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This is the first part of an environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) study of oilseed rape cultivated under conditions prevalent in the region of Vojvodina, Serbia. The paper presents the initial two phases of the LCA: goal and scope definition, as well as the life cycle inventory (LCI). The assessment exclusively focuses on the rapeseed oil production chain, which includes the transportation of oilseeds to regional silos as its final stage. The assessment of production inputs, including quantities of mineral fertilizers, pesticides, and diesel fuel needed to achieve an assumed yield of 3000 kg ha-1, relies on recommendations from relevant agricultural advisory institutions. Emissions of pollutants into the environment, considered as outputs, are calculated using methodologies that account for locally specific conditions and production practices. Collected or estimated input and output data are entered into the OpenLCA software, which, in conjunction with the ecoinvent 3.7 database, computes the results of the LCI analysis. The LCI result contains data on hundreds of different pollutants emitted into the environment during the processes that make up the oilseed rape production chain, as well as a detailed inventory of consumed or used natural resources. However, LCI results only provide data on the quantities of different exchanges with the environment, not their potential impacts. Thus, they are not suitable for concluding the overall impact of oilseed rape production on the environment. Consequently, the analysis requires supplementation through the third LCA phase: the life cycle impact assessment (LCIA). This phase provides further explanations and interpretations of the significance of inventory results from an environmental protection perspective.

This study explores a novel approach that combines soil recovery with biofuel production, presenting a strategy that addresses the increasing demand for biofuels while sidestepping the food–fuel debate. It also introduces an innovative method for recovering heavy metals from soils through their translocation into the solid product of the conversion process. Phytoremediation trials were conducted under real field conditions, and the thermochemical conversion of the harvested biomass was carried out at lab scale. Field trials took place in 2021–2023 in Lithuania and Serbia. In Serbia, the contamination primarily involved heavy metals, whereas the Lithuanian site was predominantly contaminated with hydrocarbons from petroleum products. The harvested biomass underwent pretreatment and was then used as feedstock for conversion into high‐energy carriers. The conversion products were evaluated for their potential to substitute fossil fuels. Finally, the value chain, encompassing key stakeholders and factors impacting the profitability of this approach, was established, and initial estimates were made regarding the size of individual cost components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helichrysum italicum (immortelle) essential oil is one of the most popular essential oils worldwide and it has many beneficial properties, including antimicrobial. However, in this plant, the chemical diversity of the essential oil is very pronounced. The aim of this work was to process the GC-MS results of four samples of H. italicum essential oil of Serbian origin by chemometric tools, and evaluate the antimicrobial activity in vitro and in silico. Overall, 47 compounds were identified, the most abundant were γ-curcumene, α-pinene, and ar-curcumene, followed by α-ylangene, neryl acetate, trans-caryophyllene, italicene, α-selinene, limonene, and italidiones. Although the four samples of H. italicum essential oil used in this study were obtained from different producers in Serbia, they belong to the type of essential oil rich in sesquiterpenes (γ-curcumene and ar-curcumene chemotype). In vitro antimicrobial potential showed that five were sensitive among ten strains of tested microorganisms: Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Candida albicans. Therefore, these microorganism models were used further for in silico molecular docking through the mechanism of ATP-ase inhibitory activity. Results showed that among all compounds from H. italicum essential oil, neryl acetate has the highest predicted binding energy. Artificial neural network modeling (ANN) showed that two major compounds γ-curcumene and α-pinene, as well as minor compounds such as trans-β-ocimene, terpinolene, terpinene-4-ol, isoitalicene, italicene, cis-α-bergamotene, trans-α-bergamotene, italidiones, trans-β-farnesene, γ-selinene, β-selinene, α-selinene, and guaiol are responsible for the antimicrobial activity of H. italicum essential oil. The results of this study indicate that H. italicum essential oil samples rich in γ-curcumene, α-pinene, and ar-curcumene cultivated in Serbia (Balkan) have antimicrobial potential both in vitro and in silico. In addition, according to ANN modeling, the proportion of neryl acetate and other compounds detected in these samples has the potential to exhibit antimicrobial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis L., Lamiaceae) is a perennial shrub or subshrub violet-blue flowers in verticillasters and spicy taste with a pungent flavour. Besides being used as a culinary herb for flavouring and food preservation, this plant is also an ornamental, bee attracting plant and a traditional remedy for respiratory diseases and digestive disturbances. Hyssop is an essential oil-bearing plant, and its essential oil (Hyssopi aetheroleum) is used in the pharmaceutical, perfume and cosmetics industries as well as in aromatherapy. The objective of this study was to determine the chemical composition of essential oil of hyssop CV. "Domaći ljubičasti", grown in Serbia, and investigate its antimicrobial activity against 16 bacteria, mainly pathogens in the food industry. A total of 61 compounds were detected in the hyssop essential oil. The bicyclic monoterpene ketones CIS-pinocamphone (43.8%) and trans-pinocamphone (18.3%) were the most abundant, comprising 62.1%, followed by b-pinene (6.3%) and pinocarvone (6.1%). Hyssop essential oil expressed antibacterial activity against: Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Proteus hauseri, Listeria monocytogenes, Rhodococcus equi, Listeria ivanovii, Salmonella Enteritidis, Enterococcus faecalis, Listeria innocua and Bacillus spizizenii. Hyssop essential oil did not express antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella Typhimurium, Klebsiella aerogenes and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Results of this study show that hyssop essential oil has potential for using as natural supplement for control of foodborne diseases of microbiological origin, as well as flavor compositions (herbaceous, camphor-like odour with warm and spicy undernotes), especially for meat products, sauces, soups and seasonings.

