In a study on the behaviour of pesticides in a soil–plant–water system, the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe (QuEChERS) method for analysing pesticide or metabolite residues in soil and maize (leaves, roots and kernels) was optimized and validated. The pesticides bentazone, chloridazon and terbuthylazine and their metabolites bentazone-methyl, chloridazon-desphenyl, chloridazon-methyl-desphenyl, terbuthylazine-desethyl and terbuthylazine-2-hydroxy were selected in this study. The QuEChERS extracts obtained from soil and maize matrices and the collected leachate were analysed by liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–ESI–MS/MS) using a high-performance liquid chromatography and an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) analytical column. As expected, shorter run times and higher sensitivity were achieved with the UHPLC column. Validation studies focused on recovery, repeatability, matrix effects, limits of detection and quantification. Recoveries (and repeatability relative standard deviation (RSD)) of the spiked samples were in the range of 55 to 98 % (7.4–18) in soil, 23 to 101 % (1.7–20) in maize and 82 to 105 % (4.4–25) in leachate. Quantification limits were lower than 3.0 μg kg⁻¹ in soil, 7.3 μg kg⁻¹ in maize and 0.080 μg l⁻¹ in leachate.

In order to assess and accurately predict the self-purification capabilities of rivers with respect to enteric pollution, a thorough understanding of mechanisms such as dispersion, particle association, and inactivation in the water column is crucial. In this study, we firstly performed particle size distribution analyses of wastewater and investigated the Escherichia coli and enterococci loadings of each size fraction. It was seen that 91 % of E. coli and 83 % of enterococci were associated with particle sizes less than or equal to 12 μm. Particles larger than 63 μm contributed less than 1 % to overall E. coli and enterococci loadings. Based on these results, batch experiments were performed to investigate the effect of particle size and total suspended solids (TSS) concentration on UV inactivation of the two fecal indicator bacteria (FIB). A direct relationship between the particle size to which FIB were associated and their UV inactivation rate was noted. E. coli and enterococci associated with particles smaller than or equal to 12 μm were inactivated on average 2 × and 1.7 × faster than those associated with the larger particle fraction of 12 to 63 μm. It was additionally seen that as the TSS concentrations increased, the UV inactivation rates decreased. A tailing effect of UV inactivation was however noted at TSS concentrations above approximately 100 mg L⁻¹.

Urban sprawl and increasing economical pressure on agricultural production raises new unprecedented environmental questions. The presented study proved that higher level of fertilization of the urban vegetation significantly increases the concentration of male microgametophytes in the air during the flowering season. The levels of fertilization had no significant effect on the pollen grain size, nor on the profile and content of the phenolic compounds, however, the content of tryptophan (protein with a key role in allergies) was significantly influenced. The metabolism of tryptophan and its role in human imunilogy is not yet completely understood, however, it is recommended to avoid unnecessary fertilization in urbanized areas.

Adsorptive water purification methods were studied for the removal of phenol-type compounds (such as phenol/thymol) and humic acid applying sodium bentonite modified by cationic surfactant hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HTAB). The effect of humic acid on adsorption of phenols was examined in pure and model thermal water. It was found that the efficiency of the removal of individual pollutants can be highly influenced if another pollutant is present. The main reason for the increased efficiency was identified by the means of infrared spectroscopy which proved that each pollutant modifies decisively the organophilicity of the clay surface. Furthermore, the studies performed in model thermal waters revealed that the presence of specific cations could further increase the removability of these pollutants.

The results of a comparative study of chromium removal from model systems and wastewater by activated carbon AG-5 are reported. The process of chromium adsorption from laboratory solution was studied at different activated carbon dosages. The results obtained by neutron activation analysis (NAA) and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) showed that about 85 % of chromium was removed from model systems and only 4 % from wastewater. The NAA data point to an increase of Fe, Ni, and Cu content in activated carbon after wastewater treatment, which is indicative of competitive adsorption.

Amorphous tin(IV) hydrogen phosphate immobilized on silica (ATHPS) was investigated as an adsorbent for the removal of Pb(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) from aqueous solutions to determine its applicability in remediation of heavy-metal contaminated saline water. The effect of pH, contact time, initial concentration of heavy metal ions, and salinity on adsorption was studied using a batch method. Equilibrium data were interpreted in terms of Langmuir, Freundlich, and Dubinin–Radushkevich isotherm models. The Freundlich model provided the best fit to the equilibrium data. The selectivity sequence can be given as Pb(II) > Cu(II) > Zn(II). The kinetic data correspond well to the pseudo-second-order and Elovich models. The thermodynamic parameters (i.e., ΔG ⁰, ΔH ⁰, ΔS ⁰) were evaluated to predict the nature of adsorption process. The negative ΔG ⁰ values at various treatment temperatures for each ion indicate that the adsorption processes are spontaneous and endothermic in nature. The ATHPS material can be regenerated, and the adsorption capacity in model seawater is acceptable, although a higher ionic strength can inhibit adsorption. These results show the great potential of ATHPS in removing cationic heavy metal ions from saline water.

