Publications Repository - Gdańsk University of Technology

Page settings

polski
Publications Repository
Gdańsk University of Technology

Show publications from the year

Publications from the year 2019

Show all
  • A design framework for rigorous constrained EM-driven optimization of miniaturized antennas with circular polarization
    • Adrian Bekasiewicz
    • Sławomir Kozieł
    2019 Full text Metrology and Measurement Systems

    Compact radiators with circular polarization are important components of modern mobile communication systems. Their design is a challenging process which requires maintaining simultaneous control over several performance figures but also the structure size. In this work, a novel design framework for multi-stage constrained miniaturization of antennas with circular polarization is presented. The method involves sequential optimization of the radiator in respect of selected performance figures and, eventually, the size. Optimizations are performed with iteratively increased number of design constraints. Numerical efficiency of the method is ensured using a fast local-search algorithm embedded in a trust-region framework. The proposed design framework is demonstrated using a compact planar radiator with circular polarization. The optimized antenna is characterized by a small size of 271 mm2 with 37% and 47% bandwidths in respect of 10 dB return loss and 3 dB axial ratio, respectively. The structure is benchmarked against the state of-the-art circular polarization antennas. Numerical results are confirmed by measurements of the fabricated antenna prototype.

  • A fast start-up of the organotrophic anammox process inoculated with constructed wetland sediment
    • Xuejiao Yin
    • Jun Zhai
    • Wei Hu
    • Yue Li
    • Md. Hasibur Rahaman
    • Jacek Mąkinia
    2019 ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING

    Organotrophic anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) bacteria can utilize small volatile fatty acids with nitrate as electron acceptors with less energy consumption and no biomass production. To achieve a faster and stable start-up of organotrophic anammox process, in this study, the growth of organotrophic anammox bacteria seeded from hybrid constructed wetland (CW) sediment under different TOC/TN ratios and different chloramphenicol concentrations were investigated. The incubation study was conducted at the TOC/TN ratio = 0.0375–0.1 or 0.1–0.2 for the period of over five months by using serum bottles. The anammox bacteria revealed a higher activity when the TOC/TN ratio was 0.1, with the removal efficiency of NH4+-N (60–80%) and NO2−-N (~100%). The relative abundances of anammox in the incubated CW sediment were about 30% higher in comparison with the municipal waste water treatment plant sludge, suggesting the CW sediment could be a viable source for the enrichment of organotrophic anammox bacteria. On the contrary, the continuous addition of 50 mg/L chloramphenicol completely inhibited the anammox activity in our study. Following the results of the batch tests, Candidatus Brocadia caroliniensis was successfully enriched with the CW sediment in an auto-controlled SBR for the period of 40 days.

  • A Framework for Searching in Graphs in the Presence of Errors
    • Dariusz Dereniowski
    • Stefan Tiegel
    • Przemysław Uznański
    • Daniel Wolleb-Graf
    2019

    We consider a problem of searching for an unknown target vertex t in a (possibly edge-weighted) graph. Each vertex-query points to a vertex v and the response either admits that v is the target or provides any neighbor s of v that lies on a shortest path from v to t. This model has been introduced for trees by Onak and Parys [FOCS 2006] and for general graphs by Emamjomeh-Zadeh et al. [STOC 2016]. In the latter, the authors provide algorithms for the error-less case and for the independent noise model (where each query independently receives an erroneous answer with known probability p<1/2 and a correct one with probability 1-p). We study this problem both with adversarial errors and independent noise models. First, we show an algorithm that needs at most (log_2 n)/(1 - H(r)) queries in case of adversarial errors, where the adversary is bounded with its rate of errors by a known constant r<1/2. Our algorithm is in fact a simplification of previous work, and our refinement lies in invoking an amortization argument. We then show that our algorithm coupled with a Chernoff bound argument leads to a simpler algorithm for the independent noise model and has a query complexity that is both simpler and asymptotically better than the one of Emamjomeh-Zadeh et al. [STOC 2016]. Our approach has a wide range of applications. First, it improves and simplifies the Robust Interactive Learning framework proposed by Emamjomeh-Zadeh and Kempe [NIPS 2017]. Secondly, performing analogous analysis for edge-queries (where a query to an edge e returns its endpoint that is closer to the target) we actually recover (as a special case) a noisy binary search algorithm that is asymptotically optimal, matching the complexity of Feige et al. [SIAM J. Comput. 1994]. Thirdly, we improve and simplify upon an algorithm for searching of unbounded domains due to Aslam and Dhagat [STOC 1991].

