REPORT
for the follow up project titled “Strengthening the capacity for bilateral cooperation
between IChTM (Institute of Chemistry, Technology and Metallurgy, Belgrade) andHPIES (Hyogo Prefectural Institute of Environmental Sciences, Kobe) in order toproduce joint research about presence and behavior of POPs (Persistent OrganicPollutants) in river sediments of Serbia”.

Dr Vladimir P. BEŠKOSKI, grad. biochem.,
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Belgrade

October 2012,
BELGRADE, SERBIAMEMBERS OF THE RESEARCH GROUPS
Republic of Serbia
1. Dr. Vladimir P. BEŠKOSKI, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Belgrade,Serbia – Project leader
2. Dr. Gordana GOJGIĆ-CVIJOVIĆ, IChTM (Institute of Chemistry, Technologyand Metallurgy) – Department of Chemistry, University of Belgrade, Serbia
3. Prof. dr. Miroslav M. VRVIĆ, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Belgrade,Serbia
4. Dr. Mila ILIĆ, IChTM – Department of Remediation, University of Belgrade,Serbia
5. Latinka SLAVKOVIĆ-BEŠKOSKI, Ph.D. student, Institute of Nuclear Sciences“Vinca”, Serbia
6. Srdjan MILETIĆ, Ph.D. student, IChTM – Department of Remediation,
University of Belgrade, Serbia

Japan
1. Prof. Takeshi NAKANO Ph.D., Center for Advanced Science and Innovation,
Osaka University, and HPIES (Hyogo Prefectural Institute of Environmental Sciences),
Kobe, Japan
2. Shuusuke TAKEMINE M.Sc., HPIES, Kobe, Japan
Additional guest from Japan: Mr Tetsuji IDA, KYODO NEWS, Senior Staff Reporter:
Science News Desk Environment, Energy and Development

ACTIVITIES PLANNED PRIOR DEPARTURE OF
JAPANESE EXPERTS
1. Purchasing airline tickets and accommodation reservation in Belgrade, Serbia.
2. Sending official letter of invitation from JICA Balkan to JICA Kansai andJapanese experts.
3. Producing official letter of invitation for the presentations of Japanese expertsthat will be distributed as e-mail to the members of the Serbian Chemical Society and all
the others working in the field of environmental protection in Serbia. Sending letter ofinvitation from the official e-address of the Serbian Chemical Society.

ACTIVITIES REALIZED PRIOR DEPARTURE OF
JAPANESE EXPERTS
1. Accommodation reservation in Hotel Balkan, Belgrade, Serbia and airline tickets
were purchased by JICA.
22. Official letter of invitation from Faculty of Chemistry was sent to JICA Balkan
to and Japanese experts (Annex I & II).
3. Official letter of invitation for the presentations of Japanese experts wasproduced and distributed as e-mail from the official e-address of the Serbian Chemical
Society to more than 200 members of the Serbian Chemical Society, government officials
working in the field of environmental protection in Serbia and Industry (Annex III-VI).

ACTIVITIES IN SERBIA
1st day, Sunday, October 7, 2012
Colleagues from Japan had arrived according to the plan in Sunday Oct. 7.

Fig 1. Arrival of Mr. Tetsuji IDA atBelgrade airport

Fig 2. Arrival of Prof. Takeshi NAKANOand Mr. Shusuke TAKEMINE at Belgradeairport

2nd day, Monday, October 8, 2012:
ACTIVITIES PLANNEDDay 2 was intended for acclimatization and adaptation from flight.
1. Meeting with Prof. Branimir JOVANCICEVIC, Dean of the Faculty of Chemistry
2. Meeting with Prof. Vlatka VAJS, Director of the Department of Chemistry- IChTM
3. Introduction with analytical capacities and human resources of IChTM and FC.

ACTIVITIES REALIZED
From 10:00h-14:00h visit to Institute of Chemistry, Technology and Metallurgy (IChTM)
and Faculty of Chemistry (FCUB) of the Belgrade University and introduction of Japanese3experts with the analytical capacities and human resources of IChTM and FCUB wasrealized. Joint meeting with Prof. dr. Vlatka VAJS, Director of the Department ofChemistry- IChTM, Prof. dr. Branimir JOVANCICEVIC, Dean of the Faculty ofChemistry, Prof. dr. Miroslav M. VRVIC, Head of the Group for Microbiological
Chemistry and dr. Vladimir P. BESKOSKI. Figures 3-6 were recorded during and after themeeting and joint visit to FCUB and IChTM.

Fig 3. Meeting with the Dean of FCUB andDirector of Department of Chemistry IChTMFig 4. Joint Photo after the meeting at theDean office

Fig 5. Visit to Center for Instrumental
Analysis at the Department of Chemistry IChTM

Fig 6. Visit to laboratory for GC/MS andLC/MS at the Department of Chemistry IChTM

During the meeting both sides agreed that there is a need for collaboration between
University of Belgrade and Institutions from Japan, and that sharing the information’s,
samples and knowledge during joint research is excellent way for increasing humancapacities and resources in Serbia and Japan. Also, synergistic effect regarding the resultsof the studies can be expected among scientists during joint research and also possibility
for comprehension of the problem from different angles. Both sides are looking forward
future collaboration and they expressed energy and enthusiasm.
4

3rd day, Tuesday, October 9, 2012 (10:00h-14:00h):
ACTIVITIES PLANNED
1. Meeting in JICA Balkan (9:00h);
2. Lecture at Conference Hall of the Faculty of Chemistry.

ACTIVITIES REALIZED
1. From 9:00h to 10:00h meeting at JICA Balkan Office. At the meeting
representatives of JICA Balkan in Serbia Mr. Ken YAMADA, Mr. Nobuo
SUGIURA and Mr. Ryuichi ITO were welcomed colleagues from Japan Prof.
Takeshi NAKANO, Mr. Shusuke TAKEMINE , Mr Tetsuji IDA and Serbia Dr.
Vladimir P. BESKOSKI. They all expressed mutual satisfaction regarding ongoingcollaboration and future perspective.
2. From 11:00h – 13:00h lectures of Prof. Nakano and Mr. Takemine.
••

Prof. Takeshi NAKANO 11:00h - 12:00h (about POPs in general andcontamination of Japanese environment, biota, food...) Title: “Enantioselective
and congener specific analysis of POPs and source estimation”.
Mr. Shusuke TAKEMINE 12:00 - 12:30h (about PFCs as new POPs, analysis
using LC-MS/MS, distribution (water/sediment/suspended particulatematter/biota) and levels in Japanese environment...) Title: ‘Analysis ofperfluorinated compounds (PFCs) using LC-MS/MS”.

Lectures were held at the Conference Hall of the Faculty of Chemistry and theaudience were professors and students of basic, master and doctoral studies from theFaculty of Chemistry, Faculty of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Faculty ofBiology, Faculty of Medical Science of the Belgrade University, researchers fromInstitute of Nuclear Sciences “Vinča”, Institute for Technology of Nuclear and otherRaw Materials and Institute of molecular genetics and genetic engineering. Asrepresentatives of the Government of Serbia colleagues from Ministry of Energy,Development and Environment Protection were present. Lectures were followed byconstructive discussion and questions from the audience. Photographs taken duringlectures are presented in Fig 7 -10.

5

Fig 7. Prof. Nakano is giving lecture at theFCUB

Fig 8. Audience in the Conference Hallduring lecture of Mr. TakemineFig 9. Prof. Nakano and Mrs. Tatjana
Markov Milinković from Ministry ofEnergy, Development and Environment
Protection

Fig 10. Prof. Nakano and Prof. Ivanka
Karadžić from Faculty of Medicine
University of Belgrade

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES REALIZED

3. At the afternoon, nonofficial meeting of Japanese experts with the former
participants from Serbia of the JICA training “Risk Management and Residue
Analysis of Chemicals for Environmental Safety” (Vesna Milovanović, Ivan
Andjelković, Marijana Ćurčić, Filip Andrić and Vladimir P. Beškoski) wasorganized. Figure 11.

6Fig 11. Meeting of Japanese experts with former participants of the JICA training course“Risk Management and Residue Analysis of Chemicals for Environmental Safety” fromSerbia

4. In order to see one of the most industrialized part of Serbia and to familiarize withthe surroundings of the Wastewater canal of the Pančevo Industrial zone, visit toPančevo was organized (Figure 12).

Fig 12. Visit to Industrial zone of Pančevo

74th day, Wednesday, October 10, 2012 (10:00h-14:00h):
ACTIVITIES PLANNED
1. Joint official meeting of members of the project from Japan and Serbia (10:0013:00h)
2. Meeting with the Mr Omori, Cultural Attache of the Embassy of Japan in Serbia(14:00h).

ACTIVITIES REALIZED
1. Joint official meeting of the two research groups from Japan and Serbia was held inthe FCUB from 10:00-13:30h). The main topics and activities on the meeting were:•••••Discussion about joint research and collaboration between IChTM and HPIES.
Producing a draft version of project proposal of future joint investigation
regarding determination of hot spots in the Danube River on its way throughSerbia.
Producing a plan of experiments in general, regarding analysis of PFCs, otherPOPs and compounds-products of their transformation in environmental
samples of Serbia.
Discussion about equipment needed for the joint research and survey of theriver Danube.
Determination of optimal sampling places on the river Danube according toavailable data and literature concerning POPs pollution in Serbia.

It was agreed at the meeting that the title of future joint project proposal will be“Determination of Hot Spots in the Danube River on Its Way through Serbia in Order toEstablish the Capacities for Chemical Management and to Produce Remediation
Proposals” and that two research groups will apply for SATREPS program. Photos fromthe meeting are presented in Figures 13-14.

Fig 13. Discussion during meeting ofrepresentatives of research groups fromJapan and Serbia

Fig 14. Group photo after the meeting oftwo research groups82. Meeting with the Mr. Yuichiro OMORI, Cultural Attaché of the Embassy of Japanin Serbia was held between 14:00-15:00h, in the Japanese Embassy. Researches
introduced Mr. Omori with their plan regarding future study of river Danube. Mr.
Omori expressed interest about the project and willingness to support our joint
effort to increase scientific collaboration between Serbia and Japan (Figure 15).

