Air Quality during New Year’s Eve: A Biomonitoring Study with Moss

Mosses are one of the best bioindicators in the assessment of atmospheric aerosol pollution by heavy metals. Studies using mosses allow both short- and long-term air quality monitoring. The increasing contamination of the environment (including air) is causing a search for new, cheap and effective methods of monitoring its condition. Once such method is the use of mosses in active biomonitoring. The aim of the study was to assess the atmospheric aerosol pollution with selected heavy metals (Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Hg and Pb) from the smoke of fireworks used during New Year’s Eve in the years 2019/2020 and 2020/2021. In studies a biomonitoring moss-bag method with moss Pleurozium schreberi (Willd. e…

Application of algae in active biomonitoring of the selected holding reservoirs in swietokrzyskie province

Abstract During the years 2014-2015, biomonitoring studies were carried out at three holding reservoirs located in Swietokrzyskie Province (central Poland): Kielce artificial lake, Chancza reservoir and Sielpia reservoir. In sea water algae Palmaria palmata (Linnaeus) Weber & Mohr, exposed in the analysed waters, the increases of concentrations were determined by the atomic absorption spectrometry method (AAS), of the following: Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb. Conductivity and pH were also determined in the reservoirs waters. The differences between the increases of heavy metal concentrations in the samples of algae found along the coastline were indicated; they result from different distanc…

Sorption of copper(II) ions in the biomass of alga Spirogyra sp.

Abstract Sorption of copper ions by the alga Spirogyra sp. was investigated to determine the influence of experimental conditions and the methods of sample preparation on the process. The experiments were carried out both under the static and the dynamic conditions. Kinetics and equilibrium parameters of the sorption were evaluated. In addition, the influence was studied of the algae preparation methods on the conductivity of demineralized water in which the algae samples were immersed. The static experiments showed that the sorption of Cu2+ ions reached equilibrium in about 30 min, with approximately 90% of the ions adsorbed in the initial 15 min. The sorption capacity determined from the …

Is Active Moss Biomonitoring Comparable to Air Filter Standard Sampling?

Recently, significant attention has been paid to air quality awareness and its impact on human health, especially in urban agglomerations. Many types of dust samplers for air quality monitoring are used by governmental environmental monitoring agencies. However, these techniques are associated with high costs; as a consequence, biological methods such as active moss biomonitoring are being developed. The main disadvantages of such techniques are the lack of standardization of the preparation procedures and the lack of reliable comparisons of results with data from instrumental analyses. Our study aimed to compare the results obtained from active biomonitoring with the use of three moss spec…

The Impact of Copper Ions on Oxidative Stress in Garden Cress Lepidium sativum

Abstract Normal oxygen metabolism is an endogenous source of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The source of ROS are also many environmental factors including heavy metals. In certain concentration range, the presence of ROS is necessary to maintain proper cell function. Thus, cells have many mechanisms, which role is focused on maintaining a constant concentration of ROS. Imbalance between the formation of ROS and action of a protective antioxidant system leads to oxidative stress. This may results with a damage to the structure of proteins, lipids and nucleic acids, which in turn can lead to disturbances in the functioning of the cell and even to the death. The aim of the study was to evalua…

Modelling and analysis of the influence of solar spectrum on the efficiency of photovoltaic modules

Abstract The article presents the influence of changes in the solar radiation spectrum distribution on the properties of various photovoltaic modules, with particular emphasis on the scattered component. We compared the relative efficiency of the photovoltaic modules based on various semiconductor absorbers during bright and sunny, and cloudy summer days. Additionally, we presented the impact of the module tilt angle on the magnitude of the surface incident scattered component and on the efficiency of the module. The solar spectra for various weather conditions were estimated using specialised computer programmes,such as SolarSpectrum or SMARTS2, and we present here the validation results f…

Numerical procedures and their practical application in PV modules analyses. Part I: air mass

Abstract The subject of the article is aspects of PV modules and cells measurement, with the use of natural sunlight. A light source is an important element during calibration and measurements of solar cells and modules. All designers of artificial light sources try to recreate natural light using so called measurement tables. The correctly performed measurement, i.e. meeting all the appropriate atmospheric conditions, guarantees obtaining the result with the use of a reference spectrum. The article has two main aims. The first aim of the article is to answer the question asked earlier - if the sunlight spectrum registered in appropriate conditions is so good that it serves as the reference…

Numerical Procedures and their Practical Application in PV Module Analyses. Part IV: Atmospheric Transparency Parameters - Application

Abstract The presented article relates to aspects of PV module testing using natural sunlight in outdoor conditions. It is a continuation of the article Part III: parameters of atmospheric transparency - determining and correlations. This article discusses the practical application of the indexes: atmosphere purity - k Tm , diffused component content - k s/o , beam clear sky index - K b - in testing various modules in outdoor conditions. Their influence on the conversion of modules made from various absorbers and various technologies is demonstrated. Their practical application in module testing in outdoor conditions is described and it - has been demonstrated that the results of the analys…

