Fields of research

The task of modern geology is not only the reconstruction of our Planet’s history and provision of knowledge about mineral resources, but also a comprehensive recognition of the status and mechanisms of numerous natural environmental factors controlling the living conditions and health of the general population. Therefore:

 

We examine the state of the natural environment also with respect to the presence of substances toxic to living organisms

  • We examine the natural geochemical background of soils and their contamination as a result of activities of man
  • We carry out geochemical studies of surface water, soils, grounds and sediments of water bodies in rivers and lakes
  • We monitor the ground and water environment around objects which can pose threat to the natural environment, such as industrial plants, fuel storages, airfields, transport bases, and army units
  • We plan and supervise the rehabilitation of degraded areas, both post-industrial and post-mining
  • We analyse the impact of landfill sites on the natural environment and prepare proposals for the geological conditions for storage of municipal, hazardous and radioactive waste
  • We evaluate the contamination of soils, plants, water and buildings by radioactive elements – caesium, radium, uranium

We determine:

Trace and major elements - arsenic, antimony, barium, chromium, tin, zinc, phosphorus, cadmium, cobalt, magnesium, manganese, copper, molybdenum, nickel, lead, potassium, mercury, sulphur, sodium, silver, strontium, thallium, calcium, vanadium, organic coal, iron

Radioactive elements – caesium, radium and uranium

Noxious organic compounds — polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, selected polychlorinated biphenyl congeners and selected chloro-organic pesticides

 

We monitor and protect groundwater resources – the source of potable water for more than a half of the Polish population

  • We analyze hydrogeological conditions and groundwater reserves all over the country
  • We assess the utilization rate of groundwater reserves – we estimate reserves and outline areas of deficiency
  • We analyse the chemical state of groundwater, including mineral, therapeutic and thermal water
  • We analyze and assess the anthropogenic impact on groundwater and resulting changes in groundwater-dependent ecosystems
  • We monitor the water level and chemistry of useful aquifers all over the country and create local groundwater monitoring networks in the vicinity of objects that strongly affect groundwater, such as mines, industrial plants, fuel storage sites, etc.
  • We evaluate the risk of groundwater recharge areas being polluted with contaminated surface water, including flood water
  • We forecast the effects of an increase in the level of the Baltic Sea and the risk of an ingress of salt water into useful aquifers

We identify the country’s minerals and mineral waters of therapeutic value

  • We carry out prospecting and keep a database of mineral raw material resources used by the pharmaceutical industry, such as coal, peat and therapeutic mud
  • We estimate the resources and chemical constitution of mineral water used in medicine
  • We document the resources of rock and ceramic raw materials – healthy, ecological materials to be used in the construction of houses and decoration of their interiors

We evaluate the geodiversity of our country and the geotouristic potential of its various regions

  • We identify sites of geological and geomorphological interest which are valuable in science and education
  • We design geoparks, geological educational trails and geosites

Selected publications

 

Papers indexed in ISI Jour­nal Cita­tion Reports

 

2014

 

BOJAKOWSKA I., KRASUSKA J. - Copper and other trace elements in sediments of lakes near Konin (Poland). Journal of Elementology, 2014, 19 (1): 31-40.

BOJAKOWSKA I., KRASUSKA J., RETKA J., WIŁKOMIRSKI B. - Lead concentration and the content of selected macroelements in lake semidiments in Poland. Journal of Elementology, 2014, 19 (3): 627-636.

FABIAN C., REIMANN C., FABIAN K., BIRKE M., BARITZ R., HASLINGER E., DUSZA-DOBEK A., KWECKO P., PASIECZNA A. - GEMAS: Spatial distribution of the pH of European agricultural and grazing land soil. Applied Geochemistry, 2014, 48: 207-216.

GAJDA D., KIEGIEL K., ZAKRZEWSKA-KOŁTUNIEWICZ G., CHAJDUK E., BARTOSIEWICZ I., WOŁKOWICZ S. - Mineralogy and uranium leaching of ores from Triassic Peribaltic sandstones. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 2014 (doi:10.1007/s10967-014-3362-0)          

KARBOWSKA B., ZEMBRZUSKI W., JAKUBOWSKA M., WOJTKOWIAK T., PASIECZNA A., ŁUKASZEWSKI Z. - Translocation and mobility of thallium from zinc–lead ores. Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 2014, 143: 127-135.

