Product quality tests require accurate and precise analytical techniques. Fertilizers belong to a group

of products whose chemical composition is of great importance due to health, environmental and economic

reasons. The following paper presents the results of the research into the content of selected substances in several mineral fertilizers manufactured in Poland. Ion chromatography (IC) was employed to determine selected

inorganic anions and cations, whereas energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (EDXRF) was used

to determine the content of selected elements.

Concentrations and elemental composition of fine (PM2.5) and coarse (PM2.5-10) ambient particles,

at two sampling points located at the same urban background sites, were investigated. The points were 20 m

distant from each other and at various heights (2 and 6 m) above the ground. A dichotomous sampler, equipped

with a virtual impactor, and a cascade impactor were used to sample the dust. An X-ray fluorescence spectrometer was used in the elemental analyses. The investigations revealed heterogeneity of the spatial distribution

and the elemental composition of suspended dust at the investigated urban background site. Coarse dust, whose

concentration at 2.0 m above the ground was affected by secondary emission from roads, soil and other local

low-level sources in some periods, appeared more heterogeneous.

In order to improve the utilization rate of coal resources, it is necessary to classify coal and gangue, but the classification of coal is particularly important. Nevertheless, the current coal and gangue sorting technology mainly focus on the identification of coal and gangue, and no in-depth research has been carried out on the identification of coal species. Accordingly, in order to preliminary screen coal types, this paper proposed a method to predict the coal metamorphic degree while identifying coal and gangue based on Energy Dispersive X-Ray Diffraction (EDXRD) principle with 1/3 coking coal, gas coal, and gangue from Huainan mine, China as the research object. Differences in the phase composition of 1/3 coking coal, gas coal, and gangue were analyzed by combining the EDXRD patterns with the Angle Dispersive X-Ray Diffraction (ADXRD) patterns. The calculation method for characterizing the metamorphism degree of coal by EDXRD patterns was investigated, and then a PSO-SVM model for the classification of coal and gangue and the prediction of coal metamorphism degree was developed. Based on the results, it is shown that by embedding the calculation method of coal metamorphism degree into the coal and gangue identification model, the PSO-SVM model can identify coal and gangue and also output the metamorphism degree of coal, which in turn achieves the purpose of preliminary screening of coal types. As such, the method provides a new way of thinking and theoretical reference for coal and gangue identification.

This work reports on the investigation of homogeneity of the inside of indium micro-bumps/ columns placed on Ti/Pt/Au under bump metallisation. This is very important for connection resistivity, long-time durability, and subsequent hybridisation process (e.g., die-bonding). Gold reacts with indium to form intermetallic alloys with different chemo-physical parameters than pure indium. The geometrical and structural parameters of intermetallic alloys were analysed based on transmission electron microscope images. Distribution of elements in the investigated samples was determined using the transmission electron micro-scope with energy dispersive spectroscopy method. A thickness of intermetallic alloy was 1.02 μm and 1.67 μm in non-annealed (A) and annealed (B) indium columns, respectively. The layered and column-like interior structure of alloys was observed for both samples, respectively, with twice bigger grains in sample B. The graded chemical composition of Au-In intermetallic alloy was detected for the non-annealed In columns in contrast to the constant composition of 40% of Au and 60% of In for the annealed sample B. The atomic distribution has a minor impact on the In column mechanical stability. A yield above 99% of an In column with a 25 µm diameter and a 11 µm height is possible for a uniform columnar structure of intermetallic alloy with a thickness of 1.67 μm.