Activities within the project "Investigation of the Concentration of Nutrients and Some Heavy Metals in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in Kosovo," supported by MASHTI
Students from FSHJM, Yllka Shehdadi and Urtina Avdija, successfully defended their thesis topics, the realization of which is supported by MASHTI. The thesis topics were titled:
- Accumulation of heavy metals in some medicinal plants along the roads of the city of Prizren – Yllka Shehdadi
- Determination of heavy metals and minerals in some medicinal plants in Kosovo markets – Urtina Avdija
The Faculty of Life Sciences and Environment (FLES) has been awarded the project “Investigation of the Concentration of Nutrients and Some Heavy Metals in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in Kosovo” supported by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology (MESTI) in August 2023. The project duration is 12 months, and the participating institutions are the University “Ukshin Hoti,” Prizren, Faculty of Life Sciences and Environment, with regional partners including the University of Tetova, Faculty of Mathematical Sciences – Natural Sciences (Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sheval Memishi), Bahçeşehir University, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences (Dr. Sc. Dr. İbrahim Ertuğrul Yalçın).
The project leader is Assoc. Prof. Dr. Albana Plakiqi Milaimi, with other collaborators from FLES, including Ass. Liridon Buqaj PhDc, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kushtrim Braha, and Ass. Prof. Dr. Nol Krasniqi. The project involves collaboration with students, including Msc. Belma Nallbani PhDc from Marmara University – Turkey, Yllka Shehdadi, and Urtina Avdija from FLES, who will work on their doctoral and bachelor’s thesis topics. They will also participate in scientific conferences and research papers.
Previous projects at FLES have focused on environmental monitoring and ecology. The current project aims to investigate the concentration of heavy metals and mineral nutrients in medicinal and aromatic plants in Kosovo. Key words include heavy metals, mineral nutrition, medicinal and aromatic plants, and ICP (Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry) technology.
The methodology involves the use of ICP-OES technology and microwave sample digestion. The main hypothesis is that heavy metals present in the environment can accumulate in medicinal plants due to anthropogenic activities and natural pathways, posing a potential risk for their consumption for medicinal or culinary purposes.
The project aims to contribute new knowledge regarding food quality and levels of heavy metals in medicinal plants used in traditional treatments in Kosovo. The study will be conducted in collaboration with regional partner universities and the research institution of the external collaborator.
A brief description of activities and work distribution includes:
- Regular meetings,
- Field research expeditions,
- Laboratory analysis of collected samples,
- Metal concentration analysis, sample preparation, transportation for qualitative and quantitative analysis of plants,
- Participation in a scientific conference,
- Organization of a meeting to provide recommendations based on research findings with relevant environmental institutions,
- Publication of a paper acknowledging the financial supporter (MESTI) and
- Enriching the FSHJM laboratory with a PCR safety cabinet.