Plant uptake and soil retention of radionuclides and metals in vineyard environments.

In most European countries, each adult citizen drinks on average more than 20 L of wine every year. Three popular wine-growing areas (Aleksandrovac, Topola, and Orahovac) in Serbia were studied in order to investigate the abundance and uptake of elements from vineyard soil to plants. The specific activities of radionuclides (Ra, Th, K, Cs, and Be) were measured in soil, leaves, and grape berries.

Is Kragujevac city still a "hot spot" area, twenty years after the bombing?

After NATO bombing of Serbia in 1999, UNEP has identified Kragujevac as one of the four heavily polluted environmental "hot spots". Damaging of industrial and military targets caused the release of substantial amounts of hazardous chemical substances into the environment. This study was conducted in order to access the exposure of residents of Kragujevac city to persistent soil pollutants, twenty years after NATO air campaign.

Spa environments in central Serbia: Geothermal potential, radioactivity, heavy metals and PAHs.

This study aims to estimate geothermal potential, radioactivity levels, and environmental pollution of six most popular spas in Central Serbia (Ovčar, Gornja Trepča, Vrnjačka, Mataruška, Bogutovačka and Sokobanja), as well as to evaluate potential exposure and health risks for living and visiting population. Thermal possibilities of the studied spas showed medium and low geothermal potential with total thermal power of 0.025 MW.

Evaluation of heavy metals and radionuclides in fish and seafood products.

Despite the existence of a legislation regarding food contaminants, food safety control in Serbia is a matter of great concern. This study investigates the radioactivity levels and heavy metal concentrations in fish and seafood commercially available in Serbian markets. Domestic fish species (caught in the Danube River) and fishery products imported from Europe, Asia and America were analyzed.

Environmental risk assessment of radioactivity and heavy metals in soil of Toplica region, South Serbia.

Activity levels of natural and artificial radionuclides and content of ten heavy metals (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn and Hg) were investigated in 41 soil samples collected from Toplica region located in the south part of Serbia. Radioactivity was determined by gamma spectrometry using HPGe detector. The obtained mean activity concentrations ± standard deviations of radionuclides Ra, Th, K and Cs were 29.

Persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals and radioactivity in the urban soil of Priština City, Kosovo and Metohija.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), heavy metals content and radioactivity levels were measured in 27 soil samples collected from Priština, the capital of Kosovo and Metohija. The sixteen PAHs, twelve OCPs and six PCBs congeners were determined by gas chromatography system with mass spectrometry detection. Although the use of PCBs and OCPs was prohibited decades ago residues of those compounds still existed in measurable concentrations in soils of Priština.

Indoor radon and thoron concentrations in some towns of central and South Serbia.

This study presents the results of indoor radon and thoron activity concentrations of some municipalities in central and south part of Serbia: Krusevac, Brus, Blace and Kursumlija. Measurements were carried out in 60 dwellings during the winter season. Passive discriminative radon-thoron detectors known as UFO detectors were used.

Transfer factors of natural radionuclides and (137)Cs from soil to plants used in traditional medicine in central Serbia.

Transfer factors of natural radionuclides and (137)Cs from soil to plants used in traditional medicine were determined. The transfer factors (TF) were calculated as Bq kg(-1) of dry plant per Bq kg(-1) of dry soil. Mass activity concentrations of (226)Ra, (232)Th, (40)K and (137)Cs in soil and plant samples were measured with high purity germanium detector (HPGe).

Correlation between radioactivity levels and heavy metal content in the soils of the North Kosovska Mitrovica environment.

This paper reports the results of radioactivity concentrations and heavy metal content in soil samples collected from non-agricultural areas in the municipality and vicinity of North Kosovska Mitrovica, formerly the most important mining area in Europe. The estimated average activity concentrations of (226)Ra, (232)Th, (40)K and (137)Cs are 40.6 ± 19, 48 ± 25.

Heavy metals, organics and radioactivity in soil of western Serbia.

Western Serbia is a region well-known for potato production. Concentrations of selected metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and radioactivity were measured in the soil in order to evaluate the quality and characteristics. The examined soils (Luvisol and Pseudogley) showed unsuitable agrochemical characteristics (acid reaction, low content of organic matter and potassium).