POLKOWSKA Ż., BŁAŚ M., LECH D., NAMIEŚNIK J. - Study of Cloud Water Samples Collected over Northern Poland. Journal of Environmental Quality, 2014, 43, (1): 328-337.

SAALTINK R., GRIFFIOEN J., MOL G., BIRKE M., DUSZA-DOBEK A., KWECKO P., PASIECZNA A. - Geogenic and agricultural controls on the geochemical composition of European agricultural soils. Journal of Soils and Sediments, 2014, 14 (1): 121-137.

SCHEIB A.J., BIRKE M., DINELLI E., DUSZA-DOBEK A., KWECKO P., PASIECZNA A. - Geochemical evidence of aeolian deposits in European soils. Boreas, 2014, 43, (1): 175–192.

VASSILEVA E., WYSOCKA I.A., BETTI M. - Reference measurements for cadmium, copper, mercury, lead, zinc and methyl mercury mass fractions in scallop sample by isotope dilution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Microchemical Journal, 2014, 116: 197-205.

 

2013

OTTESEN ROLF TORE, BIRKE MANFRED, FINNE TOR ERIK, GOSAR MATEJA, LOCUTURA JUAN, REIMANN CLEMENS, TARVAINEN TIMO, DUSZA-DOBEK ALEKSANDRA, KWECKO PAWEŁ, PASIECZNA ANNA - Mercury in European agricultural and grazing land soils. Applied Geochemistry, 33: 1-12.

PRAŻAK JAN - Changes in groundwater storage, Kamienna drainage basin, southeastern Poland. Annales Societatis Geologorum Poloniae, 83 (2): 149-159.

PRAŻAK JAN - Bicarbonate and calcium-magnesium hydrochemical indicators for the assessment of human impact on the groundwater chemistry – a case study from the Holy Cross Mts. region (Poland). Geological Quarterly, 57 (1): 135-140.

SADEGHI MARTIYA, PETROSINO PAOL, LADENBERGER ANNA, ALBANESE STEFANO, ANDERSSON MADELEN, MORRIS GEORGE, LIMA ANNAMARIA, VIVO BENEDETTO DE, DUSZA-DOBEK ALEKSANDRA, KWECKO PAWEŁ, PASIECZNA ANNA - Ce, La and Y concentrations in agricultural and grazing-land soils of Europe. Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 133: 202-213.

ŠLIAUPA SAULIUS, LOJKA RICHARD, TASARYOVA ZUZANA, KOLEJKA VLADIMIR, HLADIK VIT, KOTULOVA JULIA, KUCHARIČ LUDOVIT, FEJDI VLADO, WOJCICKI ADAM, TARKOWSKI RADOSŁAW, ULIASZ-MISIAK BARBARA, ŠLIAUPIENĖ RASA, NULLE INARA, POMERANCEVA RAISA, IVANOVA OLGA, SHOGENOVA ALLA, SHOGENOV KAZBULAT - CO2 storage potential of sedimentary basins of Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland and the Baltic States. Geological Quarterly, 57 (2): 219-232.

TARVAINEN TIMO, ALBANESE STEFANO, BIRKE MANFRED, POŇAVIČ MICHAL, REIMANN CLEMENS, DUSZA-DOBEK ALEKSANDRA, KWECKO PAWEŁ, PASIECZNA ANNA - Arsenic agricultural and grazing land soils of Europ. Applied Geochemistry, 28: 2-10.

 

2012

DUSZA-DOBEK A., KWECKO P., PASIECZNA A. et al. - New soil composition data for Europe and Australia: demonstrating comparability, identifying continental-scale processes and learning lessons for global geochemical mapping. Science of the Total Environment, 416: 239-252.

DUSZA-DOBEK A., KWECKO P., PASIECZNA A. et al. - Lead and lead isotopes in agricultural soils of Europe – The continental perspective. Applied Geochemistry, 27 (3): 532-542.

