CHARACTERISTICS OF SLUDGE BOTTOM MESH

The main aim of the study was to assess the selected heavy metals pollution of bottom sediments of small water bodies of different catchment management. Two ponds located in Mostkowo village were chosen for investigation. The first small water reservoir is surrounded by the cereal fields, cultivated without the use of organic and mineral fertilizers (NPK). The second reservoir is located in a park near rural buildings. Sediment samples were collected by the usage of KC Denmark sediments core probe. Samples were taken from 4 layers of sediment, from depth: 0–5, 5–10, 10–20 and 20–30 cm. Sampling was made once during the winter period (2014 year) when ice occurred on the surface of small water bodies, from three points. The material was prepared for further analysis according to procedures used in soil science. The content of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry by usage of ASA ICE 3000 Thermo Scientific after prior digestion in the mixture (5: 1) of concentrated acids (HNO3 and HClO4). Higher pH values ​​were characteristic for sediments of pond located in a park than in pond located within the agricultural fields. In both small water bodies the highest heavy metal concentrations occurred in the deepest points of the research. In the sediments of the pond located within crop fields the highest concentration of cadmium, copper, lead and zinc were observed in a layer of 0–5 cm, wherein the nickel and chromium in a layer of 20–30 cm. In the sediments of the pond, located in the park the highest values ​​occurred at the deepest sampling point in the layer taken form 10–20 cm. Sediments from second reservoir were characterized by the largest average concentrations of heavy metals, except the lead content in sediment form the layer of 10–20 cm. According to the geochemical evaluation of sediments proposed by Bojakowska and Sokołowska [1998], the majority of samples belongs to Ist purity class and occasionally to the IInd

INFLUENCE OF ILLEGAL WASTE DUMPING SITES OF NORTH-WEST PART OF BARLINEK COMMUNITY ON HEAVY METALS CONTENT IN SOILS

The in-depth analysis of the soil samples study included 6 from 17 catalogued illegal waste dumps localized in the Barlinek Commune (Gmina Barlinek) area. The samples were taken from the middle part of each waste dump and at 5 meter distance toward north and south directions. In the collected material the pH values and concentration of lead, zinc, cadmium, cobalt, manganese, nickel, chromium, iron, copper and mercury were determined. The results of laboratory analysis were compared with current standards (Regulation of the Minister of Environment from 9th September 2002 on soil quality standards and quality standards of soil - Journal of Laws 2002 No 165, item 1359) and with the soils classification by the content of trace elements, according to Kabata-Pendias et al. The reason of diversified content of heavy metals in the collected soils samples from different waste dumps is various morphological composition of deposited waste. Nonetheless, waste landfilled on illegal dumps were not significantly influencing the levels of soil contamination with heavy metals. The concentration of Hg, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn, Fe qualifies those soils to geochemical natural levels of heavy metals content. Nevertheless, cadmium was the element, which concentration were most often (21 times) exceeded

MERCURY CONTENT IN BOTTOM SEDIMENTS OF MID-FIELD PONDS

Two mid-field ponds located in the agricultural catchment was chosen for the investigations. Total of 24 samples of bottom sediments were collected. The samples were taken from sediment layers: 0–5 (W1), 5–10 (W2), 10–20 (W3) and 20–30 (W4) cm, with three points at once during the 2014 winter period. Mercury content in the samples was determined by analyzer AMA 254. Higher pH (active acidity) was recorded in sediments in pond located in a rural park than pond located within agricultural crops. Bottom sediment in mid-field pond (No. 1) had higher values of organic carbon averaging 22.70% than in the pond located in a rural park (No. 2), where organic carbon content averaged 4.59%. The mercury content in bottom sediments ranged from 0.02 to 0.41 mg ⋅ kg-1. The examined sediments were classified (at points P1, P2, P3 and P4) as uncontaminated sediments (Class I) and at points S1 and S2 were classified as moderately polluted sediments (Class II). Bottom sediments classified as class I and II can be disposed in the aquatic and terrestrial environments. Mercury concentrations in samples collected from both banks of the pond No. 1 and 2 differ significantly (Tukey test p ≤ 0.05) than those in the samples collected from central part of the ponds. Chemical analysis of the individual layers of bottom sediments in ponds showed that the largest accumulation of mercury occurred in a layer W1 (0–5 cm) in pond No. 2 (at point S2)

Bioaccumulation of Trace Metals in Groenlandia densa Plant Reintroduced in Western Pomerania

