Journal of the Serbian Chemical Society https://shd-pub.org.rs/index.php/JSCS <p><strong>Journal of the Serbian Chemical Society - JSCS </strong>has been published continuously for 91 years,<br />one volume per year, consisting of 12 monthly issues, by the <strong><em><a href="http://www.shd.org.rs/">Serbian Chemical Society</a>.</em></strong></p> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; float: left;" cellpadding="3"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 40.1754%;"><img src="https://www.shd-pub.org.rs/public/site/images/Shd/coverev-2021-v86-no11-300.jpg" alt="" width="280" height="354" /></td> <td style="width: 59.8246%;"> <p><strong>The Journal of the Serbian Chemical Society - JSCS </strong><em>(formerly Glasnik Hemijskog društva Beograd) </em><strong>publishes</strong><strong> articles original papers that have not been published previously, from the fields of fundamental and applied chemistry:</strong></p> <p>Theoretical Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Food Chemistry, Technology and Engineering, Inorganic Chemistry, Polymers, Analytical Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Spectroscopy, Electrochemistry, Thermodynamics, Chemical Engineering, Textile Engineering, Materials, Ceramics, Metallurgy, Geochemistry, Environmental Chemistry, History of and Education in Chemistry.</p> <p>Online ISSN: <strong>1820-7421 </strong> Print ISSN: <strong>0352-5139</strong></p> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; float: left;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 12.5748%;"><strong><img src="https://www.shd-pub.org.rs/public/site/images/Shd/oa50.png" alt="" width="51" height="80" /></strong></td> <td style="width: 87.4252%;"> <p><br />JSCS is an <strong>Open Access journal <br /></strong>with <strong>no Article Processing Charge<br /><br />Journal abbreviation:</strong> <em>J. Serb. Chem. Soc.</em></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p> </p> Serbian Chemical Society en-US Journal of the Serbian Chemical Society 0352-5139 <p><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" rel="license"><img style="border-width: 0;" src="https://i.creativecommons.org/l/by/4.0/88x31.png" alt="Creative Commons лиценца" /></a><br />Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a<a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" rel="license"> Creative Commons Attribution license 4.0</a> that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.</p> <p><a href="https://www.shd-pub.org.rs/index.php/JSCS/Copyright">Read more....</a></p> Contents of Volume 89 https://shd-pub.org.rs/index.php/JSCS/article/view/13198 Journal editor Copyright (c) 2025 Journal editor https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2025-01-06 2025-01-06 89 12 1689 1698 Author Index https://shd-pub.org.rs/index.php/JSCS/article/view/13197 Journal editor Copyright (c) 2025 Journal editor https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2025-01-06 2025-01-06 89 12 1699 1704 Subject index https://shd-pub.org.rs/index.php/JSCS/article/view/13196 Journal editor Copyright (c) 2025 Journal editor https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2025-01-06 2025-01-06 89 12 2024 List of Referees https://shd-pub.org.rs/index.php/JSCS/article/view/13195 Journal management Copyright (c) 2025 Journal management https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2025-01-05 2025-01-05 89 12 Editorial https://shd-pub.org.rs/index.php/JSCS/article/view/13199 Ljubiša M. Ignjatović Branimir S. Jovančićević Copyright (c) 2025 Ljubiša M. Ignjatović, Branimir S. Jovančićević https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2025-01-06 2025-01-06 89 12 1525 1526 Effects of persistent organic pollutants and mercury in protected area „Obrenovački zabran” https://shd-pub.org.rs/index.php/JSCS/article/view/13034 <p>This study aims to assess and monitor the health of an urban pro­tected area by analysing the levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and mercury (Hg) in soil and sediments. Based on the results, the detected concen­trations of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and Hg are above the threshold maximum values for soils and the prescribed target values for sediments. In the investigated protected area PCBs pose a very high ecological risk. The pre­sence of 16 priority PAHs in analysed soils and sediments poses a moderate to high cancer risk and Hg poses a considerable health risk to children. The res­earch suggests that preserving urban protected areas is crucial for environ­mental and urban sustainability. In urban environments these areas should be evaluated in terms of their environmental, eco-geochemical, economic and socio-cultural dimensions. The value of the existence of this natural oasis lies in its aesthetic and psycho-hydrological impact, local climate regulation, resi­dential isolation and significant art-architectural and horticultural shaping. The interconnection between eco-geochemical and management practices, planning, and urban green spaces policy should become an adopted innovation in the cities in the future.