Martyna A Rzętała | University of Silesia in Katowice (original) (raw)

Papers by Martyna A Rzętała

Formation of artificial water reservoirs has caused the appearance of qualitatively new morphogen... more Formation of artificial water reservoirs has caused the appearance of qualitatively new morphogenetic processes, conditioning morphological evolution of concave landforms. Anthropogenically shaped - even as a whole - reservoir basins (Fig. 3-6, 7-10), are often not more than several dozen years old and are relatively young element of the geographical environment. Simultaneously these changes are unusually dynamic and prove the reaction of the natural relief-forming processes on the relief anthropogenisation, and concern three characteristic zones of artificial water reservoirs basins, i.e. contact area of river and lake waters, littoral zone and the bottom. Investigation carried out in the years 1993-2000 (Tab. 1-3) particularly concerned four artificial lakes (Fig. 2; Tab. 8). The first of them is reservoir Pogoria III (Fig. 6) in the catchment of the Pogoria (Tab. 4), the second one - Przeczyce (Fig. 5) in the catchment of the Czarna Przemsza (Tab. 4), the next Świerklaniec, which...

In geomorphological terms, the existence of water bodies entails a number of environmental conseq... more In geomorphological terms, the existence of water bodies entails a number of environmental consequences. The very emergence of such water bodies results in changes to the local erosion base and leads to the activation of qualitatively new morphogenetic processes. Geomorphological transformations concern each aspect of a depression that retains water. The contact zone between fluvial and limnic waters is subject to geomorphological modelling. As a result of sedimentation processes, the configuration of the bottom is altered. The coastal zone and even the area situated above, which is outside the reach of waves, are also transformed. Geomorphological transformations within water bodies exhibit varied natural and socio‑economic impacts, which are largely due to the fact that their occurrence is conditioned by diverse environmental factors. The water bodies studied are situated in the so‑called Upper Silesia‑Dąbrowa Basin region (Figs. 1 and 2) whose western part belongs to Upper Silesi...

Upper Silesia region there are some thousand anthropogenic lakes. There are mainly reservoirs in:... more Upper Silesia region there are some thousand anthropogenic lakes. There are mainly reservoirs in: subsidence depressions, post-exploitation, dam, dike and many others. Every reservoir is the advantageous place to accumulate debris material in the zone of river and lake waters contact. The Kłodnica delta, originated in the mouth zone of this stream into Dzierżno Duże water re-servoir, reaches the most spectacular sizes. The signs of intensive morphological changes are abrasion landforms (e.g. cliffs, terraces) – not numerously occurring at shores of dam reservoirs but their abundance within post-exploitation reservoirs is ob-served. The accumulative landforms (sandy tips, beaches, mineral and organic shore bars, shallows, accumulation zones fixed by vegetation) occur within the majority of water reservoirs, especially within these of mature shore relief. The decided majo-rity of natural processes modelling their shape is significant for young stage of development of landforms of bott...

The chemical composition of bottom sediments of the Irkutsk Reservoir was examined. Ten sediment ... more The chemical composition of bottom sediments of the Irkutsk Reservoir was examined. Ten sediment samples collected at different depths in four sectors of the Reservoir were analysed in a laboratory. Concentrations of 30 trace elements were determined. The purpose of the study was to assess the anthropogenic impact on the Reservoir geosystem. Barium and zirconium had the highest concentration in the sediments. Concentrations of certain elements varied spatially, while those of others were similar in all the sectors sampled. The highest element concentrations were usually found in sector 3 (in the vicinity of Novogrudinina). Maximum concentrations for around a dozen elements exceeded the geochemical background level for sedimentary rocks and the soil environment. Irkutsk Reservoir sediments exhibited a high concentration of chromium when compared with sediments from various other reservoirs impounded by dams. The study has shown that the environment of the Irkutsk Reservoir is subject...

