Geology, Geophysics & Environment
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ISSN 2299-8004
e-ISSN: 2353-0790
Issue Date
2025
Volume
Vol. 51
Number
No. 1
Description
Journal Volume
Geology, Geophysics & Environment
Vol. 51 (2025)
Projects
Pages
Articles
The evolution of the moraine complex in the Fiescher Valley (Berner Alps, Switzerland) in the light of Schmidt-hammer exposure-age dating and sedimentological analysis
(Wydawnictwa AGH, 2025) Siemek, Dawid; Jasionek, Magdalena; Kłapyta, Piotr; Wacławczyk, Patryk
The sediment-landform assemblages preserved in many alpine valleys record glacier fluctuations during the latest Pleistocene and Holocene, encompassing the moraines formed during the Egesen stadial as well as Early Holocene and Neoglacial advances. This paper is concerned with the moraine evolution in the Fiescher Valley, a relatively large glaciated alpine valley system in the Berner Alps, which hosts the fourth-largest glacier in the Alps. A geomorphological and sedimentological analysis, supplied with Schmidt-hammer exposure age-dating, was used on the preserved moraine sequence along a 7-kilometre section of the valley. Calibrated Schmidt-hammer weathering results provide evidence of the multiphase glacier readvances of the Fischer glacier during the Younger Dryas and Early Holocene. The exposure age of Holocene boulders strongly differs with the time of moraine formation as a result of the incorporation of more weathered boulders that originated by earlier glacier fluctuations and rockfall activity. We thus infer that the previously formed Middle Holocene moraines were overridden by the much more extensive LIA advance. Sediment transport pathways in the Fiescher Valley were dominated by subglacial active erosion and transportation pathways of massive crystalline rocks, discernible via the large proportion of subrounded and subangular clasts. We found that significant and multiple glacial remodelling is arguably the most efficient way to reduce the initial platy shape of granitic and gneiss clasts, but a dependence between clast form and roundness with distance is hardly visible.
A three-component model of kerogen kinetics on the example of the Menilite Beds
(Wydawnictwa AGH, 2025) Słoczyński, Tomasz; Matyasik, Irena; Spunda, Karol
This paper presents the concept of constructing three-component kinetic models of kerogen. The method was developed based on the kinetic mass model constructed from Rock-Eval pyrolysis and Py-GC analysis results. The parameters of the discrete function describing the distribution of activation energy (Ea) and the constant values of the reaction rate (A) for the mass model were optimized based on the results of Rock-Eval pyrolysis in the Kinetics15 program. With the aid of multistage isothermal pyrolysis of Py-GC performed for the same duration at different temperatures, the percentages of each hydrocarbon fraction obtained during the successive stages of pyrolysis were determined. The determined fractions were assigned an appropriate (resulting from the mass model) value of activation energy. The multi-component kinetic model of kerogen constructed in this way enabled the calculation of the shares of individual hydrocarbon fractions generated at different stages of thermal transformation of the source rocks. Simulations of the composition of generated hydrocarbons for the developed model were carried out in the Petro-Mod Kinetic Editor. The results of the simulation justified the creation of multi-component kinetic models for each of the potential source formations located in the study area. Their implementation into the petroleum system model makes it possible to not only forecast the total amount of generated hydrocarbons but also the dynamics of the generation process and the shares of the generated fractions at various stages of thermal transformation of the source rocks. The research material consisted of Menilite source rocks samples, which are considered to be the main source of hydrocarbon accumulations in the Outer Carpathians.
