Search

Based on the UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2021, approximately 931 million tons of food waste were generated in 2019, with nearly 570 million tons of that waste occurring in households. Hunger affects more than 800 million people worldwide. Furthermore, the non-consumption of food accounts for 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, food waste generation has significant environmental, societal, and economic consequences. The circular economy (CE) is an economic model that seeks to reduce waste and extend resource life. The purpose of this study is to examine and present the connections between the CE, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and food waste management. Food waste management is commonly regarded as an environmental issue. Still, it also offers vital economic and social benefits for sustainable development. The first section of the research looks at the function of food waste management in the transition to a circular economy. The second part of this study examines the SDGs in food waste management and circular economy. The findings revealed that the most significant connections and synergies between food waste management, circular economy practices, and SDG targets could be found in SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). Both goals have high scores for direct and indirect contributions.

Microplastics have reached all corners of our planet, including soil and water. Plastic-degrading bacteria are seen as a promising, environmentally friendly tool for the bioremediation of soil polluted with microplastics. The petroleum origin of plastics makes them candidates for bioremediation analogous to the bioremediation of soil polluted with oil and its derivatives. A mud pit, located near the village of Turija, used for mud formation for the lubrication of drill pipes for drilling rigs, ended up polluted with oil and its derivatives. It was bioremediated using the in situ procedure. The content of n-hexane extractable substance, total petroleum hydrocarbon, dry substance, and loss on ignition were analyzed.

Paper provided the systematic data on the distribution and risk assess­ment status of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in sediment of the Tisza River (Serbia). The α-HCH, endrin ketone and methoxychlor are the most commonly found OCPs compounds. According to Serbian regulation concentrations of dieldrin, α-HCH, β-HCH and heptachlor were below limit values. In the Tisza River, sediment samples concentrations of aldrin, endrin, γ-HCH, endosulfans, heptachlor epoxide, p,p’-DDD, p,p’-DDE, p,p’-DDT were above limit values but below maximum concentration. Adverse effects are expected occasionally and slight potential health risks may exist to organisms based on the sediment quality guidelines. Upon exposure to organochlorine pesticides through non-dietary routes, results reported no potential cancer risk. The highest risk of cancer was through ingestion of contaminated sediments and minimal through inhalation routes. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. 176006, Grant no. 176019 and Grant no. 43010]

The optimal conditions for the extraction of eight polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were determined using 32 factorial design of experiments (DOE). The independent variables were coded at three levels and their actual values were selected on the basis of the preliminary experimental results. DOE consisted of nine runs with three replicates at the central point. A second-order polynomial model was used for predicting the response. After the optimization of the duration of extraction, the ratio of solvents and purification and instrumental parameters, the optimized conditions were applied on the samples taken from the surface layer of soil from 24 potentially contaminated locations (landfills, ex marshalling yard, dump of secondary raw materials and automotive waste). The gas chromatographic analysis with electron capture detection (GC-ECD) was used for the determination of PBDEs. The recovery values of BDE congeners at five concentration levels ranged between 80% and 115%. The total PBDEs concentrations ranged from 4.4 to 729 μg kg-1 of absolutely dry soil. The suitability of the experiment was proved by comparing the experimental and predicted values of the variable parameters. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. III 43010 and Grant no. 17619]

Mercury (Hg) and potentially toxic elements (PTEs) are components of household dust and are a risk for human health. The aim of this study was to determine the concentrations of Hg and PTEs in household dust in individual housing facilities in the town of Šid, Serbia and their correlation to the content of the elements found in the surrounding garden soil. Total of 64 samples of household dust were collected from 16 locations of individual housing facilities on 4 occasions. Samples of surrounding yard and garden soil were simultaneously collected. None of the 64 analysed soil samples exceeded the threshold limit (TL) prescribed by law for non-agricultural soil, which is 0.3 mg kg-1 DM. Content of Hg in household dust was much higher than in the surrounding soil and ranged from 0.005 to 1.566 mg kg-1 DM. The resulting values of PTEs (As, B, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in household dust had a significantly higher range than in the soil. Contents of Hg, B, Cu, and Zn were much higher in household dust than in the soil. According to the results of correlations of the analysed elements in household dust and surrounding soil, and according to the analysed locations, direct effect of Hg and PTEs contents on the content of the same elements in household dust was not confirmed.

