Air pollution in Krakow : a glance into the future from a historical perspective

High concentrations of air pollution probably occurred in Krakow in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Since the late 1960s due to the development of monitoring networks level of air pollution is well documented. In the past few decades, a considerable drop in SO_{2} concentration has been observed in conjunction with a major increase in the particulate matter and nitrogen oxides concentrations. The complex composition of aerosol particle samples (quartz, feldspars, clay minerals, carbonates, sulphates, chlorides, aluminosilicate and iron or iron oxide spherules of industrial origin and soot) suggests the multiplicity of their sources. In the near future, increased concentration of very fine particles and precursors of photochemical smog should be expected because of increasing emission from vehicle engines

Characteristics of particulate matter emitted from a coal-fired power plant

Particulate matter (PM) emitted into the atmosphere from a hard coal-fired power plant equipped with a pulverised fuel boiler was studied using X-ray diffractometry (XRD), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and scanning electron microscopy fitted with X-ray energy-dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS). The PM emitted from coal-fired power plants is rarely studied, in contrast to fly ash collected during flue gas cleaning. The material of PM is composed of particles differing in size, morphology, and chemical composition. Aluminosilicate spherical particles dominate, but other particles also occur (irregular aluminosilicate particles, char particles, irregular particles of quartz, Fe oxides, particles rich in Fe, Cr and Ni, barite, and others). The size of other particles varies from 50 \mu m to 250 \mu m. The emitted PM is strongly enriched in several elements in comparison to average coal ash or upper continental crust (e.g., Ag, Bi, Cd, Cr, Hg, Mo, Ni, Re, Se, and Zn). The content of bioavailable, water-soluble fraction (containing S, Ca, K, Na, Cl and subordinate Zn and Ni) is ca 5%. The broad variation of the size and composition of the emitted PM indicates the potential environmental impact and possibility of dispersion over a large area

Airborne magnetic technoparticles in soils as a record of Anthropocene

Airborne magnetic particles in soils were studied in sites located in various distances to industrial plants. Chemical and mineral composition of soil samples were analysed. The highest values of the Pollution Load Index (PLI) calculated for several elements were noted for sites relatively distant from industrial plants. Soil samples exposed for the deposition of airborne particles were examined by means of magnetization versus an external applied magnetic field as well as ^{52}Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy measurements showing a lack of correlation of the magnetic properties with total Fe content, which points toward a strong impact of the industrial activities. Magnetic fraction was extracted and studied using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectrometry. Two types of spherical particles were noted. Massive ones occurring in all sites and particles with a complex internal structure more abundant in sites situated closer to industrial plants. The presence of spherical magnetic particles formed in high temperature processes indicate their relatively long range transport in the atmosphere. Broad distribution, characteristic and easy for identification spherical form of these magnetic technoparticles, suggest that one can consider them as a record of the Anthropocene. Accumulation of such technoparticles is related to rapid industrialization in the post-World War II period

Fine and ultrafine TiO_{2} particles in aerosol in Kraków (Poland)

During single particle analysis of aerosol in Kraków (Poland) we noticed a new component, that is, aggregates of TiO_2 particles. These aggregates are from 0.5 to 4 μm and are composed of individual particles whose size typically varies from between 100 and 350 nm. Smaller particles (below 100 nm) also occur. TiO_2 particles are relatively abundant in the summer. The size distribution of the particles corresponds to "pigmentary" TiO_2, which indicates that they could be derived from paints and building materials. TiO_2 particles were not previously identified in aerosol samples in Kraków, and therefore this phenomenon is likely to be related to the common usage of new building materials and paints. A review of the literature suggests that TiO_2 particles, especially within the nanosize range, could result in health and environmental impacts; however, evaluation of the actual threat is difficult

Mineralogy, chemical composition and leachability of ash from biomass combustion and biomass-coal co-combustion

Ash samples from biomass combustion or co-combustion with coal were analysed. The aim of this study of ash was to determine its mineral and chemical composition, and the chemical composition of solutions obtained during one-step water extraction. Besides the chemical analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS) were applied. The mineral and chemical composition of ash samples differ strongly. The content of heavy metals in the ash is generally low, but in some samples the limits of the content of some elements determined for fertilizers or soil amendments are exceeded. The relatively poor correlation between the concentration in leachate and bulk content in ash indicates that numerous elements are present in different forms in the studied samples. The results indicate that the potential use of biomass ash, or ash from biomass-coal co-combustion, requires complex studies that explore ash and leachates