Toxic Elements and Mineral Content of Different Tissues of Endemic Edible Snails (Helix vladika and H. secernenda) of Montenegro.

The objective of the present study is to determine the differences between the mineral content of various organs of Helix vladika and H. secernenda, the two most abundant edible snail species in Montenegro. The bioaccumulation of 12 examined elements (zinc, manganese, copper, aluminum, cadmium, lead, nickel, iron, chromium, lithium, selenium and mercury) was determined in the hepatopancreas, albumen gland, digestive tract, reproductive system, mantle, foot and shell from three sampling sites (Biogradska Gora, Niksic and Malesija). The examined populations of H. vladika and H. secernenda showed a significant difference in their lithium and selenium contents. The levels of the most examined metals (Zn, Mn, Cu, Al, Cd, Pb, Se and Hg) varied significantly among organs. The digestive tract and hepatopancreas tend to bioaccumulate selenium and cadmium. The general mean concentration of cadmium in the examined snail tissues exceeded the maximum allowable level at the Biogradska Gora and Malesija sites. Therefore, the use of the Montenegrin edible snails collected from the wilderness for human consumption seems to be limited by their higher bioaccumulation capacity for toxic elements such as cadmium.

Using Chemometric Analyses for Tracing the Regional Origin of Multifloral Honeys of Montenegro.

This is the first study of mineral content and basic physicochemical parameters of honeys of Montenegro. We examined honey samples from eight different micro-regions of Montenegro, and the results confirm that, with the exception of cadmium in samples from two regions exposed to industrial pollution, none of the 12 elements analyzed exceeded the maximum allowable level. The samples from areas exposed to industrial pollution were clearly distinguished from samples from other regions of Montenegro in the detectable contents of Pb, Cd, and Sr. This study showed that chemometric techniques might enhance the classification of Montenegrin honeys according to their micro-regional origin using the mineral content. Linear discriminant analysis revealed that the classification rate was 79.2% using the cross-validation method.

Wild Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L., Ericaceae) from Montenegro as a Source of Antioxidants for Use in the Production of Nutraceuticals.

The aim of this study was to establish correlation of chemical composition and antioxidant activity of bilberry plants from Montenegro. Total phenolic, tannin, flavonoid, procyanidin and anthocyanin contents were determined in fruits and leaves extracts using spectrophotometric methods, while the measurements of metal content was carried out in an Inductively Coupled Atomic Emission Spectrometer. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of major phenolics were achieved by HPLC. In the investigated extracts, the most abundant phenolic was chlorogenic acid, followed by protocatechuic acid, while resveratrol, isoquercetin, quecetin and hyperoside were also present in significant quantities. Antioxidant potential was evaluated using two in vitro assays-FRAP and DPPH-being in the accordance with the cyclic voltammetry tests, performed as well. The results revealed that all the investigated extracts were rich in phenolic and essential mineral constituents, with significant antioxidant activity, depending on the polyphenolic and mineral contents, which was confirmed by principal component analysis.

Enhanced arsenic sorption by hydrated iron (III) oxide-coated materials--mechanism and performances.

Mechanism and performances of arsenic(III) [As(III)] and arsenic(V) [As(V)] sorption onto hydrated iron(III) oxide (HFO)-coated materials were investigated at neutral pH where arsenic occurs in both molecular and ionic forms. Arsenic sorption by HFO-coated materials was proven to be a multistage process consisting of both macropore and intraparticle diffusion. Higher mass-transfer velocities were obtained for As(III), which is attributed to the beneficial features of HFO. Equilibrium studies revealed the spontaneous and favorable nature of the arsenic sorption process. The maximum sorption capacity and the Gibbs free energy values indicated that HFO-coated materials exhibit more affinity towards As(III). The Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models revealed both the chemical and physical nature of the sorption process, while the Dubinin-Radushkevich model indicated that physical sorption is a more dominant process with HFO-coated materials.