Analysis of the essential oil of Teucrium polium ssp. capitatum from the Balkan Peninsula

The chemical composition of the essential oil of the aerial parts of Teucrium polium ssp. capitatum collected during the flowering period from rocky places and dry pastures, (Serbia, Nis, Kamenica), and dunes along the sea-side, (Bulgaria, Burgas, Primorsko) has been studied by GC and GC/MS. The identified compounds, 45 for the oil from Serbia and 44 for that from Bulgaria, amounted to 97.3% and 96.4% of the oils, respectively. The dominant constituents of the Serbian oil were sesquiterpenes {59.6%, the most abundant components being germacrene D (31.8%), trans-caryophyllene (8.8%) and bicyclogermacrene (6.2%)}, while monoterpenes accounted for 37.5% {the most abundant components being linalool (14.0%) and beta-pinene (10.7%)}. The essential oil from Bulgaria was characterized by a high percentage of monoterpenes, amounting to 62.9% {the most abundant components being beta-pinene (26.8%), alpha-pinene (9.3%) and limonene (6.4%)}, while sesquiterpenes accounted for 33.5% (the most abundant component was germacrene D 17.7%)}.     

Sorption of zinc and cadmium on zeolite rocks

The sorption of zinc and cadmium on zeolite rocks from different locations in Bulgaria is studied. The basic equilibrium and kinetic parameters are determined. It has been found that the clinoptilolite rock from the location Bali plast may be used as a sorbent for zinc and cadmium.     

Geological,mineralogical and ion exchange characteristics of zeolite rocks from Bulgaria

Zeolite rocks from different locations in Bulgaria are characterized in geological-mineralogical respect and as ion exchangers for cesium and strontium radionuclides. The basic equilibrium and kinetic exchange parameters are determined. The influence of the mineralogical and chemical composition of the zeolite rocks on the ion exchange properties is shown.     

Biomonitoring of elemental atmospheric deposition: spatial distributions in the 2015/2016 moss survey in Bulgaria

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - In the most recent 2015/2016 campaign of the European-scale moss survey, Bulgaria joined for the fifth consecutive time. To investigate elemental...     

Interpretation of geochemical data by the use of multivariate data analysis

Different strategies of multivariate data analysis are used to interpret a data base from geological samples. Cluster and correspondence analysis are applied to classify properly 34 chemical elements from 10 representative rock samples (volcanic series from Borovitsa, Rhodopa mountains, Bulgaria). Principal components analysis is also used as display method to visualize the relation between the variables and objects of interest. The multivariate data analysis applied makes it possible to interpret the origin and orogenesis of the samples.     

Comparative characteristics of the ion-exchange properties of natural clinoptilolites from Bulgaria and the USSR for the purpose of purification of liquid wastes from nuclear power plants. Part I: Study of the equilibrium sorption of cesium and strontium ions from solutions of different composition

The ion-exchange equilibrium of cesium and strontium ions on clinoptilolites from different deposits — Dzegvi and Tedzami /Georgian SSR/, Beli Plast and Beli Bair /Bulgaria/ in different cationic forms of the sorbents /natural, sodium, calcium and ammonium/ is studied. The static ion-exchange capacities are determined. The sorption isotherms are plotted and the corresponding distribution coefficients are calculated. Mechanical characteristics which are important for the assessment of the technological use of the sorbents in dynamic conditions are determined. The clinoptilolite from Beli Plast deposit has the highest capacity in comparison with the other studied zeolites. The selectivity of the clinoptilolites from Bulgarian deposits is independent of the cationic form of the sorbent while the selectivity of the Georgian clinoptilolites strongly depends on the cationic form; the selectivity of the ammonium form of Tedzami sorbent is the highest.     

Determination and evaluation of natural radioactivity and heavy metal levels in the aquatic environment of trans-boundary rivers: Maritza,Tundja and Arda

The main problem in the trans-boundary river system is that heavy metal and radioactive pollution can cause long-term effects on ecosystems. Therefore the natural radioactivity and heavy metal levels in the Maritza, Tundja and Arda Rivers, common for Bulgaria and Turkey, were determined for 3 years period (2007–2010). Gross alpha, gross beta and total radium isotopes activities, uranium and heavy metal concentrations of the surface water of the rivers were investigated and also terrestrial gamma and gamma dose rate were measured. The results were compared with reported data from other countries of the world and the recommended international standards. The results gathered in this study may provide background data on the natural radioactive and heavy metal levels of these trans-boundary rivers.     

