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THE NICOLAUS COPERNICUS UNIVERSITY
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is an institutional repository of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. The task of the Repository is to promote scientific achievements and research conducted at NCU and to support teaching.
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Paid and unpaid productivity losses across 28 European countries due to excess deaths and COVID-19 deaths from 2020 to 2023
(2026-01-25) Niewiadomski, Paweł; Ortega-Ortega, Marta; Łyszczarz, Błażej
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant epidemiological and economic burdens. Although extensive epidemiological research exists, data on productivity losses resulting from COVID-19 remain limited. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate paid and unpaid productivity losses from excess deaths and COVID-19 deaths across 28 European countries from 2020 to 2023.
Methods: This study used retrospective, population-level Eurostat data and a societal perspective to estimate paid and unpaid productivity losses (indirect costs) related to mortality caused by the COVID-19 pandemic (excess deaths and COVID-19 attributable deaths) in 28 European countries (European Union and Norway) from 2020 to 2023. For paid (market) losses, we applied the alternatives of the human capital approach (HCA) and the friction cost approach (FCA); for unpaid (non-market) losses, we used the opportunity cost approach (OCA).
Results: Total paid productivity losses from excess deaths in 2020-2023 across all 28 countries combined were €82.9 billion in the Human Capital Approach and €3.9 billion in the Friction Cost Approach. Non-paid productivity losses amounted to €96.0 billion, of which €28.6 billion were attributable to the employed and €67.4 billion to the non-employed. For COVID-19 deaths, the productivity losses were lower: €35.0 billion for HCA, €2.1 billion for FCA, and 56.2 billion for unpaid losses (€12.4 billion for the employed, and €43.8 billion for the non-employed). The highest relative economic burden was experienced in the Central and Eastern European countries and three Baltic states (Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia). Losses were higher among men than women, particularly in paid productivity losses (>80% of total). Age-specific paid losses and unpaid losses among the employed were the greatest in the middle-aged (40-59), while for unpaid losses among non-employed, most of the burden was identified in the elderly (aged 60-74). Additionally, we identified heterogeneous time patterns across regions, with Central and Southern European countries experiencing the highest losses in 2021, Western countries in 2022 and Northern ones in 2023.
Conclusions: This study shows that the burden of productivity losses caused by pandemic mortality was substantial, highly variable across regions and over time, and sensitive to the baseline mortality and valuation method used.
Sprawozdanie z badań archeobotanicznych przeprowadzonych na stanowisku 18 w miejscowości Chrystkowo, gm. Świecie. Katalog zaobserwowanych fitoliów.
(2025-11-30) Kofel-Lubczyńska, Dominika
Sprawozdanie prezentuje wyniki badań mikroarcheologicznych przeprowadzonych na próbkach ziemi pozyskanych z neolitycznego stanowiska w miejscowości Chrystkowo. Uzyskane wyniki zostały zaprezentowane w formie katalogu skonstruowanego z dwóch integralnych części: tabel, w których zestawiono wszystkie zidentyfikowane fitolity oraz tablic ze zdjęciami okazów o najlepiej zachowanych cechach diagnostycznych. Katalog stanowi kolekcję referencyjną do dalszych badań mikroarcheobotaniccych z zakresu fitolitów.
