Publications by authors named "Sladana Strmecki"

It is still unclear how the chemical speciation of Cu in surface seawater is impacted by aerosols from various sources deposited on the sea surface, which is surprising, considering the environmental importance of Cu. Therefore, we used voltammetry to investigate Cu complexing capacity (CuCC) in the sea surface microlayer (SML) and in the underlying water (ULW) of the oligotrophic middle Adriatic Sea during February-July 2019. The focus was on the impacts of specific atmospheric processes such as open-fire biomass burning (BB), pollination season and Saharan dust intrusion.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Previously, it has been shown that proteins and some polysaccharides (PSs) catalyse hydrogen evolution, producing electrochemical signals on mercury electrodes. The catalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (CHER) of the above-mentioned biomacromolecules was studied by voltammetric and chronopotentiometric stripping (CPS) methods. To obtain more information about electrode processes involving CHER, here we used protein such as BSA, and chitosan as a PS; in addition, we investigated dextran as a control PS not involved in CHER.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

On small and medium karstic coastal islands in the Adriatic Sea, brackish lakes are often the only source of freshwater. Therefore, it is important to adequately evaluate the biogeochemical processes occurring in these complex water systems, as well as to determine the origin of contaminants present. In this study, the distribution and origin of trace metals (Tl, Hg, Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, Ni, Co) and organic matter in the water column, sediment, and surrounding soil of the brackish lakes on Mljet Island, South Adriatic Sea, Croatia, were evaluated.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Glycosylation of proteins plays an important role in health and diseases. At present new simple and inexpensive methods of glycoprotein analysis are sought. We developed a monoclonal antibody Manost 2.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The goal of this study was to investigate to which extent polysaccharides (PS) contribute to the complexing capacity for copper ion (LT), to determine their property of surface activity and evaluate their capability to cause the catalytic hydrogen evolution wave (peak "H") due to their adsorption and the catalytic groups in their structure. Complexing capacities and apparent stability constants (Kapp) were measured electrochemically for model polysaccharides (PS): carrageenans (κ-, ι- and λ-), chondroitin sulfate, dextran, dextran sulfate, Na-alginate and humic material. Cu-complexing capacities were determined for Na-alginate (logKapp=8.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Complex formation is among the mechanisms affecting metals' bioaccessibility. Evaluating the extent of interactions between trace elements and several constituents of food items is of great interest. This paper examines the release of copper-complexing ligands in herbal infusions of 13 aromatic plants commonly used in Greece.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Macroalgae are a significant source of extracellular organic material in the coastal areas of the Mediterranean, including organic ligands which serve as modulators of metal complexing capacity. This paper examines the release of copper-complexing ligands by 24 macroalgal species, including chlorophyta, rhodophyta, ochrophyta as well as Posidonia oceanica, common throughout the Mediterranean. Metabolites isolated from the algae Dictyota dichotoma and Pterocladiella capillacea were examined for the first time regarding their Cu-complexing properties.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF