A history of interdisciplinary research on Lake Wigry

Lake Wigry is one of the best explored lakes in Poland, a feat which has been achieved thanks to the pas-sion and efforts of numerous scientists. This tremendous endeavour was supervised and coordinated by Professor Jacek Rutkowski and January 2021 marked the fifth anniversary of the professor’s death. To mark this occasion, a history of research on the lake was compiled on the basis of oral accounts and an overview of the works that have been created thanks to his ideas, supervision, and boundless empathy. It is crucial to continue the research, since it will allow for the even better protection of the environment, as well as the natural and landscape attributes of the Wigry region

Investigating the content of microplastics and other extraneous particles in Polish bottled water

Bottled water has enjoyed a global increase in popularity since it is generally perceived to be superior in quality to tap water and necessary when tap water is non-potable. As a result, ensuring that it meets the requisite quality standards is of vital importance. This work aims to examine the content of solid particles, including microplastics, in bottled water available in Polish stores. The second aspect is the preliminary determination of the influence of the water gassing process, together with thermal and light factors, on the content of particles in the water. The number of particles was counted by colour and shape, with the number ranging from 87 to 188 per litre of water; on average, there were 136 ±32 particles per litre of water, demonstrating that water from disposable plastic bottles is contaminated with various substances. The difference in the number of particles may be due to the origin of the waters, the processes they were subjected to prior to bottling, the properties of the bottles as packaging, and the conditions and length of storage and transport. Additional Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis confirmed that about 75% of the particles were polymers, and 50% of them were plastics. Particularly alarming is the fact that the bottled waters mostly contained microplastic particles (MP) of smaller sizes, the kind which is recognized as being the most dangerous to human health. In the study, most particles were in the form of irregular shapes, which may indicate that they come from the destruction of waste or plastic products. This is also indicated by the domination of colourless particles. More particles were found in waters exposed to high and low temperatures than in waters stored at room temperature, potentially indicating that storage conditions for drinking water are important. Taking into account the results obtained, increasing attention should be paid to the health risks posed by such microplastics and there is a clear need to introduce legal regulations on the matter. The lack of any legal guidelines or unified standards in the field of MP research means that the results are not always representative, and it also makes it difficult to compare the results from different studies

Contrasting sediment and water chemistry indicates the extent of the hyporheic zone in a polluted river system

The concentrations of zinc and cadmium were determined in the sediment cores sampled from the floodplain and the channel in the middle reach of the Biała Przemsza River valley (southern Poland). The results were compared to the river water and groundwater chemistry in order to reveal the average extent of the hyporheic flow. The loss of river waters through the river bed due to the natural migration modified by the drainage of the lead-zinc ore mine caused the strong pollution of the river bed sediments with heavy metals to the depth of almost three meters below the water table in the river. Moreover, the similar groundwater and river water chemistry at that depth suggests that the vertical extent of the hyporheic zone, which exceeds a depth of several meters below the channel, can be affected by the drainage of river waters by the lead-zinc mine. The lateral extent of the hyporheic flow, indicated by changes in groundwater chemistry and elevated heavy metal concentrations in the sediments, was of the order of dozen of meters. The investigation documents the large impact of the secondary in situ enrichment of sediments with heavy metals in the hyporheic zone

Urban soil contamination with lead and cadmium in the playgrounds located near busy streets in Cracow (South Poland)

Pollution of urban soils with heavy metal caused by traffic activities is increasingly becoming a great threat to human health and environmental quality. This paper presents the results of research of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) distribution in soils located on playgrounds situated near busy streets in Cracow (Poland). Samples of sand and soil were taken from the top layers (0-10 cm) of ground. Concentrations of examined metals are within the ranges: Pb from 6.80 to 54.04 mg/kg and Cd from 1.60 to 2.61 mg/kg. The highest concentrations were found in the points near the most traffic roads, but this phenomenon is much more visible in the case of lead than cadmium and for places where there is soil on the surface. For sand samples metals amounts are much lower. Although the results have not indicated a high degree of soil’s contamination, they point to the problem of the children's exposure to toxic metals. Urban soil should be monitored particularly in such special places as playgrounds

Comparative analysis of Helix pomatia L. shells found in soils with varying degrees of contamination (southern Poland)

Soil samples and snails - Helix pomatia (Linnaeus, 1758) specimens were collected from the region of Lesser Poland. Research based on soil from this area showed a differentiated degree of environmental contamination, which influenced the composition of elements that build mollusc shells. Concentrations of Pb, Mn, Cd, Fe, Zn and Cu in the snail shells and soil varied between localities. The highest of these concentrations were found in the soil in the city of Cracow. They were higher than those measured in the regions outside the city, 7 times in the case of Cd, and up to 123 times higher for Cu. Positive association between soil pollution and shell contamination can be observed (rs≈0.9). A high concentration of metals in the environment and their bioavailability causes long-term accumulation of these elements in Helix pomatia shells

