The present research concerns the development of a new device and process intended for the purifi... more The present research concerns the development of a new device and process intended for the purification and treatment of sulfurous elements, and more particularly, of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) from the biogas produced at the time of the anaerobic fermentation in the purification stations. The controlled dumps or any other unit are likely to produce biogas with concentrations of H2S harmful to the operation of the machines for the valorization of the produced biogas or deodorization. This device uses new biochar from a mixture of dehydrated digested sludge from sewage treatment plants and margins from traditional crushing units, followed by biological treatment in a liquid medium at a controlled temperature. The liquid medium is based on a margin (nutrient) with culture support (large granules of biochar) in suspension by the injection under the pressure of biogas coming from the biochar filter. Physico-chemical characterization of the biochar and a test practiced on the new device of r...
The aim of the study was to assess the differences in the bacterial community physiological profi... more The aim of the study was to assess the differences in the bacterial community physiological profiles in soils contaminated with heavy metals versus soils without metal contaminations. The study's contaminated soil originated from the surrounding area of the Szopienice non-ferrous metal smelter (Silesia Region, Poland). The control was soil unexposed to heavy metals. Metal concentration was appraised by flame atomic absorption spectrometry, whereas the the community-level physiological profile was determined with the Biolog EcoPlates TM system. The soil microbiological activity in both sites was also assessed via dehydrogenase activity. The mean concentrations of metals (Cd and Zn) in contaminated soil samples were in a range from 147.27 to 12265.42 mg kg-1 , and the heavy metal contamination brought about a situation where dehydrogenase activity inhibition was observed mostly in the soil surface layers. Our results demonstrated that there is diversity in the physiological profiles of microorganisms inhabiting contaminated and colntrol soils; therefore, for assessment purposes, these were treated as two clusters. Cluster I included colntrol soil samples in which microbial communities utilised most of the available substrates. Cluster II incorporated contaminated soil samples in which a smaller number of the tested substrates was utilised by the contained microorganisms. The physiological profiles of microorganisms inhabiting the contaminated and the colntrol soils are distinctly different. K e y w o r d s: Biolog ECO plates, community-level physiological profiles, heavy metals
International Journal of Industrial Chemistry, Sep 1, 2018
The release of dye containing effluent is a great threat to the world today. The purpose of this ... more The release of dye containing effluent is a great threat to the world today. The purpose of this study is to optimize the removal of Reactive Blue 19 (RB19) dye from aqueous solutions using advanced oxidation process (AOP). Magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO NPs) and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) were used as the catalyst and oxidizer, respectively. Central composite design (CCD) based on response surface methodology (RSM) was applied for optimization of the AOP process. The effects of pH (3-7), molar H 2 O 2 /MgO NPs ratio (1-3), initial concentration of RB19 (20-80 mg/L), and contact time (30-90 min) were investigated on the oxidation process. The CCD was applied to determine the interactive effects of the process parameters and their optimum conditions. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied for statistical data analysis. A quadratic model was generated by the CCD to represent the AOP on RB19 degradation. The experimental values obtained for percentage RB19 decolorization were found to be very close to the predicted response values. Based on the design, optimum conditions of pH 3, contact time of 60 min, RB19 concentration of 80 mg/L and H 2 O 2 /MgO NPs molar ratio of 3 were obtained which resulted in 93.77% RB19 removal. High value for the coefficient of determination, R 2 (0.912) and adjusted R 2 (0.805) showed that the removal of RB19 dye using AOP can be described by the RSM. The ANOVA results showed that the quadratic model developed from the RSM was statistically significant for RB19 decolorization. From the study, it could be concluded that the RSM can be a useful tool for optimization and moderation of the process parameters to maximize RB19 dye removal from aqueous solutions and the advanced H 2 O 2 /MgO NPs oxidation process.