Seeds of seven different genotypes of underutilised oil crop Carthamus tinctorius L. (Asteraceae) from alternative oil species collection of the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops (Novi Sad, Serbia), were analysed for their protein, oil, fatty acids, tocopherols and total phenolics contents, with a view to test their diversity and potential as an alternative source of these valuable compounds. Seeds of the tested safflower genotypes had total protein (determined by Kjeldahl method) content from 11.5 to 16.0%, while total oil content (determined by Soxhlet method) ranged from 16.8 to 24.5% of dry matter, on average. Two main unsaturated fatty acids in safflower seeds, oleic and linoleic acids, represent approximately 90% of the total fatty acid content (determined by gas chromatography). Linoleic acid was the dominant fatty acid in all genotypes (61.2-80.2% of oil), while oleic acid was in a negative correlation with linolenic acid content and ranged from 9.6 to 29.5% of oil. The amount of saturated fatty acids ranged from 5.5 to 6.05% for palmitic, and 2.1 to 3.5% for stearic acid. Safflower seed is a source of a-tocopherol (determined by high performance liquid chromatography method with fluorescence detection) and its amount ranged from 358.8 to 461.8 mg/L of oil. The content of total phenolics (determined spectrophotometrically) ranged from 4.0 to 6.0 mg of gallic acid equivalents/g of dry weight. This comprehensive screening of valuable chemical compounds of safflower seeds shows the importance of this alternative oil seed crop as a good source of important nutrients and bioactive constituents.

