Abstract Goczałkowice reservoir is one of the main source of drinking water for Upper Silesia Region. In reference to Water Frame Directive matter since 2010 the strategic research project: „Integrated system supporting management and protection of dammed reservoir (ZiZoZap)”, which is being conducted on Goczałkowice reservoir, has been pursued. In the framework of this project complex groundwater monitoring is carried on. One aspect is vadose zone research, conducted to obtain information about changes in chemical composition of infiltrating water and mass transport within this zone. Based on historical data and the structural model of direct catchment of Goczałkowice reservoir location of the vadose zone research site was selected. At the end of November 2012 specially designed lysimeter was installed with 10 MacroRhizon samplers at each lithological variation in unsaturated zone. This lysimeter, together with nested observation wells, located in the direct proximity, create the vadose zone research site which main aim is specifying the amount of nitrate transport in the vertical profile.

Abstract The article takes up an attempt to present the changes that has occurred in the water management at the beginning of the 21st century in the area of Silesian Voivoideship. Communes situated within the boundaries of Klodnica catchment, closed by the section of Gliwice, were analysed as an example of water management in the area which undergoes a strong anthropopression. Klodnica catchment is an area where all the elements of the geographical environment were transformed, but it was the water environment that was changed most visibly. At the beginning of the 21st century, there were a lot of changes conducted in Poland, not only political, but also in the economic and legal sectors. Owing to these factors, the following changes appeared: water consumption, the structure of distribution of water among different branches of economy and the water and sewage system infrastructure. The effect of these changes is the decrease in water consumption and sewage discharge as well as upgrading the technologies of its treatment (Absalon 2007).

Abstract Macroscopic observations, microscopic studies and literature data revealed that Middle Jurassic wood from Częstochowa area has a different state of preservation, and various types and degrees of mineralization and oxidation. Obtained results of organic matter fractionation illustrate a clear domination of polar fraction in the obtained extracts revealing low thermal maturity stage. Total organic carbon (TOC) values for analysed samples are in a wide range from 1.06% to 68.50%. The highest amount of TOC were measured in not or poorly mineralized wood samples but most of them are mineralized wood fragments, showing the TOC values in the range of 2% - 10%. Percentage content of carbonate in fossil wood constitute in a wide range from less than 1% CaCO3 to above 85% CaCO3. The resulting percentage of the total sulfur content is very varied and do not show convergence with other data such as TOC, carbonate content, etc and is most probable connected with pyritisation range. Unlike the Middle Jurassic clay samples, where long-chain and short-chain n-alkanes occur in similar concentrations, in wood samples always short-chain n-alkanes dominated, in the range from 15 to 23 carbon atoms in molecule. The values of the CPI are generally higher than 1 which indicates the contribution of organic matter derived from higher plant waxes, which are characteristic of e.g. needles from gymnosperm plants. Under the influence of post - diagenetic oxidation in mineralized wood samples distribution of n-alkanes is changing. Diaster-13(17)-enes with 28 and 29 carbon atoms in molecule are present in the wood samples, while those with 29 atoms strongly prevail.

Abstract This paper describes the first occurrence of bismuth telluride in the Izerskie Garby contact zone. In nature, there are 4 known bismuth tellurides: hedleyite (Bi7Te3), pilsenite (Bi4Te3), tsumoite (BiTe) and tellurobismuthite (Bi2Te3). They are typical accessory minerals of the polymetallic skarns. The Ca-skarns of the "Stanisław" quarry in the Izerskie Garby, bismuth telluride occurs in association with pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, and wollastonite and tend to form irregular clusters up to 40μm long and 15μm width . Research methods used so far (SEM) does not allow for unequivocal identification of studied mineral. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct further tests using the electron microprobe.