To celebrate Science Day on 12 April, the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan is launching a series of publications dedicated to the remarkable achievements of Kazakh scientists.

As part of this project, we will honour the laureates of six nominated prizes whose research has significantly contributed to the advancement of science and technology.

The series opens with the Kanysh Satbayev Prize, named after the founder and first president of the National Academy of Sciences of Kazakhstan.

In 2025, the K.I. Satbayev Prize for the best scientific research in the natural sciences was awarded to a team of scientists from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University: Mereke Baurzhanovna Alimzhanova (Candidate of Chemical Sciences, PhD, Associate Professor), Madina Ruslanqyzy Mamedova (PhD) and Yerqanat Arqynuly Syrgabek (PhD). They received this honour for their scientific work: «Innovative Green SPME Technologies for High-Precision Food Quality Control: Development, Validation, and Implementation in Analytical Practice»

Laureates of the K. I. Satpayev Prize for the Best Scientific Research in Natural Sciences, 2025

Ensuring the safety of food products and drinking water is one of the key challenges of the natural sciences and global food policy. The presence of endocrine disruptors, pesticides, and signs of adulteration necessitates the use of highly sensitive and environmentally safe analytical methods. International United Nations (UN) recommendations, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 2, 3, 6, and 12), and Codex Alimentarius standards emphasize the need for the implementation of “green” technologies.

For Kazakhstan, this topic is particularly relevant due to the growing production of honey, fruits, and grapes, as well as state priorities aimed at improving drinking water quality and food security, as defined by Government Resolution of the Republic of Kazakhstan No. 903 (“Drinking Water”) and the Food Security Action Plan (Resolution No. 178).

Within the framework of this research, for the first time, miniaturized and vacuum solid-phase microextraction (SPME) modes were developed and scientifically substantiated, adapted for the analysis of drinking water, honey, and grapes. Highly sensitive SPME–GC/MS methods with improved limits of detection and enhanced resistance to matrix effects were established; an approach for identifying the geographical origin of honey based on volatile biomarkers was standardized; and methods for determining a wide range of pesticides in grapes were optimized. The environmental performance of the developed methodologies was evaluated using GAPI, AGREEprep, and BAGI metrics, confirming their compliance with the principles of green analytical chemistry.

The practical significance of the work is ensured by the implementation of the developed methodologies in the “Biosphere Ecology” laboratory of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, LLP “Akhmedsafin Institute of Hydrogeology and Geoecology,” the Research Institute of Food Safety at Almaty Technological University, and LLP “Kazakh Research Institute of Fruit and Vegetable Growing.” An analytical methodology adapted for national laboratories, characterized by low cost and reduced labor intensity, has been developed.

Under the supervision of M.B. Alimzhanova, the first scientific school in Kazakhstan dedicated to green analytical methods was established, contributing to the development of laboratory infrastructure and the strengthening of food security. Five publications resulting from this research were published in Q1–Q2 Web of Science journals, including Trends in Environmental Analytical Chemistry, Foods, Food Chemistry: X, and Advances in Sample Preparation, which belong to the D1 category (top 10% of the world’s leading journals), confirming the high international level of the conducted research.

The scientific novelty of the work lies in the first presentation of optimized and established parameters of solid-phase microextraction for food analysis followed by chromatographic–mass spectrometric detection. Optimized extraction conditions were proposed for various matrices, including honey, fruits, and beverages. Moreover, the application of vacuum SPME significantly enhanced method sensitivity and reduced analysis time. For the first time, a comparative evaluation of conventional and green methodologies was performed using experimental design and multivariate cluster data analysis, enabling reliable sample classification and accurate determination of their geographical origin.

The research team makes a significant contribution to the development of scientific and spiritual–cultural cooperation among Turkic-speaking countries by actively conducting international research with colleagues from Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Turkey. Joint studies with Dr. M.G. Mustafayev (Institute of Soil Science and Agrochemistry, Ministry of Science and Education, Baku, Azerbaijan) focus on monitoring residual pesticides in soils and agricultural products, aiming to harmonize analytical approaches across the region. Collaboration with the Uzbek side Dr. Karimov K.K., Head of the Laboratory of Soil Microbiology and Biotechnology at the Institute of Microbiology of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan has been developed in the fields of microbial biochemistry, biocontrol, and sustainable crop protection. A joint international project under the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has been submitted, dedicated to the development of innovative biocontrol systems for key agricultural crops, thereby strengthening scientific integration among SCO member states.

Cooperation with the Turkish side is carried out in collaboration with Professor Sibel Özkan (Ankara University, Turkey), a leading expert in chromatographic and electrochemical analytical methods. This collaboration is aimed at advancing modern approaches to food analysis, exchanging state-of-the-art methodologies, enhancing the qualifications of young researchers, and preparing joint publications.

Data on the main scientific publications (monographs, book chapters, articles, reviews, and intellectual property documents) published based on the results of the work over the past five years:

Syrgabek, M. Alimzhanova, S. Yegemova, S. Batyrbekova, Vacuum-assisted headspace-solid phase microextraction of pesticides in grape samples, Advances in Sample Preparation 11 (2024) 100123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sampre.2024.100123.
Syrgabek, M. Alimzhanova, P.A. García-Encina, J.J. Jiménez, R. López-Serna, Greenness evaluation of sample preparation methods by GAPI for the determination of pesticides in grape: A review, Trends in Environmental Analytical Chemistry 39 (2023) e00206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.teac.2023.e00206.
Mamedova, M.B. Alimzhanova, Determination of Biomarkers in Multifloral Honey by Vacuum-Assisted Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction, Food Anal. Methods 16 (2023) 1180–1190. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12161-023-02499-0.
Alimzhanova, M. Mamedova, K. Ashimuly, A. Alipuly, Y. Adilbekov, Miniaturized solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for determination of endocrine disruptors in drinking water, Food Chemistry: X 14 (2022) 100345. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fochx.2022.100345.
Syrgabek, M. Alimzhanova, Modern Analytical Methods for the Analysis of Pesticides in Grapes: A Review, Foods 11 (2022) 1623. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11111623.

Stay tuned for more updates! In our next post, we will introduce the laureates of the Chokan Valikhanov Prize.

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