DUSZA-DOBEK A., KWECKO P., PASIECZNA A. et al. - Comparing results from two continental geochemical surveys to world soil composition and deriving Predicted Empirical Global Soil (PEGS2) reference values. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 319/320: 269-276.

DUSZA-DOBEK A., KWECKO P., PASIECZNA A. et al. - The concept of compositional data analysis in practice – total major element concentrations in agricultural and grazing land soils of Europe. Science of the Total Environment, 426: 196-210.

 

2011

BĄK B., RADWANEK-BĄK B., WYSZOMIRSKI P. - Aktualny przegląd krajowych złóż dolomitów w aspekcie wykorzystania w przemyśle materiałów ogniotrwałych / A current survey of Polish deposits of dolomites applicable in the industry of refractories. Gospodarka Surowcami Mineralnymi, 27 (1): 21-47.

GUNTIÑAS DE LA CALLE M.B., SEMERARO A., WYSOCKA I., CORDEIRO F., QUÉTEL C., EMTEBORG H., CHAROUD-GOT J., LINSINGER T. - Proficiency test for the determination of heavy metals in mineral feed: the importance of correctly selecting the certified reference materials during method validation. Food Additives & Contaminants. Part A, Chemistry, analysis, control, exposure & risk asses-sment, 28 (11): 1534-1546; http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19440049.2011.590455

SZREK D., BAJDA T., MANECKI M. - A comparative study of the most effective amendment for Pb, Zn and Cd immobilization in contaminated soils. Journal of Environmental Science and Health. Part A, 46 (13): 1491-1502.

ZUBER A., RÓŻAŃSKI K., KANIA J., PURTSCHERT R. - On some methodological problems in the use of environmental tracers to estimate hydrologic parameters and to calibrate flow and transport models. Hydrogeology Journal, 19: 53-69.

 

2010

K. JAWOROWSKI, R. WAGNER, Z. MODLIŃSKI. J POKORSKI, A. SOKOŁOWSKI, J. SOKOŁOWSKI - Marine ecogeology in semi-closed basin: case study on a threat of geogenic pollution of the southern Baltic Sea (Polish Exclusive Economic Zone). Geological Quarterly, 54 (2): 267–288.

A. KUCZYŃSKA, E. MOORKENS - Micro-hydrological and micro-meteorological controls on survival and population growth of the whorl snail Vertigo geyeri Lindholm, 1925 in groundwater fed wetlands. Biological Conservation, 143 (8): 1868-1875.

Z. ŁUKASZEWSKI, M. JAKUBOWSKA, W. ZEMBRZUSKI, B. KARBOWSKA, A. PASIECZNA ANNA - Flow-injection differential-pulse anodic stripping voltammetry as a tool for thallium monitoring in the environment. Electroanalysis, 22 (17-18): 1963-1966.

O. ROSOWIECKA, J. NAWROCKI - Assessment of soils pollution extent in surroundings of ironworks based on magnetic analysis. Studia Geophysica et Geodaetica, 54 (1): 185-194.

 

2009

A. DUBIELLA-JACKOWSKA, Ż. POLKOWSKA, D. LECH, P. PASŁAWSKI, W. STASZEK, J. NAMIEŚNIK - Estimation of platinum in environmental water samples with solid phase extraction technique using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Central European Journal of Chemistry, 7 (1): 35-41.

K. KLIMASZEWSKA, C. SÂRBU, Ż. POLKOWSKA, D. LECH, P. PASŁAWSKI, S. MAŁEK, J. NAMIEŚNIK - Application of linear discriminant analysis to the study of dew chemistry on the basis of samples collected in Poland (2004-2005). Central European Journal of Chemistry, 7 (1): 20-30.

J. SZEWCZYK, D. GIENTKA - Terrestrial heat flow density in Poland - a new approach. Geological Quarterly,  53, (1): 125–140.

A. ZUBER, J. CHOWANIEC - Diagenetic and other highly mineralized waters in the Polish Carpathians. Applied Geochemistry, 24: 1889-1900.