The concentrations of heavy metals Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn and Hg, benzo[a]pyrene and oil products (C 15 -C 28 ) in bulk (wet and dry) atmospheric deposition in Vilnius city in 2005-2006 were analysed. The highest flux to the ground surface of the city residential area, reaching 1,680 mg m −2 year −1 , was determined for oil products, which in atmospheric bulk deposition was estimated to be mainly in the form of solid sediments. Among heavy metals, the highest flux was determined for Zn (113.5 mg m −2 year −1 ), while the lowest flux was determined for Hg (0.06 mg m −2 year −1 ). The flux of investigated pollutants ranges from a few times, or for some pollutants, up to one order of magnitude higher at the urban sampling site in comparison to residential or background sites. Some hundred tons of oil products, approximately 52 tons of zinc and a considerably lower amount of mercury, benzo[a]pyrene and cadmium deposit yearly to the ground and water surface of Vilnius city. Metallic constructions related to transport and buildings, automobile exhausts, spills of fuel and lubricants are suggested to be the factors which result in the accumulation of high amounts of heavy metals, oil products and other pollutants on the ground surface of the city.
Investigation of organic (OC) and elemental (EC) carbon in atmospheric aerosol was performed at the Preila Environmental pollution research background station on 19-28 June 2006. In parallel, the measurement of black carbon by the reflectometric method was carried out. The sources of carbonaceous compounds were detected by using air mass backward trajectories. The highest concentrations of OC and EC were transported with air masses of the southwestern direction, from the "black triangle" (bordering areas of Czech Republic, Germany, and Poland), and the lowest concentrations of carbonaceous compounds were associated with air masses from the Atlantic Ocean. The input of westerly air mass exceeded 50% of total pollution, which is in agreement with earlier determined peculiarities of background pollution formation in the Baltic region.
The aim of the present study was to assess the genotoxicity, cytotoxicity and immunotoxicity potential of treated wastewater effluents (TWE) discharged from the Vilnius Wastewater Treatment Plant. The analysis of micronuclei, nuclear buds (genotoxicity endpoints), bi-nucleated and fragmentedapoptotic cells (cytotoxicity endpoints) in peripheral blood of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) after a 12-day exposure to TWE revealed a significant increase (p = 0.009) of micronuclei in exposed O. mykiss specimens compared to control fish. No formation of nuclear buds, bi-nucleated and fragmented-apoptotic cells was noted. The analysis of immunotoxicity demonstrated a significant decrease in the neutrophile percentage and an increase in the thrombocyte count in blood of the fish exposed to TWE. The physicochemical analysis of oil products (C 14 -C 28 ), benzo(a)pyrene and heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu, Hg) in TWE showed that concentrations of xenobiotics satisfy criteria for effluents discharged into receiving waters. Suspended solid concentrations detected in certain samples of TWE were higher than their Maximum Permissible Concentration in effluents discharged into water receivers, while concentrations of oil products found in insoluble form of certain samples sometimes exceeded their Maximum Permissible Concentration in water basins.
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