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The quality of soils polluted by trace elements around the facilities with the Cu and Zn smelting activities and the post-flotation tailings pond from copper industry were assessed. The level of the contamination of soils was determined on the basis of the contamination factor and the geoaccumulation index. The geoaccumulation index allows to distinguish more degrees of soil contamination and simplifies the assessment of the useable value of soil. The degrees of soil contamination and the pollution load index were shown. It has been shown that the pollution indices are a useful tool in describing the soil quality and planning corrective actions in the areas contaminated as a result of industrial activity. Histograms of pollution indices were used in order to detect the distribution of trace elements in soils. The content of metals in biomass was assessed using bioaccumulation indices. Triticum L. and Brassica napus L. show low bioaccumulation of studied metals in cereal plants. The correlations were used in order to detect the relationship among trace elements in soil as well as the relationship of metal (soil)-metal (plant) and metal bioaccumulation (plant)-metal (soil). The highest values of indices were recorded for the Oława smelter, presumably due to the long operation period before technological changes limiting the emission of pollutants were introduced. This research area was classified as very highly contaminated with all trace elements. Soils around other facilities are at least moderately contaminated.

Capacities of the pleustophytes in the purification of the aquatic environments in Polish climatic zone have been evaluated. Studies of bioaccumulation of copper(II) from culture media contaminated with 5, 10, 15 and 20 mg Cu/dm by the plants of Salvinia natans species were performed. The process was carried out for 14 days with the use of artificial plant-breeding species. The balance of the content of copper(II) in dry matter of plants and in the culture media was investigated. Capabilities of Salvinia natans to bioaccumulate copper(II) have been confirmed in all contaminated culture media.

Metal concentrations (Cu, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cr) in soils and plants around the metallurgical waste landfill of Siechnice, Poland, have been determined. The soil samples were collected from the surface layer of 0-25 cm. The soils and plants were digested in HNO 3 , 60%, using the Microwave Digestion System (Milestone Start D). The analysis of metals has been carried out through the Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (FAAS) method. The pH and the conductivity of the soil solutions were measured. The pollution index (Wn) and the bioaccumulation coefficient (WB) have been determined. The permissible content of Cu, Zn, Ni and Cr in soils were exceeded compared to the geochemical background in uncontaminated soils of Poland. Chromium concentrations have also been exceeded relative to the standard for soils, according to the Polish Ministry of Environment Regulation from September 1 st , 2016. The assessment of the bioaccumulation coefficients of metals in plants ( Plantagolanceolata L. and Zea mays L.) has shown significant bioaccumulation of copper and zinc compared to the permissible concentrations of undesirable substances in feed in agreement with the Polish Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Regulation from January 23 rd , 2007.