Jerzy Wieczorek

Enzyme activity as an indicator of soil-rehabilitation processes at a zinc and lead ore mining and processing area

The activities of soil enzymes in relation to the changes occurring in the soil on a degraded area in southern Poland after zinc and lead mining were analyzed. An evaluation of the usefulness of urease and invertase activities for estimating the progress of the rehabilitation processes in degraded soil was performed. The data show that the soil samples differed significantly in organic carbon (0.68-104.0 g kg(-1)) and total nitrogen (0.03-8.64 g kg(-1)) content in their surface horizons. All of the soil samples (apart from one covered with forest) had very high total concentrations of zinc (4050-10,884 mg kg(-1)), lead (959-6661 mg kg(-1)) and cadmium (24.4-174.3 mg kg(-1)) in their surface horizons, and similar concentrations in their deeper horizons. Nevertheless, the amounts of the soluble forms of the above-mentioned heavy metals were quite low and they accounted for only a small percentage of the total concentrations: 1.4% for Zn, 0.01% for Pb and 2.6% for Cd. Urease activities were ranked as follows: soil from flotation settler (0.88-1.78 μg N-NH4(+) 2h(-1) g(-1))<soil from old slag heaps (1.77-2.51 μg N-NH4(+) 2h(-1) g(-1))<soil undisturbed by mining activity (2.14-5.73 μg N-NH4(+) 2h(-1) g(-1)). Invertase activities were similar in soil that was undisturbed by mining and in soil from old slag heaps, ranging from 20.5 to 77.1mg of the inverted sugar, but they were much lower in soil from the flotation settler (0.12-6.95 mg of the inverted sugar). The results demonstrated that heavy pollution with Zn, Pb and Cd slightly decreased the activities of urease and invertase. It is thought that it resulted from the enzyme reactions occurring in slightly acidic or alkaline soil conditions. Under such conditions, heavy metals occur mainly in insoluble forms. The activities of these enzymes are strongly dependent on the content and decomposition of organic matter in the soil.

Application of geochemical and ecotoxicity indices for assessment of heavy metals content in soils / Zastosowanie wskaźników geochemicznych i ekotokysycznych w ocenie zawartości metali ciężkich w glebach

Abstract The research aimed to use chemical, geochemical, and ecotoxicity indices to assess the heavy metals content in soils with different degrees of exposure to human pressure. The research was conducted in southern Poland, in the Malopolska (Little Poland) province. All metal contents exceeded geochemical background levels. The highest values of the Igeo index were found for cadmium and were 10.05 (grasslands), 9.31 (forest), and 5.54 (arable lands), indicating extreme soil pollution (class 6) with this metal. Mean integrated pollution index (IPI) values, depending on the kind of use, amounted to 3.4 for arable lands, 4.9 for forests, and 6.6 for grasslands. These values are indicative of a high level of soil pollution in arable lands and an extremely high level of soil pollution in grasslands and forests. Depending on the type of soil use, Vibrio fischeri luminescence inhibition was from -33 to 59% (arable lands), from -48 to 78% (grasslands), and from 0 to 88% (forest). Significantly the highest toxicity was found in soils collected from forest grounds. Celem badań było wykorzystanie wskaźników chemicznych, geochemicznych i ekotoksycznych w ocenie zawartości metali ciężkich w glebach o zróżnicowanym stopniu narażenia na antropopresję. Badania prowadzono na terenie Polski Południowej w województwie Małopolskim. Punkty poboru prób wyznaczono metodą równych kwadratów o boku kwadratu równym 7,5 km przy wykorzystaniu urządzenia GPS (Garmin 62s, dokładność +/- 2 m). Łącznie wyznaczono 76 punktów w których pobrano próby glebowe z poziomu 0-10 cm. Średnia zawartość poszczególnych metali ciężkich w glebach gruntów ornych (GO) wyniosła w kolejności malejącej: 107,52 mg Zn; 44,47 mg Ni; 23,23 mg Pb; 12,30 mg Cu; 1,21 mg Cd ∙ kg-1 s.m. Na użytkach zielonych (UZ) średnia zawartość metali tworzyła szereg malejący (mg ∙ kg-1 s.m): Zn (428,04) > Pb (76,35) > Ni (20,93 mg) > Cu (19,60) > Cd (2,38). W glebach leśnych (L) przeciętna zawartość cynku wyniosła 149,33 mg, ołowiu 97,76 mg, miedzi 13,32 mg, niklu 13,03 mg oraz kadmu 2,18 mg ∙ kg-1 s.m. Spośród badanych metali największe wartości wskaźnika Igeo wykazano dla kadmu: 10,05 (UZ); 9,31 (L); 5,54 (GO), co świadczy o ekstremalnym zanieczyszczeniu (klasa 6) gleb tym pierwiastkiem, niezależnie od rodzaju użytkowania terenu. Średnie wartości zintegrowanego współczynnika zanieczyszczenia wyniosły: 2,8 (GO); 5,3 (L) oraz 6,4 (UZ). Wartości te świadczą o wysokim stopniu zanieczyszczenia gleb na gruntach ornych oraz ekstremalnie wysokim na użytkach zielonych i lasach. Inhibicja luminescencji Vibrio fischeri w zależności od sposobu użytkowania gleb wyniosła od -33 do 59% (GO), od -48 do 78% (UZ) oraz od 0 do 88% (L). Istotnie największą toksycznością charakteryzowały się gleby pobrane z użytków leśnych.

