The Chemistry of Soils, Rocks and Plant Bioindicators in Three Ecosystems of the Holy Cross Mountains, Poland

In June of 2000, biogeochemical study was carried out in three ecosystems of the Holy Cross Mountains (south-central Poland). This paper presents element concentrations and stable sulfur (and in one site lead) isotope ratios in rocks, detailed soil profiles, and plant bioindicators including epiphytic lichen Hypogymnia physodes (L.) Nyl., mosses (Pleurozium schreberi (Brid.) Mitt., Hypnum cupressiforme Hedw. S. Str., Hylocomium splendens (Hedw.) B.S.G.), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), common birch (Betula pendula Roth.), aspen (Populus tremula L.) and English oak (Quercus robur L.). Chemical analyses were performed with ICP-AES and AAS methods in the accredited laboratory (Central Chemical Laboratory of the Polish Geological Institute in Warsaw). The principal objective of this study was to compare the chemical composition of rocks, soils and selected plant bioindicators between investigation sites using the same methods of sample collection, preparation and analyses. The results of this study have shown that there is a high variability in concentrations of elements in plant bioindicators from the same sites that can not be explained only by soil properties or anthropogenic influence. This conclusion indicates that for biomonitoring purposes (especially with vascular plants) we cannot neglect individual features of the species examined.     

The effect of an ergonomic intervention on musculoskeletal, psychosocial, and visual strain of VDT data entry work: the Polish part of the international study.

A group of routine data entry operators (female) was included in the Polish MEPS (musculoskeletal--eyestrain--psychosocial--stress) study. Before the intervention, ergonomic assessment revealed improper working conditions such as inadequate lighting, uncomfortable chairs, and lack of forearm and wrist support while medical examination revealed that trapezius muscle load along with upper arm, head and back angles were higher than advisable. Subjects complained about neck and shoulder pain, visual problems, and psychosocial conditions. The ergonomic intervention included installation of new luminaires and Venetian blinds, new chairs, repair of ventilators, and optometric corrections. The results after the intervention showed mainly improvement in chair comfort, lighting conditions, visual strain, and sitting posture. However, financial limitations did not allow satisfactory completion of the intervention leading to a mixed interpretation of the results.     

LC-MS/MS determination of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables

The aim of the research is to evaluate pesticide residue contamination of fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, agricultural raw material, purchased from Polish farmers for production of frozen fruits and vegetables, and the estimation of the multiresidue method effectiveness expressed as the proportion of pesticides detected in food samples to the total number of pesticides analyzed by multiresidue methods. A total of 144 samples (of black currants, red currants, raspberries, cherries, strawberries, blackberries, cauliflowers and broccoli) were analyzed using LC-MS/MS method for the determination of 60 pesticides. QuEChERS extraction, matrix-matched calibration and dynamic multiple reaction monitoring method were used. Residues of 15 compounds, mainly fungicides and insecticides, were detected in 46 samples. The percentage of samples with residues above the maximum residue levels (MRL) was 15%, whereas samples with residues below MRL were 17%. A total of 13 samples contained more than one pesticide residue. Pesticide residues were detected most often in samples of black currants (50%), broccoli (36.4%), raspberries (29%) and red currants (21.8%). The most frequently detected pesticides were carbendazim and acetamiprid. The proportion of pesticides detected during our study to the total number of analyzed pesticides amounted to 25%. It was compared to literature findings. For three fourth of multiresidue methods, the proportion was below 50% for methods developed for the analysis of less than 100 pesticides, and below 30% for methods developed for the analysis of more than 100 pesticides. It appears that a lot of efforts and means is lost on pesticides never or rarely detected in examined samples. The workload and cost effectiveness of the development and application of multiresidue methods along with the range of pesticides covered by the method should be carefully and thoroughly considered anytime when a new method or workflow is developed. Including non-targeted screenings in pesticide residue control seems to be an alternative worth considering.     

Macro- and microelement distribution in organs of Glyceria maxima and biomonitoring applications

The content of nutrients (N, P, K, Ca and Mg) and of trace metals (Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn, Pb, Cd, Co and Ni) in water, bottom sediments and various organs of Glyceria maxima from 19 study sites selected in the Jeziorka River was determined. In general, the concentrations of nutrients recorded in the plant material decreased in the following order: leaf>root>rhizome>stem, while the concentrations of the trace elements showed the following accumulation scheme: root>rhizome>leaf>stem. The bioaccumulation and transfer factors for nutrients were significantly higher than for trace metals. G. maxima from agricultural fields was characterised by the highest P and K concentrations in leaves, and plants from forested land contained high Zn and Ni amounts. However, the manna grass from small localities showed high accumulation of Ca, Mg and Mn. Positive significant correlations between Fe, Cu, Zn, Cd, Co and Ni concentrations in water or sediments and their concentrations in plant indicate that G. maxima may be employed as a biomonitor of trace element contamination. Moreover, a high degree of similarity was noted between self-organizing feature map (SOFM)-grouped sites of comparable quantities of elements in the water and sediments and sites where G. maxima had a corresponding content of the same elements in its leaves. Therefore, SOFM could be recommended in analysing ecological conditions of the environment from the perspective of nutrients and trace element content in different plant species and their surroundings.     

