Purification of waters and elimination of organochloric insecticides by means of active coal

Pollution of water and the determination of the degree of its pollution with numerous physical, chemical and biological polluters have become general, ever increasing social and health related problems. Within this study, the concentrations of some most frequently used organochloric insecticides (OCI): a-hexachlorocyclohexane (a-HCH), γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (lindane), heptachlor, aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, dichlorodiphenyl trichlorethane (DDT) were investigated. OCI are highly toxic substances for the human population and their effective elimination from the environment is of paramount interest. To determine the OCI concentration in water samples, the EPA–608 method and the liquid–liquid extraction principle were applied. A procedure for OCI elimination was realized by passing the water over four columns filled with various active coals: KRF, K-81/B, NORIT ROW-0.8 and AQUA SORB CS. These active coals are carbonized coconut shells activated by different procedures. The obtained results indicated that best purification of potable and waste water achieved using a column with Norit Row-0.8 filling. Research proved that small quantities of OCI can also be effectively removed using a Norit Row-0.8 active coal filled column, without altering the organoleptic properties of the water, which meets the requirements of water purification processes

Sastav i antimikrobna aktivnost etarskih ulja Salvia fruticosa i Salvia ringens (Lamiaceae)

Background/Aim. Plant essential oils (EOs) can have a significant antibacterial effect especially through additive or synergistic action as antibiotic adjuvants. We investi-gated the composition and activity of EOs of two species of genus Salvia (S) from Greece with the aim to deter-mine their antimicrobial activity as well as the activity in combination with selected antibiotics. Methods. The aerial parts of wild-growing S. fruticosa and S. ringens were subjected to a steam distillation and the obtained EOs were analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chroma-tography/mass spectrometry. The broth-microdilution method was used in order to determine the minimum in-hibitory concentrations (MICs) of EOs on seven strains of bacteria and one yeast. Antimicrobial activity of the combination of EO and antibiotics was investigated by checkerboard method and estimated by calculating frac-tional inhibitory concentration (FIC) of each component and fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI). Re-sults. Dominant component of S. fruticosa EO was trans-thujone (54.2%) and for S. ringens EO it was α-pinene (28.1%). The MICs of EOs of both species were in the range from 200 μg/mL to > 500 μg/mL. The strongest antimicrobial effect was achieved against Bacillus subtilis and Candida albicans. According to FICI values, EO of S. fruticosa had additive effect with ciprofloxacin against most of bacterial strains but not with amikacin. Conclu-sion. The essential oils of S. ringens and S. fruticosa showed modest antimicrobial activity. However, the es-sential oil of S. fruticosa showed a promising additive ef-fect in combination with ciprofloxacin.Uvod/Cilj. Etarska ulja različitih biljaka mogu imati značajna antibakterijska svojstva, posebno kao adjuvanti antibiotika sa kojima ostvaruju aditivno ili sinergistično dejstvo. Ispitivali smo sastav i aktivnost etarskih ulja dve vrste roda Salvia (S) iz Grčke sa ciljem da odredimo njihovu antimkrobnu aktivnost, kao i dejstvo u kombi-naciji sa odabranim antibioticima. Metode. Nadzemni delovi samoniklih S. fruticosa i S. ringens su destilovani vodenom parom i dobijena etarska ulja su analizirana gasnom hromatografijom i gasnom hromatografijom sa masenom spektrometrijom. Radi određivanja minimalnih inhibitornih koncentracija (MICs) etarskog ulja na sedam sojeva bakterija i na jednoj patogenoj gljivici korišćena je mikrodiluciona metoda. Antimikrobna aktivnost kombi-nacije etarskog ulja i antibiotika ispitana je checkerboard metodom i procenjena je na osnovu frakcione inhibi-torne koncentracije (FIC) svake komponente i indeksa frakcione inhibitorne koncentracije (FICI). Resultati. Dominantna komponenta etarskog ulja S. fruticosa je bio trans-tujon (54,2%), a etarskog ulja S. ringens α-pinen (28,1%). MICs etarskog ulja obe vrste su bile u opsegu od 200 μg/mL do > 500 μg/mL. Najsnažnija anti-mikrobna aktivnost ostvarena je protiv Bacillus subtilis i Candida albicans. Na osnovu FICI vrednosti, etarsko ulje S. fruticosa je sa ciprofloksacinom, ali ne i sa amikacinom imalo aditivni efekat protiv većine bakterijskih sojeva. Zaključak. Etarska ulja S. ringens i S. fruticosa su pokazala skromnu antimikrobnu aktivnost, ali je etarsko ulje S. fru-ticosa u kombinaciji sa ciprofloksacinom ispoljilo značajan aditivni efekat