Ion exchange of Cs+ and Sr2+ by natural clinoptilolite from bi-cationic solutions and XRD control of their structural positioning

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - Clinoptilolite from Bulgaria was tested for uptake towards Cs+ and Sr2+ from bi-cationic solutions using batch technique. Contact time and cation...     

Determination of activity ratios of <Superscript>238,239+240,241</Superscript>Pu, <Superscript>241</Superscript>Am, <Superscript>134,137</Superscript>Cs,and <Superscript>90</Superscript>Sr in Bulgarian soils

The origins of different artificial radionuclides found in soils from Northern and Southern Bulgaria was determined by measurements of their actual concentrations and respective ratios. On the basis of the measured mobility and concentrations of the investigated radionuclides in soils, it was estimated that after the Chernobyl accident the mean depositions of fresh ¹³⁷Cs were 3.0 ± 2.5 kBq/m² for Northern Bulgaria and 15 ± 7 kBq/m² for Southern Bulgaria. As a result of global fallout following atmospheric nuclear weapon tests in the 1950s, mean depositions (corrected to 1965) were calculated for Northern and Southern Bulgaria as follows: for ⁹⁰Sr—1.0 ± 0.5 and 2.3 ± 1.3 kBq/m², ²³⁸Pu—1.3 ± 0.8 and 2.8 ± 1.6 Bq/m², ^239+240Pu—15 ± 14 and 47 ± 38 Bq/m², and ²⁴¹Pu—520 ± 200 and 760 ± 260 Bq/m².     

The chemistry of indole

The synthesis of 2-substituted 3-acylindoles by various methods is described. It has been shown that branching both in the radical of the acyl group and in the substituent in position 2 creates hindrance for electrophilic attack.For Communication XVII, see [2].Probationer from Sofia University, Bulgaria.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, Vol. 6, No. 7, pp. 923–926, July, 1970.     

On the uranium content in some technogenic products potential environmental pollutants

The uranium contents in phosphorites from North Africa, products of their processing (H₃PO₄, superphosphates, phosphogypsum), lignites from South Bulgaria and products of their burning, copper ores and concentrates have been determined by instrumental and radiochemical NAA. An evaluation of the contribution of the phosphoric fertilizers to the uranium content of soil, plants, breeding stock and man has been done.     

14C measurements in Bulgarian and Hungarian wines from 1986

The measurements of¹⁴C in ethanol samples extracted from wines of different wine districts in Bulgaria and Hungary in 1986 showed that the atmospheric reservoir remained practically undisturbed by the emission due to Chernobyl accident.     

A model of direct potentiometric determination of nitrate

Summary The paper represents a model for evaluation of the combined influence of four interferences in the direct potentiometric determination of nitrate in soil samples. The correction of the complex analytical signal is performed by the use of the system-oriented technique PAMS and modern statistical methods for modelling and optimization of multi-factorial systems. It is shown that within certain concentration intervals the effect of the interferences is not simply additive as predicted by the Nikolsky equation.On leave from Faculty of Chemistry, University of Sofia, 1126 Sofia, A. Ivanov Ave. 1, Bulgaria     

Instrumental neutron activation analysis of native copper: Some methodological considerations

A scheme for INAA of native copper, which permits the determination of 22–24 elements is proposed. The possible error source in INAA of native copper and other types of more or less pure copper are evaluated quantitatively. The accuracy and precision of the analyses are tested by comparison with NIST-SRM's. The applicability of the proposed method for archaeometric investigations is demonstrated by the analysis of two samples of native copper and two eneolithic archaeological artifacts from Bulgaria.     

FTIR spectroscopy of NH3 and NO adsorption on copper-on-alumina catalysts

Adsorption and coadsorption of NH₃ and NO on copper-on-alumina catalysts prepared from formate precursors by calcination at 670 and 870 K was studied by means of FTIR spectroscopy. It has been established that the sample prepared at lower temperature exhibits a higher activity with respect to NO reduction with ammonia. Dedicated to the 65^th birthday of Prof. Dr. Chr. Balarew, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria     

Phytochemical Variability of Essential Oils of Two Balkan Endemic Species: Satureja pilosa Velen. and S. kitaibelii Wierzb. ex Heuff. (Lamiaceae)