THE USE OF NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS IN THE BIOMONITORING OF TRACE ELEMENT DEPOSITION IN THE OPOLE PROVINCE

Abstract The neutron activation analysis procedure was used to determine the concentration of 42 elements: Na, Mg, Al, Cl, K, Ca, Sc, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, Zn, As, Se, Br, Rb, Sr, Zr, Nb, Mo, I, Ag, Cd, Sb, Ba, Cs, La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Yb, Hf, Ta, W, Au, Hg, Th, and U accumulated in mosses sampled for testing in September and October 2011 in the Opole Province (Southern Poland). Samples of different moss species were collected near the intersections of the grid lines marked on the map of the province. The distance between the points was approximately 20 km. The analysis of the results made it possible to identify the places of increased deposition of element-pollutants and to indicate t…

Determination of the atmospheric precipitation pH value on the basis of the analysis of lichen cationoactive layer constitution

Studies of equilibria and kinetics of the ion exchange process between the surrounding (water solution) and lichens prove that the number of mobile hydrogen ions bonded in lichens depends on the concentration of hydrogen ions in the precipitation with which the lichens are in contact and the type and concentration of other cations contained in the precipitation. The measurement of these values was suggested; as a result, it enabled to determine the pH of precipitation by determination of mobile cations bonded in exposed or naturally grown lichens. The studies were conducted on Hypogymnia physodes lichens.

Biomonitoring of Atmospheric Aerosol with the use of Apis mellifera and Pleurozium schreberi

Abstract The aim of the carried out research was to assess atmospheric aerosol pollution levels in the area of three apiaries located in the Opole Province and to analyse heavy metals pollution in bee honey and western honey bees. Pleurozium schreberi moss was used in analysing atmospheric aerosol pollution with the active biomonitoring method, whereas heavy metals levels were determined with flame atomic absorption spectrometry method (F-AAS). Relative Accumulation Factors (RAF) were used in determining increases of analytes concentrations in the moss samples. As a result of the carried out study, the following conclusions have been reached: mosses are good bioindicators of environment pol…

Mercury concentration in lichen, moss and soil samples collected from the forest areas of Praded and Glacensis Euroregions (Poland and Czech Republic)

The concentration of mercury was determined in samples of the lichen Hypogymnia physodes, the moss Pleurozium schreberi, and the soil humus collected in Polish and Czech Euroregions Praded and Glacensis. The sampling sites were located in Bory Stobrawskie, Bory Niemodlińskie and Kotlina Kłodzka in Poland, and in Jeseniki and Gory Orlickie in the Czech Republic. The mean concentrations of mercury accumulated in the lichen (0.129 mg g(-1)), in the moss (0.094 mg g(-1)) and in soil (0.286 mg g(-1)) were fairly close to the corresponding concentrations in other low-industrialized regions. The highest concentrations of mercury were observed in the lichen and the moss samples from Kotlina Kłodzka…

Mushrooms as Biomonitors of Heavy Metals Contamination in Forest Areas

Abstract The aim of the research was to assess the level of contamination with heavy metals (manganese, iron, nickel, copper, zinc, cadmium and lead) in two forest areas selected in different places in Poland: the first one in the Swietokrzyskie Province (forests of the Staporkow Forest Division) and the second one in the Opolskie Province (forests of the Kup Forest Division). The degree of contamination of these forest areas with analytes was found using edible large-fruited mushrooms naturally occurring there - the research was carried out using passive biomonitoring method. Heavy metals in mushrooms (separately in stems and hats) as well as in soil samples were determined by atomic absor…

Mosses as a biomonitor to identify elements released into the air as a result of car workshop activities

Human activity as a result of civilization development contributes to creating new sources of environmental pollution. Air pollution is one of the major problems because it affects the fauna and flora, and people themselves. There is a lack of public awareness of the level of atmospheric analytes pollution emitted from people's occupational and recreational (leisure) activities. A quick, cheap and easy way to investigate the state of the environment is to use organisms-biomonitors that indicate the level of environmental pollution. The study aimed to assess air pollution in an urban area using three moss species: Sphagnum fallax, Pleurozium schreberi and Dicranum polysetum. Mosses were expo…

Application of the reduced I-V Blaesser’s characteristics in predicting PV modules and cells conversion efficiency in medium and high insolation conditions

Abstract The article presents theoretical foundations of application of the reduced I-V Blaesser’s characteristics in predicting a photovoltaic cell/module (PV) efficiency, together with calculation procedures. A detailed analysis of the error of this transformation method of characteristics was carried out. Its practical application in predicting efficiency of operation of various PV cells and modules in medium and high insulation conditions was demonstrated. The practical suitability of the presented method in early detection of ageing phenomena, such as, for example, absorber degradation taking place in PV modules, was demonstrated. The article was prepared on the basis of the results of…

Using moss and lichens in biomonitoring of heavy-metal contamination of forest areas in southern and north-eastern Poland.