  • A Generalized Framework Towards Structural Mechanics of Three-layered Composite Structures
    • Marcus Aßmus
    • Konstantin Naumenko
    • Andreas Öchsner
    • Victor Eremeev
    • Holm Altenbach
    2019 Full text Technische Mechanik

    Three-layered composite structures find a broad application. Increasingly, composites are being used whose layer thicknesses and material properties diverge strongly. In the perspective of structural mechanics, classical approaches to analysis fail at such extraordinary composites. Therefore, emphasis of the present approach is on arbitrary transverse shear rigidities and structural thicknesses of the individual layers. Therewith we employ a layer-wise approach for multiple (quasi-)homogeneous layers. Every layer is considered separately whereby this disquisition is based on the direct approach for deformable directed surfaces. We limit our considerations to geometrical and physical linearity. In this simple and familiar setting we furnish a layer-wise theory by introducing constraints at interfaces to couple the layers. Hereby we restrict our concern to surfaces where all material points per surface are coplanar and all surfaces are plane parallel. Closed-form solutions of the governing equations enforce a narrow frame since they are strongly restrictive in the context of available boundary conditions. Thus a computational solution approach is introduced using the finite element method. In order to determine the required spatially approximated equation of motion, the principle of virtual work is exploited. The discretization is realized via quadrilateral elements with quadratic shape functions. Hereby we introduce an approach where nine degrees of freedom per node are used. In combination with the numerical solution approach, this layer-wise theory has emerged as a powerful tool to analyze composite structures. In present treatise, we would like to clarify the broad scope of this approach.

  • A Generalized SDP Multi-Objective Optimization Method for EM-Based Microwave Device Design
    • Liu Ying
    • Qingsha Cheng
    • Sławomir Kozieł
    2019 Full text SENSORS

    In this article, a generalized sequential domain patching (GSDP) method for efficient multi-objective optimization based on electromagnetics (EM) simulation is proposed. The GSDP method allowing fast searching for Pareto fronts for two and three objectives is elaborated in detail in this paper. The GSDP method is compared with the NSGA-II method using multi-objective problems in the DTLZ series, and the results show the GSDP method saved computational cost by more than 85% compared to NSGA-II method. A diversity comparison indicator (DCI) is used to evaluate approximate Pareto fronts. The comparison results show the diversity performance of GSDP is better than that of NSGA-II in most cases. We demonstrate the proposed GSDP method using a practical multi-objective design example of EM-based UWB antenna for IoT applications.

  • A Geometrically Simple Compact Wideband Circularly Polarized Antenna
    • Ubaid Ullah
    • Sławomir Kozieł
    • Ismail Mabrouk
    2019 IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters

    A compact broadband wide-slot circular polarization (CP) antenna is proposed. An inverted L-shape parasitic strip at the open end of a microstrip line extension and a slot modification is applied to attain wideband CP. The advantage of this technique is simplicity which makes it readily re-designable for different frequency bands. To demonstrate the concept, three designs working at different frequencies are obtained. The redesign procedure is straightforward and only requires a recalculation of the selected physical dimensions followed by EM-based parameter tuning. A compact size of 0.09λ0 is achieved when measured at the lowest CP frequency. The optimized designs are validated experimentally in terms of |S11| , axial ratio (AR), realized gain, and radiation patterns. For the design corresponding to the lowest operating frequency, a total impedance bandwidth of ∼89-percent (3.2 GHz- 8.4 GHz), ARBW ≤3dB of 82-percent (3.2 GHz to 7.65 GHz), average in-band realized gain of 3.3 dBi, and a bidirectional radiation pattern with a dual sense of polarization is achieved. A thorough benchmarking indicates the superiority of the proposed antenna over the state-of-the-art designs in terms of all major performance figures.

