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Soot and ash as residues from the combustion of peat briquettes were analysed by chemical and mineralogical methods. The study aimed to characterize combustion in domestic boilers of two different emission classes. Ten samples of soot deposited in exhausting ways of boilers were obtained (five of each emission class). The analyses of organic substances in soot were performed using a combination of the methods for the determination of elemental and organic forms of carbon with analytical pyrolysis. Pyrolysis gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (Py-GC/MS) allowed the identification of organic compounds belonging to twenty different groups. The major and minor elements in peat briquettes, char and soot, were determined by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. The identification of grains and the chemical character of soot was performed using a scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry. The mineral phases in ash were determined by X-ray diffraction. The behaviour of the inorganic elements in combustion products (ash and soot) was studied by means of an enrichment factor. The analytical results are used for characterizing the technological conditions of combustion. The soot deposits from the more advanced boilers with increased combustion temperature contain more organic compounds which indicate the highly carbonized cellulose (benzofurans and dibenzofurans). The increased combustion temperature is indicated by increased concentrations of heterocyclic and aliphatic nitrogen compounds, while the total concentrations of nitrogen in soot from boilers of both types are comparable.

Measurement of magnetic susceptibility of topsoil represents a very useful tool for the detection of atmospherically depositedmagnetic particles. The samples of forest soils from the Moravian-Silesian Beskydy Mountains (the Czech Republic) were used foridentification of emissions sources of particles with magnetic ordering. Magnetic susceptibility was measured at bulk samples ofgrain size class under 2 mm. Microanalysis using electron microscope with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer was used forthe determination of particles in the magnetic fraction. The samples of dust from the sintering plant of the Iron Works in the townof Třinec were analysed. The values of magnetic susceptibility of forest soils in the Třinec region are increased. In the relatively nearvicinity of the industrial area, the average value for Javorový Mount was 7.90×10-6 m3/kg, for Ostrý Mount it was 6.69×10-6 m3/kg. It was proved that they were higher than the average values from the Beskydy Mountains (4.64×10-6 m3/kg). The concentrationsof lead and magnetic susceptibility in soils showed significant correlation dependence (rs = 0.85). The iron and steel industryrepresent the primary source of the pollution load in forest soils of the studied area. Statistically, significant dependences betweenthe organic matter content and the lead and zinc concentrations as well as between the magnetic susceptibility values and the ironconcentrations in forest soils were found. It was confirmed that the airborne particles are deposited on vegetation and accumulatedin the organic horizon of forest soils.

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The use of waste from the regional production of waste wood, waste paper, and cardboard in the form of briquettes may be causing an increase in local emissions, both of major elements and trace elements. When burning paper and cardboard briquettes, more than 70% of Mn, Zn, As, and Pb is released into the air from the total content of trace elements in the fuel. The largest amounts of major and trace elements are released when burning paper briquettes (56 g/kg of fuel); half of these amounts are released from burning briquettes from waste wood and coal (23 g/kg of fuel). The pursuit of alternative uses for those cardboard components that are not suitable for recycling cannot be directed to the production of briquettes for residential combustion in the framework of the application of the principles of the circular economy. In particular, the high concentrations of undesirable elements in the emissions released in the gas phase into the atmosphere are an obstacle existing even when the parameters of the PM10 emissions of a boiler are met. This is related to the high ash content of the cardboard (13.5%). Waste paper or cardboard could be added to waste wood at a maximum of 10% to make the pollution produced comparable to the burning of coal briquettes.

Due to the increasing production and development of nanoparticles, it has become necessary to control the exposure to ultrafineparticles (aerodynamic diameter < 0.1 μm) when handling nanopaints. The paper deals with the number and mass distributionof particulate matter (PM) in an indoor environment before, during and after the application of paint Protectam FN containingtitanium nanoparticles. The size distribution determination was performed by the electrical low-pressure cascade impactor (ELPI+)in the range from 0.006 μm to 9.93 μm. The highest number of particles was observed in the range from 0.006 to 0.0175 μm. Theparticulate mass concentration ranging from 0.0175 to 0.0307 μm did not represent more than 0.5% of the sum of PM10 during theindividual measurements. The particle mass concentration increased in the range of 0.0175 to 0.0307 μm, after application of thecoating nanopaint Protectam FN, but it was observed that the total number of particles has decreased. During the days followingthe application of the nanopaint, the mass concentration in this grain size class was significantly reduced.