REDUN - Repository of Educons University Repository
Not a member yet
1288 research outputs found
Sort by
Herbicide residue concentrations in the waters of the DTD channel in 2024 and 2025
No full textVojvodina is an agricultural region where numerous plant protection
products are used. Also in Vojvodina there is a large network of melioration
canals (navigable in length of about 600 km) which are more or less in use,
but they are certainly places where agrochemicals accumulate. The aim of
the work is to determine how much the application of plant protection
products in agriculture affects the accumulation of these compounds in the
surface waters of the canal network of Vojvodina. The paper presents the
results of testing the presence of 41 herbicides (Mitić et all, Environments
2025, 12, 246) in the waters of the Danube-Tisa Danube canal system.
2024. Selected herbicides are still in use. In 2024, 100 water samples taken
along the entire length of the Bogojevo-Bečej canal were examined, while
in 2025, 90 samples were examined from the Vrbas-Bezdan, Odžaci-
Sombor and Karavukovo-Bački Petrovac canals (Image 1). The samples
were taken in 1 L glass bottles, preserved with formic acid and stored at +4
0C until analysis. Extraction was performed using solid-phase disk
extraction on CDC Analytical EmporeTM disks (Catalog number: 2215-
C-18, lot 320005C) with a diameter of 47 mm. The herbicides were eluted
from the disk with two portions of 5 ml of acetonitrile each, the obtained
extract was evaporated in a stream of nitrogen and reconstituted with 1 ml
of acetonitrile. The analysis was performed on HPLC-MS/MS VANQUISH
CORE/TSQ Quantis Plus and on GC-MS/MS system Thermo Trace 1300/
TSQ 9000 with confirmation of the identity of compounds based on the
formed ions/daughter ions. The certified standards from Riedel-de-Haen
were used for quantification.
The results showed that s-metolachlor was found in 100% and 97% of
the water samples. In 2024 and 2025, the average concentrations of smetolachlor
were 0.037 μg/L and 0.091 μg/L, respectively. Trebuthylazine
was also found in 97% of samples in both years at concentrations of 0.0108
μg/L and 0.388 μg/L. In this study, among others, 9 Sulfonyl-urea
herbicides, which are used in extremely low doses, were tested. The results
128
showed that in 2024 and 2025, nicosulfuron was the most abundant and
was found in 76% and 36% of water samples, respectively. The second
most common is amidosulfuron, which was found in water in 55% and 46%
of the tested samples, respectively. Concentrations of sulfonyl urea
herbicides and other compounds listed here were also tested in agricultural
soil. It has been established that in 2024 amidosulfuron, nicosulfuron, smetolachlor,
triflusulfuron-meil, foramsulfuron, terbuthylazine and others
ARE detected in significant concentrations in the soil, namely: 0.197 μg/L,
0.206 μg/L, 0.270 μg/L, 145.47 μg/L, 10.358 μg/L, 30,173 μg/L, respectively
(Mitić et all, Environments 2025, 12, 246
Potentially toxic elements in agricultural soils : in vitro bioaccessibility and health risk
No full textAgricultural soil is frequently exposed to various pollution sources due
to frequent use of agrochemicals and the proximity of anthropogenic
sources. Fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation practices, industrial activities, and
especially illegal waste disposals may all contribute to increased pollution
of agricultural soil. Once present in the environment, these pollutants may
migrate into water, air, and agricultural products, leading to human
exposure and potential health risks. Therefore, monitoring and assessing
the behaviour of pollutants in the agricultural soil is essential to mitigate
pollution and protect human health.
Within the framework of several complementary experiments, we
investigated the occurrence, oral and inhalation bioaccessibility and human
health risk of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in different agricultural areas
in Serbia. The study included vineyard soils from Central and South Serbia
and soils collected in the vicinity of illegal landfills in Vojvodina Province
and Central Serbia. Pseudo-total concentrations of PTEs were determined
using Inductively Coupled Plasma–Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICPOES).
