Centre for Environmental Research - Instytut Ochrony Środowiska

The Centre for Environmental Research conducts research and provides scientific and technical support for national strategies related to international and European Union obligations, as well as to domestic conditions, in the areas of air quality, noise, climate change, the protection and restoration of surface waters and land, and water management.

The Centre comprises the following departments:

Department of Atmospheric and Climate Modelling
Department of Environmental Monitoring
Department of Aquatic Ecosystem Research
Department of Environmental Chemistry and Risk Assessment
Department of Environmental Research / Integrated Environmental Research Laboratory
Library and Publishing Unit
Scientific Secretariat

SCOPE OF ACTIVITIES

Department of Atmospheric and Climate Modelling

– Head: Joanna Strużewska, DSc, PhD

The Department conducts scientific research, development and implementation work, and disseminates its findings across a broad range of topics related to the numerical modelling of atmospheric processes encompassing air quality and climate, including support for national strategies and obligations arising from domestic legislation, European Union regulations, and international agreements.

The responsibilities of the Department of Atmospheric and Climate Modelling include:

modelling the transport and chemical transformation of atmospheric pollutants, including for the purposes of operational air quality forecasting and assessment, and public notification of exceedances of pollutant alert thresholds;
providing scientific support for national strategies through analyses and scenario calculations of changes in pollution levels and source apportionment (including natural and transboundary emission sources) using numerical modelling;
developing methods for determining the representativeness of monitoring stations and supporting the planning of measurement networks based on air quality modelling;
advancing the application of satellite measurements of atmospheric chemical composition, including the identification of emission sources;
developing data assimilation methods for air quality data derived from ground-based monitoring networks and satellite instruments;
providing substantive support and delivering air quality modelling results to national and local government authorities, bilateral cooperation partners, international organisations and the European Commission, as well as for public information purposes;
conducting operational, pan-European air quality forecasting as a component of the ensemble forecast within the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS);
utilising data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) in national air quality and climate protection policy;
developing proprietary deterministic air quality models and machine learning-based methods;
conducting analyses and calculations of climate scenarios using modelling approaches, in accordance with the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change;
developing analyses and tools to support the identification of extreme climate events and the co-occurrence of adverse climatic phenomena;
conducting analyses in support of urban climate research;
supporting public administration through the active participation of Department experts in working groups, programmes, and international conventions (e.g. LRTAP, FAIRMODE, Copernicus User Forum, CEN technical committees, AQEG, ESA).

Department of Environmental Monitoring

– Head: Krzysztof Skotak, PhD

The Department conducts scientific research, development work, and research services addressing the state of the environment from an integrated perspective, and performs tasks arising from national and international research and measurement programmes.

The following organisational units operate within the Department’s Quality Management System in accordance with PN EN ISO/IEC 17025:

Comprehensive Environmental Monitoring Station (CEMS) Puszcza Borecka
Environmental Acoustics Laboratory

The responsibilities of the Department include, in particular:

carrying out tasks, including measurements, arising from national and international research and measurement programmes, monitoring networks, and scientific networks, particularly in the areas of atmospheric pollution, climate change, and noise;
adapting, developing, and testing new measurement techniques and methodologies for assessing the state of the environment, in particular at the CEMS Puszcza Borecka station;
implementing and maintaining a quality assurance system for research conducted by the CEMS Puszcza Borecka station and the Environmental Acoustics Laboratory, including documentation in accordance with established procedures;
identifying and forecasting threats to the natural environment using numerical tools and models, particularly those related to atmospheric pollution, climate change, and noise;
developing analytical and diagnostic tools for risk analysis and vulnerability assessment related to climate change, air pollution, and noise;
identifying the impacts of climate change on the environment and human health, particularly in the area of climate risk assessment, including monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of adaptation measures implemented and planned at national, regional, and local government levels;
conducting integrated assessments using numerical methods, including analyses and scenario calculations of changes in environmental hazards, combined with impact assessments and cost–benefit analyses for the environment and human health, particularly in the areas of air quality, noise, and climate change;
developing methodological materials (guidelines, guidance notes, recommendations, procedures, and research methodologies) for air quality and noise assessments and climate change adaptation, including the implementation and application of quality assurance systems, and delivering training in these areas;
providing substantive support to central and local government authorities in developing concepts, principles, and frameworks for the organisation and operation of environmental monitoring systems, particularly for air quality and noise;
providing substantive support and advisory services to central and local government authorities in conducting air quality and noise assessments and monitoring;
providing substantive support in the development of strategic documents and legislative acts related to environmental protection, particularly in the areas of air quality, noise, and climate change;
preparing reports, studies, and expert opinions on air quality, climate change, and noise for central and local government authorities, as well as for international organisations and agreements, particularly the World Health Organization, the European Environment Agency, the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution, and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change;
conducting educational and training activities in the field of integrated environmental research;
providing expert support in national and international working groups;
participating in Technical Committee KT115 on Environmental Noise.

Department of Aquatic Ecosystem Research

– Head: Agnieszka Kolada, DSc, PhD, Professor of IOŚ PIB

The Department conducts scientific research, development work, and research services, and disseminates its findings across a broad range of topics related to the ecology, protection, and restoration of inland surface waters.

The responsibilities of the Department include, in particular:

conducting scientific and research activities aimed at developing and validating methods for the assessment and monitoring of inland waters and the sustainable management of water resources;
carrying out research on the causes and consequences of water pollution and eutrophication, including analyses of biotic and abiotic changes in aquatic environmental quality parameters;
developing methods, standards, and guidelines for the assessment of the status and protection of surface waters;
providing substantive support to public administration authorities in developing concepts, principles, and frameworks for the organisation of inland water monitoring systems;
conducting educational activities related to the status of inland waters, including training in the application of new methodological tools for surface water monitoring;
preparing reports and studies on the state of the aquatic environment for national and local government authorities, international organisations, and public information purposes;
providing substantive support to public administration in the development of strategic documents and legislative acts concerning water quality.

Department of Environmental Chemistry and Risk Assessment

– Head: Barbara Gworek, Professor, DSc, PhD

The Department conducts interdisciplinary research into the processes and consequences of environmental degradation, including environmental and health risk assessment. It develops methods for the remediation of soil and water environments and supports public administration in accordance with national and European Union regulations governing the placing of plant protection products and fertilisers on the market.

The responsibilities of the Department include, in particular:

Conducting scientific research, development work, and research services focused on:

assessing the mobility of xenobiotics in the environment, with particular emphasis on organic compounds (including pharmaceuticals, parabens, PCBs, PAHs, dioxins, and furans) and trace elements, including Hg, Cd, and Pb;
assessing environmental and health risks posed by intentionally produced substances and by-products of technological processes introduced into the environment through industrial and agricultural activities;
assessing the environmental and health consequences of chemical releases from waste;
inactivating organic pollutants (including pesticides and pharmaceuticals) and heavy metals in environmental compartments, wastewater, and sewage sludge;
developing biological, physicochemical, and chemical methods for the remediation of soil and water environments;
applying Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to the evaluation of products, technologies, and waste management systems, and to carbon footprint calculations;
developing waste management strategies treating waste as a source of raw materials and renewable energy;
developing concepts for the environmental utilisation of waste;
conducting environmental and human health risk assessments in support of remediation planning;
assessing the ecological risk of polluted areas;
selecting optimal techniques and technologies for soil/land remediation and water treatment;
developing low-emission technologies for converting waste into value added products;
developing methods for calculating carbon and water footprints in conjunction with LCA of products, technologies, organisations, and management systems;
assessing the impact of land use on soil carbon sequestration, CO₂ emission reduction, and climate change mitigation;
developing methods to accelerate decarbonisation processes in the agricultural sector.

2. Forecasting environmental hazards and assessing directions of environmental change.

3. Preparing baseline reports on soil, land, and groundwater contamination with risk causing substances pursuant to Directive 2010/75/EU on industrial emissions.

4. Preparing assessments, reports, and comments in the process of authorising plant protection products for placing on the market, in accordance with applicable legislation.

5. Issuing opinions, in accordance with relevant regulations, regarding the environmental impact of fertilisers and plant growth aids/soil improvers, including those produced from waste or animal by products.

CERTYFIKATY

The Department holds ISO 9001 certification for the preparation of assessments, reports, and opinions on plant protection products, chemical substances and mixtures, and fertilisers prior to their placing on the market.

Certifying body: Centre for Quality Certification (CCJ).

Department of Environmental Research / Integrated Environmental Research Laboratory

– Head: Aleksandra Bogusz, PhD

The Department conducts interdisciplinary scientific research on environmental status assessment and the impact of xenobiotics on environmental components. Its activities include the development, validation, and application of chemical, physical, and biological research methods for the analysis of water, soil, and sediment samples, as well as the interpretation of results in the context of national and international guidelines.

The Department includes:

Ecotoxicology Laboratory (certified under Good Laboratory Practice – GLP);
Physicochemical Laboratory (accredited under PN EN ISO/IEC 17025).

Ecotoxicology Laboratory

The Ecotoxicology Laboratory conducts scientific research, development work, and analytical services, and disseminates the results of its activities in the field of ecological safety related to the presence of chemical substances and preparations in the environment, as well as microbiological and parasitological hazards.

