Suitability study of using birch and willow trees in phytoremediation of acidic waste settlers

Research addresses the issue of assessing the possibility of using birch and willow trees in phytoremediation of acidic waste settlers. In order to determine the suitability of these trees to bioaccumulate metals it was crucial to first characterized the physico-chemical parameters of the waste. Both waste and leaves samples were analyzed with respect to heavy metals concentration using microwave digestion (conc. HNO3 ) procedure followed by AAS analyzes. Moreover, the mobility of contaminants from waste was studied using aqueous leaching test as well as sequential extraction procedures. Investigated waste is very inhomogeneous and is characterized with diversity of pH values within sampling points (2.9–7.0) as well as with high concentration of SO4 2− anions (1203–1301 mg/dm3 ), Fe (11–19%) and Zn (64–172 mg/kg). Ability to accumulate metals in birch and willow leaves is high. In birch leaves Zn was accumulated up to toxic level of 431 mg/kg, Mn up to 790 mg/kg, Cu up to 9 mg/kg, Pb up to 21 mg/kg. In willow leaves Zn concentration were found to be even higher and reached 679 mg/kg. Concentrations of remaining metals in willow leaves were as follows: Mn up to 173 mg/kg, Cu up to 17 mg/kg and Pb up to 10 mg/kg. Research results confirmed that both birch and willow trees growing on settlers have high tolerance to the adverse living conditions caused by metal stress and low pH of the foundation. These trees can be used for the purpose of phytoremediation of investigated waste settlers

Contamination assessment of Krakow Valleys Landscape Park’s surface and wastewaters

This research consisted of a physico-chemical evaluation of the streams and wastewaters within Krakow Valleys Landscape Park in the Kluczwody, Bolechowicka, Będkowska  and Kobylańska valleys. The following set of parameters were determined in the samples: pH, Eh, conductivity, oxygen content, concentration of metals’ cations and selected anions. The results revealed that the wastewaters discharged as well as the streams that feed into the Rudawa river are  mainly polluted with nitrates. Additionally, the examined wastewaters contained a high concentration of phosphate exceeding class II purity maximum permissible values

An attempt to identify traffic related elements in snow

The main objective of this article is an attempt to use snow as an indicator in the process of assessing and identifying vehicle-derived elements pollution. The aim of the present study is to characterize traffic-related elements in snow collected from three sites: a parking place, a highway and a relatively unpolluted airfield. Several recent studies suggest that road traffic is considered to be one of the major sources of environmental pollution in urban areas. In order to avoid the problem of low emission from household furnaces, samples were collected far away from residential buildings. Snow located near roads with heavy traffic seems to be a very useful tool and indicator of traffic-related elements released into the environment. Snow acts as a natural filter for various chemical elements and particles. Snow is an efficient scavenger of aerosol and air pollutants, usually remains on the ground for sampling after the event; moreover, snowmelt contaminates soil. In the present study filtered (0.45 um) samples of melted snow were analyzed with ICP-MS. The results show significantly higher concentrations of elements in snow collected at the parking lot and at the highway when compared to samples taken from a relatively unpolluted airfield. Research on exploitation dust (break, tire, clutch) was performed with SEM-EDS

Heat shock protein A2 is a novel extracellular vesicle-associated protein

70-kDa Heat Shock Proteins (HSPA/HSP70) are chaperones playing a central role in the proteostasis control mechanisms. Their basal expression can be highly elevated as an adaptive response to environmental and pathophysiological stress conditions. HSPA2, one of poorly characterised chaperones of the HSPA/HSP70 family, has recently emerged as epithelial cells differentiation-related factor. It is also commonly expressed in cancer cells, where its functional significance remains unclear. Previously, we have found that proteotoxic stress provokes a decrease in HSPA2 levels in cancer cells. In the present study we found that proteasome inhibition-related loss of HSPA2 from cancer cells neither is related to a block in the gene transcription nor does it relate to increased autophagy-mediated disposals of the protein. Proteotoxic stress stimulated extracellular release of HSPA2 in extracellular vesicles (EVs). Interestingly, EVs containing HSPA2 are also released by non-stressed cancer and normal cells. In human urinary EVs levels of HSPA2 were correlated with the levels of TSG101, one of the main EVs markers. We conclude that HSPA2 may constitute basic components of EVs. Nevertheless, its specific role in EVs and cell-to-cell communication requires further investigation

