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Heavy metal pollution, particularly lead contamination, poses significant environmental and public health risks in urban areas. This study investigates the spatial distribution of lead in snowmelt within Jelgava, Latvia, to identify pollution sources, assess potential environmental impacts, and provide insights into urban pollution management. From 2020 to 2024, snow samples were collected from diverse urban locations, including highways, railway-adjacent zones, industrial districts, and residential areas. Inducti...

Urbanization and increasing traffic intensity contribute significantly to heavy metal pollution in urban environments, posing potential risks to public health and ecosystems. This study investigates the spatiotemporal variations of zinc concentrations in snow water within Jelgava, Latvia, from 2020 to 2024. A total of 59 sampling sites in Jelgava and an additional site in Mezciems were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to determine zinc concentrations and identify potential pollu...

Snow water pollution, especially from heavy metals, is a growing global environmental concern, as urbanization and industrial activities increasingly contribute to the contamination of precipitation. Snow, acting as a natural filter, accumulates atmospheric pollutants, which are subsequently released during snowmelt, entering stormwater systems and surface water bodies. This issue has been observed across Europe, North America, and other industrialized regions, where heavy metals such as nickel (Ni) and copper (Cu...

The increasing flow of traffic passing through cities on a daily basis, especially those cities that have a difficult situation with bypass, raises concerns about the air quality in sections of the transport corridors, as well as in the city as a whole. Heavy metal pollution is a serious environmental concern, especially in urban and suburban areas where vehicle emissions contribute to air and soil pollution. The aim of the study is to assess the extent of heavy metal contamination in snow samples collected at dif...

In urban environments, human health is increasingly affected by air quality, particularly air pollution with particulate matter (PM), which contains various toxic chemical elements. Car traffic is one of the main sources of air pollution in urban areas, which not only raises dust from roadways but also emits micro particles from diesel engines and tire wear containing heavy metals. The aim of the study is to evaluate the ability of the lichen species Xanthoria parietina, commonly found in Latvia, to biomonitor and...

Well-aerated soils are essential for methane (CH4) uptake from the atmosphere, acting as significant sinks for this greenhouse gas, which has a global warming potential 25 times greater than that of carbon dioxide (CO2). These soils contain methanotrophic bacteria, which oxidize CH4 and thereby reduce atmospheric methane concentrations. The potential of soils to assimilate CH4 depends on factors such as soil type and moisture regime. This study investigates the ability of clay soil Cambic Calcisol to assimilate CH...

The increasing economic activity reinforces the importance of climate change on a global scale. Together with the development of the economy and the increase in people's well-being, the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) which are released into the atmosphere as a result of human activities, also increase. Nitrous oxide (N2O) is one of the main greenhouse and ozone (O3) depleting gases. Seven percent of the anthropogenic greenhouse effect is nitrous oxide. From a molecular perspective, N2O has a 310-fold greater ...

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is one of important greenhouse gas (GHG) whose main sources are agricultural soils. N2O forms in soil as a result of microbial processes, reinforced by the use of nitrogen-containing fertilizers. This study will look at how the formation of N2O in soil is affected by soil moisture and soil granulometric composition. Soil N2O isotopes of ?15N? (central nitrogen position) and ?15N? (end nitrogen position) which could help to identify natural and anthropogenic sources of N2O emissions and the invo...

Agricultural activity accounts for two-thirds of the total anthropogenic nitrogen oxide (N2O) emissions worldwide. Most of the N2O emissions from agricultural soils come from the use of inorganic fertilizers and/or manure. As agricultural activity intensifies worldwide, N2O emissions are currently increasing by 0.25% per year. In order to investigate the feedback of soil N2O emissions with changes in environmental conditions, an improved understanding based on the wider use of isotopic tracer methods is needed. Th...

Reducing GHG emissions from soil is crucial for mitigating climate change, promoting sustainable agriculture, protecting ecosystems and biodiversity, ensuring food security, and improving public health. The effectiveness of GHG mitigating strategies may vary depending on local conditions, soil type, and agricultural practices. It is recognized that conventional farming practices may lead to increased GHG emissions compared to more sustainable farming systems. Therefore, the aim of this study is to research the GHG...

