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This article aimed to identify sources and transport pathways of macro- and microelements in large urbanized rivers under significant anthropogenic pressure. To achieve the objective of this study, the geochemical characteristics of the sediments of the Sava and Danube Rivers and the soils flooded by the Kolubara River were determined. The high content of Mg indicates the dominant origin of the material from loess deposits. The significantly higher contents of Cr and Ni in sediment and soil samples from the Obrenovački Zabran (OZ) than in the samples from the Veliko Ratno Ostrvo (VRO) are the result of increased anthropogenic pressure. Sediments from the VRO show increased Sn and Sb contents. The increase in the content of chalcophile elements is the highest in the sediments from the OZ and ranges from 1.8 to 2.7 times, compared to their concentrations in the Earth’s crust. The soils from OZ and the sediments from the VRO show a decrease in the content of chalcophile elements compared to the sediments from the OZ so the increase is 1.2–1.5, and 0.9–2.3 times, respectively compared to the Earth’s crust. The obtained results revealed that the yield of sedimentary material that has higher concentrations of microelements decreases already at a distance of several km.

The goal of the strategic roadmap is to stimulate the transformation of social and economic systems through accumulated scientific and technological knowledge. This will trigger the development of a national strategy for microplastics based on scientific excellence, policy and industry readiness for environmentally friendly lifestyles to address the growing amount of microplastics in the environment. In order to achieve the goal of the proposed initiative on a national strategy for microplastics, the following specific objectives have been established: Pollution prevention through the improvement of a sustainable plastic waste management system and more efficient use of waste in the circular economy; Developing a circular economy based on industrial symbiosis and increasing resource efficiency, Identifying and advancing product alternatives; Develop a monitoring program for microplastics, Define risk thresholds and develop a risk assessment framework; Sources and pathways prioritization; Evaluating new solutions to mitigate microplastics contamination; Improvement of the environmental protection financing system; Strengthened capacities of institutions for reducing microplastics and harmonized regulations with EU regulations; Conduct consumer education and awareness-raising campaigns.

Human milk is a biofluid with a unique composition among mammalian milks. Besides this milk’s major components, its bioactive compounds, like hormones, immune factors, and oligosaccharides, are unique and important for infant growth and development. The best form of nutrition for term and preterm infants is the mother’s own milk. However, in the absence of the mother’s own milk, donor milk should be made available. Milk banks support neonatal intensive care units by providing preterm infants with human milk that generally has reasonable nutritive value for this sensitive population. However, neither mother’s own milk nor donor milk has sufficient energy content for the growth of preterm babies, so adequate human milk supplementation is crucial for their progress. Due to the different characteristics of human breast milk, as well as ubiquitous environmental pollutants, such as microplastics, new methods are required for monitoring the quality and characteristics of human milk, which will lay a solid foundation for the further development and progress of human milk research.

U Republici Srbiji do sada nije kreiran uniformni model ekološkog označavanja za građevinske proizvode na bazi pečene gline. Vodeći proizvođači jedine podatke o svojim proizvodima daju u katalozima, ističući da su napravljeni od ekoloških sirovina i da su energetski efikasni. Podaci o proizvodnom procesu, emisijama zagađujućih materija i predviđenim merama zaštite životne sredine najčešće nisu dostupni. Polazeći od činjenice da proizvodnja ovih proizvoda značajno utiče na životnu sredinu, nametnula se potreba za razvojem inovativne metodologije utvrđivanja kriterijuma za ekološko označavanje građevinskih proizvoda na bazi pečene gline u Republici Srbiji. U tu svrhu kreiran je set od 24 indikatora. Izdvojeni indikatori su opisnog karaktera i da bi se mogli procenjivati, bilo je neophodno da im se dodeli vrednost. Na osnovu raspoložive stručne i naučne literature, izvršeno je određivanje prioriteta indikatora metodom prioritizacije koja se zasniva na proceni uticaja građevinskih proizvoda na bazi pečene gline na kvalitet životne sredine i na zdravlje ljudi. Metoda je kombinovana sa procenom prioriteta održivosti 3BL pristupa. U fokusu sprovedenog istraživanja bila su tri najčešće korišćena proizvoda – fasadna opeka, standardni blok i energetski blok. Kriterijumi za sticanje prava proizvođača građevinskih proizvoda na ekološko označavanje njihovih proizvoda, definisani su poređenjem individualne ukupne zbirne vrednosti indikatora pojedinačnog proizvođača u odnosu na referentnu zbirnu vrednost. Pravo na ekološku oznaku prema tako definisanim kriterijumima imali bi proizvođači čija je ukupna zbirna vrednost indikatora veća od 80% od usvojene referentne zbirne vrednosti. Ukoliko je ta vrednost između 70% i 80%, proizvođač uz izvesne korekcije može steći pravo na ekološku oznaku. Za vrednosti koje su niže od 70%, proizvođač ne može steći ekološku oznaku. Verifikacija razvijene metodologije izvršena je na vodećim proizvođačima građevinskih proizvoda na bazi pečene gline iz

