Józefa Wiater

Agricultural pollution and water quality in small retention reservoir in Korycin

The study aimed at determining the changes in the trophic status of the processes associated with the risk of eutrophication in small retention reservoir in Korycin, characterized by agricultural performance of direct and indirect catchment. The study was conducted using the surface water samples that were collected systematically every month over four hydrological years (2008 to 2014) from three research points. Mean annual concentration of total phosphorus varied from 0.641 mg P/dm3 during research conducted in 2007/2008 to 0.874 mg P/dm3 in 2013/2014 showing an increasing trend from year to year. Taking into account the calculated average values, an upward trend can be seen along with particular years of the study from the annual average value of 1.44 mg N/dm3 determined in the first year to the value of 2.66 mg N/dm3 recorded in the last year of the study. It was observed during the study that in non-flowing parts of Korycin reservoir, plankton developed more abundantly than in the central fragments, where the flow of water is more intensive. A mild growth of phytoplankton in the waters of Korycin reservoir is provided by relatively low concentrations of chlorophyll “a” found during all research periods. Concentrations of chlorophyll “a” in waters of the reservoir were within the range of 4.08 to 5.21 g/dm3. At a Schindler coefficient > 2, this value, based on the Decree of the Minister of the Environment of 2011, should not exceed 7 and therefore waters of the Korycin reservoir during the research can be classified as the first class. Values of the general trophic level (Trophic State Index) during the first three years of the study ranged from 67.15 to 68.65, which enabled to count waters of the reservoir in Korycin to eutrophic ones. In the last year of the analyzes, this coefficient increased to a value of 72.43, classifying its waters as hypertrophic. The largest share in such a situation was expressed by TSI (TP), which ranged from 97.34 to 101.82, always classifying the waters to hypertrophic ones. In contrast, the indicator TSI (TN) ranged from 59.71 to 68.57 and it classified the reservoir waters to eutrophic, while TSI (Chl) to mesotrophic.

EFFECT OF SEALED MUNICIPAL WASTE LANDFILL ON THE QUALITY OF UNDERGROUND WATER

The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of the landfill on the groundwater environment. The assessment of water status in the region of landfill sealed with a layer of clay with a thickness of 0.5 m, was based on the own research and monitoring received from the municipal office, and conducted in 2007–2010. Waters flowing out of the landfill revealed an increase in pollution indicators such as: total organic carbon (TOC), concentrations of PAHs and heavy metals including zinc, cadmium, and chromium. It was demonstrated that the landfill sealed with a clay layer does not reduce the outflow of leachate to groundwater, but also that the purity of these waters is influenced by increased agricultural activity in the areas adjacent to the landfill.

Operating difficulties of small water reservoir located in Wasilkow

When considering the issue of the functioning of small water reservoirs, the attempt to assess changes in trophy of small retention reservoir located in Wasilkow, Podlasie, before and after remediation, was carried out. Water samples tests were carried out once a month from April 2007 to March 2008, from April 2009 to March 2010 (before remediation), and from April 2013 to March 2014 (after removal of silt). Prior to works related to the reservoir remediation, a gradual increase in the number of tested contaminants and disturbances in the seasonal occurrence of nitrogen and phosphorus compounds were observed. Advanced eutrophic processes in Wasilkow reservoir occur probably due to the supply of large amounts of humic and biogenic substances from the catchment, because a significant percentage of its area is covered by forests and agricultural lands. The development of the trophic status of the reservoir is largely influenced by the amount of phosphorus and total nitrogen supplied to the reservoir; the least affected by chlorophyll “a”. Comparing the analyses performed in 2007/2008 and 2009/2010, a slight, but growing trend of average trophic levels of water in the basin Wasilkow was found. Studies conducted in 2013/2014 revealed a significant decrease in the concentrations of all analyzed pollutants, and hence lower TSI values. It can be concluded that the reclamation associated with the removal of sediments brought the expected results.

