Psychometric properties and validation of the polish version of the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ-Pol).

BACKGROUND: Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic condition characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, intestinal disorders, mood swings, and sleep disturbances. To the best of our knowledge, the questionnaire used for assessing problems and difficulties in the functioning of people with FM has not been translated and adapted in Poland so far. The aim of the study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Polish version of the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ-Pol). MATERIAL AND METHOD: The study covered 150 people with FM living in Poland. The measurement reliability, internal structure, repeatability, and validity of the Polish version of the FIQ were examined. RESULTS: The scale score reliability of the entire tool for the research group was very good. The alpha Cronbach's test result for the whole scale was 0.84. The repeatability of the scale measured by the test-retest method using the interclass correlation coefficients (ICC) was very good and amounted to 0.96. Internal structure suggested by FIQ-Pol authors was confirmed (Confirmatory factor analysis). After introducing modification indices for the entire scale, satisfactory parameter values were obtained, i.e.: RMSEA (0.06), CFI (0.97) and TLI (0.96). Theoretical validity was assessed by correlating the results of the Polish version of the FIQ with the results of the Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI). Both the FIQ-Pol total score and its domains showed strong positive correlations with BDI. CONCLUSION: The Polish FIQ is a reliable and valid tool to measure the functional disability and health status of Polish people with FM.

Impact of the Pb and Zn ore mining industry on the pollution of the Biala Przemsza River, Poland.

The development of mining and metallurgic industries of Pb and Zn ores in the Biala Przemsza catchment area has had a strong influence on the condition of the surface water and bottom sediments. In the following study, total contents of metals and metalloids were researched in the water and bottom sediment samples from the Biala Przemsza River. The samples were collected monthly in 2014 at five sampling points along the river. The research helped to determine correlations between the parameters and components of the water environment (metals/metalloids, cations/anions, pH, Eh, conductivity, carbon (TOC, IC, TC), and suspension). The contents of metals and metalloids were determined with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), whereas anions and cations were investigated with ion chromatography (IC). The simplified Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) three-step sequential chemical extraction was performed on Biala Przemsza River bottom sediments collected in April, July, and October. At its lower course, the Biala Przemsza River water did not meet the Polish surface water quality standards. The Biala Przemsza River water is mainly loaded with metals. Toxic concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Zn were observed at sampling points in Okradzionów and Slawków. The toxic Tl concentration was exceeded (2-6 µg/L) at three sampling points. The Biala Przemsza River bottom sediments were composed mostly of medium and fine sand. The BCR extraction of the bottom sediments demonstrated that Cd and Zn were bound to cations/anions and carbonates loosely adsorbed on the bottom sediments in spring and summer. Such a situation was observed at all the sampling points, except for BP3 in Okradzionów. The organic carbon concentration increased along the river course.

Chemometric and environmental assessment of arsenic, antimony, and chromium speciation form occurrence in a water reservoir subjected to thermal anthropopressure.

In the study, arsenic, antimony, and chromium concentrations and selected physicochemical parameters in water and sediment samples from the thermal anthroporessure subjected Rybnik Reservoir (Poland) were determined. As(III), As(V), Sb(III), and Sb(V) ions were successfully separated on Dionex IonPac AS7 column, and Cr(III) and Cr(VI) on Dionex IonPac AG7 column. The obtained limits of detection were 0.18, 0.22, 0.009, 0.012, 0.11, and 0.17 µg/L, respectively. Water and bottom sediment samples were collected monthly at three-point transect between January and November 2013. The As(III) and Sb(III) speciation forms dominated in the bottom water, and Cr(VI) concentration in the bottom water was twice as high as the value measured for the surface water. The oxidized arsenic, antimony, and chromium forms dominated in the bottom sediments in the heated water discharge zone of the Rybnik Power Plant. The location of sampling point had a significant influence on the observed transformations and contents of the analyzed speciation forms. The chemometric analysis coupled with the dissimilarity analysis and principal component analysis helped to visualize the variability in the concentrations of the element speciation forms within the researched period and analyzing correlations.