  • A Highly Selective Biosensor Based on Peptide Directly Derived from the HarmOBP7 Aldehyde Binding Site
    • Wasilewski Tomasz
    • Bartosz Szulczyński
    • Marek Wojciechowski
    • Wojciech Kamysz
    • Jacek Gębicki
    2019 Full text SENSORS

    This paper presents the results of research on determining the optimal length of a peptide chain to eectively bind octanal molecules. Peptides that map the aldehyde binding site in HarmOBP7 were immobilized on piezoelectric transducers. Based on computational studies, four Odorant Binding Protein-derived Peptides (OBPPs) with dierent sequences were selected. Molecular modelling results of ligand docking with selected peptides were correlated with experimental results. The use of low-molecular synthetic peptides, instead of the whole protein, enabled the construction OBPPs-based biosensors. This work aims at developing a biomimetic piezoelectric OBPPs sensor for selective detection of octanal. Moreover, the research is concerned with the ligand binding anity depending on dierent peptides’ chain lengths. The authors believe that the chain length can have a substantial influence on the type and eectiveness of peptide–ligand interaction. A confirmation of in silico investigation results is the correlation with the experimental results, which shows that the highest anity to octanal is exhibited by the longest peptide (OBPP4 – KLLFDSLTDLKKKMSEC-NH2). We hypothesized that the binding of long chain aldehydes to the peptide, mimicking the binding site of HarmOBP7, induced a conformational change in the peptide deposited on a selected transducer. The constructed OBPP4-based biosensors were able to selectively bind octanal in the gas phase. It was also shown that the sensors were characterized by high selectivity with respect to octanal, as well as to acetaldehyde and benzaldehyde. The results indicate that the OBPP4 peptide, mimicking the binding domain in the Odorant Binding Protein, can provide new opportunities for the development of biomimicking materials in the field of odor biosensors.

  • A hybrid model of flooding of the ro-ro ships in damaged conditions
    • Mirosław Gerigk
    • Jacek Jachowski
    • Julita Sargun
    2019 Full text TransNav - The International Journal on Marine Navigation and Safety of Sea Transportation

    The paper presents some results on investigations concerning development of a hybrid model for assessment of performance of the ro‐ro ships in damaged conditions. The model is devoted towards assessing the performance of the damaged ro‐ro ships at the preliminary stage of design. The key problems associated with preparing of such the model are associated with working out a method of assessment of the damaged roro ships performance, investigating all the phenomena which associated with the flooding process of the damaged ro‐ro ships and preparing the model itself. Introducing the method of assessment of the damaged roro ships performance it has been assumed that there is a dependence between the arrangement of internal spaces of a ro‐ro ship and flooding process. The major phenomena which have been decided to take into account when considering flooding of the ro‐ro ships are the flooding understood as the flow of external water into the data damaged compartment, impact of the flooding water on the ship structure and damaged ro‐ro ship motion. Knowing the damaged ro‐ro ship motion characteristics in time domain it is relatively easy to assess the damaged ro‐ro ship performance according to the heeling angle and assess the ro‐ro ship design according to the data arrangement of internal spaces. The last research issue is to investigate if the proposed model may be appropriate tool for assessing the performance of the ro‐ro ships in damaged conditions at the preliminary stage of design. The aim of this paper is to show how to incorporate the dynamics of the damaged ro‐ro ships when assessing the ship performance and safety at the preliminary stage of design. The basic information on the model for estimation of the damaged ro‐ro ship behavior during the flooding process is presented. The complexity of this model is shown depending on the approach applied to consider the flooding process itself. The model is devoted towards assessment of performance of the damaged ro‐ro ships and it is still under the development according to a Ph.D. research at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering Gdańsk University of Technology.

  • A Measurement System for Quasi-Spectral Determination of Absorption and Scattering Parameters of Veterinary Tissue Phantoms
    • Paulina Listewnik
    • Michał Wąsowicz
    • Monika Kosowska
    • Adam Mazikowski
    2019 Full text Applied Sciences-Basel

    This paper describes the construction of a system for the quasi-spectral determination of absorption and scattering parameters of animal tissue phantoms. Several tissue phantoms, including one reference and two modified for examination, were prepared from polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The phantoms were measured using a system based on an integrating sphere and the light sources of wavelengths commonly used for the treatment of various diseases in veterinary medicine, including 635 nm (red), 532 nm (green) and 447 nm (blue). The obtained results are consistent with data provided in reference sources and can also be approximated for the entire spectral range of visible radiation (380–780 nm). The developed system is suitable for further measurements of phantoms, which can be adapted to imitate different tissues.

