We determined the species composition and the concentration of colony forming units of airborne bacteria and fungi in a coal mine in Poland. We sampled at six locations in a working shaft at about 500-600 m below ground level. Air samples were collected between 6 and 9 a.m. using the impact method onto Potato Dextrose Agar and TSA. The volume of air filtered for each coalmine sample was 50 L. We found 11 fungal species, with Penicillium meleagrinum and P. notatum as the most common. Six bacterial genera were identified, with Micrococcus spp. as the most common. There were no pathogenic fungi or bacteria identified. The concentration of fungal spores and bacteria in the coal mine air is not a direct hazard to mine workers.

This study evaluated in vitro antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer and antioxidant activities of methanolic leaf and root extracts from Solanum nigrum L. and determined its chemical composition. The chemical profile of S. nigrum L. extract was tested using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Disc diffusion and microdilution assays were used for the antibacterial activities. Antifungal activity was measured using the poisoned food technique. In vitro activity on the cell culture model was assessed by MTT assay, viability measurement and by determination of cellular ROS by DCFDA assay. The minimal inhibitory concentrations for extracts from aerial parts ranged from 125 to 500 μg/mL for gram-positive cocci and Pectobacterium strains. The growth inhibition coefficient ranged from 17–56%, depending on the dosage. The antifungal effect of S. nigrum extracts on the tested filamentous fungi depended on the dose. An inhibitory effect of 50–56% on fungi was observed against Alternaria alternata and Chaetomium globosum. The study showed a reduction in cellular vitality of THP1, A549, MCF7 and HeLa cancer lines using both extracts. In addition, there was a decrease in the number of viable cells in cultures incubated with the extract of aerial parts and a reduction in oxygen radicals in the cells. The obtained results indicate the possibility of using S. nigrum extracts from the aerial part as antimicrobial factors. Both extracts show chemopreventive properties by inhibiting the growth of cancer cells and reducing the level of free radicals. Both extracts show chemopreventive properties by inhibiting cancer cell growth and lowering free radical levels. The broad biological activity of the studied extracts can be used in agriculture, veterinary usages and medicine.

Experiments to evaluate 40% and 80% methanol extracts prepared from the aboveground parts of two Solanum nigrum biotypes and from the roots of two Avena sativa biotypes were used to test the growth and development of some weed species and agropathogens. The species collected from different crop fields were Viola arvensis, Chenopodium album, Stellaria media, Papaver rhoeas, and Thlaspi arvense together with the pathogenic fungi Fusarium avenaceum, F. culmorum, and F. oxysporum. Plant morphological changes and significant fresh weight reduction of Viola arvensis were observed when treated with both 40% and 80% extracts. A similar response was found in C. album, but only when plants were treated with an 80% extract obtained from plants of S. nigrum collected from a maize field. The most susceptible to both extracts from A. fatua roots growing in a spring wheat field were C. album and S. media, whereas V. arvensis was only susceptible to the 80% extract. The addition of the extracts obtained from A. fatua to PDA medium at concentrations of 0.1% and 1% contributed to significant reductions in the mycelium growth of all three Fusarium species. The extract obtained from S. nigrum added to PDA medium at 1% concentration slightly stimulated mycelium growth of F. oxysporum.