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Pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) are widely used in medical treatments but pose risks to ecosystems and human health when present in the environment. Understanding their fate in nature is complex and influenced by various factors. Phototransformation, where PhACs change chemically upon light exposure, offers the potential for reducing their environmental levels. Studying this process is crucial for understanding risks, developing safe disposal strategies, and innovating removal methods to mitigate adverse effects. This review delves into the major factors influencing the transformation of PhACs under natural conditions. It provides a comprehensive analysis of the mechanisms involved in the photochemical activity of PhACs, shedding light on their behavior upon exposure to sunlight. Special attention is given to delineating the differences in the phototransformation processes among 13 major pharmaceutical classes. By examining the various factors influencing PhAC transformation and elucidating their mechanisms, this review aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the fate of pharmaceuticals in the environment. Such insights are invaluable for developing effective strategies to mitigate the risks posed by PhAC contamination and safeguarding environmental and human health.

Biocrusts are an important component of dryland ecosystems as they perform crucial ecological functions like stabilizing soils, mediating the hydrological cycle, and improving nutrient availability. The high mechanical stability of biocrusts is understood to be linked to exopolymeric substances (EPS), which in turn, are responsible for the adsorption of various ions and chemical compounds. This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition of biocrusts and assess potential correlations between their chemical composition and mechanical stability. Samples of three types of biocrusts (cyanobacteria, cyanobacteria and moss mixed, and moss crusts) and bare soil (as control) were collected from the northern Loess Plateau of China. The inorganic ions and organic compounds present in biocrusts were quantified using inductively coupled plasma-optic emission spectrometry, ion chromatography, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Biocrust mechanical stability was assessed by penetration resistance (PR) and the mean weight diameter (MWD) of aggregates. Finally, the contribution of inorganic ions and organic compounds to the stability of the biocrusts was elucidated. The results indicated that all three types of biocrusts were more stable than bare soil, with moss crusts being the most stable. Chemical analyses revealed an enrichment of inorganic ions such as K+, Ca2+, Na+, Mg2+, SO42–, and halogen ions within the biocrusts, while they showed a depletion of Fe2+, Al3+, and NO3–. Ten types of organic compounds were identified in biocrusts and bare soil, with medium-chain alkanes and long-chain acids being the dominant compounds. In some cases, acids accounted for more than 40 % of the total organic compound content of the biocrusts. Redundancy analysis showed that the content of inorganic ions, such as Ca2+ and Mg2+, and organic compounds such as acids, amides, and alkenes, exhibited the closest association with the biocrust stability. Partial least squares path modeling indicated that both inorganic ions and organic compounds indirectly affected biocrust stability by influencing electric conductivity, bulk density, EPS, and fine particle (clay and silt) content. A strong association was found between the inorganic ions and both PR and MWD (0.658 and 0.744, respectively), whilst the total effects of organic compounds on PR and MWD were 0.814 and 0.801, respectively. It is suggested that both the magnitude and types of chemicals associated with EPS indicate their capability to grant mechanical stability of the biocrusts, which in turn is conducive to maintaining the critical functions of biocrusts in global drylands.

Every day, more and more consumers choose to drink bottled water instead of tap water, since they believe that it is superior in quality. One of the criteria used by European consumers to choose bottled water is the geographical region of the spring. The flavor of the water is an additional factor that influences consumers’ choices. As a result, determining the flavor of water is gaining popularity and is thus turning into a prominent field of study. However, studies on the potential environmental factors that affect the sensory characteristics of water (i.e., “terroir” of water) are limited. To this end, we investigated the composition of natural mineral water spring from Mount Smolikas in Greece over a two-year period to find any potential alterations in water composition. The physicochemical parameters (pH, conductivity, turbidity, color, and total hardness) of the water samples were examined, along with their content in metal ions, inorganic salts (cations and anions), and total organic carbon. Additionally, the water samples were analyzed for their content of off-odor volatile compounds (i.e., 2-methylisoborneol and geosmin) that can be naturally found in water. The study also examined the correlation of climate conditions (accumulated rainfall and mean temperature) with the parameters above using a principal component analysis and a multivariate correlation analysis. The results showed that the physicochemical characteristics of water samples complied with European regulations. Metals, anions, and cations were all below the corresponding parametric values established by the European Commission. The off-odor organic compounds, 2-methylisoborneol, and geosmin, had average concentrations of 9.4 and 2.7 ng/L, respectively. Chromium and aluminum elevated concentrations might be attributed to specific ores present near the water source, while pH, conductivity, total hardness, nitrates, and off-odor compounds levels could be fluctuated due to local climate conditions. The study revealed a good positive correlation (>0.7) between the quantity of rainfall and the level of potassium cations. Moreover, a strong negative correlation (>0.9) was observed between magnesium cations and the mean temperature of the local area. The study can be used as a benchmark for future studies to determine the terroir of mineral water.

