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Impactor for laboratory capture of fine particles
Kodad, Daniel ; Poláčik, Ján (referee) ; Pospíšil, Jiří (advisor)
The focus of this master’s thesis is the issue of fine dust particles suspended in the air and their measurement. The thesis explains the basic characteristics of fine particles and the rules, which they follow. The section then examines the health risks of inhaled particles. Next is explained the influence of particles in the air on the environment, the historical development of the air pollution in the Czech Republic and the most important pollutants. After that is described the legislation, which frames the limits for pollutants suspended in the air. In the practical part is described the methods for calculation the geometry of cascade impactor, the design of three-stage impactor and finally the comparison with professional impactor. The designed impactor was then constructed and tested with wood burning stove as a source of particles.
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Emissions of medium pressure steam boilers for gaseous fuel
Zavadil, Jan ; Milčák, Pavel (referee) ; Šnajdárek, Ladislav (advisor)
The aim of this the Bachelor Thesis is a description of a medium steam boiler for gas fuels, fuel's emissions created during the burning process of natural gas and following evaluation of measured pollutants in 5 years of operation. First part of the thesis describes types of steam boilers and most important parts of it. Following a brief comparison of burners for gas and liquid fuels and pollutants created during the burning process of natural gas and their impact on the environment. The last part focuses on measurements of pollutants in real device and a review of produced pollutants created during the long-term operation.
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The effect of air pollution on oxidative stress markers in newborns
Ambrož, Antonín ; Rössner, Pavel (advisor) ; Rubeš, Jiří (referee) ; Gábelová, Alena (referee)
In everyday life, humans are exposed to toxic substances of anthropogenic origin. These substances can also be found in the ambient air and their impact poses a long-term risk for human health. Respirable particulate matter (PM) of aerodynamic diameter < 2.5 µm (PM2.5) is intensively studied, along with carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), bound to it, such as benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), a reference carcinogenic PAH. Owing to small size, PM2.5 can penetrate the human body primarily via the airways and represent an increased health risk compared to larger particles. The negative health impacts of anthropogenic PM2.5, generated e.g. by fossil fuel combustion, are linked with its small size, relatively large surface, as well as with PAHs and other substances adsorbed on PM surface. PAHs, generated by an incomplete combustion of organic matter, can enter organism either via ingestion of contaminated food, water or via inhalation of polluted air. PAHs affect organisms via genotoxic, mutagenic, carcinogenic, embryotoxic and other adverse effects. One of the common denominators of these effects is oxidative stress, which is also considered to be the main mechanism of action caused by PM in the human organism. Oxidative damage induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) may affect any cellular...
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Vliv textilního průmyslu na složky životního prostředí
Chocholáčová, Adéla
This bachelor thesis deals with the impacts of the textile industry on environmental components. The thesis is conceived as a research of the basic negative consequences of this industry. The thesis explains the basic concepts like fast fashion or textile industry. The work includes the negative impacts of natural and man-made fibres, the different stages of textile production, including the post-life cycle phase of the product. The thesis shows that the textile industry is one of the biggest polluters of the environment, especially through wastewater containing toxic chemicals. The case of wastewater is elaborated in detail using the case of Bangladesh. The thesis concludes by presenting ways in which the negative impacts can be mitigated in the future and also presents sustainable methods and materials that are already in use.
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Study of the dispersion of hazardous gas in an underground room.
Nosek, Štěpán
This study investigated airflow and pollutant dispersion in an underground room using two different ventilation methods: natural and forced ventilation. The experiment was conducted on a scale model of the room in a wind tunnel using physical modelling. The main objectives were to understand the airflow behaviour and dispersion of passive pollutants in a real environment under isothermal conditions.
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PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND EVOLUTION OF AEROSOL FROM OPEN COMBUSTION OF BIOMASS DURING THE TRADITIONAL “BURNING OF THE WITCHES”
Mbengue, Saliou ; Vodička, Petr ; Komínková, Kateřina ; Schwarz, Jaroslav ; Zíková, Naděžda ; Vítková, Gabriela ; Windell, Laurence Christian ; Suchánková, Lenka ; Lhotka, Radek ; Julaha, Kajal ; Prokeš, Roman ; Šmejkalová Holubová, A. ; Ondráček, Jakub ; Ždímal, Vladimír ; Holoubek, Ivan
Open biomass burning (OBB) is a major source releasing large quantities of gaseous and particulate pollutants into the atmosphere, with global, regional and local impacts on air quality, public health and climate (Andreae, 2019, Chen et al., 2017). OBB aerosols mainly consist of carbonaceous matter, and a considerable amount of inorganic salts, which present distinctly different optical properties (Chen et al., 2017, Reid et al., 2005). In this study, we investigate the influence of OBB during the traditional Burning of the Witches (BoW), referred to in Czech as “Pálení čarodějnic”, on the physico-chemical properties of atmospheric aerosols collected at the National Atmospheric Observatory Košetice (NAOK). The BoW is a centuries-old pagan tradition very popular in the Czech Republic. Today, it is celebrated during the night from April 30 to May 1 by lighting bonfires made of woodpiles with fake witches.