Niniejsze opracowanie powstało w odpowiedzi na zapotrzebowanie dydaktyczne, wynikające z realizac... more Niniejsze opracowanie powstało w odpowiedzi na zapotrzebowanie dydaktyczne, wynikające z realizacji przedmiotu „globalne problemy środowiska przyrodniczego” w warunkach trudnej, a zarazem kolejnej reformy systemu studiów, w której nacisk szczególny położony został na efekty kształcenia. Stąd przyjęte w przewodniku rozwiązania: ścisłe nawiązanie do zrealizowanych przez studenta w toku wcześniejszych studiów efektów kształcenia przedmiotów tworzących podstawy wiedzy geograficznej, przyrodniczej, a nawet społeczno-ekonomicznej, oraz szerokie spektrum treści proponowanych do realizacji podczas zajęć laboratoryjnych w postaci ćwiczeń, na bieżąco weryfikowanych, jeśli chodzi o zakres, przez nauczyciela akademickiego, w zależności od potrzeb czasowych i merytorycznych. Zajęciom wykładowym, prowadzonym z zastosowaniem pomocy audiowizualnych, materiałów kartograficznych, tradycyjnych i elektronicznych narzędzi dostępu do danych geograficznych i bibliograficznych, powinny towarzyszyć zajęcia ...

The aim of the study was to determine the type of land use in the catchment areas of the five wat... more The aim of the study was to determine the type of land use in the catchment areas of the five water bodies studied and also to attempt to identify the relationship between the type of land use in the catchment and the anthropogenisation of water bodies. The structure (by surface area) of the main forms of land use in the water body catchments studied is as follows: from 0.4 km2 to 10.5 km2 – land covered with water, from 0.03 km2 to 172.0 km2 – urban and industrialised areas, from 1.8 km2 to 127.2 km2 – woodland, and from 0.3 km2 to 232.8 km2 – agricultural land and wasteland. The percentage shares of the main types of land use in the overall catchment area of the water bodies studied are: 1.9–15.9% – land covered with water, 1.2–31.7% – urban and industrialized areas, 21.7–72.2% – woodland, and 10.6–71.9% – agricultural land and wasteland. The main forms of land use in the catchment areas of the water bodies studied are reflected by the diversity of certain physicochemical paramete...

Powstawanie osadów w misach zbiorników wodnych jest niepożądane, gdyż wiąże się z ich zamulaniem ... more Powstawanie osadów w misach zbiorników wodnych jest niepożądane, gdyż wiąże się z ich zamulaniem oraz wzrostem żyzności wód. Osady mogą być również środowiskiem akumulacji mikrozanieczyszczeń. Podjęte badania dotyczyły oceny możliwości wykorzystania osadów do prac ziemnych, warunkowanego stopniem ich zanieczyszczenia. Badano osady deltowe i denne w wybranych zbiornikach wodnych regionu górnośląskiego. Określano stężenia metali śladowych (As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) zgodnie z przepisami prawnymi, dotyczącymi warunków dopuszczenia wykorzystania osadów. Badania wykazały znaczny stopień zanieczyszczenia osadów, zwłaszcza barem, kadmem, ołowiem i cynkiem. Stężenia tych metali często dopuszczały możliwość wykorzystania osadów tylko na terenach przemysłowych, a w niektórych przypadkach wykorzystanie nawet tam byłoby niedopuszczalne. Pod względem zawartości kobaltu i niklu (stężenia stosunkowo niskie) część badanych osadów mogłaby być wykorzystana na wszelkich terenach, nawet objętych ochroną prawną. Zanieczyszczenie chromem i miedzią na ogół dyskwalifikowało wykorzystanie osadów na terenach chronionych, jednak byłoby ono możliwe na obszarach rolniczych i leśnych. Stopień zanieczyszczenia osadów odzwierciedlał wpływy antropogenne na dany zbiornik, na ogół znaczące w obszarze badań. Możliwości wykorzystania osadów ze zbiorników regionu górnośląskiego na potrzeby prac ziemnych są zatem bardzo ograniczone.