Nitrogen application could alleviate salt stress on crops, but the specific physiological mechanism is still unclear. Therefore, in this study, a pot experiment was conducted to explore the effects of different application rates of nitrogen (0, 0.15, 0.30, and 0.45 g·kg−1) on the growth parameters, osmotic adjustment, reactive oxygen species scavenging, and photosynthesis of rapeseed seedlings planted in the soils with different concentrations of sodium chloride (1.5, 3.5, 5.5, and 7.5 g·kg−1). The results showed that nitrogen could alleviate the inhibition of salt on rapeseed growth, and improve the antioxidant enzyme activities and the contents of non-enzymatic substances, K+, soluble protein (SP), soluble sugar (SS), and proline. Besides, there was a significant correlation between the indexes of active oxygen scavenging system, osmoregulation system, and photosynthesis. Therefore, applying appropriate amount of nitrogen can promote the growth and development of rapeseed seedlings under salt stress, accelerate the scavenging of reactive oxygen species, maintain osmotic balance, and promote photosynthesis. This study will improve our understanding on the mechanism by which nitrogen application alleviates salt stress to crops.

Electromembrane extraction (EME) is a miniaturized extraction technique that has been widely used in recent years for the analysis and removal of pollutants in the environment. It is based on electrokinetic migration across a supported liquid membrane (SLM) under the influence of an external electrical field between two aqueous compartments. Based on the features of the SLM and the electrical field, EME offers quick extraction, effective sample clean-up, and good selectivity, and limits the amount of organic solvent used per sample to a few microliters. In this paper, the basic devices (membrane materials and types of organic solvents) and influencing factors of EME are first introduced, and the applications of EME in the analysis and removal of environmental inorganic ions and organic pollutants are systematically reviewed. An outlook on the future development of EME for environmental applications is also given.

Particulate matter (PM) emission has been widely concerned all over the world. The formation of condensable particulate matter (CPM) was affected by atmospheric temperature. An optimal-designed sampling device and monitoring method for particulate matter in high-humidity flue gas were applied to the particulate matter emission concentration of 12 ultra-low emission coal-fired units. The emission levels and composition characteristics of particulate matter and main inorganic ions in the flue gas were analyzed and evaluated. The results showed that the filterable particulate matter (FPM) concentration range was 0.81–7.52 mg/m3, and the condensable particulate matter concentration range was 1.10–12.25 mg/m3. The emission characteristics of CPM/FPM was significantly affected by different air pollution control devices. Preferable emission reduction result of condensable particulate matter may be realized by units equipping wet limestone-gypsum flue gas desulfurization and wet electrostatic precipitator. The certain correlation was showed between CPM/FPM and ash content. The inorganic ion concentration range was 1104–8240 μg/m3 in condensable particulate matter. Ca2+ concentration accounted for more than 45% of the cation concentration, and SO42− concentration accounted for up to 97.81% of the anion concentration in CPM.

The measurement of precipitation chemistry enables the assessment of the temporal and spatial evolution of the chemical composition of the atmosphere associated with atmospheric physical and chemical mechanisms. The aims of this study were to report the chemical composition of rainwater collected at a marine environment, i.e. the Cape Point Global Atmosphere Watch (CPT GAW) station from 2004 to 2012. As expected, the volume weighted mean (VWM) concentrations of Na+ (298.64 μEq.L-1) and Cl- (354.18 μEq.L-1) were significantly higher compared to the VWM concentrations of other ionic species, as well as compared to the VWM concentrations thereof at the sites in the South African interior. The average pH of rainwater was slightly lower than the pH of unpolluted rainwater, mainly due to NO3- associated with the occasional influence of the Cape Town metropole. In contrast to the sites situated in the north-eastern South African interior, where anthropogenic SO42- was the major constituent in rainwater, SO42- at CPT GAW was entirely associated with marine air with no anthropogenic contribution. It was also indicated that 94% of the chemical content at CPT GAW can be attributed to the marine source.