Decomposition of solid waste in landfills causes global air pollution with methane, the most dangerous of the greenhouse gases. The emission potential of this gas is 28-36 times greater than that of CO2. With the help of methane-reducing Biocover, can find a solution to this problem. In this study, a biocover was developed in the laboratory to reduce methane emissions. When measuring the methane emissions of this biocover, data on the amount of carbon dioxide emissions were also obtained in parallel. The purpose o...

Landfills of municipal waste are important sources of methane emissions. The surface of the landfill area is the interface between the waste layer and the atmosphere. By creating a biocover cover layer, it is possible to reduce methane emissions that would refer to air quality. This innovative biocover technology aims to curtail methane emissions from various sources. The research delves into the effectiveness of this biocover in not only mitigating methane emissions but also its potential influence on nitrous oxi...

Every year, cities are becoming more populated and urban traffic more intense. Urban air quality is deteriorating and causes for pollution are being sought and solutions to improve the quality of life in urban areas. Atmospheric deposits, vehicles, traffic and de-icing products are the main sources of snow pollution in cities. Snow, located near roads and streets with intense traffic, is a very useful tool for identifying the risks of traffic-related metals in the environment. In many countries, in winter, they us...

The number of transport units in cities is increasing every year. This trend contributes to air pollution problems in many rapidly urbanizing countries. Various heavy metals and other chemical elements, including aluminum, have been related to air quality degradation. Poor air quality affects people, especially young children, the elderly, and people with chronic illnesses, causing health problems and aggravating existing problems. The aim of the research is to find out which parts of the city of Jelgava have the ...

In order for life to arise and exist on earth, a number of important processes take place in it, based on various elements. One of these elements is nitrogen (N). Nitrogen is the most common element in the atmosphere approximately 78% of the atmosphere consists of nitrogen gas (N2), but in this way, the majority of the living organisms cannot absorb nitrogen. Nitrogen fixation occurs during the nitrogen cycle and results in a number of complex organic compounds required for living organisms. During the nitrogen li...

Agricultural activities account for about a third of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Most of the GHG in the atmosphere are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O). The aim of this study is to measure N2O isotopes in two differently managed agricultural soils. One soil is with organic farming and the other with conventional. Samples were collected in 32 experimental plots as well as a control plot. The samples are thus weighed in 3 l buckets, each 1.8 kg in total. Two samples were made from each...

Crop cultivation is beneficial for reducing soil erosion and nutrient loss, but there is conflicting information on how crop cultivation affects emissions of nitrogen dioxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas. Judicious selection of the cultivated crop in a plant succession is considered an effective approach to maintaining crop productivity. In this paper, we investigated the effects of cultivated crops on soil N2O emissions. Eight crops were used in this study: barley, buckwheat, clover, oats, potatoes, spring whea...

The harmful effects of various air pollutants on human health, living in a polluted air environment, are relatively well proven: the morbidity of the population is increasing, life expectancy is decreasing. Suspended particulates are one of the generally recognized air pollutants. The most dangerous solid particles are released during primary combustion processes, they contain heavy metals (zinc, copper, iron, lead). Heavy metals are known to be persistent in the human body and remain for decades. Heavy metals can...

To achieve implementation of sustainable agriculture practices and implement circular bioeconomy in farms, agricultural waste and residuals commonly are used as feedstock for biogas production that is in line with European Union strategy to reduce methane emissions. Anaerobic digestion of feedstock results in production of the digestate. Digestate, on the one hand, is valuable fertilizer that can substitute synthetic fertilizers. On the other hand, it is associated with methane (CH4), ammonia (NH3) emissions and n...

Particulate air pollution from transport in cities, especially from cars, involves a variety of harmful compounds, including fine iron and heavy metals, which can persist in the air for long periods of time, increasing harmful effects on human health and creating a risk of environmental pollution. In Europe, more and more attention is being given to the chemical composition of dust not only their concentration in cities. The aim of the study was to determine which parts of the Jelgava city have the highest polluti...

