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Environmental pollution by mercury is a local problem in Poland and concerns mainly industrial sites. Foundry waste are usually characterized by low mercury content compared to other heavy metals. Spent foundry sands with low content of Hg are the main component of foundry waste. However, Hg may be present in foundry dust, which may also be landfilled. Due to Hg toxicity, even a minimal content may have a negative impact on biota. This study focuses on assessing the mercury content of landfilled foundry waste (LFW), to assess its toxicity. Currently tested waste is recovered and reused as a road aggregate. The results were compared with the mercury content of local soils as the reference level. Waste samples were taken from foundry landfill. The mercury content, fractional composition, organic matter (OM) and total organic carbon content, pH and elementary composition of waste were analysed. It was found that the mercury content in LFW was very low, at the level of natural content in soils and did not pose a threat to the environment. The statistical analysis shows that mercury was not associated with OM of the waste, in contrast to soils, probably due to different types of OM in both materials.

The paper presents the results of compost tests from home composters and earthworms living there, that treating waste into compost. The samples were taken from home composters and allotment gardens from Opole Region. The composting material was green waste. The total content of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, Ni Cr) in compost and compost earthworms’ samples were determined. It was found that the compost samples were not contaminated with heavy metals. According to the Polish classification of composts from municipal wastes, the composts met the requirements for first class of quality. The composts did not exceed the limits of heavy metals specified in the Polish law for solid organic fertilizers. The degree of metal accumulation by compost earthworms depended on the type of metal. The high value of the bioaccumulation factor (BAF) was obtained for Cd, Pb and Zn. No accumulation of other metals (Ni, Cr, Cu) in earthworm bodies was found. It has been found that earthworm species, naturally occurring in Poland, can also be used as potential bioindicators of metals in the environment, such as the species Eisenia fetida. The aim of the study was to evaluate the heavy metal content in composts from home composters and ability to accumulate metals by compost earthworms.

The study evaluated the leaching of cobalt (Co) in soils fertilized with sewage sludge (SS) and composts depending on the extractant used. SS came from rural, mechanical–biological treatment plant in Dobrzeń, Lower Silesia region. In addition, those SS were processed by composting. Sludges and composts were used to fertilise the energy plants during lysimeter experiment conducted during 2008–2013. The overall, as well as extracted by H2O, 0.1M HCl and 1M HCl, 0.05M Na2EDTA and 0.1M Na2EDTA, content of Co in samples were analysed. Additionally, the impact of pH and organic matter (OM) content on the leachability of Co were researched. It was found that the soil samples were rich in Co. Its share slightly depended on fertilisation with SS and compost. Co leaching depends on the type and concentration of extractant. The highest content of Co were leched with 0.1 M Na2EDTA, and the lowest content with 0.1M HCl. Co concentration in H2O extracts was not determined as its content was below the limit of quantification. Leachability of Co in the analysed samples was influenced by the overall Co content as well as pH and OM content.

The aim of this study was to determine the level of disinfection by-products in selected outdoor swimming pool in the Opole Voivodship. The authors paid special attention to the determination of the concentration of trihalomethanes (THMs), which are formed during disinfection in water. Five outdoor swimming pools were selected in five different cities located in Opole Region. The level of trihalomethane (THM) concentrations in the analyzed waters was found to be in the wide range from 15 to more than 550 µg/L. The dominant compound of THMs was chloroform because of chlorine application in the disinfection method.

There are a number of leaching test which are used to evaluate the effect of foundry waste disposal on the environment (TCLP, SPLP, ASTM at al.). Because the spent foundry sand are usually deposited at the ground level and they have a similar structure to the soil, survey mobility of metals using the same methods seems appropriate. One-step extraction allows for the evaluation of the mobility and bioavailability of metals in soil and waste. Waste foundry sands have been successfully used as a component in manufactured soils in U.S., but concern over metal contamination must be eliminated before considering this direction of use. The study evaluated the leaching of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, Cr, Ni) from deposited waste foundry sands. The overall, as well as heavy metals were extracted by different type of extractants: H2O, CH3COOH, HCl, EDTA, MgCl2 and NaCOOH. These extractants are most commonly used to study the mobility and bioavailability of metals in soil and waste. In the present study applicable standards and methodology described in the literature in analysis were used. The results allowed to evaluate the bioavailability of metals leached from those wastes.