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Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are considered as the pollutants of highest priority, and their remediation is of a global concern. The purpose of this study was to investigate the phytoremediation potential of Hedera helix (Hh) determining the content of 16 priority PAHs in its soil and root samples collected from the rural and industrial zones of the Bor's municipality (Serbia). The content of Ʃ16 PAHs in the soils was: 326.49 mg/kg at the site Borsko jezero to maximal 1937.64 mg/kg at the site Slatinsko naselje. The level of soil pollution (depending on the concentration of S16 PAHs), was high at many tested sites and it was under the significant influence of anthropogenic activities. The concentration for S16 PAHs in the samples of roots ranged from 480.71 mg/kg at the site Krivelj to 1748.32 mg/kg at the site Naselje Sunce. Interestingly, the extremely toxic benzo(a)pyrene, was not detected in the roots of Hh. Bioconcentration factors (BCFs) were applied to determine the capacity of Hh for PAH accumulation in the root, and consequently, for determination of its phytostabilization potential. In most cases, BCF values were higher at the locations from UI zone. The calculated BCFs were higher for LMW PAHs than for HMW PAHs. At the majority of the investigated locations, the tested plant species was especially successful in the root accumulation of the compounds such as acenaphthene, fluorene, anthracene, dibenzo(a,h)anthracene, and the sum of benzo(k)fluoranthene and benzo(b)fluoranthene. These findings showed that Hh can be successfully used in phytostabilization of many PAHs.

Metals, whether from natural and anthropogenic sources, can migrate between different parts of the environment and accumulate in flora and fauna, and in this way can finally reach people through the food chain. The possibility of contamination of plants by metals limits their use both in the pharmaceutical and food industry, because the increased concentration of some metals can have a negative impact on the health of humans and animals. The medicinal herbaceous species Seseli pallasii Besser is used in traditional medicine, but also as a spice in nutrition, so the assessment of the presence of metals is essential to ensure its safe application. For the estimation of the contents of the micro (Al, B, Ba, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, V, Zn) and macroelenates (Ca, K, Mg and Na) in vegetative parts of plant species Seseli pallasii Besser (root, leaf, flower and fruit) from Southeast Serbia the method of induced coupled plasma with optical emission spectrometry (ISP-OES) was applied. The content of micro and macroelements in the studed medicinal plant species is below the recommended limits, which confirms that Seseli pallasii Besser can be safely used in traditional medicine and nutrition. Metali, bilo da su iz prirodnih i antropogenih izvora, mogu da migriraju između različitih delova životne sredine i akumuliraju se u floru i faunu, i na taj način konačno mogu dospeti do ljudi putem lanca ishrane. Mogućnost kontaminacije biljaka metalima ograničava njihovu upotrebu kako u farmaceutskoj tako i u prehrambenoj industriji, jer povećana koncentracija nekih metala može imati negativan uticaj na zdravlje ljudi i životinja. Lekovita biljna vrsta Seseli pallasii Besser koristi se u tradicionalnoj medicini, ali i kao začin u ishrani, pa je procena prisustva metala od suštinske važnosti kako bi se osigurala njena bezbedna primena. Za procenu sadržaja mikro (Al, B, Ba, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, V, Zn) i makroelenenata (Ca, K, Mg i Na) u delovima biljke S. pallasii Besser (koren, list, cvet i plod) iz jugoistočne Srbije korišćena je metoda indukovano spregnute plazme sa optičkom emisionom spektrometrijom (ISP-OES). Sadržaj mikro i makroelemenata u proučavanoj lekovitoj biljnoj vrsti je ispod preporučenih granica, što potvrđuje da se S. pallasii Besser može sigurno koristiti u tradicionalnoj medicini i ishrani.