The article examines the sorption capabilities of sorbents for water-soluble petroleum products, as well as the mechanism of adsorption in the practical use of sorbents in water purification processes. The process of adsorption of petroleum products and some ions with inorganic sorbents is considered. The study revealed: 1 gram of sorbent absorbs 15-18 grams of oil, which contributes to the effective fight against oil spills in the aquatic environment. It is recommended to use rice husk as an effective sorbent.

The quality of groundwater has been severely impacted by urbanization around coasts. The change in climate and land use patterns has deteriorated the quality and availability of groundwater. One of the main issues in contemporary groundwater quality research is dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the water. The influence of DO, water level and water temperature on DOC in groundwater was identified in the current study by sampling 68 groundwater samples. The analytical results revealed that ~18% of total samples have DOC > 5 mg/L. The groundwater samples represented in the urban regions show high DOC. The samples with higher DOC correlated positively with dissolved inorganic ions, such as Ca, K, NO3, Fe and DO. Domestic wastewater, agricultural runoff and local geology all have an impact on the DOC of groundwater. Groundwater chemistry is shown to be controlled by both aerobic and anaerobic conditions based on the DOC’s interactions with other ions. The study interrelates various sources, such as land use, geology, water level and temperature, to the DOC in groundwater and infers that the levels are higher in shallow groundwater, predominantly around the built-up region followed by the agricultural region. The temperature changes enhance the DOC in groundwater due to the variation in microbial activity. The shallow water level with a lower temperature shows the maximum DOC. Apart from the sediment organic matter and microbes, the study also attributes land use pattern to the source of DOC in groundwater.

In this study, the water-soluble inorganic ions (WSIIs) composition of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was measured in the northern Nanjing city from 2015 to 2021. NH4+, NO3− and SO42− concentrations dominated in total WSIIs (Na+, NH4+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Cl−, NO3− and SO42−), accounting for 87.8%. The nitrate with highest average concentration among all ions was 11.0 μg·m−3. Total WSIIs concentrations were higher in winter and lower in summer, with the highest levels in December (45.6 μg·m−3) and the lowest levels in August (15.1 μg·m−3). NO3−/SO42− was higher than 1, indicating the important contribution of mobile sources. The aerosols exhibited a weak acidic by the molar ratio of water-soluble anions and cations. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis results showed that secondary nitrate and sulfate were the major pollution sources in December 2016 and 2020. The contribution of secondary nitrate in 2020 increased by 47.6% compared to 2016, while that of secondary sulfate decreased by 42.4%. The potential source contribution results demonstrated that for secondary aerosol concentrations, the contribution of regional transport from north of Anhui increased, while the contribution of local emissions decreased. The results from this study could contribute to the better prevention and control of regional air pollution in the future.

Cornus florida and Cornus hongkongensis subsp. elegans are potential species in saline-alkali areas for use as horticultural plants with high ornamental value. This work aimed to screen suitable tolerant dogwoods by comparing the responses of two dogwoods to salt stress according to phenotypic and physiochemical indicators on germination and seedling growth. For relieving seed dormancy, two pretreatments were performed on seeds, coded as T1 (soaked by gibberellic acid (GA3) alone) and T2 (soaked by GA3 with gradient salt concentrations of 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4%, and 0.45%), and pretreated seeds were then germinated at the corresponding salt concentrations in pretreatment. As salt levels increased, the seed germination parameters decreased for both dogwoods, whereas the relative salt damage rate (SDR) significantly increased. While the growth of above-ground parts was significantly inhibited, that of underground parts changed little. Furthermore, the malondialdehyde content (MDA), superoxide dismutase activity (SOD), organic solutes (soluble sugar (SS) and proline (Pro)), and inorganic ions (K+, Na+, Ca2+) significantly accumulated in seedlings with increasing salinity levels, whereas K+/Na+ ratio decreased. Correlation analysis indicates that organic osmolyte (SS) and ion osmoregulation could be the main physiological mechanisms conferring salinity tolerance for both dogwoods. Compared with osmolytes, ion osmoregulation may be more critical for salt tolerance in the seedlings of the studied dogwoods. Collectively, the superior salt tolerance of C. florida to C. hongkongensis subsp. elegans suggests that the two species could be cultivated in saline areas with 0.3% and 0.2% salt levels, respectively.

