Aleksandra Šajnović

Metals in the sediment and liver of four fish species from different trophic levels in Tisza River, Serbia

In aquatic environments metals originate from various natural and anthropogenic sources. The degree of contamination in fish tissues depends on the pollutant, fish species, their mode of feeding, sampling site and trophic level. This study presents concentrations of Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, Sr and Zn in sediment and liver of four ecologically different fish species: piscivorous northern pike (Esox lucius L.), benthivorous sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus L.) and silver bream (Brama brama L.), and omnivorous common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.). Fish were caught at four sites along the stretch of the River Tisza in Serbia during October 2010. The concentrations of metals have been assessed using the inductively coupled plasma – optical emission spectrometry. Results revealed that metals with the highest values in sediment and fish samples were Al and Fe, respectively and sometimes concentrations of Zn are in the same order of magnitude as Fe concentrations. The highest concentration of metals was recorded in omnivorous common carp.

The influence of pyrolysis type on shale oil generation and its composition (Upper layer of Aleksinac oil shale, Serbia)

The influence of pyrolysis type on shale oil generation and its composition was studied. Different methods such as Rock-Eval pyrolysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and pyrolysis in the open and closed systems were applied. Samples from the Upper layer of Aleksinac oil shale (Serbia) were used as a substrate and first time characterized in detail. The impact of kerogen content and type on the shale oil generation in different pyrolysis systems was also estimated. Majority of the analysed samples have total organic carbon content > 5 wt. % and contain oil prone kerogen types I and/or II. Therefore, they can be of particular interest for the pyrolytic processing. Thermal behavior of analysed samples obtained by TGA is in agreement with Rock-Eval parameters. Pyrolysis of oil shale in the open system gives higher yield of shale oil than pyrolysis in the closed system. The yield of hydrocarbons (HCs) in shale oil produced by open pyrolysis system corresponds to an excellent source rock potential, while HCs yield from the closed system indicates a very good source rock potential. The kerogen content has a greater impact on the shale oil generation than kerogen type in the open pyrolysis system, while kerogen type plays a more important role on generation of shale oil than the kerogen content in the closed system. The composition of obtained shale oil showed certain undesirable features, due to the relatively high contents of olefinic HCs (open system) and polar compounds (closed system), which may require further treatment to be used.

Origin, organic geochemistry, and estimation of the generation potential of Neogene lacustrine sediments from the Valjevo-Mionica Basin, Serbia

This paper reports an investigation of 60 samples of lacustrine sedimentary rocks of Neogene age lying at depths of 0–400 m in the Valjevo-Mionica Basin, Serbia. The goal of the study was to determine the origin and type of primary organic matter (OM), the degree of thermal alteration, the generation potential of OM from the rocks of this basin, and conditions in the sedimentation environment during the formation of the rocks. The potential of OM of the rocks was estimated on the basis of the thermolysis of a representative sample after its preliminary debituminization.Using data on Corg and bitumen contents and S1, S2, and HI Rock-Eval pyrolysis parameters, the samples were divided into three groups. The first and second groups include rocks recovered from depths up to 200 m, and the third group comprises samples from depths of 200–400 m. The investigation of the inorganic constituents of the rocks and biomarker composition showed that the samples of each of these groups were formed under significantly different climatic conditions, which influenced both the composition of primary organic matter and the conditions of the sedimentation environment, which eventually affected the abundance and quality of OM in the rocks.The yield of the liquid fraction and concentration of hydrocarbons obtained during the thermolysis of the debituminized sample of the first group (showing the highest Corg content), the character of n-alkane and sterane distribution in the saturated fraction of thermolysis products, and the thermal maturity indices calculated from the composition of steranes supported the high generation potential of OM from these rocks.

Antioxidative responses to seasonal changes and chemiluminescence assay of Astragalus onobrychis leaves extract

AbstractThe aim of this study was to research the seasonal changes of antioxidant enzyme activity and total antioxidant capacity in leaves of Astragalus onobrychis L. subsp. chlorocarpus (Griseb.) S. Kozuharov et D.K. Pavlova. Leaves of A. onobrychis were collected during the different stages of growth and analyzed for antioxidant enzyme activity: superoxide dismutase, catalase, guaiacol peroxidase, glutathione peroxidase. Quantities of malonyldialdehyde, superoxide radicals, and hydroxyl radicals were measured as well as the content of soluble proteins. Furthermore, total antioxidant capacity was determined by the inhibition of chemiluminescence activity of blood phagocytes by leaf extracts. Stages of vegetation significantly affected the accumulation of superoxide radicals, but there were no significant differences in hydroxyl radical quantity and lipid peroxidation levels during vegetation. Soluble proteins vary greatly between different stages of growth. Seasonal changes were found to have an effect on enzymatic activities. During the spring season, guaiacol peroxidase showed the highest levels. Catalase and glutathione peroxidase increased their activities in summer, while, during the autumn season, superoxide dismutase showed maximum activity. On the basis of chemiluminescence assay, it can be concluded that leaf extract of A. onobrychis possesses a significant antioxidant capacity thus protecting plants during environmental stress.

Geochemical and Sedimentation History of Neogene Lacustrine Sediments from the Valjevo-Mionica Basin (Serbia)

Valjevo-Mionica Basin is one of the numerous lacustrine Neogene basins in Serbia. After Aleksinac Basin, according to the quality and amount of oil shale, it is one of the main deposits of this raw material in Serbia. The most important oil shale deposits in ValjevoMionica Basin are located in the central part of the basin (Bela stena series, Suseocka and Radobicka Bela Stena). The kerogen content in oil shales ranged from 8 16 %. The average oil yield of 6.3 % is of economical value.

Validation of data on polycyclic biomarkers, naphthalenes, phenanthrenes, and alkyldibenzothiophenes obtained by gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis of hydrocarbon concentrates

The possibility of using the data on the hydrocarbon composition obtained by analysis of hydrocarbon concentrates for geochemical studies has been shown on the example of Pannonian Basin (Serbia) crude oils of different genetic types and different degrees of thermal maturity and biodegradation. A high convergence of the values of geochemical parameters calculated on the basis of the composition of steranes and terpanes, alkylnaphthalenes, phenanthrenes, and dibenzothiophenenes in hydrocarbon concentrates and chromatographic fractions isolated from them has been found by correlation analysis.

Studying of liquid thermolysis products of various types of immature kerogen in sedimentary lacustrine rocks from the valjevo-Mionica basin, Serbia, and the effect of Pt4+ and Ru3+ ions on their yield and the hydrocarbon composition

Liquid thermolysis products of various types of immature kerogen from sedimentary lacustrine rocks from the Valjevo-Mionica basin in Serbia were studied to evaluate the generation potential of kerogen contained in the organic matter (OM) of the rocks, determine the composition of the biomarkers and alkylaromatics in the liquid thermolysis products, and elucidate the effect of Pt4+ and Ru3+ ions (which were added in the form of inorganic salts) on the yield and hydrocarbon composition of the liquid thermolysis products. For this purpose, representative bitumen-free samples A and B of the sedimentary rocks were subjected to thermolysis under various conditions. Rock A contains high amount of immature organic matter, which is dominated by kerogen type I/II and was generated under strongly reduced sedimentation conditions at a high salinity. Sample B is poorer in immature OM than sample A, and the OM of the former contains kerogen type II/III and was generated predominantly in a reduced environment. The content of the liquid products and the concentrations of hydrocarbons obtained in the course of thermolysis of bitumen-free sample A and the typical oil distribution of the biomarkers and alkylaromatics in the thermolysis products confirm a high generation potential of OM in this rock. In all of our experiments on the thermolysis of bitumen-free sample B, the yield of liquid products and hydrocarbons is low. According to the kerogen type, the thermolysis of this rock generates much gases. The Pt4+ and Ru3+ ions (added in the form of simple inorganic salts) increased the yield of liquid (kerogen type I/II) and gaseous (kerogen type II/III) products. During the thermolysis of various type of immature kerogen in the lacustrine sedimentary rocks at a temperature of 400°C, the OM attained maturation corresponding to the early catagenesis level. Saturated biomarkers and alkylaomatics in the thermolysis products of both samples display typical oil distributions. The type of the source OM most strongly affects the composition of n-alkanes and alkylnaphthalenes. The metal ions used in this research served as catalysts for the methylation process during the thermolysis of immature kerogen, regardless of its type. The effect of the Pt4+ and Ru3+ ions on other transformations of the hydrocarbons, for example, the destruction of high-molecular n-alkanes to low-molecular ones and on isomerization reactions in molecules of polycyclic biomarkers and alkylaromatics to thermodynamically more stable isomers in the thermolysis products is controlled, first of all, by the type of the source OM.