Ecological Indicators, 2021

As concerns field work, bathymetric measurements as well as measurements of physical and chemical... more As concerns field work, bathymetric measurements as well as measurements of physical and chemical parameters of water were conducted, and samples were collected for laboratory tests, which included quantitative and qualitative hydrobiological analyses concerning e.g. the abundance, biomass and species composition of phytoplankton, seston and chlorophyll. Six water bodies (situated in flooded chalk pits) with different morphometric parameters (areas ranging from 2.22 to 37.67 ha, depths ranging from 5.1 to 23.0 m and nearshore shallow areas ranging from 0.39 to 2.64 ha) and with different bioproductive characteristics of water mass (eg. transparency-1.2-6.8 m, phosphates-0.002-0.110 mg/dm 3 , nitrates-0.040-0.600 mg NO-3 /dm 3 , biomass of phytoplankton-0.075-1.801 mg/dm 3 , seston-0.73-5.56 mg/dm 3) were selected for the study of the phytomediation mechanism. The specificity of structural and functional relationships between the abiotic and biotic components of productive-macrophyte and productive-phytoplankton reservoirs is determined. It was established that macrophyte water bodies in flooded chalk pits are able to maintain their basic production and trophic characteristics in the long term under anthropogenic influence conditions. An algorithm is proposed for calculating the level (E-89.58-115.13), productivity index (K-11.16-54.15) and gradient (E-2.1-9.8) of eutrophication of chalk (limestone) quarry reservoirs using the morphometric specificity indicator of the trophogenic epilimnial layer (Sτ-0.05-0.270). The revealed dependence of the productive and functional organization and trophic status of a quarry reservoir on the morphometric features of a technogenic basin is proposed to be used in the design of sustainably functioning macrophyte-type aquatic systems at the stage of mining and engineering reclamation. The possibility of creating ecologically sustainable lake-type aquatic systems on the site of resource depleted chalk quarries in the process of phytomediation of productive processes is substantiated. Research on innovative methods of reclamation of flooded chalk pits is in line with several sustainable development goals.

Land Degradation & Development, 2016

Land subsidence caused by mining activities is an example of human transformation of the natural ... more Land subsidence caused by mining activities is an example of human transformation of the natural environment and leads to changes in land use. The study covers an area of 958 ha in the Silesian Upland, southern Poland. Records from the period 1890-1990 document the presence of subsidence effects in 82.9% of the study area and the maximum displacement figure is more than 30 m which translates to an average rate of 0.3 m per year. It was found that subsidence basins serve as the new local erosion base and new sedimentation basins. They are filled with sediments whose level of pollution ranges from moderate to heavy and extremely heavy. Subsidence has caused a dramatic change in the local hydrology, including the quality and quantity of the water. The specifics involve: the emergence of new closed drainage catchments with a total area of 651.1 ha; an increase in the total watercourse length (from 0.9 to 5.7 km); an increase in the river network density (from 0.09 to 0.56 km km À2); a decrease in the number (from 81 to 48) and an increase in the area (from 23.8 to 58.4 ha) of lakes and ponds; an increase in the lake coverage ratio (from 2.5% to 6.1%) and in water pollution. Subsidence has limited the potential land uses, which led to a decrease in arable land from 619.0 to 122.5 ha that gave way to other land uses, including those equivalent to wasteland.

Scientific Reports, 2019

An assessment was carried out of the anthropogenic enrichment of the chemical composition of the ... more An assessment was carried out of the anthropogenic enrichment of the chemical composition of the bottom sediments of water bodies situated in an area with an urban and industrial character (63.7% of the total area). The endorheic catchments of the water bodies studied are lithologically uniform with sandy formations accounting for more than 90% of the surface area. On the basis of geoaccumulation index values, it was found that the bottom sediments of the water bodies studied were contaminated with the following elements: Cd, Zn, S, As, Pb, Sr, Co, Cr, Cu, Ba, Ni, V, Be, in degrees ranging from moderate to extreme, with lower contamination (or absence of contamination) with the same elements being found in the formations present in the vicinity and in the substrate of the basins of water bodies. It was found that one consequence of the fact that these water bodies are located in urban and industrial areas is that there is anthropogenic enrichment of the chemical composition of botto...

South-central Poland has thousands of anthropogenic lakes. Our study investigated the diversity o... more South-central Poland has thousands of anthropogenic lakes. Our study investigated the diversity of the chemical composition and concentration of trace elements in the lake bottom deposits. Particle size distribution was determined using sieve analysis and the combined areometric-sieve method. Concentrations of oxides (SiO2, TiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, MnO, MgO, CaO, Na2O, K2O, P2O5) were determined in sediments using the ICP method. Moreover, loss on ignition was measured and concentrations of Zn, Pb, Cu, Cd, and Ni were determined. Concentrations of As, Ba, Cs, Cr, Co, Ag, and Th were determined using the INAA method. Study results revealed considerable variation in the particle size distribution and chemical composition of bottom sediments. In broad terms the dominant grain size is >0.1 mm. Two other fraction sizes account for roughly equal proportions of the rest, i.e. 0.1-0.02 mm and <0.02 mm. As concerns overall composition, SiO2 dominated in samples, particularly those where los...

