Oral bioaccessibility of potentially toxic elements in various urban environmental media.

An important aspect of geochemical studies is determining health hazard of potentially toxic elements (PTEs). Key information on PTEs behaviour in the human body in case of their ingestion is provided with the use of in vitro bioaccessibility tests. We analysed and compared oral bioaccessibility of a wide range of PTEs (As, Cd, Ce, Cr, Cu, Hg, La, Li, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sn, Zn), including some that are not often studied but might pose a human health hazard, in soil, attic dust, street dust, and household dust, using Unified BARGE Method (UBM).

Attic dust: an archive of historical air contamination of the urban environment and potential hazard to health?

A comprehensive study of attic dust in an urban area is presented. Its entire life cycle, from determining historical emission sources to recognising the processes that take place in attic dust and its potential to impact human health is discussed. Its chemical composition and morphological characteristics of individual solid particles reflect past anthropogenic activities.

Towards a holistic approach to the geochemistry of solid inorganic particles in the urban environment.

Airborne particulate matter (PM) has a major impact on the biogeochemical cycles of chemical elements in the urban environment. Anthropogenic-derived PM emissions are the cause of some of the most severe environmental and health problems. The presented study aims to improve our knowledge of PM dynamics by introducing a multi-media, multi-analytical and multi-elemental holistic approach to geochemical studies of inorganic PM in the urban environment.

Meltwater chemistry and characteristics of particulate matter deposited in snow as indicators of anthropogenic influences in an urban area.

A geochemical study of snow from the industrial town of Maribor (Slovenia) was performed. Concentrations of 61 elements in meltwater were determined, and a detailed semi-quantitative and qualitative analysis of individual PTE-bearing particles deposited in snow was performed with SEM/EDS. The physico-chemical characteristics of meltwater reflect the influence of winter road maintenance (high electrical conductivity and high Ca and Na concentrations close to the main roads) and industrial activities.