Aims: With the ongoing pandemic and increased interest in measures to improve indoor air quality, various indoor air purifiers have become very popular and are widely used. This review presents the advantages and disadvantages of various types of technologies used in air purifiers in terms of reducing microbial contamination. Methods: A literature search was performed using Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed, as well as technical organizations dealing with indoor air-quality to identify research articles and documents within our defined scope of interest. Relevant sections: The available literature data focus mainly on the efficiency of devices based on tests conducted in laboratory conditions with test chambers, which does not reflect the real dimensions and conditions observed in residential areas. According to a wide range of articles on the topic, the actual effectiveness of air purifiers is significantly lower in real conditions than the values declared by the manufacturers in their marketing materials as well as technical specifications. Conclusions: According to current findings, using indoor air purifiers should not be the only measure to improve indoor air-quality; however, these can play a supporting role if their application is preceded by an appropriate technical and environmental analysis considering the real conditions of its use.

Introduction and objective: The use of Escherichia coli and enterococci as indicators of the presence of pathogenic viruses or parasitic protozoa is limited. In order to increase the control of enteric pathogens in drinking water, Directive (EU) 2020/2184 of the European Parliament and of the...

The Clostridium perfringens bacteria are used to assess water quality as an indicator parameter. If detected, it can confirm the occurrence of past fecal contamination. Tests determining C. perfringens in water samples are usually performed by membrane filtration where filters are incubated on selective media under anaerobic conditions. Available media include mCP and TSC. The aim of this study was to compare the relative recovery of C. perfringens (including spores) from surface water samples and to determine the performance characteristics of the membrane filtration method using both media. The results showed that, although the procedure using the mCP medium was more sensitive and specific, higher recoveries were obtained in the tests based on the TSC medium.

Therapeutic values of therapeutical peats have been appreciated for centuries. Although microbiological criteria for therapeutical peats used in therapies exists in Poland, this source is still “terra incognita” in terms of microbiological diversity. Many authors studying peats indicate that microorganisms inhabiting this niches possess abilities allowing their application in biotechnology and various fields of industry, economy, and medicine. The aim of this research was to explore this ecosystem and reveal microbiological potential for commercial use. Samples of peats were collected from protected deposits of the Czarny Dunajec in Poland to perform metagenomics analysis. Moreover, for better samples characteristics, physicochemical properties were performed. In all testes samples, the most abundant phylum was Acidobacteriota, its percentage ranged from 46.42% to 60.02%. Second the most predominant phylum was Proteobacteria, present in all samples in the range of 20.75% to 35.34%. Proteobacteriais a large group of Gram-negative bacilli and cocci. This phylum is divided into five classes, among which the OTUs of Alphaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteriawere identified in tested samples. Other phyla present in each tested sample were Verrucomicrobiota (1.97% – 7.72%), Desulfobacterota (0.83% - 6.04%) and Actinobacteriota (1.97% - 3.38%). “Puścizna Wielka” peat bog possess a great microbiological potential and can be a source of bacteria that could be used in industry or biotechnology. Many articles published over the past few years describe isolates of new species and their individual features. In next step authors plan to isolate and test strains using various media and conditions.

The objective of this study was to evaluate selected analytical procedures based on EN ISO 10705-2:2001 and EN ISO 10705-3:2024 for the determination of somatic coliphages in 100 mL water samples, taking into account the requirements of Directive (EU) 2020/2184, and to identify a procedure that can be adapted for routine analyses, as well as points at which laboratories may encounter difficulties. The study was conducted on two types of water samples: Type 1, comprising groundwater and treated water, and Type 2, comprising surface water. Samples were collected from water treatment plants at the point of distribution network supply (treated water), deep well intakes, and surface intakes (raw water). The study demonstrated the limited reliability of the procedure when applied to routine analyses. The recovery obtained for the method incorporating the selected modifications under the tested conditions was 72% for Type 1 water samples and 73% for Type 2 water samples. The introduction of legal regulations on the quality of water intended for human consumption, along with the requirement to test a new parameter for operational purposes, can pose a significant challenge for laboratories performing water analyses.