ASSESSMENT OF CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF WASTE MATERIALS FROM HARD COAL BURNING IN VIEW OF THEIR AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL APPLICATIONS

Production of electric power in Poland bases on burning brown and hard coal. Currently over 90 % of electricity originates from this source. Generating electric power, like many other human activities, inevitably involves production of wastes. Considering the previous trends of these waste materials utilisation, one should analyse also potential use of biogenic components which they contain as fertilizers. The main objective of conducted investigations was an assessment of potential application of selected waste materials, i.e. fly ashes from production, fly ashes from the landfill site and slag sand from “KRAKOW S.A.” heat and power plant for agricultural and environmental purposes. The assessment was made on the basis of analyses of the following physical and chemical properties of studied materials: pH, granulometric composition determined by Bouyoucose-Casagrande method in Proszynski’s modification, total alkalinity, total nitrogen content assessed by means of Kjeldahl’s method, organic carbon by Tiurin’s method, total contents of trace elements and the content of available forms of trace elements soluble in 1 mol · dm HCl solution. On the basis of conducted laboratory analyses it should be stated that the amounts of heavy metals determined in the studied materials did not exceed the content allowable for waste materials designed for soil liming. The analysed materials reveal physical and chemical properties which do not exclude their potential application for soil liming. In this respect, fly ash from production seems the best. However, it contains about twice lower amounts of CaO in comparison with other calcium fertilizers available on the market.

Assessment of the pollution and ecological risk of lead and cadmium in soils

The aim of the study was to assess the content, distribution, soil binding capacity, and ecological risk of cadmium and lead in the soils of Malopolska (South Poland). The investigation of 320 soil samples from differently used land (grassland, arable land, forest, wasteland) revealed a very high variation in the metal content in the soils. The pollution of soils with cadmium and lead is moderate. Generally, a point source of lead and cadmium pollution was noted in the study area. The highest content of cadmium and lead was found in the northwestern part of the area—the industrial zones (mining and metallurgical activity). These findings are confirmed by the arrangement of semivariogram surfaces and bivariate Moran’s correlation coefficients. Among the different types of land use, forest soils had by far the highest mean content of bioavailable forms of both metals. The results showed a higher soil binding capacity for lead than for cadmium. However, for both metals, extremely high (class 5) accumulation capacities were dominant. Based on the results, the investigated soils had a low (Pb) and moderate (Cd) ecological risk on living components. Soil properties, such as organic C, pH, sand, silt, and clay content, correlated with the content of total and bioavailable forms of metals in the soils. The correlations, despite being statistically significant, were characterized by very low values of correlation coefficient (r = 0.12–0.20, at p ≤ 0.05). Therefore, the obtained data do not allow to define any conclusions as to the relationships between these soil properties. However, it must be highlighted that there was a very strong positive correlation between the total content of cadmium and lead and their bioavailable forms in the soils.

