Kidney vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria L.) is a well-known Zn hyperaccumulator. Zn often occurs with Pb in one ore; thus, plants inhabiting waste dumps are exposed not only to Zn but also to Pb toxicity. While the response of kidney vetch to Zn toxicity is relatively well known, the Pb survival strategy of Anthyllis vulneraria has not been the subject of investigations. The aim of presented research was to determine the survival strategy of kidney vetch exposed to high lead concentrations. Shoot explants of a calamine kidney vetch ecotype were placed on agar media containing 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mM Pb. Morphological, physiological, and biochemical responses, in particular photosynthetic apparatus of plantlets, were examined. The most pronounced changes were observed in plants grown on media supplemented with 1.5 mM Pb after 8 weeks of culture. Increased dry weight and high lead accumulation were observed in roots. Similarly, in shoots, increased dry weight and a decreased number of newly formed shoots were recorded. The accumulation of lead was many times lower in shoots than in roots. In leaf cells’ ultra-structure, looser arrangement of chloroplast thylakoid grana was observed. Despite the decrease in chlorophyll a and carotenoid content, the photosynthetic apparatus remained efficient due to the lack of photoinhibition and increased electron transport rate beyond photosystem II (PSII). For the first time, an acclimatization mechanism based on maintaining the high efficiency of photosynthetic apparatus resulting from increasing of electron transport rate was described. | Anthyllis vulneraria, Antioxidant system, Cell ultra-structure, Chl a fluorescence, Pb toxicity, Photosynthetic apparatus | 30 | 19739-19752 | 20

Pesticides are widely used in the world agriculture, and they may adversely affect non-target organisms, including fish. The present 2000–2019 literature review summarizes hematological and blood biochemical effects of various herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides in fish. The observed changes usually indicate anemia and inflammation, as well as hyperglycemia, hypoproteinemia, increase in cortisol concentration and activities of hepatic aminotransferases that are typical for intoxication and stress. Other changes that are also sometimes observed such as increase in red blood parameters indicate compensatory response. The often-noted symptoms of immunosuppression show an adverse effect of pesticides on immune system and possible immunosuppression. Pathophysiological changes in fish induced by pesticides depend on many factors, such as active compound and its concentration, exposure duration, fish species, environmental conditions, etc. Hematological and blood biochemical parameters appear to be useful biomarkers for evaluation of physiological state of fish exposed to pesticides; however, they are not specific markers of intoxication. | Biochemical parameters; Hematological parameters; Pesticides; Toxicit | 100 | 19236-19250 | 16

The aim of this work was to analyse the response of Rosa rubiginosa to salinity induced by different concentrations of sodium chloride and calcium chloride (0, 25, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mM). Besides salt accumulation and pH changes, other parameters were investigated including photosynthetic activity, leaf water content, the dynamics of necrosis and chlorosis appearance and leaf drying. The study was complemented with microscopic analysis of changes in leaf anatomy. R. rubiginosa was more sensitive to the salinity induced by calcium chloride than by sodium chloride. Plant response to salinity differed depending of the salt concentration. These differences were manifested by higher dynamics of necrosis and chlorosis appearance and leaf drying. CaCl2 showed greater inhibition of the photosynthetic apparatus and photosynthetic activity. Treatment with CaCl2 caused more visible deformation of palisade cells, reduction in their density and overall reduction in leaf thickness. The study demonstrated higher accumulation of CaCl2 in the soil, and thus greater limitations in water availability resulting in reduced leaf water content and quicker drying of leaves as compared with NaCl-treated plants. | Salinity, Chlorosis, Chlorophyll fluorescence, Photosynthesis, Leaf anatomy | 25 | 1-11 | 228

30 | 18953-18959 | 19

The aim of this work was the evaluation of QuEChERS extraction method for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) determination in various types of tea. In the experiment, different kinds of extraction solvents, sorbents and a final method of sample preparation were compared. The final extracts were analysed by gas chromatography-selected ion monitoring-mass spectrometry. The results suggest that acetonitrile extraction, clean up with SAX and final liquid–liquid extraction was the best combination giving the most purified extracts and acceptable compound recoveries for different types of teas. In the study of real samples, compounds belonging to light PAHs were mostly detected, and heavy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, including benzo[a]pyrene, were not identified in any of samples. | GC-MS, Extraction, PAHs, Tea, QuEChERS, SPE sorbents | 30 | 1326-1338 | 2