The ICP and INAA methods were used to determine the chemical composition of bottom sediments in t... more The ICP and INAA methods were used to determine the chemical composition of bottom sediments in the Otmuchów and Dzierżno Duże Reservoirs in southern Poland. It was found that the following components are dominant in the bottom sediments of the Otmuchów Reservoir: SiO2 (68.20–79.34%), Al2O3 (8.31–10.23%), organic matter (2.07–8.88%) and Fe2O3 (2.98–3.80%), with different proportions of these components in the sediments found in the Dzierżno Duże Reservoir (organic matter – 44.30–58.12%; SiO2 – 20.78–28.45%, Al2O3 – 7.61–9.22%, Fe2O3 – 4.39–6.59%); the other oxides also differed in the order of their percentage shares. Most of the trace elements analysed were detected in the bottom sediments of the water bodies examined in amounts corresponding to the concentration ranges found in sedimentary rocks. It was demonstrated that some of the microelements (As, Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, S, Sr, V and Zn) deviate significantly from the levels considered natural for aquatic sediments in Poland a...

Summary. The paper presents the results of a study investigating the impacts of various kinds of ... more Summary. The paper presents the results of a study investigating the impacts of various kinds of human activity on the quality of river water in southern Poland. The study concluded that unpolluted river waters were only found in semi-natural mountainous areas. In the mountain foreland the quality of water was compromised by anthropogenic influences, including agriculture, urbanisation and industry. The waters were polluted with organic substances and nutrients, some of the waters with salt and often with trace elements, including heavy metals. As a result the aquatic environment over a large proportion of the study area was characterised by eutrophic conditions and toxicological hazard. Indeed, anthropopressure was found to have a significant degrading effect on the modest Polish water resources.

Ecological Chemistry and Engineering S-chemia I Inzynieria Ekologiczna S, 2011

The quality of water in dam reservoirs is to a large extent dependant on human activity in the ad... more The quality of water in dam reservoirs is to a large extent dependant on human activity in the adjacent area. The research focused on the chemical composition of the water bodies in the agricultural catchments: Kozlowa Gora, Przeczyce and Laka (all located in the Upper Silesian Region Southern Poland). It was established that the reservoirs were often fed with flowing waters exhibiting eutrophication characteristics, especially with reference to nitrates content (average annual concentration − 3 NO > 10 mg/dm ). The fact should be associated with agricultural activity including fertilization management in the area covering at least 50% of the catchment. The eutrophication process was also observed in dam reservoirs. It might have been inferred from algae blooms. Besides, a strongly alkaline range of pH value was recorded in the water bodies. The highest water fertility was exhibited by the reservoir Laka, which may be associated with the fact that it is the area with the highest ...

International Journal of Environment and Health, 2013

The chemical composition of the bottom sediment, and more particularly the heavy metals content, ... more The chemical composition of the bottom sediment, and more particularly the heavy metals content, reflects human developments and impacts on the catchment and reservoir's natural environment. The bottom sediments of the reservoir retained by the Irkutsk Dam have been analysed. The reservoir is mainly supplied by water from Lake Baikal. The following amounts of heavy metals have been found in the sediment samples analysed: cadmium - below detection threshold (<0.5 ppm), cobalt - from 16 ppm to 23 ppm, chromium - from 104 ppm to 243 ppm, copper - from 21 ppm to 35 ppm, mercury - below detection threshold (<1 ppm), molybdenum - below detection threshold (<2 ppm), nickel - from 44 ppm to 80 ppm, lead - from 13 ppm to 17 ppm and zinc - from 73 ppm to 98 ppm. Cobalt, chromium and nickel contents exceeded the natural geochemical background level. This may indicates anthropogenic impacts on the reservoir's geosystem.

Research Journal of Chemistry and Environment, 2011

Environmental science and pollution research international, Jan 12, 2017

The geochemical characteristics of sediments deposited within a channel-type reservoir situated b... more The geochemical characteristics of sediments deposited within a channel-type reservoir situated behind the weir of a water mill on the River Liswarta (southern Poland) were studied in relation to land use in the catchment. The catchment in question is an agricultural one with large forest areas. The contamination of sediments with trace elements was assessed using the geoaccumulation index. The sediments studied were moderately to heavily contaminated with As, Cu, Co, Ni and Ba. They were also heavily contaminated with Sr. Additionally, V and Cr contamination ranged from heavy to extreme. The basic composition of sediments and the trace elements present in them indicate both natural and anthropogenic sources of pollution. Mill impoundments provide zones where the sediments transported by rivers accumulate. Within the Liswarta catchment, their removal may cause the remobilisation of contaminated alluvial deposits.