As the major constituents of PM2.5, carbonaceous constituents and inorganic ions have attracted emerging attentions on their health risks, particularly on cardiorespiratory diseases. However, evidences on the risks of PM2.5 constituents on other diseases (eg. nervous disease, genitourinary disease, neoplasms and endocrine disease) remain scarce. In our study, we firstly calculated residuals of PM2.5 constituents regressed on PM2.5 to remove the confounding effect of PM2.5. Then, generalized additive model (GAM) was used to assess impacts of residuals of PM2.5 constituents on mortality from 36 diseases (10 broad categories and 26 subcategories) during 2011–2015 in Guangzhou, China. Results of constituent-residual models showed that only EC, OC and NO3- were significantly associated with all-cause mortality, with per IQR change in corresponding constituent residuals related to percentage changes of 1.69% (95% CI: 0.42, 2.97), 1.94% (95% CI: 0.37, 3.54) and 2.59% (95% CI: 1.02, 4.18) at lag 03 days. All these pollutants were significantly associated with elevated mortality risk of cardiovascular disease, but only EC was significantly associated with respiratory mortality, and NO3- with endocrine disease and neoplasm. For more specific causes, the highest effect estimates of EC and NO3-were both observed on mortality from other form of heart disease, and OC on intentional self-harm, with estimates of 11.45% (95% CI: 2.74, 20.91), 12.59% (95% CI: 1.41, 25.02) and 18.01% (95% CI: 2.14, 36.36), respectively. Our findings highlighted that stricter emission control measures are still warranted to reduce air pollution level and protect the public health.

Abstract Background Chenopodium quinoa Willd., a halophytic crop, shows great variability among different genotypes in response to salt. To investigate the salinity tolerance mechanisms, five contrasting quinoa cultivars belonging to highland ecotype were compared for their seed germination (under 0, 100 and 400 mM NaCl) and seedling’s responses under five salinity levels (0, 100, 200, 300 and 400 mM NaCl). Results Substantial variations were found in plant size (biomass) and overall salinity tolerance (plant biomass in salt treatment as % of control) among the different quinoa cultivars. Plant salinity tolerance was negatively associated with plant size, especially at lower salinity levels (

A promising strategy for sustainably increasing the quality and yield of horticultural products is the use of natural plant biostimulants. In this work, through a greenhouse experiment, we evaluated the effect of a legume-derived biostimulant at three dose treatments (0.0 control, 2.5 mL L−1, and 5.0 mL L−1) on the yield performance, nutrients traits, leaf anatomical traits, gas exchanges, and carbon photosynthetic assimilation of greenhouse lettuce. The lettuce plants were foliar sprayed every 7 days for 5 weeks. The application of plant biostimulant, at both lower and higher dosages, increased the nutrient use efficiency, root dry weight, and leaf area. However, it is noteworthy that the 5.0 mL L−1 dose enhanced photosynthetic activity in the early phase of growth (15 DAT), thus supplying carbon skeletons useful for increasing the number of leaves and their efficiency (higher SPAD), and for boosting nutrient uptake (P, S, and K) and transport to leaves, while the 2.5 mL L−1 dose exerted specific effects on roots, increasing their dimension and enabling them to better use nitrate and Ca. A higher dose of biostimulant application might find its way in shorter growing cycle, thus presenting new horizons for new lines of research in baby leaves production.

A new, simple and sensitive ion chromatography (IC) method for the determination of sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and chloride in a parenteral nutrition (PN) solution was developed and validated. Before sample analysis, a sample pretreatment by calcination was applied which could totally remove interference from other constituents of the PN solution. Methanesulfonic acid (MSA) and sodium hydroxide were used as the mobile phase for the determination of cations and anions, respectively. The calibration curves showed good correlation between analyte peak area and concentration (r2 > 0.999). Detection limits ranged from 0.0001 to 0.02 mg/L and quantification limits from 0.0002 to 0.06 mg/L. Relative standard deviation (RSD) values for repeatability and inter-day precision did not exceed 1.0% and the recoveries for all analytes were between 99.1–101.1%. The robustness was verified by using an experimental design.

