The application of piezoelectric detectors for investigations of environmental pollution

The general properties of piezoelectric sorption detectors utilised in the detection of air pollution have been characterised. Examples of detection, with the aid of these detectors, of the organophosphorus compounds, sulphur dioxide, ammonia, hydrocarbons and their derivatives and other air pollutants have been given. Based on information given in this paper, general conclusions including advantages, and difficulties of using piezoelectric detectors in practice have been described.     

Cadmium effect on the ovarian structure in earthworm Dendrobaena veneta (Rosa)

Cadmium effects on the ovary structure and oocytes were tested in earthworms Dendrobaena veneta exposed to 10 and 50 mg Cd kg(-1) in soil after 10 and 20 days of the experiment. In both experimental doses cadmium caused damage to the structure of the ovary but the effects were different in each group. At 10 mg Cd kg(-1) concentration in soil, young stages of oocytes and trophocytes were most sensitive to cadmium deleterious effects whereas somatic cells in the ovarian stroma were only slightly affected. Cadmium. at a concentration of 50 mg Cd kg(-1) in soil caused most damage in the somatic cells leading to the occurrence of unnaturally swollen elements and desmosomes destruction. At both experimental concentrations cadmium induced degenerative changes in cell nuclei and an increase in number of cell organelles (RER and Golgi complex elements) in the cytoplasm of oocytes and trophocytes. These also proved to be more active. No ultrastructural changes were manifested in oogonia. In both experimental groups degenerative changes occurred as early as after 10 days of Cd exposure.     

Tree bark — sensitive biotest for environment acidification

The Niepo?omice Forest, a large forest complex (11,000 ha), situated about 20 km from a large steel mill and about 40 km from the city of Cracow was the object of study. Sulphur dioxide emitted by the steel mill and the city has already caused acidification of the environment of the Niepo?omice Forest. The degree of such acidification was estimated using tree bark as a bioindicator. The pH value and buffer capacity were determined for three tree species — Quercus robur, Tilia cordata and Pinus sylvestris. The bark of all trees showed acidic reaction ranging from pH 2.2 to 4.7. Difference in pH of bark were found between various localities. The bark of examined species was much more acidic in the western part in the Niepoo?mice Forest than in the eastern part of the forest complex. The buffer capacity of bark also differs in various localities increasing with SO₂ concentration in the air. A good correlation between acidification of tree bark and the concentration of SO₂ in the air of Niepo?omice Forest was found; therefore tree bark may be regarded as a good bioindicator and recommended for practical use to estimate the degree of air pollution. The procedure of sampling and analysis of tree bark is described in detail.     

The influence of anchor devices on the performance of retractable type fall arresters protecting against falls from a height.

Retractable type fall arresters are part of the equipment used for protecting people against falls from a height. They are an intermediate part between full body harness worn by a man and the structural anchor at the worksite. The most important task of retractable type fall arresters is to arrest people's falls and to reduce their harmful consequences. Information received from users as well as laboratories testing protective equipment indicates that the performance of such equipment is incorrect under specific conditions. The paper is concerned with an analysis of the conditions in which retractable type fall arresters demonstrate intermittent performance and with an explanation of that phenomenon. The results of tests investigating anchor devices and the performance of retractable type fall arresters are presented. External and internal factors contributing to intermittent performance have been determined and guidelines for safer use of these devices have been developed.     

Molecular population genetics of male and female mitochondrial genomes in European mussels <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mytilus</Emphasis>

The doubly uniparental system of mitochondrial inheritance (DUI) is best known in marine mussels Mytilus. Under DUI there are two types of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). The female type (F) is transmitted to offspring of both genders and the male type (M) exclusively to sons; consequently two distinct mtDNA lineages exist. The M lineage evolves under more relaxed selection than the F lineage resulting in higher polymorphism within the M lineage. Though this polymorphism is expected to make inferences on fine population structure easier using M instead of F data, no comprehensive comparative data exist to support this claim. We sequenced a 1,205 bp fragment of M and F mtDNA comprising parts of the COIII and ND2 genes, and analysed 204 individuals representing three Mytilus species: M. edulis, M. galloprovincialis and M. trossulus from 13 European sampling sites. A clear distinction between Mediterranean and Atlantic populations was found with both M and F data, but much better geographic differentiation was found within the Atlantic using F rather than M data. In particular, Atlantic M. galloprovincialis can be differentiated from Atlantic M. edulis, and further subdivision of Atlantic M. edulis is possible using the F data but not the M data. Multiple tests of selection were carried out to attempt to explain this paradox. We concluded that the overall pattern of polymorphism is consistent with strong purifying selection; not only is this selection relaxed in the M lineage in comparison with the F lineage, but it is also more frequently interrupted by periodic selective sweeps within the M lineage.     

Active methods of mercury removal from flue gases

Due to its adverse impact on health, as well as its global distribution, long atmospheric lifetime and propensity for deposition in the aquatic environment and in living tissue, the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) has classified mercury and its compounds as a severe air quality threat. Such widespread presence of mercury in the environment originates from both natural and anthropogenic sources. Global anthropogenic emission of mercury is evaluated at 2000 Mg year⁻¹. According to the National Centre for Emissions Management (Pol. KOBiZE) report for 2014, Polish annual mercury emissions amount to approximately 10 Mg. Over 90% of mercury emissions in Poland originate from combustion of coal.