Bioenergy from Maize Silage by Anaerobic Digestion: Batch Kinetics in Relation to Biochemical Composition
(MDPI, 2026-02-22) Pilarski, Krzysztof; Pilarska, Agnieszka A.; Pietrzak, Michał B.; Igliński, Bartłomiej
Maize silage can play a key role in policies aimed at stabilising local energy systems, as dense and predictable source of chemical energy, it supports balance and reliability in the agricultural energy sector. To convert this potential into stable energy production, operators require kinetic models that translate routine silage quality indicators into concrete guidance for digester operation and control. Therefore, the aim of this article was to evaluate the batch kinetics of anaerobic digestion (AD) of maize silage and to select an adequate model for describing biochemical methane potential (BMP) profiles and associated energy recovery in the context of start-up, organic loading rate (OLR), hydraulic retention time (HRT) and feedstock preparation. Ten batches of silage (A–J) were examined, covering a realistic range of pH, electrical conductivity (EC), dry and volatile solids, ash, protein–fat–fibre fractions, fibre composition (NDF, ADF and ADL), derived fractions (hemicellulose, cellulose, and residual organic matter (OM)), C/N ratio and macro-/micronutrient profiles, including trace elements relevant to methanogenesis (Ni, Co, Mo, and Se). BMP tests were carried out in batch mode, and the resulting curves were fitted using the modified Gompertz and a firstorder kinetic model. Methane yields of approx. 100–120 m3 CH4/Mg fresh matter (FM) and 336–402 m3 CH4/Mg volatile solids (VS), with CH4 contents of 52–57% v/v, were typical for energy-grade maize silage. Kinetic and energetic behaviours were governed mainly by residual OM and hemicellulose (shortening the lag phase and increasing the maximum methane production rate), the ADL/cellulose ratio (controlling the slower hydrolytic tail), EC and Na/Cl/S (extending the lag phase), and C/N together with Ni/Co/Mo/Se (stabilising methanogenesis). The modified Gompertz model reproduced BMP curves with a pronounced lag phase and asymmetry more accurately (lower error and better information criterion values), and its parameters directly support start-up design, OLR ramp-up and energetic performance optimisation in bioenergy reactors. The novelty of this work lies in combining batch BMP tests, comparative kinetic modelling and detailed silage characterisation to establish quantitative links between kinetic parameters and routine maize silage quality indicators that are directly relevant for biogas plant operation and renewable energy production.
Symbiosis of Renewable Energy and Green Hydrogen at the Regional Level: The Example of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship in Poland
(MDPI, 2026-02-18) Igliński, Bartłomiej; Mazurek, Krzysztof; Drużyński, Sebastian; Pietrzak, Michał Bernard; Kiełkowska, Urszula; Skrzatek, Mateusz; Krajewski, Jarosław
Both the energy sector transition processes and the industry transformation processes should in the future be based on the use of green hydrogen (GH) obtained using renewable energy sources (RES). It is the symbiosis of RES and GH that will allow for a sustainable energy transformation of the entire economy. The calculated amount of RES in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship (Poland) is 18 TWh—this would provide 4.2 billion m3 (under normal conditions) (0.38 million tons) of GH. The amount of GH produced from RES surpluses in the voivodeship is about 30% of the current production of GH from fossil fuels in Poland. The calculated GH would power 2.64 million cars. The Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship has numerous salt caverns where GH can be stored. The most important barrier in the context of GH production remains the effective construction of a hydrogen economy chain, which requires a simultaneous costly transformation of the supply and demand sides. In order to implement GH technology, it is necessary to reduce the costs associated with its production, storage and transmission.
Bioenergy carbon capture storage and utilization: a critical review of market dynamics and policy implications
(BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature, 2026-01-26) Singh, Dig Vijay; Nagappan, Senthil; Lay, Chyi‑how; Igliński, Bartłomiej; Piechota, Grzegorz; Kumar, Gopalakrishnan; Saldivar, Roberto Parra; Kumar, Vinod
Bioenergy with carbon capture, utilization, and storage (BECCUS) is a competent technology with the potential to address global climate change challenges. However, its deployment faces significant hurdles across technological, economic, and policy domains. The production of biofuels including ethanol, methane, butanol, and biogas is accompanied by the release of carbon dioxide (CO2). This CO2 can be incorporated into organic molecules through various biochemical routes as part of the metabolic mechanisms of carbon absorption. The efficiency of these carbon assimilation pathways can be improved through ongoing developments in metabolic engineering, which can increase the production of valuable bioproducts, improve carbon sequestration, and support efforts to mitigate climate change. The present review recognizes critical avenues for advancing BECCUS, emphasizing market mechanisms, technological innovations, and cross-sector integration in both developed and developing countries such as India. The review recommends policy modifications aimed at establishing a transparent framework related to carbon pricing, emission trading systems, and proper certification mechanisms for biogenic carbon utilization. These modifications, coupled with the integration of renewable energy systems, would not only stimulate BECCUS adoption, but also foster its economic feasibility and sustainability. Additionally, promising technologies such as chemical looping and microalgae-based carbon capture should be technologically scaled up to ensure industrial-level applications. The integration of BECCUS with other sectors is also critical to optimize the impact of this technology on climate change mitigation. Therefore, the present review highlights the need for a robust policy framework, technologydriven innovation, and cross-sector research collaboration to resolve the challenges associated with BECCUS, boost its adoption, and ensure its economic feasibility and environmental sustainability. Moreover, providing regulatory support, augmenting market competitiveness, and aligning research on BECCUS play a transformative role in attaining the goals of the Paris Agreement and promoting environmental sustainability.