This study presents the results from a bench-scale UV irradiation experiment of benzophenone (BP) in different water matrices. Despite the reported resistance of BP to UV-irradiation, it was successfully degraded in solution when intensively irradiated by UV light in a batch reactor for 4 h. In this way, it was possible to remove 56 and 45 % of 1.0 and 10 μg·L-1 of BP in Milli-Q water, respectively. The addition of a mixture of anions suppressed the degradation of BP at the lower concentration level by 20 %. The addition of a dissolved organic carbon (DOC) surrogate mixture (DOC:BP mole ratio of 3000:1) increased the degradation of BP in Milli-Q water (removal 80 %). At 1.0 μg·L-1 of BP and 1.0 mg·L-1 of DOC, removal was 70 %, while at 10 μg·L-1 of BP and 10 mg·L-1 of DOC, there was no observable difference in removal compared with the removal in Milli-Q water. The results show that both DOC and anions influence the photodegradation of BP. Furthermore, it was shown that the removal efficiency depends on the concentration of BP. These findings show the importance of a detailed characterisation of the water matrix in studies relating to the removal of micropollutants during UV irradiation. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. OI172028]

Aside from HPLC and GC, capillary electrophoresis (CE) is one of the most important techniques for high-performance separations in modern analytical chemistry. Its main advantages are the possibility of using different detection techniques, the possibility of in-capillary sample processing for preconcentration or derivatization, and ease of instrumental miniaturization down to the microfluidic scale. Those features are utilized in the separation of macromolecules in biochemistry and in genetic investigations, but they can be also used in determinations of inorganic ions in water analysis. This review, based on about 100 original research works, presents applications of CE methods in water analysis reported in recent decade, mostly regarding conductivity detection or indirect UV detection. The developed applications include analysis of high salinity sea waters, as well as analysis of other surface waters and drinking waters.

Relevance. Nowadays among different water purification techniques, sorption method is generally preferred. Intension to improve the efficiency of sorption in water purification makes the problem of developing and investigating the sorption mechanism and practical application of low-cost and effective adsorbents the focus of attention for many studies. The main aim is to study adsorption of water soluble petroleum substances and H2AsO4 -, CrO4 2-, Ni2+, Fe3+ ions from their aqueous solutions by mineral sorbent tripoli, and investigate the effect of various parameters affecting sorption behaviour for better understanding adsorption process and ways of possible usage of the mineral sorbent (tripoli) for wastewater purification. Object. Low-cost locally available tripoli (Zikeevsk deposit, Russia) was selected as a natural mineral sorbent.Methods: X-ray phase analysis, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry, method of thermal desorption of nitrogen, Indicator method Results. Tripoli was characterized by different physico-chemical methods such as X-ray phase analysis, atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma, method of thermal desorption of nitrogen. The authors have determined contact time, specific surface area, specific pore volume of tripoli and adsorption kinetic data. The adsorption isotherms of petroleum substances and H2AsO4 -, CrO4 2-, Ni2+,Fe3+ ions from their aqueous solutions using tripoli were studied. The adsorption was explained in terms of Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. Indicator method was applied to detect the fact that the tripoli active sites are negatively charged. It was determined that modification of mineral sorbent (tripoli) leads to increase in H2AsO4 - adsorbing capacity of tripoli. This work suggests that the mineral sorbent tripoli can be effectively used in water purification from petroleum substances and Ni2+, Fe3+ ions as low-cost, effective, environmentally friendly adsorbent.

Relevance. Nowadays among different water purification techniques, sorption method is generally preferred. Intension to improve the efficiency of sorption in water purification makes the problem of developing and investigating the sorption mechanism and practical application of low-cost and effective adsorbents the focus of attention for many studies. The main aim is to study adsorption of water soluble petroleum substances and H2AsO4 -, CrO4 2-, Ni2+, Fe3+ ions from their aqueous solutions by mineral sorbent tripoli, and investigate the effect of various parameters affecting sorption behaviour for better understanding adsorption process and ways of possible usage of the mineral sorbent (tripoli) for wastewater purification. Object. Low-cost locally available tripoli (Zikeevsk deposit, Russia) was selected as a natural mineral sorbent.Methods: X-ray phase analysis, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry, method of thermal desorption of nitrogen, Indicator method Results. Tripoli was characterized by different physico-chemical methods such as X-ray phase analysis, atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma, method of thermal desorption of nitrogen. The authors have determined contact time, specific surface area, specific pore volume of tripoli and adsorption kinetic data. The adsorption isotherms of petroleum substances and H2AsO4 -, CrO4 2-, Ni2+,Fe3+ ions from their aqueous solutions using tripoli were studied. The adsorption was explained in terms of Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. Indicator method was applied to detect the fact that the tripoli active sites are negatively charged. It was determined that modification of mineral sorbent (tripoli) leads to increase in H2AsO4 - adsorbing capacity of tripoli. This work suggests that the mineral sorbent tripoli can be effectively used in water purification from petroleum substances and Ni2+, Fe3+ ions as low-cost, effective, environmentally friendly adsorbent.