Knowledge of long-term phosphorus behavior is essential to improve soil structure, nutrient supply potential, and the sustainability of cropping systems. A 45-year long-term experimental trial was used to observe organic phosphorus fractionation and its effects on soil aggregation and nutrient distribution at three depths (0–20, 20–40, and 40–60 cm) in Vojvodina Province, Serbia, under maize monoculture and maize/barley rotation. Five fertilizing systems were studied, including Control, NPK, NPK + maize remains, NPK + manure, and NPK + manure in rotation. Soil aggregates were fractionated into four size categories (>2000, 2000–250, 250–53, and <53 μm) using a wet sieving method. The samples were analyzed for main indicators, including different forms of phosphorus, total and available (PT and PA), as well as its organic forms (Labile Po, Biomass Po, Mod. Labile Po, Fulvic acid Po, Humic acid Po, and Resistant Po), and other fertility parameters. Significant differences in total and available phosphorus as well as all observed organic phosphorus fractions were evident between treatments with and without organic amendments, particularly in the 0–20 and 20–40 cm soil layers. Moderately labile P forms were dominant across all treatments, while labile forms constituted a smaller proportion. The most notable differences between treatments were observed in the labile and moderately labile forms, as well as in the resistant form of organic phosphorus. Manure application led to increased nutrient content in macroaggregates (>250 μm) compared to microaggregates. Microaggregates (<250 μm) were predominant across all depths, while stable structural aggregates did not show a significant increase after manure application. PCA highlighted significant correlations between soil characteristics, including total and available P, total organic carbon, clay content, and enzyme activity, across different aggregate sizes and organic P fractions. Overall, long-term mineral fertilization combined with organic amendment application induced variations in phosphorus fractions and the content of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus associated with aggregates in the first two soil layers, except for aggregate size classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of microplastic particles in agroecosystems has profound implications for soil quality, crop yield, and soil biota. Earthworms are widely recognized as valuable soil bioindicators due to their abundance, fast reproduction, and easy manipulation. The aim of this study was to observe Eisenia fetida avoidance behavior and changes in biomass and mortality rate in soil samples spiked with polyethylene microplastic particles. Three types of soil sampled from the agricultural fields ("Banat 1", "Banat 2", and "Bačka") were tested, as well as three microplastic concentrations (0.1, 0.2, and 0.3%). The calculated avoidance percentages ranged from 18.67% for "Banat 1" and 23.70% for "Banat 2" to 27.40% in the case of "Bačka" soil samples. Generally, E. fetida specimens avoided the sections with plastic in all bioassays: 38.42% of the earthworms were in the chamber section that contained microplastics, as opposed to 61.58% in the control section. The changes in the earthworms' post-test biomasses were directly proportional to the number of surviving earthworms, with the highest loss in "Bačka" soil samples with 0.3% MPs (−53.05%). The highest mortality rate (46%) was noted in "Bačka" soil samples spiked with the highest concentration of microplastic particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dredged sediment contaminated with heavy metals can be remediated through phytoremediation. The main challenge in phytoremediation is the limited availability of heavy metals for plant uptake, particularly in multi-contaminated soil or sediment. This study aimed to assess the effect of the nitrogen fertilizers (ammonium nitrate (AN), ammonium sulfate (AS), and urea (UR)), organic acids (oxalic (OA) and malic (MA) acids), and their combined addition to sediment on enhancing the bioavailability and phytoremediation efficiency of heavy metals. The sediment dredged from Begej Canal (Serbia) had high levels of Cr, Cd, Cu, and Pb and was used in pot experiments to cultivate energy crop rapeseed (Brassica napus), which is known for its tolerance to heavy metals. The highest accumulation and translocation of Cu, Cd, and Pb were observed in the treatment with AN at a dose of 150 mg N/kg (AN150), in which shoot biomass was also the highest. The application of OA and MA increased heavy metal uptake but resulted in the lowest biomass production. A combination of MA with N fertilizers showed high uptake and accumulation of Cr and Cu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work presents results of the determination of metribuzin content in commercial pesticide formulations by applying chronopotentiometry with thin film mercury electrode as an electrochemical sensor. In the analyzed pesticide formulations, a single well defined reduction peak of metribuzin is observed at the potential around -880 mV. The content of the herbicide in commercial formulations is determined using the calibration curve method, by applying the initial potential of -0.21 V, and the final potential of -1.10 V. Recovery values based on the declared and found content of the active ingredient are in the range from 100.67% to 101.68%, with the values of relative standard deviation lower than 1.00%, indicating high accuracy and precision of the presented method. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. III 46009]

Aldrin, endrin and dieldrin are highly toxic and persistent cyclodiene-type organochlorine pesticides. Although these compounds have been banned over the last few decades in many countries, they can still be found in the environment, especially in the agricultural soil. In order to determine the residue levels of cyclodiene-type organochlorine pesticides in soils of Vojvodina Province, and to obtain detailed information on their spatial distribution, 1370 soil samples under different land uses were collected from Vojvodina Province and analyzed for the presence of aldrin, dieldrin and endrin. The residues of those pesticides were detectedin the soils of Vojvodina in measurable concentrations and dieldrin was the most dominant compound in the soil. However, the concentrations of analysed cyclodiene-type organochlorine pesticides in the most soil samples from Vojvodina province were lower than Dutch target valuesfor soil quality.Soil organic matter and clay content were found to be positively associated with aldrin content while clay content was found to be negatively associated with endrin. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. TR 31072: Status, trends and possibilities to increase the fertility of agricultural land in the Vojvodina Province]

