The authors present the results of chemical and mineralogical analyses of urban dusts collected in the spring seasons of 2015 and 2016 in three different parks of the Cracow agglomeration. The parks are located in the city centre, in the Nowa Huta industrial district and in a new housing development situated around 9 km west of the city centre. Mineralogical instrumental analyses included the SEM, FTIR and XRD methods and revealed that the dusts of Cracow are highly amorphous and contain significant amounts of hydrocarbons, whereas quartz, feldspars, kaolinite and gypsum are their crystalline phases. Chemical analyses were carried out using the ICP-MS method on aqua regia extracts of the starting samples. The contents of selected toxic elements are: As 5–123; Cd 1–14; Pb 56–258; Zn 486–1891 mg/kg and Fe 0.74–4.02 wt%. The health risk of these elements imposed on the residents of Cracow frequently visiting the three urban parks was assessed on the basis of the health quotient index HQ. At its values exceeding 1, adverse health effects are probable in humans. The HQ values calculated for As and Tl contained in the Cracow Park dusts in the case of adults are 3.42E−01 and 3.00E−01, respectively. They are significantly higher (one order of magnitude) in the case of children 3.19E+00 and 2.27E+00, respectively.
Abstract:In this article, the authors describe the characteristics and changes of geomechanical properties of Carbonifeorus claystones as related to their mineral composition and the time of soaking in water. Geomechanical properties, including bulk density, Young modulus, Poisson ratio, unconfined compressive strength, durability index, and swelling index were examined in dry rock samples, and in water-soaked samples after 3 hours of soaking, and 6 hours of soaking respectively. Changes in the geomechanical properties of rocks were also examined as a function of their mineralogical composition. In particular, the properties of rocks were examined in relation to present aluminosilicates and layered aluminosilicates, respectively. Changes in the geomechanical properties were also examined relative to the presence of minerals anatase and siderite. Correlation coefficients between physical parameters and mineral composition were examined. It was determined that the total quantity of aluminosilcates is a better predictor of geomechanical properties after soaking, than only the content of layered aluminosilicates. Calculated correlation coefficients were generally higher for most samples after 6 hours of soaking than after 3 hours of soaking. It was also determined that the increase of bulk density correlates much better with the mineral anatase content, than with the siderite content.
Disposal sites for both industrial and communal waste are hazardous for the natural environment due to the accumulated materials and their chemical, physical and biological transformations. The products of these processes migrating at a significant distance contaminate mainly underground waters, surface waters and soils. The spreading of the pollutants may be prevented by horizons of clay rocks that form natural geological barriers. The clay rocks of properly selected parameters may be used in the environmental engineering for constructing artificial water-sealing layers. The mineral, chemical, physico-chemical and physico-mechanical properties of the beidellite clays occurring within the lignite deposit in Bełchatów were studied to find out whether they meet the criteria of waterproofing engineering contained in the Polish recommendations and instructions. The results indicate that the beidellite clays of Bełchatów are rocks suitable for this kind of environmental engineering and may be used in constructing the barriers preventing the migration of effluents from landfills.
This work presents the results of microbiological investigations carried out in the Polish part of the Muskau Arch. In this abandoned lignite mining area highly acidified Fe-rich waters have been formed as a result of sulphide oxidation. Microbiological tests have shown that all studied groups of microorganisms exhibit both time and spatial variability. The most common group of microorganisms are bacteria Galionella sp.
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