The development of mining and metallurgic industries of Pb and Zn ores in the Biała Przemsza catchment area has had a strong influence on the condition of the surface water and bottom sediments. In the following study, total contents of metals and metalloids were researched in the water and bottom sediment samples from the Biała Przemsza River. The samples were collected monthly in 2014 at five sampling points along the river. The research helped to determine correlations between the parameters and components of the water environment (metals/metalloids, cations/anions, pH, Eh, conductivity, carbon (TOC, IC, TC), and suspension). The contents of metals and metalloids were determined with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), whereas anions and cations were investigated with ion chromatography (IC). The simplified Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) three-step sequential chemical extraction was performed on Biała Przemsza River bottom sediments collected in April, July, and October. At its lower course, the Biała Przemsza River water did not meet the Polish surface water quality standards. The Biała Przemsza River water is mainly loaded with metals. Toxic concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Zn were observed at sampling points in Okradzionów and Sławków. The toxic Tl concentration was exceeded (2–6 μg/L) at three sampling points. The Biała Przemsza River bottom sediments were composed mostly of medium and fine sand. The BCR extraction of the bottom sediments demonstrated that Cd and Zn were bound to cations/anions and carbonates loosely adsorbed on the bottom sediments in spring and summer. Such a situation was observed at all the sampling points, except for BP3 in Okradzionów. The organic carbon concentration increased along the river course.

The aim of the study was to determine ambient concentrations of soluble, inorganic form of As ((As(III) and As(V)) in submicron atmospheric particles (PM1) in one of the most polluted region of Europe (Upper Silesia, Poland). Quantitative analyses of soluble As, soluble As (III) and As (V) after chromatographic separation and total As in digested PM1 samples were performed on the Elan 6100 DRC-e ICP-MS spectrometer. Results of analysis of the 15 randomly selected daily samples of PM1 from summer to winter season were presented. We showed that As(V) is dominating soluble, inorganic form of As in ambient air of selected city in Upper Silesia (Zabrze). Ambient concentrations of As(III) and As(V) as well as their mass percentages in water-soluble and total As changed seasonally. In winter season, when emissions from coal combustion prevailed, ambient concentration of soluble As(V) was about three times higher than in summer and accounted for 55% of total As. Ambient mass of As(III) was about 3.7% of the total As mass. During summer, when the sources of As may be more differentiated (industry, traffic, secondary emission from some surfaces, e.g., soils, roads, farmlands and dumps), soluble As(V) accounted for 23% of total As while soluble As(III) 6.7%.

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