Formation of artificial water reservoirs has caused the appearance of qualitatively new morphogen... more Formation of artificial water reservoirs has caused the appearance of qualitatively new morphogenetic processes, conditioning morphological evolution of concave landforms. Anthropogenically shaped - even as a whole - reservoir basins (Fig. 3-6, 7-10), are often not more than several dozen years old and are relatively young element of the geographical environment. Simultaneously these changes are unusually dynamic and prove the reaction of the natural relief-forming processes on the relief anthropogenisation, and concern three characteristic zones of artificial water reservoirs basins, i.e. contact area of river and lake waters, littoral zone and the bottom. Investigation carried out in the years 1993-2000 (Tab. 1-3) particularly concerned four artificial lakes (Fig. 2; Tab. 8). The first of them is reservoir Pogoria III (Fig. 6) in the catchment of the Pogoria (Tab. 4), the second one - Przeczyce (Fig. 5) in the catchment of the Czarna Przemsza (Tab. 4), the next Świerklaniec, which...

In geomorphological terms, the existence of water bodies entails a number of environmental conseq... more In geomorphological terms, the existence of water bodies entails a number of environmental consequences. The very emergence of such water bodies results in changes to the local erosion base and leads to the activation of qualitatively new morphogenetic processes. Geomorphological transformations concern each aspect of a depression that retains water. The contact zone between fluvial and limnic waters is subject to geomorphological modelling. As a result of sedimentation processes, the configuration of the bottom is altered. The coastal zone and even the area situated above, which is outside the reach of waves, are also transformed. Geomorphological transformations within water bodies exhibit varied natural and socio‑economic impacts, which are largely due to the fact that their occurrence is conditioned by diverse environmental factors. The water bodies studied are situated in the so‑called Upper Silesia‑Dąbrowa Basin region (Figs. 1 and 2) whose western part belongs to Upper Silesi...

Upper Silesia region there are some thousand anthropogenic lakes. There are mainly reservoirs in:... more Upper Silesia region there are some thousand anthropogenic lakes. There are mainly reservoirs in: subsidence depressions, post-exploitation, dam, dike and many others. Every reservoir is the advantageous place to accumulate debris material in the zone of river and lake waters contact. The Kłodnica delta, originated in the mouth zone of this stream into Dzierżno Duże water re-servoir, reaches the most spectacular sizes. The signs of intensive morphological changes are abrasion landforms (e.g. cliffs, terraces) – not numerously occurring at shores of dam reservoirs but their abundance within post-exploitation reservoirs is ob-served. The accumulative landforms (sandy tips, beaches, mineral and organic shore bars, shallows, accumulation zones fixed by vegetation) occur within the majority of water reservoirs, especially within these of mature shore relief. The decided majo-rity of natural processes modelling their shape is significant for young stage of development of landforms of bott...

The chemical composition of bottom sediments of the Irkutsk Reservoir was examined. Ten sediment ... more The chemical composition of bottom sediments of the Irkutsk Reservoir was examined. Ten sediment samples collected at different depths in four sectors of the Reservoir were analysed in a laboratory. Concentrations of 30 trace elements were determined. The purpose of the study was to assess the anthropogenic impact on the Reservoir geosystem. Barium and zirconium had the highest concentration in the sediments. Concentrations of certain elements varied spatially, while those of others were similar in all the sectors sampled. The highest element concentrations were usually found in sector 3 (in the vicinity of Novogrudinina). Maximum concentrations for around a dozen elements exceeded the geochemical background level for sedimentary rocks and the soil environment. Irkutsk Reservoir sediments exhibited a high concentration of chromium when compared with sediments from various other reservoirs impounded by dams. The study has shown that the environment of the Irkutsk Reservoir is subject...