YIELD FORMING EFFECT OF APPLICATION OF COMPOSTS CONTAINING POLYMER MATERIALS ENRICHED IN BIOCOMPONENTS

In a pot experiment the impact of composts containing polymeric materials modified with biocomponents on the diversity of crops of oats and mustard was examined. The composts used in the study were produced in the laboratory from wheat and rape straw, and pea seed cleaning waste with 8-percent addition of chopped biopolymer materials (films) which were prepared in the Central Mining Institute (GIG) in Kato wice. Three polymers differing in content of starch and density were selected for the composting. The pot experiment was conducted on three substrates: light and medium soil and on the sediment obtained after flotation of zinc and lead ores, coming from the landfill ZGH “Boleslaw” S.A. in Bukowno. The need for using such materials and substrates results from the conditions of processing some morphological fractions of municipal waste and from improving methods of reclamation. Yield enhancing effect of composts depends on the substrate on which the compost was used, cultivated plants and crop succession. Application of composts prepared with 8% of polymeric materials based on polyethylene, modified with starch as biocomponent, resulted in significantly lower yields in sandy (light) soil in case of oats and, in some cases, in medium soil. Subsequent plant yield did not differ significantly between the objects fertilized with compost.

Integrated Innovative Biotechnology for Optimization of Environmental Bioprocesses and a Green Economy

A systematic approach to sustainable management of natural resources incorporates integration of innovative biotechnologies and eco-engineering. Here we review complementary eco-innovations for sustainable development in different regions. One of the newer biotechnologies is laser photostimulation of different species of plants and microorganisms to increase their adaptability to xenobiotics in soil, air, and water. Empirically selected algorithms of laser irradiation significantly increase biodegradation of hydrocarbons, phytoremediation of trace metals by willow Salix sp., elephant grass Miscanthus x giganteus, Virginian mallow Sida hermaphrodita, and to increase tolerance of different species of plants to petrochemical pollutants and efficiency of reclamation of contaminated areas and tolerance to salinity of soil and suboptimal temperatures as well as water deficiency. This biotechnology is also useful for biomass enhancement and bio-energy production under suboptimal conditions for more efficient vegetative multiplication of some vegetables and development of sustainable agriculture, forestry, protection of the landscape, and biodiversity. Integration of transdisciplinary cooperation and application of complementary biotechnologies and innovative methods of environmental pollutant bioremediation (such as wastewater treatment) and reclamation, supported by the implementation of a neural network, can optimize bioprocesses that are useful for a better quality of life, globally. Long-term research-developing studies are supplemented by problem-solving training and case studies in different regions (including ecotourism, recreation, and promotion of ecological culture), long distance education and life-long education for the common action of experts and knowledge-based society, promoting sustainable development that is based on integrated biological sciences and sustainable models of consumption.

YIELDING AND CONTENT OF SELECTED MICROELEMENTS IN MAIZE FERTILIZED WITH VARIOUS ORGANIC MATERIALS

The paper aimed at comparing the yield and concentrations of zinc, copper and nickel in maize cultivated in soil fertilized with two different sewage sludge with yielding of maize fertilized with manure and solely with mineral fertilizers. The experiment was conducted in plastic pots, of which each contained 8.5 kg of air-dried soil with granulometric composition of light sandy loam and neutral pH. Sewage sludge used for the experiment originated from two municipal sewage sludge treatment plants in Krzeszowice (sludge I) and Niepołomice (sludge II), while manure from a private farm in Czernichów district. The test plant was maize (Zea mays) cultivated for 74 days and then harvested for green forage. On the basis of conducted research it was found that various fertilizer combinations applied in the experiment had a significant influence on the test plant yielding. All compared fertilizer variants allowed maize to produce statistically significantly higher yield in comparison with the yield harvested from the unfertilized soils. Fertilization with sewage sludge I supplemented with mineral treatment and application of solely mineral salts proved the most beneficial for the maize yield. Applied fertilizer combinations affected the content of microelements. The highest concentrations of nickel in maize green mass were assessed in plant samples from the unfertilized object, whereas zinc and copper from mineral fertilization variant. Except of zinc, introducing additional metal doses did not influence their increased content in plant organs. Soil enrichment with zinc contained in sewage sludge I and II (respectively 77.4 mg and 49.9 mg ∙ pot-1) contributed to its elevated concentration in maize roots but at the same time this metal content statistically significantly decreased in maize shoots in comparison with the amounts determined in plants fertilized with mineral materials.

CONTENT OF HEAVY METALS IN SOIL AND PLANTS FROM AN AREA BORZĘCIN MUNICIPALITY (MALOPOLSKA PROVINCE)

The research aimed to assess the content of heavy metals in soils and plants as an indicator of human pressure in a typically agriculture area. The research was conducted in northern part of Brzesko district on Borzecin municipality (Malopolska province). In total 15 points were set. At those points, soil samples were collected from the levels of 0–10 cm and 40–50 cm.