International Journal of Coal Geology, Jun 1, 2021
Methanotroph-specific BHPs were more abundant in lignites than in mineral samples. The significan... more Methanotroph-specific BHPs were more abundant in lignites than in mineral samples. The significant role of intrinsic methane turnover in lignites is suggested. Content and speciation of BHPs depend on the diagenetic conditions. High diagenetic temperature is suggested to cause aminopentol and 3-Me BHT breakage. The intrinsic methane turnover may have an influence on biogas-production potential.
Methane emission from wetlands is responsible for about 24% of the total CH 4 emissions. The valu... more Methane emission from wetlands is responsible for about 24% of the total CH 4 emissions. The value of emission is a result of the balance between the processes of methane formation (methanogenesis) and sinks (methanotrophy). The methanotrophic activity from well-aerated soil surface layers has been relatively well recognized. On the contrary, the active role of plants in reduction of methane emission is rather not fully known. The association of methanotrophic bacteria with plants of Sphagnum spp., has already been recognized. In our investigations, particular attention was paid to vascular plants from a peatland overgrown by Sphagnum spp. but also Eriophorum vaginatum, Carex nigra, and Vaccinium oxycoccos. The gases emitted from the surface of Moszne peatland were collected using the chamber method from selected sites during growing seasons (spring, summer, autumn). To estimate the contribution of plants in methane emissions from the peatland, in each investigated site gas was sampled from the surface with the native flora cover and after removal thereof. Our results show that the reduction in the CH 4 emission was related to the plant composition, vegetation period, and conditions of the plants. It was confirmed that the endophytes under investigation belonged to type I methanotrophs.
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
The accurate and frequent estimation of the leaf plant potassium concentration enabled by hypersp... more The accurate and frequent estimation of the leaf plant potassium concentration enabled by hyperspectral imaging techniques has allowed growers to optimize fertilizer applications and reduce the negative impact on the environment. In this study, we examined the feasibility of using leaf spectral data to accurately estimate the potassium content in sugar beet and celery plants. Methods Leaf images in the visible and near infrared region (VNIR: 400-1000 nm) and short-wavelength infrared region (SWIR: 1000-2500 nm) were captured by a hyperspectral camera. The potassium content was measured by ordinary destructive laboratory methods. The correlation-based feature selection (CFS) algorithm was implemented to select important wavelengths that carried the most useful information for predicting the potassium content in plant leaves. Four multivariate regression methods were tested to find a model with strong predictive performance.
The aim of the study was to verify whether a reduced nitrogen (N) fertilization rate according to... more The aim of the study was to verify whether a reduced nitrogen (N) fertilization rate according to the EU recommendation (“From field to table” directive) may guarantee good yields and will be sufficient to maintain soil fertility in monoculture maize cultivation in the no-tillage (NT) system versus the traditional plowing (P) system. Two fields (10 ha each) were established for P and NT maize cultivation where the following N doses were applied: 0.0; 69.0, 92.0, and 115.0 kg ha-1. Soils (0-20 cm) were sampled two times per year - in spring (before maize sowing) and in autumn (after maize harvesting). A broad range of chemical (reaction, water holding capacity, total and easily degradable carbon, ammonium, nitrates, magnesium, calcium, potassium, sulfur) and biological (respiration, humic acids) parameters were monitored during the experiment. The vast majority of these factors had higher values in autumn than in spring. Although the role of reduced fertilization was not shown to be significant, the correlation analysis revealed some relationships between yield and nutrient availability. The 20% reduction in N fertilization does not have an adverse effect on the chemistry and biological characteristics of soils and does not worsen their chemical and biological quality.
