Heavy metal content in perch and rudd tissues and associated health risk assessment.

Fish meat is recommended for consumption as a source of protein, essential unsaturated fatty acids, and fat-soluble vitamins, unfortunately it can also be a source of dangerous contaminants. The aim of the study was to assessment the level of Zn, Cu and Pb in water and bottom sediments collected in summer and autumn from the Koronowo Reservoir and the Wierzchucińskie Duże Lake and in the tissues of perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) and rudd (Scardinius erythrophtalmus L.

Factors influencing accumulation of Zn, Cu, and Ca in the tissues of spiny-cheek crayfish (Faxonius limosus, Rafinesque, 1817).

Both physicochemical and biological factors affect the degree of metal accumulation in crayfish tissues. The content of metals and correlations between the metal concentrations in different tissues and the total length of crayfish is suitable indicators of contamination of the aquatic environment. The aim of the study was to analyse the effect of age and sex of crayfish on the degree of accumulation of Ca, Cu, and Zn in the muscle and exoskeleton.

Can acid sulfate soils from the southern Baltic zone be a source of potentially toxic elements (PTEs)?

The mobility of Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in acid sulfate (AS) soils in the reverse delta of the Świna River, NE Poland was studied using extraction of the target metals using the BCR protocol, which targets acid-extractable (F1), reducible (F2), oxidizable (F3) fractions, and aqua regia digestion for residual (F4) fraction. It was assumed that the content of mobile forms determined in air-dried samples during consequent steps of BCR extraction refers to two scenarios of possible release of selected metals from the studied soils: (1) attributed to seasonal soil moisture variation or (2) caused by artificial drainage. The studied AS soils had thin organic layers (muck, peat and mud) overlaying deltaic sands, and contained hypersulfidic material.

Heavy metal content and mobility in urban soils of public playgrounds and sport facility areas, Poland.

Among the threats to air, soil, and water posed by urbanization, heavy metals appear particularly hazardous. Playgrounds and sport facilities are unique urban places, widely used by children and youth. The aim of this research was to evaluate heavy metal pollution in urban soils, identify relationships among topsoil metal distributions, and assess related health risks in two Polish cities - Warsaw and Bydgoszcz.