To better understand the real human exposure, in vitro oral and
inhalational bioaccessibility were performed. The Unified BARGE Method
(UBM) was applied to simulate the gastrointestinal tract, while the
simulated lung fluid (SLF) procedure was used to assess the PTE
bioaccessibility in the lungs. The results consistently indicated that oral
exposure is the most relevant pathway for human health risk associated
with PTE in soil. In vineyard soils, Sr, Cu, and Co showed the highest
bioaccessibility in the gastrointestinal tract, followed by Mn, Ni, and Zn.
Cumulative health risk assessment demonstrated that pseudo-total Ni, Cr,
185
Co, and Mn concentrations contributed most significantly to the health risk
of workers in the vineyards. However, when bioaccessible (oral and
inhalational) fractions were considered, the assessed risk did not exceed
threshold values (THQ<1), suggesting no increased risk for workers in the
investigated vineyards. By contrast, in agricultural areas located near
uncontrolled waste dumps, higher PTE concentrations in the soil were
determined. The oral bioaccessibility of Cu was particularly elevated
(40.54% of the total concentration), while other investigated PTEs exhibited
slightly lower values. Human health risk assessment revealed an increased
concern for local agricultural workers, with results pointing to a moderate
carcinogenic risk based on both pseudo-total (2.60 × 10⁻⁵) and
bioaccessible (1.58 × 10⁻⁶) PTE concentrations. These findings emphasize
the importance of including bioaccessibility data in exposure and risk
modeling, as the actual internal dose is often lower than the pseudo-total
PTE concentrations in soil. Assessing only pseudo-total concentrations may
lead to an overestimation of the actual exposure and health risk, especially
for PTEs. Therefore, incorporating bioaccessibility data is essential for
accurate risk characterization and for prioritizing remediation actions in
polluted agricultural areas
Microbial community structure in landfill soils : Case study in Serbia
No full textMicroorganisms are vital for soil health and demonstrate an adaptive capacity to environmental change, with their role in plastic biodegradation increasingly recognized. Main purpose of
this case study was to analyse bacterial and fungal communities in soils where high numbers of microplastics are expected. Soil samples were collected from three land use types: active landfill, remediated landfill, and agricultural soil. From each field, we took 3 replicates and isolated all DNA from soil samples of the top soil layer (0 - 10cm). Microbial community profiling was performed using Illumina amplicon sequencing, making use of a Novaseq (2x300 bp, paired-end), targeting the V3-V4 fragment of the 16S rRNA gene (bacteria), and ITS2 rDNA region (fungi). Sequencing analysis showed shifts in microbial community structure across the tested soil types. In the agricultural soil (control), the bacterial community was dominated by Pseudomonadota (>50%) and Actinomycetota (20–25%). The active landfill exhibited a significant reduction in both species, with a strong increase in Bacteroidota. This change in community structure was proven by a PERMANOVA analysis (p<0,001) showing a statistical difference in microbial community in between the two land types. In the remediated landfill the relative abundance of Pseudomonadota was higher than in the active landfill but still lower than in the control. This indicates that the long-term effects of landfill continue to prevent a full return of microbial communities to the structure observed in the agricultural soil, served as control. However, we do acknowledge that the effects could also be soil dependent and should
be evaluated further with information regarding nutrient status, organic matter content, microplastic content and soil texture. These findings highlight the lasting impact of land use and remediation efforts on soil microbial communities, aligning with existing results on environmental stress and community composition
Managing Microplastics for Sustainable Agriculture : Legal and Policy Perspectives from the EU and Serbia
No full textManagement of microplastics in agriculture is not an isolated environmental issue but a key area for achieving multiple goals of the 2030 Agenda – from resource protection and the attainment
of sustainable agriculture to ensuring food safety and preserving ecosystems. This paper examines existing legislation, regulatory frameworks, and policy measures addressing plastic management, with a particular focus on microplastic, within the framework of sustainable agriculture, focusing on the European Union (EU) and the Republic of Serbia. Special attention is given to sectoral approaches targeting microplastic reduction in water, soil, air, and food systems, as well as relevant directives on waste, packaging, and environmental quality standards. The research concludes that achieving sustainable agriculture in both the EU and Serbia requires the development of a coherent and comprehensive regulatory framework that explicitly governs microplastic generation, use, and mitigation