  • A Method for Determination and Compensation of a Cant Influence in a Track Centerline Identification Using GNSS Methods and Inertial Measurement
    • Władysław Koc
    • Cezary Specht
    • Jacek Szmagliński
    • Piotr Chrostowski
    2019 Full text Applied Sciences-Basel

    At present, the problem of rail routes reconstruction in a global reference system is increasingly important. This issue is called Absolute Track Geometry, and its essence is the determination of the axis of railway tracks in the form of Cartesian coordinates of a global or local coordinate system. To obtain such a representation of the track centerline, the measurement methods are developed in many countries mostly by the using global navigation satellite system (GNSS) techniques. The accuracy of this type of measurement in favorable conditions reaches one centimeter. However, some specific conditions cause the additional supporting measurements with a use of such instruments as tachymetry, odometers, or accelerometers to be needed. One of the common issues of track axis reconstruction is transforming the measured GNSS antenna coordinates to the target position, i.e., to the place between rails on the level of rail heads. The authors in their previous works described the developed methodology, while this article presents a method of determining the correction of horizontal coordinates for measurements in arc sections of the railway track. The presence of a cant causes the antenna’s center to move away from the track axis, and for this reason, the results must be corrected. This article presents a method of calculation of mentioned corrections for positions obtained from mobile satellite surveying with additional inertial measurement. The algorithm presented in the article and its implementation have been illustrated on an example of a complex geometric layout, where cant transitions exist without transition curves in horizontal plane. Such a layout is not preferable due to the additional accelerations and their changes. However, it allows the verification of the presented methods.

  • A Method for the Evaluation of Urban Freight Transport Models as a Tool for Improving the Delivery of Sustainable Urban Transport Policy
    • Daniel Kaszubowski
    2019 Full text Sustainability

    The article presents a method which helps local authorities to evaluate urban freight transport models. Given the complex requirements for input data and the inability to supply them for most cities, a proper quantitative evaluation of model functionality may be quite difficult for local authorities. Freight transport models designed to support sustainable urban freight transport objectives are a particular example. To overcome these difficulties, the structure of the method is based on a qualitative analysis of strategic and operational conditions of urban freight management for modelling purposes. A consistent set of criteria is developed to help with parameterising strategic objectives and the analytical requirements of tools to achieve those objectives. The problems of data availability and capture are also included. The method consists of three tiers that are arranged hierarchically to reflect the interrelations. The proposed method was verified against Gdynia’s (Poland) urban freight management requirements. The city was chosen for its early experience of urban freight studies and improvement measures and because it has already defined its strategic objectives. Two comprehensive freight transport models (Freturb and Wiver) and existing city’s transport model were evaluated. The results have ruled out the existing transport model rendering it ineffective as a tool to support urban freight management to meet the city’s strategic objectives. While Freturb turned out to be much better suited for the needs, dedicated models still face a basic barrier of cities having to redesign their systems for collecting urban transport data

  • A method for the three-dimensional and synchronous resolution of functional and spatial matters in architectural design
    • Ksenia Piątkowska
    2019 Full text World Transactions on Engineering and Technology Education

    The article discusses the issue of applied methods of teaching architectural design at Polish universities. The authors review the common methods based on conceptual drawings solving design problems in only two dimensions. After completing the floor plans' sketching process carried out in 2D way the 3D virtual models are made - seldom cardboard mock-ups - to illustrate the final spatial form of the designed object. At the Faculty of Architecture of Gdansk University of Technology the method of building an architectural concept is based on simultaneous analysis of spatial structure, functional connections and utility assumptions in three dimensions, by testing all the ideas in the mock-up structures first to find the adequate solutions for a particular context of the design. As the second stage of the design process the traditional methods of 2D design are implemented to conclude the architectural task. This process of building an architectural concept first in 3D mock-ups shapes students' spatial imagination - a desired ability in the architect's profession.

  • A Method of Fast and Simultaneous Calibration of Many Mobile FMCW Radars Operating in a Network Anti-Drone System
    • Aleksander Nowak
    • Krzysztof Naus
    • Dariusz Maksimiuk
    2019 Full text Remote Sensing

    A market for small drones is developing very fast. They are used for leisure activities and exploited in commercial applications. However, there is a growing concern for accidental or even criminal misuses of these platforms. Dangerous incidents with drones are appearing more often, and have caused many institutions to start thinking about anti-drone solutions. There are many cases when building stationary systems seems to be aimless since the high cost does not correspond with, for example, threat frequency. In such cases, mobile drone countermeasure systems seem to perfectly meet demands. In modern mobile solutions, frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radars are frequently used as detectors. Proper cooperation of many radars demands their measurements to be brought to a common coordinate system—azimuths must be measured in the same direction (preferably the north). It requires calibration, understood as determining constant corrections to measured angles. The article presents the author's method of fast, simultaneous calibration of many mobile FMCW radars operating in a network. It was validated using 95,000 numerical tests. The results show that the proposed method significantly improves the north orientation of the radars throughout the whole range of the initial errors. Therefore, it can be successfully used in practical applications.

