0000000000026756
AUTHOR
Zbigniew Ziembik
Analysis of Environmental Data
Main outcomes 1. Analysis of radioisotopes’ activity concentration in soil. 2. Analysis of Rn-222/concentration activity in indoor air. 3. Biomonitoring of radioisotopes. 4. Biomonitoring of heavy metals. 5. Application of compositional data analysis in evaluation of environmental data. 6. Assessment of particulate matter deposition from air. 7. Assessment of radioisotopes transfer from water to plant. 8. Assessment of morphology and composition of particulate matter in the air on urban area. 9. Assessment of indoor and outdoor air chemical and microbiological composition. Main cooperation areas 1. Support in the design of experiment or observation strategy for environmental surveys. 2. Sup…
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…
Trace elements in native and transplanted Fontinalis antipyretica and Platyhypnidium riparioides from rivers polluted by uranium mining.
The past uranium/polymetallic mining activities in the Sudety (SW Poland) left abandoned mines, pits, and dumps of waste rocks with trace elements and radionuclides which may erode or leach out and create a potential risk for the aquatic ecosystem, among others. In the present work four rivers affected by effluents from such mines were selected to evaluate the application of aquatic mosses for the bioindication of 56 elements. Naturally growing F. antipyretica and P. riparioides were compared with transplanted samples of the same species. The results demonstrate serious pollution of the examined rivers, especially with As, Ba, Fe, Mn, Pb, Ti, U and Zn, reaching extremely high concentrations…
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…
Role of calcium carbonate in the process of heavy metal biosorption from solutions: synergy of metal removal mechanisms.
AbstractThe effect of calcium carbonate on the removal efficiency of cations of the selected heavy metals Cu, Zn and Pb from aqueous solutions using various biosorbents (BS) was investigated under laboratory static conditions. The main mechanism of biosorption of heavy metal cations is ion exchange, whereas the reaction with calcium carbonate results in precipitation of poorly soluble carbonates and hydroxides of the examined heavy metals. Studies conducted under static conditions have shown that the effect of Cu and Zn cations removal from solutions is better when using a mixture of BS and CaCO3 as compared to the effect of process, in which these two components were used separately. Remov…
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…
Innovation in Study of Physical and Technical Measurements. Czech-Polish Cooperation of Universities / Innowacje Studiów Fizyczne I Techniczne Metody Pomiarowe. Czesko-Polska Współpraca Uniwersytetów
Abstract In the Faculty of Science (University of Hradec Králové) the innovative program in chemistry for the study specialization Physico-technical Measurements and Computer Technology was developed. The innovation of chemistry filed study has been focused especially on increase in competitiveness and in graduates employment. Design of innovation enables graduates applying for the position of experts in physical measurements and informatics and at the same time they expand their competence in the service of the physico-chemical instrumentation in industrial ecology. Because Faculty of Science is not equipped yet in expensive instrumentation for nuclear spectrometry, cross-border cooperatio…
An alternative conception of PM10 concentration changes after short-term precipitation in urban environment
Abstract In the article, a linear model is presented which describes a reduction of PM10 mass concentration in relation to the type of precipitation and water vapour content in the air. The model was built using covariance analysis. In studies of PM10 concentration changes, the results of 247 observations were used, which were carried out in the urban area. Concentration changes were archived during short-term (30 min) convection and large-scale rainfalls. For the determination of PM10 mass concentration, the reference method was used. To describe changes in PM10 concentration in the air after precipitation, a series of linear models were created, in which the explanatory variables were: th…
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 …
Modelling of Emissions from Large Biogas Plants
