Polish Journal of Environmental Studies
Pb uptake by three populations of the snail Helix aspersa was measured in a series of experiments supplying PbS04 in an agar diet. Uptake rates in snails from a site grossly polluted with Pb were lower than in the two other populations and were unafected by the initial body burdens of Pb. Populations of snails from a Pb-free site showed much greater variability in tissue Pb burdens and faster rates...
The effect of some biologically active amphilic quaternary ammonium chlorides (QA) on properties of bimolecular planar membranes (BLM) formed of lipids extracted from bovine erythrocytes was studied. Ammonium salts differed in the alkyl chain length or in the non-methylene group incorporated between the hydrocarbon chain and the polar head of a molecule. It was found that in the case of a series of...
On the basis of selected examples it is shown that chemical analyses performed according to the Polish Norms can produce incorrect results. The sources of errors were disclosed and some improvements suggested. The pH-measurements of acid rains and water samples with conductivity less than 25 μS/cm, the COD (dichromate) determination especially of saline wastes, the BOD determination by the dilution...
Lead, cadmium, zinc, manganese, chromium, cobalt, copper, and molybdenum concentrations were measured in 50 samples of placenta tissues. The samples came from Tychy in the Upper Silesian Industrial District (Poland), where the population is exposed to enormously increased levels of heavy metals. GFAAS technique was used. Various methods of ashing samples were examined. Wet ashing under pressure in...
A general algorithm of hydraulic protection of groundwater (HPGW) control based on the checking of the maximal closed groundwater contour is proposed. A model describing only flow of groundwater (not spreading of contaminants) is used and therefore short computational time is sufficient to simulate various operational regimes of HPGW. Groundwater flow is described by a twodimensional two-parameters...
This paper is a review of studies on the interaction between cationic, amphiphilic quaternary ammonium salts and biological and model membranes. It has been pointed out that the compounds studied induce changes in both passive and active membrane properties such as mechanical, transport liquid-crystalline and electrical . An attempt has been made to explain the observed effects on the basis of the...
By using the lH—NMR method and paramagnetic ions Pr3+, the incorporation into the liposome membrane of a series of biologically active single-chain (TGE-n) and double-chain (DGE-n) quaternary ammonium salts was studied. Corresponding compounds of both groups differed in their alkyl chain-length (n = 8,10,12,14 and 16). Minimal concentration CA of compounds TGE-n and DGE-n which caused total release...
Our objective was the assessment of algal medium harmfulness for in vitro fibroblasts. The algal medium was from Chlorella cultures (Beijerinck 1890) grown in the presence of benzene, which was added before the inoculation of culture. The medium contained, besides the benzene residues, its various metabolites formed during culture, among them phenol and catechol. Its addition to fibroblast cultures...
The concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's) and chlorinated hydrocarbons (DDT, DDE, DDD and HCH) were determined in various animal fats: milk, pork, turkey, and horse. The highest average level of compounds under the determination has been found in milk fat (0,137 ppm of total DDT and 0,141 ppm of PCB's).
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to characterize the chemical species of lead in bryophyte and pebble samples obtained in a stream passing through a lead mine in England. The 4f7/2 photoelectron binding energy of lead in the three bryophytes agreed fairly well with each other, but differed from the binding energies for the mineral phases, where lead exists as sulfide, and possibly also sulfate...
Heavy metals speciation was performed using Rudd's method of extracting heavy metals, the selective extraction technique using 1M of KN03; 0.5 M KF; 0.1 M Na4P207; 0.1 M EDTA and 6M HN03. In herbal dust gathered from different sites around a herb — processing facility, exchangeable and soluble forms, organic combinations, carbonates and sulphides of the following metals were distinguished: Pb, Cd,...
In this review the most well-known examples of secondary effects and pollutants which occur in the particular elements of the environment (atmosphere, hydrosphere, soil and food products) are described. Very often pollution of the environment is characterized only by quantities of primary pollutants emitted to the particular elements of the environment. However, it is much more difficult to find any...
Despite similar vitamin E concentrations, erythrocytes in children of smoking parents have an increased tendency to peroxidize in vitro compared with children of nonsmoking parents. The increased susceptibility to erythrocyte peroxidation in children of smoking parents may reflect lower erythrocyte glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dimutase activities. Children...
Using atomic absorption spectroscopy, Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, V, Pb, and Cd levels have been determined in kidneys and livers of cows and sheep from the Suwałki region. It has been found that there are differences in the arrangment of V, Cu and Fe in the examined tissues. Pb and Cd concentrations provide evidence that exposure of the examined animals to these metals is low in this region. They approximate...
The studies conducted in the three-stage waste-water treatment plant for agricultural and domestic sewage in Łężany showed that the greatest reduction of indicator microorganisms, between 70% and 100%, occured in biological ponds. Biofilters (rotating biological disks and multicage rotating contactor) reduced the occurence of the studied microorganisms by 40—70%, mechanical purification by 40—50%...
The investigation of the influence of chosen neutral and dianionic molecules on K+ determination by the vaiinomycin liquid membrane electrode is the subject of the present paper. These investigations were carried out in water solutions in the presence of acetate buffer pH = 4. The strongest effects on the membrane potential were observed in the cases of compounds possessing a benzene ring with some...