In the present work, praseodymium-doped cadmium tungstate (Pr-CdWO 4) nanoparticles were synthesi... more In the present work, praseodymium-doped cadmium tungstate (Pr-CdWO 4) nanoparticles were synthesized, characterized and used as catalysts in a sonocatalytic process to degrade the toxic synthetic azo dye Remazol Black B (RBB). RBB was degraded by 93.9% operating at optimal conditions (pH = 3, C = 100 mg/L, catalyst dosage = 0.35 g/L, T = 298 K and irradiation time100 min) under an ultrasonic bath at 60 kHz. Further, the addition of different radical scavengers and enhancers to the reaction was assessed. It was found that the addition of the radical scavengers sodium sulfate, sodium carbonate, and sodium chloride decreased RBB degradation from 93.9% to 86.0%, 78.0%, and 71.2%, respectively. On the contrary, the addition of the enhancers potassium periodate, peroxydisulfate and hydrogen peroxide slightly increased the RBB degradation from 93.9% to 95.3%, 96.1%, and 98.7%, respectively. The sonocatalytic process resulted in higher RBB degradation than by applying separately sonolysis (34.7%) and the catalyst as an adsorbent (39.5%). The experimental data followed both the pseudo-first-order (PFO) and Langmuir-Hinshelwood (L-H) kinetics models. However, the PFO gave better fitting (R 2 = 0.993) than the L-H kinetic model (R 2 = 0.9025) at the same optimum experimental conditions. The obtained results pointed out the sonocatalytic process with Pr-doped CdWO 4 nanoparticles as a promising process for the degradation of azo dyes and other hazardous organic compounds existing in wastewater.
Many commercial enzyme mixtures are currently available; however, the main limitations of these c... more Many commercial enzyme mixtures are currently available; however, the main limitations of these complex mixtures are lack of characterization, presence of non-essential enzymes and inhibitors. Investigation of the individual effect and performance of the purified enzymes may help to improve the overall bioprocess yields. In this respect, identification of new microbial enzymes with unique properties-from extremophiles-is of great importance for bio-industry. In the present study, A. pullulans xylanase was purified efficiently with single step chromatographic procedure-ion exchange chromatography-and characterized. SDS-PAGE profile of the xylanase showed an apparent homogeneity and molecular weight of 21.6 kDa. The enzyme exhibited maximum activity at pH 4.0 and 30-50 • C. The enzyme was stable over a broad pH range of 3.0-8.0. Thermodynamic parameters (enthalpy, entropy and Gibb's free energy) for thermal inactivation, were also determined. The enzyme retained almost the complete activity in the presence of 20% NaCl and 10% of ethanol. Effects of several metal ion and chemical reagents on enzyme activity have also been determined.
The current study aimed on isolating thermotolerant, cellulolytic fungi from different tropical s... more The current study aimed on isolating thermotolerant, cellulolytic fungi from different tropical soil/waste materials samples such as wood waste, sawmill, decomposing straw and compost pit sites in Abraka, Southern Nigeria and assessing their applications in diverse cellulolytic processes. Fungal isolates were identified based on cultural, morphological, ITS-5.8S barcoding, reproductive structures and thereafter screened for thermotolerance and cellulolytic activities [carboxy methyl cellulase (CMC-ase) and filter paperase (FP-ase)] by cultivating at 45, 50, 60, 70, 80° and 45 °C, respectively. The highest fungal abundance (44.4%) was observed in the compost pit while the lowest (11.1%) was recorded for sawmill. Nine thermotolerant fungal isolates were identified: Aspergillus flavus (4), Blakeslea sp. (3), and Trichoderma asperellum (2). Among them only five, including three A. flavus, one Blakeslea sp. and one T. asperellum, exhibited cellulolytic activity ranging from 12.11 ± 0.01 to 18.42 ± 5.39 µg/mL and 0.36 ± 0.01-9.21 ± 2.52 µg/mL for CMC-ase and filter paperase FP-ase assay, respectively. The low Michaelis-Menten constants of 1.137 for CMC-ase and 1.195 for FP-ase were obtained, indicated a strong affinity for the substrate. The thermotolerance coupled with cellulolytic activity of these isolates make them attractive for potential application in industries where they can be of economic and environmental benefits as against the use of chemicals.
