Dr. Wachniew: Polish waters will be polluted for several more decades

Even if we take care of the environment now, and farmers use less fertilizers, from which nutrients get into the soils and then into the waters, Polish rivers and the Baltic Sea will be polluted even for several decades, according to environmental physicist Dr. Przemysław Wachniew of AGH.

Teamoł Wachniewa has carried out the international research project Soils2Sea in recent years. AGH scientists analyzed the processes of transport of biogenic pollutants through soils and groundwater. The project has pomoc in reducing pollution of agricultural origin flowing into the Baltic Sea through groundwater and surface water.

According to the study, the poor condition of Polish wod and the Baltic Sea is not only the effect of current fertilization of the landow by farmerow. – Today we struggle with the effect of fertilization used back in the 1970s, 1980s – noted in an interview with PAP a scientist from the Academy of GoThe research also confirmed the close relationship between soil type and the rate of water transport to the ground.

As he explained, groundwater carrying contaminants in many cases remains underground for quite a long time, and can flow into a nearby river after several decades.

– We must deal with the specter of the past. Even if we now use no matter how good agricultural practices, keep soil fertilization to a minimum, we will not see a decrease in nutrient pollution concentrations in rivers within a few years – said Przemyslaw Wachniew.

As he stressed, Polish soils are quite permeable to water and pollution, few harmful in excess nitrateoin (a component of fertilizero(w) undergoes retention or decomposition in them. – Our results lead us to consider all of Poland a dangerous area, such a black spot on the map of Europe in terms of pollution in theod – admitted.

Research by scientists has also confirmed the close relationship between soil type and the rate of water transport to the groundoin, and then to the rivers. Pollutants penetrate sandy soils the fastest.

Rivers are polluted most where there is the highest population density and most intensive agriculture.

Fertilization and animal husbandry are the mainoIn the Baltic Sea catchment area we have almost half of the population and almost half of the landoThe most important source of pollution in rivers is biogenic substances (approx. 90 percent. nationwide), but locally, pollution from treated and untreated wastewater may be importantoin livestock.

The visible results of the pollution of Polish rivers include.in. Making swimming impossible algae bloomsow on Baltic beaches. – In the Baltic Sea catchment area we have almost half the population and almost half the landow agricultural. Most pollution flows into the Baltic Sea from Poland – said the scientist, and added that farmers often have no idea that, in a way, they themselves contribute to the poor quality of Polish wod.

Oprocz scholars from the AGH University of Science and Technology worked on the Soils2Sea project with scientists from Denmark, Germany, Russia and Sweden. The venture wspofinanced by the European Union.

The scientists will present the exact results of the study at a conference planned for the spring. (PAP)

Sourceobackground: PAP – Science in Poland , Beata Kolodziej, fot. Dieter_G/Pixabay