Search

The aim of this study is to assess the contribution of selected air pollutants from the residential sector to the total emissions in Poland from 1990 to 2023 and to evaluate their impact on the incidence of selected diseases among children and adolescents aged 0 to 18 years. The study used data on emissions of selected pollutants (sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, total suspended particulate matter, particulate matter PM2.5 and PM10, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) obtained from the National Centre for Emission Balancing and Management (KOBIZE). The analyses also included data on the incidence of selected diseases among children and adolescents, obtained from the Silesian Voivodeship Office in Katowice, Health Department, and the National Health Fund (asthma, hypertension, allergic contact dermatitis caused by substances introduced into the body, allergic food-induced inflammation of the stomach, small intestine, and colon). The data covered the period from 1990 to 2023. The obtained results clearly indicate that emissions from the municipal and domestic sector have a significant impact on the overall emissions of air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and total suspended particulate matter. Studies have often shown very strong and statistically significant connections between the concentration of analyzed air pollutants and the occurrence of selected diseases in children and adolescents aged 0-18. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research was to analyze the potential of e micro-dictum preparation containing compositions of beneficial microorganisms using this product in surface water reclamation. The experiments were carried out in 2016. The scope of this research included the analysis of the physical and chemical properties of a solid preparation; tests of the microbiological parameters of micro-dictum; an analysis of the spread of microorganisms in the aquatic environment; a study of water quality with the solid preparation; and tests of the formulation in real conditions and its potential in the reclamation of surface waters. Tests on the produced formulation were carried out in the laboratory in containers and under real conditions. Laboratory tests have shown that the analyzed preparation may introduce certain amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus into the water. However, they are not important in the case of water reclamation. Analyses of the micro-dictum preparation showed that the content of lactic acid bacteria in the center of the ball is lower compared to the outer layers. The results describing an increase in the number of lactic acid bacteria correlate with a decrease in pH and oxygen dissolved in the water with the preparation. The tests showed no negative impact on changes in the physical and chemical properties of water at the site of application. Changes in physical parameters were recorded, in particular dissolved oxygen and pH at the bottom, where the greatest microbiological activity occurred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research is to examine the relationship between average annual air pollution concentrations in selected cities and the incidence of specific diseases among children and adolescents aged 0 to 18 in selected Polish cities - Gdańsk, Katowice, Poznań, and Lublin with varying levels of average annual air pollution [suspended particulate matter PM2.5 and PM10, benzo(a)pyrene, nitrogen dioxide]. The relationship between the incidence of selected diseases among children and adolescents (asthma, hypertension, food and skin allergies) from 2018 to 2023 and the quality of atmospheric air was examined. In Katowice, due to the presence of a developed industry, the permissible average annual concentrations of the analyzed air pollutants were exceeded in the initial period, unlike in Gdańsk and Lublin. However, the greatest challenge in Poland concerning air quality is the average annual concentration of benzo(a)pyrene. Nonetheless, there has been a significant decrease in recent years. Polish cities facing air pollution problems are undertaking various measures to improve air quality. Studies have shown significant connections between the concentrations of selected pollutants and the frequency of diseases such as bronchial asthma, hypertension, food and skin allergies. However, this impact varies from city to city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to analyze selected environmental aspects and trends in morbidity for specific diseases among children and youth due to emissions of selected air pollutants in various regions of Poland from 2015-2022. The frequency of certain diseases among children and youth depended on the type of county (urban or predominantly agricultural pressure) and the county's location. The results indicate that data from the KOBIZE (National Center for Emission Balancing and Management) database is insufficient for studying youth morbidity. Statistical analyses show a correlation with the frequency of cancer and bronchial asthma in counties with livestock at the province level. Analyses concerning soil nitrogen load from NH3 and NOx emissions show significant differences between counties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing demand for food and animal products makes it important to ensure that animals have sufficient fodder obtained from