An attempt at assessing the correlation between the content of fluoride in the Antarctic krill from various fishery and its.biological condition was carried out Fluoride was determined with the Dolan method, which was modified by the present authors. No statistically significant correlation was found between the degree of sexual maturity and fluoride content. There was no decisive statistical relation between the body weight and body length of individuals and the content of fluoride in the Antarctic krill.

The last biomonitoring study in Poland on intoxication with fluoride compounds of deer was conducted almost two decades ago. Given the fact that fluoride level in air and water is not widely monitored in Poland, it is justified to undertake monitoring of F- levels in people and other long-lived mammals. This paper provides the assessment of the present level of fluoride accumulation in mineralized tissue of large herbivorous mammals. The aim of the present study was to determine fluoride concentration in teeth of deer inhabiting the areas of Poland which are industrially uncontaminated with fluoride compounds, to establish possible correlations between the analysed parameters, and to provide a comparison of the present results with those obtained in other studies. Mean concentration of fluoride in all analysed samples amounted to 231.0 F mg/kg, with the minimum value of 22.0 F mg/kg and the maximum of 935.0 F mg/kg. This results from the development of industry and a widespread use of fluoride-supplemented caries prevention products which contributes to an intense accumulation of these substances in vertebrates, predominantly in mineralized tissue.

This article presents results of studies on multicriteria optimisation in the decopperisation process of flash smelting slags coming from the process of decopperisation at the "Głogów II" Copper Smelter. Measurements of viscosity were conducted using a high-temperature viscometer manufactured by Brookfield company. An addition in the form of calcium fluoride has an advantageous influence on decreasing the liquidus temperature of slag, and the effect of decreasing viscosity at the participation of calcium fluoride is significant. A motivation to conduct studies on viscosity of decopperised slags is an optimisation of the process of decopperisation at an improvement of this process parameters, i.e. the time of melt per one production cycle and consumption of electric power in the whole process. The efficiency of optimisation of the process course depends not only on an accepted criterion of the quality of controlling, a type of technological parameters, but also, to large extent, on characteristics and features of these parameters. CaCO3 currently added to the process of decopperisation efficiently decreases viscosity of flash slag, at the same time has influence on an increase of the yield of copper in alloy, but on the other hand, it increases the mass of slag, artificially under representing concentration of this metal. The article is completed with a conclusion of discussed issues, stating that a search for a new technological addition is still necessary,

Fluorine and sodium chloride are common elements present in the water environment. According to WHO guidelines fluoride content in water cannot be not higher than 1.5 mgF-/dm3. Elevated fluoride content was observed all over the world and it leads to many health issues. It can be removed with the usage of various methods (ion exchange, membrane processes, adsorption, precipitation). In this paper fluoride removal with nanofiltration usage was described. Tests were performed with the application of Amicon 86400 filtration cells. Two types of commercial nanofiltration membranes NP010P and NP030P (Microdyn Nadir) were used. Transmembrane pressure was established as 0.3 MPa. For lower fluoride concentrations (5 mgF-/dm3) NF process allowed to decrease fluoride content under level 1.5 mgF-/dm3. Removal efficiency decreased with increasing fluoride content. Membrane NP030P showed better separation properties. Sodium chloride influenced removal efficiency as well as fluoride adsorption on/in membranes during the process. According to obtained data, better hydraulic properties exhibited membrane NP010P. For both membranes decrease in permeate flux in comparison to pure water was noticed what was observed. Relative permeability was lowered even to 0.32.

The paper presents the result of hydrogeological studies of Lublin Coal Basin (LCB), particularly at Jurassic level. It is arranged in several parts: I) stratigraphy, tectonics and lithology of Jurassic system at LCB territory, 2) groundwater dynamics, 3) chemical composition of waters, 4) hyclrogeochemical stability conditions. The paper also suggests a few main directions of using the Jurassic waters in prophylaxis and therapy of many diseases. The waters, containing considerably elevated quantities of fluorine compounds come from Jurassic formation lying at the considerable depth. Coal mine joins them with saline Carboniferous waters. After pretreatment, they are discharged to the surface ancl to the river. Jurassic waters belong to the group of low mineralised waters. They contain 6-1 I mg F/dm3 fluorides. Thus they can be usefu I in prophylactics of teeth ancl paradental illnesses, particularly in risk groups. Thanks to, fluorides contained in these waters they can be used during and after treatment and to support surgical operations or rehabilitation effects.

Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is one of the most important piezoelectric polymers. Piezoelectricity in PVDF appears in polar b and ɣ phases. Piezoelectric fibers obtained by means of electrospinning may be used in tissue engineering (TE) as a smart analogue of the natural extracellular matrix (ECM). We present results showing the effect of rotational speed of the collecting drum on morphology, phase content and in vitro biological properties of PVDF nonwovens. Morphology and phase composition were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), respectively. It was shown that increasing rotational speed of the collector leads to an increase in fiber orientation, reduction in fiber diameter and considerable increase of polar phase content, both b and g. In vitro cell culture experiments, carried out with the use of ultrasounds in order to generate electrical potential via piezoelectricity, indicate a positive effect of polar phases on fibroblasts. Our preliminary results demonstrate that piezoelectric PVDF scaffolds are promising materials for tissue engineering applications, particularly for neural tissue regeneration, where the electric potential is crucial.

The phytotoxic effects of fluoride and its derivatives on the seeds and seedlings of the Colobanthus apetalus and Colobanthus quitensis were studied. This is a first study to evaluate the influence of sodium fluoride (NaF) on the morphophysiological and biochemical processes on two Colobanthus species. The influence of various concentrations of NaF (9 mM, 19 mM, 29 mM) on the germination capacity and germination rate of seeds, seedlings growth and the proline content of plant tissues was analyzed under laboratory conditions (20/10°C, 12/12 h). The seeds of C. apetalus were collected from a greenhouse, whereas the seeds of C. quitensis were collected in Antarctica and in a greenhouse (Olsztyn, Poland). The tested concentrations of NaF did not suppress the germination of C. apetalus seeds, but the germination of C. quitensis seeds was inhibited. Sodium fluoride mainly inhibited root growth of C. apetalus and C. quitensis. In both analyzed species, the free proline content of seedlings increased significantly under exposure to NaF. The results of this study clearly indicate that C. apetalus and C. quitensis are highly resistant to NaF stress.

Polymer coatings are increasingly used in varied fields and applications from simple coatings of barrier to intricated nanotechnology based composite. In the present study, polyvinylidene fluoride(PVDF)/Hydroxyapatite (HA )coatings were produced by spin coating technique over 316L SS. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) were used to observe the coated 316L SS substrates surface morphology. The corrosion protection efficiency of pure polyvinylidene fluoride and polyvinylidene fluoride/HA nanocomposite coatings on 316L SS was inspected using potentiodynamic polarization along with the ions release techniques in Hank’s solution. A superior biocompatibility and an improved protection performance against corrosion were obtained for the 316L SS samples with nanocomposite coatings compared with the pure polyvinylidene fluoride coatings and pristine 316L SS counterparts. The 316L SS samples coated by PVDF/HA nanocomposite showed enhanced corrosion protection within Hank’s solution. The corrosion of 316L SS samples within Hank’s solution increased from 92.99% to 99.99% when using 3wt% HA due to increasing the PVDF inhibition efficiency. Good agreements in the electrochemical corrosion parameters were obtained from using ions release and potentiodynamic polarization tests.