A mobile car monitoring system as a supplementary tool for air quality monitoring in urban and rural environments: the case study from Poland

Abstract Living in healthy environment should be regarded as a primary human right and not a privilege rendered to chosen ones. For that reason, a national air monitoring grid should be as extensive as possible. Unfortunately, small towns and villages, which are also exposed to air pollution episodes are not commonly covered by monitoring grid. Fixed air monitoring systems have their limitations, which can be overcome by e.g., properly validated, reliable but cheaper mobile monitoring systems. The aim of this study was to assess the use of a car mobile PM10 monitoring system to study ambient air quality in rural communities surrounding Kraków, not covered by fixed monitoring grid. A monitoring dataset was collected during 6 winter car campaigns conducted between December 2021 and March 2022. Except for providing multiple monitoring data, the main goal pertain to methodological aspect of the mobile system, including its validation, indicating its advantages, limitations as well as providing recommendations for the future mobile studies. Our car mobile monitoring system was useful in identifying a local hot-spots with good spatial and temporal resolution, thus giving the local government decision-making tool for taking appropriate action in places not included in national monitoring grid

The DPSIR model as an instrument to improve air qualit

Decyzje i działania (odpowiedzi) podejmowane na podstawie pełnej i wiarygodnej analizy czynników sprawczych, presji, zmiany parametrów stanu i ich wpływu na środowisko, społeczeństwo oraz gospodarkę mogą z dużym prawdopodobieństwem w długoterminowej perspektywie przynieść pożądane efekty. W artykule opisano model DPSIR (driving forces, pressures, state, impact, responses; odpowiednio: czynniki sprawcze, presje, stan, wpływ, odpowiedzi) służący do szczegółowej analizy interakcji pomiędzy czynnikami antropogenicznymi a środowiskiem. Tworzony model DPSIR będzie skutecznym narzędziem do zarządzania jakością powietrza. W artykule przedstawiono badania prowadzone w Akademii Górniczo-Hutniczej, które zostaną wykorzystane jako jedne z wielu danych wejściowych w powstającym modelu DPSIR. Opracowywany model będzie jednym ze składowych zaawansowanego narzędzia tworzonego na AGH, w ramach Obserwatorium Transformacji Energetycznej (OTE), które umożliwi przygotowanie rekomendacji optymalnych działań dotyczących realizacji polityki energetycznej i poprawy jakości powietrza w Polsce.Decisions and actions taken base on analysis of the driving forces factors, pressures, changes in the parameters of the condition and their impact on the environment, society and economy may help to archive long term effects. This article describes the DPSIR (Driving Forces-Pressures-State-Impact-Responses) model for the analysis of anthropogenic and environmental interactions. The article describes the above-mentioned main components of the model and their meaning, which allows for the determination of air quality in Poland. In addition, selected research conducted at the AGH University of Science and Technology, which is part of the DPSIR model, is presented. The developed model will be one of the components of the advanced tool created by AGH, i.e. the Observatory of Energy Transformation (OTE), which will enable the preparation of recommendations for optimal actions regarding the implementation of energy policy and improvement of air quality in Poland

Badania geochemiczne i frakcjonowanie pierwiastków toksycznych w pyłach drogowych pobranych z głównych arterii komunikacyjnych Krakowa

