Group for analytical chemistry

Research areas:

• General analytical chemistry
• Analytical chemistry of food and bioactive compounds
• Synthesis and properties of nanomaterials

Research description:

Group for Analytical Chemistry carry out testing of food biologically active compounds. We are performing testing of olive oil quality (free acidity, peroxide number, K-number, the fatty acid composition and content of sterols, the triglyceride composition). Antioxidant properties, in particular polyphenol olive oil and wine / varenik, are measured by ORAC method.
Determination of the contents of glucosinolate in various types of plants are carried out through two NSF projects.
Testing are carried out by UV / VIS, IR, fluorescence spectroscopy and by GC technique with FID detection and HPLC chromatography with UV / VIS and fluorescence detection.
Synthesis and testing of nanomaterials made of hydroxide and iron oxide, are carried out in order to obtain materials that could serve as drug carriers, adsorbents in purification of waste water and to improve the magnetic properties of the material. Synthesis is performed by microwave technique. Testing is done by spectroscopic techniques.

Contacts with academic and other institutions:

– Institut za jadranske kulture, Split
– Kemijsko tehnološki fakultet, Split
– Institut za poljoprivredu i turizam, Poreč
– IRB-Zagreb
– Županija Splitsko-dalmatinska

Description of the current cooperation:

1. 2015-2016: Splitsko-dalmatinska county project 2015, “Examination of antioxidant properties of the Brac varenika ORAC method”- Analysis of the phenolic composition by HPLC technique and measurement of antioxidant capacity by ORAC method.
2. 2015-2016: Splitsko-dalmatinska county project 2015, “Lipid, phenolic and genetic profile in indigenous varieties of olives: Oblice, Levantinke, Buhavice i Drobnice in the early and late period of harvest- Analysis of fatty acids of olive oil by GC technique.

Plans for future research:

1. Tomato grafting mitigates biotic stress caused by whiteflies (TomGraf), HNZZ-3365, 2015-2018.
2. Plants as a source of bioactive sulphur compounds and their ability to hyperaccumulate metals (BioSM), HNZZ-1316), 2017-2021.
3. Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through urban and agricultural waste utilization in plant production (REDGREENPLANT, HNZZ-9041).
4. Sythesis and properties of 1D a-Fe2O3 nanostructures doped with selwected metalic ions, Institut Ruđer Bošković

List of selected research papers:

1. Generalic Mekinic, Ivana; Blažević, Ivica; Mudnić, Ivana; Burčul, Franko; Grga, Mia; Skroza, Danijela; Jerčić, Iva; Ljubenkov, Ivica; Boban, Mladen; Miloš, Mladen; Katalinić, Višnja.
Sea fennel (Crithmum maritimum L.): Phytochemical profile, antioxidative, cholinesterase inhibitory and vasodilatory activity.
Journal of Food Science and Technology. 54 (2016), 7; 3104-3112.
2. Generalić Mekinić, Ivana; Skroza, Danijela; Ljubenov, Ivica; Katalinić, Višnja.
Insight into the presence of stilbenes in medicinal plants traditionally used in Croatian folk medicine.
Natural Product Communications. 11 (2016); 833-835.
3. Generalić Mekinić, Ivana; Skroza, Danijela; Ristovski, Božidar; Ljubenkov, Ivica; Bikić, Ivana; Svilović, Sandra; Banović, Mara; Bocevska, Mirjana; Katalinić, Višnja.
Anthocyanidins in Babica, Ljutun and Crljenak Kaštelanski grapes and kinetic of their degradation under different storage conditions.
Journal of Food and Nutrition Research. 55 (2016), 4; 294-302.
4. Soldo, Barbara; Šprung Matilda; Mušac, Glorija; Pavela-Vrančić, Maja; Ljubenkov, Ivica.
Evaluation of olive fruit lipoxygenase extraction protocols on 9- and 13-Z, E-HPODE formation.
Molecules. 21 (2016), 4; 506-515.
5. Ristić, Mira; Opačak, Ivana; Musić, Svetozar.
The synthesis and microstructure of goethite particles precipitated in highly alkaline media
Journal of alloys and compounds 559, (2013), 8; 49-56.