An assessment of the physicochemical and microbiological stability of bottled natural medicinal waters from Polish health resorts
(Wydawnictwa AGH, 2025) Ziemska, Joanna; Bartosik, Marta; Szynal, Tomasz; Mazańska, Małgorzata; Matuszewska, Renata; Mąka, Łukasz; Solecka, Jolanta
Balneotherapy, utilising natural medicinal waters, gases, and peloids, is a clinically effective method for complementing the treatment of various medical conditions. One specific type of balneotherapy is crenotherapy, which involves the oral administration of natural medicinal waters. This study aimed to assess the impact of storage time on the stability of the chemical composition and microbiological quality of bottled natural medicinal waters, as well as to assess the feasibility of using packaged natural medicinal waters at home to prolong the effect post-sanatorium treatment, as recommended by the chief physician responsible for health resorts. Fourteen bottled medicinal waters sourced from seven Polish health resorts were analysed. The study examined the following samples: one $HCO_{3}-Cl-Na-Ca$, four $HCO_{3}-Cl-Na$, one $HCO_{3}-Mg-Na-Ca$, two $HCO_{3}-Na-Ca$, two $HCO_{3}-Ca$, two $HCO_{3}$-Na and two Cl-Na waters. Physicochemical and microbiological parameters were measured at the following times: $t_{0}$ (immediately after packaging), $t_{1}$ (midway through the declared shelf life) and $t_{2}$ (at the end of the shelf life). Physicochemical analysis of the medicinal waters demonstrated the stability of the chemical composition in terms of basic minerals and physicochemical parameters over the product’s shelf life, as defined by the manufacturer. Faecal indicator bacteria or Pseudomonas aeruginosa were absent in all of the samples tested. However, coliform bacteria, potentially of biofilm origin, were detected in one sample. An initially high number of microorganisms, determined at 22°C, observed in three water samples, was no longer detected at the final testing stage. The findings indicate that the medicinal waters analysed maintain stability in chemical composition, organoleptic parameters and microbiological purity throughout the manufacturer’s specified shelf life.
Circular raw material and waste management: a comparison of biological and chemical approaches for the recovery of metals from spent lithium-ion batteries
(Wydawnictwa AGH, 2025) Urbańska, Weronika; Potysz, Anna
Modern production processes are characterized by the extensive demand for metal in the manufacture of lithium-ion batteries used in electronic equipment and electric vehicles. These products are essential for the functioning of today’s society, therefore, the demand for metallic raw materials increases annually, and their natural resources are overexploited. The solution to this issue is the recovery of raw materials from polymetallic waste, which includes spent lithium-ion batteries. The extraction of metals from this type of waste material has already been implemented on an industrial scale, but the priority now is to create technologies that will not only be effective in terms of metal recovery but also environmentally friendly, following sustainable development goals and the principles of a circular economy. Concerning the need for alternative ecological methods of waste processing, the concept of recovering Co, Cu, Li and Ni from waste lithium-ion batteries using a biotic and mild chemical approach was proposed. It has been determined that the biological approach to metal recovery may be a promising process in the recycling of lithium-ion battery waste since within 7 days, at a pulp density of 1% and using Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans bacteria, comparable results were obtained for the recovery of Co (25.7%), Li (48.8%) and Ni (28.3%) as for leaching with mild organic citric acid. Moreover, the fungus Aspergillus niger may be a promising microorganism used in the bioleaching of electrode powder from spent lithium-ion batteries, although the process using it requires the optimization of bioreactor parameters.
An empirical analysis of changes in the Błędów Desert using machine learning methods
(Wydawnictwa AGH, 2025) Czernik, Anna; Borowiec, Natalia; Marmol, Urszula
The aim of the study was to determine changes in the land cover of the Błędów Desert, which is a habitat for rare flora and fauna species protected under the Natura 2000 program. Invasive plants, which pose a threat to protected species, are present in this area. Additionally, human activities can have negative impacts on the desert ecosystem. Therefore, the land manager is obligated to carry out actions aimed at maintaining the appropriate size and character of the desert. The analysis was conducted using satellite imagery from the Sentinel-2 mission, which provides images with high temporal and spatial resolution. The study covered the years 2015–2022 and took into account seasonal variability due to the presence of green vegetation. Change detection methods based on data integration, including photointerpretation and machine learning classification, were used for land cover analysis. Five representative land cover classes were defined, enabling a quantitative presentation of changes in the Błędów Desert and a qualitative assessment of the classification performed. The results of the study indicate variability in land cover depending on the season, with an increasing number of protected plant species, including grasslands. Simultaneously, a slight increase in the desert area was noted, manifesting as an increase in sand in forested areas. The results obtained demonstrate the effective implementation of the Natura 2000 program objectives.