Heracleum sosnowskyi Manden. (Apiaceae): A new invasive species in the flora of Serbia

As invasive species are some of the most important drivers of global change in biodiversity and ecosystem services, early detection of invasive species and the ability to track their spreading are of crucial importance. One of the most dangerous invasive plant species in Europe, Heracleum sosnowskyi Manden. H. sosnowskyi, is recorded as a new species in the flora of Serbia. It was found in June 2016 in the area of Belgrade on the left bank of the Danube, near Kovilovo. is Data concerning its morphology, habitat characteristics, flowering period and population size in Serbia are presented in this paper

The new data on the variability of the essential oil of Teucrium montanum L. from Balkan Peninsula

Teucrium montanum L. is a semi-woody, evergreen small shrub, widely distributed in Europe occurring from the seacoast to the subalpine and alpine belts. The study aimed to investigate and compare the chemical composition of essential oil of aerial parts of T. montanum from 24 populations collected from West, Central, and South West Balkans. The essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation and qualitative and quantitative analysis was performed by GC-FID and GC-MS. The dominant compounds were oxidized sesquiterpenes (24.83–85.75%), then sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (3.00–62.81%), and oxidized monoterpenes (0–27.78%). Cluster analysis revealed 10 clearly separated groups. First group (Žumberak) is completely separated and characterized by high germacrene-D-4-ol (63.17%), the second (Gjergjevice) by high shyobunol (51.23%), the third (Vratna) by high (dehydro)-sesquicineole-acetate (45.29%), the fourth (Ostrovice) by high epi-α-cadinol (36.80%), the fifth (Nera canyon) by high limonene (36.65%), sixth group (Orovica, Sićevo, Galičica) by high cis-sesquisabinene hydrate (18.73–29.05%), seventh group (Štrpce, Dobrilovina) by high γ-cadinene (13.43–23.06%), eighth group (Tara, Durmitor, Biokovo, Fužine) by moderate germacrene-D-4-ol (19.76–23.44%), and the ninth large group (Potoci, Lovćen, Orjen, Premantura, Vodice, Pletvar, Senj, Oštarije, Trebinje, Korita) by germacren D (6.15–33.87%). Such a high variability needs more research to define relationships among populations.14th Symposium on the Flora of Southeastern Serbia and Neighboring Regions, Kladovo, 26th to 29th June 202

ORGANOCHLORINE INSECTICIDES IN DRINKING WATER IN THE CITY OF KRALJEVO

Organochlorine insecticides (OCI) belong to the group of chlorinated hydrocarbons with wide, but often uncontrolled, application in agricultural production. The consequence of this is that OCI and their residues are found in numerous samples ecosphere. Contamination of aquatic environments is particularly emphasized. Although OCI are toxic substance for wildlife, especially for human, a large part of the population is daily exposed to their activities in small quantities. OCI presence in drinking water is generally below the maximum allowable concentrations, whereas repeated doses can cause chronic toxic effects. For these reasons, it is necessary to continuously monitor the concentration of OCI in drinking water and perform its purification in order to obtain water with the lowest possible concentration. This work included the analysis of individual OCI concentration in drinking water, the city of Kraljevo. Certain individual concentration for seven OCI: alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane (α-HCH), gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane (lindane), heptachlor, aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT). OCI were treated according to the appropriate EPA-608 method, liquid-liquid extraction, and then detected by gas chromatography method with appropriate columns. From the measured concentrations for individual OCI significantly increase heptachlor, which is almost four times, and aldrin, two times higher compared to the value of the said Ordinance MAC. Measured concentrations of dieldrin is at the upper limit value of the MAC. About a measured concentration of endrin could not be discussed because it is not regulated by the Ordinance value MAC.Overall, cumulative concentration OCI water pumping station with 0.294 µg/l, which is in line with the maximum permissible concentration of 0.5 µg/l according to the Regulations on the hygienic safety of drinking water. Given that this paper analyzed only seven organochlorine insecticides, it is the value of aggregate concentration unexpectedly high (over 50%). The results presented OCI in drinking water, especially measured increased concentrations of aldrin and heptachlor, indicate the processes of chemical contamination. For these reasons it is necessary to continuously check the concentration of total and individual OCI in drinking water and take effective measures purification

Investigation of macroscopic and microscopic characteristics and essential oil of the lemon balm leaf, Melissa officinalis L.

