Factors affecting the shallow groundwater quality in the Wiśnickie Foothills

Celem opracowania było zbadanie chemizmu wód podziemnych w zlewni Starej Rzeki zlokalizowanej na progu Karpat na Pogórzu Wiśnickim a także określenie czynników go warunkujących. Pobrano 19 próbek wody ze studni a następnie zmierzono ich pH i przewodnictwo elektrolityczne właściwe. Skład chemiczny próbek w zakresie 14 jonów oznaczono metodą chromatografii jonowej. Analiza składowych głównych (PCA) pozwoliła na wyodrębnienie czynników kształtujących jakość wód podziemnych. Decydującymi czynnikami okazały się budowa geologiczna i antropopresja. W badaniach wykorzystano również analizę skupień, która pozwoliła na zgrupowanie badanych wód pod względem ich wzajemnego podobieństwa. Dokonano także analizy składu chemicznego wód pod kątem ich przydatności do spożycia przez ludzi.The aim of this study was to investigate the chemical composition of groundwater and the factors affecting it in the Stara Rzeka catchment located in the marginal zone of the Carpathian Mountains in the Wiśnickie Foothills. Nineteen samples of water were collected from wells and their pH and electrolytic conductivity were measured. The chemical composition of the samples, including 14 ions was determined by ion chromatography. Principal component analysis (PCA) allowed to isolate the factors affecting the quality of groundwater. Geological structure and anthropogenic pressure proved to be the determining factors. The cluster analysis was also used in this study and it allowed to group the analyzed waters in terms of their mutual similarity. Additionally, the chemical composition of water samples was determined with regard to their suitability for human consumption

Reaction (pH) of the peat at the upper horizon of Wołosate peat bog and its surroundings (Bieszczady National Park)

The paper presents the outline of a field research on the Wołosate peat bog, in the Bieszczady National Park (Western Bieszczady Mountains). Renaturalization procedures, conducted in this area, resulted in the accumulation of water and formation of minor water reservoirs in the northern and north-eastern part of the peat bog. Measurements and analyses are aimed at the determination of pH of Wołosate peat bog in order to focus attention on their potential eutrophication

Factors and mechanisms affecting seasonal changes in the prevalence of microbiological indicators of water quality and nutrient concentrations in waters of the Białka river catchment, Southern Poland

This 3-year study was aimed to understand the factors and mechanisms that cause the temporal changes in the concentration of microbiological indicators of water quality and nutrient concentration in selected sites of the Białka river catchment (southern Poland) situated in direct vicinity of the largest ski station in the region. The analysis comprised 35 sampling campaigns conducted in five sites. Water temperature, pH, and electrical conductivity were measured during sampling, laboratory analyses included determination of the selected nutrients content (NH4, NO3, NO2, PO4); and the number of mesophilic and psychrophilic bacteria, coliforms, fecal coliforms, and Escherichia coli. Based on the cluster analysis, the collected samples were grouped into three to four groups, depending on the most characteristic features. Seasonal variation was evident, showing the predominance of either anthropogenic or natural-environment factors, depending on the considered season. On the other hand, principal component analysis revealed clear effect of various forms of land use in different sites

The effect of a Sewage Treatment Plant modernization on changes in the microbiological and physicochemical quality of water in the receiver

Due to insufficient operation efficiency, the studied treatment plant has undergone modernization. The aim of this study was to assess whether this modernization improved quality of the STP effluent and water quality in the receiver. The research period of fifty months covered time before and after the modernization. Samples were collected in four sites – upstream and downstream of the STP and by the sewage discharge. Electrolytic conductivity, water temperature and pH were measured onsite. Chemical analyzes were based on ion chromatography and determined the concentration of NH4+, NO3-, NO2-, PO43-, TDS. Microbiological analysis comprised serial dilutions to assess the number of mesophilic and psychrophilic bacteria and membrane filtration to enumerate E. faecalis, total and fecal coliforms as well as total and fecal E. coli. Values of most analyzed parameters did not improve after the modernization, or improved for a very short period of time (NH4+), while some of them even increased, such as PO43-, total and thermotolerant coliforms and E. coli. The maximum value of thermotolerant E. coli reached nearly 7 million CFU/100 ml and was observed after modernization. Also at the sites situated downstream of the STP some of analyzed parameters increased. The conducted modernization did not improve the quality of treated sewage and even a further deterioration was observed. It could have been a result of rapidly growing number of tourists visiting the studied area, thus generating large amounts of sewage causing STP overload coupled with poor water and wastewater management. Significant percentage of unregistered tourists hinders proper assessment of the STP target efficiency.Z powodu niewystarczającej efektywności, badana oczyszczalnia ścieków została poddana modernizacji, a celem badań była ocena czy modernizacja ta poprawiła jakość ścieków wypływających z oczyszczalni i jakość wody w odbiorniku. Okres badań (50 miesięcy) objął czas przed i po modernizacji. Próbki pobrano w czterech punktach – przed i za oczyszczalnią oraz przy zrzucie ścieków. Przewodnictwo elektrolityczne, temperaturę i pH wody mierzono na miejscu. Analizy chemiczne oparto na chromatografii jonowej i oznaczono stężenia NH4+, NO3-, NO2-, PO43-, TDS. Analizy mikrobiologiczne obejmowały oznaczenie liczby bakterii mezofilnych i psychrofilnych techniką seryjnych rozcieńczeń oraz filtrację membranową w celu oznaczenia liczebności E. faecalis, bakterii grupy coli i E. coli całkowitych i kałowych. Wartości większości badanych parametrów nie uległy poprawie po modernizacji lub poprawiły się na bardzo krótki okres (NH4+), natomiast wartości niektórych wzrosły, np. PO43-, bakterii grupy coli i E. coli. Maksymalną liczebność termotolerancyjnych E. coli – niemal 7 milionów jtk/100 ml – stwierdzono w okresie po modernizacji. Również w punktach położonych za oczyszczalnią nastąpił wzrost niektórych analizowanych parametrów. Przeprowadzona modernizacja nie poprawiła jakości mikrobiologicznej oczyszczanych ścieków, a nawet stwierdzono dalsze jej pogorszenie. Może być to wynikiem gwałtownie rosnącej liczby turystów odwiedzających badany region, generujących ogromne ilości ścieków powodujących przeciążenie oczyszczalni, a także może być spowodowane słabą gospodarką wodno-ściekową. Znaczny odsetek turystów, których pobyt nie jest rejestrowany, utrudnia właściwe zaprojektowanie docelowej skuteczności oczyszczalni ścieków