Development and validation of HPLC-ICP-MS method for the determination inorganic Cr, As and Sb speciation forms and its application for Plawniowice reservoir (Poland) water and bottom sediments variability study.

The optimization of methodology for determination and extraction of inorganic ionic As(III)/As(V), Cr(III)/Cr(VI) and Sb(III)/Sb(V) forms in water and easily-leached fractions of bottom sediments by HPLC-ICP-MS were studied. In paper total concentration of As, Cr, Sb, pH and redox potential were determined. Ions were successfully separated on Dionex IonPac AS7: As(III), As(V), Sb(III), Sb(V) and Dionex IonPac AG7: Cr(III), Cr(VI) with LOD 0.18 µg/L, 0.22 µg/L, 0.009 µg/L, 0.012 µg/L 0.11 µg/L, 0.17 µg/L, respectively. Water and bottom sediments samples were collected monthly from Plawniowice Reservoir, in three-point transects between March and December 2012. In the bottom water predominated As(III) and Cr(III) forms and the highest content of Cr(III) was in the water flowing into the Plawniowice Reservoir. Concentration of Cr(VI) increased in the bottom water in the spring and summer (April-July), while decreasing of the Cr(III) content was associated with the release of Cr(VI) from sediment into the water. Studies have shown that antimony accumulates in reservoir sediments and its reduced form was predominated except May and October-November period when high concentrations of Sb(V) was present. In contrast As(V) was the predominant arsenic form in bottom sediments.

Application of hyphenated techniques in speciation analysis of arsenic, antimony, and thallium.

Due to the fact that metals and metalloids have a strong impact on the environment, the methods of their determination and speciation have received special attention in recent years. Arsenic, antimony, and thallium are important examples of such toxic elements. Their speciation is especially important in the environmental and biomedical fields because of their toxicity, bioavailability, and reactivity. Recently, speciation analytics has been playing a unique role in the studies of biogeochemical cycles of chemical compounds, determination of toxicity and ecotoxicity of selected elements, quality control of food products, control of medicines and pharmaceutical products, technological process control, research on the impact of technological installation on the environment, examination of occupational exposure, and clinical analysis. Conventional methods are usually labor intensive, time consuming, and susceptible to interferences. The hyphenated techniques, in which separation method is coupled with multidimensional detectors, have become useful alternatives. The main advantages of those techniques consist in extremely low detection and quantification limits, insignificant interference, influence as well as high precision and repeatability of the determinations. In view of their importance, the present work overviews and discusses different hyphenated techniques used for arsenic, antimony, and thallium species analysis, in different clinical, environmental and food matrices.

Matrix influences on the determination of common ions by using ion chromatography part 1--determination of inorganic anions.

Ion chromatography is the most popular instrumental analytical method used for the determination of anions and cations in water and wastewater. Isocratic ion chromatography with suppressed conductivity detection is frequently used in laboratories carrying out routine analyses of inorganic anions. The paper presents the results of the research into the influence of selected inorganic anions dominant in environmental samples (Cl(-), NO(3)(-), SO(4)(2-)) on the possibility of simultaneous determination of F(-), Cl(-), NO(2)(-), NO(3)(-), PO(4)(3-) and SO(4)(2-) with the application of this most popular ion chromatography type in standard separation conditions. Four Dionex and four Metrohm anion-exchange columns were tested in standard separation conditions recommended by their manufacturers with both standard solutions and environmental samples with complex matrix.

Determination of bromate in water samples using post column derivatization method with triiodide.

This paper describes the application of the method of post-column derivatization with triiodide and UV detection at 352 nm for the determination of bromate in drinking water, mineral water and swimming pool water samples. Optimized analytical conditions were further validated in terms of accuracy, precision, linearity, limit of detection and limit of quantification. The method detection limit was at the level of 0.4 µg/L, and the spiked recovery for bromate was in the range of 92% - 104%. The method did not need a special sample treatment and was successfully applied to the analysis of bromate at the required value that is below 2.5 µg/L.