Chair of Environmental Sciences

• Prof. Marin Karuza
• Prof. Gabriela Ambrožić, PhD
• Assoc. Prof. Ivna Kavre Piltaver, PhD
• Assoc. Prof. Robert Peter, PhD
• Assist. Prof. Andreina Belušić Vozila, PhD
• Assist. Prof. Maria Kolympadi Markovic, PhD
• Assoc. Prof. Darko Mekterović, PhD
• Assist. Prof. Marija Čargonja, PhD
• Boris Mifka, PhD

Undergraduate University Programme
Environmental Physics
Chemistry I
Chemistry II

Graduate University Programme
Atmospheric Physics
Atmospheric Chemistry
Marine Physics
Soil Physics
Instrumental Methods in Environmental Physics
Experimental Methods in Physics I
Ecotoxicology
Green Synthesis of Nanomaterials
Ocean-Atmosphere Interaction
Water Ecology
Hydrogeology
Physical Environmental Modelling

Micro-qualification: Environmental Change Recognition and Risk Management
Extreme Natural and Social Events
Management of Common Goods
Data Processing Methods in Natural and Social Sciences

YUFE Courses
Extreme events in nature and society
Experimental methods in Physics I
Atmospheric chemistry
Ecotoxicology
Green synthesis of nanomaterials

Projects

• Blue credits for water aquifers recharge and sustainability (ITHR0200450, BLUE RECHARGE), 2024–2026, Interreg Italy-Croatia (Principal Investigator at FIZRI: D. Mance, researchers at FIZRI: M. Karuza, D. Mekterović, M. Kolympadi Markovic, M. Čargonja, B. Mifka, K. Veličan)
• Increasing international visibility of the Rijeka scanning electron microscopy laboratory, 2023–2026, NPOO Development Research Support (Principal Investigator: I. Kavre Piltaver, researchers: D. Jardas Babić, M. Kocijan, F. Alač)
• Dynamics of groundwater exchange in sensitive and protected areas, 2024–2025, uniri-iskusni-prirod-23-177 (Principal Investigator: D. Mance, researchers: D. Mekterović, A. Lekić, J. Rubinić, M. Oštrić, D. Paar)
• Microplastics in different environmental components, 2023–2024, UNIRI INOVA project (Principal Investigator: D. Mance, researchers: D. Mekterović, I. Kavre Piltaver, D. Klepac, M. Kolympadi Markovic, A. Lekić, M. Čargonja, D. Mance, S. Giorgolo, D. Vukić Lušić, I. Bokan Vucelić, J. Rubinić)
• Development of digital form of teaching process and introduction of innovative forms of teaching in environmental physics, 2022, programme: “Research and development projects in education – UNIRI CLASS”, programme line A2 Digital citizenship – innovations in learning and teaching. A2 Digital citizenship – innovations in learning and teaching (Principal Investigator: D. Mance)
• Karst modelling with public health and socio-economic implications, 2019–2023, uniri-pr-prirod-19-24 (Principal Investigator: D. Mance, researchers: D. Paar, A. Stroj, M. Jusup, D. Mance, A. Lekić, D. Vukić Lušić)
• Development of physics studies using HKO application – FizKO, 2019–2022, European Social Fund, (Project Leader: M. Petravić, Head of working group for developing occupational standards Graduate Environmental Physicist: D. Mance, researchers: R. Jurdana-Šepić, N. Erceg, R. Peter, T. Terzić, A. Omerzu, P. Dominis Prester, S. Mićanović, I. Šarić Janković, M. Sarta Deković, Lj. Špirić)
• Analysis of water potential and dynamics of water exchange at Učka water supply sources, 2019–2020, Croatian Waters (Project Leader at Department of Physics: D. Mance)
• Preparation of porous thin-film materials for water purification using atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique, 2017-2021 (WATPUR, IP-2016-06-3568) HRZZ project (Principal Investigator: G. Ambrožić, researchers at FIZRI: R. Peter, I. Jelovica Badovinac, I. Kavre Piltaver, I. Šarić, M. Kolympadi Markovic)

