Chemical weapons in university curricula - A way to safer society

Chemistry has been used as a tool of war for thousands of years. The earliest tools were poisoned arrows, Greek fire, water poisoning by hellebore plant extracts, etc. Apart from the chemicals used in the early wars, the modern chemical weapons (CW) were created during WWI and took more than one hundred thousand lives and caused around million casualties. Today CW have been regulated/prohibited by the Chemical Weapons Convention (OPCW, 2005) signed by 192 state parties. The implementing body for CWC is the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Nowadays, when fear of terrorism is bigger than ever, society needs a better insight into CW, safety and widely used industrial chemicals with terrible potential. In the current curriculum CW is studied mostly from military point of view and the focus is more on the weapons than on chemistry. Authors suggest that the development of chemical weapon related courses in a chemistry curriculum could be a way to achieve safer society. CW courses could cover different topics, e.g. ethics in science, history of chemistry, safety in chemistry and chemical industry, organic and bioorganic chemistry, biochemistry, analytical chemistry, environmental and industrial chemistry, multiple usage chemicals, green chemistry as an alternative to widely used CW related chemicals, etc. Development of a CW syllabus could be supported by various internet-based resources used for education for peace (www.opcw.org/specialsections/education, http://multiple.kcvs.ca, www.thefiresproject.com). Diversity of chemicals covered by CWC in combination with multi-disciplinary approach is a great foundation for development of different student skills: science ethics, problemsolving skills, safety skills, 21st century searching skills, team skills… The authors created a new graduate course called Chemical weapons at Faculty of Chemistry, University of Belgrade in 2016/17. The syllabus of CW can be seen on the internet (www.chem.bg.ac.rs/predmeti/279H1-en.html). In conclusion, the chemistry behind chemical weapons is quite diverse and the authors suggest that undergraduate or graduate course Chemical weapons could be very interesting and beneficial for both chemistry major/minor students

Hemija masnih kiselina Atrichum undulatum i Hypnum andoi

The fatty acid compositions of the moss species Atrichum undulatum (Hedw.) P. Beauv. (Polytrichaceae) and Hypnum andoi A.J.E. Sm. (Hypnaceae) collected in winter time were analysed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) as a contribution to their chemistry. Eight fatty acids were identified in the chloroform/methanol extract 1:1 of A. undulatum (linoleic acid, 26.80%, palmitic acid, 22.17%, alpha-linolenic acid, 20.50%, oleic acid, 18.49%, arachidonic acid, 6.21%, stearic acid, 3.34%, cis-5,8,11,14,17-eicosapentaenoic acid, 1.52% and behenic acid, 1.01%), while six fatty acids were found in the same type of extract of H. andoi (palmitic acid, 63.48%, erucic acid, 12.38%, stearic acid, 8.08%, behenic acid, 6.26%, lignoceric acid, 5.16% and arachidic acid, 4.64%). According to this study, the moss A. undulatum can be considered as a good source of both essential fatty acids for humans (linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid) during the winter.Kao doprinos izučavanju njihovog hemijskog sastava, u ovom radu GC i GC-MS analizom ispitivane su masne kiseline mahovina Atrichum undulatum (Hedw.) P. Beauv. (Polytrichaceae) i Hypnum andoi A.J.E. Sm. (Hypnaceae) sakupljene za vreme zimskog doba. U ekstraktu hloroform/metanol 1:1 vrste A. undulatum identifikovano je osam viših masnih kiselina (linolna kiselina, 26,80%, palmitinska kiselina, 22,17%, α-linolenska kiselina, 20,50%, oleinska kiselina, 18,49%, arahidonska kiselina, 6,21%, stearinska kiselina, 3,34%, cis-5,8,11,14,17-eikosapentaenska kiselina, 1,52% i behenska kiselina, 1,01%), dok je u istom ekstraktu vrste H. andoi nađeno šest viših masnih kiselina (palmitinska kiselina, 63,48%, erukinska kiselina, 12,38%, stearinska kiselina, 8,08%, behenska kiselina, 6,26%, lignocerinska kiselina, 5,16% i arahidinska kiselina, 4,64%). Dobijeni rezultati ukazuju da u ispitivanom vremenskom periodu mahovina A. undulatum predstavlja dobar izvor linolne i α-linolenske kiseline, esencijalnih masnih kiselina za ljude