Microplastic and nanoplastic particles have gained significant attention in recent years due to their potential presence in various environmental matrices, including food. This bibliometric analysis aims to explore the scientific landscape surrounding the study of microplastic and nanoplastic particles in food, shedding light on key research trends, prominent authors, and notable journals in this field. To conduct this analysis, a comprehensive search was performed on scholarly databases, including Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus, using relevant keywords such as “microplastic”, “nanoplastic”, “food”, and related terms. The analysis focused on peer-reviewed articles published between 2020 and 2023. The search found 313 articles on microplastic and nanoplastic particles in food, indicating a growing interest in this research area. The number of publications showed an upward trend, with the most productive year being 2020 (38% of papers), followed by 2023 and 2021 (23% each). In 2020, 16% of papers were published. Among the analyzed articles, 48% were original research papers, 46% were reviews, and the remaining 6% included book chapters, perspectives, and other publications. The analysis revealed that the most prolific authors in this field include researchers such as Jansen, M.A.K., Abbasi, S., and Banerjee, A., who have significantly contributed to the study of microplastics and nanoplastics in food. Additionally, several collaborations between different research institutions were observed, emphasizing the multidisciplinary nature of this research area. Furthermore, the analysis identified key journals publishing research on microplastics and nanoplastics in food, including Science of the Total Environment, the Journal of Hazardous Materials, and Environmental Pollution. The increasing number of publications on microplastic and nanoplastic particles in food indicates the growing awareness and concern regarding the potential risks associated with these contaminant

Microplastics are tiny plastic particles and fragments that are less than 5 millimeters in size. These particles can be found in various environmental compartments. They are a growing concern due to their potential environmental impact and the challenges they pose for ecosystems and human health. Microplastics can vary in shape, composition, and size, with some being so small that they are not visible to the naked eye (nano dimensions). This diversity makes the detection and analysis of microplastics a complex scientific field. When conducting microplastics analysis, it is essential to choose the appropriate combination of instruments and techniques based on the sample type, and expected particle sizes. Additionally, methods for the analysis of microplastics are still being developed and have not been brought to the level of standards. Like all other methods of analysis, this procedure involves the extraction of particles from the matrix [1] and then an analysis that enables the confirmation of the identity of the polymer from the point of its particle composition. Particles that are mixed polymers also often appear. That is why it is most practical, and at the same time the most expensive, to have several different techniques to determine the type of particles. Everything gets complicated when applied to micro and nano particle sizes. Today, different instrumental techniques are used for the detection of microplastics, depending on the dimensions of the particles to be identified. FTIR Spectrometer works by measuring the absorption of infrared light by the sample, providing information about the types of polymers present. Raman Spectrometer is uses the scattering of laser light to provide information about the molecular structure and composition of microplastics. SEM with Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) capable to visualize the surface morphology of particles and when coupled with EDS, it can also provide information about the elemental composition of th

