Laboratory for Medical and Environmental Physics

Members of the laboratory:

• Prof. Gordana Žauhar, PhD
• Assoc. Prof. Diana Mance, PhD
• Assist. Prof. Marija Čargonja, PhD

Laboratory Collaborators:

• Prof. Zoran Kaliman, PhD
• Assoc. Prof. Slaven Jurković, PhD
• Assist. Prof. Đeni Smilović Radojčić, PhD

The laboratory’s research is focussed on two areas: medical physics and environmental physics. Within medical physics, current research is focussed on ultrasound. As part of the project “Quality control of ultrasound beams using thermochromic materials”, the potential application of thermochromic materials for the quality control of ultrasound devices and for the visualisation of acoustic intensity distribution in ultrasound beams used in medicine is being investigated.

Research in the field of environmental physics is focussed on measuring the abundance of heavy stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen (²H and ¹⁸O) in precipitation and groundwater. ²H and ¹⁸O are ideal natural tracers that allow the monitoring of water molecules in different parts of the water cycle. By understanding their occurrence in precipitation and groundwater, information can be obtained on the areas and mechanisms of groundwater recharge, the average residence time of groundwater, the susceptibility of aquifers to pollution and groundwater reserves. This type of research is particularly important for ecologically sensitive karst areas.

Scientific Papers:

1. Žauhar, Gordana; Ravlić‐Gulan, Jagoda; Čargonja, Marija. Elemental Analysis of Particulate Matter Produced During Firework Events in the City of Rijeka, Croatia // X-Ray Spectrometry, 54 (2025), 3; 284-295. doi: 10.1002/xrs.3459
2. Vučinić, Damir; Lekić, Matea; Žauhar, Gordana; Zamolo, Gordana. The impact of MITF expression on tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in melanoma: Insights into immune microenvironment dynamics // Biomolecules and Biomedicine, 25 (2025), 9; 2050-2057.
3. Gulan, Leo; Kovačević, Miljenko; Žauhar, Gordana; Jurdana, Hari; Gulan, Gordan. The forgotten third: understanding the ACL femoral insertion and lateral intercondylar ridge extension onto the notch roof // Surgical and radiologic anatomy, 47 (2025), 1; 118, 9. doi: 10.1007/s00276-025-03628-6
4. Volarić, Darian; Žauhar, Gordana; Chen, Jie; Jerbić Radetić, Ana Terezija; Omrčen, Hrvoje; Raič, Antonio; Pirović, Roko; Cvijanović Peloza, Olga. The Effect of Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound on Bone Regeneration and the Expression of Osterix and Cyclooxygenase-2 during Critical-Size Bone Defect Repair // International journal of molecular sciences, 25 (2024), 7; 3882, 16 doi:10.3390/ijms25073882
5. Mance, D., Radišić, M., Lenac, D., Rubinić, J.  Hydrological Behavior of Karst Systems Identified by Statistical Analyses of Stable Isotope Monitoring Results // Hydrology, 9 (2022), 5; doi:10.3390/hydrology9050082
6. Žauhar, Gordana; Dresto-Alač, Branka. Trends in Professional Radiation Exposures of Medical Staff Covered by Personal Dose Monitoring at a Rijeka Clinical Hospital Centre (2000 to 2015) // Health Physics Journal, 120 (2021), 3; 308-315 doi:10.1097/HP.0000000000001321
7. Mance, Davor; Krunić, Katarina; Mance, Diana. Protecting Species by Promoting Protected Areas and Human Development—A Panel Analysis // Sustainability, 13 (2021), 21; 1-17 doi:10.3390/su132111970
8. Mance, Diana; Mance, Davor; Vukić Lušić, Darija. Environmental and anthropogenic factors affecting coastal bathing water quality: preliminary study for Primorje-Gorski Kotar County (Croatia) // Pomorstvo: scientific journal of maritime research, 35 (2021), 1; 57-68 doi:10.31217/p.35.1.7
9. Galić, Dominik; Cenov, Arijana; Lušić, Dražen; Glad, Marin; Jozić, Slaven; Cvetković, Bruno; Maestro, Daniel; Maestro, Nerma; Mance, Diana; Vukić Lušić, Darija. Quality of Croatian Inland Bathing Areas: Reference to The Region and EU // Journal of Health Sciences, 11 (2021), 1; 37-46 doi:10.17532/jhsci.2021.1110
10. Topić, Nancy; Cenov, Arijana; Jozić, Slaven; Glad, Marin; Mance, Diana; Lušić, Dražen; Kapetanović, Damir; Mance, Davor; Vukić Lušić, Darija. Staphylococcus aureus—An Additional Parameter of Bathing Water Quality for Crowded Urban Beaches // International journal of environmental research and public health, 18 (2021), 10; 5234, 13 doi:10.3390/ijerph18105234
11. Ružić Baršić, Antonija; Rubeša, Gordana; Mance, Diana; Miletić, Damir; Gudelj, Lea; Antulov, Ronald. Influence of psychotic episodes on grey matter volume changes in patients with schizophrenia // Psychiatria Danubina, 32 (2020), 359-366 doi:10.24869/psyd.2020.359
12. Žauhar, Gordana; Smilović Radojčić Đeni; Kaliman, Zoran; Schnurrer-Luke-Vrbanić, Tea; Jurković, Slaven. Determination of Physiotherapy Ultrasound Beam Quality Parameters From Images Derived Using Thermochromic Material // Ultrasonics (2019) doi: 10.1016/j.ultras.2019.06.005
13. Peršić Bukmir, Romana; Vidas, Jelena; Mance, Diana; Pezelj-Ribarić, Sonja; Špalj, Stjepan; Brekalo Pršo, Ivana. Socio-economic and health status as a predictor of apical periodontitis in adult patients in Croatia // Oral diseases, 25 (2019), 1; 300-308 doi:10.1111/odi.12981.
14. Paar, Dalibor; Mance, Diana; Stroj, Andrej; Pavić, Mirja. Northern Velebit (Croatia) karst hydrological system: results of a preliminary 2H and 18O stable isotope study // Geologia Croatica: journal of the Croatian Geological Survey and the Croatian Geological Society (2019)

