[en] Phytoremediation has been defined as the use of green plants and their associated rhizospheric microorganisms to remove, degrade, or contain contaminants located in soils, sediments, groundwater, surface water, and even the atmosphere. Categories of phytoremediation include - phytoextraction or phytoaccumulation, phytotransformation, phytostimulation or plant-assisted bioremediation, phytovolatilization, rhizofiltration, pump and tree, phytostabilization, and hydraulic control. Phytoremediation of heavy metal contaminated soils basically includes phytostabilization, phytoextraction, rhizofiltration and phytovolatilization. Selection of plants for phytoremediation of metals depends on a particular application. (authors)

[en] The paper is dealing with the issues of relationship between economic growth and deterioration of living environment. It provides a brief and truthful overview of the generic acceptable conceptions and views of the relationship. Economic growth vs. environment has become an insistent subject of concern of the social and economic disciplines with aim to manage the threat of breaking their equilibrium and in such a way to create an optimistic vision of the next development. (authors)

[en] The paper deals with the impact of undermining on the slope deformation Doubrava Vrchovec. For the evaluation of the impact, isocatabase maps, terrain deformation parameters calculated for slope deformation, length measuring by zone extensometry and dilatometric measuring in the cracks of an asphalt road have been used. The length and dilatometric measuring identified the direction of slope deformation movement corresponding to the direction of rock mass movement as the consequence of undermining. With regard to the fact a change in the longitudinal relative deformation values in the direction of the subsidence slope gradient was evaluated (in the direction of the slope deformation movement). During the monitored period, terrain surface compression occurred, which manifests the position of the slope deformation in the concave portion of the subsidence slope. This fact probably induces additional strain from undermining in the slope deformation, which may worsen its stability conditions. (authors)

[en] The article summarizes author's experience with environmental impact assessment in branch of wind generators. The introductory part of paper describes legislative obligations of the Czech Republic in frame of fulfilling the European Union's limits in branch of renewable energy resources utilization. Next part of paper deals with analysis of impacts of wind generators on the environment. The final part of paper deals with experience with implementation of the environmental impact assessment process (pursuant to the Act No. 100/2001 Coll.) in the field of wind power in the Czech Republic. (authors)

[en] According to the statistics data, coal will become with no doubt the most important energy source in the 21-st century. The Horna Nitra Valley represents one of the main fuels - energy centre of Slovakia. Deposits of caustobioliths - brown coal and lignite present significant raw material potential. The mining companies, along with run-in extraction methods of coal reserves, are giving their time to a research of untraditional coal processing technologies. An in-situ monitoring of coal seams geo-technological properties contributes in a significant way to obtain some complex knowledge on interactions of certain determining factors which influence the coal gases formation underground. (author)

[en] The paper deals with an evaluation of four selected geobarriers (flood lands, radon hazard, undermining and slope movements) by means of geographic information systems that are geofactors endangering or limiting landscape and environment or make certain land use impossible. The objective is to improve the possibilities of their implementation in land use planning. The research was carried out in the area numbered 4, which is one out of five realized model areas in the future. It is located in Ostrava, the third largest agglomeration in the north-west of the Czech Republic, which has been most affected by anthropogenic industrial and mining activities among the Czech cities as well as in the European scope. The area is defined by a map sheet 15-43-09 in the town districts of Marianska Hory a Hulvaky, Nova Ves, Svinov, Trebovice, Hostalkovice, Moravska Ostrava a Privoz, Ostrava - Jih and Vitkovice. (authors)

[en] Long-standing investigations into coal have enabled the identification of essential features of the course of the underground coal gasification (UCG) process as well the role and significance of some factors. The qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the most essential factors from the viewpoint of UCG process realisation constitutes the subject of this article. The analysis takes into consideration the results of investigations into the UCG process conducted by Polish scientists within the period 1950-2008. (authors)

[en] The fines of sub-bituminous coals from the Cigel and the Handlova Collieries in use as steam coal in coal-fired power plant were subjected to washing in a water-only cyclone (WOC) with the aim to obtain suitable input material for organic compounds extraction. The WOC with a diameter of 150 mm and a cone part consisting of three angle sections 135 grad - 75 grad - 20 grad was applied. Vortex finder (overflow) and spigot (underflow) diameters were of 68 mm and 14.6 mm, respectively. Two basic products overflow and underflow were obtained. The third one, slurry or circulating charge was also considered into total material balance of washing. Thus, the contents of ash, combustible matter, SiO₂, Al₂O₃, CaO, MgO, Fe_TOTAL, S_TOTAL, S_SULPHIDIC and As were determined in the products of washing. Subsequently, on the basis of analyses the recoveries of individual components into products of washing were calculated. The washing resulted in the obtaining of significantly de-ashed coal at the overflow of WOC. In such way a washed coal with ash content in dry basis of 6.99 % at a mass yield of 20.74 % was won in the case of coal from the Cigel Colliery. Similarly, in the case of coal from the Handlova Colliery and its eastern field the products with ash content in dry basis of 7.70 % and 9.01 % at mass yield of 29.37 % and 29.50 % were obtained. Finally, the washing resulted in over 90 % ash rejection and about 70 % total sulphur rejection. (authors)

[en] This paper presents the results of a 20-year survey of selected physical and chemical parameters of mine drainage and associated stream sediments at the abandoned Smolnik deposit (East Slovakia). The Smolnik mine was in operation intermittently from the 14^th century for Au, Ag, Cu, Fe and pyrite (FeS₂). In 1990 - 1994 the mine was finally closed and flooded. In 1997 a remediation effort was initiated in an attempt to improve the quality of acid mine drainage (AMD) from the mine site. Monitoring of the AMD water parameters has continued since 2000 in quarterly intervals. Considering the concentration of dissolved constituents and the flow rate of the AMD, the abandoned Smolnik deposit brings about continuous loading of more than 500 kg of dissolved metals per day to the adjacent Smolnik stream. The ochreous precipitates formed from AMD stream were characterized by elemental analysis, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Schwertmannite was the dominant solid phase in the precipitates. The chemical analysis of AMD and the elemental composition of related sediments indicated selective scavenging potential of the precipitates for arsenic and other metal species. (authors)

[en] The contribution contains results of trial seeding with application of various fertilizers and soil conditioners. A procedure for the recovery of land of the heap is presented, which includes ground shaping to achieve stability and to prevent water from uncontrolled running down during prolonged or heavy rains in the area and bio-rehabilitation to cover the heap with vegetation, i.e. to bind the surface by crops able to grow on the heap. On the basis of knowledge of specific properties of the site, a grass mixture for extensive non-agricultural utilization was proposed for the model experiment. (authors)