SYMPTOMS OF WATER EUTROPHICATION IN THE BACHMATY RESERVOIR

When analyzing the symptoms of eutrophication and water quality in a small retention reservoir Bachmaty, an attempt to assess changes in its trophic condition before and after modernization, was undertaken. The study upon changes in water trophic level was carried out on a small retention reservoir Bachmaty located in Podlasie region on the Orlanka river in the municipality of Dubicze Cerkiewne. Tests of water samples collected from the surface layer of the coastal zone were performed once a month, and the time of the research was divided into two periods. The first period was conducted since April 2007 to March 2008 and since April 2009 to March 2010. The second research period included the time immediately after the reservoir reclamation, which ended in May 2011. The study was conducted since May 2011 to March 2012 and since April 2013 to March 2014. The trophic level of Bachmaty reservoir was also assessed according to the concentration criteria and based on the trophic status indices (TSI) calculated after Carlson’s as well as Kratzer and Brezonik’s. Reclamation of the reservoir, which consisted mainly in removing the sediments, caused a reduction in all TSI values. Analysing the overall trophic level index, i.e. the average of TSI (TP), TSI (TN), and TSI (Chl), water of the Bachmaty reservoir may be classified as eutrophic in individual years of the research, although a gradual decline in the TSI value could be observed directly after the reservoir modernizing. After testing it was found that the formation of the trophic level of Bachmaty reservoir was largely affected by the amount of total phosphorus supplied to the water. Water quality in the reservoirs, and also the content of phosphorus compounds is largely determined by external supply.

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY OF FAMILY-OWNED AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS IN THE PODLASKIE VOIVODESHIP

The subject of this paper is environmental sustainability assessment of agricultural holdings in the Podlaskie voivodeship, participating in the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) in the years 2007–2012. The assessment was conducted based on agro-ecological indicators and environmental burden (material pressure). The analysis was conducted according to a classification into agricultural holding types: field crops, dairy cattle, and mixed holdings. The factor with the strongest impact on the agroecological sustainability of the studied agricultural holdings was the holding type. Field crop and mixed holdings achieved more favorable environmental sustainability indicators. Holdings specializing in dairy cattle breeding pose a threat to the natural environment due to their excessive number of livestock.

TROPHIC STATE OF SMALL RETENTION RESERVOIRS IN PODLASIE VOIVODESHIP

The study was carried out using water samples from two small retention reservoirs located in the communes: Czarna Białostocka and Turośń Kościelna in Podlaskie Voivodeship. The main tasks of both reservoirs are to improve the water balance by means of regulating the levels and water outflow. Three characteristic measurement and control points were selected on both reservoirs in accordance to the water flow in the longitudinal section. The first and third points were located near the inflow and outflow of water, while the second in the middle of the reservoirs. Samples of water for the study were collected from the surface layer of the shore zone of the reservoirs once a month from March 2015 to February 2017 (water from two hydrological years was analyzed). Water samples were subject to determination of total phosphorus, total nitrogen, and chlorophyll “a” concentrations, as well as turbidity. Contamination of the water reservoirs with biogenic compounds is a common problem and at the same time difficult to eliminate due to the scattered nature of external sources of pollution, especially in the case of agricultural catchments, as well as the inflow of untreated sewage from areas directly adjacent to the reservoirs. Based on achieved results, high values of TSI (TN), TSI (TP), TSI (Chl), and overall TSI, clearly indicate the progressive degradation of water quality in analyzed reservoirs. Appearing water blooms due to the mass development of phytoplankton adversely affect the quality of water in the reservoirs and biochemical processes occurring both in water and bottom sediments, are conditioned by progressive eutrophication.

The content and solubility of lead in arable soils of the Podlasie Province (eastern Poland)

Abstract The aim of the study was the estimation of total content of lead and its fraction in arable soils and permanent grassland of Podlasie Province, eastern Poland. The research material included 104 soil samples from Podlasie Province, which were collected in years 2011–2013 from the topsoil (0–30 cm) after plant harvest. The following basic physicochemical properties of soil samples were determined: granulometric composition, organic carbon content and pH in 1 mol·dm−3 KCl solution. Based on the granulometric composition soils were divided into three groups: very light and light, medium and organic soils. The total lead and its content in fractions was determined by means of GFAAS technique using Varian AA-100 apparatus. The fractions of lead were extracted by BCR method. In the case of very light and light soils the lowest percentage share of Pb on average was noted in exchangeable fraction (16.3% of total content) and the highest in fraction bound to Fe/Mn oxides (43.5%). Similarly in medium and organic soils the highest amount of Pb was stated in reducible fraction, 43.7 and 41.3% of total content, respectively, and the lowest in exchangeable fraction, 16.5 and 12.2%, respectively. It was found that content of total lead was typical for arable uncontaminated soils.