Abstract In the years 2014–2016 biomonitoring studies were conducted in the forest areas of south and north-eastern Poland: the Karkonosze Mountains, the Beskidy Mountains, the Borecka Forest, the Knyszynska Forest and the Bialowieska Forest. This study used epigeic moss Pleurozium schreberi and epiphytic lichens Hypogymnia physodes. Samples were collected in spring, summer and autumn. Approximately 500 samples of moss and lichens were collected for the study. In the samples, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Hg and Pb concentrations were determined. Based on the obtained results, the studied areas were ranked by extent of heavy-metal deposition: Beskidy > Karkonosze Mountains > forests of north-eastern …

Comparison of Exposure Techniques and Vitality Assessment of Mosses in Active Biomonitoring for Their Suitability in Assessing Heavy Metal Pollution in Atmospheric Aerosol.

The most widespread and used technique is the moss-bag method in active biomonitoring of air pollution using mosses. In the literature, we can find various studies on the standardization of this method, including attempts to standardize treatments and preparation procedures for their universal application. Few works comprehensively focus on other methods or compare other techniques used in active biomonitoring with mosses, especially including measurements of their vital parameters. Our experiment aimed to assess air pollution by selected heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Mn, Fe, and Hg) using three moss species (Pleurozium schreberi, Sphagnum fallax, and Dicranum polysetum) during a 12-week ex…

Numerical procedures and their practical application in PV modules’ analyses. Part II: Useful fractions and APE

Abstract The article regards aspects of PV modules tested with the use of natural sunlight. The analysis of spectral structure of solar energy resources in southern Poland, carried out on the basis of meteorological data originating from SolarLab PW Wroclaw and AGH Krakow, Poland [ 1 ] was used in the article. It is a continuation of the article: Analysis of solar energy resources in southern Poland for photovoltaic applications [ 1 ], describing the method to determine spectral parameters of average photon energy (APE) and useful fraction (UF) with the use of a solar radiation spectrum simulator. This article, however, includes an experimental presentation of their impact on PV conversion …

Bioaccumulation of Trace Elements from Aqueous Solutions by Selected Terrestrial Moss Species

The interrelationship between metal concentrations in mosses and their surroundings prompts research toward examining their accumulation properties, as it is particularly important for their usage in biomonitoring studies that use mosses. In this study, the kinetics of elemental sorption in three moss species (Pleurozium schreberi, Dicranum polysetum, and Sphagnum fallax) were investigated under laboratory conditions. Sorption from metal salt solutions was carried out under static conditions with decreasing elemental concentration. Functional groups responsible for binding metal cations to the internal structures of the mosses were also identified. It was shown that the equilibrium state wa…

Active Biomonitoring of Heavy Metal Concentrations in Aquatic Environment Using Mosses and Algae

In this paper, we present an analysis of the pollution of surface water and air by the heavy metals: Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb in the area of the smelter in Ozimek (Opolskie Voivodeship, Poland). The marine algae Palmaria palmata was exposed in the Mała Panew River, and three species of forest mosses: Pleurozium schreberi, Sphagnum fallax and Dicranum polysetum were also applied. Active biomonitoring was also carried out using P. schreberi mosses to assess air pollution, since the area and the river are influenced by the smelter’s activities. Analytes were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. Student’s T-test and Mann–Whitney U test were used to assess th…

Sorption properties of algae Spirogyra sp. and their use for determination of heavy metal ions concentrations in surface water.

Abstract Kinetics of heavy-metal ions sorption by alga Spirogyra sp. was evaluated experimentally in the laboratory, using both the static and the dynamic approach. The metal ions – Mn2+, Cu2+, Zn2+ and Cd2+ – were sorbed from aqueous solutions of their salts. The static experiments showed that the sorption equilibria were attained in 30 min, with 90-95% of metal ions sorbed in first 10 min of each process. The sorption equilibria were approximated with the Langmuir isotherm model. The algae sorbed each heavy metal ions proportionally to the amount of this metal ions in solution. The experiments confirmed that after 30 min of exposition to contaminated water, the concentration of heavy meta…

Mosses as Biomonitor of Air Pollution with Analytes Originating from Tobacco Smoke

Abstract The aim of the carried out research was the assessment of the possibility to use a popular bioindicator - Pleurozium schreberi mosses as a biosensor of the air pollution in living quarters with the analytes originating from tobacco smoke. The moss bag method of active biomonitoring, popular in environmental studies, was applied; the method is based on exposing mosses collected in clean areas in the locations polluted with, for example, heavy metals. However, this experiment involved exposing mosses in living quarters, in which approximately 10 cigarettes were smoked daily (first room - kitchen). For the purpose of comparison, moss samples were also placed in another room (bedroom),…

Influence of Heavy Metal Concentration on Chlorophyll Content in Pleurozium schreberi Mosses

