Displaying items by tag: ZMSR

As one of the alternative fuels to coal, biomass has a CO2 emissions balance of almost zero. Currently, biomass accounts for a significant share of renewable energy sources in Europe (about 50%), although the burning of biomass has recently become subject to environmental regulations in some countries. Recent studies have shown that biomass combustion emits significant amounts of dust and organic compounds into the air. In Poland, biomass is mostly burned in low-power boilers for heating single-family houses or in small boiler houses without dust collection systems. Its share is considerable, especially outside the normal heating season, particularly in tourist and holiday areas where wood is much more readily available than coal. Together with the fly ash released into the atmosphere when coal is burned, many harmful chemical substances are released into the environment. One of these is potentially toxic metals and metalloids, which are transported mainly by technogenic magnetic particles (TMPs - mainly iron oxides) produced during combustion. Due to the magnetic properties of TMPs, their presence in the environment can be easily detected by simple measurements of magnetic parameters. In coal, iron occurs in mineral forms (mainly sulphides) with paramagnetic properties, and during combustion Fe is converted into oxide forms that have mainly ferrimagnetic properties, which is why the ash after coal combustion is "magnetically enriched" compared to the original fuel. Biomass consists mainly of organic material with diamagnetic properties, and the iron contained in plants is mainly in the form of organic compounds (e.g. organometallic complexes, phytoferritin, chelates), so the expected iron oxide content in the ash should be much lower. However, preliminary measurements of the magnetic susceptibility of the fly ash after burning different types of biomass have shown that the magnetic properties of the ash were surprisingly high and very differentiated depending on the type of biomass burnt. There is a high probability that other magnetic parameters also vary and are therefore characteristic of individual types of biomass and can be used as indicators of the type of burnt biomass determined in the ash samples. The second aspect of the research will be to determine to what extent the environment in which the biomass grows (i.e. the geological background, the soil type and the degree of soil contamination, the degree of atmospheric deposition during plant growth) influences the content of trace elements and magnetic particles in bottom and fly ash after biomass combustion. This is particularly important as in many places biomass is produced from areas that are excluded from food production due to high levels of soil contamination, or even old mining and smelting dumps are used for biomass production. The question thus arises as to how environmental conditions and the degree of pollution affect the magnetic and chemical properties of both the fine fly ash particles released into the atmosphere and the bottom ash increasingly used for soil fertilisation. The aim of the study is to compare bottom ash and fly ash after combustion of 6 selected types of biomass and to determine chemical substances and magnetic parameters that may be characteristic indicators of each type of biomass combustion. The second objective is to determine the influence of the geochemical and geological background and other environmental factors (e.g. air pollution, soil type, soil contamination) on the ecological quality of biomass and the content of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in bottom and fly ashes. The research is conducted on samples of 6 different types of biomass in the form of pellets available on the market, as well as on samples of wood biomass obtained from four different sites: From forested old metallurgical and mining dumps, from areas with natural magnetic anomalies formed on magnetite-rich natural igneous or metamorphic rocks, from heavily polluted areas formed on sandy soils, and from "ecologically clean" areas with low deposition and diamagnetic geological background. Biomass combustion is carried out in a low-power boiler suitable for biomass combustion and often used in heating systems. This boiler is equipped with analysers and control sensors that allow monitoring and control of the combustion conditions. Samples of fly ash (collected on philtres) and bottom ash (collected from the grate) are analysed in three laboratories: magnetic, geochemical and mineralogical, to fully characterise the ash tested and determine the parameters (both magnetic and geochemical) that can be used as environmental indicators of the type of biomass burned. An innovative aspect of the research is the concept of combining magnetic and chemical parameters as potential indicators to determine the type of biomass burnt and to determine the statistical significance of the impact of environmental conditions of biomass growth on its ecological quality, both in terms of hazardous element emission and the potential use of ash as fertilizers.

Figure 1. Photographs of the soil profiles developed from various bedrock.

Figure 2. Graphical presentation of the research topic.

The work was basic research (i.e. experimental and theoretical investigations) carried out to gain new insights into the magnetic and geochemical properties of soils.

The project served to study the variability as well as to compare the magnetic and geochemical properties of soil profiles formed from different geological formations (i.e. sedimentary rocks, igneous rocks and methamorphic rocks). Natural (reference) values of magnetic susceptibility and the content of selected elements were determined for the investigated rocks. Furthermore, the study allowed to obtain magneto-mineralogical characteristics and crucial information on the usefulness of magnetic and geochemical parameters (primary, secondary, elemental and complex) for diversifying the origin (geo-, pedo- and technogenic) of magnetic and geochemical signals in soil profiles.

The results of the project revealed new possibilities for the use of soil magnetometry as an effective tool for environmental analysis. In particular, in areas potentially exposed to pollution and/or contamination (urban-industrial areas) and in sites with differentiated (in terms of magnetic and geochemical properties) bedrock (horizon R). On the other hand, the possible limitations of using environmental magnetism parameters to diversify the origin of the magnetic signal (e.g. due to the masking phenomenon) were highlighted.

Figure 1. Photographs of one of the research stands in the spring-summer and autumn-winter seasons (near the summit of Mt. Kobyła, the Izery Mountains).

Figure 2. Photographs from the implementation of the project (the Izery Mountains).