  • A method to determine the tightening sequence for standing rigging of a mast
    • Leszek Samson
    • Maciej Kahsin
    2019 Full text Polish Maritime Research

    The article proposes an alternative method to determine the sequence of generation of pre-tension forces in standing rigging of a mast. The proposed approach has been verified on both a virtual simulation experiment and laboratory tests. In this method, the desired tension values are obtained using the influence matrix which allows to calculate the effect of tension change in an individual rope on the tension distribution in the remaining ropes in the system. Unlike the presently used method, in which the desired tension distribution is obtained in a long-lasting iterative process burdened with relatively large errors of final values, the proposed method makes it possible to achieve the final tension distribution in a finite number of steps. In the case of FEM analyses, the new method can be a useful tool for determining an arbitrary distribution of tension forces in ropes via solving a system of linear equations.

  • A miniaturized solid-contact potentiometric multisensor platform for determination of ionic profiles in human saliva
    • Marcin Urbanowicz
    • Dorota G. Pijanowska
    • Artur Jasiński
    • Marcin Ekman
    • Maria Bocheńska
    2019 Full text JOURNAL OF SOLID STATE ELECTROCHEMISTRY

    This paper describes a miniaturized multisensor platform (MP-ISES) consisting of electrodes: a reference one (RE) and ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) for monitoring Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl−, and SCN− ions and pH in human saliva. Gold electrode surface was modified by deposition of two layers: electrosynthesized PEDOT:PSS forming an intermediate layer, and ion-selective membrane. The developed ISEs were characterized by a wide linear range and sensitivity consistent with the Nernst model. The entire MP-ISEs are characterized by satisfactory metrological parameters demonstrating their applicability in biomedical research, in particular in measurements concerning determination of ionic profiles of saliva. Saliva samples of 18 volunteers aged from 20 to 26 participating in a month experiment had been daily collected and investigated using the MP-ISEs assigned individually to each person. Personalized profiles of ions (ionograms) in saliva, such as Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl−, SCN−, and H+, were obtained.

  • A mixture of cellulose production waste with municipal sewage as new material for an ecological management of wastes
    • Jacek Antonkiewicz
    • Agnieszka Baran
    • Robert Pełka
    • Anna Wisła-Świder
    • Ewelina Nowak
    • Piotr Konieczka
    2019 ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY

    Chemical contaminants present in cellulose production waste and municipal sewage sludge condition the necessity to treat these wastes before they are introduced into the environment. Environmental use of the these wastes appears to be justified owing to the content of organic substances as well as the considerable fertilising value. The aim of the study was to assess chemical composition and ecotoxicity of cellulose production waste and municipal sewage sludge in terms of their eco-friendly application. The assessment was done based on the established soil environment according to regulations in Poland. The research on the chemical composition of the wastes was conducted under laboratory conditions, determining the content of macroelements, microelements and heavy metals with respect to using these wastes in the environment. Phytotoxkit and Microtox tests were performed in order to determine the ecotoxicity of the wastes in the aspect of their environmental use. It was established that, compared to the cellulose production waste, the municipal sewage sludge used in the incubation experiment had a higher content of macroelements and microelements. The content of heavy metals in the waste did not exceed the permissible content that conditions their use in agriculture and reclamation. Based on the results of bioassays it was established that the cellulose production waste was toxic, whereas the combination of cellulose production waste and sewage sludge was found to be of low toxicity to test organisms. The applied wastes and their mixtures were ranked according to phytotoxicity in the following order: cellulose production waste> cellulose production waste +soil> cellulose production waste +sewage sludge. The research results indicate that waste mixtures qualify for environmental use. With respect to the variable chemical composition of cellulose production waste and municipal sewage sludge as well as their ecotoxicity, it was established that each batch intended for environmental use must be subjected to chemical analysis and ecotoxicological tests.

