39 research outputs found
Novel methods and solutions in hydrology and water management : National Conference (Sosnowiec and Szczyrk, Poland, 25th-27th May, 2015)
On 25th–27th May 2015 the Poland-wide conference on “Novel methods and solutions in hydrology and water management” was held in Sosnowiec and Szczyrk. It was organised under the honorary patronage of the Dean of the Faculty of Earth Sciences, Prof. dr hab. Adam Idziak. The conference was organised to commemorate a distinguished geographer and hydrologist – Professor Andrzej T. Jankowski. The organisers of the Conference included the University of Silesia – Faculty of Earth Sciences, the Centre for Polar Studies, the Polish Geographical Society – Katowice Branch, the Hydrological Commission of the Polish Geographical Society and the Association of Polish Hydrologists..
Occurrence of Surface Active Agents in the Environment
Due to the specific structure of surfactants molecules they are applied in different areas of human activity (industry, household). After using and discharging from wastewater treatment plants as effluent stream, surface active agents (SAAs) are emitted to various elements of the environment (atmosphere, waters, and solid phases), where they can undergo numerous physic-chemical processes (e.g., sorption, degradation) and freely migrate. Additionally, SAAs present in the environment can be accumulated in living organisms (bioaccumulation), what can have a negative effect on biotic elements of ecosystems (e.g., toxicity, disturbance of endocrine equilibrium). They also cause increaseing solubility of organic pollutants in aqueous phase, their migration, and accumulation in different environmental compartments. Moreover, surfactants found in aerosols can affect formation and development of clouds, which is associated with cooling effect in the atmosphere and climate changes. The environmental fate of SAAs is still unknown and recognition of this problem will contribute to protection of living organisms as well as preservation of quality and balance of various ecosystems. This work contains basic information about surfactants and overview of pollution of different ecosystems caused by them (their classification and properties, areas of use, their presence, and behavior in the environment)
Processes and the Resulting Water Quality in the Medium-Size Turawa Storage Reservoir after 60-Year Usage
The characteristics of water in the Turawa reservoir, one of the important storage reservoirs in Poland, were thoroughly studied. The reservoir and also the rivers flowing into the reservoir were monitored in the period 2004–2006 with respect to the basic physico-chemical parameters determining the quality of water such as water temperature, specific conductance, pH, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) and chemical oxygen demand (CODMn), water hardness, content of typical ions (sodium, potassium, sulphates, phosphates and chlorides), heavy metals, and so on. The observed seasonal and long-term changes of the parameters measured were discussed and the processes responsible for the changes suggested. The causes of the observed deterioration of the ecological status of the Turawa reservoir were given and the remedial operations proposed. The latter included improvement in the management of solid wastes and wastewater in the area, reducing the runoff of nutrients in the catchment, decrease in discharge of pollutants into the rivers flowing into the reservoir, removal of bottom sediments and also increasing the average water table and decreasing its fluctuations. The effect of the remedial operations will be further studied
Obecność związków powierzchniowo czynnych w rzece Kłodnicy (Katowice; Polska) Część II. Czwartorzędowe związki amoniowe
The paper presents methods of determination of analytes of the cation group (alkyl benzyl dimethyl
ammonium (BDDA-C12-C16), alkyl trimethyl ammonium (TMA), hexadecyl piridinium (HP)) in surface water
and bottom sediment samples. In the sample preparation phase the solid phase extraction (SPE) or accelerated
solvent extraction/ultrasound assisted extraction (ASE/UAE)-SPE technique was used and in the identification
phase and quantitative determination of analytes phase - ion chromatography technique (combined with
a conductivity detector (CD)). The determined concentrations were in the range below the determined method
detection limit (MDL) or method quantification limit (MQL) figures up to 0.142 ±0.023 mg/dm3 or
2014 ±10 μg/kg (liquid and solid samples, respectively). Comparing concentrations of individual analytes found in
liquid and solid environmental samples we may notice that surfactants containing a shorter alkyl chain in their
molecules were found in higher concentrations in liquid samples (hydrophobicity increasing with the chain
length)
Mathematical modelling as a tool for the assessment of impact of thermodynamics on the algal growth in dam reservoirs – case study of the Goczalkowice Reservoir
Depending on climate conditions, bathymetry, basin morphology, management practices and other factors, some
reservoirs are more or less prone to stratification, which can strongly affect both chemical and biological status
of water. In the Goczalkowice Reservoir (the biggest dam reservoir in the south of Poland), water quality parameters,
such as chlorophyll a concentration, change very dynamically. In the presented study, the Estuary, Lake and
Coastal Ocean Model (ELCOM) was applied to simulate water thermodynamics in a period of summer and autumn
when the highest concentrations of chlorophyll a were observed, based on the continuous water monitoring in
the ZiZOZap project (Łaszczyca et al., 2011). The purpose of the application of ELCOM was to simulate the thermal
stratification in the reservoir and to prepare a basis for analyses of the relationship between water thermodynamics
and quality. Simulations allowed the identification of several short water mixing events in summer and the final
mixing event at the end of summer. The study also included the first application of model results to analyse the
relation of changes in water temperature with observed concentration of chlorophyll a (ChlA). Analysis confirmed
that each water mixing event was followed by a significant increase in ChlA concentration
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) as an indicator of surface water quality in the vicinity of the Polish Polar Station, Horsund
Surface waters were collected in the vicinity of the Polish Polar Station in Hornsund (Svalbard) to determine their concentration of various persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). In addition, parameters such as pH, SEC and TOC were measured. In total, 15 samples of lake water from and 15 samples of stream water were analysed. The sampling took place between August and September 2010. Total PAHs and PCBs concentrations in surface water ranged from < LOD to 6212 ng/dm3 and < LOD to 273 ng/dm3. Moreover, the main compounds detected in the samples from these two groups were naphthalene and PCB 153. Based on the cluster analysis, it was found that there are no significant differences between the water taken from the lakes and the water taken from the streams
Oznaczanie poziomów zawartości surfaktantów w próbkach środowiskowych. Część 2. Związki anionowe
Surface active agents (SAA) with negative charge of polar group are named as anionic compounds.