Niniejsze opracowanie powstało w odpowiedzi na zapotrzebowanie dydaktyczne, wynikające z realizac... more Niniejsze opracowanie powstało w odpowiedzi na zapotrzebowanie dydaktyczne, wynikające z realizacji przedmiotu „globalne problemy środowiska przyrodniczego” w warunkach trudnej, a zarazem kolejnej reformy systemu studiów, w której nacisk szczególny położony został na efekty kształcenia. Stąd przyjęte w przewodniku rozwiązania: ścisłe nawiązanie do zrealizowanych przez studenta w toku wcześniejszych studiów efektów kształcenia przedmiotów tworzących podstawy wiedzy geograficznej, przyrodniczej, a nawet społeczno-ekonomicznej, oraz szerokie spektrum treści proponowanych do realizacji podczas zajęć laboratoryjnych w postaci ćwiczeń, na bieżąco weryfikowanych, jeśli chodzi o zakres, przez nauczyciela akademickiego, w zależności od potrzeb czasowych i merytorycznych. Zajęciom wykładowym, prowadzonym z zastosowaniem pomocy audiowizualnych, materiałów kartograficznych, tradycyjnych i elektronicznych narzędzi dostępu do danych geograficznych i bibliograficznych, powinny towarzyszyć zajęcia ...

The aim of the study was to determine the type of land use in the catchment areas of the five wat... more The aim of the study was to determine the type of land use in the catchment areas of the five water bodies studied and also to attempt to identify the relationship between the type of land use in the catchment and the anthropogenisation of water bodies. The structure (by surface area) of the main forms of land use in the water body catchments studied is as follows: from 0.4 km2 to 10.5 km2 – land covered with water, from 0.03 km2 to 172.0 km2 – urban and industrialised areas, from 1.8 km2 to 127.2 km2 – woodland, and from 0.3 km2 to 232.8 km2 – agricultural land and wasteland. The percentage shares of the main types of land use in the overall catchment area of the water bodies studied are: 1.9–15.9% – land covered with water, 1.2–31.7% – urban and industrialized areas, 21.7–72.2% – woodland, and 10.6–71.9% – agricultural land and wasteland. The main forms of land use in the catchment areas of the water bodies studied are reflected by the diversity of certain physicochemical paramete...

Powstawanie osadów w misach zbiorników wodnych jest niepożądane, gdyż wiąże się z ich zamulaniem ... more Powstawanie osadów w misach zbiorników wodnych jest niepożądane, gdyż wiąże się z ich zamulaniem oraz wzrostem żyzności wód. Osady mogą być również środowiskiem akumulacji mikrozanieczyszczeń. Podjęte badania dotyczyły oceny możliwości wykorzystania osadów do prac ziemnych, warunkowanego stopniem ich zanieczyszczenia. Badano osady deltowe i denne w wybranych zbiornikach wodnych regionu górnośląskiego. Określano stężenia metali śladowych (As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) zgodnie z przepisami prawnymi, dotyczącymi warunków dopuszczenia wykorzystania osadów. Badania wykazały znaczny stopień zanieczyszczenia osadów, zwłaszcza barem, kadmem, ołowiem i cynkiem. Stężenia tych metali często dopuszczały możliwość wykorzystania osadów tylko na terenach przemysłowych, a w niektórych przypadkach wykorzystanie nawet tam byłoby niedopuszczalne. Pod względem zawartości kobaltu i niklu (stężenia stosunkowo niskie) część badanych osadów mogłaby być wykorzystana na wszelkich terenach, nawet objętych ochroną prawną. Zanieczyszczenie chromem i miedzią na ogół dyskwalifikowało wykorzystanie osadów na terenach chronionych, jednak byłoby ono możliwe na obszarach rolniczych i leśnych. Stopień zanieczyszczenia osadów odzwierciedlał wpływy antropogenne na dany zbiornik, na ogół znaczące w obszarze badań. Możliwości wykorzystania osadów ze zbiorników regionu górnośląskiego na potrzeby prac ziemnych są zatem bardzo ograniczone.

