Magneto-chemical characterisation of Saharan dust deposited on snow in Poland.

Recent research has convincingly shown the advantages of combining environmental magnetism and geochemical analyses for the proxy estimation of anthropogenic pollution due to their atmospheric deposition in local environments. Few studies have also focused on anthropogenic particles deposited on snow. However, papers reporting on Sahara dust particles deposited on snow in central Europe and which involve magnetic methods are missing.

Quantification of pedogenic particles masked by geogenic magnetic fraction.

Pedogenic magnetic fraction in soils is attributed to fine-grained particles, i.e. superparamagnetic grains.

Soil texture as a key driver of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) distribution in forest topsoils.

Due to the dynamic development of civilization and the increasing demand for energy, pollution by harmful chemicals, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) compounds, is a serious threat to forest soils. The aim of the study was to determine the role of texture in the distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and trace elements in forest soils. The areas with different texture ranging from sand through sandy loam to silt loam were selected for the study.

Combination of different geophysical techniques for the location of historical waste in the Izery Mountains (SW Poland).

An initial magnetic survey conducted on the soil surface in the Orle forest glade, located in the Izery Mountains (south-western Poland), indicated the existence of a strong magnetic anomaly. Most cores collected in the glade outside the area of magnetic anomaly show a vertical distribution of magnetic susceptibility typical for soils formed on a diamagnetic or paramagnetic background, in unpolluted areas and influenced only by natural processes. The different patterns of magnetic susceptibility values exhibited by cores collected in the area of the magnetic anomaly reveal the source of the magnetic signal as an anthropogenic layer of waste buried in the subsoil, which was dumped in this area during the historical activity of a glass factory that was active in Orle in the 18th and 19th centuries.