Temporal and spatiotemporal autocorrelation of daily concentrations of Alnus, Betula, and Corylus pollen in Poland

The aim of the study was to determine the characteristics of temporal and space–time autocorrelation of pollen counts of Alnus, Betula, and Corylus in the air of eight cities in Poland. Daily average pollen concentrations were monitored over 8 years (2001–2005 and 2009–2011) using Hirst-designed volumetric spore traps. The spatial and temporal coherence of data was investigated using the autocorrelation and cross-correlation functions. The calculation and mathematical modelling of 61 correlograms were performed for up to 25 days back. The study revealed an association between temporal variations in Alnus, Betula, and Corylus pollen counts in Poland and three main groups of factors such as: (1) air mass exchange after the passage of a single weather front (30–40 % of pollen count variation); (2) long-lasting factors (50–60 %); and (3) random factors, including diurnal variations and measurements errors (10 %). These results can help to improve the quality of forecasting models

Alkali metal derivatives of an ortho-phenylene diamine

Treatment of the ortho-phenylene diamine C6H4-1,2-{N(H)Tripp}2 (1, PDAH2, Tripp = 2,4,6-triisopropylphenyl) with two equivalents of MR (M = Li, R = Bun; M = Na or K, R = CH2C6H5) afforded the dimetallated alkali metal ortho-phenylene diamide dianion complexes [(PDALi2)(THF)3] (2), [{(PDANa2)(THF)2}2] (3), and [{(PDAK2)(THF)3}2] (4). In contrast, treatment of 2 with two equivalents of rubidium or cesium 2-ethylhexoxide, or treatment of 1 with two equivalents of MR (M = Rb or Cs, R = CH2C6H5) did not afford the anticipated dialkali metal ortho-phenylene diamide dianion derivatives and instead formally afforded the monometallic ortho-diiminosemiquinonate radical anion species [PDAM] (M = Rb, 5; M = Cs, 6). The structure of 2 is monomeric with one lithium coordinated to the two nitrogen centres and the other lithium η4-coordinated to the diazabutadiene portion of the PDA scaffold. Similar structural cores are observed for 3 and 4, except that the larger sodium and potassium ions give dimeric structures linked by multi-hapto interactions from the PDA backbone phenyl ring to an alkali metal centre. Complex 5 was not characterised in the solid state, but the structure of 6 reveals coordination of cesium ions to both PDA amide centres and multi-hapto interactions to a PDA backbone phenyl ring in the next unit to generate a one-dimensional polymer. Complexes 2–6 have been variously characterised by X-ray crystallography, multi-nuclear NMR, FTIR, and EPR spectroscopies, and CHN microanalyses

Extension of WRF-Chem for birch pollen modelling – a case study for Poland.

In recent years, allergies due to airborne pollen have shown an increasing trend, along with the severity of allergic symptoms in most industrialised countries, while synergism with other common atmospheric pollutants has also been identified as affecting the overall quality of citizenly’ life. In this study we propose the state-of-the-art WRF-Chem model, which is a complex Eulerian meteorological model integrated on-line with atmospheric chemistry. We used a combination of the WRF-Chem extended towards birch pollen, and the emission module based on heating degree days, which has not been tested before. The simulations were run for the moderate season in terms of birch pollen concentrations (year 2015) and high season (year 2016) over Central Europe, which were validated against 11 observational stations located in Poland. The results show that there is a big difference in the model’s performance for the two modelled years. In general, the model overestimates birch pollen concentrations for the moderate season and highly underestimates birch pollen concentrations for the year 2016. The model was able to predict birch pollen concentrations for first allergy symptoms (above 20 pollen m-3) as well as for severe symptoms (above 90 pollen m-3) with Probability of Detection at 0.78 and 0.68 and Success Ratio at 0.75 and 0.57, respectively for the year 2015. However, the model failed to reproduce these parameters for the year 2016. The results indicate the potential role of correcting the total seasonal pollen emission in improving the model’s performance, especially for specific years in terms of pollen productivity. The application of chemical transport models such as WRF-Chem for pollen modelling provides a great opportunity for simultaneous simulations of chemical air pollution and allergic pollen with one goal, which is a step forward for studying and understanding the co-exposure of these particles in the air

Kompleksowa ocena oddziaływania na środowisko procesu przygotowania paliw bioetanolowych pierwszej i drugiej generacji

The paper provides some information regarding comprehensive evaluation of the environmental hazard caused by the operation of automotive vehicles with internal combustion (IC) engines powered by bioethanol fuel. It presents the assumptions made for the life cycle assessment (LCA) of the environmental impact of fuel, carried out according to the Well-to-Wheel (WtW) method, where the fuel preparation stage, including the acquisition of raw materials as well as the production, transport, and distribution processes, and the vehicle operation stage are taken into account. The technologies and raw materials used to make bioethanol of the first and second generation have been presented and compared with each other. Results of research on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and non-renewable energy input in the process of preparation of bioethanol fuels of the first and second generation have been analysed. Nine versions of the production process, differing from each other in the process methods used and the types of the biomass processed, have been examined.W pracy przedstawiono informacje na temat kompleksowej oceny zagrożenia środowiska przez eksploatację pojazdów samochodowych z silnikami spalinowymi zasilanymi paliwem bioetanolowym. Przedstawiono założenia analizy ekologicznej cyklu istnienia paliwa według metody Well-to-Wheel, uwzględniającej etap przygotowania paliwa, składający się z pozyskiwania surowców, wytwarzania, transportu i dystrybucji, oraz etap użytkowania pojazdów. Zaprezentowano i porównano technologie oraz surowce stosowane w wytwarzaniu bioetanolu pierwszej i drugiej generacji. Przeanalizowano wyniki badań emisji gazów cieplarnianych oraz zużycia energii ze źródeł nieodnawialnych w procesie przygotowania paliw bioetanolowych pierwszej i drugiej generacji. Rozważono dziewięć wariantów przebiegu procesu wytwarzania, różniących się zastosowaną technologią i rodzajem przetwarzanej biomasy

The forecast of the pollutant emission from automotive internal combustion engines in Poland by 2030

Prognozowanie emisji zanieczyszczeń z silników spalinowych pojazdów samochodowych przeprowadza się dla skumulowanych kategorii pojazdów. Prognozowanie to musi uwzględniać zmiany: liczności i intensywności użytkowania pojazdów (średnich przebiegów rocznych), charakteru (ruch w miastach, poza miastami oraz na autostradach i drogach ekspresowych) i modelu ruchu (prędkości średniej) oraz poziomu ekologicznego silników spalinowych ze względu na emisję zanieczyszczeń. W pracy przedstawiono prognozę tych wielkości dla motoryzacji w Polsce do 2030 r. Na podstawie przyjętych danych wyznaczono emisję roczną najważniejszych zanieczyszczeń. Stwierdzono – mimo zwiększania się intensywności użytkowania samochodów – prognozowane zmniejszenie się emisji zanieczyszczeń, szczególnie tlenków azotu i cząstek stałych.The forecasting of the pollutant emission from automotive internal combustion engines carried out for the cumulative vehicle category. The forecasting must take account of the changes: multiplicity and intensity of the use of vehicles (average annual passes), traffic character (cities, rural, and motorways and express roads) and traffic model (average speed) and the level of ecological combustion engines due to the pollutant emission. The study presents the forecast of the size of the automotive industry in Poland until 2030. On the basis of accepted data set annual emission of major pollutants. It has been found – despite the increase in the intensity of the use of a car – projected reduction in pollutant emission, especially nitrogen oxides and particulate matter