Author: Sanja Živković

During May, workshops were organized at the Department of Physical Chemistry of the Vinča Institute as part of the project “Hunting Pollutants – from Natural Filters to Advanced Electrochemical Methods”, aimed at promoting science among primary and secondary school students in the Republic of Serbia. The project was funded by the Center for the Promotion of Science. The workshops included students from the XIV Belgrade Gymnasium, the Technical School “Mihajlo Pupin”, and the Secondary School “Sveti Sava”, who had the opportunity to learn about the basics of water purification through filtration and electrochemical oxidation by participating in practical activities.During the workshops, the students independently prepared natural water filters and assembled equipment for electrochemical oxidation, applying modern methods for the removal of pollutants from water. In this way, they became familiar with the importance of electrochemistry and advanced oxidation processes in environmental protection and wastewater treatment. In addition to the practical activities, the participants were introduced to the research activities of the Department of Physical Chemistry and the modern laboratory equipment used in scientific research. The project leader is Dr. Marija Simić, while the workshops were carried out with the active participation of project collaborators and researchers from the Department of Physical Chemistry. Through these activities, the Vinča Institute continues to contribute to the popularization of science and to encourage young people’s interest in chemistry, electrochemistry, and environmental protection research.

Within the framework of the multilateral scientific and technological cooperation project in the Danube region, “Plasma Technologies for Environmental Monitoring: Wastewater Reuse and Soil Remediation for Cleaner Agricultural Production” (2025–2027), led on the Serbian side by Dr. Sanja Živković, the Department of Physical Chemistry, Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, hosted colleagues from CEITEC Brno, Czech Republic.

During their visit from April 20 to April 24, 2026, Dr. Ludmila Čechová and Lenka Krejsová, a Ph.D. student, took part in joint research activities and scientific exchange with project members.

We are especially pleased to announce that the 10th jubilee Symposium “Chemistry and Environmental Protection” – EnviroChem 2026, organized by the Division of Environmental Chemistry of the Serbian Chemical Society, will be held from June 21–24, 2026, in Bajina Bašta, Serbia, at the Hotel “Zepter Drina”.

EnviroChem is a leading national scientific event in the field of environmental chemistry, which for decades has brought together researchers, experts, and industry representatives to exchange the latest scientific results and experiences. This jubilee edition further highlights its importance and continuity in the development of this scientific field in Serbia and the region.

The symposium traditionally covers topics such as environmental analytical chemistry, advanced wastewater treatment, fate and behavior of pollutants, and the application of green chemistry principles.

The Department for Physical Chemistry of the Vinča Institute is one of the key organizers of the symposium, with its associates actively participating in the organizing, scientific, and executive committees, continuing a long-standing tradition of contribution to this important scientific event.

For more information, please visit: https://envirochem.rs/

Prof. Josef Kaiser, head of the Advanced Instrumentation and Methods for Materials Characterization research group at CEITEC (Central European Institute of Technology, Brno, Czech Republic), visited the Department of Physical Chemistry at the Vinča Institute.

During his visit, Prof. Kaiser was introduced to the research activities of the Department by Dr. Sanja Živković and Dr. Miloš Momčilović. Special attention was given to the ongoing studies in the field of laser spectroscopy, which represents one of the Department’s key research directions.

In a warm and constructive atmosphere, discussions were held on possibilities for future collaboration, with a focus on the methodology and applications of elemental mapping using LIBS (Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy). Shared research interests were defined, laying the groundwork for the development of joint projects and knowledge exchange in the coming period.

Senior research associate, associate professor and editor-in-chief of the prestigious Journal of Essential Oils Bearing Plants, Dr. Mohan Lal from India from the CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology, New Delhi, India was a guest of the Microbiology section within the Department of Physical Chemistry Laboratory of the Vinca Institute. During the visit, he was introduced to the research carried out within the Department of Physical Chemistry, and especially within the Microbiology section. Also, the goals of joint research related to the use of essential oils and their components in the fight against resistant bacteria were defined.

A team consisting of four researchers from the Department of Physical Chemistry, namely Katarina Stojanović, Marija Kovačević, Vuk Radojičić and Marija Simić, took part in project “Program for the formation and development of innovation incubators in scientific research organizations in the Republic of Serbia”, organized and financed by Innovation Incubator of the Faculty of Chemistry, Science and Technology Park Novi Sad and the Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation of Serbia. With their idea and project proposal under the name “Lab Aid” the young researchers of The Department of Physical Chemistry were awarded first place during “Startup weekend ” in Novi Sad that took place 25^th and 26^th of May and second place at the competition that took place at the Faculty of Chemistry, University of Belgrade on the 1^st of July.