Zinc, copper, iron, chromium and cobalt are essential elements for human health, showing toxicity only in high concentrations, while lead and cadmium are extremely toxic even as traces. Therefore, it is important to monitor the contents of toxic metals in vegetables. Large number of vegetables is grown and used in nutrition, in Kosovo. The concentrations of selected elements in vegetables (radish, onion, garlic and spinach) from Kosovo were determined using ICP-OES method. Oral intake of metals and health risk index were calculated. Statistical analysis indicated numerous positive correlations between concentrations of selected elements in vegetables. As a result of principal component analysis, 15 new variables were obtained which were characterized by eigenvalues. The sequence of health quotients for the heavy metals followed the decreasing order Zn = Mn > Pb > Cu > Ni > Fe > Cd > Co > Cr. The health quotients for all investigated heavy metals were below 1 (one), which is considered safe. The vegetables from Kosovo are mainly safe for use in everyday diet.

Paper presents results of researches carried out on various locations and immediate vicinity of mining and industrial activities of the northern and south-eastern part of Kosovo. Concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn, Rn-222, as well as temperature and pH values of natural spring water were measured at 15 measuring sites (that belong to Zvečan, Leposavić and Novo Brdo municipalities), in April–May and September–October 2019. The quantification of heavy metals’ content was performed by applying ICP-OES method. In analysed samples a high content of As, Pb, Fe and Ni was found. Carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks due to the content of heavy metals in water were evaluated. Concentration of radon in water was measured by the alpha spectrometric method, and measured values range in the interval from 0.34 ± 0.12 to 341 ± 35 Bq/L. The yearly doses of inhalation and ingestion were determined for the measured concentrations of radon. Mutual correlation by the Pearson correlation coefficient, principal component analysis, cluster analysis and spatial distribution analysis of the researched parameters of sampled water were done. The most expressed mutual dependence of some heavy metals leads to the conclusion that they have the same anthropogenic origin.

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In vitro antibacterial activity tests of seven biofungicides (Ekstrasol, Bisolbisan, Bisolbifit, Serenade, Sonata, Timorex, F-Stop) and two disinfectants (colloidal silver alone and in combination with hydrogen peroxide) against the Pseudomonas tolaasii strain (NS3B6) were carried out by the disc-diffusion, broth microdilution and broth macrodilution method. Biofungicides tested in this study did not exhibit any antimicrobial activity in neither one of the methods used. Disc diffusion method revealed high sensitivity of the tested P. tolaasii strain to Ecocute based on colloidal silver and hydrogen peroxide. Both microdilution and macrodilution methods identified the same MICs and MBCs of Ecocute (0.19 mg/L) for P. tolaasii strain. MICs and MBCs values of silver alone were much higher (10 mg/L) compared to silver in combination with hydrogen peroxide.

The oxidative and coagulation efficiency of Na2FeO4 solution, electrochemically generated by trans-passive anodic oxidation of electrical steel in 10M NaOH solution, is confirmed in the process of purification of heavily contaminated wastewater from coal separation plant. The decontamination efficiency is evaluated comparing the values of selected contamination parameters obtained by chemical and biochemical analysis of plant effluent water and water obtained after decontamination with ferrate(VI) solution in relatively simple laboratory procedure. The sample of 450 ml of wastewater is treated in laboratory conditions with 100cm3 solution of 1 mg dm-3 Na2FeO4 in 10M NaOH. The chemical analysis of effluent water after treatment have shown almost 3 times lower permanganate index, about 3 times lower iron content, 1.45 times lower As3+ content, 7.35 times lower ammonia content. Turbidity and chemical oxygen demand (COD) is reduced for more than 5.77and 13.4 times, respectively. The suspended and colloid matter is eliminated from effluent water after treatment with ferrate(VI) solution. Also, biochemical exploration has confirmed high efficiency of ferrate(VI) in organics and microbial elimination showing 7.1 times lower 5-days bio-chemical oxygen demand (BOD5), and total elimination of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria from effluent water. According to standards on quality of industrial wastewater effluents, it may be concluded that ferrate(VI) treatment of wastewater almost completely eliminates excess of dangerous chemicals and pathogen bacteria, with the exemption of arsenic. Thus, ferrate(VI) shows capable performance in treatment of coal separation plant wastewater