EUTROPHICATION AS A PRIORITY ISSUE OF WATER QUALITY IN SMALL RETENTION RESERVOIRS

The study aimed at comparing changes in the trophic status of waters in two small retention reservoirs “Otapy-Kiersnówek” and “Jasionówka”, located in the Podlasie region, which have a similar way of management and the similarity of catchments, using the TSI trophy indicators. The obtained results show that total phosphorus is the limiting factor in both reservoirs. Analyzing the average annual value of TSI in the tested waters, it was found that both reservoirs can be classified as hypertrophic. Trophic state of the tested waters is strictly dependent on the processes taking place in their vicinity. The reservoirs revealed a clear effect of a surface runoff on water quality. Factors that favor the poor quality of water in both reservoirs are unfavorable morphometric conditions of reservoirs due to their small depth, which allows continuous mixing and strong heating of water in spring and summer. Additional causes can include an open space around the reservoirs and the lack of high vegetation that would shield the edges against the wind, which facilitates often mixing of waters to the bottom and resuspension of bottom sediments, which in turn increases the concentration of phosphorus in water.

PHOSPHORUS CONTAMINATION AS A BARRIER TO WATER QUALITY OF SMALL RETENTION RESERVOIRS IN PODLASIE REGION

The aim of study was to evaluate the quality of water flowing into small retention reservoirs in terms of the concentration of total phosphorus and phosphates. The study involved three small retention reservoirs located in the municipalities of: Bransk, Dubicze Cerkiewne and Kleszczele in Podlasie region. Selection of the research facilities was made due to the similarity in the soil management type within catchment of the flowing watercourse, retained water utilization ways, and a small surface of reservoirs. Watercourse reaching the reservoir provides biogens along with water, which directly affect the water quality resulting in high concentrations in water, either indirectly by initiating or accelerating the process of degradation of the reservoir and the loss of its usability. We found that total phosphorus only of 20.8% of water samples from Nurzec river feeding the Otapy-Kiersnówek reservoir, about 25% of water samples of Orlanka river feeding Bachmaty reservoir, and 17% of samples taken from the watercourse supplying Repczyce reservoir, corresponded to values specified for the second class in the current Regulation of the Minister of the Environment. It can be assumed that this situation is caused by a long-term fertilization using manure, which in consequence led to the oversaturation of soils and phosphorus compounds penetration into the river waters in areas used for agricultural purposes. Especially in the early spring periods, rising temperature together with rainfall caused soil thawing resulting in increasing concentrations of contaminants carried along with the washed soil particles during the surface and subsurface runoff. Values of TSI(TP) calculated for OtapyKiersnówek reservoir amounted to 112.4 in hydrological year 2012 and to 112.7 in 2013, for Bachmaty reservoir 73.04–75.71, and for Repczyce reservoir to 101.07–102.12, which allowed for qualifying them as hypertrophic. Kaywords: phosphorus compound, eutrophication, small retention reservoirs

Variation in liquid waste composition supplying selected collection point

The problem of liquid wastes is still current not only in Poland, but also in the world. The primary source of liquid wastes are single-family and multi-family houses. To a lesser extent, public service or production facilities, mainly in urban areas, are equipped with no-outlet reservoirs. Low concentrations in liquid wastes and their high density are often some difficulty to work with not only by sewage treatment plants, but also collection points. Therefore, the knowledge of the composition of liquid wastes supplied to the collection points is important. The paper presents the results of research as well as variability of concentrations of selected parameters of liquid wastes supplied to the collection point in Bialystok, that accepts both municipal and industrial sewage. Statistical processing of the obtained results and those derived from The Waterworks Bialystok showed the presence of high variability of total suspended matter and electrolytic conductivity as well as organic impurities expressed as BOD5 and COD.