FIRST RECORD OF BELONOCHILUS NUMENIUS (SAY, 1832) (HEMIPTERA: HETEROPTERA: LYGAEIDAE) FROM MONTENEGRO

The paper presents data on the first registration of the bug Belonochilus numenius (Say, 1832) in Montenegro. It was found in the coastal town of Igalo, in an urban area where plane trees grow as ornamental plants, on the fruits of which this species feeds and lives

The extraction of synthetic dye Congo red from dye-loaded brewers' spent grains using organic solvents and deep eutectic solvents

Mnogi otpadni lignocelulozni materijali, poput pivskog tropa, pokazali su se kao dobri adsorbensi za uklanjanje sintetskih bojila iz vodenih otopina. Ipak, nakon procesa uklanjanja bojila zaostaje obojeni materijal kojeg je potrebno zbrinuti na odgovarajuć način prije odlaganja u okoliš. Prije zbrinjavanja može se provesti ekstrakcija (desorpcija) bojila s obojenog materijala, pomoću odgovarajućeg otapala. Cilj ovog rada bio je provesti ekstrakciju kongo crvenila s uzoraka obojenog pivskog tropa pomoću različitih monokomponentnih (polarnih protičnih, polarnih aprotičnih i nepolarnih) otapala, sustava višekomponentnih otapala te pomoću eutektičkih otapala na bazi kolin klorida. Od svih ispitanih skupina organskih otapala, polarna protična otapala pokazala su najveći učinak ekstrakcije. Iz skupine polarnih protičnih otapala najveći učinak ekstrakcije je pokazao metanol (97 %). Također je utvrđeno kako polarna aprotična i nepolarna otapala nisu djelotvorna u uklanjanju kongo crvenila s obojenog pivskog tropa. Prilikom ekstrakcije višekomponentnim otapalima najveći učinak ekstrakcije pokazala je smjesa otapala metanol : ACN : voda = 1 : 1 : 1. Najbolju učinkovitost ekstrakcije (53 %) od eutektičkih otapla pokazalo je otapalo kolin klorid : glicerol = 1 : 2. Eutektička otapala pokazalasu značajno manju učinkovitostekstrakcije od polarnih protičnih otapala.Many waste lignocellulosic materials, like brewers' spent grains, proved to be efficient adsorbents for the removal of synthetic dyes from aqueous solutions. However, the dye-loaded materials remaining after the dye removal process, should not be directly discarded to the environment, but instead should be properly disposed of. Before the disposal, desorption (extraction) of dyes from a dye-loaded material can be performed, using the appropriate solvents. The aim of this work was to investigate the extraction of Congo red from dye-loaded brewers' spent grains using various monocomponent (polar protic, polar aprotic and nonpolar) solvents, multi-component solvent systems and choline chloride-based eutectic solvents. Of all the tested organic solvents, polar protic solvents exhibited the highest extraction efficiency. Methanol was the most efficient solvent from the polar protic solvents group, having the extraction efficiency of 97%. The extraction efficiency of polar aprotic and nonpolar solvents was very low. When extraction using multi-component solvent systems was performed, the most efficient proved to be the system of three solvents - methanol:ACN:water = 1:1:1. When eutectic solvents were used, the highest extraction efficiency of 53% was achieved using choline chloride:glycerol = 1:2. However, the extraction efficiency of eutectic solvents was far less than that of polar protic solvents

