Concentrations of selected trace elements in surface soils near crossroads in the city of Bratislava (the Slovak Republic)

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - It is well known that road transport emits various trace elements into the environment, which are deposited in soils in the vicinity of roads,...     

The Cramer’s rule for the parametrization of phenol and its hydroxylated byproducts: UV spectroscopy vs. high performance liquid chromatography

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - A linear algebra theorem like Cramer’s rule was used for the analysis of a system of equations obtained from UV spectroscopy, and results were...     

The use of polymer compounds in the deposits from the combustion of briquettes in domestic heating as an identifier of fuel quality

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The utilisation of waste wood from furniture production brings new problems connected with an incomplete thermochemical decomposition of additives...     

Physiological responses of beet and cabbage plants exposed to copper and their potential insertion in human food chain

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Copper (Cu) can be toxic to vegetables when it is absorbed and accumulated at large concentrations, a fact that increases the risk of excessive...     

Anti-kindling effect of Ginkgo biloba leaf extract and L-carnitine in the pentylenetetrazol model of epilepsy

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Epilepsy is one of the most common serious brain disorders, affecting about 1% of the population all over the world. Ginkgo biloba extract (GbE) and...     

Solar heterogeneous photocatalytic degradation of phenol on TiO2/quartz and TiO2/calcite: a statistical and kinetic approach on comparative efficiencies towards a TiO2/glass system

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Phenol is a widely used synthetic organic compound, which according to global estimations, is discharged into the environment at a rate of 10...     

Photocatalysis for arsenic removal from water: considerations for solar photocatalytic reactors

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The following work provides a perspective on the potential application of solar heterogeneous photocatalysis, which is a nonselective advanced...     

Heavy metal pollution and forest health in the Ukrainian Carpathians

The Ukrainian Carpathians are characterized by high air pollution caused by emissions from numerous industries. We have been monitoring the state of forests in this region since 1989. The highest levels of tree defoliation (>30%) are found close to industrial emission sources and in the upper mountain forests of the Ivano-Frankivsk and Chernivtsi regions. This is caused by a combination of strong anthropogenic influences (pollution, illegal uses, recreation) as well as poor site and climatic conditions. In the Ivano-Frankivsk region, Cd and Mo accumulate in forest soils; Cr, Mo and Zn soil concentrations are higher than their limit levels; and Pb concentrations exceed toxic levels close to industrial areas (10% of the region territory). Local background levels of heavy metals are greatly exceeded in snow close to industrial regions. Analysis of correlation matrices shows that the chemical elements Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, V and Zn occur at pollution levels in natural ecosystems in the Ukrainian Carpathians. Maximum concentrations of toxic elements occur in the oak forest zone; the most industrially developed area of the region. Toxic heavy metals in the Ukrainian Carpathians forests enter with precipitation and dustfall, then become fixed in soil and accumulate in leaves, needles of vascular plants and mosses. Concentrations of these metals decrease with altitude: highest in the oak forests, less in beech, and lowest in the spruce forest zones. However, some chemical elements have the highest concentrations in spruce forests; V in needles, As in snow, and Ba and Al in soils.     

Spatio-temporal behaviour and mass balance of fluorine in forest soils near an aluminium smelting plant: short- and long-term aspects

With the help of a large number of monitoring sites, the behaviour of F in forested ecosystems of a formerly polluted area (M?hlin and Rheinfelden, Switzerland) could be studied over 30 years. An aluminium smelting plant originated the pollution of this area in the past: however, after the installation of a filtration plant in 1958 the F emissions were reduced and since 1991 almost absent the primary production of aluminium was stopped. The present-day area with elevated F contents (water-soluble F with >20 mg/kg) is restricted to a radius of about 1000 m from the plant. In 1969 this area had a radius of about 3 and 5 km. Between 1969 and 2000 a significant decrease in the soluble F content in the soil was observed together with a substantial decrease of F in the vegetation. The net losses of water-soluble F in the soil were in the range of 35 up to more than 70% of the original concentration and the F losses in the vegetation between 60 up to more than 80%. After the reduction of high F deposition rates the accumulated SOM was decomposed within the observation period 1969-1993. The combined decrease in F and humus led to chain reactions with losses of major elements and a dealumination of clay minerals, i.e. removal of interlayered Al of 2:1 minerals and consequent formation of smectites.     

Distribution and fractionation of phosphorus, cadmium, nickel, and lead in calcareous soils amended with composts

Composts improve organic carbon content and nutrients of calcareous soils but the accumulation and distribution of phosphorus and heavy metals among various fractions in soil may vary under the south Florida conditions. The accumulation of P, Cd, Ni, and Pb with depth and the distribution of water soluble, exchangeable, carbonate, Fe-Mn oxides, organic and residual forms of each element were investigated in soils amended with municipal solid waste (MSW) compost, co-compost and biosolids compost and inorganic fertilizer (as control). Total concentrations of P, Cd, Ni, and Pb were higher in the 0-22 cm soil layers and decreased considerably in the rock layers. These elements were in the decreasing order of P > Pb > Ni > Cd. Amounts of water soluble and exchangeable forms of P, Cd, Ni and Pb were negligible at 0-22 cm soil depths except for Cd in the 10-22 cm depth. Amending calcareous soil with either organic or inorganic amendments rendered phosphorus, nickle and lead in the residual form followed by Fe-Mn oxides form in the 0-10 and 10-22 cm soil layers. Cadmium was predominantly in the Fe-Mn oxides fraction followed by the residual and carbonate forms in both soil layers. A significant positive correlation was found between various organic carbon fractions and organic forms of P, Cd and Pb in the surface soil layer. Soil amended with MSW compost had higher concentration of Cd in the organic fraction whereas, co-compost and MSW compost amended soil had higher concentrations of organic Ni fraction in the 0-10 cm soil layer.