Received 31 August 2015 Abstract. Phosphorus is an important life-supporting nutrient and therefo... more Received 31 August 2015 Abstract. Phosphorus is an important life-supporting nutrient and therefore it is often applied in fertilizers. As a result, its pool in soil may increase due to the presence of various elements effectively binding P, making it unavailable to plants. Each soil exhibits many characteristics important in P cycling, with the aeration state (redox potential and moisture), pH, and the presence of N, Ca, and Fe being the most important. In addition, agricultural practices, e.g. fertilization, may strongly affect P pools in the soil. We studied 7 different, both cultivated and natural, soil types from Lubelskie region. We found that agricultural practices strongly affected the soil aeration state, pH, and moisture level reducing them signifi cantly. As a result, phosphate concentrations increased signifi cantly up to 10 mg kg in comparison to ca. 2– 4 mg kg in non-cultivated soils. This was caused by changes in soil characteristics depending on the soil type (availa...
Fluoride (F) in high concentration is very hazardous to human health. The efficacy of nickel oxid... more Fluoride (F) in high concentration is very hazardous to human health. The efficacy of nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiO NPs) was investigated in this research as an adsorbent for the elimination of fluoride from aqueous solutions. The effects of pH, contact time, initial concentration of F, and adsorbent dosage on the performance of NiO NPs in the removal of fluoride from aqueous solutions were investigated at room temperature. Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, Koble-Corrigan, and Redlich-Peterson adsorption isotherms were employed for the analysis of the adsorption process. Maximum adsorption was achieved at 60 min at pH 5, an adsorbent dosage of 0.02 g/L, and an initial fluoride concentration of 20 mg/L. The results also showed that fluoride adsorption by NiO NPs was more compatible with the Freundlich isotherm (R2 = 0.999). and that the process followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic, Ho (type I) (R2 = 0.9999 and R2 = 0.9997 at 20 and 25 mg/L fluoride concentrations, respectively). Fr...
The present research concerns the development of a new device and process intended for the purifi... more The present research concerns the development of a new device and process intended for the purification and treatment of sulfurous elements, and more particularly, of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) from the biogas produced at the time of the anaerobic fermentation in the purification stations. The controlled dumps or any other unit are likely to produce biogas with concentrations of H2S harmful to the operation of the machines for the valorization of the produced biogas or deodorization. This device uses new biochar from a mixture of dehydrated digested sludge from sewage treatment plants and margins from traditional crushing units, followed by biological treatment in a liquid medium at a controlled temperature. The liquid medium is based on a margin (nutrient) with culture support (large granules of biochar) in suspension by the injection under the pressure of biogas coming from the biochar filter. Physico-chemical characterization of the biochar and a test practiced on the new device of r...
The aim of the study was to assess the differences in the bacterial community physiological profi... more The aim of the study was to assess the differences in the bacterial community physiological profiles in soils contaminated with heavy metals versus soils without metal contaminations. The study's contaminated soil originated from the surrounding area of the Szopienice non-ferrous metal smelter (Silesia Region, Poland). The control was soil unexposed to heavy metals. Metal concentration was appraised by flame atomic absorption spectrometry, whereas the the community-level physiological profile was determined with the Biolog EcoPlates TM system. The soil microbiological activity in both sites was also assessed via dehydrogenase activity. The mean concentrations of metals (Cd and Zn) in contaminated soil samples were in a range from 147.27 to 12265.42 mg kg-1 , and the heavy metal contamination brought about a situation where dehydrogenase activity inhibition was observed mostly in the soil surface layers. Our results demonstrated that there is diversity in the physiological profiles of microorganisms inhabiting contaminated and colntrol soils; therefore, for assessment purposes, these were treated as two clusters. Cluster I included colntrol soil samples in which microbial communities utilised most of the available substrates. Cluster II incorporated contaminated soil samples in which a smaller number of the tested substrates was utilised by the contained microorganisms. The physiological profiles of microorganisms inhabiting the contaminated and the colntrol soils are distinctly different. K e y w o r d s: Biolog ECO plates, community-level physiological profiles, heavy metals
