Mine waste is recognized as being one of the most serious threats for freshwater ecosystems, and it still represents one of the greatest environmental concerns in Macedonia. The aim of our investigation was to obtain an in-depth understanding of mining influence on freshwater systems from water contamination to effects on aquatic organisms. In this study, we assessed the impact of active lead (Pb)/zinc (Zn) mines Zletovo and Toranica on the water quality of three rivers in northeastern Macedonia (Bregalnica, Zletovska, and Kriva rivers) based on data collected in spring and autumn of 2012. The Bregalnica River, near Shtip, was characterized mainly by weak contamination with arsenic, barium, iron, molybdenum, titanium, uranium, vanadium, nitrate, and phosphate, as well as critical faecal pollution, which alltogether could be connected to agricultural activities; however, an impact of the mines was not observed. Contrary, both the Zletovska and Kriva rivers showed a clear impact of Pb/Zn mines on water quality. In the Zletovska River, increased concentrations of cadmium (Cd), cobalt, cesium, copper, lithium, manganese (Mn), nickel, rubidium, tin, strontium, thallium, Zn, sulphates, and chlorides were found, especially in autumn (e.g., Cd 2.0 μg L(-1); Mn 2.5 mg L(-1); Zn 1.5 mg L(-1)). In the Kriva River, increased Cd (0.270 μg L(-1)) and Pb (1.85 μg L(-1)) concentrations were found only in spring, possibly due to sediment resuspension during greater water discharge. The selected sampling sites on the Bregalnica, Zletovska, and Kriva rivers were confirmed as being appropriate locations for further studies of mining waste's impact on freshwater ecosystems, the first one as a nonimpacted site and the other two as possible areas of increased exposure of aquatic organisms to metals.

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Cancer is one of the major deadly diseases globally. The alarming rise in the mortality rate due to this disease attracks attention towards discovering potent anticancer agents to overcome its mortality rate. The discovery of novel and effective anticancer agents from natural sources has been the main point of interest in pharmaceutical research because of attractive natural therapeutic agents with an immense chemical diversity in species of animals, plants, and microorganisms. More than 60% of contemporary anticancer drugs, in one form or another, have originated from natural sources. Plants and microbial species are chosen based on their composition, ecology, phytochemical, and ethnopharmacological properties. Plants and their derivatives have played a significant role in producing effective anticancer agents. Some plant derivatives include vincristine, vinblastine, irinotecan, topotecan, etoposide, podophyllotoxin, and paclitaxel. Based on their particular activity, a number of other plant-derived bioactive compounds are in the clinical development phase against cancer, such as gimatecan, elomotecan, etc. Additionally, the conjugation of natural compounds with anti-cancerous drugs, or some polymeric carriers particularly targeted to epitopes on the site of interest to tumors, can generate effective targeted treatment therapies. Cognizance from such pharmaceutical research studies would yield alternative drug development strategies through natural sources which could be economical, more reliable, and safe to use.

Fatty acid composition of foods has a great impact on nutrition and health. Therefore, thе determination and knowledge of the fatty acid composition of food is very important for nutrition. Due to the high nutritional characteristics of ostrich meat and its products, the research determining their quality is of topical interest. The aim of the present investigation was the determination of fatty acid composition of ostrich adipose tissue. The content of fatty acids was determined according to AOAC Official Methods of Analysis and determination was performed using a gas chromatograph with a flame-ionization detector (GC-FID). The results are expressed as a percentage of the total content of fatty acids. The method was validated and whereupon the following parameters were determined: linearity, precision, recovery, limit of detection and limit of quantification. The repeatability was within of 0.99 to 2.15%, reproducibility from 2.01 to 4.57%, while recovery ranged from 94.89 to 101.03%. According to these results, this method is accurate and precise and can be used for analysis of fatty acids in foods. It was concluded that the content of saturated fatty acids (SFA) accounted 34.75%, of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) 38.37%, of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) 26.88%, of total unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) 65.25% and of desirable fatty acids (DFA) (total unsaturated + stearic acid) 70.37% of the analysed samples. The ratio polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acids accounted 0.77. The most present fatty acid is the oleic (C18:1n9c) with 28.31%, followed by palmitic (C16:0) with 27.12% and linoleic (C18:2n6c) acid with 25.08%. Other fatty acids are contained in significantly lower quantities.

A multi-class and multi-residue/contaminant method for the determination of veterinary drug and pesticide residues and mycotoxins in bovine meat has been developed and validated. The veterinary drug residues/contaminants included antimicrobials, anabolic hormones, lactones, β-agonists, mycotoxins, and pesticides. Isotopic labeled internal standards were included to compensate residual matrix effects. The calibrators used in the method demonstrated linearity with the R2 > 0.98. The decision limit (CCα) values were in the range from 0.067 to 2103.84 μg/kg, while the range for detection capability (CCβ) was from 0.083 to 2482.13 μg/kg. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were in the range from 0.059 to 291.36 μg/kg, and 0.081 to 328.13 μg/kg, respectively. The recovery of analytes ranged from 61.28% to 116.20%. The intra-day coefficient of variation (CV) was from 0.97 to 25.93% and the inter-day CV was 2.30–34.04%. The method has been used for the determination of 49 residues/contaminants in bovine meat. Application of the method in routine analysis in bovine samples, revealed in limited samples the presences of enrofloxacin, oxytetracycline and sulfadiazine at the concentration of 35.22 µg/kg, 27.35 µg/kg, and 36.20 µg/kg, respectively.