The aim of this study was to test the quality (physicochemical and sensory odor properties) and bioactivity (antimicrobial and antioxidant activities) of the essential oils (EO) obtained from the most frequently cultivated lavender and lavandin varieties in Serbia, whose cultivation areas were previously reserved for warmer climates, outside the agroecological region of Serbia. Seven EO from true lavenders (L. angustifolia Mill. and cultivars: 'Hidcote blue', 'Munstead', 'Primorska'), Croatian indigenous lavandin cultivar (L. × intermedia 'Budrovka'), lavandin 'Grosso' and one undetermined lavender sample (Lavandula sp.) showed compliance with standard requirements for lavender EO composition (contents of linalool 23.9–30.2% and 28.9–36.9%, and of linalyl acetate 22.2–32.2% and 6.9–20.7% in true lavender and lavandin samples, respectively). All EO were characterized as pleasant, with a floral aroma as a prominent odor. Samples exhibited high antimicrobial activities (3.5–14.2 µL mL−1 MIC and MBC values) against important Gram-positive (B. cereus and L. monocytogenes) and Gram-negative bacteria (E. coli) and yeasts (C. albicans), and high antioxidant capacity (IC50 values of 0.23–0.59 µg AAE mL−1 EO). This preliminary research on the quality of lavender EOs reveals the potential of this species for the future of medicinal and aromatic plant species production and further diversification of agriculture in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some plants from the genus Brassica have the ability to tolerate excessive concentrations of heavy metals, including Ni. Considering the fact that Ni is a very toxic element for living beings we wanted to examine its influence on some species from genus Brassicaceae. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Ni on distribution and accumulation of essential macronutrients from the standpoint of food quality and phytoremediation potential. Experiments were performed using winter (W) and spring (S) varieties of rapeseed (Brassica napus, L.), white mustard (Brassica alba, L.), black mustard (Brassica nigra, L.) and turnip (Brassica rapa, L.). The seeds were exposed to 10 μM Ni from the beginning of germination. Plants were grown in water cultures, in semi-controlled conditions of a greenhouse, on ½ strength Hoagland solution to which was added Ni in the same concentration as during germination. Concentrations and distribution of Ca, Mg, K in leaf and stem were altered in the presence of increased concentration of Ni. Significant differences were found between the control and Ni-treated plants as well as among the genotypes. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. TR 31036 i br. TR 31016]

Camelina (Camelina sativa L.) is studied mostly as oil plant that can replace oilseed rape in the extensive agriculture. It is a good source of oil (40% oil in seeds) similar to sunflower, soybeans, canola, castor been and other oil crops. Oil of camelina is rich in essential omega 3 fatty acids. In addition, seed protein content is relatively high. Camelina has modest requirements for agro-ecological conditions and it is highly resistant to pathogens. Those features make camelina suitable for human nutrition and animal feed. Its use is related to sustainable agriculture, bio-diesel industry, cold-pressed oils and the use of so-called marginal land. Examination of its ability to uptake and accumulate heavy metals (HM) is interesting from the standpoint of 1) food safety and 2) potential for phytoremediation. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of HM on uptake and accumulation of some essential macro-and micronutrients and unwanted HM. Experiments were done with Camelina sativa L., cultivar Stepski 1. The seeds were exposed to 1 µM Cd or Cu and 10 µM Ni or Zn since the beginning of germination. Plants were grown in water cultures, in semi-controlled conditions of a greenhouse, on ½ strength Hoagland solution to which were added HM in the same concentrations as during germination. Concentrations and distribution of Ca, Mg, P, K, Fe and Mn in roots and shoots were altered in the presence of increased concentration of Cd, Cu, Ni and Zn.

The concentration of Na+, K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+ in the root and aboveground organs of three halophyte species (Salicornia europaea, Suaeda maritima and Salsola soda) as well as in the soil where they grew from maritime and inland saline areas were investigated. The aim of our research was to evaluate the capability of some halophyte species to absorb different cations and to find if there exists differentiation of salt accumulation between populations from inland and maritime saline areas. In five analyzed localities (Tivatska solila, Ulcinj salina, Slano Kopovo, Melenci, Okanj), external Na+ concentrations exceeded other investigated cations. Our investigated halophytes accumulate more Na+ than the Mg2+, Ca2+ and K+ and more cations were recorded in aboveground organs than in the root. Populations from maritime saline area generally had higher cation concentrations than plants from inland saline area. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 173002]

