Laboratory of Advanced Materials for Environment Protection and Health

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  • Laboratory of Advanced Materials for Environment Protection and Health

Laboratory of Advanced Materials for Environment Protection and Health

Ecotoxicology Laboratory

The Ecotoxicology Laboratory conducts broad-based research on the ecotoxicology of various materials and chemical compounds, including ionic liquids, quaternary ammonium salts, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics on various elements of the environment.

The following research is conducted in the Ecotoxicology Laboratory:

  • determination of the impact of various factors (including ionic liquids, quaternary ammonium liquids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics) on the growth and development of crop plants. These studies include phytotoxicity of chemical compounds for plants, oxidative stress in plants under the influence of various anthropogenic factors, including changes in the activity of antioxidant enzymes in plants,
  • determination of potential herbicidal properties of various chemical compounds aimed at finding new chemical compounds with selective or total herbicidal properties,
  • determination of the effect of various chemical compounds on various elements of the natural environment, including luminescent bacteria A. fischeri, daphnia D. magna and ostracods H. incongruens,
  • analysis of the suitability of environmentally friendly polymers for applications in agrochemistry, determination of the ecotoxicity of selected polymers in terms of their use as carriers of slow-acting agrochemicals and substituted aminophosphone systems with potential herbicidal use.


Biocompatible Polymers Laboratory

The main objective of the work carried out by the Laboratory is to develop methods for the synthesis of new biocompatible and biodegradable polymer materials and to form micro- and nano-carriers of drugs, biologically active substances and plant protection products from them, enabling a controlled optimal process of their dosing.

The laboratory conducts the synthesis of new biodegradable and biocompatible polymers and polymer blends intended for applications in medicine, cosmetology and agrochemistry, well wetted by water and demonstrating the possibility of creating hydrogels.These materials are obtained mainly by chemical modification of polysaccharides and copolymerization of cyclic esters and aliphatic carbonates. The basic properties of the obtained copolymers are characterized (average molecular weights, composition and chain structure, morphology, mechanical and thermal properties, course of hydrolytic and enzymatic degradation, eco- and cytotoxicity of the synthesized materials and their degradation products). Research is carried out on the possibility of applying the obtained polymer materials in the formation of nano- and micro-particles that are carriers in the processes of controlled release of drugs and bioactive agents used in pharmacy and cosmetology.Materials specially synthesized for agrochemical applications as carriers of plant protection agents or seed protection are also tested.The kinetics of release of biologically active substances under in vitro conditions in environments simulating physiological fluids, in transdermal and soil administration are studied.Observations are being carried out on the effect of using molded plant protection product dosing systems or seed coatings on increasing the yield of cultivated plants under model conditions.


Research projects:

1. Project Manager: dr hab. Joanna Feder-Kubis

Title: An intelligent platform of bio-inspired materials of ionic nature that have a beneficial effect on plants

Type: OPUS 19 (project carried out in a consortium with the Wrocław University of Science and Technology)

Funding: 1 570 715 zł

Period of implementation: 2020 – 2024

2. Project Manager: dr Barbara Pawłowska

Title: Drugs and Ionic Liquids – Safe Combinations or Environmental Threats

Type: MINIATURA 7

Funding: 45 274 zł

Period of implementation: 2023 – 2024

3. Project Manager: dr hab. Piotr Dobrzyński, prof. UJD

Title: Bioresorbable polymers and polymer blends with antibacterial properties for use in cosmetics and dermatology

Type: OPUS 17 (project carried out as part of a consortium with the Centre for Polymer and Carbon Materials of the Polish Academy of Sciences – UJD Leader)

Funding: 1.449.970 zł

Period of implementation: 2020 – 2023

Research achievements2019-2024:

