Seasonal Trends of Benzo(A)Pyrene in Suspended Particulate Matter in Urban Areas of Belgrade, Serbia

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were identified to be one of the major toxic air pollutants in urban environment PAHs are mostly formed during incomplete combustion or pyrolysis of organic material According to Serbian National Legislation, benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) concentration in total suspended particles (TSP) in ambient air in the Belgrade metropolitan area has been determined in the last ten years, as a part of a local air pollution monitoring program performed by the Public Health Institute of Belgrade and funded by Belgrades Municipality Air samples for analysis of BaP in suspended particles have been collected (as 24 h sample once per month) at selected monitoring sites within the municipal air quality monitoring network At the beginning, according to National Regulation, all samples were taken as total suspended particles (TSP) Since mid-2008, the procedure of sampling methodology was harmonized with EU requirements and solid fraction PM(10) has been collected and analyzed using GC/MS In this study, we have analyzed results of TSP collected between 2005 and 2008 Looking through the results obtained during the period of a whole year, it can be noticed that concentrations of BaP were much higher during winter season at almost all measuring site

The relationship between some meteorological parameters and the tropospheric concentrations of ozone in the urban area of Belgrade

During the period between June and December 2002, the concentrations of ozone in the air at 4 measuring sites in Belgrade were measured. The measuring periods varied from 10 days to several weeks. Themaximalmeasured daily concentrations of ozone ranged from 19 ppbv (23 December 2002) to 118 ppbv (23 June 2002). Ozone concentrations higher than, or equal to 90 ppbv were registered at threemeasuring sites. It was shown that at measuring sites characterized as urban, maximal O3 concentrations equal to, or higher than 90 ppbv occurred at high temperatures (higher than 30 oC) and low wind speeds (mostly from the north). The measured ozone concentrations mostly showed characteristics usual for a daily photochemical ozone cycle, excluding the specificities influenced by the measuring site itself. Ozone transport was recorded at increased wind speeds, primarily from south-easterly directions. On the basis of he correlations between ozone concentration and the corresponding meteorological parameters, a validation of the measuring sites was performed from the aspect of their representativeness for the measurements

The characteristics of the air pollution of a transition economy city: the example of Belgrade

The results of sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and black smoke (BS) levels in the Belgrade metropolitan area, the only pollutants measured at almost all 20 monitoring stations set up in the area. were critically analysed. the most reliable ones select and the pollution characteristics were defined in these terms. Belgrade was found to have pollution typical for a city in economical transition -still high SO2 and BS levels, with seasonal variation, while moderate NO2 levels. This is discussed in terms of sources, as well as spatial and temporal distribution

The spectroabsorptiometric and voltammetric behavior of malvin in buffered solutions and its antioxidant properties

In the present work the structural transformations of malvin in aqueous acetate buffer solutions were investigated over a wide pH range under in vitro conditions using electronic absorption spectroscopy. In addition to the spectroabsorptiometric investigation, the voltammetric behavior and the mechanism of the redox process of this molecule were studied, in order to define its antioxidant properties. The electronic absorption spectra reveal that the structural changes of malvin, caused by changes in the pH of the medium, lead to changes in the voltammetric behaviour of this molecule. The dependence of the oxidation potential of malvin on pH, which can be explained by the presence of different electroactive molecular structures of malvin at different pH values, indicates different mechanisms of the electrode process. The voltammetric activity of malvin is compared semiquantitatively with the voltammetric activity of a standard synthetic antioxidant, BHA, and a natural antioxidant, quercetin

Extending the use of air quality indices to reflect effective population exposure

Although there are tendencies to develop a single common index which would describe an overall air quality status within an area, constructed from a choice of measurements of individual pollutants, indices describing individual pollutants themselves have several potentials which can be used in ways which are not possible with pollutant concentrations. On the case of Belgrade, Serbia, we investigated possibilities of using such indices for comparisons between pollutants, characterization of monitoring sites, and extending their use to include elements of population exposure. A methodology of adjusting the results obtained at monitoring stations located in severe pollution conditions, like street canyons, is proposed and used

Exercise Decreases Susceptibility to Homocysteine Seizures: the Role of Oxidative Stress

The aim of the study was to examine the effects of chronic exercise training on seizures induced by homocysteine thiolactone (HCT) in adult rats. Rats were assigned to: sedentary control; exercise control; sedentary +HCT; exercise + HCT group. Animals in the exercise groups ran 30 min daily on a treadmill for 30 consecutive days (belt speed 20 m/min), while sedentary rats spent the same time on the treadmill (speed 0 m/min). On the 31st day, the HCT groups received HCT (8.0 mmol/kg), while the control groups received vehicle. Afterwards, convulsive behavior and EEG activity were registered. Lipid peroxidation, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity were ascertained in the rat hippocampus. No signs of seizures were registered in sedentary and exercise control rats. Seizure latency was increased, while number of seizure episodes and spike-and-wave discharges (SWD) in EEG were decreased in the exercise + HCT compared to the sedentary +HCT group. Seizure incidence, the severity thereof and duration of SWDs were not significantly different between these groups. Exercise partly prevented increase of lipid peroxidation and decrease of the SOD and CAT activity after HCT administration. These results indicate beneficial effects of exercise in model of HCT induced seizures in rats, what could be, at least in part, a consequence of improved antioxidant enzymes activity

The effect of subchronic supplementation with folic acid and L-arginine on homocysteine-induced seizures

The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of subchronic co-administration of folic acid (F) and L-arginine (A) on behavioural and electroencephalographic (EEG) characteristics of DL homocysteine thiolactone (H) induced seizures in adult rats. The activity of membrane ATPases in different brain regions were also investigated. Rats were treated with F, A, or vehicle for 15 days (regimen: F 5 mg/kg + A 500 mg/kg (F5A500); F 10 mg/kg + A 300 mg/kg (F10A300)). Seizures were elicited by convulsive dose of H (H, F5A500H, F10A300H) Subchronic supplementation with F and A did not affect seizure incidence, number of seizure episodes, and severity in F5A500H and F10A300H groups vs. H group. However, a tendency to increase latency and decrease the number of seizure episodes was noticed in the F10A300H group. EEG mean spectral power densities during ictal periods were significantly lower in F10A300H vs. H group. The activity of Na+/K+-ATPase and Mg2+-ATPase was significantly increased in almost all examined structures in rats treated with F and A. We can conclude that subchronic supplementation with folic acid and L-arginine has an antiepileptic effect in DL homocysteine thiolactone induced epilepsy.2nd European-Section Meeting of the International-Academy-of-Cardiovascular-Sciences (IACS), Oct 08-10, 2015, Belgrade, Serbi