An Insight into Fatty Acid Composition of Calliergonella cuspidata

The fatty acid composition of the moss Calliergonella cuspidata (Hedw.) Loeske (Amblystegiaccae) was preliminary analyzed by gas chromatography (GC FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Six fatty acids were identified in its chloroform-methanol extract 1/1: palmitic acid (66.83 %), stearic acid (11.73%), oleic acid (8.21 %), linolenic acid (6.01 %), alpha-linolenic acid (3.95 %) and arachidic acid (3.26 %). Arachidonic acid and cis-5,8,11,14,17-eicosapentaenoic acid, typical long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids for many mosses, were not detected in Calliergonella cuspidata

Osvrt na hemiju masnih kiselina Rhytididelphus squarrosus (Hedw.) Warnst

The fatty acid composition of the moss Rhytididelphus squarrosus (Hedw.) Warnst. (Hylocomiaceae) collected in Germany during winter time was analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Nine fatty acids were identifi ed in its chloroform:methanol extract 1:1: arachidonic acid (30.7%), α-linolenic acid (19.1%), linoleic acid (15.1%), cis-5,8,11,14,17-eicosapentaenoic acid (14.4%), palmitic acid (11.9%), cis-8,11,14- eicosatrienoic acid (4.1%), oleic acid (2.3%), γ-linolenic acid (1.4%) and stearic acid (1.0%). Th e results indicate that this plant species can be a good source of arachidonic acid collected during the winter.Sastav viših masnih kiselina mahovine Rhytididelphus squarrosus (Hedw.) Warnst. (Hylocomiaceae), sakupljene u Nemačkoj za vreme zimskog doba, preliminarno je ispitivan GC i GC-MS analizom. U njenom ekstraktu hloroform: metanol 1:1 identifikovano je devet viših masnih kiselina: arahidonska kiselina (30.7%), α-linolenska kiselina (19.1%), linolna kiselina (15.1%), cis-5,8,11,14,17-eikosapentaenska kiselina (14.4%), palmitinska kiselina (11.9%), cis-8,11,14-eikosatrienska kiselina (4.1%), oleinska kiselina (2.3%), γ-linolna kiselina (1.4%) i stearinska kiselina (1.0%). Dobijeni rezultati ukazuju da je ova biljna vrsta dobar izvor arahidonske kiseline u ispitivanom vremenskom periodu

Preliminarna analiza hemije masnih kiselina vrsta Kindbergia praelonga i Kindbergia stokesii (Brachytheciaceae)

Moss species of the family Brachytheciaceae, Kindbergia praelonga (Hedw.) Ochyra and Kindbergia stokesii (Turn.) Ochyra, were preliminarily analysed for their fatty acid composition with the aim of studying the chemical relationship of these two entities. Fatty acid methyl esters were examined by GC and GC MS in their methanol extracts. Thirteen fatty acids were identified. It is likely that the mosses are chemically distinguishable and should be treated as separate entities. However, additional chemical constituents of various moss samples, such as phenolic acids, their derivatives and flavonoids, must be also analyzed in order to support the re-examination of the relationship between these two species.Preliminarno je ispitivan sastav viših masnih kiselina dve mahovine iz familije Brachytheciaceae, Kindbergia praelonga (Hedw.) Ochyra i Kindbergia stokesii (Turn.) Ochyra, sa hemotaksonomskim ciljem. Ukupno je identifikovano 13 viših masnih kiselina GC i GC-MS analizom. Na osnovu dobijenih eksperimentalnih rezultata se može zaključiti da se navedene biljne vrste značajno hemijski razlikuju i da bi se mogle smatrati zasebnim entitetima ukoliko se to potvrdi i dodatnim analizama

