The use of spider webs in the monitoring of air quality-A review.

Methods for using spider webs as passive air samplers have been developed over recent years and reported in more than a dozen articles. In this article, we present the typical procedures followed when using this new tool and critically review its application in air pollution assessment. To understand the state of research and application of spider webs in this field, we describe some advantages and disadvantages of their use in the analyses of air contaminants. The aim is to summarize the current knowledge on this subject, highlight gaps in the present studies, and arouse the interest of scientists on this issue. The increased effort could result in the standardization of the method at the national and international level. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2023;19:32-44. © 2022 SETAC.

The Comprehensive Health Risk Assessment of Polish Smelters with Ecotoxicological Studies.

Air pollution connected to smelter activity can significantly deteriorate the quality of soil due to the precipitation of rain or simple deposition of the air particulates into the ground. Hence, in this study, we focused on the analysis of the soil which can inform us about the general state of the environment in the area and the possible health hazard for humans. If the top layer of the soil is in bad condition, it can indicate that air pollution in the area is also not in good condition, and the lives of the inhabitants of these areas can be at serious risk. To comprehensively identify the level of contamination in the soils from the areas of Polish smelters, studies of the concentration of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in the soil were conducted. On the basis of the obtained results, health risk assessment was performed to verify the possible influence on human health. The results showed that the non-carcinogenic risk existed only for Olawa, while the possibility of the carcinogenic risk occurred in all of the studied places. The outcome is very disturbing and certain steps must be undertaken in order to protect the lives of the inhabitants. Additionally, in order to assess the suitability of soils for the cultivation of edible plants, phytotoxicity tests were conducted. The obtained results revealed that in all the studied areas, a visible inhibition of roots and shoots can be observed. The conducted study indicated the most polluted regions and the possible health hazard, and it can provide the general information about the impact of smelters on the environment.