Kierunki zmian składu chemicznego opadów atmosferycznych w Wielkopolskim Parku Narodowym

The results are presented of chemical studies on precipitation based on multi-year observations (1992-2007) carried out in the Wielkopolski National Park (WNP). They are compared with the monitoring data obtained by stations grouped in the European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (EMEP) network. It was found that over the study period the pH of precipitation tended to grow systematically, thus contributing to a decrease of the annual deposition of (H+) ions. The trend lines of changes in the deposition of hydrogen ions have similar slope coefficients, which indicates similar rate of changes. The year with the lowest pH was 1994, in which the mean annual pH was 3.92. In turn, the acidification level was the lowest in 2006 with pH - 4.80. The deposition of hydrogen ions at all stations often exceeded 20 mg·m-² ·year-¹, and at the WNP station it even reached 70 mg·m-² in 1994. The deposition of acid-forming ions was also analysed. Predominant among them were sulphate ions, but their deposition showed a declining tendency with time. Their maximum values were recorded in precipitation in the WNP - 707 mg S-SO4 ·m-² (2002) and 260 mg N-NO3·m-² (2007). It was found that the NO3/SO4 eq/eq ratio tended to increase, which is indicative of changes in the composition structure of precipitation. This effect resulted from the decrease in SO2 emission in the Wielkopolska region and from the increase in NOx emission caused by car traffic in the Park and along its border. Calcium dominated among the deposited alkaline cations - its share exceeded 50%. The figures recorded for potassium and calcium deposition by lowland EMEP stations were several times lower than those obtained in the WNP and lower than the mean for Poland. Over the last years one can note a stabilisation in the amount of deposited cations.Przedstawiono wyniki badań chemicznych opadów atmosferycznych, opartych na wieloletnich obserwacjach (1992-2007), prowadzonych w Wielkopolskim Parku Narodowym (WPN) i porównano z rezultatami badań monitoringowych stacji, będących w europejskiej sieci EMEP. Stwierdzono, że w tym czasie pH opadów ulegało systematycznemu podwyższeniu powodując obniżenie rocznej depozycji jonów [H+]. Linie trendu zmian depozycji jonów wodorowych charakteryzująsię zbliżonym współczynnikiem nachylenia, co wskazuje na podobne tempo zmian. Rokiem o najniższym pH był 1994 r., w którym średnie roczne pH osiągnęło wartość 3,92. Natomiast rokiem o najmniejszym zakwaszeniu okazał się 2006 r. - pH 4,80. Depozycja jonów wodorowych we wszystkich stacjach monitoringu EMEP w Polsce często przekraczała wartość 20 mg·m-² ·rok-1, a w WPN osiągnęła w 1994 r. wartość 70 mg·m-². Przeanalizowano depozycję jonów kwasotwórczych. Wśród nich dominowała depozycja jonów siarczanowych, wykazując wartości malejące w kolejnych latach. Wartości maksymalne wyniosły - 707 mg S·m-² (2002) i 260 mg N-NO3·m-² (2007). Stwierdzono wzrastający współczynnik NO3/SO4 eq/eq, wskazujący na zmiany w strukturze składu anionów. Wśród deponowanych kationów alkalicznych najwyższe wartości przyjmuje wapń stanowiąc ponad 50%. Stacje nizinne EMEP charakteryzują się wartościami depozycji potasu i wapnia kilkukrotnie niższymi niż uzyskane w WPN oraz niższymi niż średnie dla Polski. W ostatnich latach obserwuje się stabilizację ilości deponowanych kationów

Mobilization of aluminium under acid precipitation (a laboratory experiment) in the typical soils of the Wielkopolski National Park

A laboratory simulation of acid rain was performed in which soil monoliths from the Wielkopolski National Park area were sprinkled with water solutions of sulphuric acid of pH 3.0 or 2.0, and for reference with distilled water of pH 5.6. The form and amount of the washed out aluminium as well as changes in the chemical properties of the soil studied were determined. The process of aluminium release proved particularly dangerous for acidic or slightly acidic soils which cover a large part of the National Park area

Physico-Chemical Parameters Determining the Variability of Actually and Potentially Available Fractions of Heavy Metals in Fluvial Sediments of the Middle Odra River

The occurrence of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) has been determined in the fluvial sediment samples collected along three transects in the Middle Odra River (western Poland) with a width of 360 m. The total concentrations of the metals were obtained after HNO3 microwave digestion and the available fractions of heavy metals were determined by single extraction procedures using two extractants: 0.01M CaCl2 and 0.05M EDTA. The measurement of physico-chemical parameters was also performed. The determination of total and available fractions of heavy metals, except potential available fractions of Cr, revealed high concentrations of studied elements detected in the sediment samples characterized by high content of coarse and very coarse-grained sand fraction and high content of organic matter. It was found that the concentrations of total and available fractions of metals could increase along with the content of organic matter, Eh values and concentrations of H+. Apart from the above, those concentrations become the lowest, the higher the content of medium grain size fractions is. Furthermore, the amounts of CaCl2 and EDTA extractable metals increase in the sediments samples characterized by the lowest total and available concentrations of heavy metals

Preliminary study of heavy metal pollution in the floodplain sediments of the Lubusz Oder Gap

Floodplains are places of accumulation and secondary release of metals. The polluted water sediments which are stable during normal river flows can erode in the times of floodings and high water stages. In such periods, the pollution of the bad sediments, river waters and the floodplains increases. In environmental research, determining the total metal content does not provide information about their mobility or availability. The toxic effects depend on their chemical form. In this paper, single extraction procedures have been used to determine the forms of easily available metals. Three types of extractants have been used: neutral salt solution (0.01M calcium chloride), mineral acid solution (0.1M chydrochloric acid) and complexing reagents (0.02M ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and 0.005M deiethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA)), to determine the extraction effectiveness. The study presents the results of preliminary research of pollution with selected metals (cadmium, chrome, copper, nickel, lead, zinc, iron and manganese) of the Middle Odra Valley. Higher total concentraions of metals were found in the areas currently flooded by the Oder River