Patents:

1. Breyer Branko, Žauhar Gordana, Breyer Priselac Hana. A system of implanted medical devices with non-invasive direct control of the function of elution of medical substances. 2024. PCT/HR2023/00001,https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=WO2024150020&_cid=P2 1-LYVZR1-61709-1.

Scientific Books:

Book Chapter:

1. Žauhar, Gordana; Diklić, Ana; Jurković, Slaven. Inspection and Testing of Diagnostic Ultrasound Devices in Inspection of Medical Devices For Regulatory Purposes; Second Edition, Badnjević, Almir; Cifrek, Mario; Magjarević, Ratko; Džemić, Zijad (eds.), Springer Nature Switzerland, 2024. pp. 213–240.

Participation in International Conferences:

1. Darian Volarić, Gordana Žauhar, Jie Chen, Ana Terezija Jerbić Radetić, Olga Cvijanović Peloza. How does low-intensity pulsed ultrasound effect intramembranous ossification compare to the autologous bone gold standard? 22–26 June 2023, Caparica – Portugal.
2. Gordana Žauhar, Marija Čargonja, Nina Trinajstić, Diana Mance, Darko Mekterović. Radon levels in Biserujka cave and assessment of effective dose received by visitors and tourist guides, Twelfth International Conference of radiation, natural sciences, engineering, technology and ecology, 17-21 June 2024, Herceg Novi, Montenegro.
3. Žauhar, Gordana; Kaliman, Zoran; Smilović Radojčić, Đeni; Jurković, Slaven. Exploiting thermochromic materials for the quality assurance of physiotherapy ultrasound treatment heads, 6th International Caparica Conference on Ultrasonic-based Applications: from analysis to synthesis, 26–29 June 2023, Caparica – Portugal.
4. Darian Volarić, Gordana Žauhar, Jie Chen, Ana Terezija Jerbić Radetić, Olga Cvijanović Peloza. Stimulation of critical size bone defect repair after application of low intensity pulsed ultrasound, 6th International Caparica Conference on Ultrasonic-based Applications: from analysis to synthesis, 26–29 June 2023, Caparica – Portugal.
5. Žauhar, Gordana; Breyer, Branko. Influence of ultrasound on the release of levonorgestrel from a hormonal intrauterine device Mirena, 5th International Caparica Conference on Ultrasonic-based Applications: from analysis to synthesis, 31 May – 3 June 2021, Caparica – Portugal.
6. Žauhar, Gordana; Smilović Radojčić, Đeni; Kaliman, Zoran; Schnurrer-Luke-Vrbanić, Tea; Jurković, Slaven. Using a thermochromic material for testing of physiotherapy ultrasound treatment heads and determination of ultrasound beam quality parameters, 4th International Caparica Conference on Ultrasonic-based Applications: from analysis to synthesis, 20–23 July 2020, Caparica – Portugal.