Magnetic monitoring of air pollution has been successfully used in environmental research because of its effectiveness in the initial assessment of the air status of areas affected by dust emissions. Dust and fly ash containing magnetic particles (which are carriers of individual elements) enter the atmosphere and then by deposition onto individual components of the environment, e.g. soil, plants, animals and humans.

The main objective of the project was to use integrated research methods and techniques to determine the magnetic-geochemical properties of air pollutants originating from both long-distance transport emissions and local sources accumulated by natural indicators of air pollution, such as snow and moss. In addition, the project takes into account seasonality (determined on the basis of the climatic conditions of the studied area and the specificity of the local environment), i.e. the heating period (autumn and winter: from October to April) and the non-heating period (spring and summer: from May to September).

The research findings and the resulting conclusions were supported by a relatively large amount of data collected at three research sites (in the Jizera Mountains). A total of 153 samples (from the pollution indicators used) were collected and analysed. More than 3,300 magnetic data and more than 2,100 geochemical data were obtained, which were supplemented and compiled by meteorological data (IMWM-PIB Jakuszyce) and parameters for pollutant quantification. Despite the fact that the test stands (facilities for absorption of pollutants) were characterised by similar topographic conditions, the amount of magnetic particles and the content of elements accumulating in natural indicators of air pollution were (1) variable depending on the location of the test stand; (2) independent of the type of moss used; (3) comparable for dust isolated from snow and in moss samples; (4) higher in heating periods than in non-heating periods.

The most common device used to collect dust pollutants are the so-called dust collectors, which are used at air monitoring stations (located in places affected by the emission of pollutants from local sources: municipal and / or industrial). The natural indicators method used in the project, which allows assessing the extent and nature of infiltrating pollutants in places that are difficult to access and/or far away from the main emission sources, can become an attractive support option for traditional measurement (monitoring) stations. An additional advantage of using bioindicators (mosses) and natural pollutant reservoirs (snow) is the possibility of a long exposure time, allowing a larger number of samples to be collected, and the lack of need for frequent monitoring, which is required when using specialised equipment.

In summary, due to the nature of the research and the use of natural pollution indicators, the results obtained are not only relevant in the context of the atmospheric environment or geophysics, but also for soil science and climatology (especially with regard to local climate changes, for which magnetic methods have only been used to a relatively limited extent).

scientific interests:

methodology for analyzing environmental samples

private interests:

hiking and biking tours; traveling (visiting Poland and European countries); music (pop and rock); ballroom dancing; exercises with the Pilates method

scientific interests:

the use of magnetic parameters in research (and monitoring) of the environment; the use of natural indicators (including bioindicators) of atmospheric pollution; peatlands as a source of information on the impact of historical anthropogenic activities on the environment; anthropopressure in areas of historical industrial activity.

private interests:

biographical, travel and reportage literature; mountain trekking and hiking; classical ballet; jewelery design; organization of receptions.

scientific interests:

environmental magnetism; the use of magnetometry for environmental research; geochemical and magnetic properties of contaminated soils and plants; the influence of anthropogenic factors on the soil environment and plants

private interests:

fiction, biography and fantasy; domestic and foreign travel; mountain trekking; Cycling; cooking; Krav Maga combat system

scientific interests:

environmental magnetism and its parameters as a tool in environmental research; experimental research on the effect of masking ultrafine (nano)particles (pedogenic) by coarse ferrimagnetic fractions (geogenic and anthropogenic); the use of magnetic properties to determine lithologic discontinuities in soils; geogenic and pedogenic (including biogenic) magnetic particles; diversification of geogenic, pedogenic and anthropogenic magnetic (and geochemical) signals in soil (with particular emphasis on soil profiles developed from various geological formations)

private interests:

science fiction literature and film (cyberpunk); classic (mountain) trekking; classic climbing (bouldering, wall climbing, rock climbing, mountain climbing); creative process (constructing, arranging, building and improving) – play through learning and learning through play

scientific interests:

environmental research conducted in forest, park-forest and ecotone areas, with particular emphasis on the role of trees in the migration of atmospheric pollutants to the soil; the use of the magnetic susceptibility parameter for detailed analyzes and 3D modeling of the distribution of magnetic particles in the soil; detection of ferrimagnetic artifacts in soils of urban and industrial areas - mesoscale studies in small areas and on transects

private interests:

off-road cycling; nature observations; traveling with a tent and a hammock; fly fishing; alternative, off and classical music; amateur astronomy; human neurobiology

scientific interests:

environmental magnetism; geophysics; soil science; optical and electron microscopy; air quality monitoring; microplastics in the environment

private interests:

kometka, cross-country skiing, Finnish sauna

scientific interests:

environmental magnetism; the use of magnetic methods to detect soil contamination with trace elements; estimating the size of the current and historical deposition of industrial and urban dust; determination of historical soil contamination areas based on the method (soil magnetometry - ISO 21226: 2019); the role of technogenic magnetic particles in the environment; study of technogenic iron oxides in the soil environment; distribution of the magnetic signal in the soil profile; the use of magnetic parameters in soil taxonomy; the use of various geophysical techniques in the location of subsurface anthropogenic layers and historical landfills; biomagnetism

private interests:

hiking, biking and canoeing; universal and regional history; fine and historical literature; travel and mountain