Soil samples in disturbed state were taken in order to control fertility and monitor contents of harmful and hazardous substances in Vojvodina soils and possibilities of soil degradation in general. Moderately contaminated soils were selected for examination. Microbial activity in contaminated soil and the impact of harmful and hazardous substances (pesticides) on soil microorganisms were observed and most resistant microorganisms were isolated. Vegetation experiments were organized to study the effect of chelating agents EDTA and EDDS on copper adoption and translocation in rapeseed and sunflower. Importance of some ions in the complexation of copper chelators and their undesirable effects on copper uptake were established. Field trials were organized to study the effect of hydrogel on water uptakes by plants, increase in rate and the increase in rate of removal of hazardous and harmful substances from soil solution. At all phases of the project, we monitored the effectiveness of soil bioremediation soils by means of the application of chelating agents, stimulative preparations such as hydrogel and certain microorganisms. It effectiveness was measured in terms of plant growth rate and intensity in removal of hazardous and harmful substances from contaminated soil.

In order to establish the current status and assess the impact of agriculture in the area planned to be included into the envisaged environmental network, we analyzed the arable soil, pasture soil and sediments for the content of heavy metals. Out of a total 38 analyzed soil and sediment samples, only 2 were found to contain heavy metals in concentrations higher than the MAC for agriculture soil. An increased concentration of copper (189.1 mg/kg) was recorded in a sample of vineyard soil and increased nickel concentrations were recorded in one sample of pasture soil (60.9 mg/kg). Further research showed that the high Ni concentrations were of the geochemical origin, while the high Cu was of anthropogenic origin. Out of a total 10 sediment samples analyzed according to Dutch criteria for threshold values, increased concentrations of Cu and Zn were found in one sample, and high concentrations of Ni were found in 4 samples. At the same time, the heavy metal contents in the analyzed sediments were much below the anticipated remediation values.

A topinambour collection was analyzed to determine the genetic variability of 141 accessions in reaction to the length of day (light), its influence on vegetative and flowering phases, tuber number and mass. Day length significantly influenced flowering, which started with the first shorter days (15.6 h) in the third decade of June, while the majority of accessions flowered in the third decade of August (13.3 h). Differences between accessions were statistically significant for the analyzed phenotype traits. A significantly longer vegetative phase was found in Montenegrin accessions in comparison to the other groups of origin. Duration of the vegetative phase was significantly and positively correlated to tuber mass and negatively to their number, while duration of the reproductive phase had an opposite effect. For further work on topinambour breeding, it would be important to describe the mechanism of photoperiodic control of flowering initialization. Only by obtaining accessions neutral to the photoperiod could topinambour become a cultivated crop.

This paper presents the results of 30 representative samples of alluvial-diluvial soils of Srem region of Serbia. The following basic chemical properties were examined: active soil acidity (pH in H2O), substitutional acidity (pH in 1M KCl), CaCO3 content, humus content, total nitrogen content, and content of available forms of phosphorus and potassium. The paper shows the characteristics, origins, behaviour and content of total and available nickel in the soil. Average value of total nickel in the analyzed soil samples was above the MAC 115.95 mg kg-1, while the mean value of available nickel was 1.484 mg kg-1. The share of available nickel in total nickel is a good indicator of the origin of soil contamination. Having identified a low percentage of readily available nickel in total nickel (an average of 1.36%), we can conclude that the content of Ni in the soils of Srem is of natural origin and that there is no threat that this element would enter the food chain.

The paper presents the results of soil fertility analysis for different crop growing areas of Vojvodina, Serbia. The analysis was conducted on a total of 76,868 plowland samples, accounting for 87% of the total number of samples tested in a larger project. On average, the neutral soil reaction, which is the most favorable type of reaction for crop production, was found in one quarter of all samples in our study. The percentage of samples with such reaction ranged from 12.6% (northern Bačka) to 46.5% (northern Srem). Looking at the free CaCO3 content by area, the highest mean value (10.54%) and proportions of calcareous (30.6%) and highly calcareous (53.1%) samples were found in northern Bačka, while the lowest values of these parameters were recorded in northern Srem. When it comes to the soil humus content, all three areas of Srem were found to be mostly slightly humic, as according to our analysis they had between 72.1 and 83.3% of samples that were slightly humic and only a small proportion (16.2-27.3%) of samples that are characterized as humic. Considering the readily available phosphorus content in Vojvodina as a whole, our analysis has shown that only one third of the soils in the province have an optimum supply of this element. What is of concern is that a considerable proportion of our samples were determined to be either very poor (6.9%) or poor (15.5%) in phosphorus, while about 7% had harmful or toxic levels of this macronutrient. In the case of the levels of readily available potassium, the largest number of the samples had either an optimum or high supply of the element. The sum of such samples ranged from 77.4 to 94.1% depending on the area.