Abstract The main objective of the “Guidelines for the development of agricultural biogas plants in Poland within 2010-2020”, is a construction of biogas plants processing agricultural biomass resources with suitable conditions in each municipality. In the Czech Republic produces about 6.5% of energy from renewable sources. Biogas plants give - contrary to solar and wind electricity stations - the stable performance throughout the whole year. Biomass should be a key source for achieving the Czech EU commitment to produce 13% of energy from renewable sources in 2020. The experience, where 317 Agricultural biogas plants are currently in operation, has shown that there are considerable problem…
Rhizoctonia solani AG 11 isolated for the first time from sugar beet in Poland
Abstract Two isolates of Rhizoctonia solani AG11 were isolated from sugar beet seedlings from South-west Poland. Both isolates gave C2 reactions in anastomose pairings with the tester isolates of AG11. The membership of both isolates to AG11 was confirmed by analysis of pectic isozyme profiles, and by verification that the internal transcribed spacer sequences of both isolates matched the references in the GenBank database. Both AG11 isolates formed white-beige to creamy-colored mycelium with wide concentric zonation. One of them formed light-colored sclerotia. The average daily rate of hyphal growth at 21 °C was 22.8 mm and 22.6 mm on PDA. They were mildly pathogenic to sugar beet seedling…
Innovative Educational Program for Biogas Production Carried Out at University of Hradec Králové (CZ) and at University of Opole (PL)
Abstract Recently, there is a growing pressure on a rapid construction of agricultural biogas plants, particularly in the Czech-Polish border region. It is an area with large expanses of agricultural land which can serve to supply biogas plants with biomass. This strategy should contribute to harmonize the common agricultural policy of the European Union. A need for qualified operators of these stations on this territory is also increasing. Therefore we first include a demonstration of an education program for students in the field of agricultural waste anaerobic fermentation and biogas production. We present here the first part of an innovative approach which we use in the teaching program…
The Use of Moss Pleurozium schreberi (Brid.) Mitt. as Bioindicator of Radionuclide Contamination in Industrial Areas of Upper Silesia
Abstract Mosses are good bioaccumulators of radionuclides and from the 60 of the last century, they are used as bioindicators of radioactive contamination in the environment. Concentration of impurities in moss represent the accumulation in mosses during the past 2-3 years. As a result, the moss composition analysis provides information on an average contamination within a few vegetation seasons. During our survey the measurements of radionuclide activity concentrations in P. schreberi transplanted from places relatively clean to heavily contaminated areas of Upper Silesia were carried out. An increase in the radionuclides activity concentrations in P. schreberi transplants may indicate not…
Pb-210 isotope as a pollutant emission indicator= Izotop Pb-210 jako znacznik emisji zanieczyszczeń
Abstract Passive biomonitoring using 210Pb was used in the paper to evaluate pollutant deposition. Well-developed epiphytic foliose lichens Hypogymnia physodes growing on spruce branches were used in the studies. The samples of mosses Pleurozium schreberi and soil (raw humus) were collected from the area around the tree from which the samples of lichens were collected. The studies have shown that it is possible to identify dust emission sources using a radioactive lead isotope (210Pb). The highest activity of 210Pb was observed in areas with increased deposition of other pollutants, such as Ni, Cd, Cu and Pb, which may indicate that 210Pb is one of the emission components
Influence of K on the transport of Cs-137 in soil–plant root and root-leaf systems in sugar beet
The main aim of this study was to determine the influence of K-40 activity in the soil on the transport of Cs-137 from the soil to plants and the impact of its activity on the internal transport of Cs-137 between anatomical parts of the sugar beet. The activity concentration of Cs-137 in the soil was bigger than that in the beet. The highest activity concentration of K-40 was observed in beet leaves, while its content in roots and the soil were comparable.