Po podacima iz Evropske strategije za plastiku iz 2018. godine, godišnje se u evropskim zemljama proizvodi oko 25,8 miliona tona plas tičnog otpada, od čega se manje od 30% sakuplja za reciklažu. Kao jedan od glavnih izazova Republike Srbije za tranziciju ka cirkularnoj ekonomiji prepoznato je prilagođavanje industrije koja se bavi proizvodnjom plastič ne ambalaže, a naročito ako se uzme u obzir činjenica da 25% od ukupno proizvedenog ambalažnog otpada u Republici Srbiji čini plastični otpad. U radu je predstavljena analiza strateških, planskih i zakonskih me hanizama zemalja članica Evropske unije i Republike Srbije za smanjenje zagađenja životne sredine plastičnim otpadom, uključujući mikroplastiku. Cilj istraživanja je da se identifikuju izazovi koje je neophodno prevazići u zemljama članicama Evropske unije i Republici Srbiji, kako bi se dostigli ambiciozni ciljevi o potpunoj reciklaži plastične ambalaže i unapređenju upravljanja plastičnim otpadom. Rezultati istraživanja ukazuju na mere za upravljanje plastičnim otpadom koje su bazirane na izbegavanje nastajanja otpada, odnosno njegovoj transformaciji u visokokvalitetne sirovine; pove ćanju stepena reciklaže i ponovne upotrebe, čime se ostvaruje korist, kako za privredu, tako i za životnu sredinu. Evidentan je potencijal za reciklažu plastike u Republici Srbiji, a cirkularna ekonomija je prepoznata kao jedan od načina za razvoj održivog sistema upravljanja plastičnim otpadom.

An increase in urban population and the rising demand for food and other essentials, perpetuate a rise in the amount of waste being generated daily by each household. In the Republic of Serbia, landfilling is the principal action for the municipal solid waste disposal. Landfills receive plenty of plastic waste generated from daily usage. Municipal solid waste in landfills may act as a reservior of microplastics (MPs) and related pollutants such as phthalate esters (PAEs) into surrounding environment. This study illustrated considerable PAEs levels from an uncontrolled landfill without adequate protection, possibly contributing to their release into the environment in the Republic of Serbia.

Microplastic (MP) pollution is one of the most pressing environmental problems of the 21st century. In the EU, between 75.000 and 300.000 tons of MP are released into the environment every year. MP are ubiquitous, being found in seas, lakes, rivers and estuaries, air, sediments, landfills, and wastewater treatment plants because of improper human disposal of plastics and inadequate waste management. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is frequently promoted as a tool to assess environmental impact. LCA is regulated in accordance with ISO 14040 and implies a process that examines environmental aspects and potential environmental impacts on the product or service life cycle. While LCA is a valuable environmental tool, its application to MP has not been sufficiently developed and investigated. The purpose of this paper is to critically review the LCA modeling of MP. Several leading LCA software were analyzed. Based on the conducted research, it was concluded that there are very few databases used by LCA software, which can be connected to MP. In addition, it was concluded that for these types of analysis, it is best to observe the life cycle of plastic waste, focusing on the concept according to which waste is considered a resource.

Purpose To anticipate the impact of illegal landfills, development of new models should become a part of environmental risk management strategies. One of such approaches includes applications of the artificial neural network (ANN). The main objective of this study was to elucidate the impact of illegal landfilling on the surrounding soil environment and human health, as well as to establish an artificial neural network (ANN) models for predicting the hazards of illegal landfilling as an effective tool in decision-making and environmental risk management. Methods The identification of heavy metals source in soil was performed by principal component analysis (PCA). To assess the sensitivity of the soil ecosystem to heavy metal concentrations, Soil Quality standards and quantitative indices were used. The possible health effects were valued using the average daily doses (ADDs), hazard quotient (HQ), hazard index (HI), and carcinogenic risk (CR). ANN modeling was used for the prediction of heavy metal concentrations in the soil based on landfill size, municipality size, the number of residents, plant species, soil, and landform types. Results The average values of the pollution indexes for Cd were in the moderately contaminated and very high contamina tion categories. The HQ values were lower than the safe level. Cr and Pb posed a significant CR for adults and children, and Ni for children. The ANN models have exhibited good generalization power and accurately predicted the output parameters with a high value of the coefficient of determination. Conclusion Concerning heavy metal concentrations, illegal landfills near agricultural soil have a significant impact on the soil ecosystem and people’s health. The developed ANN models can be applied generally to anticipate the heavy metal concentrations in soil, according to the before mentioned input parameters, with high accuracy.