Abstract The aim of biomonitoring is assessment of environment condition. Biomonitoring studies with the use of mosses focus mainly on analytes accumulation and determining elements’ concentrations in the study area. It is often forgotten that a bioindicator should be alive during biomonitoring studies (which can be determined by, e.g., analysis of chlorophyll content). The objective of the carried out research was an assessment of the influence of selected heavy metals concentration: Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb accumulated by Pleurozium schreberi mosses during 3-month exposition within active biomonitoring, on their vitality, assessed by an analysis of a and b chlorophyll concentrations. The stu…

Numerical procedures and their practical application in PV module analyses. Part III: parameters of atmospheric transparency – determining and correlations

The presented article examines aspects of a PV module testing using natural sunlight in outdoor conditions. The article discusses the physical sense of indexes: atmosphere purity, diffused component content, beam clear sky index. Procedures for their determination are given in relation to both instantaneous and daily values. Their close connection with the values of solar irradiance spectral distribution such as Average Photon Energyand Useful Fractionis demonstrated, as well as their usefulness in moduletesting in outdoor conditions. Their influence on the conversion of modules made from various absorbers and various technologies is demonstrated

Assessment of the influence of counter ions on biosorption of copper cations in brewer's spent grain - Waste product generated during beer brewing process

Abstract The influence that conditioning leached ground barley grain (known as “brewer's spent grain” (BSG)) has on the effectiveness of copper cation sorption was analysed. Saturation with counter ions of functional groups present on the grain surface was carried out in hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide, sodium and calcium chloride solutions. For comparison, BSG was also conditioned in demineralised water. Spent barley grain is a by-product of the brewing industry which can be used as a biosorbent in the removal of heavy metals from waste water. Emphasis is placed on the effect of competitive sorption of copper and hydrogen cations and the negative influence of a solution alkalinisation …

The Climate Change Crisis?

Abstract A necessary (though probably not sufficient) condition for creativity in the sciences and the arts to flourish is a liberal/democratic socio-political environment. In Europe this was manifested in the Enlightenment as Galileo, Copernicus and others laid the foundations for the evidence-based natural philosophy which signaled the birth of “The Enlightenment”. The importance of intellectual and personal freedom for humanitarian advance is clearly manifested in the exponential success of the sciences in conquering many humanitarian problems from starvation and disease to the more obvious technologies that make modern life relatively pleasant for many - especially in the developed worl…

Biological Monitoring Using Lichens as a Source of Information About Contamination of Mountain with Heavy Metals

Abstract The aim of this study was passive biomonitoring of the mountains of southern Poland. Lichens Hypogymnia physodes were used for the study. Concentrations of the heavy metals Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb were determined in these lichens. The concentrations were measured by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The analysis of the concentrations of the determined heavy metals in the lichen thallus allowed to determine the places with the highest and the lowest contamination with a given heavy metal in the study area. It was shown that the area of Great Czantoria and Big Soszow is the most contaminated with heavy metals among the investigated areas. The study shows that the transport of analy…

Passive and Active Biomonitoring of Atmospheric Aerosol with the Use of Mosses

Abstract The aim of the carried out research was passive and active biomonitoring of woodlands in the Opole province. Pleurozium schreberi mosses were used during the research, in which the following heavy metals concentrations were determined: Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb. Concentrations were determined with absorption atomic spectrometry (AAS). On the basis of the carried out research, concentrations of heavy metals in moss samples used in the passive and active biomonitoring methods were compared. The obtained results indicate that Pleurozium schreberi mosses can be successfully used in both passive and active biomonitoring, however, these methods should not be used interchangeably in a…

The application of electroanalytical methods to determine affinity series of metal cations for functional biosorbent groups

Abstract The affinity of the selected heavy metal cations: Mn 2 + , Ni 2 + , Cu 2 + , Zn 2 + , Cd 2 + , Pb 2 + and Na + , K + , Mg 2 + , Ca 2 + was determined for the functional groups located on the surface of leached barley middlings, so called Brewer's spent grain (BSG) – a by-product of the brewing industry. A simple method for determining the affinity series, with the use of a conductivity meter and a pH-meter, was described. It was demonstrated that the affinity of cations for the functional groups located on the surface of the BSG increases in the series: Na + + 2 + 2 +  ≈ Zn 2 + 2 +  ≈ Ca 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + , and the series was determined by comparing concentrations expressed in gram e…

Use of Algae in Active Biomonitoring of Surface Waters

Abstract Biomonitoring studies have been carried out in three retention reservoirs located in the Opole Province (southern Poland): Turawa reservoir, Nysa reservoir and Otmuchow reservoir. The increases of concentrations of Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb in fresh water algae Spirogyra sp. and sea water Palmaria palmata (Linnaeus) Weber & Mohr, exposed in the analysed waters, were determined by the atomic absorption spectrometry method (AAS). Also the waters pH, conductivity and Mn and Fe concentrations were determined. The concentrations of Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb in the analysed waters were lower than the method limit of determination. The analyses were carried out during the period from June to …