The phytoremediation role of aquatic plants in situ is extremely important today when, due to repeated droughts and periodical shrinkage of surface water resources, the load of biogenic and toxic substances in these waters is increasing dramatically. The aim of the study was to assess the bioaccumulation of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn and Zn) by the Groenlandia densa reintroduced in the area of its historical occurrence in the habitat of rivers characterized by Ranunculion fluitantis vegetation. Research material was collected from 3 sites in the Natura 2000 area in Western Pomerania on areas differing in anthropogenic load, from sites on streams in agricultural, urbanized and forested catchments. The study showed varying content of trace metals in Groenlandia densa. Plants and sediments collected from the site with the highest anthropogenic load, located in an urbanized catchment, contained more metals. The tolerance of Groenlandia densa to elevated Mn levels in water/sediment was confirmed

QUALITY OF BOTTOM SEDIMENTS OF MIDFIELD PONDS AND THEIR EVALUATION FOR THE POTENTIAL THREAT OF THE AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT

The study aimed at the evaluation of the quality of bottom sediments and evaluation of potential threat to the aquatic environment. Cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, nickel, lead, zinc and mercury concentration in the separate layers of the sediments in the pond at Żelisławiec decreased with the depth of bottom sediments. On the other hand, the highest concentrations of the studied elements occurred in the deepest layer of sediments in the pond at Stare Czarnowo. The level of the potential ecological risk (PER) for the sediments of the Żelisławiec pond classifies them as sediments with low quality of the potential ecological risk, whereas the sediments from the pond at Stare Czarnowo are classified as moderate level of the potential ecological risk. In both ponds, the highest Igeo values were reported for zinc and lead

Toxic Elements and Mineral Content of Different Tissues of Endemic Edible Snails (Helix vladika and H. secernenda) of Montenegro

The objective of the present study is to determine the differences between the mineral content of various organs of Helix vladika and H. secernenda, the two most abundant edible snail species in Montenegro. The bioaccumulation of 12 examined elements (zinc, manganese, copper, aluminum, cadmium, lead, nickel, iron, chromium, lithium, selenium and mercury) was determined in the hepatopancreas, albumen gland, digestive tract, reproductive system, mantle, foot and shell from three sampling sites (Biogradska Gora, Nikšić and Malesija). The examined populations of H. vladika and H. secernenda showed a significant difference in their lithium and selenium contents. The levels of the most examined metals (Zn, Mn, Cu, Al, Cd, Pb, Se and Hg) varied significantly among organs. The digestive tract and hepatopancreas tend to bioaccumulate selenium and cadmium. The general mean concentration of cadmium in the examined snail tissues exceeded the maximum allowable level at the Biogradska Gora and Malesija sites. Therefore, the use of the Montenegrin edible snails collected from the wilderness for human consumption seems to be limited by their higher bioaccumulation capacity for toxic elements such as cadmium

The Effect of Risk Factors on the Levels of Chemical Elements in the Tibial Plateau of Patients with Osteoarthritis following Knee Surgery

The aim of this study was to evaluate the aforementioned chemical elements in tibial plateau samples obtained during knee arthroplasty. The gender-specific analysis of chemical element levels in the bone samples revealed that there were statistically significant differences in the concentration of Pb and Se/Pb ratio. The contents of elements in the tibial plateau in the patients with osteoarthritis (OA) can be arranged in the following descending order: F− > K > Zn > Fe > Sr > Pb > Mn > Se > Cd > THg. We observed statistical significant effects of environmental factors including smoking, seafood diet, and geographical distribution on the levels of the elements in tibial bone. Significant positive correlation coefficients were found for the relationships K-Cd, Zn-Sr, Zn-F−, THg-Pb, Pb-Cd, Se-Se/Pb, Se-Se/Cd, Se/Pb-Se/Cd, Pb-Cd/Ca, Cd-Cd/Ca, and F−-F−/Ca·1000. Significant negative correlations were found for the relationships THg-Se/Pb, Pb-Se/Pb, Cd-Se/Pb, K-Se/Cd, Pb-Se/Cd, Cd-Se/Cd, THg-Se/THg, Pb-Se/THg, Se-Pb/Cd, Zn-Cd/Ca, and Se/Cd-Cd/Ca. The results reported here may provide a basis for establishing reference values for the tibial plateau in patients with OA who had undergone knee replacement surgery. The concentrations of elements in the bone with OA were determined by age, presence of implants, smoking, fish and seafood diet, and sport activity