The aim of the study was to evaluate the contents of Cd, Pb, Zn and Cu in shoots of willow (Salix viminalis L.) cultivated in the vicinity of a coal ash and slag landfill. The landfill is surrounded by arable lands and meadows. There are two major negative influences of the landfill - dusting and flooding. The result of these interactions is the systematic reduction of agricultural value of the land. A field with an area of 9600 m2 were chosen. The land is located east to the landfill. A total of 40 samples of biomass was collected. The contents of analysed elements were determined by FAAS using a Unicam Solaar M6 spectrometer. Distance from the landfill affects the contents of Cd, Pb, Zn and Cu in the tested willow shoots. However, there is no single concentration pattern for all the investigated metals. An increase in willow cultivation on the described area can bring a good environmental effect and become an example of proper management of the ash and slag landfill neighbourhood. ...
The aim of the study was to compare the levels of cadmium and lead in livers, kidneys and wool / hair / of sheep and goats reared in the vicinity of the steelworks in Nowa Huta in Kraków and in the control field, Rożniatów, in which there was no emitters of heavy metals. Samples were collected post mortem from one-year old animals of one breed (within a species) and one sex, who had lived from birth in the studied areas. Both species were fed with the same fodder and have remained in the same places. Wet mineralization was applied (mixture of nitric acid (V) and chloric (VII) (3: 1)) metal determination was done by a FASA method. The levels of the metals depend on the species, on the test areas and on the collected part of the animal. Tissues from sheep contained more cadmium and lead than the tissue of goats. The highest cadmium content was found in the kidney, lower in the liver, the lowest in the hair / wool of tested animals. Goat kidneys from both areas of research and sheep kidneys from Rożniatów meet consumer standards for cadmium. However, 20% of sheep kidneys sampled from Nowa Huta ...
Composting is reaching Antiquities agricultural practice mandated to produce valuable fertilizers. In the second half of the twentieth century was begun use this practice for the utilization of the organic fraction of municipal waste and sludge from sewage treatment plants and such application of this process dominates today. It does not mean, however, that ceased production of compost from "traditional" materials, they are not used as fertilizers in horticulture. The aim of the study was to estimate diversify of Cd, Pb, Zn and Cu contents in composts produced in different technologies and places but made of a similar feed material. The research material was obtained from the Krakow City (MPO Krakow) Composting Plant in Barycz, a Composting Plant at Plaszow (Krakow district) belonging to a private company Ekokonsorcjum-Effect and the three domestic composting piles located in the villages near Krakow: Bobin, Czarnochowice and Rzozow and from an allotments located at Krakow (Praska Street). Charge material for compost were taken: waste from the care of green areas of Krakow City, waste from Krakow marketplaces, which sold fruit and vegetables, weeds from weeding, the remains of cultivated plants (non-consumption parts), home waste food. The contents of the analysed ...