The Effect of Cadmium on Oxidative Stress in Beta vulgaris

Abstract As a heavy metal, cadmium has strongly toxic effects on plants and can induce oxidative stress. It is absorbed by the roots and transported to the stems and leaves. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of various concentrations of cadmium on the metabolic activity of Beta vulgaris and assess the dependence of these processes on the content of metal in the plants. To demonstrate the effect of cadmium on metabolism, protein and photosynthetic pigment content, lipid peroxidation, and the activity of enzymes specific for oxidative stress in roots and shoots were measured. Seeds of B. vulgaris were treated with different concentrations of Cd supplied via a CdCl2 solution: 0 (…

Sorption of heavy metals in the biomass of alga Palmaria palmata

Sorption of heavy metals by the sea alga Palmaria palmata was investigated in laboratory conditions. The sorption process of the analytes was carried out with constant flow of the solutions through the algae samples. The Langmuir isotherm model was used to describe equilibria. The experiments confirmed that 50 min of exposure of algae with little heavy metal contamination in contaminated waters results in the increase of concentration of these analytes, proportional to their concentration in the tested waters. On the basis of the Langmuir isotherm direction factor, a = (c(a,max) × K)−1, affinity of heavy metals and algae increases in the following sequence: Mn2+ < Zn2+ ≈ Cd2+ &lt…

Nature-Inspired Effects of Naturally Occurring Trace Element-Doped Hydroxyapatite Combined with Surface Interactions of Mineral-Apatite Single Crystals on Human Fibroblast Behavior †

Innovative engineering design for biologically active hydroxyapatites requires enhancing both mechanical and physical properties, along with biocompatibility, by doping with appropriate chemical elements. Herein, the purpose of this investigation was to evaluate and elucidate the model of naturally occurring hydroxyapatite and the effects of doped trace elements on the function of normal human fibroblasts, representing the main cells of connective tissues. The substrates applied (geological apatites with hexagonal prismatic crystal habit originated from Slyudyanka, Lake Baikal, Russia (GAp) and from Imilchil, The Atlas Mountains, Morocco (YAp)) were prepared from mineral natural apatite wit…

The Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination of the Cultivated Soils in the Odra River Floodplain

Abstract The aim of the study was to assess the contamination of selected heavy metals in cultivated soils of the Odra river floodplain. The heavy metals Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ni, Cd and Pb were determined in soil samples collected in the autumn of 2020 - after the vegetation period of plants from designated measurement points. Concentrations of the analytes were measured using an atomic absorption spectrometer (F-ASA). A comparison was made between concentrations of heavy metals in soil samples collected from areas flooded in 1997 and from areas flooded as a result of rainfall, snowmelt and winter floods. The results of the studies were compared with the data for soils taken from non-flooded are…

Mechanisms for Translocation of Heavy Metals from Soil to Epigeal Mosses

The mechanisms for translocation of heavy metals from soil to epigeal mosses were investigated. The first mechanism was demonstrated for (137)Cs and involved the uplifting of the pollutant-containing dust from the soil, followed by the local secondary deposition on surfaces of epigeal mosses and epiphytic lichens. The second mechanism involved the diffusion of metal cations from the soil through water wetting the moss into the gametophyte. The mechanism was demonstrated by measuring the electric conductance of wetted gametophytes with single ends immersed in solutions of Cu and Na salts. In addition, the concentrations of Cu and Cd were compared in moss samples exposed to the natural soil a…

Ion equilibrium in lichen surrounding.

In laboratory conditions, the ionic equilibriums between a solution and a cation-active layer of epiphytic lichens Hypogymnia physodes immersed in the solution were examined. It was found that such equilibriums, due to exchange of mobile cations: H, Na, K, Ca, and Mg, are established in natural conditions between a lichen and atmospheric water.

Effects of tobacco smoke on indoor air quality: the use of mosses in biomonitoring.

This research was carried out to assess the possibility of using Pleurozium schreberi mosses as bioindicators of atmospheric aerosol pollution in living quarters (kitchen and bedroom), with metals originating from tobacco smoke from various types of cigarettes: conventional cigarettes, e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products. The moss-bag method of active biomonitoring was used. The mosses were exposed in these indoor spaces for three months and, after the exposition period, their analytes – Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb – were determined using flame atomic absorption spectrometry (F-AAS). Results were interpreted using the relative accumulation factors (RAF), coefficients of variation (CV) and th…

Is Your Moss Alive during Active Biomonitoring Study?

