Air quality and odour evaluation on terrains characterized by a complicated odour emission profiles

The complexity of describing the very phenomenon of odour nuisance is probably the cause of lack of regulations concerning this topic in the Polish law system as well as standardized odour law in EU. However, in European countries there are solutions regarding this matter. Moreover, methods enabling the evaluation of odour air quality are available. The problem of an authoritative assessment of odour nuisance appears especially when few emission sources characterized by changing conditions and emission profiles and, very often, a complex spatial/topographical structures, also showing locally variable meteorological conditions are located in „vulnerable” places (with many „odour complaints” being recorded there). In conditions similar to the aforementioned the odour situation analysis requires simultaneous usage of several studying methods. In this work are presented: field measurement results and sociological poll results, all carried out for area with several domineering odour emission sources. The research conducted made possible showing the concentration of various odour types and their sources for the researched area, which later on enabled to undertake action aiming at reducing odour nuisance

The Analysis of the Effectiveness of Implementing Emission Reduction Measures in Improving Air Quality and Health of the Residents of a Selected Area of the Lower Silesian Voivodship

The case study selected in order to analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of implemented solutions for improving air quality with the WRF-CALMET/CALPUFF modeling system as an element of decision support was the subject of this paper. Its character can be considered unique due to its geographical location, topography and the functioning PGE GiEK S.A. Turów Power Complex (ELT), and, in particular, the PGE GiEK S.A. Turów Coal Mine (KWBT). The conducted analyses have defined three scenarios of emission changes: (1) scenario related to the activities of the energy complex resulting from the minimizing measures indicated in the report on the environmental impact of the mine, (2) scenario resulting from the so-called “anti-smog” regional resolution and (3) scenario compiling the abovementioned scenarios. According to the analyses, the lowest values of the annual mean PM2.5 concentration were noted in the eastern part of the studied area and did not exceed 14 µg/m3 (56% of the permissible level). The best results in improving air quality were proven for scenario 3, i.e., a 10% reduction in concentration values over the entire analyzed area of the commune. In the case of this scenario, as the most effective and health-promoting solution, only in 25% of the area was the improvement in the residents’ health below 5%, while the reduction in the estimated number of premature deaths by over 15% was observed in nearly one third of the studied area

Application of mathematical modelling in evaluation of odour nuisance from selected waste management plant

A wide range of tools is required to comprehensively assess the impact of odours on people and the environment. Among them, mathematical tools for odour dispersion modelling are widely used. We can distinguish models based on Gaussian, Lagrangian and Eulerian approach. In Poland, the reference model, Operat FB, based on Gaussian way is commonly used for odour dispersion modelling. Modelling was conducted for two scenarios: first including area and point emission sources, while second one included only point sources. Comparison of both scenarios shows significant improvement of odour impact range of selected Plant in case when area sources are excluded

Preliminary analysis of odor legal solutions and study on their implementation possibilities in Poland

The problem of odor nuisance requires undertaking legal means that aim towards implementation of regulations in order to improve the odor-related quality of air in selected areas in Poland. So far the works carried out in the country were concluded by drawing up ‘The guidelines for the bill on counteracting the odor nuisance’. However, as a result of completed social consultations in Poland, the Ministry of Environment, in 2015, resigned from implementing of so called anti-odor act. Currently, the legislature is taking steps which aim at undertaking specific actions in order to introduce solutions, which would directly regulate the issues of odors and the odor nuisance, to the national system. In the countries of the European Union, the issues related to odors are solved in diversified ways and the system still lacks of a uniform proposition, among others related to odor standards. In connection with the above, actions that are taken on a national level should fundamentally aim at developing national odor standards which would take into account the type / the kind of economic activity being a source of odor emission (e.g. clearly separated for existing objects and planned investments), at establishing a procedure and also legal and operational requirements related to determination and the types of zones with defined values of acceptable concentration and determination of reference methodology in monitoring, and modeling the dispersion of odors e.g. including strictly defined frequency of necessary tests. In addition, the process should be accompanied by a creation of financial mechanisms and streams in range of investments related to the development of technology and methods used to limit emission of odors