Tradicionalno list matičnjaka, Melissae folium, koristi se za ublažavanje blagih simptoma mentalnog stresa i olakšavanje uspavljivanja, kao i u simptomatskoj terapiji blagih gastrointestinalnih poremećaja. Etarsko ulje matičnjaka je veoma cenjeno u prehrambenoj i kozmetičkoj industriji. Cilj rada je bio ispitivanje makroskopskih i mikroskopskih osobina uzoraka lista samoniklog i gajenog matičnjaka sa različitih lokaliteta i komercijalno dostupnih čajeva, kao i ispitivanja sastava njihovih etarskih ulja. Za analizu etarskih ulja (16 uzoraka), dobijenih destilacijom vodenom parom, primenjena je gasna hromatografija (GC‐FID) i gasna hromatografija sa masenom spektrometrijom (GC‐MS). Klaster analizom ispitivane su razlike između etarskih ulja. Makroskopske i mikroskopske odlike svih uzoraka su odgovarale monografiji Melissae folium u Ph. Eur. 7.0, ali je u 2 od 5 komercijalnih uzoraka bio veći sadržaj stranih materija. U svim ispitivanim etarskim uljima glavne komponenate su predstavljali: geranial (15,58‐53,33%), neral (10,73‐36,64 %), kariofilen oksid (0,76‐ 35,57 %), (E)‐kariofilen (tragovi‐16,72 %) i citronelal (0,00‐12,64 %). Sadržaj geraniala i nerala u ispitivanim uzorcima je bio u opsegu vrednosti dobijenih u prethodnim ispitivanjima. Klaster analizom uzorci etarskog ulja su podeljeni na dva klastera. U prvom klasteru su bila etarska ulja sa visokim sadržajem geraniala i nerala (31,87‐53,33% i 19,81‐36,64%): etarska ulja lista i herbe samoniklog i gajenog matičnjaka u različitim fazama razvoja i sa različitih lokaliteta i dva komercijalna uzorka. U drugi klaster su svrstana etarska ulja sa nižim sadržajem geraniala i nerala (15,58‐26,67 % i 10,73‐ 15,48 %) i većim udelom kariofilen‐oksida (17,79‐35,57 %): tri komercijalna uzorka i etarsko ulje herbe. List samoniklog matičnjaka u različitim fazama razvoja, sadrži visok procenat geraniala i nerala u etarskom ulju, ne razlikuje se značajno od gajenih uzoraka i može predstavljati izvor kvalitetne droge.Traditional herbal remedies based on lemon balm leaf, Melissae folium are used for relief of mild symptoms of mental stress, to aid sleep and for symptomatic treatment of mild gastrointestinal complaints. The essential oil of lemon balm is very appreciated in food and cosmetic industry. The aim was to examine the macroscopic and microscopic characteristics of lemon balm leaves of cultivated and wild plants from different localities, commercially available tea samples and to determinate the composition of their essential oils. The essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation (16 samples), were analysed by gas chromatography (GC‐FID) and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC‐MS). The differences between essential oils were examined by cluster analysis. Macroscopic and microscopic characteristics corresponded to the monograph Melissae folium in Ph. Eur. 7.0, while 2 of 5 commercial samples contained higher content of foreign matter. The main components in investigated essential oils were: geranial (15.58‐53.33 %), neral (10.73‐36.64 %), caryophyllene oxide (0.76‐35.57 %), (E)‐caryophyllene (traces‐16.72 %) and citronellal (0.00‐12.64 %). The content of geranial and neral was in the range of values obtained in previous investigations. Cluster analysis divided samples of essential oils into two clusters. Essential oils with high geranial and neral content (31.87‐53.33 % and 19.81‐36.64 %) were in the first cluster: essential oils of leaf and aerial parts of wild and cultivated lemon balm from different development phases and localities and two commercial samples. The essential oils with lower geranial and neral content (15.58‐26.67 % and 10.73‐15.48 %) and higher caryophyllene oxide (17.79‐35.57 %) were separated to the second cluster: three commercial samples and essential oil of aerial parts.The wild lemon balm leaf in different phases of development contains essential oil with high amounts of geranial and neral. It is not significantly different from cultivated samples and could represent a source of quality herbal substance.VII Kongres farmaceuta Srbije sa međunarodnim učešćem: Zajedno stvaramo budućnost farmacije, Beograd, Srbija, 10-14. oktobar 2018

Isolation and seasonal variation of fruticin in fruits of false indigo-bush (Amorpha fruticosa L. Fabaceae) from Serbia