International Journal of Industrial Chemistry, Sep 1, 2018
The release of dye containing effluent is a great threat to the world today. The purpose of this ... more The release of dye containing effluent is a great threat to the world today. The purpose of this study is to optimize the removal of Reactive Blue 19 (RB19) dye from aqueous solutions using advanced oxidation process (AOP). Magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO NPs) and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) were used as the catalyst and oxidizer, respectively. Central composite design (CCD) based on response surface methodology (RSM) was applied for optimization of the AOP process. The effects of pH (3-7), molar H 2 O 2 /MgO NPs ratio (1-3), initial concentration of RB19 (20-80 mg/L), and contact time (30-90 min) were investigated on the oxidation process. The CCD was applied to determine the interactive effects of the process parameters and their optimum conditions. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied for statistical data analysis. A quadratic model was generated by the CCD to represent the AOP on RB19 degradation. The experimental values obtained for percentage RB19 decolorization were found to be very close to the predicted response values. Based on the design, optimum conditions of pH 3, contact time of 60 min, RB19 concentration of 80 mg/L and H 2 O 2 /MgO NPs molar ratio of 3 were obtained which resulted in 93.77% RB19 removal. High value for the coefficient of determination, R 2 (0.912) and adjusted R 2 (0.805) showed that the removal of RB19 dye using AOP can be described by the RSM. The ANOVA results showed that the quadratic model developed from the RSM was statistically significant for RB19 decolorization. From the study, it could be concluded that the RSM can be a useful tool for optimization and moderation of the process parameters to maximize RB19 dye removal from aqueous solutions and the advanced H 2 O 2 /MgO NPs oxidation process.
International Journal of Coal Geology, Jun 1, 2021
Methanotroph-specific BHPs were more abundant in lignites than in mineral samples. The significan... more Methanotroph-specific BHPs were more abundant in lignites than in mineral samples. The significant role of intrinsic methane turnover in lignites is suggested. Content and speciation of BHPs depend on the diagenetic conditions. High diagenetic temperature is suggested to cause aminopentol and 3-Me BHT breakage. The intrinsic methane turnover may have an influence on biogas-production potential.
Methane emission from wetlands is responsible for about 24% of the total CH 4 emissions. The valu... more Methane emission from wetlands is responsible for about 24% of the total CH 4 emissions. The value of emission is a result of the balance between the processes of methane formation (methanogenesis) and sinks (methanotrophy). The methanotrophic activity from well-aerated soil surface layers has been relatively well recognized. On the contrary, the active role of plants in reduction of methane emission is rather not fully known. The association of methanotrophic bacteria with plants of Sphagnum spp., has already been recognized. In our investigations, particular attention was paid to vascular plants from a peatland overgrown by Sphagnum spp. but also Eriophorum vaginatum, Carex nigra, and Vaccinium oxycoccos. The gases emitted from the surface of Moszne peatland were collected using the chamber method from selected sites during growing seasons (spring, summer, autumn). To estimate the contribution of plants in methane emissions from the peatland, in each investigated site gas was sampled from the surface with the native flora cover and after removal thereof. Our results show that the reduction in the CH 4 emission was related to the plant composition, vegetation period, and conditions of the plants. It was confirmed that the endophytes under investigation belonged to type I methanotrophs.
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
The accurate and frequent estimation of the leaf plant potassium concentration enabled by hypersp... more The accurate and frequent estimation of the leaf plant potassium concentration enabled by hyperspectral imaging techniques has allowed growers to optimize fertilizer applications and reduce the negative impact on the environment. In this study, we examined the feasibility of using leaf spectral data to accurately estimate the potassium content in sugar beet and celery plants. Methods Leaf images in the visible and near infrared region (VNIR: 400-1000 nm) and short-wavelength infrared region (SWIR: 1000-2500 nm) were captured by a hyperspectral camera. The potassium content was measured by ordinary destructive laboratory methods. The correlation-based feature selection (CFS) algorithm was implemented to select important wavelengths that carried the most useful information for predicting the potassium content in plant leaves. Four multivariate regression methods were tested to find a model with strong predictive performance.
