Upper Silesia In Poland Research Articles

Analysis of Mercury Content Inside Mining Waste Dump – Case Study in the Upper Silesia in Poland

Analysis of Mercury Content Inside Mining Waste Dump – Case Study in the Upper Silesia in Poland

Twenty years of coal mining-induced subsidence in the Upper Silesia in Poland identified using InSAR

The paper presents the results of terrain subsidence monitoring in Poland’s Upper Silesian Coal Basin (USCB) mining area using Differential Interferometry Synthetic Aperture Radar (DInSAR) and Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI). The study area accounts for almost three million inhabitants where mining which started in the 19th century, has produced severe damage to buildings and urban infrastructures in past years. The analysis aimed to combine eight different datasets, processed in two techniques, coming from various sensors and covering different periods. As a result, a map of areas that have been exposed to subsidence within 3045 square kilometers was obtained. The map covers a period of twenty years of intensive mining activities, i.e. 1992–2012. A total of 81 interferograms were used in the study. The interferograms allowed not only to determine subsidence troughs (basins) formed from 1992 to 2012 but also to observe subsidence development over time. The work also included five sets of PSI processing, covering different temporal and spatial ranges, which were used to determine zones of residual subsidence. Based on InSAR datasets, an area of 521 square kilometers under the influence of mining activities were determined. Within the subsiding zones, an area of 312.5 square kilometers of the rapid increase in subsidence was identified on the interferograms. The study of combined different InSAR datasets provided large-area and long-term information on the impact of mining activities in the Upper Silesia Coal Basin.

Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage Technology Development in a Region with High CO2 Emissions and Low Storage Potential—A Case Study of Upper Silesia in Poland

The region of Upper Silesia, located in southern Poland, is characterised by very high emissions of carbon dioxide into the air—the annual emission exceeds 33 Mt CO2 and the emission ‘per capita’ is 7.2 t/y in comparison to the EU average emission per capita 6.4 t/y and 8.4 t/y for Poland in 2019. Although in the region there are over 100 carbon dioxide emitters covered by the EU ETS, over 90% of emissions come from approximately 15 large hard coal power plants and from the coke and metallurgical complex. The CCUS scenario for Upper Silesia, which encompasses emitters, capture plants, transport routes, as well as utilisation and storage sites until 2050, was developed. The baseline scenario assumes capture of carbon dioxide in seven installations, use in two methanol plants and transport and injection into two deep saline aquifers (DSA). The share of captured CO2 from flue gas was assumed at the level of 0.25–0.9, depending mainly on the limited capacity of storage. To recognise the views of society on development of the CCUS technologies in Upper Silesia, thirteen interviews with different types of stakeholders (industry, research and education, policy makers) were conducted. The respondents evaluated CCU much better than CCS. The techno-economic assessment of CCUS carried out on a scenario basis showed that the economic outcome of the scenario with CCUS is EUR 3807.19 million more favourable compared to the scenario without CO2 capture and storage.

Genotoxicity and Toxicity of Urban Road Dust - a Comparison Study for Lower and Upper Silesia in Poland

Genotoxicity and Toxicity of Urban Road Dust - a Comparison Study for Lower and Upper Silesia in Poland

Ant nests as a microbial hot spots in a long-term heavy metal-contaminated soils

Interactions between soil fauna and soil microorganisms are not fully recognized, especially in extreme environments, such as long-term metal-polluted soils. The purpose of the study was to assess how the presence of Lasius niger ants affected soil microbial characteristics in a long-term metal-polluted area (Upper Silesia in Poland). Paired soil samples were taken from bulk soil and from ant nests and analysed for a range of soil physicochemical properties, including metal content (zinc, cadmium, and lead). Microbial analysis included soil microbial activity (soil respiration rate), microbial biomass (substrate-induced respiration rate), and bacteria catabolic properties (Biolog® ECO plates). Soil collected from ant nests was drier and was characterized by a lower content of organic matter, carbon and nitrogen contents, and also lower metal content than bulk soil. Soil microbial respiration rate was positively related to soil pH (p = 0.01) and negatively to water-soluble metal content, integrated into TIws index (p = 0.01). Soil microbial biomass was negatively related to TIws index (p = 0.04). Neither soil microbial activity and biomass nor bacteria catabolic activity and diversity indices differed between bulk soil and ant nests. Taken together, ant activity reduced soil contamination by metals in a microscale which support microbial community activity and biomass but did not affect Biolog® culturable bacteria.

Survival and nutrient supply of seedlings of different tree species at the early stages of afforestation of a hard coal mine dump

In Upper Silesia in Poland, coal is still exploited intensively and mine dump reclamation and afforestation are important environmental mitigation activities. In this study, we analysed the survival rate and foliar nutrient (N, P, K, Ca, and Mg) supply status and their quantitative relationships of two-year-old Scots pine, Norway spruce, Common oak and European beech at an early afforestation stage of a hard coal mine dump with topsoil. The conditions in the dump in the first years were particularly unfavorable for beech and spruce. The survival rate of seedlings varied between 93% for oak, 67% for pine, 30% for beech and 27% for spruce. Nutrient supply and their quantitative relationships in seedling foliage varied highly in all investigated species. The most deficient element was N; its content was lower than the accepted threshold for individual species under natural conditions. Of the soil properties analysed, electrolytic conductivity (EC) was strongly negatively correlated with foliar N and P. Thus, EC may be the factor with the highest negative effect on nutrient supply and the success of afforestation at early stages.

Inventing a Nation: The Birth and Development of the Silesian Minority in Poland

Abstract This article describes the ethnic revival in Upper Silesia in Poland, and the struggle faced by regional organisations to formally recognise the Silesian people as an ethnic minority in Poland. After years of having their culture repressed by the homogenising inclinations of the communist regime, there are a growing number of people identifying themselves as belonging to a separate Silesian national minority. This social change quickly translated into the initial organisations dedicated to preserving the culture and fighting for minority rights. Those organisations then made both judicial (on a national and international level) and legislative attempts at the formal recognition of the Silesian nationality, and have been undertaking actions aimed at stirring up and building feelings of national identity among the people living in Silesia.

Mineral composition of elements in wood-growing mushroom species collected from of two regions of Poland

The study monitored the content of 55 elements in 21 wood-growing mushroom species collected between 2013 and 2019 from Lower and Upper Silesia in Poland. Only 27 of the elements (Ag, Al, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cu, Fe, In, K, La, Mg, Mn, Na, Nd, Ni, P, Pb, Pr, Pt, Rh, Sr, Ti, Tm, V, Y, Zn, and Zr) were detected in all mushroom species, while others (As, Au, B, Be, Bi, Ce, Co, Cr, Dy, Er, Eu, Ga, Gd, Ge, Hf, Ho, Ir, Li, Lu, Mo, Os, Pb, Rb, Re, Ru, Sb, Sc, Se, Sm, Tb, Te, Th, Tl, Tm, U, and Yb) were below the limit of detection in the fruit bodies of at least one species. Wide ranges for major elements in the whole population of all the mushroom species were as follows: 15.4–470 (Ca), 6580–44,600 (K), 314–2150 (Mg), 38.0–319 (Na), and 1100–15,500 (P) mg kg−1 dm, respectively. The rank sum revealed that M. giganteus fruit bodies were the most enriched with all detectable elements, while A. mellea had the lowest content of the majority of elements. Mushrooms belonging to the Hymenochaetaceae family were characterized as some of the most enriched with the studied elements, while mushrooms of the Fomitopsidaceae family had the lowest content of elements. Similarities as well as differences between the obtained results and the available literature data confirm the important role of both mushroom species and the tree on which the fungus has grown.

Prediction of rotational ground motion for mining-induced seismicity – Case study from Upper Silesian Coal Basin, Poland

For decades, coal mining in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin (USCB) in Poland has been inducing annually more than 150 seismic events with local magnitude M > 2. Two sets of sensors were installed in the USCB in Poland to measure angular velocities and translational accelerations from seismic events induced by underground coal mining. In the period from December 2015 to November 2016, 503 seismic events were recorded with local magnitude M between 1.1 and 3.5. Analysis of measurement data for induced seismicity confirmed a strong linear correlation between peak ground acceleration of shear S-waves, PGA and peak ground motion of angular velocity, PRV. The observed correlation can be a result of previously observed coupling between the angular instantaneous velocity vector and the respective displacement vector at the ground surface. Three types of empirical equations for induced seismicity in Upper Silesia in Poland were developed to predict the peak rotational ground motion of the vertical (torsion), horizontal (rocking), and instantaneous 3D-xyz components. The prediction values of horizontal peak angular velocity ground motion indicate that for strong mining-induced seismic events in the USCB with a magnitude of M = 3.5, we can expect that the mean values of PRVH will reach 7.5 mrad/s in the epicentral area (r = 500 m) and with magnitude M = 4 respectively will reach 19.7 mrad/s. Such values of ground rotation may substantially contribute to the overall seismic response of civil infrastructure, particularly for tall buildings. The study of angular velocity ground motion is important not only from the cognitive point of view, but also from practical significance for assessing the seismic impact on very high buildings, chimneys and stability of slopes.

The impact of smog on the concentration of particulate matter in the antelope house in the Silesian zoological garden.

Persistent negligence in the field of environmental protection in Poland as well as strong dependance of the energy sector on the fossil fuels have led to serious pollution of the air with particulate matter, which at high concentrations is capable of penetrating into the buildings. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of particulate airborne pollution on the concentration of particulate matter inside the antelope house in the Silesian Zoological Garden located within the Upper Silesia in Poland. The research was conducted from February to May in 2018. The records taken in the research period show that the concentration of PM10 exceeded the level of 50 µg/m3 outside the building during 26 days and 11 days when it comes to the concentration of particulate matter inside the antelope house. The quantity of particulate matter in the antelope house is strongly correlated with the concentration of the particles in the air. Despite fitting existing ventilation system with a filter that reduces the dust level by 60% during the highest level of smog, particulate matter concentration in the antelope house exceeded acceptable limit for PM10 more than twofold. Particle size-fraction analysis revealed that as much as 85% of the particles detected in the studied compartment constitute PM2.5.

Temporal trends in the availability and efficacy of catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter in a highly populated urban area.

Pulmonary vein isolation has become one of the core modalities of the rhythm control strategy in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The aim of the study was to analyze temporal trends in the availability and efficacy of AF and atrial flutter (AFL) catheter ablation in an urban area of Upper Silesia in Poland. The source data were obtained from the SILCARD (Silesian Cardiovascular Database) covering an adult population of 3.8 million. The final study population included patients with diagnosis code I48 referred for catheter ablation between 2006 and 2017. The data included total number of procedures, patient sex, age, comorbidities, number of hospital admissions, and mortality rate. A total of 2745 patients were enrolled. The number of ablated patients increased more than 10‑fold (43 in 2006 vs 507 in 2017; P = 0.008) in the follow‑up period. The analysis showed an upward trend in the proportion of women (P = 0.02), hypertension prevalence (P = 0.004), and percentage of patients implanted (P = 0.02). A decrease was observed in the percentage of patients with stable angina (P <0.005) and hospitalization length (P <0.005). The all‑cause hospital readmissions rate decreased from 55.8% to 25.4% (P <0.005). There were significant reductions in the 12‑month all‑cause mortality (2.3% in 2006 vs 0.2% in 2017; P <0.005), stroke (2.3% in 2006 vs 0.2% in 2017; P = 0.047), and myocardial infarction rates (2.3% in 2006 vs 0.4% in 2017; P = 0.03). A considerable increase in the availability and efficacy of AF / AFL ablations was documented over the 12‑year follow‑up period.

“POST-MINING REALITY” in Western Europe: Selected Collieries in Belgium and France Following Discontinuation of Coal Mining

There are numerous areas in Europe that were developing and functioning based on traditional industries, such as coal mining. These include among others: The Ruhr and Saar Coal Basins in Germany, Upper Silesia in Poland, Limburg in Holland or Nord-Pas-de-Calais in France. The spaces of industrial regions and cities, including those related to coal mining, have undergone a fundamental metamorphosis following the economic transformation which – in western Europe – started in the second half of the last century. A vast majority of collieries have been shut down and joined the group of former industrial facilities of great adaptation potential, commonly referred to as brownfields. The article contains a concise analysis of the condition of former mining facilities in two countries in Western Europe – Belgium and France, as well as a synthetic evaluation of the significance of these facilities for contemporary urban spaces. The discussion has been based on the Author’s field research carried out in August 2017, focused on now defunct collieries that have been adapted to serve new public utility functions. The primary objective of the research was to diagnose the following problems related to the development of former mining facilities and grounds, with special focus on the complexes of shaft headframes and their accompanying dumps: a. the contemporary practical significance of adapted collieries; b. spatial and compositional role of former mining facilities; c. how the surviving collieries affect preservation of the identity of cities and regions historically related to coal mining. The above problems have been discussed on the basis of and illustrated with the examples of former Belgian collieries: “C-Mine” in Genk and “Bois du Cazier” in Marcinelle, as well as two collieries in France, in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region: “Delloye” in Lewarde and “Dourges” in Oignies. The conclusions stemming from the conducted research and the article itself may prove useful in evaluation of the results of actions undertaken in relation to the shutdown collieries. They may also provide a good starting point for similar research in other mining regions in Europe, particularly in the areas where the process of the mining industry transformation is still in progress or has only just begun.

The attitudes of parents towards vaccination in the region of Upper Silesia in Poland

The attitudes of parents towards vaccination in the region of Upper Silesia in Poland

Knowledge about type 2 diabetes among visitors of two shopping centers in Upper Silesia, Poland: a survey research performed as a part of social action “Health under Control”

Introduction. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a non-infectious epidemic of the 21st century; therefore, it is essential to focus on prophylaxis, early detection and proper treatment in order to avoid its complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate diabetes-related knowledge among visitors of two shopping centers in Upper Silesia in Poland. The study was conducted by medical students from Medical University of Silesia in cooperation with the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations in Poland under supervision of doctors from the Department of Internal Diseases, Diabetology and Nephrology in Zabrze. Material and methods. People were invited to fulfill a 12-item questionnaire evaluating the basic diabetesrelated knowledge (among others symptoms of hyperglycemia, risk factors, complications and treatment of diabetes mellitus). They had their weight and height measurement performed as well as glycemia measured with the use of glucometer. Results. 401 out of 1500 invited shopping-center visitors agreed to take part in the study (27%) and their mean score of the diabetes knowledge test was 54.7 ± 18.7% of the correct answers. It turned out that there is an association of knowledge about diabetes with person’s age and gender — younger people and women had a better knowledge about diabetes. Conclusions. There should be a great attention paid to different forms of education in order to improve the level of diabetes-related knowledge among the general public as a way to improve early diagnosis and a proper treatment.

Funkcjonowanie rejonów przeładunkowych na styku sieci kolejowych o rozstawie torów 1435 i 1520 mm w Europie

Przedmiotem badań była infrastruktura przeładunkowa na styku sieci kolejowych o rozstawie torów 1435 mm i 1520 mm. Celem pracy było zbadanie potencjału rejonów przeładunkowych. Zakres przestrzenny pracy objął kraje europejskie, gdzie stykały się badane systemy kolejowe. Szczegółowo przeanalizowano infrastrukturę na terenie krajów należących do Unii Europejskiej. Dokonano inwentaryzacji na podstawie informacji publikowanych przez operatorów terminali przeładunkowych, materiałów kartograficznych i badań terenowych. Zidentyfikowano łącznie 40 rejonów przeładunkowych (w tym 23 w krajach UE), w których funkcjonowały różnego rodzaju terminale. Najlepiej rozwinięte były rejony: Małaszewicze, Przemyśl i LHS w Polsce, Czerna na Słowacji i Zahony na Węgrzech. W obrębie części rejonów przeładunkowych znajdowały się duże miasta, takie jak Jassy i Galati w Rumunii, Koszyce na Słowacji, Kowno na Litwie oraz konurbacja górnośląska w Polsce – do której dochodziła linia LHS. Wykorzystanie badanej infrastruktury uzależnione było od wielkości wymiany handlowej oraz uwarunkowań geopolitycznych. Pomimo funkcjonowania systemów zmiany wózków i rozstawu kół wagonów większość ładunków była przeładowywana.

Bioindication of PBDEs and PCBs by native and transplanted moss Pleurozium schreberi

PBDEs and PCBs are toxic, persistent organic pollutants (POPs), and the use of PCBs is forbidden, but they are still present in many environments and biota. 90-day assays were conducted with the moss Pleurozium schreberi transplanted from an uncontaminated control site to ten sites (rural and urban) selected in one of the most polluted regions of Upper Silesia in Poland. Native P. schreberi mosses were collected from the same ten polluted sites. Concentrations of PBDEs (28, 47, 66, 85, 99, 100, 153, 154, 183 and 209) and PCBs (28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153, 180) were determined in all native and transplanted P. schreberi from all sites. Native P. schreberi contained the highest ΣPBDE and ΣPCB levels (63.6ngg−1 and 4.47pgg−1, respectively) when collected in the vicinity of a steel smelter. After 90 days of the experiment native and transplanted P. schreberi contained the highest concentrations of the same BDE 209 congener (88–91% of total PBDEs in the native mosses and 85–90% of the total PBDE burden in the transplants). The native and transplanted mosses from the industrial sites after 90 days of exposure contained significantly higher concentrations of all the examined PBDE and PCB congeners (except for 153 and 180) than mosses from rural sites. PBDE and PCB values were higher in native than in transplanted mosses after 90 days of exposure in both rural and industrial sites.

The causes of mining induced ground steps occurrence - case study from Upper Silesia in Poland

The causes of mining induced ground steps occurrence - case study from Upper Silesia in Poland

Functional deficiency of vitamin K in hemodialysis patients in Upper Silesia in Poland.

Purpose Functional vitamin K deficiency (both K1 and K2) is postulated to be one of the most relevant links between chronic kidney disease and vascular calcification in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Recommended dietary restrictions in HD patients superimposed on diversity of eating habits across the countries may affect the prevalence of functional vitamin K deficiency. The aim of this study was to determine the level of functional vitamin K deficiency and its relation to vitamin K1 intake in HD patients in Upper Silesia in Poland.MethodsProtein-induced vitamin K absence or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II) and undercarboxylated matrix Gla protein (ucMGP) were assessed by ELISA in 153 stable, prevalent HD patients and 20 apparently healthy adults (to establish normal ranges for PIVKA-II and ucMGP). Daily phylloquinone intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire.ResultsPIVKA-II and ucMGP levels were increased in 27.5 and 77.1 % of HD patients in comparison with the reference ranges in apparently healthy controls, respectively. In 45 % of cases, the increased PIVKA-II level was explained by insufficient phylloquinone intake for Polish population (recommended intake: >55 μg for women and >65 µg for men). Applying ROC analysis, we showed that vitamin K1 intake below 40.2 µg/day was associated with increased PIVKA-II levels. There was no correlation between vitamin K1 intake and plasma concentration of ucMGP, or between PIVKA-II and ucMGP. Conclusions(1) Functional vitamin K1 deficiency is explained by low vitamin K1 intake in less than half of HD patients. (2) Undercarboxylated matrix Gla protein level is a poor surrogate for functional vitamin K1 deficiency.

Delineation of post-industrial landscapes of the Upper Silesian corridor in the Basin of Ostrava

Abstract The post-industrial landscapes represent a legacy of the industrial revolution. There have been gradually formed numerous enterprises of various industry branches on the territory between Czech-Polish border in the North and Moravian-Silesian Beskydes Mts. (a part of Carpathians) in the South (the western border follows the foothills of Hercynian Bohemian Highlands). In the given study, there are demonstrated examples of the post-industrial landscape in the concerned area of Ostrava, which is a part of the so called Upper Silesian industrial corridor that is intensively linking industrialized region of Upper Silesia in Poland and the Czech Republic with other developed regions of Europe to southwest through the Moravian Gate to the Danube region. This paper demonstrates the procedure for defining the post-industrial landscapes in general, their classification and standardization using the available data sources and GIS technology. For the processing the data of the deployment of brownfields, contaminated sites, industrial constructions of architectural heritage, mining points and areas, human made landforms, industrial and landfill sites etc. were used. They document the genesis, the territorial shape and the geographic position of the post-industrial landscape in the study region. In the concerned area of Ostrava four “rural” post-industrial landscapes were identified and classified into three different genetic types. This paper also presents a methodology for identifying, mapping and classification of post-industrial landscapes on the basis of publicly available and state-managed databases.

The Silesian Registry of Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: Study design and results of a three-month pilot study.

Despite the introduction of the concept known as "Chain of Survival" has significantly increased survival rates in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), short-term mortality in this group of patients is still very high. Epidemiological data on OHCA in Poland are limited. The aim of this study was to create a prospective registry on OHCA covering a population of 2.7 million inhabitants of Upper Silesia in Poland. Presented herein is the study design and results of a 3-month pilot study. The Silesian Registry of Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (SIL-OHCA) is a prospective, population-based registry of OHCA, of minimum duration which was planned for 12 months; from January 1st, 2018 to December 31st, 2018. The first 3 months of the study constituted the pilot phase. The inclusion criterion is the occurrence of OHCA in the course of activity of the Voivodeship Rescue Service in Katowice, Poland. During the 3-month pilot phase of the study there were 390 cases of OHCA in which cardiopulmonary resuscitation was undertaken. Estimated frequency of OHCA in the population analyzed was 57 per 100,000 population per year. Shockable rhythm was present in 25.8% of cases. Return of spontaneous circulation was achieved in 35.1% of the whole cohort. 28.7% of patients were admitted to the hospital, including 2.8% of patients, who were admitted during an ongoing cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Prehospital survival of patients with OHCA in Poland is still unsatisfactory. It is believed that data collected in SIL-OHCA registry will allow identification factors, which require improvement in order to reduce short- and long-term mortality of patients with OHCA.