They are the main constituent of most products containing synthetic surfactants. The linear alkylbenzene
sulfonates (LAS), alkyl ethoxysulfates (AES) and alkyl sulfates (AS) are typically applied from this class of
compounds. Those surfactants are ingredients of household detergents and cleaners, laundry detergents, cosmetic
etc. Moreover they can be applied in the paper, textile and tanning industry as optical brighteners, dispersant,
wetting and suspending agents. They can be substrates in the formulation of different products like dyes,
pigments, pesticides, exchange resins, plasticizers and pharmaceuticals. Anionic surfactants after use are passed
into sewage-treatment plants, where they are partially degraded and adsorbed to sewage sludge (applied in
agriculture fields). Finally, the anionic SAA or their degradation products are discharged into surface waters and
onto bottom sediments, soils or living organisms. Therefore, it is important (widely application, bioaccumulation,
toxicity for living organisms) to investigate the environmental fate of those class of compounds in more details.
This research involves determination the concentration of anionic surfactants with use appropriated analytical
techniques in environmental samples The official methodology for determination of anionic SAA in liquid
samples is based on the ion-pair reaction of these analytes compounds with methylene blue (MB) and an
extraction with toxic solvent chloroform. During isolation step of anionic compounds from solid samples are
employed Soxhlet and ultrasonic-assisted extraction techniques with use of methanol or mixture of other organic
solvents as extraction medium. To overcome disadvantages of those traditional techniques were applied following
techniques at sample preparation step from liquid and solid matrices: solid-phase extraction (SPE) and
solid-phases microextraction (SPME); accelerated solvent extraction (ASE), microwave-assisted extraction
(MAE), supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), respectively. For estimate total concentration of anionic analytes in
extracts the spectrophotometric technique is used (as official regulation). For determination concentration of
individual analytes were applied gas (derivatization step requires) and liquid chromatography mainly with mass
spectrometry technique. The presence of anionic surface active agents was confirmed in various ecosystems
(liquid and solid environmental samples)
Oznaczanie poziomów zawartości surfaktantów w próbkach środowiskowych. Część 3. Niejonowe związki
Non-ionic surface active agents are a diverse group of chemicals which have an uncharged polar head
and a non-polar tail. They have different properties due to amphiphilic structure of their molecules. Commercial
available non-ionic surfactants consist of the broadest spectrum of compounds in comparison with other types of
such agents. Typically, non-ionic compounds found applications in households and industry during formulation
of cleaning products, cosmetics, paints, preservative coatings, resins, textiles, pulp and paper, petroleum products
or pesticides. Their are one of the most common use class of surfactants which can be potential pollution sources
of the different compartment of environment (because of they widely application or discharging treated
wastewaters to surface water and sludge in agricultural). It is important to investigate the behavior, environmental
fate of non-ionic surfactants and their impact on living organisms (they are toxic and/or can disrupt endocrine
functions). To solve such problems should be applied appropriated analytical tools. Sample preparation step is one
of the most critical part of analytical procedures in determination of different compounds in environmental
matrices. Traditional extraction techniques (LLE - for liquid samples; SLE - for solid samples) are time and
solvent-consuming. Developments in this field result in improving isolation efficiency and decreasing solvent
consumption (eg SPE and SPME - liquid samples or PLE, SFE and MAE - solid samples). At final determination
step can be applied spectrophotometric technique, potentiometric titrametration or tensammetry (determination
total concentration of non-ionic surfactants) or chromatographic techniques coupled with appropriated detection
techniques (individual analytes). The literature data concerning the concentrations of non-ionic surfactants in the
different compartments of the environment can give general view that various ecosystems are polluted by those
compounds
Arctic freshwater environment altered by the accumulation of commonly determined and potentially new POPs
Chemical composition of Arctic freshwater ecosystems depends on several factors. They
include characteristics of the surrounding landscape, its lithology, geomorphology, vegetation, and
hydrological features, as well as accumulation of anthropogenic pollution. In the Arctic, the problem
of environmental contamination is widespread. That is why research on lakes and river catchments in
terms of their chemical composition has enjoyed increasing interest among scientists worldwide. The
freshwater reservoirs of the Arctic are fragile and particularly vulnerable to the uptake of pollutants
that become trapped in the water and sediments for an extended period. This review summarises
selected studies of freshwater bodies in the Arctic to highlight the problem of the accumulation of
pollutants in these reservoirs. Moreover, it emphasises the possible negative impact of chemical
pollutants on both animal and human health
Czasowa zmienność stężeń wybranych wskaźników fizyczno-chemicznych na tle natężenia przepływu wód jednej z rzeki zlewiska Zatoki Puckiej
The goal of this work is to determine the concentration variability and the values of selected physical and chemical parameters, including the discharge values for the Plutnica River, as well as the causes for changes in these values. When it comes to physical and chemical water quality, the downstream waters of the Plutnica are freshwaters with elevated chloride concentrations. This is due to the fact that the Baltic Sea acts on shallow groundwater along this part of the coast as well as to periodically occurring saltwater intrusions into inland surface waters. The concentrations of the remaining common ions were fairly stable during the course of the year and their annual variability levels were similar