</p> Snežana Štrbac Milica Kašanin-Grubin Jelena Stajić Nataša Stojić Sanja Stojadinović Nevena Antić Mira Pucarević Copyright (c) 2024 Snežana Štrbac, Milica Kašanin-Grubin, Jelena Stajić, Nataša Stojić, Sanja Stojadinović, Nevena Antić, Mira Pucarević https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2025-01-06 2025-01-06 89 12 1527 1541 10.2298/JSC240904101S Atmospheric deposition of potentially toxic elements over the territory of Serbia assessed by moss biomonitoring in five-year time: 2015 vs. 2020 https://shd-pub.org.rs/index.php/JSCS/article/view/13035 <p>The presented research, performed under the framework of the ICP Vegetation program in Serbia, had a goal to provide field-based evidence of spatial patterns and temporal trends of some potentially toxic element depo­sition, using naturally growing moss (<em>Hypnum cupressiforme</em>), as a biomonitor in surveys conducted in 2015 and 2020. The results showed a decline of the element concentrations in the moss with time for Cr (42 %), Cu (39 %), Fe (22 %), Pb (10 %) and Zn (54 %), a decrease for Cd (18 %), while staying at the same level for As and V. The concentrations of examined elements in the moss samples were comparable to those found in the neighbouring countries, with the median country values often being five or more times larger than in the pol­lution background countries like Switzerland and Norway. Calculation of eco­logical implication indices generally suggested the presence of low to mod­erate pollution all over the study area, with severe contamination with As, Cr, Cu and Pb at some studied locations in the eastern and northern parts of the country.</p> Mira Aničić Urošević Dragan Radnović Miloš Ilić Miodrag Krmar Igor Kodranov Dubravka Relić Aleksandar Popović Copyright (c) 2024 Mira Aničić Urošević, Dragan Radnović, Miloš Ilić, Miodrag Krmar, Igor Kodranov, Dubravka Relić, Aleksandar Popović https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2025-01-06 2025-01-06 89 12 1543 1557 10.2298/JSC240906100U Maturation changes of hydrocarbons in solid parts of peloids from Serbian spas – Catalytic influence of clay minerals https://shd-pub.org.rs/index.php/JSCS/article/view/13043 <p>The study focused on inspecting the composition of <em>n</em>-alkane, sterane and terpane biomarkers in healing mud (peloid) organic matter in the Rusanda, Bujanovac and Vranje spas. It was assumed that the catalytic influence of min­erals on changes in biomarkers could be effectively evaluated based on the dis­tribution of their biolipid and thermodynamically more stable geolipid struc­tural and stereochemical isomers. Quartz, illite, kaolinite, plagioclase, smectite and chlorite were identified in the samples by powder X-ray diffraction. <em>n</em>-Аlk­anes, terpanes and steranes were analyzed in the solid parts of the peloids using the gas chromatography–mass spectrometric, GC–MS, technique. In Rusanda and Bujanovac samples, <em>n</em>-alkanes were identified with distributions character­istic of immature sediments. In contrast, distributions of terpanes and steranes are typical for the mature organic matter of old sedimentary formations. It was concluded that the identified clay minerals do not have an obvious catalytic effect on the maturation of <em>n</em>-alkanes. At the same time, the presence of illite, chlorite, and smectite compensated for all other missing factors (heat, pressure and geological time) by catalytic action and, as a result, gave terpanes and ste­ranes with distributions that are characteristic for petroleum, as the most mat­ure form of organic matter in the geosphere.</p> Zlatko Nikolovski Aleksandra Šajnović Gordana Gajica Nikola Burazer Ilija Brčeski Predrag Dabić Branimir Jovančićević Copyright (c) 2024 Zlatko Nikolovski, Aleksandra Šajnović, Gordana Gajica, Nikola Burazer, Ilija Brčeski, Predrag Dabić, Branimir Jovančićević https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2025-01-06 2025-01-06 89 12 1559 1570 10.2298/JSC240912099N Sustainable synthesis of samarium molybdate nanoparticles: a simple electrochemical tool for detection of environmental pollutant metol https://shd-pub.org.rs/index.php/JSCS/article/view/13044 <p>This study focused on creating a highly effective sensor for detecting and quantifying the nitrogen-organic pollutant metol (MTL). For this purpose, samarium molybdate (Sm<sub>2</sub>(MoO<sub>4</sub>)<sub>3</sub>) nanoparticles were synthesized using an eco-friendly, organic solvent-free and cost-effective hydrothermal method. These nanoparticles