Overuse of fertilizers can have harmful effects on the environment. The Nitrates Directive aims to protect water quality by preventing nitrates from agricultural sources polluting ground and surface waters and by promoting the use of good farming practices. The paper is based on research about agricultural producers' awareness about the impact of fertilizers overuse on the environment. Data were collected by face to face interviews with farm owners on 39 farms in Serbia. Analysis of the collected data showed that all farmers use fertilizers. It is important to notice that 79.4% of farmers use chemical fertilizers more than recommended, and 87.1% use organic fertilizers more than recommended. Furthermore, 66.6% of farmers do not know specific harmful pollution effects of nitrates on soil and water. 71.7% of farmers have not heard about the Nitrates Directive. Therefore, it can be concluded that farmers are not sufficiently aware of fertilizers impact on the environment and it is necessary to provide education on this.

This paper analyses setting up and functioning of legalized system for marijuana production, distribution, sales, both in medical and recreational purposes. The aim of this paper is to reflect hence possibilities for additional economic benefits for the Republic of Serbia, through practical examples of countries which had already completed such process. Based on analysis results of subject systems, possible project solution for implementation in Republic of Serbia is defined which is based on good practice of countries which had already finished this process.

This paper succesfully investigated the possibility of modification of the micropropagation protocol of Phalaenopsis sp. with an aim to simplify the procedure and reduce the costs. The obtained results show that some medium components can be succesfully omitted (coconut water, glutamine, 2-morpholinoethanesulfonic acid) and some of them (peptone) can be replaced with a cheaper constituent (soy flour) while preserving the quality of the obtained microplants. The multiplication rate was 7,6 shoots per explant after the period of 150 days of cultivation in vitro. On the same medium 60% of explants were rooted and roots were mostly well developed.

The paper points out to the differences of the First order theory and Second order theory and of the significance in practical calculations. The paper presents theoretical foundations and expressions of calculations of impacts on the stability of structure, that is, review of the Second order theory in a bridge with members semi-rigid connections in joints. In the real structures in general and the especially in the prefabricated structures the connection of members in the nodes can be partially rigid which can be very significant for the changes in tension and deformation. If the influence of the normal forces is significant and the structure is slender then it is necessary to carry out a calculation according to the Second order theory because the balance between internal and external forces really established on the deformed configuration and displacements in strict formation are also unreal. The importance and significance of the calculations and distribution of impact according to the Second order theory were presented in numerical examples as well as the calculation of critical load as well as the buckling length of members with semi-rigid connections in joint.

The paper deals with a brief presentation of a part of the performed experimental tests of the prefabricated reinforced concrete structural system 'AMONT' for construction of various types of modern industrial halls. The test results are analyzed for two industrial halls both constructed according to this structural system but in the different phases of construction, tested in the full scale by application of AMBIENT vibration method. From the obtained Fourier spectra for measured ambient vibrations in two orthogonal direction for the structure without walls and the other with façade and filling walls, a significant discrepancy in their natural frequencies has been observed, and some conclusions about the influence of panel walls on dynamic characteristic the frame structure have been drawn out. The paper used some data of the research after the earthquake in Montenegro which took place on 15th of April 1979.

The mass content of aggregate (ma) and of cement (mc) of concrete comprise coefficient calculated as ma/mc. Some methods used for designing of concrete mixtures take into consideration this coefficient. In this paper, concrete mixtures were prepared so that mass of cement, water cement factor and granulometric composition have been varied. Values of the coefficient ma/mc in experimental research ranged between 7,20 in concrete mixtures mixed with 250 kg of cement to 3,60 in concrete mixtures mixed with 500 kg per 1m3. From the aspect of compressive strength of concrete, it has been established that optimum values of the coefficient ma/mc depend on the granulometric composition and water cement factor. At higher water cement factors, larger values of ma/mc coefficient are required to achieve the maximum strength under the given conditions.

The paper presents the conceptual design of the footbridge made of laminated wood. The supporting system of the main bearing elements is made of the laminated wood in the system of arch with three joints and the bridge deck is made of the composite timber concrete structure system. The load patterns for which the dimensions of the supporting bridge structures were adopted (verified according to Eurocode) are presented.