Wastewater treatment using membrane bioreactor technology

Sve veći nedostatak vode za piće i sve stroži zakonski zahtjevi za njenu kakvoću, ali i kakvoćom pročišćenih otpadnih voda uvjetuju brži razvoj i primjenu suvremenih tehnologija za obradu voda. Otpadna voda sadrži različita organska i anorganska onečišćenja koje je prije ispuštanja u vodne resurse potrebno svesti na što manju količinu. U posljednjih desetak godina sve značajniju ulogu u obradi otpadnih voda imaju membranski bioreaktori (MBR) koji predstavljaju kombinaciju biološke obrade s aktivnim muljem i membranske filtracije. Iako biološka obrada otpadne vode može biti aerobna ili anaerobna, u praksi se najčešće koristi aerobni postupak obrade aktivnim muljem. Aerobnom obradom otpadne vode nastaju velike količine aktivnog mulja kojeg je potrebno obraditi i zbrinuti na odgovarajući način. Postupci obrade mulja uključuju kondicioniranje, zgušnjavanje, odvodnjavanje, stabilizaciju, kompostiranje te toplinsku obradu, a za cilj imaju smanjenje volumena mulja radi smanjenja troškova daljnje obrade i prijevoza obrađenog mulja te radi sprječavanja neželjenih utjecaja na okoliš pri konačnom odlaganju. U konačnici, obrađeni mulj je moguće odložiti na zemljište te iskoristiti u poljoprivredi, energetici ili građevinskoj industriji, a u skladu sa zakonskom regulativom.A growing shortage of drinking water and increasingly strict legal requirements for it's quality, but also the treated wastewater, cause quicker development and deployment of technologies for wastewater treatment. The wastewater contains various organic and inorganic contaminants, and prior to discharge into streams needs to be processed. In the last decade MBR technology, has increasingly important role in the treatment of waste water, which present combination of biological treatment with activated sludge and membrane filtration. Although the biological treatment of wastewater can be aerobic or anaerobic, in practice, the most commonly used aerobic method for wastewater treatment is activated sludge. Aerobic treatment of wastewater produced a high quantity of active sludge which must be processed and disposed of properly. The procedures include sludge conditioning, thickening, dewatering, stabilization, composting and heat treatment, and their aim is reducing the volume of sludge for costs reduction of further processing and transportation of treated sludge and for the prevention of adverse environmental impact in the final disposal. Finally, the treated sludge can be disposed of on land, used in agriculture, energy and construction industry, in accordance with the legislation

Belonochilus numenius (Say, 1832) (Heteroptera: Lygaeidae), nova invazivna vrsta u Hrvatskoj

In the present paper we report first observations of the invasive sycamore seed bug, Belonochilus numenius (Say, 1832) in Croatia. So far, we recorded the species in five localities in Croatia, one in Zagreb, two in Split and two in and around Dubrovnik. All the records originate from the urban areas with Plane trees on which the species feeds.U ovom radu iznosimo prva opažanja invazivne dugonose platanine stjenice, Belonochilus numenius (Say, 1832) u Hrvatskoj. Do sada je vrsta zabilježena na pet lokaliteta, jednom u Zagrebu, dva u Splitu te dva u i oko Dubrovnika. Svi nalazi potječu iz urbanih područja na kojima rastu platane kojima se vrsta hrani

Novi nalazi stjenica (Heteroptera: Lygaeidae) za faunu Hrvatske i Bosne i Hercegovine

The data on two new species for the Croatian fauna and one new species for the fauna of Bosnia and Herzegovina are given. Caenocoris nerii (Germar, 1847) represents a new genus and species for both countries, while Tropidothorax sternalis (Dallas, 1852) is recorded for the first time in Croatia. In addition, two new host plant species of C. nerii are reported, namely Cynanchum acutum L. and Periploca graeca L. (Apocynaceae), not previously mentioned as its hosts in the scientific literature.Dvije nove vrste stjenica zabilježene su za faunu Hrvatske i jedna nova vrsta za faunu Bosne i Hercegovine. Caenocoris nerii (Germar, 1847) predstavlja novi rod i vrstu za obje države, dok je vrsta Tropidothorax sternalis (Dallas, 1852) po prvi put pronađena u Hrvatskoj. Osim toga, Cynanchum acutum L. i Periploca graeca L. (Apocynaceae) zabilježene su kao nove biljke hraniteljice za stjenicu C. nerii, što do sada nije objavljeno u znanstvenoj literaturi

