The Department of Environmental Protection is currently the youngest division established at the Faculty of Geology, Geophysics and Environmental Protection at the AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow being approved by the March 5, 2014 decision of the AGH Senate. of the forerunner of today's unit was created in 1993, when the Department of Environmental Protection was established on the request of 5 employees of the Faculty. From the very outset, the staff of the Department have conducted interdisciplinary research at the intersection between mineralogy, geochemistry and environmental protection.
The research interests of the employees of the Department of Environmental Protection are centered around:
- geochemical studies of various environmental components, in particular sediments and river sediments, anthropogenic dusts, long-term migration of trace metals in river valleys;
- possibilities and ways of limiting the effects of human activity in river valleys and their restoration;
- geochemical studies related to the biogeochemical monitoring of the soil-plant system, phytoremediation of degraded areas;
- economic use of industrial waste, waste utilization in building materials;
- research on the content of biogenic elements in the historical strata of the city of Krakow;
- studies on the manifestations of the activity of bacteria reducing sulfur sulphate and precipitating heavy metal sulphides;
- issues of sustainable development in the environmental, social and economic aspect, including the analysis of environmental quality, environmental impact assessment and environmental evaluation;
- monitoring the condition of the soil and water environment and protection of valuable natural areas.