Fruticin (amorphin) is a constituent of the fruit of the false indigo-bush (Amorpha fruticosa L.), which belongs to the class of rotenoid glycosides, and shows several interesting pharmacological activities. The aim of this study was to isolate and chemically characterize this natural product, as well as to determine the optimal period of the year for A. fruticosa fruits collection. Fruticin was obtained by re-crystallization of the precipitate that formed after partial evaporation of the extract, prepared by 3- fold extraction of powdered plant material by chloroform - ethanol (1:1, v/v). The structure of the final product was determined by various techniques of instrumental analysis (NMR, UV and MS), and con- firmed by comparing the obtained spectra with corresponding data in available literature. The content of fruticin in A. fruticosa fruit was determined by LC-DAD-MS, using the external standard method based on the constructed calibration curve. Limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were also determined. A substantial increase in fruticin content was observed during the ripening period (>50 %). It has also been established that the optimal time for fruit collection is mid-December. Ob- tained results indicate that the content of fruticin in the A. fruticosa fruit is highly dependable on the time of collection. Since the biosynthesis of secondary plant metabolites is influenced not only by the time of collection, but by numerous other factors as well, additional studies are needed to define, with greater certainty, the conditions that are necessary for design of prospective efficient and sustainable production process

Variranje prinosa i sastava etarskih ulja dalmatinske žalfije (Salvia officinalis Lamiaceae) u različitim fazama razvoja

Variations in the yield and composition of essential oil of Dalmatian sage (Salvia officinalis L., Lamiaceae) in various stages of development were analyzed in two individuals (= genotypes) of different geographic origin. Both plants have been successfully grown ten years under identical environmental conditions in a private garden in Belgrade. The amount and composition of the oils were analyzed during one growing season starting from the young to old overwintered leaves. The results of the cluster analysis showed that leaf age and origin of the plants has a significant impact on the composition of the essential oils. All oil samples formed two main clades. The first clade are oils collected from young leaves from April to June and belong to α-humulene type. The second clade includes oil obtained mainly of old leaves, which were collected from August to June, and belonging to the camphor and thujone type. In the second clade samples originating from Učka are completely separated from samples originating from Belgrade. Also, based on these analyzes showed that the same individual (the same genotype) during one growing season significantly change the chemical composition of the essential oils. Thus, it is possible to distinguish three different 'phenological types of essential oils': young leaves ('yl-oils'), early old leaves ('early-ol-oils') and a late old leaves type ('late-ol-oils'). Analysis of the seasonal changes in the composition of the essential oils of Dalmatian sage is shown that different components have different dynamics and different directions of change in the concentration during the season.Variranje prinosa i sastava etarskog ulja dalmatinske žalfije (Salvia officinalis L., Lamiaceae) u različitim fazama razvoja analizirano je na dve individue (= genotipa) različitog geografskog porekla. Obe biljke su uspešno gajene deset godina pod identičnom ekološkim uslovima u privatnoj bašti u Beogradu. Količina i sastav ulja su analizirani tokom jedne vegetacione sezone počevši od mladih pa sve do starih prezimelih listova. Rezultati klaster analize su pokazali da starost listova kao i poreklo biljke ima veoma značajan uticaj na sastav etarskog ulja. Svi uzorci ulja su formirali dve osnovne klade. Prvu kladu čine ulja mladih listova sakupljanih od aprila do juna i pripadaju α-humulen tipu. Druga klada obuhvata ulja dobijena uglavnom od starih listova, koji su sakupljani od avgusta do juna, i koji pripadaju kamfor ili tujon tipu. U drugoj kladi uzorci poreklom sa Učke su potpuno odvojeni od uzoraka poreklom iz Beograda. Takođe, na osnovu ovih analiza je utvrđeno da ista individua (isti genotip) u toku jedne vegetacione sezone značajno menja hemijski sastav etarskog ulja. Tako je moguće razlikovati tri različita 'fenološka tipa etarskih ulja': ulja mladih listova, ulja rane faze starih listova i ulja kasne faze starih listova. Analiza sezonskih promena u sastavu etarskih ulja Dalmatinske žalfije je pokazala da različite komponente imaju različitu dinamiku i različite pravce promena u koncentraciji tokom sezone

Morphological diversification of Teucrium montanum L. sensu lato on the Balkan Peninsula

