The aim of the study was to assess the profile of EC (elemental carbon) and OC (organic carbon) temperature fractions in PM1 and PM2.5 samples and in wet deposition samples (material collected on a filter). The research was conducted at the urban background station in Zabrze (southern Poland) in the period of Oct 2020–Oct 2021. PM samples were collected with high-volume samplers; the automatic precipitation collector NSA 181 by Eigenbrodt was used to collect the deposition samples. Concentrations of EC and OC were determined using thermal-optical method (carbon analyzer from Sunset Laboratory Inc., “eusaar_2” protocol). Regardless of the type of research material, organic carbon constituted the dominant part of the carbonaceous matter, and this dominance was more visible in the non-heating season. The profile of temperature fractions of OC and EC was clearly different for dust washed out by precipitation. Noteworthy is a much lower content of pyrolytic carbon (PC) in OC, which can be explained by the fact that PC is most often combined with the water soluble organic carbon. In addition, a high proportion of the OC3 fraction was observed, followed by OC4, which may indicate that these fractions are of a more regional origin. With regard to the EC fractions, the differences are less visible and concern, in particular, the higher share of EC4 and the lower EC2. The obtained results may be a valuable source of information about the actual status of the carbonaceous matter and its transformation in the atmosphere.

The article aims to discuss the levels of application, efficiency, as well as potential dangers and methods of avoiding them which can be encountered while applying metaphors in formulating a business strategy. The theory underlying the research is the Conceptual Theory of Metaphor by Lakoff and Johnson (1980) and the analysis was based on an article presenting a new business strategy – the Blue Ocean Strategy devised by Kim and Mauborgne (2005a).

Arsenic content was determined in the soil profiles collected from the former dumping ground of post-crystallization lye (presently under recultivation) in the area of the chemical plant in Luboń, near Poznań. Of particular concern was the content of the two most toxic species ofAs(lll) and As(V) in the environmentally available exchange fraction. Extraction was performed with a phosphate buffer of pH= 6.0 ± 0.2, and the analytical method applied was HPLC-HG-AAS. As(V) species were found in all samples, whereas As(III) species in a few samples collected at different depths. The concentration of As(V) varied from 91 to 1228 ng/g, while that of As(ll I) - from 17 to 48 ng/g. As there are no watertight rock formations underneath the dumping site, the polluting substances can he easily washed out by ground waters and carried into the Warta River, which is a main source of water for the city of Poznań.

In water systems, both biologically and chemically synthesized molecules may reduce environmental quality and influence essential ecosystems structure and function. These substances include aldehydes from various sources, also those relates to the activities of primary producers. The focus of the study was vertical distribution of several aliphatic aldehydes and phytoplankton biomass in an urban lake in Poznań (Wielkopolska Lakeland, Poland) under human pressure. Water samples were collected from surface lake to bottom, every 2 m. Plankton was analyzed under inverted and epifluorescence microscopes. The biomass was estimated from microscopic measurements and cell volume of each species. Thirteen aldehydes and acetone were analyzed using gas chromatography with an electron capture detector after derivatization and extraction processes. Aldehydes concentrations varied between 32.7 and 346.2 μg L^-1. Formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and propanal were characterized by the highest concentration both at low and high phytoplankton biomass. Phytoplankton biomass included prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, and ranged between 0.25 and 2.94 mg L^-1. Cryptophytes and diatoms were often the most important components of phytoplankton communities, although in some cases the haptophytes and dinophytes comprised a much higher proportion. Total aldehyde concentration was significantly correlated with total phytoplankton biomass (r=0.705, p <0.05), and even higher correlation was observed between acetone and phytoplankton biomass (r=0.917). This indicates phytoplankton as an important source of carbonyl compounds in surface waters. Thus, the knowledge of different aspects of their origin and distribution in the lake is important both in ecological research and in water management.

The paper presents the review of scientific publications of world literature on the use of the larvae of black soldier fly ( Hermetia illucens) when feeding poultry. Nowadays, the issue of replacing traditional sources of protein when feeding poultry is very urgent, especially in connection with the global food crisis. Insects are the natural food of most birds; thus, the use of fly larvae for feed production has a biological basis. The research results presented in published works show that there are no negative effects on bird health and meat quality when feeding poultry, quail and other birds. In some cases, the experimental groups of birds gained weight slightly more slowly than the control group. Other reports indicate that birds grew at the same rate as normal birds. The quantity and quality of eggs did not differ significantly, but dietary changes affected the colour of yolks and eggshell. The effect of the addition of live larvae to the diet of young turkeys on the weight characteristics of was studied. Replacing 10% of the daily amount of feed with live Hermetia illucens larvae in the diet of turkeys showed that the daily feed intake and body weight gain of the experimental birds were significantly higher compared to the control groups, which led to a significantly higher body weight of chicks at the age of five weeks (2.19 kg vs. 2.015 kg, respectively) and a significantly lower feed conversion rate. Most researchers agree that replacing protein in poultry feed with insect flour should be partial, in the 15–30% range. Feeding with larvae that have undergone processing – grinding, chitin removing, heat treatment – is more preferable than using whole larvae, since the chitinous membrane makes larvae difficult to be digested in the digestive tract of birds.

The work presents the process of drying wood biomass after pre-treatment involving either debarking or crushing. The biomass used for research came from a robinia species wood. The material was dried in free-convection, at the drying medium temperatures of 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 ◦C, respectively. Pre- treatment proved to have a significant impact on the drying rate, including the time required to reach moisture content of 10%, essential to start further treatment of biomass for power industry purposes. It was found that debarked samples of robinia lost water more quickly than the crushed ones. Samples that did not undergo pre-treatment took the longest time to dry.

On the ground of continuous records of air and soil temperature at standard levels, changes of soil temperature against changes of air temperature have been analyzed at thick and without snow cover. The first example concerns a six-day winter thaw, and the second one a four-day autumn cooling. A particular influence of energy advection has been noted. A delay of changes of soil temperature was found to increase with depth in relation to air temperature. A hypothesis on correlation between air temperature at a height of 5 cm and soil temperature at a depth of 5 cm has been verified.

The present work deals with population-based meiotic studies on eight species belonging to four genera of the family Commelinaceae from different regions of Kangra Valley which is well known for its rich floristic diversity. At the world level, different cytotypes for four species such as Commelina hasskarlii (2n = 22, 60), C. kurzii (2n = 60), Murdannia nudiflora (2n = 24) and M. spirata (2n = 24) have been recorded for the first time at various ploidy levels. Additionally, from India, the new chromosome count for Tradescantia pallida (2n = 24) has been reported at the tetraploid level. The course of meiosis has been found to be normal in all the populations of Commelina benghalensis, C. paludosa, Murdannia nudiflora and M. spirata while four species, Commelina hasskarlii, C. kurzii, Cyanotis cristata and Tradescantia pallida have shown a normal to abnormal meiotic course in different populations. These meiotic abnormalities have revealed a clear effect on the pollen size and pollen fertility.