Reducing emissions of nitrous oxides in the agricultural sector is one of the mainchallenges. Stable isotopes are one of the tools that record information on changes ingreenhouse gas production, transportation and emissions. The relationship between theprocesses in soil and emissions entering the atmosphere. Stable isotopes, which are directisotopes of nitrous oxide emissions from soil, are already recognised as a promising toolfor tracking atmospheric nitrous oxide emissions from various studies. The purpose ofth...

Increasing the number of cars in urban areas and the development of a variety of production technologies involving the use of fossil fuels in the urban environment are leading to a significant increase in air pollution. As air pollution with heavy metals and other chemical elements increases, air quality is deteriorating. Poor air quality, in turn, causes a number of different problems for human health, causes poor feeling and reduces life quality in total. The method of analysis of snow samples is one of the meth...

Air pollution is a problem today, and it is essential to know how high it is. By increasingpeople's standard of living, increasing the number of factories, cars and citizens, it ishelpful to know how much pollution is distributed and whether it does not exceed thestandards allowed for pollution. It is necessary to investigate air pollution with heavymetals in Jelgava by identifying data from areas. In preparing the analysis, it is possibleto assess whether air quality is adequate and does not exceed pollution stan...

The mitigation of GHG emissions from anthropogenic ecosystems is one of a challenge for following decades. Successful GHG emission mitigation scenarios can be developed if there are tools to predict GHG emission trends according to climate, soil conditions, farm management practices, and other factors. One of the essential GHG emission sources is managed agricultural soils, and the most important factors are soil conditions, soil moisture, and temperature. The conceptual hydrological model METQ has been created un...

Majority of world inhabitants are living in cities as well as many inhabitants in Latvia choose to move to cities to look for wellfare. Living in a city with a high density of buildings, cars, and factories, the risk of air pollution increases. Air pollution from the transport, industry, and energy sectors affect the health of the urban population. In cities, air is often contaminated with dust containing various chemical elements, including heavy metals, which, even in low concentrations, can be hazardous to huma...

Nitrous oxide N2O is one of the major contributors to global warming and ozone depletion in the stratosphere. Management of agricultural soils is the largest source of N2O emissions in agricultural sector, therefore simultaneous and accurate measurement of N2O concentration is necessary. Nitrous oxide emission is formed within nitrification and denitrification processes in agricultural soils. The agricultural sector is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in Latvia as it accounted for 24.6 % of t...

Air pollution has a negative impact on human health and the ecosystem as a whole. It causes a variety of diseases, such as asthma, various lung diseases, cardiovascular diseases, which particularly affect children and the elderly. The aim of the study is to determine how the preparation of melted snow samples for analysis influences concentrations of lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni), vanadium (V), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn) in snow samples. For snow samples analysis ICP-OES spectrometer "iCAP 7000" is used. In s...

Air pollution in cities caused by traffic is an important environmental and health issue worldwide. Air pollution caused by traffic exceeds air pollution from other anthropogenic sources, such as industrial, various heat supply and residential areas. This study analyzes a wide range of pollutants in snowpacks at different intensity roads in one of the largest cities in Latvia in Jelgava. Snow samples are taken from three sampling points at distance of 1 m, 10 m, and 20 m from the roadway. In the study, various met...

Air pollution is one of the main factors that affects human health. It may affect our health in many ways both long and short term. Exposure time of air pollution increases the risk of respiratory diseases, such as pneumonia, lung cancer, and causes cardiovascular diseases. Air pollution affects different groups of individuals in various ways. An objective of this study was to investigate the level of pollution in snow blanket in Jelgava city after exposition of 7 days and to determine the cause of pollution in di...

More than half of the world population lives in cities. In 2030, 80% of the world population will live in urban areas, according to United Nations migration forecasts. People who are living in cities are exposed to air pollution. The concentration of air pollution is increased by traffic intensity. Increasing traffic intensity increases the number of automobile congestion in large cities. Therefore, there is a need to implement the measures for reducing air pollution in surroundings. Scientific studies show that e...