Ecological, economic and social dimensions of circular business models
No full textThe need for new business models based on the principles of sustainability and efficient resource use in modern economic conditions is becoming increasingly evident. These business models strive to eliminate the fundamental weaknesses of the linear economy, such as uncontrolled extraction of natural resources, irreversible waste generation, and their inherently weak management potential. At the same time, they must meet increasingly demanding market needs, both on a national and global level. Depending on the key characteristics and goals of circular business models based on: a) recycling and reuse, b) design for sustainability, c) services, d) closed-loop supply chain processes, e) digitalization, and f) educational and consultancy nature, the study considers their impact on the ecological, economic and social dimensions of sustainable business. It concludes that recycling and closed-loop supply chain circular business models most significantly advance ecological goals but may carry moderate economic challenges. On the other hand, service-oriented models and digitalization bring high economic benefits, with moderate ecological impact
Primena modela kontinuiranog unapređivanja poslovnih procesa i njihov uticaj na konkurentnost preduzeća
No full textSve izraženija globalna konkurencija primorava organizacije da implementiraju nove organizacione i proizvodne tehnike kako bi se takmičile i unapredile svoju konkurentsku poziciju. Korišćenje modela, alata i tehnika za kontinuirano unapređenje poslovnih procesa postala je prilika i efikasna strategija da se to postigne. U tom kontekstu, cilj ovog rada je da se prikaže uticaj modela kontinuiranog unapređenja poslovnih procesa na poboljšanje ukupnih performansi organizacije, a samim tim i bolju konkurentsku poziciju. Formulisana je hipoteza koja glasi kontinuirano unapređenje poslovnih procesa direktno utiče na konkurentnost preduzeća. Formulisana hipoteza ispitana je na preduzećima industrije mleka u Republici Srbiji. Istraživanje je sprovedeno na stratifikovanom uzorku kojim se obezbedilo da zbirni podaci imaju adekvatan značaj, odnosno reprezentativnost. Pomoću vođenog intervijua i na osnovu Delphi metode prikupljeni su podaci koji su potom obrađeni na osnovu Spirmanove korelacije ranga kao neparametarske alternative Pirsonove korelacije. Rezultati istraživanja koji su predstavljeni u ovom radu idu u prilog potvrđivanju postavljene hipoteze da se kontinuiranim unapređenjem poslovnih procesa direktno utiče na konkurentnost preduzeća
Cutting-Edge Methods for Identifying Microplastics in Agricultural Environments
No full textThe growing presence of microplastics in the environment and food chain raises concerns about their impact on ecosystems and health. Accurate detection in water, soil, feed, and biological tissues is essential for assessing contamination levels and risks. Modern instrumental techniques help identify microplastics, providing insights into their composition, size, and morphology. Key analytical methods include Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman Spectroscopy, and Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). FTIR and Raman allow non-destructive polymer identification, while Py-GC/MS enables precise chemical characterization. Advanced imaging techniques like Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Flow Cytometry further enhance detection in complex samples. Despite advancements, challenges remain in standardizing methods, ensuring reproducibility, and
distinguishing microplastics from other particles. Further research is needed to refine detection, improve automation, and lower costs. Reliable methods support regulations and help mitigate microplastic pollution. As part of ECO(RE)ACT—Enhancing Climate Resilience through Reducing Microplastic Pollution in Agricultural Ecosystems—FTIR spectroscopy will be key for detecting microplastics in irrigation water, soil, and feed, improving understanding of their impact on agriculture and food safety. Standardized protocols and advanced tools will enhance detection accuracy and support mitigation efforts.Agriculture for Better Tomorrow, Innovation and entrepreneurship, 60th Croatian and 20th International Symposium on Agriculture, June 1 – 6 2025, Bol, Brač Island, Croati
Challenges in Circular Economy Implementation: Insights from North Macedonia and Serbia
No full textThe focus of the Green Deal is to position Europe as a global leader in the circular
economy. To implement the principles of the circular economy, the European
Commission adopted the "EU Action Plan for the Circular Economy" (2015) and the "New
Circular Economy Action Plan for a Cleaner and More Competitive Europe" (2020). In
2022, it published a set of two packages of proposals for encouraging the circular
