Equilibrium, Kinetic, and Diffusion Mechanism of lead(II) and cadmium(II) Adsorption onto Commercial Activated Carbons.

The adsorption of Pb(II) and Cd(II) on three commercial microporous activated carbons was analysed. Adsorption kinetics and statistics were investigated, and the results were described with different models. The highest values of the correlation coefficient R2 were obtained for the pseudo-second-order kinetics model for all ions tested and all sorbents used. The adsorption process was found to be determined by both diffusion in the liquid layer and intraparticle diffusion. The adsorption equilibrium is very well described by Langmuir, Temkin, Thoth or Jovanovic isotherm models. Based on the values of n from the Freundlich isotherm and KL from the Langmuir isotherm, the adsorption of cadmium and lead ions was found to be favourable. The highest monolayer capacities were obtained during the adsorption of lead ions (162.19 mg/g) and for cadmium (126.34 mg/g) for activated carbon WG-12. This carbon is characterised by the highest amount of acid functional groups and the largest specific surface area. The adsorption efficiency of the tested ions from natural water is lower than that from a model solution made from deionised water. The lowest efficiencies are obtained when the process occurs from highly mineralised water.

Adsorption of Chromium and Nickel Ions on Commercial Activated Carbon-An Analysis of Adsorption Kinetics and Statics.

The adsorption of nickel Ni(II) and chromium Cr(III) ions on the commercial activated carbons WG-12, F-300 and ROW 08, which differ in their pore structure and the chemical nature of their surfaces, were analyzed. The nickel ions Ni2+ were best adsorbed on the WG-12 activated carbon, which had the largest number of carboxyl and lactone groups on the surface of the activated carbons, and the largest specific surface area. Chromium, occurring in solutions with pH = 6 in the form of Cr(OH)2+ and Cr(OH)2+ cations, was best adsorbed on the ROW 08 Supra activated carbon, which is characterized by the highest values of water extract. The precipitation of chromium hydroxide in the pores of the activated carbon was the mechanism responsible for the high adsorption of Cr(III) on this carbon. For the other sorbents, the amount of carboxyl and lactone groups determined the amount of Cr(III) and Ni(II) adsorption. The adsorption kinetics results were described with PFO, PSO, Elovich and intraparticle diffusion models. The highest correlation coefficients for both the Cr(III) and Ni(II) ions were obtained using the PSO model. Among the seven adsorption isotherm models, very high R2 values were obtained for the Toth, Temkin, Langmuir and Jovanovic models. The Cr(III) ions were removed in slightly larger quantities than the Ni(II) ions. The capacities of the monolayer qm (calculated from the Langmuir isotherm) ranged from 55.85 to 63.48 mg/g for the Cr(III), and from 40.29 to 51.70 mg/g for the Ni(II) ions (pH = 6). The adsorption efficiency of Cr(III) and Ni(II) cations from natural waters with different degrees of mineralization (spring, weakly and moderately mineralized) was only a few percent lower than that from deionized water.

Influence of fertilisation with sewage sludge-derived preparation on selected soil properties and prairie cordgrass yield.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of using a fertilizer obtained from waste substances on selected physical and chemical properties of soil and biomass yield Spartina pectinate. The fertilizer used for soil (C) fertilisation contained sewage sludge (SS), waste soil fractions of brown coal (BC), brown coal ash (BCA) enriched with mineral potassium (K) fertilizer (C+SS+BC+BCA+K). The composition of the preparation was developed by the authors and adjusted to the quality of the fertilised soil and the individual characteristics of the plant. It was assumed that the preparation should replace expensive conventional fertilisation methods, allow for management of waste substances and improve soil properties, leading to a high yield of Spartina pectinata used as energy crop. The plants were grown on the soil from the Huta Czestochowa steelworks effect zone. The soil was light, with acid reaction (pH KCl =5.5), with small contents of such contaminants as Cd and Zn and elevated Pb content. Based on a three-year pot experiment, the paper presents the results of the examinations concerning the effect of fertilisation on soil pH, hydrolytic acidity, sorptive properties, content of humic acids, organic coal and total nitrogen in soil and crop yielding. The effect of the use of the fertilizer (C+SS+BC+BCA+K) was compared with the use of the sludge (C+SS), sludge with mineral fertilizers (C+SS+NPK), mixture of brown coal and mineral fertilizers (C+BC+NPK) and effect of only mineral fertilizers (C+NPK). Fertilisation with (C+SS+BC+BCA+K) led to the increase in soil pH from 5.5 to 6.0, which is considered sufficient for light soils. The fertilised soil was characterized by sorption capacity of ca. 5.8 cmol(+)/kg, and, after fertilisation with O+W+P, reached the value of ca. 8.0 cmol(+)kg-1. Consequently the soil can be regarded as of good quality in terms of its capability to store nutrients. The C:N ratio was also extended from 11:1 (control soil) to 14:1 (C+SS+BC+BCA+K). The yield of Spartina pectinata in the first year was 1.6 and in the third year 2.7 times higher in the case of fertilisation with the investigated mixture as compared to the control.

Structural flexibility of the sulfur mustard molecule at finite temperature from Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics simulations.

Sulfur mustard (SM) is one of the most dangerous chemical compounds used against humans, mostly at war conditions but also in terrorist attacks. Even though the sulfur mustard has been synthesized over a hundred years ago, some of its molecular properties are not yet resolved. We investigate the structural flexibility of the SM molecule in the gas phase by Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics simulations. Thorough conformation analysis of 81 different SM configurations using density functional theory is performed to analyze the behavior of the system at finite temperature. The conformational diversity is analyzed with respect to the formation of intramolecular blue-shifting CH⋯S and CH⋯Cl hydrogen bonds. Molecular dynamics simulations indicate that all structural rearrangements between SM local minima are realized either in direct or non-direct way, including the intermediate structure in the last case. We study the lifetime of the SM conformers and perform the population analysis. Additionally, we provide the anharmonic dynamical finite temperature IR spectrum from the Fourier Transform of the dipole moment autocorrelation function to mimic the missing experimental IR spectrum.

[Occurrence of fungal pathogens in the delivery rooms of a hospital obstetrics department]. / Analiza wystepowania patogenów grzybiczych w powietrzu sal oddzialu polozniczego.

OBJECTIVES: Assessment of the incidence of fungal pathogens in air of the operating rooms from one of the hospitals in Bialystok. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Investigations were conducted in selected rooms of obstetrics department. Material for mycological studies was air sampled at the entrance of hospital building, the entrance to operating room, hall and selected rooms of the department. Fungi were identified using the standard microbial procedures: The monitoring of airborne fungi pollution was done using SAS SUPER 100 (pbi international). Classification of the isolated fungi was done with an accordance to the current procedures. RESULTS: In the air of 16 rooms of obstetrics department different numbers of fungal colonies from 0 to 560 CFU/1000L of air were isolated. Fungi were not isolated from the air samples of preparing, septic, operating and family deliveries rooms. The highest number of fungi colonies were isolated at the entrance the hospital. The following fungal pathogens isolated from the air were: Candida albicans. non-Candida albicans, Penicillium species, Cladosporium species and Aspergillus species. CONCLUSIONS: 1. The different number of fungal colonies was found depending on type of the hospital room. 2. The highest number of fungal colonies was isolated from the air samples of patients rooms 3. No fungal colonies were isolated from the septic, operating and family deliveries rooms 4. The main fungal pathogen isolated from the air samples was Candida albicans.

Inv(10) in a patient with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism.

Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH) was diagnosed in a 22-year-old patient with 46,XY,inv(10) karyotype. It may be associated with some gene mutations of chromosome X, (KAL-1: Kallman syndrome; and DAX-1: congenital adrenal hypoplasia), as well as of certain autosomes, including chromosome 10. This study aimed to: (1) elucidate the aetiopathogenesis of the disease in the studied case: (2) diagnose chromosome aberrations as accurately as possible: and (3) determine if the observed clinical picture can be referred to the diagnosed chromosomal aberration or it is a mere coincidence. The FISH technique, with the use of non-commercial DNA probes, was applied for a precise description of chromosome breaking points. The application of FISH enabled karyotype description: 46,XY, inv(10)(p15.2q11.22).ish inv(10)(p15.2q21.3)(p15x3)(q21x3)(p15conq21x2). The SSCP method revealed no mutation within the DAX-1 gene and no deletion in the KAL-1 gene.

[Comparison of the content of antioxidant vitamins in the diets of primary school children from Bialystok and its vicinity]. / Porównanie zawartosci witamin antyoksydacyjnych w dietach dzieci szkól podstawowych bialegostoku i okolic.

A 24-hour history was taken in a group of 169 children aged 9 and 14 years, randomly chosen from two primary schools in Bialystok, and 186 children at the same age from three village primary schools. The results were compared to the recommended dietary allowances adequate to age and sex, and subjected to statistical analysis. The mean content of the respective vitamins in the diets of children living in town is higher than their mean content in the diets of village children. In many cases the results are statistically significant. The correction coefficient, allowing estimation of vitamin loss due to food processing was used to analyse the realisation of the vitamin dietary allowances in diet. The realisation of the recommended dietary allowances for the respective vitamins (in %) in the diets of 9- and 14-year old schoolchildren living in suburban areas is considerably lower compared to that noted in town.

[Assessment of the content of antioxidant vitamins in respective seasons of the year in diets of junior high school adolescents living in Bialystok]. / Ocena zawartosci witamin antyoksydacyjnych w poszczególnych porach roku w dietach mlodziezy gimnazjalnej zamieszkalej w Bialymstoku.

Many ailments due to improper diet in childhood turn out to be civilization diseases in adults. Therefore, the assessment of nutrition state and eating habits, apart from a variety of food components, should also refer to vitamin consumption. A particular attention should be given to antioxidant vitamins. The aim of the study was to analyse the content of vitamins A, E and C, according to the season of the year, in the diets of junior high school adolescents from Bialystok. The study involved adolescents of both sexes, aged 13-15 years, chosen by collective randomisation. Eating habits were assessed using the method of the 24-hour dietary history prior to the investigation as recommended by the institute of Food and Feeding in Warsaw. The vitamin content in the menu was calculated with a computer programme FOOD2. The results were compared with a daily norm recommended for sex and age, and subjected to statistical analysis with the t-Student test. The content of vitamins A and E in the diets of adolescents in the respective seasons largely exceeds the norm, which may be related to higher fat consumption than recommended. The content of vitamin C in the menu also goes beyond the recommended norm. In the diets of girls in spring the norm was exceeded twice.

[Comparison of nutrition status of middle school children from Bialystok and its vicinity]. / Porównanie stanu odzywienia mlodziezy gimnazjalnej zamieszkalej w Bialymstoku i jego okolicach.

Nutrition state of gymnasium pupils living in the country and towns was evaluated. The study included 294 schoolchildren, boys and girls, drawn by lot from two public middle schools. The current body height and mass were assessed with regard to centile chart age norms. Relative body mass index (BMI) was calculated. School children with overweight and underweight were selected. The results were subjected to statistical analysis using t-Student test. Nutrition state indices of girls living in town show lover body mass and greater height compared to their peers from the country. The percentage of overweight boys living in town is high (25%); young people of both sexes living in the country show overweight in approximately 17%. About 13% of school children living in town and 7% from the country are underweight. The results indicate that in the group of school children involved in the study early prevention against obesity and chronic underweight should be employed.

[Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of nourishment of middle school pupils from Bialystok]. / Jakosciowa i ilosciowa ocena zywienia mlodziezy gimnazjalnej z Bialegostoku i okolic.

Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of nourishment of gymnasium pupils from Bialystok and its vicinity was conducted on 294 schoolchildren of both sexes, drawn by lot from two public middle schools. Their nourishment was qualitatively assessed according to Szewczynski's classification. The quantitative analysis used the previous day 24-hour history method. Caloricity of meals and the content of basic nutrients were calculated using a computer program FOOD 2. The results were compared with the recommended sex and age norms for moderate physical activity and subjected to statistical analysis using t-Student test. The study has shown that the majority of meals consumed by young people are incorrect. The menus are characterized by too high fat content. The diets of boys from the country exceed the norm of caloricity, and like the menus of boys from town, contain too much protein.

[Calcium content in the whole-day food rations of primary school children in Bialystok and vicinity]. / Zawartosc wapnia w racjach pokarmowych dzieci szkól podstawowych z Bialegostoku i okolic.

Randomly selected 354 primary school pupils aged 9 and 14 from Bialystok and its vicinity gave a 24-hour feeding history. Calcium diet content was evaluated in the children. The values obtained were referred to the recommended standard of Ca intake according to age and sex. It was found that Ca supply in daily food rations of children in Bialystok and suburbs is most insufficient, and the 9-year-old children's place of living had a significant effect on the calcium content in diets.