Road dust should be considered as a secondary source of contamination in the environment, especially when re-suspended. In our study road dust samples were collected from 8 high-capacity urban roads in two districts of Kraków (Krowodrza and Nowa Huta). Total concentration of toxic elements, such as Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Zn, Co, Pb, Ni, Ba and Se were determined using ICP–MS ELAN 6100 Perkin Elmer. A fractionation study were performed using VI step sequential extraction, according to the modified method provided by Salomons and Fӧrstner. Appropriate quality control was ensured by using reagent blanks and analysing certified reference material BCR 723 and SRM 1848a. Concentration of metals in the road dust varied as follows [mg/kg]: Cd 1.02–1.78, Cr 34.4–90.3, Cu 65–224, Mn 232–760, Zn 261–365, Co 4.32–6.46, Pb 85.6–132, Ni 32.2–43.9, Ba 98.9–104 and Se 78.3–132. Degree of contamination of road dust from Nowa Huta was very high (Cdeg 54) and considerable for road dust from Krowodrza (Cdeg 25). Results revealed that road dust samples were heavily contaminated with Cd, Cu, Zn, Mn, Co, Pb, Ni, Ba and Se, in amounts exceeding multiple times geochemical background values. The chemical speciation study using VI step sequential extraction, followed by assessing risk assessment code (RAC) revealed that elements in road dust are mostly bound with mobile and easy bioavailable fractions such as carbonates and exchangeable cations, with the exception for Cr and Cu being mostly associated and fixed with residual and organic matter fraction.Zanieczyszczenia pochodzące z transportu drogowego uważane są za główny czynnik ryzyka środowiskowego odpowiedzialny za przedwczesne zgony na całym świecie. Rosnący udział emisji zanieczyszczeń związanych z komunikacją potwierdza konieczność oceny jakość środowiska drogowego poprzez określenia stopnia zanieczyszczenia pyłu drogowego oraz ocenę zagrożenia związanego z potencjalnym uwalnianiem się pierwiastków toksycznych z pyłów drogowych do środowiska wodno-glebowego. Do badań pobrany został pył drogowy z 8 odcinków dróg miejskich o dużej kongestii w dwóch dzielnicach Krakowa (Krowodrza i Nowa Huta). Stężenie metali ciężkich, takich jak Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Zn, Co, Pb, Ni, Ba i Se oznaczano metodą ICP–MS (ELAN 6100 Perkin Elmer). Frakcjonowanie przeprowadzono z zastosowaniem VI stopniowej ekstrakcji sekwencyjnej. Badania wykazały silnie zanieczyszczony Cd, Cu, Zn, Mn, Co, Pb, Ni, Ba i Se w ilościach przekraczających wielokrotnie wartości poziomów tła geochemicznego. Stężenia metali w pyle drogowym kształtowały się następująco [mg/kg]: Cd 1,02–1,78, Cr 34,4–90,3, Cu 65-224, Mn 232–760, Zn 261–365, Co 4,32–6,46, Pb 85,6–132, Ni 32,2–43,9, Ba 98,9–104 i Se 78,3–132. Stwierdzono bardzo wysoki stopień zanieczyszczenia pyłu drogowego pobranego w Nowej Hucie (Cdeg 54) i wysoki w Krowodrzy (Cdeg 25). Badania form związani metali z zastosowaniem VI stopniowej ekstrakcji sekwencyjnej, a następnie ocena kodu oceny ryzyka (RAC) wykazały, że metale w pyle drogowym są w znacznym stopniu mobile i potencjalnie łatwo mogące się uwalniać do środowiska (metalami występującymi na pozycjach jonowymiennych i/lub węglany), z wyjątkiem Cr i Cu, które w większości związane są z siarczkami, materią organiczną, ewentualnie pozostają wbudowane w sieć krystaliczna minerałó

Council Decisions concerning the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the EU, EAEC and the UK and the EU–UK Agreement concerning security procedures for exchanging and protecting classified information

The authors of the opinion comprehensively discuss the agreement concluded by the European Union, European Atomic Energy Community and the United Kingdom on the terms of trade and cooperation after Brexit and the agreement concluded between the European Union and the United Kingdom concerning security procedures for exchanging and protecting classified information. They present the provisions of individual parts of the agreements, regulating the issues of trade, fisheries, coordination of social systems, customs, visas, law enforcement cooperation and cybersecurity. They assess the impact of the implementation of the agreements. The authors positively assess the wide range of regulations. In their opinion they will reduce the negative effects of Brexit. However they identify some of their shortcomings that need to be removed