economy in achieving the sustainable development goals by 2030. These proposals
include various practices such as industrial symbiosis, as a key enabling component of
the circular economy, which involves the exchange of resources, energy, and by-products
among industries, to improve efficiency and sustainability. The Western Balkans region
faces significant barriers, both technical and non-technical, in the implementation of the
circular economy. The aim of this paper is to identify the main obstacles in the practice of
implementing the circular economy, using examples from two Western Balkans
countries, namely North Macedonia and Serbia. The collected data is based on a
systematic review of theoretical frameworks and empirical verification of the results. In
addition to the introduction, the paper consists of three sections. The first section of the
paper presents the key barriers for the circular economy implementation in North
Macedonia, while the second section analyzes the same barriers in Serbia. The third
section analyzes the current state of circular economy implementation in the respective
countries based on Eurostat's data categories. Finally, the authors’ conclusions and
insights are given.The third international scientific conference GIRR 2025 “Global challenges through the prism of rural development in the sector of agriculture and tourism“, May 9th 2025, Šabac, Serbi
Impact of Sustainable Agricultural Practices on Early Potato Yield Components
No full textSoil and plant covering methods offer sustainable agricultural benefits by improving
soil health, water use efficiency, and reducing chemical inputs. A three-year split-plot
experiment (2019–2021) evaluated the impact of various covering techniques on early
potato production using two varieties (Cleopatra and Riviera). Treatments included control,
plastic mulch, agrotextile, low tunnels, and their combinations. The study assessed stem
number, number of tubers per plant (including per stem), average tuber mass, tuber mass
per plant, and tuber yield. Results demonstrate the significant positive impact of covering
methods on early potato yield. The combination of agrotextile and low tunnels resulted in
the highest increases, improving key yield components like tuber number and mass per
plant. While varietal differences existed, the covering methods’ influence was paramount.
These findings offer a basis for optimizing early potato production for higher yields and
quality. Future research should investigate the economic viability of these methods and
explore organic alternatives to plastic coverings for sustainable agriculture
Repellent efficacy of icaridin on adult Ixodes ricinus ticks (Acari: Ixodidae)
No full textChemical repellents, particularly those based on synthetic and bioactive compounds, remain a
primary means of tick bite prevention; however, standardized efficacy evaluations are
essential. Icaridin (picaridin), a synthetic repellent structurally related to natural compounds,
has demonstrated broad-spectrum efficacy against various arthropods, warranting further
assessment under controlled laboratory conditions as well as in natural environments. This
study was conducted under laboratory conditions to assess the repellent efficacy of a
preparation containing 15% icaridin as a function of time against adult Ixodes ricinus, both
male and female. Repellence was calculated using two types of tests, each performed in five
replicates: (1) application of the preparation to filter paper in Petri dishes and (2) direct
application to the skin of the examiner‘s forearm. The aim of this study was to compare the
repellent efficacy of the preparation regarding the type of the experiment and the elapsed
time, from the moment of application up to eight hours. The average repellence during the
experiment in Petri dishes was 96.8% for I. ricinus females and 98.4% for males. During the
tests conducted on the examiner‘s skin, the repellent efficacy was 95.11% for females and
94.11% for males. While efficacy remained high under all test conditions, further
investigations should assess formulation stability, field performance, and user safety under
diverse environmental exposures. Studies designed to precisely calculate repellent efficacy
require continuous methodological improvements to create economically viable and widely
available commercial preparations that are harmless to human health, especially to children.
Furthermore, standardized and verified methodologies for repellent testing should be
continuously refined to improve reliability, facilitate regulatory approvals, and ensure optimal
protection against ticks and other arthropods, which are proven significant vectors and
reservoirs of various pathogens.15th CASEE Conference "Green transitions in agriculture, forestry, veterinary medicine and food systems under a changing climate", 25th – 27th June 2025, organized by the University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Agriculture, Novi Sad, Serbi