Laboratory for Organic Chemical Technology and Processing of Natural Bioactive Products

Teaching staff:

Prof. dr. Biljana Damjanović-Vratnica

Mr. Dragan Radonjić

In the Laboratory for Organic Chemical Technology and Processing of Natural Bioactive Products, students acquire practical knowledge about pretreatment of plant material, determination of particle size, standard and innovative methods of isolating bioactive substances from medicinal and aromatic plants, as well as biowaste from fruit and vegetable processing and post-distillation waste. Students learn about techniques such as hydrodistillation, extraction with organic solvents, and alternative methods of extracting various plant materials. They obtain essential oils, extracts, and edible oils whose bioactivity and chemical composition can be further examined and valued.

The Laboratory for Organic Chemical Technology and Processing of Natural Bioactive Products is involved in national, bilateral, and Eureka Projects focused on isolating bioactive components from wild and cultivated aromatic and medicinal plant species, as well as from agro-industrial biowaste. The impact of pretreatment and process parameters of different isolation techniques on the yield and quality of obtained essential oils and extracts is investigated. The isolates can further determine the content of phytoncides, their biological activity, and chemical composition to explore the possibility of valorisation in the food, pharmaceutical, perfume, medical, and aromatherapy industries.