Contamination of agricultural soils can present a signifi cant risk to human health through oral ingestion, particle inhalation, and dermal contact. Th e aims of this research were to determinate the concentrations, distribution and human health risk of various heavy metals in soil samples from three agricultural areas of South Herzegovina. A total number of 32 soil samples were collected and analyzed for Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Cobalt (Co), Copper (Cu), Nickel (Ni), and Zinc (Zn). Th e Hazard Index (HI) was used to assess the human health risk of the study area. For the adult and children population, the HI value for dermal exposure to Cobalt (Co) was greater than one (HI>1), and non-cancerogenic eff ects are therefore considered as signifi cant for human health. Our fi ndings impose consideration of taking risk management measures in order to reduce risk for human health from Cobalt (Co).

The aim of the paper was to determine the level of soil contamination with lead and perform risk assessment by calculating the Hazard Quotient Index (HQI). The research was carried out during 2015 and 2016 at three locations in Herzegovina (Mostar, Capljina, and Stolac), where nectarine cultivars ('Big Top' and 'Caldesi 2000') were cultivated. At the Mostar and Capljina locations, the total content of lead in the soil exceeded MPC values in both years of research. Estimated daily intake (EDI) and estimated weekly intake (EWI) values of lead in the studied nectarine varieties showed no acute or chronic risk for human health.

In this work, eight pesticides: azinphos-ethyl, carbofuran, chlorfenvinphos, chlorpyriphos, metazachlor, methoxychlor, propham and sulfotep were analyzed in 10 banana samples taken from the market of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Analyses were carried out by the QuEChERS approach, using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry detection (GC-MS). To determine the risk, acute exposure assessment was performed according on International Estimation of Short Term Intake (IESTI) equation. In acute quantitative risk assessment, estimated dietary exposure was compared with the relevant toxicological reference values Acute Reference Dose (ARfD).

Normal 0 21 false false false BS-LATN-BA X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; line-height:150%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language:BS-LATN-BA; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;} The aim of this study was to determine the levels of cadmium in cattle meat and offal on the area of Central Bosnia Canton and to estimate the level of population exposure to cadmium through consumption of cattle meat and offal. Fifty samples were analysed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, out of which twenty samples of kidney tissue, twenty samples of liver tissue and ten samples of muscle tissue. Determined cadmium levels in cattle kidney varied between 0.088 and 4.493 mg/kg, while cadmium levels in liver were determined in the range from 0.016 to 0.206 mg/kg. The mean value of cadmium in kidney was 0.750 mg/kg, while the mean value of cadmium in liver was 0.076 mg/kg. Cadmium levels in muscle tissue were less than 0.008 mg/kg in all analysed samples. In three samples of kidney (15% of the analysed) cadmium levels exceeded maximum permitted level, while no such case was found for liver and muscle tissue. Estimated weekly intake of cadmium due to the consumption of cattle meat is 1.74 x 10 -3 m g/kg body weight. Weekly intake of cadmium by consuming cattle kidney is 9.08 x 10 -3 m g/kg body weight, whereas weekly intake of cadmium via cattle liver is 1.23 x 10 -3 m g/kg body weight. The intake of cadmium due to the consumption of cattle meat and offal in the examined population is within the tolerable weekly intake. Exposure to cadmium from cattle meat in the examined population does not pose a risk for health.

Particular attention needs to be paid to research on the quality of flour because it is the main component of food grains and cereal products. Research on the quality of flour type 500 in the municipality of Mostar began with an analysis of the basic raw material wheat flour and a comparative analysis of the type 500 flour used in facilities for the production and processing of flour and in the flour products produced by Žitopromet and Klas. Flour sold in the marketplace meets customer standards, but we rarely ask ourselves whether such flour is fit for human consumption. To be sold for human consumption, a foodstuff has to meet prescribed standards. The economic and social situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina does not allow for a reflection on the true values of a healthy diet meeting health standards. With respect to storage conditions, the quality of flour, in common with other foodstuffs, can be adversely affected by excessive exposure to sunlight, moisture and other variables. In this study, we investigated all of the chemical properties in flour T-500 produced by Klas and Žitopromet, as well as flour randomly selected from a number of stores. We compared the results with the guidelines in Bosnia and Herzegovina, i.e. the Rulebook on the quality of the grain, products of the milling and baking industry and quick-frozen dough (Official Gazette of SFRY No. 38/77 and 11/80) and the Rulebook on the MRLs for contaminant in certain foodstuffs (Official Gazette of FBiH 37/09).