MONITORING OF ORGANIC SUBSTANCE AND SPECIFIC PARAMETERS AT THE MOLECULAR LEVEL FROM THE VRBAS RIVER IN THE AREA OF THE CITY OF BANJA LUKA

PROJECT SUMMARY:

The aim of this project is to use the latest instrumental techniques to assess the origin of the organic substance, i.e. its hydrocarbon fraction, of the Vrbas River, by analyzing water, river sediments and coastal sediments (soils) in the city of Banja Luka, throughout one-year monitoring of the area.

Sampling sites were selected so that they are located near collector and industrial outlets, as well as tributaries of the Vrbas River in the city area. Sampling was performed periodically, three times a year during the periods of the highest and lowest water level of the Vrbas River and its tributaries.

Extraction of the soluble organic substance was performed by the liquid-liquid extraction method. The total organic substance was fractionated by column chromatography on four fractions: n-alkanes, aromatic hydrocarbons, alcohols and fatty acids, or their esters.

All isolated fractions were analyzed by gas chromatographic / mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique, and based on the obtained chromatograms and abundance of individual identified compounds, the degree of presence of pollutants of the oil type was determined, as well as the mechanism of its transformation and migration in the environment.

In addition to practical insight into the state of the environment, this research will also have fundamental scientific significance from the aspect of the application of organic geochemical tools to the assessment of the origin and fate of oil-type pollutants in nature.

PROJECT START: 2018. year

PROJECT TEAM:

1. Dušica Pešević, associate professor, coordinator
   (dusica.pesevic@pmf.unibl.org)
   (Faculty of Science Banja Luka)

2. Branimir Jovančićević, professor, team member
   (bjovanci@chem.bg.ac.rs)
   (Faculty of Chemistry, Belgrade)

3. Mališa Antić, proffesor, team member
   (mantic@agrif.bg.ac.rs)
   (Faculty of Agriculture, Belgrade)

4. Ivan Špánik, proffesor, team member
   (ivan.spanik@stuba.sk)
   (Tehnical University of Bratislava)

5. Milica Balaban, associate professor, team member
   (milica.balaban@pmf.unibl.org)
   (Faculty of Science Banja Luka)

6. Andrea Machyňáková, research associate, team member
   (andrea.machynakova@stuba,sk)
   (Tehnical University of Bratislava)

7. Ivan Samelak, Associate, researcher
   (ivan.samelak@pmf.unibl.org)
   (Faculty of Science Banja Luka)

8. Mirjana Marković, senior Assistant, researcher
   (mirjana.markovic@pmf.unibl.org)
   (Faculty of Science Banja Luka)

9. Nemanja Koljančić, student PhD degree, researcher
   (nemanjakoljancicjoki@yahoo.com)
   (Faculty of Science Banja Luka)

10. Predrag Rodić, student master degree, researcher
    (predrag.rodic93@gmail.com)
    (Faculty of Science Banja Luka)

EXPECTED RESULTS:

The results of this project will undoubtedly open new questions and opportunities for improving the quality of the environment as well as ways to remediate it. It is also important to say that cooperation and networking with international partners will continue on future projects.

LINKS:

Ministry of Scientific and Technological Development, Higher Education and Information Society

Faculty of Chemistry, Belgrade

Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava