Waste fly ash, with both low (with the addition of vermiculite) and high contents of unburned coal, were subjected to hydrothermal syntheses aiming to obtain zeolite composite materials—zeolite + vermiculite (NaX–Ver) and zeolite + unburned carbon (NaX–C). The composites were compared with parent zeolite obtained from waste fly ash with a low content of unburned carbon (NaX–FA). In this study, the physicochemical characteristics of the obtained materials were evaluated. The potential application of the investigated zeolites for the adsorption of ammonium ions from aqueous solutions was determined. Composite NaX–Ver and parent zeolite NaX–FA were characterized by comparable adsorption capacities toward ammonium ions of 38.46 and 40.00 mg (NH₄⁺) g⁻¹, respectively. The nearly 2-fold lower adsorption capacity of composite NaX–C (21.05 mg (NH₄⁺) g⁻¹) was probably a result of the lower availability of ion exchange sites within the material. Adsorbents were also regenerated using 1 M NaCl solution at a pH of 10 and subjected to 3 cycles of adsorption–desorption experiments, which proved only a small reduction in adsorption properties. This study follows the current trend of waste utilization (fly ash) and the removal of pollutants from aqueous solutions with respect to their reuse, which remains in line with the goals of the circular economy.

The present study reports for the first time the occurrence of selected pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the shallow aquifer underlying the Kraków city. Urban groundwater samples were gathered from 11 wells, which can serve as the emergency water supply wells. Liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method with the previous pre-concentration of samples using an SPE technique was applied for the determination of the PPCPs selected. There were quantified concentrations of PPCPs from the groups of estrogens (17-α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), 2.6–18.7 ng/L), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ketoprofen, 59.5 ng/L in 1 sample), and antimicrobial preservatives used in cosmetic production (methylparaben up to 91.5 ng/L). Triclosan was observed in all analysed water samples in concentrations above the limit of detection. The presence of the PPCPs in the shallow aquifer is an evidence that the sewer network system under the city leaks and then pollutes the urban groundwater.

The following research describes the influence of a metallurgical ash dump on both the soil environment and the atmosphere. Soil samples were collected along a line positioned on an unprotected, hazardous ash dump and extended into the adjacent, arable land. Three soil depths were sampled at 0–20-, 20–40- and 40–60-cm depth intervals, and in each sample, pseudo-total concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Ti, Zn, Li, Sr and V were analyzed. Additionally, emissions of CH₄ and CO₂ were measured at each sampling site. All emission measurements were taken in the same day, and the duration of gas measurements in each place was six minutes. The results demonstrate elevated concentrations of Cu, Cr, Pb and Zn on dump surface and along its margins, where the maximum concentrations of these elements are, respectively, 82, 23, 1144 and 8349 mg kg⁻¹. Obtained results exceed several times both the natural background values and the values typical of local soils in the southern Poland. Moreover, natural background values for Fe, Mn, Ni, Li, Sr and V were exceeded, as well. Along the sampling line, no methane emission was detected, whereas the carbon dioxide flux varied from 7 to 42 g m⁻² d⁻¹. The reconnaissance study of the ash dump revealed a high contamination level of soils with heavy metals, which, together with the changes of soil environment, may cause migration of pollutants into the adjacent areas and, consequently, may generate hazard to the environment and, particularly, to the living organisms. Hence, further studies are necessary in order to evaluate the soil quality and the leaching of heavy metals from the dump.

Introduction: Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a promising targeted radiotherapy that enables the treatment of cancers at the cellular level. The crucial aspect of BNCT are boron carriers, which should selectively reach cancer cells by delivering high concentrations of boron. Therefore, we propose the use of boron carbide (B₄C) nanoparticles functionalized with antibodies directed against receptors overexpressed in cancer cells, such as the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) and the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Methods: Hydrodynamic diameter measurements confirmed the stability of functionalized B₄C nanoparticles in culture media during biological tests lasting up to 72 hours. The toxicity of the nanoparticles was assessed using the MTT assay and BrdU cell cycle assay on three types of cancer cells (PC-3, T98G, and SCC-25) with different levels of LDLR and EGFR surface expression. The uptake of functionalized B₄C nanoparticles by cancer cells was assessed based on flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy, and holotomography. Boron concentrations in cancer cells were quantified via ICP-MS. Results: Functionalized B₄C nanoparticles showed even 2-fold higher interaction with SCC-25 cells characterized by the highest surface expression of both receptors than with PC-3 and T98G cells. Holotomographic imaging confirmed the greater intracellular uptake of functionalized B₄C nanoparticles compared to unmodified B₄C, providing further evidence for the selective targeting of boron to cancer cells. ICP-MS analyses showed that B₄C anti-LDLR nanoparticles were the most effective in delivering a high boron concentration to cancer cells. Particularly in SCC-25 cells, the concentration was 9.58 ± 2.6 mg/L boron per million cells. The highest uptake by these cells was associated with a decrease in viability to 63% and a slight reduction in the percentage of cells in S phase after 24-hour exposure. Conclusion: Stable complexes of antibody-functionalized B₄C nanoparticles were successfully obtained, demonstrating increased tropism towards cancer cells overexpressing LDLR and EGFR.

The study focuses on validating reference methods such as ICP-OES and ICP-MS for detecting ultra-trace levels of chromium in groundwater, where concentrations are typically very low. Additionally, it verifies a hyphenated technique, IC-ICP-MS, for determining naturally occurring Cr(VI) in tested waters. The validation process involved various chromium analysis variants, including isotopes ⁵²Cr and ⁵³Cr in ICP-MS and IC-ICP-MS techniques, along with specific emission lines in the ICP-OES technique. Statistical data processing revealed that the achieved limits of quantification for Cr in different techniques ranged from 0.053 µg/L to 1.3 µg/L, with the associated measurement uncertainty estimated between 14% and 19% (at a coverage factor k = 2, 95%). For speciation analysis, it was possible to quantitatively determine Cr(VI) at concentrations as low as 0.12 µg/L, with the measurement uncertainty ranging between 10% and 14%. The Kruskal-Wallis test indicated that for the 14 water samples analysed, there was no statistically significant difference in the results obtained using different analytical techniques (p > 0.05). The geochemical modelling approach applied enhances the understanding of chromium speciation in water samples, verifying the accuracy of speciation analysis and identifying specific ion forms in which Cr(III) and Cr(VI) occur. In the analysed water samples, the concentration of Cr(VI) ranges between 0.13 and 35 µg/L, with the primary form identified as the oxoanion CrO₄²⁻. Importantly, statistical tests demonstrated no statistically significant differences between the total chromium concentration in water and the concentration of Cr(VI), indicating that the entire concentration of total chromium corresponds to Cr(VI) speciation.

(1) Background: The influence of tap water fittings construction and internal pipe-work on the release of heavy metals was investigated. (2) Methods: A statistical approach was applied for the examination of the chemistry of tap water in five different cities in southern Poland. In total, 500 samples were collected (from 100 to 101 samples in each city). The sampling protocol included information on the construction of the water supply network and the physicochemical parameters of measured tap water. (3) Results: The statistical analysis allowed to extract the crucial factors that affect the concentrations of trace elements in tap water. Age of connection, age of tap, age of pipe-work as well as material of connection, material of pipe-work and material of appliance reveal the most significant variability of concentrations observed for As, Al, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn. Calculated cancer risks (CRs) decrease with the following order of analysed elements Ni > Cd > Cr > As = Pb and can be associated with the factors that affect the appearance of such elements in tap water. The hazard index (HI) was evaluated as negligible in 59.1% of the sampling points and low in 40.1% for adults. For children, a high risk was observed in 0.2%, medium in 9.0%, negligible in 0.4%, and low for the rest of the analysed samples.