Biomonitoring was proposed to assess the condition of living organisms or entire ecosystems with the use of bioindicators—species sensitive to specific pollutants. It is important that the bioindicator species remains alive for as long as possible while retaining the ability to react to the negative effects of pollution (elimination/neutralization of hazardous contaminants). The purpose of the study was to assess the survival of Pleurozium schreberi moss during exposure (moss-bag technique) based on the measurement of the concentration of elements (Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb), chlorophyll content, and its fluorescence. The study was carried out using a CCM-300 portable chlorophyll content meter…

Influence of hydrogen cations on kinetics and equilibria of heavy-metal sorption by algae—sorption of copper cations by the alga Palmaria palmata (Linnaeus) Weber & Mohr (Rhodophyta)

The influence of hydrogen cations on kinetics and equilibria of sorption of copper cations by the marine alga Palmaria palmata (Linnaeus) Weber & Mohr was studied under static conditions. The competitive effect of the H+ cations is described, which influenced the uncertainty of evaluation of the alga sorption capacity. Under static conditions, the variation of the Cu2+/H+ concentration ratio during sorption was found nonmonotonic. The Langmuir isotherm model was used to determine the sorption capacity of the alga, namely 12.4 mg g−1 of dry algae mass. A similar value was determined from the kinetic parameters of the ionic exchange which is considered a pseudo-second-order chemical reaction.…

Modelling of Mercury Emissions from Large Solid Fuel Combustion and Biomonitoring in CZ-PL Border Region

Abstract Tightening of norms for air protection leads to a development of new and significantly more effective techniques for removing particulate matter, SOx and NOx from flue gas which originates from large solid fuel combustion. Recently, it has been found that combinations of these environmental technologies can also lead to the reduction of mercury emissions from coal power plants. Now the greatest attention is paid especially to the coal power plant in Opatovice nad Labem, close to Hradec Kralove. Its system for flue gas dedusting was replaced by a modern type of cloth fabric filter with the highest particle separation efficiency which belongs to the category of BAT. Using this techno…

Use of Lichen and Moss in Assessment of Forest Contamination with Heavy Metals in Praded and Glacensis Euroregions (Poland and Czech Republic)

The concentrations of selected metals-Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb-were determined in the samples of Hypogymnia physodes lichen and Pleurozium schreberi moss collected in Polish and Czech Euroregions Praded and Glacensis. More specifically, the samples were collected in Bory Stobrawskie, Bory Niemodlińskie, and Kotlina Kłodzka (Poland) and in Jeseniki (Czech Republic). The concentration of metals in the samples was measured using the atomic absorption spectrometry (flame AAS technique and electrothermal atomization AAS technique). The results were used to calculate the comparison factor (CF) that quantifies the difference in concentration of a given bioavailable analyte × accumulated in liche…

The influence of environmental conditions on the lifespan of mosses under long-term active biomonitoring

Abstract Biomonitoring with living organisms is most often used in order to gather quick information about environmental quality – for example the level of heavy metals polluting the air. Experiments are not often performed when the bioindicator is exposed to pollutants over the long time (6 months and more) because this period required to obtain credible results and the risk not yet studied of physiological changes and of degeneration of the living material which would undoubtedly affect the biomonitoring results. The aim of study was to evaluate the physiological condition of Pleurozium schreberi moss species subjected to continuous exposure for a year, using the moss-bag method, under va…

Elementary steps in heterogeneous catalysis: The basis for environmental chemistry

Abstract Catalysis is an alternative way for reaching an immediate formation of a product, because of a lower energy barrier (between the molecules and the catalysts). Heterogeneous catalysis comprises the acceleration of a chemical reaction through interaction of the molecules involved with the surface of a solid. It is a discipline, which involves all the different aspects of chemistry: inorganic and analytical chemistry in order to characterize the catalysts and the forms of these catalysts. The industrial chemistry puts all these things together to understand the solid chemical handling, chemical reaction and energy engineering and the heat and mass transfer in these catalytic processes…

Assessment of the possibility of using deciduous tree bark as a biomonitor of heavy metal pollution of atmospheric aerosol

The aim of the research was to assess the possibility to use deciduous tree bark in the biomonitoring of urban areas. The tree bark taken from various deciduous tree species growing in the Opole Province (south-western Poland) was used for the research. The bark was collected from tree trunks in the period of June 2–26, 2017. Concentrations of the heavy metals were determined in the barks by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). On the basis of the research, it was determined that type of tree, distance from pollution source, elevation off the ground and the side of trunk from which bark was sampled all influence the research results. A comparison of the values of coefficient of vari…

Translocation of Cations During Sorption of Copper in the System Solution - Algae (Spirogyra sp.)/Translokacja Kationów Podczas Procesu Sorpcji Miedzi W Układzie Roztwór - Glony (Spirogyra Sp.)