The occurrence of microplastics in freshwater systems – preliminary results from Krakow (Poland)

The results of research conducted in recent years indicates that microplastic particles are widely distributed in the aquatic environment. The investigations are mostly focused on marine waters and there is still a lack of information about their presence in both surface water and groundwater. In this paper, preliminary results of research conducted in Poland are presented. Different types of water samples were collected. Five litres of each sample were filtered through 0.4 μm glass fibre filters. In the first stage, visual identification was conducted using a stereomicroscope. Additionally, some interesting fragments were examined by means of SEM/EDS method. In the case of rivers water samples, which were characterized by a high content of organic matter and minerals, the visibility of microplastics could be reduced. In the sample from the Vistula River, some particles similar to microplastics were found. In the groundwater samples, some blue and green particles which supposed to be plastic were found by the stereomicroscope. Additional analysis with the DXR Raman Microscope method gave no clear results. The samples were too small and the plastic particles were very dispersed which prevented correct analysis. SEM analysis showed irregularly shaped particles which were considered to be microplastics. Considering the chemical composition, carbon predominated

Hazardous elements and amorphous nanoparticles in historical estuary coal mining area

In Brazil, intense coal exploitation activities have led to environmental deterioration, including soil mortification, water contamination, loss of ecosystem, and atmospheric contamination. In addition, considerable quantities of sulfur-rich residues are left behind in the mining area; these residues pose grave environmental issues as they undergo sulfide oxidation reactions. When sulfur oxides come in contact with water, extreme acid leachate is produced with great proportions of sulfate, and hazardous elements (HEs), which are identified as coal drainage (CMD). CMD is an environmental pollution challenge, particularly in countries with historic or active coal mines. To prevent CMD formation or its migration, the source must be controlled; however, this may not be feasible at many locations. In such scenarios, the mine water should be collected, treated, and discharged. In this study, data from 2005 to 2010 was gathered on the geochemistry of 11 CMD discharges from ten different mines. There are several concerns and questions on the formation of nanominerals in mine acid drainage and on their reactions and interfaces. The detailed mineralogical and geochemical data presented in this paper were derived from previous studies on the coal mine areas in Brazil. Oxyhydroxides, sulfates, and nanoparticles in these areas possibly go through structural transformations depending on their size and formation conditions. The geochemistry of Fe-precipitates (such as jarosite, goethite, and hematite) existent in the CMD-generating coal areas and those that could be considered as a potential source of hazardous elements (HEs) (e.g., Cr) were also studied because these precipitates are relatively stable in extremely low pH conditions. To simplify and improve poorly ordered iron, strontium, and aluminum phase characterization, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), micro-Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) and sequential extraction (SE) studies were executed on a set CMD samples from the Brazilian mines. This study aimed to investigate the role of both nanomineral and amorphous phase distribution throughout the reactive coal cleaning rejects profile and HEs removal from the water mine to provide holistic insights on the ecological risks posed by HEs, nanominerals, amorphous phases, and to assess sediments in complex environments such as estuaries

Sediment geochemistry of streams draining abandoned lead / zinc mines in central Wales: the Afon Twymyn

Purpose Despite the decline of metal mining in the UK during the early 20th century, a substantial legacy of heavy metal contamination persists in river channel and floodplain sediments. Poor sediment quality is likely to impede the achievement of ’good’ chemical and ecological status for surface waters under the European Union Water Framework Directive. This paper examines the environmental legacy of the Dylife lead/zinc mine in the central Wales mining district. Leachable heavy metal concentrations in the bed sediments of the Afon Twymyn are established and the geochemical partitioning, potential mobility and bioavailability of sediment-associated heavy metals are established. Materials and methods Sediment samples were collected from the river bed and dry-sieved into two size fractions (<63 μm and 64–2,000 μm). The fractionated samples were then subjected to a sequential extraction procedure to isolate heavy metals (Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd, Fe, Mn) in three different geochemical phases. Sediment samples were then analysed for heavy metals using ICP-AES. Results and discussion The bed sediment of the Afon Twymyn is grossly polluted with heavy metals. Within the vicinity of the former mine, Pb concentrations are up to 100 times greater than levels reported to have deleterious impacts on aquatic ecology. Most heavy metals exist in the most mobile easily exchangeable and carbonate-bound geochemical phases, potentially posing serious threats to ecological integrity and constituting a significant, secondary, diffuse source of pollution. Metal concentrations decrease sharply downstream of the former mine, although there is a gradual increase in the proportion of readily extractable Zn and Cd. Conclusions Implementation of sediment quality guidelines is important in order to achieve the aims of the Water Framework Directive. Assessments of sediment quality should include measurements of background metal concentrations, river water physico-chemistry and, most importantly, metal mobility and potential bioavailability. Uniformity of sediment guidelines throughout Europe and flexibility of targets with regard to the most heavily contaminated mine sites are recommended