In recent years, there has been the phenomena of spruce dieback in Europe. Significant areas of spruce low mortality now cover both sides of the Polish southern border. We evaluated ecochemical parameters influencing the heavy dieback occurring in mature spruce stands in the Polish Carpathian Mountains. Dolomite, magnesite and serpentinite fertilizers were applied to experimental plots located in 100-year-old stands in the autumn of 2008. The experimental plots were located in the mid-elevational forest zone (900–950 m) on two nappes of the flysch Carpathians: Magura (Ujsoły Forest District) and Silesian (Wisła Forest District). The saturation of the studied soils demonstrates moderate resilience of soils in Wisła Forest District in relation to acid load and high flexibility of the Ujsoły soils. After application of the fertilizers, an increase of Mg, Ca and Mb was noted in the soil solution, determined in the overlaying highly acidic organic horizons through the ion-exchange buffering mechanism of highly protonated functional groups with high buffering capacity. Magnesium concentration increased following fertilization, presenting a potential improvement of forest growth capacity without the hazard of adverse side effects of liming. Aluminium stress in old spruce is unlikely, while trees in the control plots in Wisła Forest District may already be sensitive to aluminium stress. Serpentinite fertilization improved the supply of soils in magnesium without causing significant changes in the pH of the soil. Such changes in the pH were found in dolomite and magnesite fertilizer.

Industrialization and urbanization in central Europe since the middle of the nineteenth century led to changes in urban waste water disposal and thus, to an increasing nutrient impact of surface waters by human waste. Based on historical statistics and literature research, we have made a quantification of nutrient loads discharged to surface waters in central European river catchments for seven decades between 1878 and 1939. For both total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP), nutrient inputs via point (urban) and diffuse (rural) pathways, nutrient removal by waste water treatment plants (WWTPs) and that during soil passage were quantified. The total nutrient inputs caused by human waste between 1880 and 1940 increased from 243 to 396 kt TN year⁻¹, and from 18 to 30 kt TP year⁻¹. In 1880, most of the inputs (92 % for TN and 93 % for TP) originated from diffuse pathways (cesspits). In 1940, 43 % of TN and 41 % of TP inputs originated from urban pathways (sewer systems). The total nutrient removal between 1880 and 1940 declined from 79 to 59 % for TN and from 86 to 66 % for TP. Consequently, waste water disposal shifted from diffuse to urban pathways. On the one side, this led to rising nutrient loads discharged to surface waters because of insufficient nutrient removal by the early WWTPs. Otherwise, nutrient concentration in groundwater under rural areas decreased by discharge human waste via sewer systems out of the cities.

In this research, different inlet concentrations of n-hexane vapor (1–11 g m⁻³) corresponds to the inlet loading rates of 9–598 g m⁻³ h⁻¹at different temperatures (35–45 °C) were eliminated from air under continuous and intermittent loading (10-h feeding per day) in a biofilter packed with compost and lava rock. Loading type had minor effect on the n-hexane removal at 35 °C and the removal efficiency (RE) was in the range of 70 to 100 % at an inlet concentration of 11 gm⁻³. On the contrary, RE dropped significantly to 25 % at 40 °C under intermittent loading while it was 77 % under continuous loading with the inlet concentration of 9 g m⁻³and empty bed residence time (EBRT) of 2 min. Increasing the temperature to 45 °C significantly reduced the RE at both types of loading at both EBRTs of 2 and 1.3 min; however, intermittent loading was led to a slightly greater removal. According to transient-state experiment under intermittent loading at EBRT of 2 min, the biochemical reaction became the dominant mechanism, after an initial short period, every day to remove n-hexane rather than adsorption on bed. Kinetic modeling showed that the biodegradation rates changed linearly with increase in the logarithmic mean n-hexane concentration during intermittent loading at different temperatures while the order of reaction was higher at continuous loading.

The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of operating conditions and establish the mechanism of xanthene dye removal from aqueous solutions by electrocoagulation (EC) using a batch-stirred cell operated under galvanostatic regime. The influence of the operating parameters such as: initial pH and dye concentration, electrolysis time, current density, electrode configuration, and electrical current type on the EC performances was investigated. EC tests were performed at current density values ranging from 45 to 109 A/m, initial dye concentrations ranged between 0.1 and 1 g/L, and initial pH values adjusted in the range from 3 to 9. The effects of several electrode configurations (aluminum–aluminum, mild steel–mild steel, and aluminum–mild steel) and current regimes (direct current and alternating pulsed current) on the removal efficiency and energy and material consumption are also discussed. Total organic carbon (TOC) analysis, UV–vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and cyclic voltammetry (CV) were employed in order to elucidate the decolorization mechanism of Rhodamine 6G (R6G) dye by EC in aqueous solutions. With this aim in view, chemical coagulation tests were also carried out. The best performance was obtained when the EC process was conducted with iron-based electrode configuration in alternative pulse current (APC) mode. It was found that the removal of R6G is due to the co-precipitation of polymeric iron flocs with the phenyl-xanthene radicals remained in the bulk solution after the demethylation and deamination processes. Furthermore, the flocs are separated by flotation with the support of the molecular hydrogen generated at the cathode (in particular at relatively high values of current density) or by sedimentation.