Zbadano kinetykę procesu sorpcji kationów miedzi w glonach Spirogyra sp. oraz towarzyszące mu procesy sorpcji kationów wodorowych i procesy uwalniania do roztworu kationów związanych w glonach: Na+, Mg2+, K+ i Ca2+. Stwierdzono, że w układzie statycznym, przy stałym stosunku masy glonów do objętości roztworu, procesy te zachodzą równocześnie, przy czym należy przypuszczać, że ilość uwalnianych soli ma wpływ na parametry heterofazowej równowagi wymiany jonowej. W warunkach prowadzenia eksperymentu ilość uwolnionych kationów była blisko 10-krotnie większa niż ilość kationów sorbowanych. Porównano parametry równowagi wyznaczone z modelu reakcji pseudo-drugiego rzędu z parametrami uzyskanymi po…

The Application of Active Biomonitoring with the Use of Mosses to Identify Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in an Atmospheric Aerosol

The use of biological indicators of environmental quality is an alternative method of monitoring ecosystem pollution. Various groups of contaminants, including organic ones, can be measured in environmental samples. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have not yet been determined by the moss bag technique. This technique uses several moss species simultaneously in urban areas to select the best biomonitoring of these compounds, which are dangerous to humans and the environment. In this research, a gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry was used for the determination of selected PAHs in three species of mosses: Pleurozium schreberi, Sphagnum fallax and Dicranum polysetum (acti…

Algae - Heavy Metals Biosorbent / Glony - Biosorbent Metali Ciężkich

Abstract The publication is a synthetic collection of information on the sorption properties of marine and freshwater algae. Kinetics and sorption equilibrium of heavy metals in algae-solution system, influence of abiotic factors on the process of sorption and desorption of analytes from biomass are discussed. In paper the results of laboratory tests conducted using different species and types of algae, which purpose was to assess their usefulness as natural sorbents, are described. The conclusions drawn from current research confirm the results from literature.

Quantitative relations between different concentrations of micro- and macroelements in mosses and lichens: the region of Opole (Poland) as an environmental interface in between Eastern and Western Europe

We examined the concentration of selected metals: Al, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb, as well as activity of 137Cs in samples of moss and lichen, collected in the area surrounding Bory Stobrawskie, a wood complex situated in southern Poland. The concentration of metals was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. The activity of 137Cs was determined by gamma spectrometry. We used these results, as well as results published in the literature, to determine the correlation between the concentration of analytes in lichens and in mosses. The analysis of the function ln(cx,moss) = lna + bln(cx,lichen) indicated with high degree of certainty that the concentration levels of analytes accumulated in…

Algae utilization in assessment of the large Turawa Lake (Poland) pollution with heavy metals.

This investigation was undertaken to determine the applicability of algae for the assessment of contamination level of water reservoirs with heavy metals. The alga Spirogyra sp. collected in the littoral zone of the Large Turawa Lake (artificial lake in Southern Poland) was used for the study. The concentrations of heavy metals accumulated in the alga inhabiting a flow-through water basin of the Large Turawa Lake were found to correlate with sources of these metals, such as benthic sediments and contaminated watercourses. The highest concentrations of metals were found in alga samples collected at the outlet of the lake: c (Mn) = 12330 mg/kg dry mass, c (Fe) = 15059 mg/kg d.m., c (Cu) = 47.…

Air Pollution Research Based on Spider Web and Parallel Continuous Particulate Monitoring—A Comparison Study Coupled with Identification of Sources

Air pollution is monitored mainly in urban or industrial areas, even if it is known that in rural ones, low emission can significantly worsen air quality. Hence, cheap and easily accessible methods of monitoring are needed. Recently, spider webs biomonitoring is getting popular, however, there is no information about its comparison with active methods. In this study, PTEs accumulated on spider webs were compared with results from continuous particulate monitor (CPM). Generally, higher potentially toxic elements concentrations were noted in spider web, with exception in the case of Zn. Zn may be present rather in smaller fractions, hence it needs more time for accumulation on spider web whil…

Bibliometric analysis of European publications between 2001 and 2016 on concentrations of selected elements in mushrooms.

This article presents a bibliometric study of 200 European publications released between 2001 and 2016, about the contamination of mushrooms by selected elements. The analysis includes figures on the type of analyte, its concentration, the species of fungi, and its country of origin. In the literature review, 492 species of mushrooms (wild-growing and cultured) found in 26 European countries and their concentration of 74 associated elements were analysed. The papers, which dealt mainly with the heavy metal (Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb, and Zn) concentrations of mushrooms, primarily came from Turkey, Poland, Spain, and the Czech Republic. More than 50% of the publications provided data about edible mushr…

Sorption of Cadmium and Zinc in Selected Species of Epigeic Mosses

The sorption abilities of seven moss species growing on the area of Bory Stobrawskie forest (southern Poland) were tested in laboratory. Sorption was carried out in solutions of Zn and Cd chlorides. It has been shown that the sorption properties depend on the moss species and increases in the series as follows: Polytrichum commune < Leucobryum glaucum < Eurhynchium praelongum < Thuidium tamtariscifolium ≤ Dicranum scoparium ≤ Pleurozium schreberi < Sphagnum sp. With help of microscope images, it was also demonstrated that one of the factors affecting the sorption properties of mosses was the level of their surface development. The determined sorption capacity of Zn varies according to speci…