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Response to abiotic stress in plants growing in green façades of temperate urban environment
Hrochová, Růžena ; Lhotáková, Zuzana (advisor) ; Havelková, Lenka (referee)
With increasing urbanization the temperature of cities is increasing and an effect of urban heat island arises. Vegetation, particularly vertical greenery systems: facades and walls, is mitigating urban heat island and reducing temperature. The aim of this work was to define these systems, their effects on the urban microclimate, to create an overview of the most used plants for greenery systems and to summarize their reactions to abiotic stresses of cities in a temperate region. Mediterranean studies were used in this work due to the scarcity of temperate climate research, which results could become valuable with climate change. Selecting proper vegetation can be done using habitat template, plants that are acclimated or adapted to the urban environment. Plants affect the urban microclimate through shading and transpirational cooling, which ideally contribute to reducing the heat island effect with optimal irrigation. Stressors followed in this work were drought, high temperature and irradiance, air pollution and salinity. To all these stressors plants reacted with limiting physiological functions and reducing growth. The common reaction was a decrease photosynthesis rate and chlorophyll content. Ractions of plants of vertical greenery systems to different stressors and their combinations are...
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The effect of maternal nutrition on the newborn genome methylation
Pavlíková, Jitka ; Rössner, Pavel (advisor) ; Černá, Marie (referee) ; Hlaváč, Viktor (referee)
The maternal diet during pregnancy is an important factor involved in the epigenetic programming of the offspring. In addition to the nutritional aspect, the epigenome is also influenced by possible contaminating substances that may occur in the diet of pregnant women. An important group of these potential contaminants are persistent organic pollutants, which are compounds of mostly anthropogenic origin that persist in the environment for a long time, become part of food chains, and some of them accumulate in living organisms. These substances are being monitored for their adverse effects on organisms, and the use of some of them has already been banned or at least significantly restricted. The aim of this work was to find out whether the quality of the diet of pregnant women in the Czech Republic differs in terms of nutrition and contamination with persistent organic pollutants so much that these differences can be reflected in the methylome of newborns. The diet quality of 49 pregnant women from the Karviná and České Budějovice regions was analyzed. During the last month of pregnancy, these women recorded in detail all the food they ate for one week and at the same time collected a quarter of this food in boxes (one box for one day). Information on the quantity and quality of the diet was...
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Evaluation of the presence of fine and ultrafine particles in the air in an industrial zone
Kysilka, Matěj ; Martincová, Jana Victoria (referee) ; Doležalová Weissmannová, Helena (advisor)
This bachelor thesis deals with the issue of the presence of the fine and ultrafine particles in an industrial zone. At the beginning of the theoretical part, dust particles and their division by size are described. Subsequently, sources of particles, methods of their measurement are mentioned and methods of analysis are described in more detail. Significant part of the research is devoted to health risks related to exposure to particles, the fundamental impact on the environment is also mentioned. The experimental part describes the measurement conditions that took place outdoor near an unnamed industrial zone. At the beginning of the experimental part, the used devices are presented. Subsequently, measured and graphically evaluated data on the concentration of particles in the air are presented. Particles collected on filter were used for analysis of selected metals. Analysis of selected metals was performed also on the samples of soil and plant material. The obtained metal concentration data were evaluated and commented.
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Climate change or precursor emissions - which of these will be the major player in future ground-level ozone concentrations?
Tremaskina, Anastasiia ; Hůnová, Iva (advisor) ; Matoušková, Leona (referee)
This thesis examines the reasons for potential future outcomes as well as the evolution of future ground-level O3 concentrations. Ground-level O3 is primarily formed by the reaction of precursor emissions, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), in the presence of solar radiation and warm temperatures. Transport, industrial operations, and energy production are the primary human activities that produce these emissions. Climate change, on the other hand, also has an impact on ground-level O3 concentrations by modifying the atmospheric conditions that promote O3 generation. The frequency and length of high O3 occurrences, for instance, may increase with increasing temperatures and changes in atmospheric circulation patterns, but drought conditions may decrease plant ability to absorb O3 and other pollutants. Additionally, precursor emissions can potentially be impacted by climate change. For instance, rising temperatures may cause plants to produce more biogenic VOCs, and shifting rainfall patterns may have an impact on soil NOx emission rates. Therefore, both precursor emissions and climate change must be considered and addressed in order to correctly anticipate future ground-level O3 concentrations. The work covers the results of previous studies on precursor emissions...
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