The purpose of this paper was to understand mercury behaviour during sub-bituminous coal and lignite combustion for flue gas purification in terms of reduction of emissions by active methods. The average mercury content in Polish sub-bituminous coal and lignite was 103.7 and 443.5 μg kg⁻¹. The concentration of mercury in flue gases emitted into the atmosphere was 5.3 μg m⁻³ for sub-bituminous coal and 17.5 μg m⁻³ for lignite. The study analysed six low-cost sorbents with the average achieved efficiency of mercury removal from 30.6 to 92.9% for sub-bituminous coal and 22.8 to 80.3% for lignite combustion. Also, the effect of coke dust grain size was examined for mercury sorptive properties. The fine fraction of coke dust (CD) adsorbed within 243–277 μg Hg kg⁻¹, while the largest fraction at only 95 μg Hg kg⁻¹. The CD fraction < 0.063 mm removed almost 92% of mercury during coal combustion, so the concentration of mercury in flue gas decreased from 5.3 to 0.4 μg Hg m⁻³. The same fraction of CD had removed 93% of mercury from lignite flue gas by reducing the concentration of mercury in the flow from 17.6 to 1.2 μg Hg m⁻³. The publication also presents the impact of photochemical oxidation of mercury on the effectiveness of Hg vapour removal during combustion of lignite. After physical oxidation of Hg in the flue gas, its effectiveness has increased twofold.

     

Landfill leachates and wastewater of maritime origin as possible sources of endocrine disruptors in municipal wastewater

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In this study, wastewater from municipal services, such as a port wastewater reception facility (PRF-WW) and a municipal solid waste plant (MSWP), was...     

Do forest birds take the risk of feeding in an open area in winter? Experiment with extra food gradually moved away from the edge of the forest into the open area

This paper attempts to determine whether and to what extent forest birds take the risk of feeding in an open area in winter. In each of three plots the extra food (lard) was initially placed on the border of the forest and open area and then moved into the open area and located within 15, 30 and 45 m from the edge of the forest. Only in one plot the total number of all the birds feeding on lard significantly decreased along with the food being moved away from the edge of the forest. In other plot the number of the most numerous Great Tit Parus major and Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus significantly increased along with the food source being moved away into open area. The numbers of the other 7 species of birds fell or did not have directional nature. Only in one plot the aggregation (the number of individuals of a given species feeding simultaneously) increased significantly along with moving the food into open area. In other plots differences in aggregation did not have the directional nature and, in most cases, were not significant.     

Antimicrobial potential of commercial silver nanoparticles and the characterization of their physical properties toward probiotic bacteria isolated from fermented milk products

The application of nanotechnology in the agriculture and food sector is relatively recent compared to its usage in drug delivery or pharmaceuticals. Therefore, this paper presents a study of the effect of silver nanoparticles on probiotic bacteria based on the example of Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5, Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 and Streptococcus thermophilus ST-Y31 isolated from fermented milk products. Probiotic bacteria are one of the most crucial groups of bacteria for the food industry, because of their claimed health-promoting properties. Studies have shown that the type and concentration of silver nanoparticle solutions have a significant impact on the tested probiotic bacteria which are profitable for the digestive system. In the presence of all tested silver nanoparticles, St. thermophilus ST-Y31 growth was inhibited significantly by the dilution method as opposed to the disk-diffusion method. Both the disk-diffusion and the dilution methods showed no significant differences between L. acidophilus LA-5 and B. animalis subsp. lactis BB-12. The concentrations 2 μg mL^?1 and 0.25 μg mL^?1 had the highest antibacterial activity and statistically significant impacts on the tested probiotic strains. To our knowledge, this is the first report on potential antimicrobial effect of nanosilver against the health-promoting probiotic bacteria L. acidophilus LA-5, B. animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 and St. thermophilus ST-Y31 isolated from fermented milk products.     

Multi-elemental analysis of Lentinula edodes mushrooms available in trade

ABSTRACT

The present study investigated the content of 62 elements in the fruiting bodies of Lentinula edodes (Shiitake mushroom) cultivated commercially in Poland on various substrates from 2007–2015. The general mean content (mg kg^?1 dry weight (DW)) of the studied elements ranked in the following order: K (26,335) > P (11,015) > Mg (2,284) > Ca (607) > Na (131) > Zn (112) > Fe (69) > Mn (33) > B (32) > Rb (17) > Cu (14.5) > Al (11.2) > Te (2.9) > As (1.80) > Cd (1.76) > Ag (1.73) > Nd (1.70) > Sr (1.46) > Se (1.41) > U (1.11) > Pt (0.90) > Ce (0.80) > Ba (0.61) > Co (0.59) > Tl (0.58) > Er (0.50) > Pb (0.42) > Li (0.40) > Pr (0.39) > Ir (0.37) > In (0.35) > Mo (0.31) > Cr (0.29) > Ni (0.28) > Sb (0.26) > Re (0.24) > Ti (0.19) > Bi (0.18) > Th (0.12) > La (0.10) = Pd (0.10) > Os (0.09) = Zr (0.09) > Rh (0.08) > Ho (0.07) > Ru (0.06) > Sm (0.04) = Eu (0.04) = Tm (0.04) > Gd (0.03) > Sc (0.02) = Y (0.02) > Lu (0.01) = Yb (0.01) = V (0.01). The contents of Au, Be, Dy, Ga, Ge, Hf, and Tb were below the limits of detection (0.02, 0.02, 0.01, 0.01, 0.01, 0.01, 0.02 mg kg^?1 respectively). The concentrations of Al, As, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cr, Er, Fe, In, Lu, Mn, Nd, Sr, Ti, Tm, and Zr were comparable over the period the mushrooms were cultivated. The study revealed that Lentinula edodes contained As and Cd at levels potentially adverse to human health. This highlights the need to monitor these elements in food products obtained from this mushroom species and ensure that only low levels of these elements are present in cultivation substrates.