This study evaluated the occurrence, spatial distribution, and associated human health risks of trace metals in water intended for human consumption from urban and rural areas of Satu Mare County (northwestern Romania) based on monitoring data collected between 2022 and 2024. A total of 271 samples from 122 localities were analyzed for As, Cd, Cr, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Se using high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (HR-CS GFAAS). Spatial analysis, non-parametric statistics, Spearman correlation, and principal component analysis (PCA) were applied to identify distribution patterns and differences between supply systems. Arsenic was identified as the main contaminant of concern, with concentrations reaching 320.5 µg/L, primarily in rural groundwater sources. Most other metals remained below regulatory limits, and elevated concentrations were spatially localized rather than widespread. Non-carcinogenic risk (HRI > 1) was observed in 5.74% of samples, while arsenic-related carcinogenic risk (ILCR > 10⁻⁶) occurred in a limited number of locations in 2024, with no values exceeding 10⁻⁴. Risk estimates were based on total arsenic concentrations and should be interpreted conservatively due to the lack of speciation. No statistically significant differences between urban and rural areas were observed for most metals, except for manganese. Multivariate analysis revealed distinct geochemical behaviors, with a Pb–Ni–Se–Cd cluster in rural samples, while arsenic and manganese showed more independent patterns consistent with redox-controlled processes. Urban samples showed more coherent patterns and higher variance explained by PCA (78.9%) compared to rural datasets (60.1%). Risk estimates were based on total arsenic concentrations and should be interpreted conservatively. The findings highlight the vulnerability of decentralized groundwater systems and support targeted monitoring strategies in line with Directive (EU) 2020/2184.

Flunarizine is a calcium channel blocker widely used in neurological disorders; however, its low aqueous solubility may influence formulation stability and drug dispersion in polymer-based systems. The present study aimed to evaluate the compatibility of flunarizine with selected excipients and to investigate its incorporation into polymeric hydrogel matrices. Binary mixtures of flunarizine with excipients such as hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin, polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000), Tween 20, gelatin, and citric acid were prepared and characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TG/DTG), and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The FTIR spectra of the analyzed samples do not reveal the appearance of new absorption bands that may indicate chemical interactions; instead, minor spectral variations were observed due to weak intermolecular interactions within the polymer network. Thermal analysis revealed decomposition patterns consistent with those of the individual components, suggesting the absence of significant incompatibilities. A validated RP-HPLC method enabled sensitive and reliable quantification of flunarizine in the analyzed systems, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.05 µg/mL and a limit of quantitation (LOQ) of 0.16 µg/mL. Accuracy testing showed average recovery rates of 100% across 80–120% spiking levels. Overall, the results support the compatibility of flunarizine with the investigated excipients and the suitability of the studied hydrogels as potential drug delivery matrices.

Environmental contamination by potentially toxic elements remains a public health concern in groundwater-dependent regions. This exploratory community-based cross-sectional study examined associations among a historical area-level arsenic screening classification, questionnaire-derived potential-exposure indicators, and self-reported symptom count in 275 adults from 37 standardized locality clusters in Satu Mare County, Romania. The arsenic Health Risk Index (HRI) screening classification was derived entirely from drinking-water measurements collected in a preceding regional study during 2022–2024; no water samples or exposure biomarkers were obtained in the present survey. The questionnaire-derived potential exposure index was calculated as the unweighted sum of seven binary indicators covering residential, drinking-water, occupational, dental, and dietary characteristics (theoretical range, 0–7; observed range, 0–6) and was analyzed continuously. Symptom count (theoretical range, 0–8) was analyzed primarily using negative binomial regression with locality-clustered standard errors and adjustment for age, sex, smoking, alcohol consumption, HRI classification, and self-reported comorbidity. Each one-point increase in the potential exposure index was associated with a modestly higher expected symptom count (adjusted incidence rate ratio = 1.106, 95% CI: 1.031–1.186; p = 0.005), whereas the area-level HRI classification was not statistically associated with symptom count (adjusted incidence rate ratio = 1.135, 95% CI: 0.829–1.554; p = 0.431). The association remained positive across alternative index specifications, although the drinking-water-focused estimate was smaller and less precise. These findings represent exploratory associations between reported potential-exposure characteristics and nonspecific self-reported symptoms; they do not establish individual arsenic exposure, contaminant-specific effects, or causality.

Oral administration of narrow therapeutic index anticoagulants like phenprocoumon (PHP) necessitates careful control of the kinetic release of the drug to avoid dose dumping and severe haemorrhagic effects. This study was carried out to prepare and characterize novel PHP delivery systems based on κ-carrageenan hydrogels, exploring the importance of potassium ion (K⁺) stabilization in controlling the release process. FT-IR, TG/DTG, and in vitro release studies were employed in combination with a new validated RP-HPLC assay. FT-IR and thermal analysis results showed that PHP is physically encapsulated into the polysaccharide matrix, where there are no chemical incompatibilities between them. Furthermore, potassium ions increase the stability and heat resistance of the polymer network. However, when K⁺ was considered for modelling the kinetic release using the Korsmeyer–Peppas equation, it was observed that PHP is released from the K⁺ stabilized matrix in a relaxation dominated diffusion-controlled transport. Ionic cross-linking effectively reduces the initial burst effect, demonstrating that these matrices are promising vehicles for the sustained delivery of phenprocoumon.