were used as a modifier of carbon paste electrodes (CPE), showing exceptional catalytic efficiency. Electrochemical measurements rev­ealed that the developed electrode facilitates electron transfer processes and enhances the catalytic response. The resulting Sm<sub>2</sub>(MoO<sub>4</sub>)<sub>3</sub>/CPE sensor exhi­bited a broad linear range of 0.1–100 and 100–300 μM of MTL, with low det­ection and quantification limits of 0.047 and 0.156 µM, respectively, at pH 3 in a Britton–Robinson buffer solution (BRBS) as the supporting electrolyte. The findings from the analysis of real water samples from various sources using this sensor were encouraging, suggesting that this method could offer a cost-effective, rapid and sensitive sensor for ambient MTL monitoring.</p> Tijana Mutić Vesna Stanković Jadranka Milikić Danica Bajuk-Bogdanović Astrid Ortner Kurt Kalcher Dragan Manojlović Dalibor Stankovic Copyright (c) 2024 Tijana Mutić, Vesna Stanković, Jadranka Milikić, Danica Bajuk-Bogdanović, Astrid Ortner, Kurt Kalcher, Dragan Manojlović, Dalibor Stankovic https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2025-01-06 2025-01-06 89 12 1571 1585 10.2298/JSC240913102M Removal of pharmaceutically active substance ibuprofen from aqueous solution using TiO2/ZSM-5 zeolite hybrid photocatalysts https://shd-pub.org.rs/index.php/JSCS/article/view/13085 <p>The removal of pharmaceutically active substance ibuprofen (IBU) from aqueous solution was studied using TiO<sub>2</sub>/ZSM-5 zeolite hybrid photo­cat­alysts synthesized from 20 wt. % TiO<sub>2</sub> P25 nanoparticles and ZSM-5 zeol­ites with different Si/Al ratio (11.5, 15, 25, 40 and 140). The hybrid materials were prepared by a simple and economic ultrasound assisted solid-state dispersion method and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Among them, the hybrid photocatalyst containing TiO<sub>2</sub> and ZSM-5 zeolite with a Si/Al = 40 (denoted as TZ(40)) showed the highest removal efficiency, achieving 85 % IBU removal after 80 min under UV irradiation. The optimal condition for the removal of IBU from deionized water was found to be at a natural pH 4.5. Moreover, the removal of IBU from bottled drinking water in the presence of TZ(40) hybrid material was tested. Only 32 % IBU removal was achieved because change in pH value of reaction suspension decreased efficiency of IBU removal.</p> Srna Stojanović Marija Risitć Danina Krajišik Vladislav Rac Ljiljana Damjanović-Vasilić Copyright (c) 2024 Srna Stojanović, Marija Risitć, Danina Krajišik, Vladislav Rac, Ljiljana Damjanović-Vasilić https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2025-01-06 2025-01-06 89 12 1587 1601 10.2298/JSC241018098S Potentially toxic elements from different environmental compartments of the River Watershed in Eastern Serbia – Assessment of the human health risk https://shd-pub.org.rs/index.php/JSCS/article/view/13105 <p>This study assessed human health risks due to exposure to potentially toxic elements (PTES) in soil and river water in eastern Serbia. Concentrations of As, Cu, Cd, Zn, Pb, Ni and Cr were measured in soil and river water from the Vlasina watershed area. The concentrations of Cl<sup>-</sup>, SO<sub>4</sub><sup>2-</sup> and NO<sub>3</sub><sup>-</sup> were also measured in the river water. According to the Regulation of the Republic of Serbia, the water quality of the investigated rivers corresponds to the surface water quality Class I and II. The content of PTEs in soil was below soil guideline values. Children were more sensitive than adults when exposed to PTE in water and soil. Arsenic was the dominant contributor to the total non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks for exposure to PTE in water. For PTE in soil, As had the dominant contribution to non-carcinogenic risks, and Ni to carcinogenic risks. All hazard index (<em>HI</em>) values for adults and children are less than 1, which indi­cates that the impact of PTEs in the examined river water and soil on human health is insignificant. Ingestion route is a major contributor to both total non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks.</p> Aleksandra Mihajlidi-Zelić Sanja Sakan Ljubiša Ignjatović Aleksandar Popović Dragana Đorđević Copyright (c) 2024 Aleksandra Mihajlidi-Zelić, Sanja Sakan, Ljubiša Ignjatović, Aleksandar Popović, Dragana Đorđević https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2025-01-06 2025-01-06 89 12 1603 1617 10.2298/JSC241102103M Adsorption analysis of PFOA on activated carbon and ion-exchange resin: A comparative study using four isotherm models https://shd-pub.org.rs/index.php/JSCS/article/view/13133 <p>Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), known as “forever chemicals”, are highly persistent environmental pollutants due to their strong carbon–fluorine bonds. Widely used across industries and consumer products, PFAS have accumulated in the environment, raising concerns about their bio­accumulation, toxicity and mobility. Adsorption, particularly using activated carbon and ion exchange resins, is a suitable technique for PFAS removal from contaminated water. This study evaluates the sorption efficiency of granular and powdered activated carbon and two ion exchange resins to identify the most effective materials for remediation. All tested sorbents showed great per­formance, however Amberlite IRA 402, and powdered activated carbon K/B were the most efficient. Based on the isotherm models used, it is suggested that physisorption is a dominant process, where the multilayer adsorption on a het­erogeneous surface is being favoured.</p> Kristina Kasalica Natalija Petronijević Jelena Radulović Latinka Slavković Beškoski Marija Lješević Bojana Marković Vladimir Beškoski Copyright (c) 2024 Kristina Kasalica, Natalija Petronijević, Jelena Radulović, Latinka Slavković Beškoski, Marija Lješević, Bojana Marković, Vladimir Beškoski https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2025-01-06 2025-01-06 89 12 1619 1628 10.2298/JSC241120097K Assessment of the concentration of toxic metals (aluminum, cadmium and manganese) in the soil and evergreen plant species at the Sastavci surface mine and its vicinity https://shd-pub.org.rs/index.php/JSCS/article/view/12874 <p>The study aims to determine the concentration of Al<sup>3+</sup>, Cd<sup>2+</sup> and Mn<sup>2+</sup> in the soil and parts of evergreen plant species – juniper and white pine – at the surface mine Sastavci (Badanj) and its vicinity in order to determine the possibility of using evergreen plants as an ecological indicator or for phytoremediation. Globally, as a result of various anthropogenic activities such as traffic, agricultural activities, waste incineration, industrial production, mining, etc., it represents a serious problem leading to pollution with toxic and potentially toxic metal cations. One of the more innovative techniques used for the remediation of mining areas is phytoremediation. By applying phytoremediation, certain plant species in polluted areas have the ability to act as accumulators or hyperaccumulators, absorbing toxic metals from the soil through the plant roots and transporting them to the upper parts. This research has been conducted to determine the concentration of Al<sup>3+</sup>, Cd<sup>2+</sup> and Mn<sup>2+</sup> at the surface mine itself and its surroundings, as well as to monitor the distribution of metal cations in the system of roots, branches, needles, and fruits of the evergreen plant species – white pine and juniper. The results showed that the sampled soil was contaminated with Cd in zones I and II for both plant species, since the concentrations exceeded the limit values, while the concentration of Cd in zone III, as well as in the control zone was below the determination limits for both plant species. The concentration of Mn in the soil from the white pine and juniper zone was above the world average in all three zones, as well as in the control zone itself. The soil was most enriched with the analysed elements in the surface mine of zone I and zone II. According to the analysis of elements in the parts of white pine, roots, branches, needles and fruits, the highest concentration of Al was detected in the root in zone I, while the lowest concentration was recorded in the fruit (cones) in the control zone, an increased concentration of Cd was recorded in the branches in zones I and II, and the highest concentration of Mn was recorded in needles in zone II. The highest Al concentration was recorded in the juniper root in zone I and the lowest in the juniper fruit in the control zone, the Cd concentration was the highest in the juniper root zone I, and the lowest in the juniper fruit and the highest Mn concentration was recorded in the juniper needles in zone I. Based on the obtained values of the coefficient of biological absorption, it can be concluded that white pine is not suitable for phytoextraction or phytostabilization of the tested elements. The analysis of biological factors (bioconcentration, translocation and bioaccumulation factor) indicated a possible usage of juniper in phytoextraction for Cd only.