Moss biomonitoring of air pollution with potentially toxic elements in the Pelagonia Region, North Macedonia

ABSTRACT

This study aims to investigate air deposition and explore the distribution and contamination with potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in the Pelagonia Region, North Macedonia. For this goal, 63 moss samples were collected and analysed by inductively coupled plasma – atomic emission spectrometry to determine the content of 19 major and trace elements. It was found that the atmospheric deposition of some PTEs in the moss samples from specific parts of the study area is influenced by anthropogenic activities. Three factor associations were obtained from multivariance R-method factor analysis: Factor 1 (Al, Ba, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Ni, V, and Na) mixed lithogenic and anthropogenic association, Factor 2 (Ca, K, Mg, Na, Cd, and Zn) mostly as a result of complex geology and lithology of the region, and Factor 3 (Pb, Zn, and Ni) which represents an anthropogenic association of the elements mostly present in the air particles emitted from the fly ash landfill of the thermoelectric power plant near the city of Bitola. The external influence of the transport of the particles reached in Ni from the ferronickel smelter plant near the town of Kavadarci was also observed in the northeastern part of the study area.

KEYWORDS:

• Potentially toxic elements
• moss biomonitoring
• factor analysis
• Pelagonia Region
• North Macedonia

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Trajce Stafilov

Prof. Dr. Trajče Stafilov received his BSc (1972), MSc (1979), and PhD (1985) in Chemistry from the Faculty of Natural Science and Mathematics, Ss Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje, North Macedonia. From 1974-1978 he was with the same faculty as a teaching assistant, from 1978-1988 he was with Feronickel, Kavadarci, Macedonia as a Laboratory manager. From 1988-the present he is with the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Skopje, North Macedonia (since 1997 as a full professor). He has published over 30 books and monographs and over 450 scientific papers, which have been cited 4200 times. He works in the field of analytical and environmental chemistry.

Robert Šajn

Dr. Robert Šajn received his BSc (1989), MSc (1995), and PhD (1998) in Geology at the Department of Geology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. He was employed by the Geological Survey of Slovenia in 1990. Since 2004 is a senior scientific researcher. He was working on many geochemical projects for exploration and environmental purposes, geochemical research and mapping of urban areas, management, statistical processing, and GIS processing with databases. He has published over 60 scientific papers.

Ana Puteska

Ana Puteska received his BSc (2008) and MSc (2015), in Chemistry at the Faculty of Science Ss Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje, North Macedonia. He was employed by Leov Company in Prilep, North Macedonia as a chemical engineer.

Bojana Dimovska

Bojana Dimovska received his BSc (2009) and MSc (2014), in Chemistry from the Faculty of Science Ss Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje, North Macedonia. He was employed at the Tobacco Institute in Prilep, North Macedonia, as a research assistant.