Two months of PM2.5 samples were collected during the summer of 2010 at Qinghai Lake (3200 m a.s.l.) in the northeastern part of the Tibetan Plateau, China and determined for organic compounds, elemental carbon, organic carbon (OC) and inorganic ions to explore the characteristics of aerosols in the continental atmosphere of China. Approximately 100 organic compounds in the samples were detected with an average of 61±36 ng m−3 in total, accounting for 2.6±1.0% of OC. n-Alkanes (19±12 ng m−3), fatty alcohols (12±7.6 ng m−3), polyols and polyacids (7.5±3.6 ng m−3), sugars (6.5±4.8 ng m−3), and biogenic secondary organic aerosols (BSOA) (6.3±4.4 ng m−3) are the major compounds in the samples, while phthalates (1.9±1.2 ng m−3), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (0.7±0.5 ng m−3) and phthalic acids (2.6±1.5 ng m−3) are minor and one to three orders of magnitude lower than those in urban and rural regions over China. Our results showed that 2-methyltetrols in the PM2.5 samples, two key tracers for isoprene photo-oxidation, positively correlated with ambient temperature, which can be explained by enhancements in biogenic emission and photochemical oxidation when temperature increases. However, we also found that 2-methyltetrols in the samples negatively correlated with relative humidity (RH). Aerosol inorganic model (AIM) calculation showed that in situ acidity of the fine particles decreased along with an increase of RH, which results in a decrease in BSOA production due to acid-catalysed particle-phase reactions inefficient under higher RH conditions.

During the summers of 2011 and 2012, two scientific cruises were carried out over the Arctic Ocean aiming at the determination of the aerosol chemical composition in this pristine environment. First, mass spectrometry was applied to study the concentration and gas/particle partitioning of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and n-alkanes. Experimental and modelled data of phase partitioning were compared: results demonstrated an equilibrium between gas and particle phase for PAHs, while n-alkanes showed a particle-oriented partitioning, due to the local marine origin of them, confirmed by the extremely low value of their carbon preference index. Moreover, the inorganic and organic ions (carboxylic acids and amines) concentrations, together with those of elemental carbon (EC) and organic matter (OM), were analyzed: 63% of aerosol was composed of ionic compounds (>90% from sea-salt) and the OM content was very high (30.5%; close to 29.0% of Cl−) in agreement with n-alkanes’ marine signature. Furthermore, the amines’ (dimethylamine, trimethylamine, diethylamine) concentrations were 3.98 ± 1.21, 1.70 ± 0.82, and 1.06 ± 0.56 p.p.t.v., respectively, fully in keeping with concentration values used in the CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving OUtdoor Droplet)-chamber experiments to simulate the ambient nucleation rate in a H2SO4-DMA-H2O system, showing the amines’ importance in polar regions to promote new particle formation. Finally, high resolution mass spectrometry was applied to determine trace elements, including Rare Earth Elements (REEs), highlighting the dominant natural versus anthropic inputs for trace metals (e.g., Fe, Mn, Ti vs. As, Cd, Ni) and possible signatures of such anthropic activity.

Samplings of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) were carried out between the months of March and April of 2007, simultaneously in two areas of Londrina, an urban (Historical Museum) and other rural (Farm School-UEL). PM was collected using the cascade impactor consisting of four impaction stages (0.25 to 10 μm). The results indicated that the fine fraction (PM2.5) represented a significant portion of the mass of PM10 (70 and 67% in the urban and rural places, respectively). Cl-, NO3- and SO4(2-) were determined by ion chromatography and the size distribution is presented. Natural and anthropogenic sources were suggested to the ionic components in the fine and coarse mode of PM.

A new construction of a capillary electrophoresis instrument with a universal conductivity detector (oscillometric detector) is described. The performance of the electrophoresis equipment was evaluated through the separation and detection of inorganic anions and cations in aqueous solutions. The results reproduced those found in the literature for the investigated probe ions, showing an efficient separation and good repeatability.