Czujniki na bazie nanocząstek tlenków metali i ich zastosowanie w detekcji gazów niebezpiecznych dla środowiska

Hazardous gases have adverse effects on living organisms and the environment. They can be classified into two categories, i.e. toxic gases (e.g. H2 S, SO2 , CO, NO2 , NO and NH3 ) and greenhouse gases (e.g. N2 O, CH4 and CO2 ). Moreover, their presence in confined areas may lead to fire accidents, cause serious health problems or even death. Therefore, monitoring of these substances with gas sensors allows assessing the quality of the atmosphere, helps avoiding accidents and saves lives. Metal oxide semiconductor gas sensors (MOS) are one of the most popular choices for these applications owing to their numerous advantages, i.e. high sensitivity, long lifetime and short response time. However, these devices have their limitations as well. They exhibit baseline drift, sensor poisoning and poor selectivity. Although much has been done in order to deal with those problems, the improvement of MOS sensors continues to attract researchers’ attention. The strict control of gas sensing materials preparation is one of the approaches that helps to improve MOS sensors performance. Nanomaterials have been found to be more suitable candidates for gas detection than materials designed at microscale. Moreover, it was found that the regular and ordered morphology of metal oxide nanostructures, their loading with noble metals, or the formation of heterojunctions can exert additional influence on the properties of these nanostructures and improve their gas sensing performance, which will be described in the following sections of this paper. Following a discussion of the operation principle of MOS sensors, a comprehensive review of the synthesis and application of metal oxide nanoparticles in the construction of the MOS sensors dedicated for environmentally hazardous gases is presented. The paper discusses also present issues and future research directions concerning application of nanotechnology for gas sensing.Niebezpieczne gazy mają niekorzystny wpływ na organizmy żywe i środowisko. Zaliczamy do nich gazy toksyczne (np. H2 S, SO2 , CO, NO2 , NO i NH3 ), gazy cieplarniane (np. N2 O, CH4 i CO2 ). Co więcej, ich obecność w zamkniętych pomieszczeniach może doprowadzić do pożarów, spowodować poważne problemy zdrowotne, a nawet doprowadzić do śmierci. Monitorowanie tych substancji za pomocą czujników gazowych może pomóc uniknąć wypadków i uratować życie. Półprzewodnikowe czujniki gazowe na bazie tlenków metalu (MOS) są jednymi z najpopularniejszych w tych zastosowaniach ze względu na swoje liczne zalety, takie jak wysoka czułość, długa żywotność i krótki czas odpowiedzi. Urządzenia te mają również swoje ograniczenia, tj. wykazują dryft odpowiedzi w czasie, mogą ulec dezaktywacji i charakteryzują się słabą selektywnością, dlatego nadal prowadzone są badania nad poprawą parametrów czujników MOS. Ścisła kontrola procesu przygotowania materiałów czułych jest jedną z metod pozwalających na poprawę wydajności czujników MOS. Stwierdzono, że nanomateriały są bardziej odpowiednie do wykrywania gazów niż ich odpowiedniki zaprojektowane w mikroskali. Stwierdzono również, że regularna i uporządkowana morfologia nanostruktur tlenków metali, pokrywanie ich nanocząstkami metali szlachetnych lub tworzenie heterozłączy może poprawiać skuteczność wykrywania gazów. W przedstawionej pracy dokonano przeglądu metod syntezy i zastosowania nanocząstek tlenków metali w konstrukcji czujników gazów niebezpiecznych dla środowiska. W artykule omówiono również aktualne problemy i przyszłe kierunki badań nad zastosowaniem nanotechnologii do detekcji gazów

Preliminary analysis of odor legal solutions and study on their implementation possibilities in Poland