Wild boar (Sus scrofa) as a bioindicator of organochlorine compound contamination in terrestrial ecosystems of West Pomerania Province, NW Poland

The aim of this study was to detect the presence and determine the residue levels of DDT, lindane, endrin and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the liver of wild boars from the area of West Pomerania, NW Poland; to determine the activity of glutathione S-transferase (GST) as a biomarker of biological response and to assess the toxicological risk for consumers of the wild boar offal. The presence of pesticide residues and PCBs was found in all examined liver samples. The highest concentration was observed for endrin, and then, the descending order was PCBs >DDTs >lindane >dl-PCBs. The mean hepatic concentrations of endrin, PCBs, DDTs and lindane were 117.28, 78.59, 67.95 and 7.24 ng/g lipid weight, respectively. Among the dioxin-like PCB congeners, 118 and 156 were dominant in liver samples. The mean toxic equivalent (TEQ) level calculated for dl-PCBs was 2.10?±?1.11 pg WHO-PCB-TEQ/g. There was a statistically significant (p?<?0.05) negative correlation between the concentration of lindane, DDTs and PCBs (as a sum of indicator congeners) in the liver and in the activity of GST. However, GST activities showed no significant correlation with any of the dl-PCBs. In five boar liver samples, the levels of certain organochlorine compounds exceeded the maximum residue levels (MRLs). In one sample, the MRLs were exceeded simultaneously for PCBs, endrin and DDTs and in another one—for endrin and DDTs. In the remaining three samples, only PCB levels were exceeded.     

The relationships between air pollutants, meteorological parameters and concentration of airborne fungal spores

Fungal spores are an important component of bioaerosol and also considered to act as indicator of the level of atmospheric bio-pollution. Therefore, better understanding of these phenomena demands a detailed survey of airborne particles.The objective of this study was to examine the dependence of two the most important allergenic taxa of airborne fungi - Alternaria and Cladosporium - on meteorological parameters and air pollutant concentrations during three consecutive years (2006-2008). This study is also an attempt to create artificial neural network (ANN) forecasting models useful in the prediction of aeroallergen abundance.There were statistically significant relationships between spore concentration and environmental parameters as well as pollutants, confirmed by the Spearman’s correlation rank analysis and high performance of the ANN models obtained. The concentrations of Cladosporium and Alternaria spores can be predicted with quite good accuracy from meteorological conditions and air pollution recorded three days earlier.     

Establishing ozone flux–response relationships for winter wheat: Analysis of uncertainties based on data for UK and Polish genotypes

The work outlined in this paper had three objectives. The first was to explore the effects of ozone pollution on grain yield and quality of commercially-grown winter wheat cultivars. The second was to derive a stomatal ozone flux model for winter wheat and compare with those already developed for spring wheat. The third was to evaluate exposure- versus flux–response approaches from a risk assessment perspective, and explore the implications of genetic variation in modelled ozone flux.Fifteen winter wheat cultivars were grown in open-top chambers where they were exposed to four levels of ozone. During fumigation, stomatal conductance measurements were made over the lifespan of the flag leaf across a range of environmental conditions. Although significant intra-specific variation in ‘ozone sensitivity’ (in terms of impacts on yield) was identified, yield was inversely related (R² = 0.63, P < 0.001) to the accumulated hourly averaged ozone exposure above 40 ppb during daylight hours (AOT40) across the dataset. The adverse effect of ozone on yield was principally due to a decline in seed weight. Algorithms defining the influence of environmental variables on stomatal uptake were subtly different from those currently in use, based on data for spring wheat, to map ozone impacts on pan-European cereal yield. Considerable intra-specific variation in phenological effects was identified. This meant that an ‘average behaviour’ had to be derived which reduced the predictive capability of the derived stomatal flux model (R² = 0.49, P < 0.001, 15 cultivars included). Indeed, given the intra-specific variability encountered, the flux model that was derived from the full dataset was no better in predicting O₃ impacts on wheat yield than was the AOT40 index. The study highlights the need to use ozone risk assessment tools appropriate to specific vegetation types when modelling and mapping ozone impacts at the regional level.     

Spatial variability and temporal changes in the heavy metal content of soils with a deep furrow-and-ridge microrelief formed by an afforestation plowing

An appropriate sampling method that provides for the representation of the collected material and the reliability of results plays a crucial role in environmental monitoring. This is especially important in soil quality investigations on sites with a differentiated surface microrelief, as in the case of afforested post-arable soils that have a specific, deep furrow-and-ridge microrelief. The present research was carried out on three sites afforested with pine (4-, 8-, and 15-year-old stands) located near a large tailings pond collecting the wastes from copper ore enrichment. Soils were sampled at depths of 0–10 and 0–30 cm, separately in the furrows and ridges. The “wide-furrow plow” contributed to the spatial variation in soil properties, including higher pH, organic carbon, and Cu content in soils of the ridges. The difference in Cu content in the ridges and furrows initially reached 300 %, and decreased with the decline of the furrow-and-ridge microrelief to 60 % at 15 years after the plowing. Observed rate of the furrow shallowing allows for an estimation of the time necessary for the complete disappearance of the furrow-and-ridge microrelief and associated variability in soil properties to at least 30–40 years after the plowing. Afforestation plowing had little impact on the Zn variability which was not influenced by the emissions from the tailings pond. Soil sampling in contaminated sites with furrow-and-ridge microrelief must collect equal quantities of soil samples from both furrows and ridges to allow a reliable estimation of the mean trace elements’ concentration.