Our previous research has proven that the immortelle (Helichrysum italicum) essential oil (EO) grown in Serbia possesses respectable biological potential and desirable composition of volatile compounds with the potential for a wide range of applications in the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. Within this study, the impact of seasonal variations (temperature, precipitation, and insolation) during three successive years (2017, 2018, and 2019), on the volatile profile of γ-curcumene + ar-curcumene immortelle chemotype was determined. Steam distillation was utilized to extract EO from the plant material, followed by chromatographic mass spectrometric analysis revealing 50 volatile compounds. A multiple linear regression model was developed, and principal component analyses were conducted to deliver detailed information regarding the prediction, component profile, and parallel contents of active compounds of the immortelle EO. Under Serbian agro-ecological conditions, with appropriate harvest method, immortelle can achieve two harvests per year: the first in July, and the second in August. The γ-curcumene + ar-curcumene chemotype usually occurs as the dominant chemotype in the region of the ex-Yugoslavia countries. This chemotype probably developed as an adaptation to climatic conditions, and spring and summer precipitation positively influenced curcumene accumulation in plants. Such a phenomenon was especially noticeable in the first harvest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In urban areas, forest patches and parks are usually the places where people spend most of their time outdoors. Because of poor environmental protection policy and insufficient investment in industry and energy, Serbia is often ranked among the European countries with the greatest environmental pollution. In recent years, ecological protests have been organized throughout the country with the aim of raising ecological awareness and resolving environmental issues. The topic has become particularly popular since the plans for opening new mining areas in western Serbia came to the fore. This study was conducted with the aim to investigate radioactivity levels and metals content in soil and foliage of the most popular parks in Belgrade, the capital and largest city of Serbia. Based on a GIS (geographic information system) approach, the spatial distribution maps of radionuclides (226Ra, 232Th, 40K, 7Be, and 137Cs) and metals (As, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Na, Ni, Pb, Zn, K, Ca, Mg, and Mn) were made. Ambient dose-equivalent rate in air was also measured. The annual effective doses and excess lifetime cancer risk from radionuclides were calculated. Health effects of exposure to heavy metals in soil were estimated by noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic risk assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two major cannabinoids are present in Cannabis plants. The first one is a psychoactive cannabinoid substance (-)-trans-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, wellknown as THC, based on which medicinal cannabis is categorized as a prohibited narcotic. The other one is cannabidiol (CBD), presented specifically in hemp. CBD is familiar as a pharmacologically active substance, and its application is becoming increasingly important in medicine. Many studies testify to osmotic treatment's success in removing water from different plant and other materials. Sugar beet molasses has proven to be an efficient osmotic solution in water removal, nutritional enrichment, food safety and quality aspects. The use of a mild temperature regime to preserve plant tissue and nutritional values is one of this process's advantages. This work is concerned with determining the effect of the drying temperature on CBD and THC content after the osmotic treatment (OT) compared to the natural drying at ambient temperature. Osmotic treatment of three different industrial hemp types (DZ1, DZ2 and DZ3) was performed in sugar beet molasses solution (80%), under atmospheric pressure, for 1.5 hours, at 20, 35 and 50 °C with the sample to solution ratio 1 : 20. The principal component analysis (PCA) has been used operatively for better visualization and the samples' differentiation. The optimization of OT was performed using artificial neural networks (ANN). The optimization of the output variables was based on the ANN model. The reduction in CBD and THC content is to a greater extent during osmotic treatment than in natural drying, mainly decreased with increasing solution temperature. However, the positive aspect is a more significant reduction in psychoactive substance in comparison to natural drying. The temperature of 35 °C and sample DZ2 gave optimal experimental results of 4.266 ± 0.168 and 0.138 ± 0.006 μg/g for CBD and THC, respectfully. It can be concluded that OT of all hemp samples resulted in a decrease of both CBD and THC content, although the positive aspect is a more significant reduction in psychoactive substance than after natural drying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the