The aim of this study was to evaluate the work of a two types of household sewage treatment plant: wetland wastewater treatment plant (ORS type) and treatment plant of SBR type (SBR-K-6 type). Physicochemical analyses of selected pollution indices (BOD 5 , COD, total suspension, total phosphorus) and surfactants were carried out and compared with currently applicable values of such indexes according to the Regulation of the Minister of the Environment in Poland on the conditions to be met when discharging sewage into water or soil, and on the substances particularly harmful to the aquatic environment. The removal efficiency of organic compounds, expressed as COD and BOD 5 , reached the threshold of 90%, which is required in regulations. In contrast, the effects of removal of biogenic compounds were lowin case of total nitrogen the removal rate reached approx. 40% and the desired admissible concentration of 30 mg N/L was not achieved. The reduction efficiency of total suspended solids reached 57.0 and 59.6% for the ORS and SBR-K-6 type objects, respectively, and therefore the required threshold of minimum 90% was not reached. Anionic surfactants were removed by up to 98 and 88% in the ORS and SBR-K-6 type wastewater treatment plants, respectively. Lower removal efficiency was achieved in case on non-ionic surfactants, which reached 76% for the ORS type object and 56% for the SBR-K-6 type object. This article proven high wastewater treatment efficiency and lower than necessary concentrations in the effluent from domestic wastewater treatment plants may be achieved mainly by proper exploitation of the devices and appropriately selected vegetation.

The issue of patient safety during the provision of health services poses a key challenge in health policy. The number of hospital-acquired infections (also known as HAI -Healthcare Associated Infection) determines the level of quality of health services provided in a given health facility. Effective management reinforced by the awareness of a team of medical professionals allows not only reduction in the hospital's finances, but also the frequency of adverse events, which undoubtedly include hospital-acquired infections. Good cooperation between departments and a Hospital Infection Control Committee is one of the key aspects that translates to the rapid identification of new epidemic outbreaks. Infections caused by strains of Clostridium difficile (CDI, Clostridium difficile infection) are one of the main factors responsible for the prolonged hospitalization of patients. In the United States, Clostridium difficile causes almost half a million infections annually, and its treatment costs are estimated at nearly $ 4.8 billion per year. In Poland, the number of CDI cases in 2018 was 11.592 (for comparison, in 2013 the number of infections caused by this bacterium was 4.728). Hospital environment, inappropriate antibiotic therapy and development of multi-drug resistant strains increase the risk of infections. In order to improve the safety of hospitalized patients, infection risk management should be a systemic, formalized activity integrated with the overall process of managing a health facility. It is necessary that central units have interest in creating effective tools to enable successful epidemiological supervision and the implementation of strategic assumptions of health policy in this area.

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In the present work, the influence of well‐defined simple shear flow histories on the isothermal crystallization of an isotactic polypropylene (i‐PP) has been investigated. At first, the research of the flow conditions in terms of temperature, shear rate ($\dot{\gamma}$) and shear strain (γ) has been performed by means of the rheological technique. The continuous shearing analysis enabled us to build the flow curve at 144°C showing a Newtonian region as well as a shear‐thinning zone. Indeed, for $\dot{\gamma}$ above a critical value, the molecular orientation occurring during flow provides a kinetic promotion of the crystallization process. In the rheological step‐shear flow analysis, an increase of the flow sensitivity parameter, kS/kQ, with increasing the shear rate at a constant strain (γ = 150) is observed. The structure of the crystallized samples has been investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and wide angle X‐ray scattering (WAXS) methods. In agreement with the DSC, the WAXS results show that crystals with a certain bimodal distribution are generated in the samples crystallized under step‐shear flow conditions. A small orientation of the (110) plane of the i‐PP α‐phase crystals is also detected. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 45:153–162, 2005. © 2005 Society of Plastics Engineers.

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This study is focused on the kinetics and adsorption isotherms of amine-functionalized magnesium ferrite (MgFe2O4) for treating the heavy metals in wastewater. A sol-gel route was adopted to produce MgFe2O4 nanoparticles. The surfaces of the MgFe2O4 nanoparticles were functionalized using primary amine (ethanolamine). The surface morphology, phase formation, and functionality of the MgFe2O4 nano-adsorbents were studied using the SEM, UV-visible, FTIR, and TGA techniques. The characterized nanoparticles were tested on their ability to adsorb the Pb2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+ ions from the wastewater. The kinetic parameters and adsorption isotherms for the adsorption of the metal ions by the amine-functionalized MgFe2O4 were obtained using the pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, Langmuir, and Freundlich models. The pseudo-second order and Langmuir models best described the adsorption kinetics and isotherms, implying strong chemisorption via the formation of coordinative bonds between the amine groups and metal ions. The Langmuir equation revealed the highest adsorption capacity of 0.7 mmol/g for the amine-functionalized MgFe2O4 nano-adsorbents. The adsorption capacity of the nanoadsorbent also changed with the calcination temperature. The MgFe2O4 sample, calcined at 500 °C, removed the most of the Pb2+ (73%), Cu2+ (59%), and Zn2+ (62%) ions from the water.

Reologiczna i strukturalna ocena mieszanin polimerowych w warunkach inwersji faz *) RHEOLOGICAL AND STRUCTURAL ASSESSMENTS OF POLYMER BLENDS IN PHASE INVERSION CONDITIONS Summary-The aim of the work was to estimate the range of phase inversion occurring dependently on the composition of the blends of two types of isotactic polypropylene with polycarbonate [PP(S901)/PC and PP(PEL)/PC]. The study consists of the assessment of rheological properties (Fig. 2 and 3) and observations of the structure by polarized light optical microscopy (Fig. 4 and 5) as well as scanning electron microscopy (Fig. 6 and 7). The results of the structure investigations confirmed the statement that observed abrupt changes of viscosity were caused by phase inversion. The phase inversion consists here in both PP and PC functioning either as a matrix or a dispersed phase, dependently on the composition. The effect of amorphous PC phase on i-PP crystallization has been also discussed. Characteristic transition illustrating the phase inversion in the range of 80-85 wt. % of PC in PP(S901)/PC blend and in the range of 85-90 wt. % of PC in PP(PEL)/PC blend was determined. A correlation between the point of phase inversion occurring, determined experimentally with that one calculated on the basis of mathematical models, taken from the literature (Table 1), is presented.

Background: Water supplied to the dental units must be of sufficient quality. The article presents the results of the microbiological analysis of cold municipal water which flows into a patient's disposable mouthwash cup, and demineralized water which flows through a waterline into the tool panel of a dental unit from the tank placed in the water group. Material and Methods: In order to assess the degree of purity (impurities) of water used in dental units, 2 series of microbiological tests were carried out in 6 dental surgeries from April to June, 2013. The water samples for microbiological testing were collected into sterile microbiological bottles in accordance with the current methodology. The water for the tests was collected from a sterile cup-filling tap (municipal water) and from an air/water syringe (demineralized water). The bacteria were cultured according to the Polish Standards -PN-EN ISO 6222, PN-EN ISO 9308-1, and PN-EN ISO 16266. Results: In the tested samples of water numerous psychrophilic bacteria (max 29 100 CFU/ml) and mesophilic bacteria (max 24 700 CFU/ml), including single coliforms, were found. Conclusions: The results show that water delivered to a dental unit should be periodically tested bacteriologically and in terms of physical and chemical properties. Water systems of dental units should also be periodically disinfected to eliminate bacteria and biofilm.