The aim of the conducted research was to obtain information on the main components of ashes from 35 biomass species used in combustion processes to obtain reference data for the development of utility possibilities for these ashes, with particular emphasis on agricultural use. The examined biomass samples were divided into groups depending on origin: woody biomass and energetic woody plants I-WWB, herbaceous and grassy energy plants II-EC, agricultural waste III-AR, forest waste IV-FR and waste from the agri-food industry V-AFIW. The analysis of the studied elements contents was carried out in the designated groups. The chemical composition of ash was dominated by the macroelements Ca, K, P and S, which suggests the possibility of their agricultural use. At the same time, the low content of toxic elements such as As and Pb should not be a limiting feature in their use, with the exception of wood biomass. In addition, ashes obtained from the biomass combustion were enriched with microelements such as Zn, Cu and Mn, which further increases their possibilities of fertilizer use. The potential use of ash from each type of biomass in the aspect of its chemical composition should be considered individually, regardless of the division into groups depending on the origin of biomass.

This article focuses on the results of investigations of selected heavy metals (Mg, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, Ca, Cr and Al) in engine oils of various manufacturers. The measurements were made using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) THERMO-iCE 3000 Series. The aim of the study was to determine the concentrations and the direction of changes of those heavy metals and to determine the statistical relationship between the car mileage and the concentration levels of individual trace elements. Statistical analysis of the test results showed significant changes in iron and copper concentrations in engine oil, depending on the engine's operating history.

The paper presents the results of a thorough analysis of selected physicochemical parameters of engine oils at the end of their useful life, based on the oil change intervals assumed by vehicle users. Twelve samples of used Castrol Edge 5W/30 synthetic oil and five samples of used Castrol Magnatec 10W/40 semi-synthetic oil were tested. The Eralyticss ERASPEC OIL device was used for the assessment of the following parameters: degree of oxidation, degree of nitration, degree of sulfonation, water content, glycol content, total base number (TBN), total acid number (TAN) and kinematic viscosity at 40°C and 100°C. The research was conducted on the basis of the ASTM E2412-10 standard. The results regarding the parameter limit exceedances have also been presented in the paper. For both synthetic and semi-synthetic oils, the exceedance of kinematic viscosity measured at 40°C was particularly striking. In fourteen samples (out of seventeen tested), at least one exceedance of the limit value (out of nine analyzed) has been observed.

The aim of this study was to assess the possibility of managing the waste resulting from the corn grain drying process as a biofuel characterized by low energy consumption in the compaction process and to evaluate the quality of the pellets made of this waste. The waste was agglomerated in the form of corn grain (CG), husks (CH), and cobs (CC), and their mixtures were prepared in a 4:1 volume ratio. The results of the analyses showed that CH was the most advantageous material for agglomeration due to the process’s low energy consumption (47.6 Wh·kg⁻¹), while among the prepared mixtures, CC-CH was the most energy-efficient (54.7 Wh·kg⁻¹). Pellets made of the CH-CC mixture were characterized by good quality parameters, with a satisfactory lower heating value (13.09 MJ·kg⁻¹) and low energy consumption in the agglomeration process (55.3 Wh·kg⁻¹). Moreover, data analysis revealed that the obtained pellets had density (1.24 kg∙dm⁻³) and mechanical durability (89%), which are important in their transport and storage. The findings of this study suggest that the use of waste from the corn grain drying process, in the form of pellets, may allow obtaining granules with different quality.

The aim of the present article was an attempt to compare the influence of the presence of a diesel particulate filter (DPF) on the content of contaminants (Fe, Cr, Ni, Pb) and the level of changes of physical and chemical parameters (such as kinematic viscosity, TBN, TAN) in engine oils during their service life. The article presents changes occurring in engine oils at various stages of use. Medium infrared Eralitics ERASPEC OIL FT-IR spectrometer and XOS HDMaxine (powered by High Definition X-ray Fluorescence) were used. Based on the conducted experiment, statistically significant differences in diesel fuel content were noticed.

The paper presents the results of a study on chemical composition of ashes from three types of waste biomass in terms of fertilizer usefulness. Waste from the process of corn grain drying, including corn cobs, corn grains and corn husk and their mixtures in the ratio 4:1 (v/v) were examined. The study proved that corn grain was the material with the highest concentration of macroelements among those studied (P—21,452 ppm, K—25,970 ppm, S—5911 ppm) and the mixture of corn cobs with corn grains (Ca—81,521 ppm). When microelements were considered, the highest concentration was recorded for corn cobs (Cu—207 ppm, Mn—844 ppm, Zn—857 ppm) and corn husk (Fe—15,100 ppm). The analysis of toxic elements in the ashes of the biomass studied showed their highest concentration in corn husk ash (Ni—494 ppm, Cr—301 ppm, Pb—42.7 ppm, As—4.62 ppm). The analysis showed that regardless of the type of biomass studied, all ashes were strongly enriched (in relation to the average soil content) with phosphorus and corn husk ash with calcium in particular. A slight enrichment in copper and lead was recorded for all ashes, and moderate or low for the other elements. It was found that the examined ashes from biomass, which is a residue from the drying of maize grain, have a high fertilizer usefulness.