The aim of this paper is to determine the efficiency of D-µ-SPE with application of novel sorbents as a technique for sample preparation of water samples for the analysis of 16 priority PAHs by GC-MS. The sample preparation technique proved to be very fast, efficient and economical. The results of the proposed method demonstrate that this technique can be applied for routine analysis of PAHs in water. The advantages of this method are characterized by low values of limit of detection (from 0.147 ppb for benzo [a] anthracene to 0.784 ppb for naphthalene) and the limit of quantification (0.717 ppb for naphthalene to 9.459 ppb for benzo [k] fluorantene. Ciljevi istraživanja ovog rada su određivanje efikasnosti disperzivne mikroekstrakcije čvrstom fazom (D-µ-SPE) kao tehnike pripreme uzoraka vode za analizu 16 prioritetnih PAU gasnom hromatografijom sa masenom spektrometrijom, primenom novih sorbenasa. Tehnika pripreme uzoraka pokazala se kao veoma brza, efikasna i ekonomična. Rezultati predložene metode dokazuju da se ova tehnika može primeniti kao tehnika pripreme uzoraka za rutinsku analizu PAU u vodi. Prednosti ovakovog načina analize odlikuju se niskim vrednostima granice detekcije (od 0.147 ppb za benzo[a]antracen do 0.784 ppb za naftalen) i granice kvatifikacije (0.717 ppb za naftalen do 9.459 ppb za benzo[k]fluoranten).

The aim of this paper is application of novel sorbents in dispersive micro solid phase extraction (D-μ-SPE) as a technique for sample preparation of water, for the analysis of 16 PAHs by gass chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC-MS). D-μ-SPE proved to be an effective technique consuming a small amount of the solvent for the analysis. D-μ-SPE is characterized by its rapidity (7 minutes per sample including all preparation of standard solutions and measuring of sorbents) and cheapness as well. Low values of the detection limit and limit of quantification, acceptable accuracy and precision values propose this method for routine water analysis for the determination of PAHs. Cilj istraživanja ovog rada je primena novih sorbenasa u disperzivnoj mikroekstrakciji čvrstom fazom (D-µ-SPE) kao tehnikom pripreme uzoraka vode za analizu 16 prioritetnih PAU gasnom hromatografijom sa masenom spektrometrijom (GC-MS). D-µ-SPE se pokazala kao efikasna i ekonomična tehnika pripreme uzoraka vode pri čemu se troši mala količina rastvarača za ekstrakciju i koristi jeftin pribor za pripremu uzoraka koja traje 7 minuta (uključujući pripreme standardnih rastvora i odmeravanje sorbenasa). Niske vrednosti granice detekcije i kvantifikacije, prihvatljive vrednosti tačnosti i preciznosti predloženu metodu analize 16 prioritetnih PAU kvalifikujuje za rutinsku analizu vode.

In the present investigation, effects of Ramalina capitata acetone extract on micronucleus distribution on human lymphocytes, on cholinesterase activity and antioxidant activity (by the CUPRAC method) were examined, for the first time as well as its HPLC profile. Additionally, total phenolic compounds (TPC), antioxidant properties (estimated via DPPH, ABTS and TRP assays) and antibacterial activity were determined. The predominant phenolic compounds in this extract were evernic, everninic and obtusatic acids. Acetone extract of R. capitata at concentration of 2 μg mL-1 decreased a frequency of micronuclei (MN) for 14.8 %. The extract reduces the concentration of DPPH and ABTS radicals for 21.2 and 36.1 % (respectively). Values for total reducing power (TRP) and cupric reducing capacity (CUPRAC) were 0.4624 ± 0.1064 μg ascorbic acid equivalents (AAE) per mg of dry extract, and 6.1176 ± 0.2964 μg Trolox equivalents (TE) per mg of dry extract, respectively. The total phenol content was 670.6376 ± 66.554 μg galic acid equivalents (GAE) per mg of dry extract. Tested extract at concentration of 2 mg mL-1 exhibited inhibition effect (5.2 %) on pooled human serum cholinesterase. The antimicrobial assay showed that acetone extract had inhibition effect towards Gram-positive strains. The results of manifested antioxidant activity, reducing the number of micronuclei in human lymphocytes, and antibacterial activity recommends R. capitata extract for further in vivo studies., EXCLI Journal; 16:Doc679; ISSN 1611-2156