Ecological Indicators, 2021

As concerns field work, bathymetric measurements as well as measurements of physical and chemical... more As concerns field work, bathymetric measurements as well as measurements of physical and chemical parameters of water were conducted, and samples were collected for laboratory tests, which included quantitative and qualitative hydrobiological analyses concerning e.g. the abundance, biomass and species composition of phytoplankton, seston and chlorophyll. Six water bodies (situated in flooded chalk pits) with different morphometric parameters (areas ranging from 2.22 to 37.67 ha, depths ranging from 5.1 to 23.0 m and nearshore shallow areas ranging from 0.39 to 2.64 ha) and with different bioproductive characteristics of water mass (eg. transparency-1.2-6.8 m, phosphates-0.002-0.110 mg/dm 3 , nitrates-0.040-0.600 mg NO-3 /dm 3 , biomass of phytoplankton-0.075-1.801 mg/dm 3 , seston-0.73-5.56 mg/dm 3) were selected for the study of the phytomediation mechanism. The specificity of structural and functional relationships between the abiotic and biotic components of productive-macrophyte and productive-phytoplankton reservoirs is determined. It was established that macrophyte water bodies in flooded chalk pits are able to maintain their basic production and trophic characteristics in the long term under anthropogenic influence conditions. An algorithm is proposed for calculating the level (E-89.58-115.13), productivity index (K-11.16-54.15) and gradient (E-2.1-9.8) of eutrophication of chalk (limestone) quarry reservoirs using the morphometric specificity indicator of the trophogenic epilimnial layer (Sτ-0.05-0.270). The revealed dependence of the productive and functional organization and trophic status of a quarry reservoir on the morphometric features of a technogenic basin is proposed to be used in the design of sustainably functioning macrophyte-type aquatic systems at the stage of mining and engineering reclamation. The possibility of creating ecologically sustainable lake-type aquatic systems on the site of resource depleted chalk quarries in the process of phytomediation of productive processes is substantiated. Research on innovative methods of reclamation of flooded chalk pits is in line with several sustainable development goals.

Land Degradation & Development, 2016

Land subsidence caused by mining activities is an example of human transformation of the natural ... more Land subsidence caused by mining activities is an example of human transformation of the natural environment and leads to changes in land use. The study covers an area of 958 ha in the Silesian Upland, southern Poland. Records from the period 1890-1990 document the presence of subsidence effects in 82.9% of the study area and the maximum displacement figure is more than 30 m which translates to an average rate of 0.3 m per year. It was found that subsidence basins serve as the new local erosion base and new sedimentation basins. They are filled with sediments whose level of pollution ranges from moderate to heavy and extremely heavy. Subsidence has caused a dramatic change in the local hydrology, including the quality and quantity of the water. The specifics involve: the emergence of new closed drainage catchments with a total area of 651.1 ha; an increase in the total watercourse length (from 0.9 to 5.7 km); an increase in the river network density (from 0.09 to 0.56 km km À2); a decrease in the number (from 81 to 48) and an increase in the area (from 23.8 to 58.4 ha) of lakes and ponds; an increase in the lake coverage ratio (from 2.5% to 6.1%) and in water pollution. Subsidence has limited the potential land uses, which led to a decrease in arable land from 619.0 to 122.5 ha that gave way to other land uses, including those equivalent to wasteland.

Scientific Reports, 2019

An assessment was carried out of the anthropogenic enrichment of the chemical composition of the ... more An assessment was carried out of the anthropogenic enrichment of the chemical composition of the bottom sediments of water bodies situated in an area with an urban and industrial character (63.7% of the total area). The endorheic catchments of the water bodies studied are lithologically uniform with sandy formations accounting for more than 90% of the surface area. On the basis of geoaccumulation index values, it was found that the bottom sediments of the water bodies studied were contaminated with the following elements: Cd, Zn, S, As, Pb, Sr, Co, Cr, Cu, Ba, Ni, V, Be, in degrees ranging from moderate to extreme, with lower contamination (or absence of contamination) with the same elements being found in the formations present in the vicinity and in the substrate of the basins of water bodies. It was found that one consequence of the fact that these water bodies are located in urban and industrial areas is that there is anthropogenic enrichment of the chemical composition of botto...

South-central Poland has thousands of anthropogenic lakes. Our study investigated the diversity o... more South-central Poland has thousands of anthropogenic lakes. Our study investigated the diversity of the chemical composition and concentration of trace elements in the lake bottom deposits. Particle size distribution was determined using sieve analysis and the combined areometric-sieve method. Concentrations of oxides (SiO2, TiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, MnO, MgO, CaO, Na2O, K2O, P2O5) were determined in sediments using the ICP method. Moreover, loss on ignition was measured and concentrations of Zn, Pb, Cu, Cd, and Ni were determined. Concentrations of As, Ba, Cs, Cr, Co, Ag, and Th were determined using the INAA method. Study results revealed considerable variation in the particle size distribution and chemical composition of bottom sediments. In broad terms the dominant grain size is >0.1 mm. Two other fraction sizes account for roughly equal proportions of the rest, i.e. 0.1-0.02 mm and <0.02 mm. As concerns overall composition, SiO2 dominated in samples, particularly those where los...