grassland. Unfortunately, there has been a recent decline in grassland areas, which makes it essential to find solutions to increase the grassland's productivity and the quality of the fodder it yields. One of these solutions may be the use of appropriate irrigation and fertilization. The present study investigated the effect of the foliar application of silicon fertilizer and the groundwater level in a subirrigation system on the yield of a three-cut meadow. Four different experimental plots were used: high groundwater level (HWL), high groundwater level with silicon application (HWL_Si), lower groundwater level (LWL), and lower groundwater level with silicon application (LWL_Si). The analyses showed that silicon significantly reduced the amount of dry matter obtained in each of the three meadow cuts during the year. Furthermore, the plot with a higher groundwater level had an annual yield of 12.69 Mg·ha−1, whereas when silicon was applied to this area, it was 10.43 Mg·ha−1 (17.8% reduction in dry matter). A similar trend was noted at lower water levels, in which silicon also caused a dry matter reduction. However, the experiment did not indicate a statistically significant effect of silicon application on plant height and NDVI values. These results show that further research is still needed to better understand silicon's effect on meadow sward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Annual Set the Environment Protection / Rocznik Ochrona Środowiska is the property of Koszalin University of Technology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim of this research was the valorization of farms of different types and sizes located in 26 nitrate-vulnerable zones as to their specialization and intensity of production using a comprehensive evaluation method. The analysis was performed using survey data from 2010-2013 covering 164 Polish farms. The quality assessment was divided into two modules: production and environmental. The production module included the share of selected agricultural land and crop groups, consumption of mineral nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers, consumption of industrial feeds, and the number of animals. The environmental module evaluated term of application of manures to fields, number of days mixed with soil, preparation of silage, management of domestic sewage, storage capacity for manure, and year of construction of plates, tanks, and cesspools. The points earned in individual farms ranged from 52 to 148. Statistical analysis, using the Ward method (Manhattan distance), allowed for seven separate groups of farms. The results showed that such elements as specialization, farm size, share of arable land and grassland, stocking density, mineral fertilizers, and industrial feed consumption were all important for the identification of potential hazardous farms. The average number of points for the individual farm groups ranged from 81 to 120. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to compare the patterns of development of macrophytes and macroinvertebrates in different types of reference mountain rivers. The study is based on reference river sites surveyed throughout the mountains in Poland and Slovakia in two European ecoregions (9—Central Highlands, 10—The Carpathians). A wide range of environmental variables were estimated, including water chemistry, hydromorphology, geology, and the spatial factor. Based on the Jaccard index, macrophyte and macroinvertebrate variation was confirmed between four mountain and upland river types. It was found that the biological diversification is mainly influenced by geological and associated chemical factors. In the case of macroinvertebrates, additionally, the importance of the spatial factor was revealed (difference between ecoregions). Finally, the habitat preferences of various taxa were identified. It was found that extreme mountain conditions can sometimes distort bioindicative response, as was detected in the case of macroinvertebrates in the highest mountain sites. We concluded that consideration of two groups of organisms enables more comprehensive and reliable monitoring than assessment based on a single group, especially when standard bioindicative methods can be distorted by extreme local conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to assess the intensity of potassium management in agriculture, on the basis of field surface balance in the changing boundaries of Wielkopolska region, with its capital in Poznań. 14 periods were selected at the turn of three centuries XIX, XX and XXI. The surface area and the administrative boundaries have changed quite considerably during this period. Potassium is one of the most important elements which is of great importance not only in the nutrition of crops, but also in human and animal nutrition. Its impact on the environment is not yet fully known. However, agricultural production generates a surplus of this macronutrient, which can be dispersed in the environment. The calculated potassium balance depended largely on the economic and political situation and administration, which affect the degree of intensification of agricultural production in the region. The balance results ranged from -45.47 to 129.71 kg K·ha-1 per agricultural land. By 1955, the balance of potassium showed negative values. After this period, the balance recorded was only positive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]