The aim of the study was to verify whether a reduced nitrogen (N) fertilization rate according to... more The aim of the study was to verify whether a reduced nitrogen (N) fertilization rate according to the EU recommendation (“From field to table” directive) may guarantee good yields and will be sufficient to maintain soil fertility in monoculture maize cultivation in the no-tillage (NT) system versus the traditional plowing (P) system. Two fields (10 ha each) were established for P and NT maize cultivation where the following N doses were applied: 0.0; 69.0, 92.0, and 115.0 kg ha-1. Soils (0-20 cm) were sampled two times per year - in spring (before maize sowing) and in autumn (after maize harvesting). A broad range of chemical (reaction, water holding capacity, total and easily degradable carbon, ammonium, nitrates, magnesium, calcium, potassium, sulfur) and biological (respiration, humic acids) parameters were monitored during the experiment. The vast majority of these factors had higher values in autumn than in spring. Although the role of reduced fertilization was not shown to be significant, the correlation analysis revealed some relationships between yield and nutrient availability. The 20% reduction in N fertilization does not have an adverse effect on the chemistry and biological characteristics of soils and does not worsen their chemical and biological quality.
In the present work, praseodymium-doped cadmium tungstate (Pr-CdWO 4) nanoparticles were synthesi... more In the present work, praseodymium-doped cadmium tungstate (Pr-CdWO 4) nanoparticles were synthesized, characterized and used as catalysts in a sonocatalytic process to degrade the toxic synthetic azo dye Remazol Black B (RBB). RBB was degraded by 93.9% operating at optimal conditions (pH = 3, C = 100 mg/L, catalyst dosage = 0.35 g/L, T = 298 K and irradiation time100 min) under an ultrasonic bath at 60 kHz. Further, the addition of different radical scavengers and enhancers to the reaction was assessed. It was found that the addition of the radical scavengers sodium sulfate, sodium carbonate, and sodium chloride decreased RBB degradation from 93.9% to 86.0%, 78.0%, and 71.2%, respectively. On the contrary, the addition of the enhancers potassium periodate, peroxydisulfate and hydrogen peroxide slightly increased the RBB degradation from 93.9% to 95.3%, 96.1%, and 98.7%, respectively. The sonocatalytic process resulted in higher RBB degradation than by applying separately sonolysis (34.7%) and the catalyst as an adsorbent (39.5%). The experimental data followed both the pseudo-first-order (PFO) and Langmuir-Hinshelwood (L-H) kinetics models. However, the PFO gave better fitting (R 2 = 0.993) than the L-H kinetic model (R 2 = 0.9025) at the same optimum experimental conditions. The obtained results pointed out the sonocatalytic process with Pr-doped CdWO 4 nanoparticles as a promising process for the degradation of azo dyes and other hazardous organic compounds existing in wastewater.
Many commercial enzyme mixtures are currently available; however, the main limitations of these c... more Many commercial enzyme mixtures are currently available; however, the main limitations of these complex mixtures are lack of characterization, presence of non-essential enzymes and inhibitors. Investigation of the individual effect and performance of the purified enzymes may help to improve the overall bioprocess yields. In this respect, identification of new microbial enzymes with unique properties-from extremophiles-is of great importance for bio-industry. In the present study, A. pullulans xylanase was purified efficiently with single step chromatographic procedure-ion exchange chromatography-and characterized. SDS-PAGE profile of the xylanase showed an apparent homogeneity and molecular weight of 21.6 kDa. The enzyme exhibited maximum activity at pH 4.0 and 30-50 • C. The enzyme was stable over a broad pH range of 3.0-8.0. Thermodynamic parameters (enthalpy, entropy and Gibb's free energy) for thermal inactivation, were also determined. The enzyme retained almost the complete activity in the presence of 20% NaCl and 10% of ethanol. Effects of several metal ion and chemical reagents on enzyme activity have also been determined.