Estimation of the committed radiation dose resulting from gamma radionuclides ingested with food
The objective of the study was to estimate the value of the radiation dose absorbed in consequence of consumption of popular food products for individual age groups. Potatoes, corn and sugar beet were selected for the study. Edible parts of these plants were collected in experimental fields of the KWS Lochow Polska Sp. z o.o. seeding company in Kondratowice (Poland). On the basis of the obtained study results, it can be stated that in consequence of consumption of the selected food products, people may receive increased doses from both natural and artificial radioactive isotopes. The doses calculated for several age groups do not show any health hazards in consequence of consumption of the …
Effect of soil management on its radioisotopic composition
Radioactive isotopes, both natural and artificial, present in the environment may be convenient indicators that can be used to study a number of physical and chemical processes and transport of pollutants in the ecosystem.The main aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of the type of soil use on the radioisotopic composition in its surface layers. The radioisotopic compositions of surface soil samples collected in the area of a cement plant abandoned for over 20 years and in the area of the nearby allotments were examined and compared. Calculations were performed using methods designed to study compositional variables.The results confirmed a significant impact of usage on the radioisot…
Bacillus subtilis BS-2 and Peppermint Oil as Biocontrol Agents Against Botrytis cinerea
Abstract The purpose of this study was to assess the activity of Bacillus subtilis BS-2 and peppermint oil against Botrytis cinerea. In this study parameters such as the age and the density of the bacterial culture and the incubation temperature were taken into consideration. Furthermore, the cellulolytic activity of the bacterium was determined. The effect of peppermint oil was evaluated at a concentration range of 0.5-4.0 %. The research was conducted with a dual culture plate method. The influence of B. subtilis BS-2 and peppermint oil on the growth of B. cinerea was evaluated based on the growth rate index. It was noted that the bacterial culture occurred at an initial density of OD 560…
The Moss Biomonitoring Method and Neutron Activation Analysis in Assessing Pollution by Trace Elements in Selected Polish National Parks
The concentrations of trace elements in feather moss Pleurozium schreberi (Brid.) Mitt. were used to indicate the relative levels of air pollution by trace elements in Polish national parks. Pleurozium schreberi was collected from nine national parks. The highest concentrations were recorded in the moss samples from the southern and most industrialised part of the country; the lowest from northern and north-eastern Poland. A comparison of data obtained from Polish national parks in the 1970s and 1990s showed a significant decrease in the concentrations of heavy metals. In the linear covariability estimation, the t quantile approach was used for multi-element comparison. A number of positive…
Nuclear analytical techniques used to study the trace element content of Centaurium erythraea Rafn, a medicinal plant species from sites with different pollution loads in Lower Silesia (SW Poland)
Centaurium erythraea (Gentianaceae) is a medicinal plant species with therapeutic potential officially listed in the pharmacopoeias of many European, Asian and American countries. It has had many uses in natural medicine since ancient times and it is collected mostly from wild populations. The aim of this study is to investigate the trace element composition of C. erythraea using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). The results of the performed investigations show that INAA has proved to be an efficient analytical technique for the determination of trace elements in medicinal plants. The studied plant contains elements important to the human diet and metabolism that are needed f…
Spectroscopic and electrochromical properties of metallophthalocyanines in silicate bulks and thin films prepared by the sol–gel method
Abstract Magnesium phthalocyanine (MgPc) and praseodymium bisphthalocyanine (Pr(Pc) 2 ) have been entrapped in bulks and thin films of porous silicate xerogels prepared via the sol–gel method. The electronic absorption data obtained for the complexes immobilized in bulk sol–gel matrices indicate the formation of complex equilibria between their monomeric forms and respective agglomerates. Thin xerogel films doped with metallophthalocyanines and connecting two slides of transparent ITO electrodes display changes in the absorption spectra caused by varying of the applied voltage. These changes appear to be reversible in certain ranges of the applied voltages.