  • A model development and experimental verification for a vapour microturbine with a permanent magnet synchronous generator
    • Wojciech Włodarski
    2019 Full text APPLIED ENERGY

    Vapour microturbines with permanent magnet synchronous generators are implemented in micropower plants for dispersed power generation systems. The dynamic model of such a microturbine set was developed and presented. The developed relations result from the generic equations. Experimental data for two different working medium were used for model verification. A microturbine set model was tested during the changes in the parameters of a working medium or an electrical load. Examples of a comparison between the experimental results and simulations are shown and discussed. The developed model ensures comparable accuracy as gas microturbine models found in the literature. In the case of vapour microturbine sets, in addition to accuracy, provides a larger area of operation. An operation during a start-up process was also analysed. Due to model simplifications, the accuracy decreases for a start-up operation from a cold state. The developed model can be a useful tool for some engineering applications or for studying the various operational aspects of vapour microturbines with permanent magnet synchronous generators.

  • A Multi-Antenna Scheme for Early Detection and Mitigation of Intermediate GNSS Spoofing
    • Jarosław Magiera
    2019 Full text SENSORS

    This article presents a method for detecting and mitigating intermediate GNSS spoofing. In this type of attack, at its early stage, a spoofer transmits counterfeit signals which have slight time offsets compared to true signals arriving from satellites. The anti-spoofing method proposed in this article fuses antenna array processing techniques with a multipath detection algorithm. The latter is necessary to separate highly correlated true and counterfeit GNSS signals. Spoofing detection is based on comparison of steering vectors related to received spatial components. Whereas mitigation is achieved by means of adaptive beamforming which excises interferences arriving from common direction and preserves undistorted signals from GNSS satellites. Performance of proposed method is evaluated through simulations, results of which prove the usefulness of this method for protecting GNSS receivers from intermediate spoofing interference.

  • A negative effect of carbon phase on specific capacity of electrode material consisted of nanosized bismuth vanadate embedded in carbonaceous matrix
    • Andrzej Nowak
    • Konrad Trzciński
    • Mariusz Szkoda
    • Jakub Karczewski
    • Maria Gazda
    • Anna Lisowska-Oleksiak
    2019 Full text SYNTHETIC METALS

    Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are widely used all over the world. The LIBs belong to a renewable energy source and energy storage devices. The increase in energy demand causes that new materials of higher energy and higher power densities are still under investigation. Herein, we compare electrochemical properties of bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) embedded and not embedded into carbonaceous matrix as an anode material along with structural changes. Material incorporated into carbon phase (BiVO4@C) exhibited much better electrochemical stability but with lower specific capacity (128 mA h/g) in comparison with pure BiVO4 (217 mA h/g). XRD measurements showed the change in crystallographic structure due to lithium ion intercalation/extraction process. Hence, it seemed obvious that the presence of carbon affected the interfacial structural and electrochemical properties of bismuth vanadate based electrodes.

  • A New Approach for Investigating the Impact of Pesticides and Nutrient Flux from Agricultural Holdings and Land-Use Structures on Baltic Sea Coastal Waters
    • Lidia Dzierzbicka-Głowacka
    • Maciej Janecki
    • Dawid Dybowski
    • Beata Szymczycha
    • Hanna Obarska-Pempkowiak
    • Ewa Wojciechowska
    • Piotr Zima
    • Stefan Pietrzak
    • Grażyna Pazikowska-sapota
    • Beata Jaworska-Szulc
    • Artur Nowicki
    • Żaneta Kłostowska
    • Adam Szymkiewicz
    • Katarzyna Galer-Tatarowicz
    • Marcin Wichorowski
    • Michał Białoskórski
    • Tadeusz Puszkarczuk
    2019 Full text POLISH JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

    Knowledge related to land-use management impacts on the Baltic Sea ecosystem is limited. The constant release of pollutants into water bodies has resulted in water quality degradation. Therefore, only the innovative approaches integrated with research will provide accurate solutions and methods for proper environment management and will enable understanding and prediction of the impacts of land-use in the Baltic Sea region. Modelling approaches have become essential to address water issues and to evaluate ecosystem management. There are many water quality models, but only a few work in the operational mode and only some of them can be used as an interactive tool for environmental management to assess the impact of pollution on water quality. This study presents a new approach for investigating the influence of pesticides and nutrient fluxes from agricultural holdings and land-use structures on coastal waters of the Baltic Sea. Called WaterPUCK, this method will enable calculation of the sufficient amount of fertilizers, investigation nutrients, and pesticide sources and model: the fate and distribution of nutrients and pesticides in the surface water and groundwater; loads of pollution to surface water and groundwater; fluxes of nutrients via submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) to the Baltic Sea coastal environment; the processes and mechanisms influencing the persistence of nutrients in the environment; and predict the changes in land use and climate change influence on the Bay of Puck ecosystem.