The ICP and INAA methods were used to determine the chemical composition of bottom sediments in t... more The ICP and INAA methods were used to determine the chemical composition of bottom sediments in the Otmuchów and Dzierżno Duże Reservoirs in southern Poland. It was found that the following components are dominant in the bottom sediments of the Otmuchów Reservoir: SiO2 (68.20–79.34%), Al2O3 (8.31–10.23%), organic matter (2.07–8.88%) and Fe2O3 (2.98–3.80%), with different proportions of these components in the sediments found in the Dzierżno Duże Reservoir (organic matter – 44.30–58.12%; SiO2 – 20.78–28.45%, Al2O3 – 7.61–9.22%, Fe2O3 – 4.39–6.59%); the other oxides also differed in the order of their percentage shares. Most of the trace elements analysed were detected in the bottom sediments of the water bodies examined in amounts corresponding to the concentration ranges found in sedimentary rocks. It was demonstrated that some of the microelements (As, Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, S, Sr, V and Zn) deviate significantly from the levels considered natural for aquatic sediments in Poland a...

Summary. The paper presents the results of a study investigating the impacts of various kinds of ... more Summary. The paper presents the results of a study investigating the impacts of various kinds of human activity on the quality of river water in southern Poland. The study concluded that unpolluted river waters were only found in semi-natural mountainous areas. In the mountain foreland the quality of water was compromised by anthropogenic influences, including agriculture, urbanisation and industry. The waters were polluted with organic substances and nutrients, some of the waters with salt and often with trace elements, including heavy metals. As a result the aquatic environment over a large proportion of the study area was characterised by eutrophic conditions and toxicological hazard. Indeed, anthropopressure was found to have a significant degrading effect on the modest Polish water resources.

Ecological Chemistry and Engineering S-chemia I Inzynieria Ekologiczna S, 2011

The quality of water in dam reservoirs is to a large extent dependant on human activity in the ad... more The quality of water in dam reservoirs is to a large extent dependant on human activity in the adjacent area. The research focused on the chemical composition of the water bodies in the agricultural catchments: Kozlowa Gora, Przeczyce and Laka (all located in the Upper Silesian Region Southern Poland). It was established that the reservoirs were often fed with flowing waters exhibiting eutrophication characteristics, especially with reference to nitrates content (average annual concentration − 3 NO > 10 mg/dm ). The fact should be associated with agricultural activity including fertilization management in the area covering at least 50% of the catchment. The eutrophication process was also observed in dam reservoirs. It might have been inferred from algae blooms. Besides, a strongly alkaline range of pH value was recorded in the water bodies. The highest water fertility was exhibited by the reservoir Laka, which may be associated with the fact that it is the area with the highest ...

International Journal of Environment and Health, 2013

The chemical composition of the bottom sediment, and more particularly the heavy metals content, ... more The chemical composition of the bottom sediment, and more particularly the heavy metals content, reflects human developments and impacts on the catchment and reservoir's natural environment. The bottom sediments of the reservoir retained by the Irkutsk Dam have been analysed. The reservoir is mainly supplied by water from Lake Baikal. The following amounts of heavy metals have been found in the sediment samples analysed: cadmium - below detection threshold (<0.5 ppm), cobalt - from 16 ppm to 23 ppm, chromium - from 104 ppm to 243 ppm, copper - from 21 ppm to 35 ppm, mercury - below detection threshold (<1 ppm), molybdenum - below detection threshold (<2 ppm), nickel - from 44 ppm to 80 ppm, lead - from 13 ppm to 17 ppm and zinc - from 73 ppm to 98 ppm. Cobalt, chromium and nickel contents exceeded the natural geochemical background level. This may indicates anthropogenic impacts on the reservoir's geosystem.

Research Journal of Chemistry and Environment, 2011

Environmental science and pollution research international, Jan 12, 2017

The geochemical characteristics of sediments deposited within a channel-type reservoir situated b... more The geochemical characteristics of sediments deposited within a channel-type reservoir situated behind the weir of a water mill on the River Liswarta (southern Poland) were studied in relation to land use in the catchment. The catchment in question is an agricultural one with large forest areas. The contamination of sediments with trace elements was assessed using the geoaccumulation index. The sediments studied were moderately to heavily contaminated with As, Cu, Co, Ni and Ba. They were also heavily contaminated with Sr. Additionally, V and Cr contamination ranged from heavy to extreme. The basic composition of sediments and the trace elements present in them indicate both natural and anthropogenic sources of pollution. Mill impoundments provide zones where the sediments transported by rivers accumulate. Within the Liswarta catchment, their removal may cause the remobilisation of contaminated alluvial deposits.