  • 1.Falfushynska H., Lewicka K., Rychter P., Unveiling the Hydrochemical and Ecotoxicological Insights of Copper and Zinc: Impacts, Mechanisms, and Effective Remediation Approaches, Limnol. Rev, 2024, 24, 406–436.
  • 2.Lewicka K., Smola-Dmochowska A., Dobrzyński P., Śmigiel-Gac N., Jelonek K., Musiał-Kulik M., Rychter P.,Microspheres Based on Blends of Chitosan Derivatives with Carrageenan as Vitamin Carriers in Cosmeceuticals, Polymers, 2024, 16(13), 1815.
  • 3.Lewicka K., Smola-Dmochowska A., Śmigiel-Gac N., Kaczmarczyk B., Janeczek H., Barczyńska-Felusiak R., Szymanek I., Rychter P., Dobrzyński P., Bactericidal Chitosan Derivatives and Their Superabsorbent Blends with ĸ-Carrageenan, Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(8), 453.
  • 4.Lewicka K., Szymanek I., Rogacz D, Wrzalik M., Łagiewka J., Nowik-Zając A,Zawierucha I., Coseri S., Puiu I., Falfushynska H., Rychter P., Current Trends of Polymer Materials Application in Agriculture, Sustainability, 2024, 16, 8439.
  • 5.Śmigiel-Gac N., Smola-Dmochowska A., Jelonek K., Musiał-Kulik M., Barczyńska-Felusiak R., Rychter P., Lewicka K., Dobrzyński P., Bactericidal Biodegradable Linear Polyamidoamines Obtained with the Use of Endogenous Polyamines, Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(5), 2576.
  • 6.Szymanek I., Cvek M., Rogacz D., Żarski A., Lewicka K., Sedlarik V., Rychter P., Degradation of Polylactic Acid/Polypropylene Carbonate Films in Soil and Phosphate Buffer and Their Potential Usefulness in Agriculture and Agrochemistry, Int. J. Mol. Sci.2024, 25(1), 653.
  • 7.Pawłowska B., Biczak R., Drugs in the environment – Impact on plants: A review,Environ. Toxicol. Pharmacol., 2024, 111, 104557
  • 8.Biczak R., Kierasińska J., Jamrozik W., Pawłowska B., Response of maize (Zea mays L.) to soil contamination with diclofenac, ibuprofen and ampicillin and mixtures of these drugs, Sustainability, 2024, 16, 5698.
  • 9.Pawłowska B., Sysa M., Godela A., Biczak R., Antibiotics amoxicillin, ampicillin and their mixture-Impact on bacteria, fungi, ostracods and plants, Molecules, 2024, 29, 4301.
  • 10.Pawłowska B., Telesiński A., Sysa M., Godela A., Ščurek R., Biczak R., Ibuprofen and ketoprofen – inert drugs or potential environmental hazard?, Sustainability, 2023, 15, 1613.
  • 11.Smola-Dmochowska A., Lewicka K.,Macyk A., Rychter P., Pamuła E., Dobrzyński P.,Biodegradable Polymers and Polymer Composites with Antibacterial Properties, Int. J. Mol. Sci., 2023, 18; 24(8):7473
  • 12.Biczak R., Pawłowska B., Reaction of spring barley seedlings and H. incongruens crustaceans to the presence of acetylsalicylic acid in soil, J. Environ. Manag., 2022, 302, 1139362022.
  • 13.Turek M., Biczak R., Pawłowska B., Rożycka-Sokolowska, E., Owsianik K., Marciniak B., Bałczewski P., The need to change the approach to the safe use of herbicides by developing chiral and environmentally friendly formulations: a series of enantioselective (R)- and (S)-phenylethylammonium chloroacetates, Green Chemistry, 2022, 24, 1693-1703.
  • 14.Jaworska J., Sobota M., Pastusiak M., Kawalec M., Janeczek H., Rychter P., Lewicka K., Dobrzyński P., Synthesis of Polyacids by Copolymerization of L-Lactide with MTC-COOH Using Zn[(acac)(L)H2O] Complex as an Initiator, Polymers, 2022, 14(3), 503.