Comparative Study of PM10 Concentrations and Their Elemental Composition Using Two Different Techniques during Winter–Spring Field Observation in Polish Village
The aims of this study were to determine the concentrations and elemental composition of PM10 in the village of Kotórz Mały (Poland), to analyse their seasonal variability, to determine the sources of pollutant emissions and to compare the consistency of the results obtained using different methods. Sampling and weather condition measurements were carried out in the winter (January–February) and spring (April) of 2019. Two combinations of different techniques were used to examine PM10 concentrations and their chemical composition: gravimetric method + atomic absorption spectrometry (GM+AAS) and continuous particle monitor + energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (CPM+EDXRF).…
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…
Elemental and microbiota content in indoor and outdoor air using recuperation unit filters
Detection and quantification of engineered nanomaterials in environmental systems require precise knowledge of the elemental composition, association, and ratios in homologous natural nanomaterials (NNMs). Here, we characterized soil NNMs at the single particle level using single particle-inductively coupled plasma-time of flight-mass spectrometer (SP-ICP-TOF-MS) in order to identify the elemental purity, composition, associations, and ratios within NNMs. Elements naturally present as a major constituent in NNMs such as Ti, and Fe occurred predominantly as pure/single metals, whereas elements naturally present at trace levels in NNMs occurred predominantly as impure/multi-metal NNMs such as…
A new approach to analysis of relationships between 137Cs activity concentrations in forest soil horizons
The measurements results of 137Cs activity concentrations in forest soil profiles are discussed. In studies some simplifications were considered. First of them concerns disregarding of soil subtype in data analysis. However initially this parameter was considered in data analysis, it was finally ignored. The second assumption drops information about specific soil horizon. Description of 137Cs accumulation is based on relationships between its relative activity concentrations in soil layers. The model formulation was based on the results of exploratory data analysis of the relative 137Cs activity concentrations. In studies the methods designed for compositional data analysis were used. The r…
Investigation of committed radiation dose rate and relationships between alkaline metals concentrations in mushroom Xerocomus badius / Badanie wchłoniętej, skutecznej dawki promieniowania i zależności pomiędzy stężeniami metali alkalicznych w owocnikach Xerocomus badius
Abstract The fruiting bodies of fungi sprout from mycelium are capable of accumulating significant amounts of trace elements, both metals and metalloids. Content of these elements in fruiting bodies may exceed their concentration in the substrate where fungi develop. Among the elements the radioactive nuclides are also present. In this work health risk caused by increased radioactivity dose absorbed with Xerocomus badius bay bolete consumption was estimated. In analysis concentrations of radioactive isotopes 137Cs and 40K were taken into consideration. It was found that moderate ingestion of bay bolete does not create health risk due to increased radioactive substances intake. The amount of…
Illustration of constrained composition statistical methods in the interpretation of radionuclide concentrations in the moss Pleurozium schreberi.
In this work we have used moss Pleurozium schreberi as a bioindicator of radioactive materials in environment. The following radionuclides were determined in moss samples: (137)Cs, (40)K, (210)Pb, (212)Pb, (214)Pb, (214)Bi, (231)Th, (235)U and (228)Ac, but not all of them in each sample. The highest activity concentrations were found for naturally occurring (210)Pb, (40)K and the artificial isotope (137)Cs. Activities of radioisotopes were recalculated into mass concentrations and the statistical methods intended for constrained data processing were used. Analysis of our results showed at most a weak relationship between radioisotope mass concentrations in moss. It was supposed that concent…
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 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…
Tunnelled Haemodialysis Catheter Removal: An Underappreciated Problem, Not Always Simple and Safe
Background: Optimal care of patients treated with a central tunneled catheter (CTC) as vascular access for hemodialysis requires a number of procedures. One of them is CTC removal, usually carried out using mostly the cut-down method (CDM) and the traction method (TM). The procedure seems to be simple and safe
The Length of Leukocyte and Femoral Artery Telomeres in Patients with Peripheral Atherosclerosis.
The length of telomeres (TLs) that protect chromosome ends may reflect the age of cells as well as the degree of genetic material damage caused by external factors. Since leukocyte telomere length is associated with cardiovascular diseases, the aim of this study was to evaluate whether leukocyte TL reflects femoral artery wall telomeres of patients with atherosclerosis and lower limb ischemia. Samples of femoral artery wall and blood were collected from 32 patients qualified to surgical revascularization. The analysis included blood and artery wall telomere length measurement and biochemical parameters. The study indicated that there was a moderate correlation between artery wall TL and leu…