NEW RECORDS OF THE BAT HAWKMOTH, HYLES VESPERTILIO (ESPER, 1780) (LEPIDOPTERA: SPHINGIDAE) IN CROATIA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA AND SERBIA

New records of Hyles vespertilio (Esper, 1780) are reported from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. In Croatia, a single specimen was recorded on Mt. Biokovo, within the Biokovo Nature Park, southern Croatia. This is the first record in the country in 44 years. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the species was recorded at 11 localities within or in the near surroundings of the Blidinje Nature Park. This species is new to the fauna of Bosnia and Herzegovina and is the 20th Sphingidae species recorded in the country. In Serbia, the species was recorded in Krajinoviće, Mt. Giljeva. This is the third known record and the first observation for this country in 32 years. The preferred host plant, Epilobium dodonaei, is present at all the studied localities in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, but the caterpillars were not surveyed during this work. These findings could be treated as resident populations of the bat hawkmoth, since the species is considered nonmigratory, and the host plant is present in the study areas

The distribution and status of Sage Skipper Muschampia proto (Ochsenheimer, 1808) (Lepidoptera, Hesperiidae) at the limit of its range in the north-western Balkans

We analysed the status and distribution of the Sage Skipper Muschampia proto (Ochsenheimer, 1808), a rather rare and local Hesperiidae species at the edge of its range in the north-western part of the Balkan peninsula, mainly Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina. In order to determine the species’ presence in the region, we mapped the occurrence of its hostplant, Jerusalem Sage Phlomis fruticosa Linnaeus (Lamiaceae). We also summarized all the available knowledge on M. proto in the Balkan Peninsula and provided a literature overview for each country this species has been recorded in so far. In Croatia, the distribution of M. proto is very limited and is located only in the wider surroundings of Dubrovnik city. In the present paper, we also provide the first and only record of M. proto in Bosnia & Herzegovina, from a single locality close to the Croatian border in the Dubrovnik area. Due to its limited distribution in both countries, we propose that the conservation status of the species should be changed from none to vulnerable

FIRST RECORDS OF PLINACHTUS IMITATOR (REUTER, 1891) (HETEROPTERA: COREIDAE: COREINAE) IN CROATIA, BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA AND MONTENEGRO, WITH NOTES ON NEW HOST-PLANT RECORDS

The paper mentions the first findings of the bug Plinachtus imitator (Reuter, 1891) in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. All the findings were recorded in localities along the Adriatic coast, most often on Pistacia lentiscus, a plant that was already known as a host. Plinachtus imitator was recorded for the first time on a new host plant - Pistacia terebinthus in Trsteno, Croatia

Interactive Application for Learning the Latin Language

Computers in education are an integral part of the teaching process, but the use of them mostly depends on the competence and willingness of individual teachers, as well as the availability of adequate hardware and software. When it comes to learning a language, computer assisted language learning software mostly covers languages such as English, or German, while other, less popular languages still do not have a good software foundation. The interactive application for learning the Latin language is an example of software that seeks to facilitate students studying Latin within all grammar schools in Croatia. The Latin language, although very often called a dead language, is still a part of the culture in general, and important in fields such as medicine, law, agriculture, etc. Results obtained by our research confirm that students are willing to use such software and that the increase in student motivation and interest are proportional to the final test results

ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE LATTICE BROWN, KIRINIA ROXELANA (CRAMER, 1777) IN SOUTHERN CROATIA (LEPIDOPTERA: NYMPHALIDAE)

New observations of lattice brown, Kirinia roxelana (Cramer, 1777) in southern Croatia are presented. The species has been recorded at 11 new localities across the mainland part of Dubrovnik-Neretva County. As the species inhabits mostly rural areas, more targeted surveys in such habitats are needed to provide additional records. The specificity of this habitat is also the main reason why the species has so rarely been observed in Croatia. New records represent an important addition to the knowledge of the distribution of this species and illustrate the lack of faunistic research in the region