Projects in collaboration with other scientific and professional organisations

• Chemical fate of pharmaceuticals of concern in the environment: experimental and computational investigation of degradation products and their ecotoxicological properties, 2023-2027 (PHARMA-ECO, IP-2022-10-2634) HRZZ project (Principal Investigator: V. Vrček, FPB Zagreb, researcher at FIZRI: M. Kolympadi Markovic)
• Marine photosynthesis fragility due to climate change, 2023-2027 (PHOTOCLIM, IP-2022-10-8859), HRZZ project (Principal Investigator: Žarko Kovač, PMF Split; researcher at FIZRI: D. Mance)
• In-silico assisted design of CO₂ capture substrates in catalytic formation of carbonates and carbamates, 2020-2024 (INDICATIOR, IP-2019-04-8846), HRZZ project (Principal Investigator: D. Marković, FABRI Rijeka, researcher at FIZRI: M. Kolympadi Markovic)
• Ecological Management of traffic in coastal areas by using an intelligent system, 2018-2019 (ECOMOBILITY) INTERREG ITA-CRO (Principal Investigator: A. Alebić-Juretić, Faculty of Medicine Rijeka, researcher: B. Mifka)
• Research project Rogoznica Lake as a model of ecosystem response to environmental changes, 2018-2022 (MARRES, IP-2018-01-1717) HRZZ project (Principal Investigator: I. Ciglenečki Jušić, IRB, researcher: B. Mifka)
• Socio-economic aspects of extreme hydrological events in the coastal region, 2022–2025, uniri-iskusni-drustv-23-163 (Principal Investigator: D. Mance, Faculty of Economics Rijeka; researcher at FIZRI: D. Mance)
• Environmental change recognition and risk management, micro-qualification development, 2022–2025, University of Rijeka, programme line UNIRI CLASS A1 Open personalised education, (Principal Investigator: D. Mance, Faculty of Economics Rijeka; researcher at FIZRI: D. Mance)

Organisation of conferences and workshops

• Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change: Understanding Impacts and Vulnerabilities (ARCCHIVES 2025), organisers from thr Faculty of Physics: D. Mance, M. Čargonja, M. Karuza, K. Veličan, M. Kloympadi Markovic (Rijeka, 29.5.2025.)
• Travelling Climate Action, Panel on innovative solutions for climate change adaptation (project “Climateurope2” (https://climateurope2.eu/), organisers: B. Mifka, M. Čargonja, A. Belušić, FIZRI Rijeka 20.6.2024.)
• Numerical modelling workshop, Faculty of Physics, University of Rijeka, (guest lecturer: Prof. Dr Vladimir Đurđević, Faculty of Physics, University of Belgrade, organisers: B. Mifka, D. Mekterović, M. Čargonja, FIZRI, Rijeka, 2022.)

Selected scientific papers

1. Čargonja, M., Mateljak, D., Mifka, B., Pleše, R., Mekterović, D. (2025) Conditional probability function with uncertainty estimates. Science of Total Environment (975) 179254. doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179254
2. Čargonja, M., Kolympadi Markovic, M., Mifka, B., Kavre Piltaver, I., Mekterović, D., Mance, D., Mance, D. (2025) Particulate matter in ambient air (Krk island, Croatia): elemental analysis, sources and microplastics. Chemosphere (378) 144416. doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144416
3. Petrović, E., Vrandečić, K., Belušić Vozila, A., Ćosić, J., Godena, S. (2024). Diversity and pathogenicity of Botryosphaeriaceae species isolated from olives in Istria (Croatia), and evaluation of varietal resistance. Plants 13: 1813. doi.org/10.3390/plants13131813
4. Vidović, K., Hočevar, S., Grgić, I., Metarapi, M., Dominović, I., Mifka, B., Gregorič, A., Alfoldy, B., Ciglenečki, I. (2024) Do bromine and surface-active substances influence the coastal atmospheric particle growth? Heliyon 10 (11): e31632. doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31632.
5. Alebić-Juretić, A.,  Mifka, B., Kuzmić, J. (2023). Airborne desert dust in the Northern Adriatic area (Croatia): Different sources. Science of The Total Environment, 912, 169320. doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169320
6. Alebić-Juretić, A. and Mifka, B. (2022). Sources of airborne particulates ($PM_{10}$) in the port city of Rijeka, Croatia. Environmental science and pollution research, 29, 6578-6590. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-15629-0
7. Belušić Vozila, A., Belušić, D., Telišman Prtenjak, M., Güttler, I., Bastin, S., Brisson, E., Demory, M.E.,  Dobler, A., Feldmann, H., Hodnebrog, Ø., Kartsios, S.,  Keuler, K., Lorenz, T., Milovac, J., Pichelli, E., Raffa, M., Soares, P.M.M., Tölle, M.H., Truhetz, H., de Vries, H., Warrach-Sagi, K. (2024). Evaluation of the near-surface wind field over the Adriatic region: Local wind characteristics in the convection-permitting model ensemble. Climate Dynamics 61: 4617–4634  doi.org/10.1007/s00382-023-06703-z
8. Buljat, A., Čargonja, M., Mekterović, D. (2024) Source Apportionment of Particulate Matter in a Metal Workshop. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 21 (6).
9. Cesari D., Merico E., Dinoi, A., Gambaro A., Morabito E., Gregorois E., Barbaro, E., Feltracco M., Alebić-Juretić Ana., Odorčić D., Kontošić D., Mifka, B., Contini, D. (2020). An inter-comparison of size segregated carbonaceous aerosol collected by low-volume impactor in the port-cities of Venice (Italy) and Rijeka (Croatia). Atmospheric Pollution Research, 11 (10), 1705-1714. https://doi:10.1016/j.apr.2020.06.027
10. Mance, D., Makjanić, A. (2023) Estimation of Groundwater Mean Residence Time in Karst Aquifers. II International Conference on Physical Aspects of Environment ICPAE2023, Proceedings, Ur. Radovančević, D., str. 12-20
11. Čargonja, M., Mekterović, D., Žurga, P., Ravlić-Gulan, J., Bogdanović Radović, I., Žauhar, G. (2023) Deposition of heavy metals in biological tissues of workers in metal workshops. Environmental Science and Pollution Research 30 (13) 36794-36806
12. Mežnarić, S., Jelovica Badovinac, I., Šarić, I., Peter, R., Kolympadi Markovic, M., Ambrožić, G., Gobin, I., (2022). Superior UVA-photocatalytic antibacterial activity of a double-layer ZnO/Al2O3 thin film grown on cellulose by atomic layer deposition (ALD).  J. Environ. Chem. Eng. 10, 108095. doi:10.1016/j.jece.2022.108095
13. Mance, D., Lenac, D., Rubinić, J., Mance, D., Radišić, M. (2022) Study of 2H and 18O isotopes as a basis for characterization of a coastal karstic aquifer. U zborniku skupa: Ninth International Symposium “Monitoring of Mediterranean coastal areas: problems and measurement techniques”, Ur. Bonora, L., Carboni, D., De Vincenzi, M., Matteucci, G., Livorno, Italija, 14. – 16. 6. 2022. str. 525-534
14. Mance, D., Radišić, M., Lenac, D., Rubinić, J. (2022). Hydrological Behavior of Karst Systems Identified by Statistical Analyses of Stable Isotope Monitoring Results. Hydrology, 9(5). doi:10.3390/hydrology9050082
15. Merico, E., Conte, M., Grasso, F., Cesari, D., Gambaro, A., Morabito, E., Gregoris, Elena, Orlando, Salvatore, Alebić-Juretić, A., Zubak, V., Mifka, B. and Contini, D. (2020) Comparison of the impact of ships to size- segregated particle concentrations in two harbour cities of northern Adriatic Sea. Environmental pollution, 266, 115175, 10. https://doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115175
16. Mifka, B., Telišman Prtenjak, M., Kavre Piltaver, I., Mekterović, D., Kuzmić, J., Marciuš, M., Ciglenečki, I. (2023). Intense desert dust event in the northern Adriatic (March 2020); insights from the numerical model application and chemical characterization results. Earth and Space Science, 10, e2023EA002879. https://doi.org/10.1029/ 2023EA002879
17. Mifka, B., Telišman Prtenjak, M., Kuzmić, J., Čanković, M., Mateša, S., Ciglenečki, I. (2022). Climatology of dust deposition in the Adriatic Sea; a possible impact on marine production. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 127, e2021JD035783. doi.org/10.1029/2021JD035783
18. Mifka, B., Žurga, P., Kontošić, D., Odorčić, D., Mezlar, M., Merico, E., Grasso, M., Conte, M., Contini, D. and Alebić-Juretić, A. (2021). Characterization of airborne particulate fractions from the port city of Rijeka, Croatia. Marine pollution bulletin, 166, 112236, 13. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112236
19. Supić, N., Budiša, A., Ciglenečki, I., Čanković, M., Dautović, J., Djakovac, T., Dunić, N., Dutour-Sikirić, M., Ivančić, I., Kalac, M., Kraus, R., Kužat, N., Lučić, D., Marić Pfannkuchen, D., Mifka, B., Mihanović, H., Njire, J., Paliaga, P., Pasarić, M.,  Pasarić, Z., Simonović, N., Telišman Prtenjak, M., Vilibić I. (2024). Are winter conditions impacting annual organic production in the northern Adriatic? Verifications and future projections. Progress in Oceanography, 0079-6611, 103247. doi.org/ 10.1016/j.pocean.2024.103247
20. Topić, N., Cenov, A., Jozić, S., Glad, M., Mance, D., Lučić, D., Kapetanović, D., Mance, D., Lušić, D. V. (2021). Staphylococcus aureus-An Additional Parameter of Bathing Water Quality for Crowded Urban Beaches. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(10). doi:10.3390/ijerph18105234
21. Galić, D., Cenov, A., Lušić, D., Glad, M., Jozić, S., Cvetković, B., Maestro, D., Maestro, N., Mance, D., Lušić, D. V. (2021). Quality of Croatian inland bathing areas: Reference to the region and European Union. Journal of Health Sciences, 11(1), 37-46. doi:10.17532/jhsci.2021.1110
22. Paar, D., Mance, D., Stroj, A., Pavić, M. (2019). Northern Velebit (Croatia) karst hydrological system: results of a preliminary H-2 and O-18 stable isotope study. Geologia Croatica, 72(3), 205-213. doi:10.4154/gc.2019.15
    

• Elementna analiza lebdećih čestica u blizini rafinerije nafte, master’s thesis, Matea Mačkić Jovanović, 2023.
• Primjena Hazen metode u klasifikaciji mora za kupanje, master’s thesis, Zrinka Vrček, 2023.
• Srednje vrijeme zadržavanja vode u krškom vodonosniku, master’s thesis, Andrea Makjanić, 2023.
• Analiza dinamike kolebanja podzemnih voda na širem području Grobničkog polja, master’s thesis, Ana Vukasović, 2023.
• Elementna analiza lebdećih čestica u radionici za obradu metala, master’s thesis, Antonella Buljat, 2022.
• Odnos indeksa ljudskog razvoja i kvalitete okoliša, master’s thesis, Lucija Brevulj, 2022.
• Utjecaj okolišnih faktora na kvalitetu mora liburnijskog područja, master’s thesis, Anita Crnov, 2021.
• Stabilni izotopi u oborinskim i podzemnim vodama Učke, master’s thesis, Ema Topolnjak, 2021.
• Nuklearne katastrofe i njihov utjecaj na okoliš, bachelor’s thesis, Ana Vukasović, 2021.
• Milankovićevi ciklusi, bachelor’s thesis, Andrea Makjanić, 2020.
• Primjena stabilnih izotopa vodika i kisika u hidrologiji, bachelor’s thesis, Emma Hess, 2019.

• Znanost srijedom, Interpretacijski centar dr. Andrija Mohorovičić – MOHO Centar, Volosko: Najgora laž – statistika u znanosti i svakodnevnom životu – predavanje, D. Mekterović, 13.11.2024., Pustinjske prašine na Jadranu – predavanje, B. Mifka, 6.11.2024., Klima nam se klima! – predavanje, A. Belušić Vozila, 30.10.2024.
• Noć istraživača 2024, Rijeka: Atmosferske pojave (B. Mifka, K. Veličan)
• Noć istraživača 2022 i 2023, Rijeka: Čudesni život vode (D. Mance, M. Čargonja, M. Kolympadi Markovic, A. Makjanić, Z. Vrček, L. Črep, L. Nađ, L. Blažević)
• B. Mifka: O klimatologiji i modeliranju donosa saharske prašine na Jadran – Krajolici budućnosti (predavanje, 6.9.2024, Praputnjak)
• B. Mifka: Male čestice iz velikih pustinja – Pint of Science (predavanje, 14.5.2024., Rijeka)
• B. Mifka: O meteorologiji i klimatologiji pustinjske prašine na Jadranu – Festival znanosti (predavanje, 23.4.2024., Rijeka)
• B. Mifka: O meteorologiji i klimatologiji saharske prašine na Jadranu – Festival Znanosti (28.3.2023. Rijeka 2023., Rijeka)
• STEM piknik 2.0, Dječja kuća, Rijeka: Igra s molekulama (radionica, 13.4.2024., D. Mance, M. Čargonja, M. Kolympadi Markovic, L. Črep),
• B. Mifka: Mala škola “Požar nije šala” (radionica, organizator: Hrvatsko agrometeorološko društvo) – Održana je 10 osnovnih škola na području PGŽ (http://hagmd.hr/)
• B. Mifka: HRT emisija “Akademskih kvarat ure” (intervju, 2023.)

Newspaper articles and commentaries:

• D. Mance: Znanost u službi okoliša (Novi List, 6.6.2025.)
• D. Mance: Interdisciplinarnost u istraživanjima okoliša (Novi List, 22.4.2025.)
• D.Mance, B. Hajduk Černeha, D. Mance, A. Fućak: Održivo korištenje vodnih resursa (Novi List, 22. ožujka 2025.)
• B. Mifka: Fenomen koji se sve češće pojavljuje u Hrvatskoj uopće nije bezazlen: ‘Neke bakterije su preživjele put od Afrike do Alpa! (Jutarnji list, 1.5.2024. novinarka: Tanja Rudež)
• B. Mifka: Istraživanje pokazuje da godišnje taloženje saharske prašine na Jadranu iznosi oko 60 dana (Novi list, 2024. novinarka: Andrea Žagar)
• D. Mance: Čitav okoliš je naš „laboratorij“ (Novi list, 22.4.2024.)
• B. Mifka, M. Telišman Prtenjak, J. Kuzmić, Irena Ciglenečki: Donos saharske prašine tijekom uskrsnog vikenda 2024. godine (Znanstveni osvrt publiciran na stranicama Hrvatske zaklade za znanost, 12.3.2024.)