Satureja pilosa and S. kitaibelii (Lamiaceae) are Balkan endemic plant species, and the composition of their essential oil (EO) is highly variable. The aim of the present study was to establish: (1) the EO variability in two populations of S. pilosa (the intrapopulation), and (2) the EO variation in S. kitaibelii between nine populations (interpopulation) from Bulgaria and two from Serbia. The EOs of two Satureja species were obtained from aboveground plant parts by hydrodistillation and were analyzed by GC/MS/FID. Overall, the EO yield on the intrapopulation level of S. pilosa varied from 0.54% to 2.15%, while the EO of S. kitaibelii varied from 0.04% to 0.43% (interpopulation). The EO of S. pilosa was found to contain thymol and carvacrol as the main constituents, with other major constituents being p-cymene and γ-terpinene. S. pilosa samples in both studied populations formed six chemical groups. The major constituents (p-cymene, terpinen-4-ol, bornyl acetate, γ-muurolene, endo-borneol, cis-β-ocimene, trans-β-ocimene, carvacrol, α-pinene, thymoquinone, geranial, geranyl acetate, spathulenol, and caryophyllene oxide) of S. kitaibelii EO were considered for grouping the populations into ten chemotypes. The present study is the first report on the interpopulation diversity of S. kitaibelii EOs in Bulgaria. It demonstrated variability of the EOs between and within the populations of S. kitaibelii from Bulgaria. This study identified promising genetic material that could be further propagated and developed into cultivars for commercial production of S. kitaibelii and S. pilosa, thereby reducing the impact of collection on wild populations.     

Selective estimation of soot in home dust by EPR spectrometry

The content of soot in home dust collected from eight different flats or homes situated in different areas of Sofia, Bulgaria, is studied for a period of 14 months by using EPR spectrometry. The results obtained show two different areas in respect to the in-door pollution with soot which in one area is three to five times lower in comparison to the another. The characteristic features of both places are the intensive automotive traffic and central heating in the first part and less intensive automotive traffic but local heating facilities in the second area. These results are fully coinciding with previous studies on the soot content in urban aerosols and strongly suggest that main source of soot in air (in form of aerosols or precipitated as home dust) are the local heating facilities.     

Surface flavonoid aglycones in newly studied plant species

Several newly studied species of the Scrophulariaceae, Lamiaceae, and Ranunculaceae spread in Bulgaria have been analyzed for their surface flavonoid profiles. Except Pulsatilla montana (Hope) Rchb. (Ranunculaceae) all taxa now studied accumulated mainly apigenin, luteolin, and it's derivatives. This is the first report for the presence on external flavonoid aglycones in genus Pulsatilla. Quercetin-3'-methyl ether is a new citation for P. montana. The presence on surface flavonoid aglycones in species Veronica bellidioides L., V. persica Poir., Odontites verna (Bell.) Dum., Laminiastrum galeobdolon Heist ex Fabr., Glechoma herbaceae L., Ajuga genevensis L., and A. reptans L. are reported for the first time too.     

Comparative Evaluation of Red Wine from Various European Regions Using Mass Spectrometry Tools

The goal of this work was to assess differences in the composition of red wine produced in Poland, Hungary, Moldova, and Bulgaria, related to their geographical origin. Inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry results obtained for 23 elements were submitted to principal component analysis, indicating the association of Li, Co, Se, Cu, Sr with Moldovan products; Hungarian and Moldovan wines were characterized by V, As, Al, Fe variables, whereas Be was distinctive for Hungarian products. Polish wines were grouped with Cd and Pb and Bulgarian with Tl, Ba, Rb, and Mo; U and Mn were found as characteristic variables for wines from Bulgaria and Moldova. According with current legislation, the investigated wines were not contaminated with heavy metals and might be even considered a good source of essential elements (Cu, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cr, and Co). Gas chromatography–high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry was used as a complementary analytical tool, targeting nonvolatile organic compounds amenable for silylation. Statistical data analysis revealed that geographical factors strongly affected the metabolic profiles. Specifically, 15 compounds presenting higher abundances in Bulgarian as compared to Polish wines were found, including monosaccharides, polyols, organic acids, sugar acids, and the amino acid proline. The highest fold change was obtained for ribose (37.9), followed by proline (12.2) and inositol (5.68), suggesting that these compounds might be especially useful for discrimination purposes. The obtained results encourage for further studies aimed at the discrimination of wine produced over the entire Central-East European region based on metal/metalloid profiling and on the evaluation of specific metabolites.     

Hydration Heats of Zeolites For Evaluation of Heat Exchangers

The enthalpy of hydration of purified clinoptilolite from Beli Plast, Bulgaria, and various cation-exchanged types such as Na-, K-, Ca- and Mg-clinoptilolite was determined by the adiabatic water-vapor absorption calorimeter. The hydration enthalpy becomes more exothermic in the sequence K, Na, Ca, Mg depending on hydration energy values of exchanged cations. Na-clinoptilolite would be an efficient heat exchanger in a wide temperature range of dehydration, 180–300°C, while Mg-clinoptilolite in higher temperatures, 300–350°C. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.