Fitohemijsko ispitivanje biljne vrste Anthemis cotula

The investigation of roots of Anthemis cotula (Asteraceae) from cast Serbia revealed, in addition to polyacetylenes previously isolated from the same species, three prenylated 4-hydroxyacetophenones, detected for the first time in any Anthemis species. It is possible that they act as phytoalexins in the plant. From the aerial parts, six linear sesquiterpene lactones (four known and two new ones), as well as two known flavones, apigenin and hispidulin, were isolated.Novo ispitivanje korena biljke A. cotula (Asteraceae) pokazalo je, pored četiri već izolovana poliacetilena, i prisustvo tri prenilovana 4-hidroksiacetofenona koji do sada nisu bili izolovani iz ovog roda. Iz nadzemnog dela biljke izolovano je šest linearnih seskviterpenskih laktona, od koji su dva nova, dok su preostali ranije nađeni u istoj biljci. Takođe su u nadzemnom delu identifikovana dva poznata flavona, apigenin i hispidulin

An Insight into Fatty Acid Composition of Calliergonella cuspidata

The fatty acid composition of the moss Calliergonella cuspidata (Hedw.) Loeske (Amblystegiaccae) was preliminary analyzed by gas chromatography (GC FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Six fatty acids were identified in its chloroform-methanol extract 1/1: palmitic acid (66.83 %), stearic acid (11.73%), oleic acid (8.21 %), linolenic acid (6.01 %), alpha-linolenic acid (3.95 %) and arachidic acid (3.26 %). Arachidonic acid and cis-5,8,11,14,17-eicosapentaenoic acid, typical long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids for many mosses, were not detected in Calliergonella cuspidata

Supplementary data for article: Andelkovic, B.; Vujisić, L. V.; Vučković, I. M.; Tešević, V.; Vajs, V.; Godevac, D. Metabolomics Study of Populus Type Propolis. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis 2017, 135, 217–226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpba.2016.12.003

Supplementary material for: [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpba.2016.12.003]Related to published version: [http://cherry.chem.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/2386]Related to accepted version: [http://cherry.chem.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/3017

Inhibition potency of disulphides and trisulphides on various tumor cell lines growth

Tumor is one of the leading diseases of today. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy healing chances are limited, so some alternative methods are resorted to. Many papers indicated that garlic and organosulphur compounds diallyldisulphide (DADS) and diallyltrisulphide, which are main components of garlic decrease the cancer risk and inhibit the cell proliferation. In this paper inhibition potency of disulphides (DADS and its synthetic analogues) and trisulphides with different alkyl and phenyl substituents on growth of various tumor (Non-Small cell Lung Cancer, Colon cancer, CNS Cancer, Melanoma, Ovarian Cancer, Renal Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Breast Cancer, Leukemia) cell lines was investigated. Concentration of each compound (DADS, diethyl disulphide, dipropyl disulphide, diphenyl disulphide, tetraethylthiuram disulphide (TETUDS), dimetil trisulphide, dipropyl trisulphide and metilpropyl trisulphide (MPTS) was 10 μmol/L. It was found that DADS has an inhibitory effect on the growth of several cancer cell lines, but synthetic analogues TETUDS and MPTS exhibit stronger effect on certain cells lines. MPTS inhibits the growth of even 12 cell lines for more than 10%, especially leukemia cell line SR and NCI-H522 cell line of Non-Small cell Lung Cancer (reduction of growth for 24% and 47%, resp.). Trisulphide analogues exhibit little higher inhibitory effects in comparison to disulphide ones

Surface modification of anatase nanoparticles with substituted catecholate type ligands

The surface modification of nanocrystalline TiO2 particles (45 Å) with catecholate-type ligands having electron donating (4-methylcatechol, 4MetCat) and electron withdrawing (4-nitrocatechol, 4NitCat) substituent groups, was found to alter the optical properties of nanoparticles in a similar way to catechol (Cat). The formation of the inner-sphere charge-transfer (CT) complexes results in a red shift of the semiconductor absorption onset compared to unmodified nanocrystallites, being slightly less pronounced in the case of electron withdrawing substituent. The investigated ligands have the optimal geometry for binding to surface Ti atoms, resulting in ring coordination complexes of catecholate type (binuclear bidentate binding - bridging) thus restoring six-coordinated octahedral geometry of surface Ti atoms. The binding structures were investigated by using FTIR spectroscopy