Teucrium montanum L. is a semi-woody evergreen small shrub distributed in southern and central Europe, Asia Minor, and Algeria in North Africa. The species has a very wide ecological valence occurring in various Mediterranean, sub-Mediterranean, continental as well as oro-Mediterranean and Alpine habitats. Due to its wide ecological valence and broad distribution, T. montanum displays high morphological variability, which is reflected in a large number of described taxa associated with it. In Europe, about thirty taxa have been described at specific and infraspecific levels, of which only T. montanum subsp. montanum and T. montanum subsp. helianthemoides (Adamović) Baden are accepted, while all the others are considered synonyms of T. montanum. The observed morphological diversity is reflected in the presence of six taxa described from the Balkan Peninsula: T. montanum subsp. helianthemoides, T. montanum var. hirsutum Boiss., T. montanum var. modestum Heldr., T. montanum var. parnassicum Čelak., T. pannonicum A. Kern., and T. skorpili Velen. During field research throughout the Balkans, seven morphologically more or less well-defined groups with relatively solid geographical differentiation were observed. Five of the seven groups fit the already described infraspecific taxa, while two groups are morphologically specific but do not correspond to the existing taxa. The aim of this study was to describe the overall morpho-anatomical variability of T. montanum sensu lato in the Balkans and to determine whether the seven identified groups can be distinguished based on morpho-anatomical characters. The most typical populations of these groups could be separated quite well based on the quantitative morphological traits. Multivariate analysis of all samples showed a solid separation of three groups and a significant number of individuals with intermediate positions. Other groups did not show statistical diversification but possess a specific combination of morphological characters by which they can be identified.Usmeno izlaganje na skupu 7th Croatian Botanical Symposium with international participation (7. Hrvatski botanički simpozij s međunarodnim sudjelovanjem), Zagreb, September 12-14, 2022

Kvalitet odabranih aromatičnih biljnih droga dostupnih na beogradskim pijacama

Herbal drugs are often administered in the form of monocomponent teas or herbal tea mixtures (tea blends). In order to assess the quality of herbal drugs that are components of the monocomponent teas commercially available on marketplaces in Belgrade, we analyzed 4 samples of Melissa leaf (Melissae folium), 6 samples of Wild thyme, (Serpylli herba), 6 samples of Yarrow (Millefolii herba), 4 samples of Wormwood (Absinthii herba) and 6 samples of Juniper (Juniperi pseudo-fructus), according to the procedures given in European Pharmacopoea. Macroscopic and microscopic features of investigated herbal drugs, as well as their TLC profiles, were in agreement with corresponding data described in Ph. Eur. One sample of Melissa leaf, one sample of Wild thyme and two samples of Juniper, did not fullfil the requirements of general tests. Due to inappropriate size of cut, test on foreign matter could not be performed for some samples. Concerning specific quality, all samples of Melissa leaf, Wild thyme, Wormwood and Juniper were in accordance with Ph. Eur. Regarding the content of essential oil, Yarrow samples met the requirements of Ph. Eur., but the proazulenes content in five samples was lower than required. In conlcusion, the results of these analyses point to high medicinal potential of the most herbal drugs studied. On the other hand, unsatisfying general quality and inappropriate size of cut of several samples could be related to inadequate processing and handling of plant material.Biljne droge se vrlo često koriste u obliku monokomponentnih i višekomponentnih čajeva. U cilju ispitivanja kvaliteta biljnih droga koje se mogu naći na pijacama Beograda u obliku monokomponentnih čajeva, analizirana su po četiri uzorka lista matičnjaka (Melissae folium) i herbe belog pelena (Absinthii herba), i po šest uzoraka herbe majčine dušice (Serpylli herba), herbe hajdučke trave (Millefolii herba) i šišarica kleke (Juniperi pseudo-fructus), prema propisu Ph. Eur. 7.0. Makroskopske i mikroskopske karakteristike ispitivanih droga, kao i rezultati TLC analize bili su u skladu sa odgovarajućim podacima datim u monografijama Farmakopeje. U pogledu opšteg kvaliteta, zahteve nisu ispunili jedan uzorak lista matičnjaka, jedan uzorak herbe majčine dušice i dva uzorka šišarica kleke. Zbog neodgovarajućeg stepena usitnjenosti pojedine uzorke nije bilo moguće ispitati u pogledu stranih primesa. Zahteve za specifični kvalitet ispunili su svi uzorci lista matičnjaka, herbe majčine dušice, herbe belog pelena i šišarica kleke. Uzorci herbe hajdučke trave sadržali su odgovarajuću količinu etarskog ulja, ali je sadržaj proazulena u pet uzoraka bio niži od propisanog. Rezultati ispitivanja specifičnog kvaliteta ukazuju na visok lekoviti potencijal većine ispitivanih biljnih droga. Sa druge strane, neispravnost u pogledu opšteg kvaliteta i neodgovarajući stepen usitnjenosti pojedinih uzoraka može se dovesti u vezu sa neadekvatnim rukovanjem biljnim materijalom