Nebojša Pantelić

Physicochemical Properties of Waters in Southern Banat (Serbia); Potential Leaching of Some Trace Elements from Ground and Human Health Risk

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the content of trace elements and physicochemical properties of water samples in the territories of southern Banat and Zemun (Serbia). The contents of twenty-two macro- and microelements were determined using ICP analysis. Prior to this, the typical parameters were evaluated using standard analytical methods. The contents of elements in all studied samples were within the maximum allowed concentrations established by national regulations on the water quality for human use of examined elements, except for Na, Fe, B, Mn, As and Co. The most of elevated metal concentrations were recorded in the samples from Zrenjanin area, with special emphasis on increased concentrations of arsenic. Besides, the higher concentrations of iron and manganese were found in samples S03 and S04, respectively. The increased concentrations of iron, arsenic and manganese in the samples from southern Banat area could be explained by the presence and reductive dissolution of some iron minerals in the subsurface which could contain As or Mn as trace elements. Increased concentration of boron could be the consequence of its leaching from ground caused by the adequate pH value. The obtained results indicate that geology of terrain might be the main cause of elevated concentrations of iron, boron, arsenic and manganese in the study region. Potential human weekly and long-term health risk was determined and expressed through exposure risk assessment. It has been found that only arsenic in sample S07 represents a great weekly risk. On the long-term basis, consumption of waters with elevated concentrations of boron/S05–08/ and manganese/S04, S07 and S08/ can be considered as high health risk. Our study indicates that both risk assessments need to be done, in order to better understand the real risk of increased concentrations of harmful elements on human health.

Antiproliferative Activity of Gold(III) Complexes with Esters of Cyclohexyl-Functionalized Ethylenediamine-N,N’-Diacetate

Abstract Six gold(III) complexes with esters of cyclohexyl-functionalized ethylenediamine-N,N’-diacetate, general formula [AuCl2{(S,S)-R2eddch}]PF6, [(S,S)-eddch = (S,S)-ethylenediamine-N,N’-di-2-(3-cyclohexyl)propanoate, R = Me, Et, n-Pr, n-Bu, i-Bu, i-Am, 1–6, respectively], were tested against cancer cell lines such as human melanoma Fem-x, human colon carcinoma LS174T and non-small cell lung carcinoma A549 as well as a non-cancerous human embryonic lung fibroblasts MRC-5 using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay with the aim of assessing in vitro antitumoral activity and selectivity. All investigated complexes showed lower cytotoxicity and better or similar selectivity in comparison to cisplatin, used as reference compound. Complex [AuCl2{(S,S)-(i-Am)2eddch}]PF6 (6) demonstrated the highest activity against Fem-x (IC50 = 14.98 ± 0.34 μM). Additionally, the same complex expressed 4.5 times higher selectivity than cisplatin.

LC/DAD determination of biogenic amines in serum of patients with diabetes mellitus, chronic urticaria or Hashimoto's thyroiditis

Biogenic amines are integral part of nearly every cell. In present study, we used method of acidic extraction of histamine (His), of polyamines putrescine (Put), spermidine (Spd) and catecholamines epinephrine (Epi) and norepinephrine (NE) from human serum; precolumn derivatization with dansyl chloride, and LC/DAD analysis of the biogenic amines, in aim to monitor differences of their levels in patients with diabetes mellitus , chronic urticaria , and Hashimotos thyroiditis, compared to healthy subjects, and to observe them as possible markers for immune mediated diseases. Method of retention times was used for determination of serum biogenic amines. We found statistically significant differences in putrescine and histamine levels in diabetes mellitus patients; putrescine, histamine, spermidine and epinephrine levels in chronic urticaria patients compared to healthy controls, and putrescine and spermidine levels in Hashimotos thyroiditis patients, compared to controls. Norepinephrine was found only in serum of patients with chronic urticaria . The values of recovery, evaluated in controls, varied between 85.7% and 106.7%. The statistically significant changes in putrescine, histamine, spermidine and epinephrine levels in patients compared to healthy people reflects the existence of biochemical disturbances in mentioned immune-mediated diseases.