The main objective of this study is to determine the possibility of predicting the impact of land use and soil type on concentrations of heavy metals (HMs) and phthalates (PAEs) in soil based on an artificial neural network model (ANN). Qualitative analysis of HMs was performed with inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP/OES) and Direct Mercury Analyzer. Determination of PAEs was performed with gas chromatography (GC) coupled with a single quadrupole mass spectrometry (MS). An ANN, based on the Broyden-Fletcher-Goldfarb-Shanno (BFGS) iterative algorithm, for the prediction of HM and PAE concentrations, based on land use and soil type parameters, showed good prediction capabilities (the coefficient of determination (r(2)) values during the training cycle for HM concentration variables were 0.895, 0.927, 0.885, 0.813, 0.883, 0.917, 0.931, and 0.883, respectively, and for PAEs, the concentration variables were 0.950, 0.974, 0.958, 0.974, and 0.943, respectively). The results of this study indicate that HM and PAE concentrations, based on land use and soil type, can be predicted using ANN.

Sustainable development forms the foundational block, emphasizing the importance of minimizing environmental impacts, conserving resources, and safeguarding ecosystem integrity. Environmental chemistry plays a pivotal role in this stage, providing the analytical tools and methodologies needed to assess environmental contamination, understand chemical processes in natural systems, and devise eco-friendly materials and practices. Green chemistry principles underpin this approach, reducing the environmental footprint through the design of less hazardous chemicals and cleaner production processes.

Sustainable development forms the foundational block, emphasizing the importance of minimizing environmental impacts, conserving resources, and safeguarding ecosystem integrity. Environmental chemistry plays a pivotal role in this stage, providing the analytical tools and methodologies needed to assess environmental contamination, understand chemical processes in natural systems, and devise eco-friendly materials and practices. Green chemistry principles underpin this approach, reducing the environmental footprint through the design of less hazardous chemicals and cleaner production processes.

In the period from 2017 to 2022, 4,500 soil samples from the territory of Vojvodina were analyzed as part of the program for monitoring non-agricultural land. The results showed that the biggest problem was the presence of phthalate esters, which in certain locations were higher than the maximum allowed concentrations. Phthalate esters are plasticizers that are added to plastic products to improve their characteristics. A big problem appears in countries that do not have or do not implement waste management regulations and a large number of plastic products end up in landfills. Phthalates can be washed out from evreday plastic products as well as from plastic films, sewage irrigation, sludge, composting and mulching films used in agriculture and thus end up in soil and water bodies. The next risk is the possibility of the decomposition of plastic products under the influence of environmental conditions (photodegradation, thermooxidative degradation, hydrolytic degradation, and biodegradation by microorganisms). They can be broken down into smaller particles with dimensions smaller than 5 mm, which is by definition microplastics. Given that both polluting substances generally have the same origin it is necessary to quantify the correlation between the amount of microplastics and the concentration of phthalates. This results helped us in the exposure assessment process and in prediction the environmental concentrations of phthalates associated with microplastics in soil which was the goal of this research.

Widespread use of pesticides in intensive agriculture indicates the need for permanent monitoring of their residues in soil. For this purpose, a total of 22 evenly distributed sampling points of arable land were chosen in the sampling area in Serbia. Soils were divided into groups according to the previous crop (pepper, vegetables, maize, wheat and soybean). Soil properties and residues of 68 pesticides, of which 22 herbicides, 25 insecticides and 21 fungicides, were analysed in the collected soil samples. The obtained data confirm the heterogeneity of soil samples regarding their organic matter content (1.41-3.39%) and pH value (pH 4.27-8.08). The average number of active ingredients detected per type of previous crop was 1-2 herbicides, 14-16 insecticides, and 3-4 fungicides, while the residues of 3 herbicides, 20 insecticides and 9 fungicides were found in total. Insecticides with mainly organochlorine compounds represented the majority of the detected active ingredients. Although rapid degradability of sulfonylurea herbicides is a well-known fact, the residues of nicosulfuron, ranging from 0.15 to 1.99 mu g/kg, were found in three soil samples where maize was grown as a previous crop. Furthermore, triazoles prothioconazole (0.08 +/- 0.11 mu g/kg), tebuconazole (0.10 +/- 0.24 mu g/kg) and epoxyconazole (0.13 +/- 0.42 mu g/kg) were detected in 36%, 18% and 14% soil samples, respectively, while difenoconazole and flusilazole were detected in only one sample. Soil pH value mostly correlated with pesticides. The levels of pesticides detected in agricultural soils should be monitored further, especially in terms of environmental risks posed by their transfer to groundwater and surface waters.