Supervision of Master’s and Bachelor’s Theses:

Master’s Theses:

1. Petra Valić – Measurement of radon in the environment, University of Rijeka, Study of Environmental and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, 2023. Mentor: Prof. Gordana Žauhar
2. Anita Crnov – Influence of Environmental Factors on Sea Quality in the Liburnian Area, Master’s Study in Physics, specialization in Environmental Physics, University of Rijeka, Department of Physics, 2021. Mentor: Assist. Prof. Diana Mance; Co-mentor: Assoc. Prof. Darija Vukić Lušić
3. Ema Topolnjak – Stable Isotopes in Precipitation and Groundwater of Mount Učka, Master’s Study in Physics, specialization in Environmental Physics, University of Rijeka, Department of Physics, 2021. Mentor: Assist. Prof. Diana Mance
4. Monica Vidotto – Structural Changes in Poly(lactic acid) Filaments Caused by γ-radiation, Master’s Study in Physics, University of Rijeka, Department of Physics, 2019. Mentor: Assoc. Prof. Gordana Žauhar; Co-mentor: Prof. Srećko Valić — Award for Best Master’s Thesis, 2019

Bachelor’s Theses:

1. Petra Valić – Measurement of Environmental Noise, Undergraduate Study in Sanitary Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, 2021. Mentor: Assoc. Prof. Gordana Žauhar
2. Ana Vukasović – Nuclear Disasters and Their Impact on the Environment, Undergraduate Study in Physics, specialization in Environmental Science, University of Rijeka, Department of Physics, 2021. Mentor: Assist. Prof. Diana Mance
3. Lucija Brevulj – Weather Extremes and Their Consequences, Undergraduate Study in Physics, specialization in Environmental Science, University of Rijeka, Department of Physics, 2020. Mentor: Assist. Prof. Diana Mance — Award for Best Bachelor’s Thesis, 2020
4. Andrea Makjanić – Milanković Cycles, Undergraduate Study in Physics, specialization in Environmental Science, University of Rijeka, Department of Physics, 2020. Mentor: Assist. Prof. Diana Mance
5. Emma Hess – Application of Stable Isotopes of Hydrogen and Oxygen in Hydrology, Undergraduate Study in Physics, University of Rijeka, Department of Physics, 2019. Mentor: Assist. Prof. Diana Mance
6. Vinko Sršan – Application of Plasma in Medicine, Undergraduate Study in Physics, University of Rijeka, Department of Physics, 2018. Mentor: Assoc. Prof. Gordana Žauhar; Co-mentor: Dr. Diana Mance
7. Martin Markanović – Radiation from Smartphone Antennas and Its Impact on the Human Body, Undergraduate Study in Physics, University of Rijeka, Department of Physics, 2018. Mentor: Assoc. Prof. Gordana Žauhar
8. Marina Bakarić – Measurement of Ultrasound Power, Undergraduate Study in Physics, University of Rijeka, Department of Physics, 2016. Mentor: Assoc. Prof. Gordana Žauhar

The abundance of ²H and ¹⁸O stable isotopes in water is determined using the Off-Axis Integrated Cavity Output Spectroscopy (OA-ICOS) method on a Liquid Water Isotope Analyser (LWIA) device (Los Gatos Research, USA).