</p> Milica Tomović Jovana Grahovac Jelena Dodić Marija Radojković Nataša Elezović Krstimir Pantić Copyright (c) 2024 Milica Tomović, Jovana Grahovac, Jelena Dodić, Marija Radojković, Nataša Elezović, Krstimir Pantić https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2025-01-06 2025-01-06 89 12 1629 1645 10.2298/JSC240401063T Potentially toxic elements in pikeperch (Sander lucioperca L.) from the Gruža reservoir: Health risk assessment related to fish consumption by the general population and fishermen https://shd-pub.org.rs/index.php/JSCS/article/view/12768 <p>The aim was to evaluate concentrations of 14 potentially toxic elements in three tissues (muscle, liver, and gills) of pikeperch (<em>Sander lucioperca</em>) and to assess health risk (the potential non-cancerogenic – Total target hazard quotient (TTHQ) and cancerogenic – Target carcinogenic risk factor (TR) health risk) associated with the consumption of pikeperch from the Gruža Reservoir by the general population and fishermen. A value of Fulton’s condition factor (CF) of less than one in our study indicated the poor general health of pikeperch. According to metal pollution index (MPI), the liver was exposed to the highest pressure of metal pollution. Levels of elements were lower than the national levels and international threshold levels, thus suggested a very likely absence of contamination risk of fish with elements in the Gruža Reservoir. Higher TTHQ was observed for fishermen (0.25) compared to the general population (0.20). Higher value of TR for As compared to TR for Pb was detected, both for the general population and for fishermen. In general, there was no risk to human health from pikeperch consumption, but fishermen were at slightly higher health risk to develop cancer if they consume pikeperch meat compared to the general population.</p> Aleksandra Milošković Milena Radenković Nataša Kojadinović Tijana Veličković Simona Đuretanović Vladica Simić Copyright (c) 2024 Aleksandra Milošković, Milena Radenković, Nataša Kojadinović, Tijana Veličković, Simona Đuretanović, Vladica Simić https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2025-01-06 2025-01-06 89 12 1647 1659 10.2298/JSC240110044M Solid-phase extraction of estrogen hormones onto chemically modified carbon cryogel https://shd-pub.org.rs/index.php/JSCS/article/view/12844 <p>This study introduces a novel solid-phase extraction (SPE) method utilizing pristine and chemically treated carbon cryogel (CC) as an adsorbent for the isolation and enrichment of estrogen hormones (estrone, 17β-estradiol, and 17α-ethinylestradiol) from water samples. High recovery values (82-95%) were obtained after optimizing the SPE technique, which included adsorbent mass and chemical treatment, sample volume and pH, and elution solvent type and volume. The developed analytical method, based on SPE coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), proves to be selective, efficient, and cost-effective for the determination of selected estrogens. The utilization of self-made cartridges with chemically modified CC produced results comparable to those obtained with commercial cartridges while employing significantly less material. Furthermore, the selectivity of the employed materials contributed to minor matrix effects. The optimized method was successfully applied to analyze estrogen hormones in groundwater, surface water, and wastewater samples, with the results highlighting the importance of monitoring these contaminants in the aquatic environment.</p> Danijela Prokić Marija Vukčević Marina Maletić Ana Kalijadis Jovanka Pejić Biljana Babić Tatjana Đurkić Copyright (c) 2024 Danijela Prokić, Marija Vukčević, Marina Maletić, Ana Kalijadis, Jovanka Pejić, Biljana Babić, Tatjana Đurkić https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2025-01-06 2025-01-06 89 12 1661 1673 10.2298/JSC240313055P Pyrolysis of corn stalks: the potential of using bio-oil as a fuel https://shd-pub.org.rs/index.php/JSCS/article/view/12769 <p>Due to the increasing consumption of fossil fuels, there is a growing demand for renewable energy resources. At the same time, a significant amount of agricultural waste accumulates, including corn residues, and the efficient management of this waste is a challenge. In this work, the waste biomass, which consisted of the stalks of two types of corn, was characterized and subjected to the pyrolysis process at 400 ℃. The physicochemical characterization of the obtained liquid fraction (bio-oil) was performed, and the obtained data were compared with the literature data for liquid biofuel. The calorific value of bio-oil was above 22 MJ kg<sup>-1</sup>, which indicates the good potential of waste corn biomass as an energy source. With appropriate further changes in the composition of waste, by adding materials with a higher carbon and hydrogen content, corn stalks can represent a significant energy source, with better regulation of disposal and storage of agricultural waste.</p> Jelena Isailović Emilija Vukićević Mališa Antić Jan Schwarzbauer Ljubiša Ignjatović Gordana Gajica Vesna Antić Copyright (c) 2024 Jelena Isailović, Emilija Vukićević, Mališa Antić, Jan Schwarzbauer, Ljubiša Ignjatović, Gordana Gajica, Vesna Antić https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2025-01-06 2025-01-06 89 12 1675 1687 10.2298/JSC240110043I