  • 15.Zawierucha I., Malina G., Herman B., Rychter P., Biczak R., Pawłowska B., Bandurska K., Barczyńska R., Ecotoxicity and bioremediation potential assessment of soil from oil refinery station area. J Environ Health Sci Engineer, 2022, 20, 337–346.
  • 16.Telesiński A., Pawłowska B., Biczak R., Śnieg M., Wróbel J., Dunikowska D., Meller E., Enzymatic activity and its relationship with organic matter characterization and ecotoxicity to Aiivibrio fischeri of soil samples exposed to tetrabutylphosphonium bromide, Sensors, 2021 21, 1565.
  • 17.Pawłowska B., Telesiński A., Biczak R., Effect of diclofenac and naproxen and their mixture on spring barley seedlings and Heterocypris incongruens, Environ. Toxicol. Pharmacol., 2021, 88, 88103746.
  • 18.Opalkova Siskova A., Peer P., Eckstein Andiscova A., Jordanov I., Rychter P., Circulatory Management of Polymer Waste: Recycling into Fine Fibers and Their Applications, Materials, 2021, 14, 4694.
  • 19.Barczynska-Felusiak R., Pastusiak M., Rychter P., Kaczmarczyk B., Sobota M., Wanic A., Kaps A., Jaworska-Kik M., Orchel A., Dobrzyński P., Synthesis of the Bacteriostatic Poly(L-Lactide) by Using Zinc (II)[(acac)(L)H2O] (L = Aminoacid-Based Chelate Ligands) as an Effective ROP Initiator, Int. J. Mol. Sci., 2021, 22, 6950.
  • 20.Turek M., Pawłowska B., Różycka-Sokołowska E., Biczak R., Skalik J., Owsianik K., Marciniak B., Bałczewski P., Ecotoxicity of ammonium chlorophenoxyacetate derivatives towards aquatic organisms: Unexpected enhanced toxicity upon oxygen by sulfur replacement, J. Hazard. Mater., 2020, 382, 121086.
  • 21.Biczak R., Pawłowska B., Podsiadło C., Śnioszek M., Telesiński A., The reaction of cucumber to the introduction of ionic liquids into the soil, Environ. Sci. Pollut., 2020, 27, 34182–34198.
  • 22.Lewicka K., Rychter P., Pastusiak M., Janeczek H., Dobrzyński P., Biodegradable Blends of Grafted Dextrin with PLGA-block-PEG Copolymer as a Carrier for Controlled Release of Herbicides into Soil, Materials,2020, 13, 832.
  • 23.Lewicka K., Dobrzynski P., Rychter P., PLAGA-PEG-PLAGA Terpolymer-Based Carriers of Herbicides for Potential Application in Environment-Friendly, Controlled Release Systems of Agrochemicals, Materials, 2020, 13, 2778.
  • 24.Rychter P., Rogacz D., Lewicka K., Lacik I, Poly(methylene-co-cyanoguanidine) as an eco-friendly nitrogen fertilizer with prolonged activity, J. Polym. Environ., 2019, 27, 1317-1332.
  • 25.Rychter P., Christova D., Lewicka K., Rogacz D., Ecotoxicological impact of selected polyethylenimines toward their potential application as nitrogen fertilizers with prolonged activity, Chemosphere, 2019, 226, 800-808.
  • 26.Rychter P., Lewicka K., Rogacz D., Environmental usefulness of PLA/PEG blends for controlled release systems of soil-applied herbicides, J.Appl. Polym. Sci., 2019, 136, 47856.
  • 27.Rychter P., Lewicka K., Pastusiak M., Domański M., Dobrzyński P., PLGA–PEG terpolymers as a carriers of bioactive agents, influence of PEG blocks content on degradation and release of herbicides into soil, Polym. Degrad. Stabil., 2019, 161, 95-107.
  • 28.Rychter P., Rogacz D., Lewicka K., Kollár J., Kawalec M., Mosnáček J., Ecotoxicological properties of Tulipalin A-based superabsorbents vs. conventional superabsorbent hydrogels, Adv. Polym. Technol., 2019, Article ID 2947152.

Head of the Laboratory: dr hab. Robert Biczak, prof. UJD

E-mail: r.biczak@ujd.edu.pl