Damian Absalon

The effects of changes in cadmium and lead air pollution on cancer incidence in children

This article presents the results of research on the effects of air pollution on cancer incidence in children in the region of Silesia (Poland), which has undergone one of the most profound anthropogenic transformations in Europe. The main objective of the research was to specify the impact of changes in cadmium and lead pollution in the years 1990-2005 on the incidence of cancers reported in children. Lead concentration ranged from 0 to 1490 x 10(-9) G m(-2)/year, and cadmium concentration ranged from 0 to 33.7 x 10(-9) G m(-2)/year. There was no strong significant correlation (max 0.3) between air pollution and incidence rate (IR) in the general population of children in any particular year. Alongside the cartographic presentation of dependences, correlation coefficients between the variables in question were calculated. This made it possible to determine the relationship between the pollution levels and incidence rates in the area. There was a significant reduction in the level of pollution during the investigated period. The study of the relationship between the number of cancers reported and the condition of the natural environment revealed increased sensitivity to toxins in boys (correlation coefficient 0.3). In addition, the spatial distribution of the number of cases reported in boys suggests a correlation with the spatial distribution of the coefficients for the entire group of children included in the study. The yearly average IR of childhood cancer in specific districts ranged from 0 to 61.48/100,000 children under 18 years of age during the 1995-2004 period.

The importance of time of exposure to harmful anthropogenic factors as an element of cancer risk assessment in children

This study attempted to verify whether the time of exposure to harmful factors is important for the increased risk of developing cancer. A statistical analysis of all cases of cancer in children in the period from 1995 to 2004 in the province of Silesia (Poland) was conducted, and their spatial distribution was then presented using cartographic and GIS methods. The data were then juxtaposed with the developed assessment of the degree of anthropogenic pressure in the province of Silesia with regard to: population density, the volume of produced waste and the density of road networks. The anthropogenization index, which was determined by taking into account the selected factors and the degree of impact on human health, was presented as values from 0 to 1, where 0 represents no anthropogenic pressure and 1 represents its maximum level. In the province of Silesia, the estimated values of the anthropogenization index range from 0.2 to 0.67. The study revealed significant variation in the incidence rates in certain age groups, sexes and districts. It also showed a change in incidence rate values in 2004 compared to 1995, with the largest increase (over 9-fold) occurring in boys. In girls, a decrease (almost 5-fold) in incidence rates was recorded in most cancer groups. The correlation coefficient which was determined indicates a diverse relationship between exposure time and the number of cases of cancer, but in only a few districts it is statistically significant.

Reducing monitoring costs in industrially contaminated rivers: cluster and regression analysis approach.

Monitoring contamination in river water is an expensive procedure, particularly for developing countries where pollution is a significant problem. This study was conducted to provide a pollution monitoring strategy that reduces the cost of laboratory analysis. The new monitoring strategy was designed as a result of cluster and regression analysis on field data collected from an industrially influenced river. Pollution sources in the study site were coal mining, metallurgy, chemical industry, and metropolitan sewage. This river resembles those in other areas of the world, including developing countries where environmental monitoring is financially constrained. Data were collected on variability of contaminant concentrations during four seasons at the same points on tributaries of the river. The variables described in the study are pH, electrical conductivity, inorganic ions, trace elements, and selected organic pollutants. These variables were divided into groups using cluster analysis. These groups were then tested using regression models to identify how the behavior of one variable changes in relation to another. It was found that up to 86.8% of variability of one parameter could be determined by another in the dataset. We adopted 60, 65, and 70% determination levels () for accepting a regression model. As a result, monitoring could be reduced by 15 (60% level) and 10 variables (65 and 70%) out of 43, which comprises 35 and 23% of the monitored variable total. Cost reduction would be most effective if trace elements or organic pollutants were excluded from monitoring because these are the constituents most expensive to analyze.

