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Mosses as bioindicators of radionuclide and metal pollution in northern Kosovo and Metohija mountain region

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Abstract

The study investigates mosses (Hypnum cupressiforme Hedw.) as bioindicators of pollution in three non-urban mountain areas of northern Kosovo and Metohija regions. Concentrations of radionuclides and metals were measured in moss and soil samples. 137Cs specific activities in soil were strongly correlated with organic matter content. 137Cs in mosses was significantly higher in coniferous than in deciduous forests. 7Be measured in moss samples was increasing with altitude. Concentrations of Ni, Cr, Cu and Zn exceeded regulatory limits in many soil samples from two mountains (Kopaonik and Rogozna). However, concentrations of elements in mosses were weakly correlated with those in soil.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development (III41028, 171021, 41010, 451-03-68/2020-14/200123 and 451-03-68/2020-14/200378).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, University of Priština, Lole Ribara 29, Kosovska Mitrovica, 38220, Serbia

    Ljiljana Gulan, Tatjana Jakšić & Predrag Vasić

  2. Institute for Information Technologies, Kragujevac, Department of Science, University of Kragujevac, Jovana Cvijica bb, Kragujevac, 34000, Serbia

    Biljana Milenkovic & Jelena M. Stajic

  3. Faculty of Science, University of Kragujevac, Radoja Domanovića 12, Kragujevac, 34000, Serbia

    Zoran Simić & Nenad Zlatić

Authors
  1. Ljiljana Gulan
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  2. Tatjana Jakšić
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  3. Biljana Milenkovic
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  4. Jelena M. Stajic
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Correspondence to Jelena M. Stajic.

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Gulan, L., Jakšić, T., Milenkovic, B. et al. Mosses as bioindicators of radionuclide and metal pollution in northern Kosovo and Metohija mountain region. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 326, 315–327 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07358-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07358-4

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