Fig 15. Meeting with the Mr. Yuichiro OMORI, Cultural Attaché of the Embassy of Japanin Serbia

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY REALIZED

3. Taking photos during sampling of sediment and water on the confluence of river
Sava and Danube, Figure 16-17.

Fig 16. Taking water samples at theconfluence of river Sava and Danube

Fig 17. Taking sediment samples at theconfluence of river Sava and Danube
9

5th day, Thursday, October 11, 2012 (08:00h-18:00h):
ACTIVITIES PLANNED
1. Visit to copper mine Bor followed with sampling (pollution hot spot).

ACTIVITIES REALIZEDTo copper mine Bor, international group traveled via Djerdap road that follows riverDanube. The widest part of the Danube is located at Golubac (Figure 18) and the narrowest
at the Iron Gate (Figure 19). These two locations are of special significance for the river
Danube, because river flow in the Golubac is the slowest and in the Iron gate is the fastest,
which has high impact on different process that occurs at the river bottom.

Fig 18. Visit to Golubac fortress, the widest
part of Danube in Serbia

Fig 19. Visit to Iron Gate, the narrowest partof Danube in Serbia

Visit to copper mine Bor has started with the meeting and visit of to Laboratories ofInstitute of Mining and Metallurgy of Bor (Figure 20-21). Our host in Institute was DrNovica Milošević, manager of the laboratory. After Institute, researchers from Japan andSerbia had visited old open pit mine (Figure 22-23). Visit to Bor was followed with visit tolow grade ore and tailing ponds as well as lake Robule (Figure 24) and confluence of two
Krivelj and Bor rivers that are loaded with heavy metals and sulphuric acid (Figure 25).
Polluted rivers drain their waters to river Timok, which is tributary of river Danube.

10

Fig 20. Meeting in the Institute of Miningand Metallurgy of Bor

Fig 21. Visit to laboratories of the Instituteof Mining and Metallurgy of Bor

Fig 22. View on the open pit mine in Bor

Fig 23. Visit to an old open pit mine in Bor

Fig 24. Red color of lake Robule comesfrom ferric iron and blue from copper
sulfateFig 25. Confluence of rivers Krivelj(yellow) and Bor (black) loaded with heavy
metals and sulphuric acid11

6th day, Friday, October 12, 2012 (08:00h-20:00h):
ACTIVITIES PLANNED
1. Meeting in JICA Balkan (9:30h);
2. Visit to illegal dump on the E-75 highway (pollution hot spot).

ACTIVITIES REALIZED
1. At the meeting in JICA Balkan office, we informed our colleagues from JICA
about our recent activities during realization of the follow up project and about ourfuture plans and goals, especially regarding joint project.
2. One of the biggest problems in Serbia is illegal communal waste dumps. Theirwaters very often are gravitating towards rivers and groundwaters. Activities duringvisit to illegal dump on the E-75 highway (pollution hot spot), is shown on Figure26).

Fig 26. Communal waste dump near E-75 highway

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES REALIZED
3. After this hot spot, the road took us to Sremski Karlovci were we visited somehistorical important places such as Saborna Crkva (Figure 27) and the oldest highschool in this part of the world located in the Sremski Karlovci (Figure 28). The
day ended by visit to wine cellar “Živanović” (Figure 29) and Perkov salaš,traditional old style house with traditional food and beverage (Figure 30).

12

Fig 27. Visit to Orthodox church in SremskiKarlovci

Fig 28. High School (gymnasium) inSremski Karlovci founded on 1791

Fig 29. Visit to wine cellar “Živanović”

Fig 30. Visit to Perkov salaš

7th day, Saturday, October 13, 2012 (08:00h-09:00h):
ACTIVITIES PLANNED
1. Appearance at the TV show “JICA corner” at Studio B.

ACTIVITIES REALIZED
1. Appearance at the TV show “JICA corner” at Studio B was according to plan
realized between 08:00 and 08:15h. The host was Mirjana Todorić. Prof. Takeshi
NAKANO, Mr. Shusuke TAKEMINE and Dr. Vladimir P. BEŠKOSKI expressed
their satisfaction with the hitherto cooperation and they informed general public of
their plans concerning the analysis of the samples from Danube River (Figures 3132).
Mr Tetsuji IDA, , Senior Staff Reporter from KYODO NEWS, has left the Belgrade withmorning flight.

13

Fig 31. Morning TV show “JICA corner” atStudio B

Fig 32. Morning TV show “JICA corner” atStudio B

8th day, Sunday, October 14, 2012:
ACTIVITIES PLANNED• Departure from Belgrade International Airport (6:10h)

ACTIVITIES REALIZEDAt 06:10h Prof. Takeshi NAKANO and Mr. Shusuke TAKEMINE had left the Belgrade(Figure 33).

Fig 33. Departure of Japanese experts from Serbia
Belgrade, October 29, 2012

Dr Vladimir P. BEŠKOSKI, grad. biochem.,
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Belgrade14