role of the different management strategies was investigated, to elucidate soil organic carbon (SOC) loss under the long-term winter wheat cropping. Soil samples from wheat-based cropping systems and native vegetation were analyzed to assess SOC, total nitrogen, water-stable aggregates, mean weight diameter, and the carbon management index. Tillage practices involved moldboard plowing and field cultivators. Differences in SOC contents between treatments were dependant on tillage intensity, biomass production, and fertilization. In the 0–20 cm layer, the highest SOC contents occurred in the > 2000 µm soil fraction that received 40 t ha–1 farmyard manure every fourth year and the lowest SOC content occurred in the 53–250 µm fraction in the unfertilized treatment. Manure application influenced SOC content and its distribution among soil aggregate fractions but did not affect water-stable aggregates. SOC was primarily enriched within the > 2000 µm aggregates, so their turnover is essential for SOC preservation. The carbon management index was highest in 20–40 cm soil depth, which emphasizes the importance of deeper soil layers in SOC conservation. In conclusion, declining SOC levels are related to tillage practices which could not be compensated by fertilization or crop rotation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) is one of the most controversial plants. So far, its multiple application in industry for the production of fabrics, paper and construction materials is known. Today, there is increasing interest in its application for medical purposes, as opposed to its opiate activity. In addition to well‐known cannabinoids, the presence of polyphenolic compounds and their antioxidant and reductive abilities are of great importance. Therefore the extraction of both constituents, polyphenolics and cannabinoids (Δ9‐tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD)), of industrial hemp was carried out using microwave‐assisted extraction (MAE). RESULTS: The effects of different extraction parameters, namely ethanol concentration (30, 50 and 70% v/v), extraction time (10, 20 and 30 min) and solid/liquid ratio (5, 10 and 15 g mL−1), on extraction yield, total phenol content, total flavonoid content, antioxidant activity, reductive capacity, CBD content and THC content were investigated using response surface methodology. For the experimental design, a Box–Behnken design was chosen. In the obtained extracts, the following ranges of targeted compounds were detected: total phenols from 0.8499 to 2.7060 mg gallic acid equivalent mL−1, total flavonoids from 0.4707 to 1.4246 mg catechin equivalent mL−1, THC from 0.0339 to 0.0637 mg mL−1 and CBD from 0.2243 to 1.8415 mg mL−1. Antioxidant activity ranged from 0.0009 to 0.2079 mL mL−1, while reductive capacity ranged from 0.0021 to 0.0066 mL mL−1. CONCLUSION: MAE proved to be a simple, efficient, fast and low environmental impact method for obtaining polyphenols and cannabinoids from C. sativa L. Cannabis herb, which presents a by‐product of fiber and cannabis product, showed to be a promising source of bioactive compounds. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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QuEChERS is an analytical method which simplifies the the sample preparation for pesticide residues. It is the result of the necessity to save the time for sample preparation, to reduce the amount of toxic organic solvents and thereby to contribute to the preservation of the environment. In order to obtain a higher recovery, thus making the analysis results more precise and representative, it is necessary during the extraction to pay particular attention to matrix components which can significantly affect the investigation results. In order to decrease the effect of the present components it is necessary to use the adequate substances - sorbents and to examine how their presence affects the validation parameter. The sour cherry extract, as an exceptionally pigmented matrix, needs the use of a sorbent with a strong affinity towards planar molecules thus causing its discoloration by removing the pigments from the extract. The most frequently used sorbents in QuEChERS method of extract purification are primary secondary amine (PSA), graphitized black carbon sorbent (GCB), C18 and Z-Sep sorbent (silicon dioxide coated by zirconium). The paper deals with a possibility of using active carbon (AC) as a possible sorbent which presents a form of carbon obtained in controlled oxidation processes having a porous structure with spacious active surface which enables it to adsorb a wide range of compounds and pollutants from the extract. By use of AC and QuChERS methods an exceptionally purified colorless extract is obtained. The obtained validation parameters point at a very low recovery of the studied pesticides which is a serious disadvantage of this sorbent while high correlation coefficients (R2>0.99) are obtained with irrelevant matrix effect in the linearity investigation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]