In particular, the remit of the Ecotoxicology Laboratory encompasses the following activities:

conducting scientific and research activities in the fields of ecotoxicology, genotoxicity, and biodegradation, in relation to:

chemical substances and preparations intentionally manufactured prior to their authorisation for placement on the market (e.g. plant protection products, biocides, and pharmaceuticals);
substances and mixtures released into the environment as unwanted by‑products of technological processes;
environmental samples of surface water and groundwater, waste, soil, bottom sediments, and similar matrices;

2. acting as a research unit in accordance with the Act of 25 February 2011 on Chemical Substances and Their Mixtures (Journal of Laws 2022, item 1816, as amended) and the Regulation of the Minister of Health of 3 August 2021 on Good Laboratory Practice (Journal of Laws 2021, item 1422);

3. preparing ecotoxicity study reports for the purposes of registration procedures for chemical substances and preparations, within the scope defined by legislation applicable to individual product groups, in particular plant protection products, pharmaceuticals, and biocidal products;

4. developing environmental risk assessments to support the management of chemicals in the environment;

5. carrying out physicochemical and biological analyses of organic and organic‑mineral fertilisers, as well as organic and organic‑mineral plant cultivation aids, in accordance with the Regulation of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of 18 June 2008 on the implementation of certain provisions of the Act on Fertilisers and Fertilisation (Journal of Laws 2008, No. 119, item 765);

6. undertaking expert and research activities aimed at determining the extent of environmental impacts of municipal infrastructure facilities;

7. performing microbiological and physicochemical analyses of water and wastewater;

8. conducting expert and research activities in the field of cosmetic product safety.

Physicochemical Laboratory

The Physicochemical Laboratory conducts scientific research, development work, and analytical services in the field of environmental sample analysis, with particular emphasis on physicochemical characterisation.

The remit of the Physicochemical Laboratory includes the following activities:

conducting scientific and research activities focused on the determination of organic and inorganic compounds in various environmental matrices;
performing analyses of environmental samples, including sampling, with respect to organic and inorganic compounds, as well as the assessment of physicochemical properties, for other units of the Institute and external clients;
maintaining close cooperation with the Department of Environmental Monitoring and carrying out tasks arising from collaboration with national and international laboratories operating within monitoring networks to which the Integrated Environmental Monitoring Station Puszcza Borecka belongs;
developing methodological materials, including guidelines, recommendations, and guidance notes, for air and water quality analyses;
carrying out methodological work related to the development and implementation of new analytical methods;
developing and implementing new research methods;
implementing and maintaining quality assurance systems for testing activities and documenting these systems in accordance with established procedures;
providing training, consultations, and advisory services within the scope of the Laboratory’s activities;
advancing analytical techniques and methods used for the physicochemical characterisation of samples submitted to the Laboratory;
developing methodological materials, including guidelines, guidance notes, recommendations, procedures, and research methodologies, for methods applied in environmental sample analysis, principles governing the conduct of chemical analyses, and quality assurance systems for analytical results, as well as delivering training in these areas.

Scientific Secretariat

The Scientific Secretariat coordinates research activities, scientific events, and cooperation with external institutions.

Its responsibilities include, in particular:

coordinating and preparing work plans for statutory research activities funded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, as well as commissioned work;
coordinating research project proposals and reporting;
administering national research information systems and scientific documentation;
supporting the activities of the Institute’s Scientific Council, including doctoral and habilitation proceedings.

Library and Publishing Unit

Library and Publishing Housenictwo – Head: Sylwia Łaba, PhD

The Library and Publishing House prepares and publishes scientific monographs of the Institute of Environmental Protection – National Research Institute (IEP‑NRI) and scientific periodicals, including Environmental Protection and Natural Resources. It also collects, maintains, and develops the Institute’s library collections in accordance with the established subject scope.

In particular, the Library and Publishing House carries out the following tasks:

In the area of publishing activities

A detailed publishing offer is available at: ios.edu.pl/dzialalnosc-wydawnicza/

In the area of library activities:

collecting, cataloguing, and storing books and scientific journals in the Library’s collections;
supporting Institute employees in bibliometric analyses;
providing training for Institute employees in bibliometric methods and tools;
maintaining a computerised catalogue of books and scientific journals held by the Library;
providing access to library collections and information about these collections;
providing access to electronic scientific journal databases;
cooperating with other libraries;
managing journal subscriptions;
preparing annual financial reports on costs incurred by the Institute for access to electronic journal databases, online subscriptions to foreign and Polish journals, and the purchase of books for the Library’s collections, financed from grants provided by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education.