Changes in the chemical properties of peat soils as a result of drainage on the example of Tarnawa Wyżna (Western Bieszczady Mts.)

The paper presents the outline of the research on the chemical properties of soil organic matter accumulated in organic soils within selected bogs in the valley of the Upper San river (Western Bieszczady Mts.). Groundwater chemistry of characterized peat bogs and soil transformations due to melioration works were taken into account. The results show that major changes in the sorption complex of peat as well as composition and chemistry of groundwater occur in soils affected by moorsh forming process and decession

Diurnal variation in the selected indicators of water contamination in the Białka river affected by a sewage treatment plant discharge

This study was aimed to assess the diurnal variability in the number of microbial indicators of water quality and the content of the selected main ions at 3 sites located on Białka river, Podhale. The examined sites included the stream being a receiver of sewage from the treatment plant, before the treatment plant and few kilometers downstream of the sewage discharge - at the water intake for artificial snowing of the largest ski station in the region. Twelve series of samples were collected over 36 hours period. Temperature, pH, electrical conductivity and dissolved oxygen were measured onsite, microbiological analyses included the numbers of mesophilic bacteria, fecal Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis, chemical analyses determined the concentration of main ions. E. faecalis was not detected in this study, while the concentration of mesophilic bacteria and E. coli varied largely between sites and hours of sampling. The smallest content of microorganisms was observed before the treatment plant and significantly increased at the sewage discharge. It was found that the cycle of the sewage treatment plant operation affects microbial contamination of water both in the stream which receives effluent from the treatment plant and in the downstream part of the river

Linking snow, soil, and stream during snowmelt and rain-on-snow events : storage and transport of NO3−NO_{3}^{-} ions in an acid-sensitive alpine catchment (Tatra Mountains, Poland)

The purpose of the study was to examine the storage and transport of $NO_{3}^{-}$ ions through snowpack, soils, and stream water in an acid-sensitive alpine catchment (Tatra Mountains, Poland) during snowmelt and rain-on-snow events. Samples of snowpack layers, near-surface soil horizons, and stream water were collected in the winter and snowmelt seasons of 2019. A laboratory experiment was conducted to determine the effect of temperature on the rate of soil nitrogen mineralization and nitrification. Our study has shown that snowpack is an important source of $NO_{3}^{-}$ ions in the catchment. As the snow melts, the release of $NO_{3}^{-}$ ions from snowpack occurs. A gradual and slow melting of snow starts even before the first snowmelt-induced increase in stream discharge. $NO_{3}^{-}$ ions eluted from available snowpack are temporarily stored in soil, which is shown by a large increase in the concentration of water-soluble $NO_{3}^{-}$ in the soil at that time. $NO_{3}^{-}$ ions are washed out of soils and supplied to streams during the first snowmelt event. This is demonstrated by a large increase in the stream water $NO_{3}^{-}$ concentration, termed an "$NO_{3}^{-}$ pulse." The $NO_{3}^{-}$ ion is a key acid anion responsible for the acidification of the studied stream during snowmelt season, as the $NO_{3}^{-}$ pulse coincides with a decrease in bicarbonate alkalinity. Our field research and laboratory experiment have shown a minor role of mineralization and nitrification in $NO_{3}^{-}$ production in soils in the winter and $NO_{3}^{-}$ pulse formation in stream water during the early stages of the snowmelt season