The article aims to define the differences and similarities between students of Polish and Arab nationality related to environmental awareness. The study has been carried out as a diagnostic survey using the proprietary questionnaire form. The survey included 418 Polish students representing 44 universities and 110 Arab students from 7 countries and 40 universities. Both groups have been shown to have their own distinct characteristics, although some similarities can also be found. The greatest differences are revealed in the scope of subjective assessment of the state of the environment, types of pro-environmental actions taken by them and readiness to make sacrifices to the environment. The similarities are noticeable in declared knowledge about the environment, the sources of information on the environment and its quality and opinions on the most important environmental threats. The most important reasons for the observed variability are differences between environmental conditions in Poland and on the Arabian Peninsula, differences in the scope of environmental hazards and problems, as well as various cultural conditions (especially religious ones) and related values.

Silicon dioxide (SiO₂), commonly known as silica, is a naturally occurring mineral extracted from the Earth’s crust. It is widely used in commercial products such as food, medicine, and dental ceramics. There are few studies on the health effects of pyrogenic and colloidal silica after ingestion. No research has compared the impact of microscale morphologies on mitochondrial activity in colon cells after acute exposure. The results show that crystalline and amorphous silica had a concentration-independent effect on cells, with an initial increase in mitochondrial activity followed by a decrease. Vitreous silica did not affect cells. Diatomaceous earth and pyrogenic silica had a concentration-dependent response, causing a reduction in mitochondrial activity as concentration increased. Diatomaceous earth triggered the highest cellular response, with mitochondrial activity ranging from 78.84% ± 12.34 at the highest concentration (1000 ppm) to 62.54% ± 17.43 at the lowest concentration (0.01 ppm) and an average H₂O₂ concentration of 1.48 ± 0.15 RLUs. This research advances our understanding of silica’s impact on human gastrointestinal cells, highlighting the need for ongoing exploration. These findings can improve risk mitigation strategies in silica-exposed environments.