The environment is a dynamic system, subject to change resulting from a variety of physicochemical factors, such as temperature, pressure, pH, redox potential and human activity. The quantity and variety of these determinants cause the inflow of substances into individual environmental elements to vary in both time and space, as well as in terms of substance types and quantities. The energy and matter flow in the environment determines its integrity, which means that the processes occurring in one element of the environment affect the others. A certain measure of the energy and matter flow is the migration of chemical substances in various forms from one place to another. In a particular geographical space, under natural conditions, a specific level of balance between individual processes appears; in areas subject to anthropopressure, the correlations are different. In small areas, varying deposition volumes and chemism of precipitation waters which reach the substratum directly can both be observed. The study area is similar in terms of geological origins as well as morphological, structural and physico-chemical properties, and is typical of European low mountain regions. A qualitative and quantitative study of wet atmospheric precipitation was conducted between February 2009 and May 2011 in the Bobrza river catchment in the Holy Cross (Świętokrzyskie) Mountains (Poland), at three sampling sites of varying land development and distance from sources of various acidic-alkaline emissions. Field and laboratory work was conducted over 29 months, from February 2009 to May 2011. Atmospheric precipitation measurements were carried out in a continuous manner by means of a Hellman rain gauge (200cm2). The collecting surface was placed at ground level (0m AGL). The application of a collecting funnel and an adequately prepared polyethylene collecting can in the rain gauge enabled the measurement of precipitation volume and water sampling for chemical analyses. In order to prevent mineral soil particles and organic matter from entering the rain gauge, the device was placed in a pit, which was – for safety reasons – covered with a grid of appropriate single net-mesh diameter. The study covered metals of Fe, Cd, Cr, Al and Mn, ions of Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, NH4+, Cl-, F-, NO3-, SO42- and PO43- as well as the pH and conductivity. Basing on the conducted analyses, a characteristics of ion deposition on soil surface were developed. In order to interpret the obtained results, the neutralising potential (NP), the acidifying potential (AP) and the acid neutralising capacity (ANCaq) indices were used, together with molar or mass proportions of the ions. The study results show a clear boundary between the northern and southern parts of the study area. Both regularities and disorders in inter-ion relationships, originating from the introduction into the air of pollution due to human activity (acidification or alkalisation), were observed.

The study was conducted at the collector of run-off wastewater (Si9), located in Kielce. Silnica River is a small river cutting through the city of Kielce from the North to the South-West. It has its source in Masłowskie Range at a height of 360 m a.s.l. and it flows into Bobrza River. It is ranked among mountain rivers at a 6.4 ‰ gradient. Its river-bed bas belonged to Kielecki Protected Landscape Area since 2006. Next to Szydłowek estate the artificial water body was build - Kielecki Bay. Beneath Kielecki Bay, Silnica River flows in regu1ated river-bed. Because of no separated storm water drainage, the rainwater washes away pollutants among others from industrial plants, houses, pavements, and streets into Silnica River. The wastewater treatment plant is located at the mouth of the Silnica River. It receives rainwater and snowmelt from the central - eastern part of the city with an area of 62 ha. The primary channel has a length of 1569 m and its diameter varies from 600 mm to 1250 mm. Is attached to the side of seventeen channels (with diameters from 300 mm to 1000 mm). The collector wells are 32 inspection and connection, and 24 entries. The side channels are located 119 wells and 82 outlets. The total length of the sewerage system is equal to 5583 m. The decrease of the collector changes to individual sections from 0.04% to 3.9%, and decreases in side channels to reach 2.61%. On average, one groove receives water from the surface of 0.585 ha. Ordinate the highest point in the catchment area is 271.20 m, 260.0 m above sea level the lowest, the average decrease in surface area is equal to 0.71%. Within the basin was isolated six types of surface runoff: roofs (14.3%), walks (8.4%), roads (17.7%), parking (11.2%), green (47.2%) and pitch school (1.3%). Generally, paved areas with a high coefficient of runoff represent 52.83% of the total catchment area, which shows the typical urban character. The run-off wastewater is collected from the roofs by gutters incorporated directly into storm channels (72.5% of all roofs), with roads and streets on a typical street drains with cast iron grate. A qualitative and quantitative study of runoff wastewater was conducted between February 2011 and October 2011. The study covered metals of Fe, Cd, Cr, Al and Mn, ions of Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, NH4+, Cl-, F-, NO3-, SO4 2- and PO4 3- as well as the distribution of rainfall intensity, the pH and conductivity. The levels of these selected heavy metals were determined using F-AAS and/or ICP-MS-TOF (GBC), but the levels of selected ions were identified by means of ion chromatography (Dionex ICS-3000).