performed laboratory experiments. These experiments...
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Selected issues related to the toxicity of ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents—a review
PublikacjaGreen Chemistry plays a more and more important role in implementing rules of sustainable development to prevent environmental pollution caused by technological processes, while simultaneously increasing the production yield. Ionic liquids (ILs) and deep eutectic solvents (DESs) constitute a very broad group of substances. Apart from many imperfections, ILs and DESs have been the most promising discoveries in the world of Green...
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Structure and evolution of the 4-helix bundle domain of Zuotin, a J-domain protein co-chaperone of Hsp70
PublikacjaThe J-domain protein Zuotin is a multi-domain eukaryotic Hsp70 co-chaperone. Though it is primarily ribosome-associated, positioned at the exit of the 60S subunit tunnel where it promotes folding of nascent polypeptide chains, Zuotin also has off-ribosome functions. Domains of Zuotin needed for 60S association and interaction with Hsp70 are conserved in eukaryotes. However, whether the 4-helix bundle (4HB) domain is conserved remains...
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Cząsteczki mikroRNA - nowy biologicznie aktywny składnik mleka kobiecego
PublikacjaCząsteczki mikroRNA są krótkimi, niekodującymi oligonukleotydami odpowiadającymi za potranskrypcyjną regulację ekspresji genów. W wyniku ich aktywności kontrolowanych jest wiele procesów komórkowych oraz szlaków sygnalizacyjnych. Od 2010 roku wiadomo, że wchodzą one w skład mleka kobiecego, które obecnie uznaje się za jedno z najbogatszych pokarmowych źródeł mikroRNA. Funkcje tych cząsteczek w organizmie karmionego mlekiem matki...
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Determination of organophosphorus and organonitrogen pesticides in water samples
PublikacjaPesticides are among the most dangerous environmental pollutants because of their stability, mobility and long-term effects on living organisms. Their presence in sources of drinking water, essential to life, is a particular danger. In water, these compounds can undergo transformations, leading to the production of substances of even greater toxicity. Legal regulations are in force, stipulating the highest permissible level of...
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How green are ionic liquids? – A multicriteria decision analysis approach
PublikacjaDue to various desirable physicochemical properties, ionic liquids (ILs) are still gaining in popularity. ILs have been recurrently considered green solvents. However, environmental, health and safety assessments of ILs have raised certain doubts about their benignness, and their greenness status is currently unclear. To clarify the situation on their greenness, we perform a comprehensive assessment of more than 300 commercially...
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Analytics of Surfactants in the Environment: Problems and Challenges
PublikacjaSurfactants (surface active agents = SAAs) are a group of compoundswith specific physicochemical properties (amphiphilicity,solubility in polar and nonpolar liquids, ability to form micelles,adsorption at phase boundaries).1,2 Because of their properties,surface-active compounds are widely applied in industry and thehousehold (e.g., in detergents, personal-care products, paints,pesticides, petroleum products). As their applications...
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Molecular targets for antifungals in amino acid and protein biosynthetic pathways
PublikacjaFungi cause death of over 1.5 million people every year, while cutaneous mycoses are among the most common infections in the world. Mycoses vary greatly in severity, there are long-term skin (ringworm), nail or hair infections (tinea capitis), recurrent like vaginal candidiasis or severe, life-threatening systemic, multiorgan infections. In the last few years, increasing importance is attached to the health and economic problems...
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Variations in host surfaces morphology and biology of ciliate epibionts explaining distribution pattern of epibionts in the invasive signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus (Dana, 1852)
Publikacjaciliates on the signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus in relation to specialized structures of the host’s exoskeleton for the first time. This species is known to maintain a relatively clean carapace, but it is sometimes overgrown by other organisms. Epibionts cover different parts of the signal crayfish body, mainly antennae, antennules, maxillipedes III and pereiopods with inner edges of chelae; however, some parts of the...
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Modeling the Effect of External Carbon Source Addition under Different Electron Acceptor Conditions in Biological Nutrient Removal Activated Sludge Systems
Publikacjahe aim of this study was to expand the International Water Association Activated Sludge Model No. 2d (ASM2d) to predict the aerobic/anoxic behavior of polyphosphate accumulating organisms (PAOs) and “ordinary” heterotrophs in the presence of different external carbon sources and electron acceptors. The following new aspects were considered: (1) a new type of the readily biodegradable substrate, not available for the anaerobic activity...
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Environmental risk assessment of Polish wastewater treatment plant activity
PublikacjaWastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) play an extremely important role in shaping modern society's environmental wellbeing and awareness, however only well operated and supervised systems can be considered as environmentally sustainable. For this reason, an attempt was undertaken to assess the environmental burden posed by WWTPs in major Polish cities by collecting water samples prior to and just after wastewater release points....
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Determination of cyanide ion in urine samples using ion chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection.
PublikacjaCyanides are widely applied in industrial activity, including gold and silver mining and the production of organic chemicals. HCN is also formed directly from fossil fuel combustion sources from gasoline and diesel vehicles. In natural environment, in plants seeds for example an apple seed, it exists as a cyanogenic glycosides. The amount of cyanide ions originating from food products is however rather small. Larger concentrations...
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Real-Time PCR: molecular technique of many applications
PublikacjaReal-Time PCR is a sensitive DNA amplification technique initially applied in genetics and molecular biology. It enables in vivo copying of the selected DNA fragment (flanked by two primers) by the thermostable polymerase (in the presence of magnesium ions and deoxynucleotide triphosphates) and simultaneous measurement of the fluorescence. For one or more specific sequences in a DNA sample, real-time PCR enables both detection...