Changes of the qualitative and quantitative features of snow and rain during the winter and the vegetation period, respectively, were studied during three years (1997–1999). The sites were located on Chełmova Góra Mt. in the Ojców National Park (South Poland), which is one of the most polluted areas in Poland. Standard methods of measuring bulk precipitation were used according to the ICP Forest Manual. One plot was near the summit part (OPN2), and the other plot was in the lower part close to the foot (OPN5) of the Chełmowa Góra Mt. The total amount of Ca decreased during the study period, while NO3 − and SO4 −2 decreased only in the vegetation period. During the winter period the snow carried high amounts of Cl−, NO3 −, SO4 −2, Na, Mg, and Ca. A decrease in pH was noticed during the winter periods, whereas an increase in pH was found during the vegetation period. Higher element concentrations were always found in the upper plot compared to the lower situated plot. This indicated that the upper and more exposed parts of the mountains in the Park were under higher pollution stress. | bulk, snow, precipitation, main anions and cations, Ojców National Park, Poland | 0 | 505-510 | 1-4

This 3-year study was aimed to understand the factors and mechanisms that cause the temporal changes in the concentration of microbiological indicators of water quality and nutrient concentration in selected sites of the Białka river catchment (southern Poland) situated in direct vicinity of the largest ski station in the region. The analysis comprised 35 sampling campaigns conducted in five sites. Water temperature, pH, and electrical conductivity were measured during sampling, laboratory analyses included determination of the selected nutrients content (NH4, NO3, NO2, PO4); and the number of mesophilic and psychrophilic bacteria, coliforms, fecal coliforms, and Escherichia coli. Based on the cluster analysis, the collected samples were grouped into three to four groups, depending on the most characteristic features. Seasonal variation was evident, showing the predominance of either anthropogenic or natural-environment factors, depending on the considered season. On the other hand, principal component analysis revealed clear effect of various forms of land use in different sites. | Temporal changes, Land use, Coliforms, Escherichia coli, Nutrients | 25 | 1-10 | 9

Here, we investigated whether the widely distributed snail Cepaea nemoralis could be used as a suitable sentinel animal for assessing the effects of soil contaminants--petroleum oil derivatives--after years of soil ageing and treatment with a bacterial formulation. Oxidative stress was assessed in the foot and hepatopancreas of C. nemoralis L. exposed to soil contaminated with unleaded petrol, spent engine oil or diesel oil and bioremediated with a bacterial formulation (soil was used 2 years after contamination and bioremediation process). We measured total antioxidant capacity, catalase and glutathione transferase activity and concentrations of superoxide anions, hydrogen peroxide and protein carbonyls in the foot and hepatopancreas of snails after 2 and 4 weeks of treatment. The studied antioxidant responses appeared largely to be tissue and remediation process specific, while the concentrations of superoxide anions, hydrogen peroxide and protein carbonyls depended on time of exposure, tissue type and the type of contaminants, but mostly not on the remediation process. Generally, changes in the concentrations of superoxide anions, hydrogen peroxide and protein carbonyls in the hepatopancreas of snails seemed to be a suitable measure to assess the risk of animals exposed to soil contaminated with petroleum substances and used after many years of ageing and treatment with a microbial formulation. | Land snails, Hepatopancreas, Foot, Soil, Petroleum products, Bioremediation, Oxidative stress | 100 | 87218-87230 | 29

20 | 39-55

The aim of this study has been to measure the level of lead, cadmium, nitrates, and nitrites in the daily diets of children and adolescents from orphanages located in Krakow (Poland). Diets were collected over four seasons of 2009. The content of cadmium and lead was measured with flameless atomic absorption spectrometry. Nitrates and nitrites in diets were measured using the Griess colorimetric method. In all orphanages, the average intake of lead with daily diets, regardless of the season, ranged from 1.11 ± 0.15 to 22.59 ± 0.07 μg/kg bw/week. The average cadmium intake by children and adolescents ranged between 3.09 ± 0.21 and 20.36 ± 2.21 μg/kg bw/week and, for all orphanages, exceeded the tolerable weekly intake (TWI) level. Daily intake of nitrates and nitrites ranged respectively from 27 to 289 % and from 9 to 99 % of the acceptable daily intake (ADI). The youngest children, with lower body mass, were particularly sensitive to the excessive intakes of cadmium and nitrates. | Lead, Cadmium, Nitrate and nitrite, Daily diets, Children and adolescents | 30 | 25200-25209 | 24