With the goal of enhancing the quality of the environment, urban green infrastructure (UGI) is an essential element in sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions (NBS) are being carried out as new infrastructure solutions that increase the resilience of cities. In this research, the method of theoretical analysis and the content analysis as the basic fact-gathering technique was applied to answer to following questions: What are the hindrances and bottlenecks in implementing NBS? Are the current decision-making mechanisms helping NBS get in route to shape cities? Is there any binding policy in practice that promotes NBS? In Belgrade is planned Type 3 of the degree of intervention/level and engineering type-Creation and new ecosystem management in the classifications of intensive urban green space management; urban planning strategies; urban water management; ecological restoration of degraded terrestrial ecosystems; and restoration and creation of semi-natural water bodies and hydrographic networks. In the future, it is essential to implement policies and incentives on national, regional, and local scales that help encourage the usage of NBS in the development of urban infrastructure.

Hemometrijskim metodama (deskriptivna statistika, korelaciona analiza, analiza glavnih komponenti, klaster analiza, slobodno-granajući dendogram klaster, veštačke neuronske mreže, analiza osetljivosti i metoda standardne ocene) analizrani su rezultati sprovedene ankete i rezultati analize sadržaja žive u kućnoj prašini i zemljištu okućnica na posmatranim lokacijama u Šidu. Rezultati ispitivanja koncentracije žive u kućnoj prašini ovim radom pokazuju da u kućnoj prašini mogu biti zastupljene različite koncentracije žive. Koncentracija žive u kućnoj prašini je veća od maksimalno dozvoljene koncentracije u kućnoj prašini, na osnovu konsultovane literature (Rasmussen i sar., 2001), jer u Republici Srbiji ne postoji pravni akt kojim je MDK za Hg u kućnoj prašini regulisana. Sadržaj žive u kućnoj prašini je mnogo veći od okolnog zemljišta. U zemljištu okućnice zastupljena je živa. Rezultati ispitivanja koncentracije kućne prašine i upoređivanje sa koncentracijama žive u zemljištu okućnice pokazuju da nije utvrđena statistički značajna korelacija između koncentracije žive u kućnoj prašini i dvorištu okućnice. Koncentracija žive u zemljištu nije veća od maksimalno dozvoljene koncentracije u zemljištu. Ne postoji pozitivna korelacija između sadržaja žive u kućnoj prašiniu odnosu na prisustvo električnih uređaja, starosti objekta, načina zagrevanja objekta, materiala gradnje objekta i blizine industrijske zone. Predloženi ANN model može da se primeni za predviđanje sadržaja Hg u kućnoj prašini, kao i sadržaja Hg u zemljištu okućnica, za širok opseg vrednosti ulaza (vrsta grejanja, starost objekta, upotrebljen građevinski materijali, primena električnih uređaja u domaćinstvu, broj ložišta, broj stanara, kućnih ljubimaca i pušača). Na osnovu analiziranih rezultata i dostupne literature zaključuje se da je potrebna veća kontrola zagađivanja životne sredine prouzrokovana živom, kontrola zagađenja usled prisustva toksina i teških metala, sa ciljem značajnije redukcije emisije žive

Dimethachlor is an herbicide used for oilseed rape protection. Previous studies have demonstrated its high mobility in the soil, which could lead to water contamination. This research aimed to determine the occurrence of dimethachlor and its metabolites (dimethachlor ethanesulfonic acid ESA and dimethachlor oxalamic acid OA) in surface water using a recently developed analytical method. This article is one of the first to document dimethachlor and its metabolites' presence in surface water samples. The samples were collected from the Danube river and Tisza river. The quantitative determination of dimethachlor and its metabolites in the obtained extracts was done by high-performance liquid chromatography. Descriptive statistical methods, including correlation analysis, cluster analysis, and principal component analyses, were utilized to analyze method validation experimental results. In addition, the artificial neural network (ANN) model was applied as an optimization tool. The developed ANN model adequately predicted observed variables, suggesting the optimum results were obtained at a pH value 7, spike value 1, and injection volume equal to 0.5 mu L. The average concentrations in Danube River samples were 1.51 mu g/L for OA 0.01 mu g/L for ESA, and 0.63 mu g/L for DMC, while the average concentrations of chloroacetanilide herbicides detected in Tisza River samples were 1.43 mu g/L for OA, 0.08 mu g/L for ESA and 1.82 mu g/L for DMC.

In this work by encapsulation technique we have synthetized three new clove bud essential oil (CEO) Emulsifiable Concentrate (EC) formulations depending on the carrier (synthetic zeolite-F-CSZ, nature zeolite- F-CNZ and gelatin- F-CG). The main idea was to develop an eco-friendly biopesticide that can find use in plant protection as an alternative to the use of conventional pesticides. By encapsulation we wanted to enable water solubility and ensure prolonged efficacy of the essential oil. Biological activity of designed CEO formulations was tested on potato tuber moth Phthorimaea operculella (fumigant mode of action), gray mold fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea (preserver coatings), and soft rotting bacterial pathogens Pectobacterium carotovorum (subsp. carotovorum and brasiliensis) and Dickeya dianthicola (direct competition). CEO formulations evinced a prolonged action on mortality of P. operculella during the insects' exposure to the concentration of the emulsions of 40 mu L L-1 air. The mortality gradually decreased from a probability of 100% after the first 24 h to 50% after 5 days for F-CSZ or after 4 days for F-CNZ and F-CG. The most promising formulation is F-CSZ enabling activity during 14 days of exposure, while the effect of the other two formulations lasted 10 days. All three formulations produced a strong fungicidal effect against B. cinerea by preventing infection and disease development. The best efficacy was evidenced with F-CSZ (synthetic zeolite as a carrier) showing 100% efficacy when it was used even at the lowest tested concentration of active CEO (1%). The results of in vitro testing against soft rot pathogens determined the MIC value of CEO formulations to be 1% of active CEO. By this research, we present a novel perspective on the use of essential oils as an alternative, environmental biopesticide. CEO formulations can be commercially exploited as a fumigant or preserver coatings to extend the shelf life of stored products or the fresh-fruit

Poster presented at: The 24th International Biohydrometallurgy Symposium (IBS) 20/11 2022

The world was hit almost simultaneously by two unplanned for catastrophes: the COVID-19pandemic and the war in Ukraine. Almost overnight everything has stopped (pandemic) and the world has rapidly accelerated (war). In both situations, everything has changed radically, both in everyday life and globally. From the perhaps more banal shortages of nails, screws and beer in Germany, due to the impossibility of deliveries from Ukraine (but from Russia and Belarus, also), to the almost cataclysmic energy crisis, food shortages, rising prices, dismissal of workers and inflation. The lack of critical materials, for which (REEs and Sb) the PRC holds the key in production, recicling and reuse, has stopped the production chains of almost all industries. Helium shortage threatens to shut down many key health instruments (NMR). Both disasters contribute to unimaginable levels of environmental pollution, beyond control. The war, where explosives and new types of issile/rocket fuels, pollute the air, land and water resources to unimaginable proportions, but also protective medical devices are contributing with micro- and nano-plastics. What could happen with regard to contamination of the Black and Azov Seas is hard to imagine, such as in the possible use of chemical weapons. When it comes to life and death, hunger and suffering, destruction and diseases all the lofty goals of humanity, including sustainability and consequently sustainable chemistry, cannot be in focus.For that very reason, never forget the “golden” rules:1. When the prices of nickel and copper on the LME rise, war is on the horizon!2. With the release of frozen prehistoric forms of primitive life forms, as must occur from the melting of permafrost, we should expect more pandemics!The time of easy life in developed countries is behind us and life will be dizzyingly fast with uncertain directions, flexibility and diversification that are almost unpredictable. Luckily, the imagination of chemists is without limits