Epidemiology of primary liver cancer in Serbia and possible connection with cyanobacterial blooms.

Today, the occurrence of harmful cyanobacterial blooms is a common phenomenon and a potential global health problem. Cyanobacteria can produce metabolites highly toxic to humans. More than 80% of reservoirs used for water supply in Central Serbia have bloomed over the past 80 years.

Cyanotoxins: characteristics, production and degradation routes in drinking water treatment with reference to the situation in Serbia.

Cyanobacteria are members of phytoplankton of the surface freshwaters. The accelerated eutrophication of freshwaters, especially reservoirs for drinking water, by human activity has increased the occurrence and intensity of cyanobacterial blooms. They are of concern due to their ability to produce taste and odors compounds, a wide range of toxins, which have a hepatotoxic, neurotoxic, cytotoxic and dermatotoxic behavior, being dangerous to animal and human health.

Arsenic contamination in environment in the region of Vojvodina.

Ground waters in the region of Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Republic of Serbia are endangered by arsenic (up to 0.750 mg/l). Total arsenic concentration was determined In samples of untreated and treated water from some local and central water-supply systems.

Freshwater cyanobacterial blooms and primary liver cancer epidemiological studies in Serbia.

A large part of Central Serbia experiences continual shortage of sufficient ground water resources. For that reason, more than 20 reservoirs serve as drinking water suppliers. Significant and persistent cyanobacterial "blooms" have been recognized in nine of them.

Cd and Zn in atmospheric deposit, soil, wheat, and milk.

Continuous air quality monitoring in the Vojvodina district of Serbia and Montenegro has shown high levels of Cd, especially in the outskirts of large towns such as Kikinda. The construction and metal processing industries located in Kikinda have been emitting significant amounts of heavy metals into the environment. The levels of Cd and Zn were monitored in the region of Kikinda and compared to their concentrations detected in Novi Sad, the capital of Vojovodina, where emission of heavy metals originated mostly from vehicle traffic.