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After NATO bombing of Serbia in 1999, UNEP has identified Kragujevac as one of the four heavily polluted environmental "hot spots". Damaging of industrial and military targets caused the release of substantial amounts of hazardous chemical substances into the environment. This study was conducted in order to access the exposure of residents of Kragujevac city to persistent soil pollutants, twenty years after NATO air campaign. The paper reports the results of measuring radionuclides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and heavy metals (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn, and Hg) in soil samples collected from two depths (0-15 cm and 15-30 cm) at 30 locations along the riverbank of the Lepenica River. The average specific activities of 226 Ra, 232 Th, 4 0 K and 137 Cs were comparable to average worldwide values; excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) from natural radionuclides ranged from 1.1·10 -4 to 3.3·10 -4 . The measured concentrations of As, Co, Cr, Cu, and Ni exceeded the limit values in most of the samples. Non-carcinogenic risk (hazard quotient and hazard index) and carcinogenic risk from heavy metals were assessed. Total hazard index was 0.257 and 2.16 for adults and children, respectively. Sum of measured PAHs ranged from 110 to 1026 μg kg -1 . Sum of PCBs exceeded the limit value of 20 μg kg -1 in all samples (it ranged from 48.8 to 196.8 μg kg -1 ), but it was still below the remediation level. The differences between two layers with respect to all measured variables were not statistically significant., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interests None., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Despite the existence of a legislation regarding food contaminants, food safety control in Serbia is a matter of great concern. This study investigates the radioactivity levels and heavy metal concentrations in fish and seafood commercially available in Serbian markets. Domestic fish species (caught in the Danube River) and fishery products imported from Europe, Asia and America were analyzed. The content of natural radionuclides and 137 Cs were investigated by gamma spectrometry. Activity concentration of 40  K was measured in the range of 44-165 Bq kg -1 ; low levels of 137 Cs were detected in two samples (2.8 and 3.0 Bq kg -1 ), while concentrations of 226 Ra and 232 Th were below minimal detectable values. Concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Hg and Pb) were determined using ICP-OES method. Cd concentration ranged from 0.01 to 0.81 mg kg -1 in sea fish and from 0.01 to 0.03 mg kg -1 in freshwater fish. Hg concentrations were in the range of 0.01-1.47 mg kg -1 ; the highest value was measured in the predator fish - shark. The highest level of Pb (6.56 mg kg -1 ) was detected in a blue sea fish (Atlantic mackerel). The health risks associated with the intake of heavy metals and radionuclides via fish consumption were evaluated. The results indicate that fish and seafood consumption do not pose a significant health concern in the case of the usual consumption rate which is typical for the population of Serbia. However, a highly frequent consumption of fishery products can have adverse health effects, especially due to Hg and Pb contamination., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The concentrations of radionuclides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals were measured in soil samples collected from school backyards and playgrounds in Kragujevac, one of the largest cities of Central Serbia. The activity concentrations of (226)Ra, (232)Th, (40)K and (137)Cs were determined using the HPGe semiconductor detector. The average values were 34.6, 44.7, 428.9 and 45.1 Bq kg(-1), respectively. The correlation between the activity concentrations of (226)Ra in the soil samples and the results of the previous measurement of (222)Rn concentrations in the indoor air was examined. The absorbed dose rates, the annual effective doses and excess lifetime cancer risk were also estimated. The activity concentrations of (226)Ra and (232)Th have shown normal distribution. The collected soil samples were analysed for PAHs by HPLC. All analysed soil samples contained PAHs, and their total amounts (for 15 measured compounds) were found to be between 0.038 and 3.136 mg kg(-1) of absolutely dry soil (a.d.s). In addition the concentrations of As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn were measured in the fourteen soil samples collected from the playgrounds of kindergartens., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)