The current study aimed on isolating thermotolerant, cellulolytic fungi from different tropical s... more The current study aimed on isolating thermotolerant, cellulolytic fungi from different tropical soil/waste materials samples such as wood waste, sawmill, decomposing straw and compost pit sites in Abraka, Southern Nigeria and assessing their applications in diverse cellulolytic processes. Fungal isolates were identified based on cultural, morphological, ITS-5.8S barcoding, reproductive structures and thereafter screened for thermotolerance and cellulolytic activities [carboxy methyl cellulase (CMC-ase) and filter paperase (FP-ase)] by cultivating at 45, 50, 60, 70, 80° and 45 °C, respectively. The highest fungal abundance (44.4%) was observed in the compost pit while the lowest (11.1%) was recorded for sawmill. Nine thermotolerant fungal isolates were identified: Aspergillus flavus (4), Blakeslea sp. (3), and Trichoderma asperellum (2). Among them only five, including three A. flavus, one Blakeslea sp. and one T. asperellum, exhibited cellulolytic activity ranging from 12.11 ± 0.01 to 18.42 ± 5.39 µg/mL and 0.36 ± 0.01-9.21 ± 2.52 µg/mL for CMC-ase and filter paperase FP-ase assay, respectively. The low Michaelis-Menten constants of 1.137 for CMC-ase and 1.195 for FP-ase were obtained, indicated a strong affinity for the substrate. The thermotolerance coupled with cellulolytic activity of these isolates make them attractive for potential application in industries where they can be of economic and environmental benefits as against the use of chemicals.
Received 31 August 2015 Abstract. Phosphorus is an important life-supporting nutrient and therefo... more Received 31 August 2015 Abstract. Phosphorus is an important life-supporting nutrient and therefore it is often applied in fertilizers. As a result, its pool in soil may increase due to the presence of various elements effectively binding P, making it unavailable to plants. Each soil exhibits many characteristics important in P cycling, with the aeration state (redox potential and moisture), pH, and the presence of N, Ca, and Fe being the most important. In addition, agricultural practices, e.g. fertilization, may strongly affect P pools in the soil. We studied 7 different, both cultivated and natural, soil types from Lubelskie region. We found that agricultural practices strongly affected the soil aeration state, pH, and moisture level reducing them signifi cantly. As a result, phosphate concentrations increased signifi cantly up to 10 mg kg in comparison to ca. 2– 4 mg kg in non-cultivated soils. This was caused by changes in soil characteristics depending on the soil type (availa...
Fluoride (F) in high concentration is very hazardous to human health. The efficacy of nickel oxid... more Fluoride (F) in high concentration is very hazardous to human health. The efficacy of nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiO NPs) was investigated in this research as an adsorbent for the elimination of fluoride from aqueous solutions. The effects of pH, contact time, initial concentration of F, and adsorbent dosage on the performance of NiO NPs in the removal of fluoride from aqueous solutions were investigated at room temperature. Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, Koble-Corrigan, and Redlich-Peterson adsorption isotherms were employed for the analysis of the adsorption process. Maximum adsorption was achieved at 60 min at pH 5, an adsorbent dosage of 0.02 g/L, and an initial fluoride concentration of 20 mg/L. The results also showed that fluoride adsorption by NiO NPs was more compatible with the Freundlich isotherm (R2 = 0.999). and that the process followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic, Ho (type I) (R2 = 0.9999 and R2 = 0.9997 at 20 and 25 mg/L fluoride concentrations, respectively). Fr...
Uploads
Papers by Artur Banach