The Use of Bark in Biomonitoring Heavy Metal Pollution of Forest Areas on the Example of Selected Areas in Poland

Abstract In the year 2016, passive biomonitoring studies were conducted in the forest areas of southern and north-eastern Poland: the Karkonosze Mountains (Kark), the Beskidy Mountains (Beskid), Borecka Forest (P. Bor), Knyszynska Forest (P. Kny), and Białowieza Forest (P. Bia). This study used bark from the tree, Betula pendula Roth. Samples were collected in spring (Sp), summer (Su), and autumn (Au). Concentrations of Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb were determined for the samples using the atomic absorption spectrometry method with flame excitation (F-AAS). Based on the obtained results, the studied areas were ranked according to level of heavy-metal deposition: forests of southern Poland…

The Origin of Heavy Metals and Radionuclides Accumulated in the Soil and Biota Samples Collected in Svalbard, Near Longyearbyen

Abstract Heavy metals and radioactive compounds are potentially hazardous substances for plants, animals and humans in the Arctic. A good knowledge of the spatial variation of these substances in soil and primary producers, and their sources, is therefore essential. In the samples of lichen Thamnolia vermicularis, Salix polaris and Cassiope tetragona, and the soil samples collected in 2014 in Svalbard near Longyearbyen, the concentrations of the following heavy metals were determined: Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb and Hg, as well as the activity concentrations of the following: K-40, Cs-137, Pb-210, Pb-212, Bi-212, Bi-214, Pb-214, Ac-228, Th-231 and U-235 in the soil samples. The differences in th…

The Biological Monitoring as a Source of Information on Environmental Pollution with Heavy Metals

Abstract The influence of environmental pollution on living organisms has been known for a long time, but it was not until the second half of the twentieth century that methodical studies on the influence of anthropopressure on changes in ecosystems began. Living organisms began to be used as biological indicators of environmental pollution. Cyclical and quantitative studies of pollutant concentrations in bioaccumulators have become the basis of modern biological monitoring (biomonitoring) of environmental pollution. Biomonitoring studies are carried out with the passive method (passive biomonitoring), in which living organisms occurring in their natural environment are analysed, and with a…

The use of mosses in biomonitoring of selected areas in Poland and Spitsbergen in the years from 1975 to 2014

We have compared historical changes in concentrations of the heavy metals Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb accumulated in samples from the Polish woodlands of Beskidy and Karkonosze (S, SE Poland) and the north-east regions of the country, versus the relatively little polluted areas of Spitsbergen of the Svalbard Archipelago. We have combined the results from literature with new results from 2014. The regions of Beskidy and Karkonosze were the most exposed to heavy metals deposition. However, from 1975 to 2014 there was a considerable decrease of concentrations of Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb at all Polish sites, clearly signifying improvement of environmental quality. For example, the average Cd concentrati…

The Use of Two-Diode Substitute Model in Predicting the Efficiency of PV Conversion in Low Solar Conditions

Abstract The article presents theoretical foundations of a two-diode equivalent model of a photovoltaic cell/module (PV), together with calculation procedures. A physical interpretation of individual components of an equivalent model was presented. Its practical application in predicting efficiency of operation of various PV cells and modules in low insulation conditions was demonstrated. The obtained predictions were verified with the actual results of their operation in open space (outdoor). The practical suitability of the “model” in early detection of ageing phenomena, such as, for example, absorber degradation taking place in PV modules, was demonstrated. The article was prepared on th…

The influence of preparation methodology on the concentrations of heavy metals in Pleurozium schreberi moss samples prior to use in active biomonitoring studies

AbstractActive biomonitoring is used to assess environmental pollution of elements such as heavy metals by indicator species such as mosses. They are used, among others, in urbanized areas where no indicator species are found. In such study areas, mosses collected from sites considered to be ecologically clean shall be exposed. In this context, it is very important to prepare the mosses properly before the exposure, so that the information received about the condition of the environment is reliable. In 2018, studies were conducted in the forested areas of southern Poland—in Opolskie Province. Pleurozium schreberi mosses were used in these studies. Atomic absorption spectrometry with flame a…

Ethylene polymerization using vanadium catalyst supported on silica modified by pyridinium ionic liquid

The impact of various cations on the sorption of manganese in the thallus of freshwater algae spirogyra sp. and sea algae palmaria palmata

Abstract Due to their occurrence in very different conditions and high resistance to physical and chemical factors, algae are pioneers colonising new environments and their sorption properties are used in biomonitoring and water remediation. The efficiency of the process of heavy metal sorption in algae used for in situ tests depends on abiotic factors, such as the chemical composition of water. Freshwater algae Spirogyra sp. were used in tests. Algae were exposed in the laboratory in manganese chloride solutions with various contents of other cations, including heavy metals and macronutrients. It has been shown that some heavy metals may desorb manganese bound to the surface of algae as a …