Propranolol, a widely used beta-blocker, inhibits the hydrolysis reaction of enzyme cholinesterase. Measurements of the difference in rate of hydrolysis rate between uninhibited and inhibited reactions allow the development of a kinetic method for its determination. Both systems, enzyme-substrate-chromogen and enzyme-substrate-chromogen-inhibitor, were characterized through biochemical kinetic parameters (K-M, 0.326-0.330 mmol/L; V-max, 40.0-43.0 mu mol/Lmin). The inhibition type was recognized as competitive and the inhibition constant, Ki, was determined to be 22.60 mu mol/L. The detection and quantification limits were calculated as 0.004 and 0.0136 mu mol/L, respectively. Accuracy and precision of proposed methods were tested. The proposed method showed good sensitivity, selectivity, simplicity and rapidity, thus it is convenient for clinical applications. Za propranolol, često propisivani neselektivni beta blokator, utvrđeno je da inhibira reakciju enzimske hidrolize butiriltioholin-jodida, koja je katalizovana serumskom holinesterazom. Merenjem razlike u brzini osnovne i inhibitorske reakcije hidrolize u prisustvu propranolola kao inhibitora, moguće je razviti kinetičku metodu za određivanje propranolola. Oba sistema, enzim-supstrat-hromogen kao i enzim-supstrat-hromogen-inhibitor, okarakterisani su biohemijskim kinetičkim parametrima (KM, 0,326-0,330 mmol/L; Vmax, 40-42,99 μmol/L min), inhibicija je definisana kao kompetitivna i određena je konstanta inhibicije 22,60 μmol/L. Da bi se u potpunosti iskoristile sve mogućnosti predložene metode u pogledu osetljivosti, tačnosti, preciznosti i selektivnosti, optimizovani su reakcioni uslovi. Konstruisana je kalibraciona prava, izračunata odgovarajuća jednačina i određeni granica detekcije i kvantifikacije i to 0,004 i 0,0136 μmol/L, redom. Tačnost i preciznost predložene metode su ispitane za tri koncentracije propranolola u oblasti kalibracione prave (0,082-21,120 μmol/L) u pet ponavljanja. Takođe, ispitan je uticaj većeg broja supstanci koje se mogu naći u uzorku na brzinu reakcije. Optimizovana metoda je primenjena za određivanje propranolola u farmaceutskim preparatima. Tačnost predložene metode je ispitana primenom metode standardnog dodatka. Predložena metoda ima dobru osetljivost, selektivnost, jednostavna je i brza, i nadasve lako dostupna, i na taj način primenljiva u velikom broju laboratorija.

Cilj ovog rada je praćenje sukcesije na požarištima krečnjačkog terena planine Vidlič u jugoistočnoj Srbiji nakon požara 2007. godine koji je zahvatio ogromnu površinu planine. Na osnovu višegodišnjeg terenskog istraživanja oformljena je obimna herbarska zbirka kao i velika količina florističkih, fitocenoloških i ekoloških informacija uobličenih u vidu baze podataka, koji govore o flori i vegetaciji na pomenutom području. Sistematskim terenskim istraživanjem utvrđeno je da floru planine Vidlič izgrađuje 1265 taksona u rangu vrste i podvrste. Sakupljeno je 10985 herbarskih uzoraka sa terena planinskog venca Via, što predstavlja zbir prikupljenih herbarskih i literaturnih podataka. Radi lakše analize zabeleženih podataka, koji se odnose na opožarene i neopožarene površine,uvedene su tri skraćenice: Po, NP i CP. Skraćenicom Po (“požarište”) označene su sve opožarene površine, uključujući požarišta u zoni bukovih šuma, požarišta u zoni hrastovih šuma I požarište otvorenih staništa odnosno suvih pašnjaka i kamenjara. Skraćenicom NP (“neopožarene površine”), označene su sve neopožarene površine, koje se nalaze u neposrednoj okolini požarišta odnosno svih opožarenih površina. Skraćenicom CP