The problem of odor nuisance requires undertaking legal means that aim towards implementation of regulations in order to improve the odor-related quality of air in selected areas in Poland. So far the works carried out in the country were concluded by drawing up ‘The guidelines for the bill on counteracting the odor nuisance’. However, as a result of completed social consultations in Poland, the Ministry of Environment, in 2015, resigned from implementing of so called anti-odor act. Currently, the legislature is taking steps which aim at undertaking specific actions in order to introduce solutions, which would directly regulate the issues of odors and the odor nuisance, to the national system. In the countries of the European Union, the issues related to odors are solved in diversified ways and the system still lacks of a uniform proposition, among others related to odor standards. In connection with the above, actions that are taken on a national level should fundamentally aim at developing national odor standards which would take into account the type / the kind of economic activity being a source of odor emission (e.g. clearly separated for existing objects and planned investments), at establishing a procedure and also legal and operational requirements related to determination and the types of zones with defined values of acceptable concentration and determination of reference methodology in monitoring, and modeling the dispersion of odors e.g. including strictly defined frequency of necessary tests. In addition, the process should be accompanied by a creation of financial mechanisms and streams in range of investments related to the development of technology and methods used to limit emission of odors

The use of surfactant from the Tween group in toluene biofiltration

Due to the lower energy consumption and waste production compared to traditional methods, the environmental bioremediation methods based on natural processes have been gradually becoming more prevalent in environmental engineering. Biological methods are used in waste management, wastewater treatment, gas treatment or soil remediation. For the low solubility of some pollutants and lower bioavailability, the use of biological methods may be hampered. This problem might be mitigated with the use of surfactants. This paper presents the results of studies regarding the effect of dosing a selected surfactant from the Tween group (Tween 20) on the efficiency of toluene elimination from the air by biofiltration. The obtained maximum biofiltration rate was 21.2 g/m3/h and 19.8 g/m3/h for the control bed and for the bed to which the Tween 20 solution was dosed, respectively. The effect of Tween was neutral (the effectiveness of toluene removal was insignificantly comparable to the effectiveness of the control series), it did not affect the effectiveness or limited the development of the biofilter microflora

Analysis of legal and technical solutions in terms of odours in Poland

Despite solutions available in the Polish law system which could be used in conflictual situations connected with odour emission, the amount of odour complaints in Poland has been increasing. Currently applied legal solutions in Poland used in private-law and public-law ways in odour issues have been characterised. The results of analyses of available and developed technical solutions aiming to eliminate odour nuisance have been presented as well. Additionally, the results of research conducted in laboratory conditions and in chosen municipal waste management and industry facilities have been displayed. A conducted analysis pointed out the limited character of Polish legal solutions concerning odours. Therefore, the need to create an administrative and legal regulation dedicated directly to the preventing odour nuisance in Poland was emphasized. Such a regulation should include issues concerning, inter alia, emission, immision and technological standards

C and N urban soil budget and its spatial differentiation in comparison with natural areas in the Wroclaw region of Poland

An assessment of C and N balance in urban soil compared to the natural environment was carried out to evaluate the influence of biological processes along with human-induced forcing. Soil C and N stocks were quantified on the samples (n=18) collected at 5 - 10 cm depth from dominated green areas and arable lands in the city of Wroclaw (Poland) and the relatively natural grassland located ca. 36 km south-west. Higher soil carbon and nitrogen levels (C/N ratio = 11.8) and greater microbial biomass C and N values (MBC = 95.3, MBN = 14.4 mg N kg-1) were measured in natural grassland compared with the citywide lawn sites (C/N ratio = 15.17, MBC = 84.3 mg C kg-1, MBN = 11.9 mg N kg-1), respectively. In contrast to the natural areas, the higher C and N concentration was measured in urban grass dominated soils (C = 2.7 % and N = 0.18 % of dry mass), which can be explained mainly due to the high soil bulk density and water holding capacity (13.8 % clay content). The limited availability of soil C and N content was seen under the arable soil (C = 1.23 %, N = 0.13 %) than in the studied grasslands. In fact, the significantly increased C/N ratios in urban grasslands are largely associated with land conversion and demonstrate that urban soils have the potential to be an important reservoir of C