Potential of tourism and recreational postindustrial city (Radzionków GIS-based case study)

The paper presents an analysis of the land structure use in the town Radzionkow. The study area, despite of the industrial past, distinguished by a large proportion of green areas: parks, forests, agricultural lands, recreational areas. The study shows how important is the role of shaping the image of the municipality as an interesting tourist, plays right policy and how important local municipal authorities may support use of local tourism resources through appropriate and targeted use of space (Municipal Development Plan).

Changes in Water Quality in the Upper Wisla (Vistula) River Basin

The aim of the study is the analysis of water quality changes in the Upper Vistula. The issue of water quality is important to Poland, where water resources are poorer than in many countries of the European Union. The study spans the period before and after political transformation in Poland, which significantly altered its economy. Changes in indices of water pollution were investigated for 4 monitoring sites. The results demonstrated that poor water quality in the Vistula improved significantly near the end of the 20th century, as the result of closure of many industries and improvement of sewage treatment.

Mathematical Modelling as a Tool for the Assessment of Impact of Thermodynamics on the Algal Growth in Dam Reservoirs – Case Study of the Goczalkowice Reservoir

Abstract Depending on climate conditions, bathymetry, basin morphology, management practices and other factors, some reservoirs are more or less prone to stratification, which can strongly affect both chemical and biological status of water. In the Goczalkowice Reservoir (the biggest dam reservoir in the south of Poland), water quality parameters, such as chlorophyll a concentration, change very dynamically. In the presented study, the Estuary, Lake and Coastal Ocean Model (ELCOM) was applied to simulate water thermodynamics in a period of summer and autumn when the highest concentrations of chlorophyll a were observed, based on the continuous water monitoring in the ZiZOZap project (Łaszczyca et al., 2011). The purpose of the application of ELCOM was to simulate the thermal stratification in the reservoir and to prepare a basis for analyses of the relationship between water thermodynamics and quality. Simulations allowed the identification of several short water mixing events in summer and the final mixing event at the end of summer. The study also included the first application of model results to analyse the relation of changes in water temperature with observed concentration of chlorophyll a (ChlA). Analysis confirmed that each water mixing event was followed by a significant increase in ChlA concentration.

Effects of renaturalization of the river valley transformed as a result of mining activity - The Szarlejka river case study

Strong land transformations which are the effect of intensive mining activity have led to degradation of many catchments located in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin. The implementation of the requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive has led to activities aimed at the improvement of ecological condition of transformed river valleys. The paper presents conditions, limitations and selected results of renaturalization activities undertaken in the Szarlejka river valley.Strong land transformations which are the effect of intensive mining activity have led to degradation of many catchments located in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin. The implementation of the requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive has led to activities aimed at the improvement of ecological condition of transformed river valleys. The paper presents conditions, limitations and selected results of renaturalization activities undertaken in the Szarlejka river valley.

Assessment of the Exposure of Tourism-Related Landscape Values of the Silesian Beskids Based on Computer Visualization

This paper presents an analysis of the visibility of landscape values , which are important in terms of tourist attractiveness. The paper focuses on the area of the Silesian Beskid Mountains, which have highly diversified (in terms of structure, functionality and physiognomy) natural and cultural values. Due to its location near large urban agglomerations, the region enjoys high tourist interest, and it hosts intensely used recreation facilities. However, as a result of changes in land use and excessive afforestation, the area has lost its sightseeing value, which could result in the decreased interest of tourists and a loss of identity determinants in the landscape in that region. The foundation of tourist attractiveness lies in the visual diversity of elements of the natural and cultural landscape. Forests, which are common in the Beskids, are of unquestionable ecological value; however, from a tourist’s point of view, their prevalence creates scenic monotony and decreases visual attractiveness because they hinder the perception of other valuable forms of landscape (e.g. surface features, hydrographic objects or cultural entities). The article presents existing and possible (computer simulated) states of landscape where the improvement of physiognomic value is planned. To visualize landscape values , the authors used methods and techniques of computer-aided modelling. Interpretation was based on topographic maps at various scales, aerial and satellite photos, a digital elevation model (DEM) and digital thematic maps.