Abstract
The objective of the study was meta-analysis of the soil pollution with heavy metals and related adverse health effects on exposed population in the Balkan’s region. Heavy metals are naturally occurring elements, and are present in varying concentrations in all ecosystems. There are a huge number of heavy metals. They are found in elemental form and in a variety of other chemical compounds The main anthropogenic sources of heavy metals are various industrial processes, mining, foundries, smelters, combustion of fossil fuel and gasoline, and waste incinerators. The major heavy metals of concern to WHO and EMEP are Hg, Cd and Pb, because they are the most toxic and have known serious effects on e.g. human health. Soil contamination is a problem discussed as a degraded process which importance exceeds agricultural area. In 2007 CERCLA Priority List of Hazardous Substances-ATSDR has been ranked several heavy metals by their toxicity. In the paper were presented some results from Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria, Serbia and Turkey.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alijagic, J. (2008) Distribution of chemical elements in an old metallurgic area, Zenica (Central Bosnia). MSc thesis. Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, pp 102.
Benkova, M., 2005. Colloid-chemical interactions at organo-mineral amelioration of soils, contaminated with heavy metals. PhD thesis, NPISS Japenga, Jan, L. Bonten, R. Kucharski
Crnkovic, D., Ristic M., Antonovic D. Soil and Sediment Contamination: An International Journal. Vol.15, Issue 16; 2006: 581-9.
Dinev, N., M. Banov, I. Nikova. Gen. Appl. Plant Physiology. 2008, Special Issue, 34 (3-4), 389-396.
Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for the Community action in the field of water policy.
Gjoka F., Henningsen P., Wegener H., Salillari I. Background and Reference Values of Heavy Metals for Agricultural Soils of the Tirana Region, Albania. Agroecology and Ecological Agriculture. 43rd Croatian and 3rd International Symposium on Agriculture. 2008.
Gregorauskiene V., Gulan A., Hayoz P., Halamic J., Haslinger E., Hratovic H., Ion A., Ivanovna Y., Johnson C., Jordan G., Kisivilla J., Klein P., Kwecko P., Lax K., Lima A., Locutura J., Malyuk B., Maquil R., Marku S., Martins L., Mazreku A., Messina A., O’Connor P., Ottesen R., Pasieczna A., Petersell W., Reeder S., Salpeteur I., Schedl A., Sefcik P., Slaninka I., Sorsa A., Selinus O., Stafilov T., Tarvainen T., Trendavilov V., Utermann J., Valera P., Vidojevic D., Volden T. (2008) Eurogeosurveys geochemical mapping of agricultural and grazing land soil of Europe (GEMAS), Field manual. NGU report 2008.038. Geological Survey of Norway.
Japenga, Jan, L. Bonten, R. Kucharski, O. Novosielska, N. Dinev, 2005. Revegetation as a tool for risk containment of heavy metal polluted sites. Third International Phytotechnologies Conference. April 20-22, 2005 Atlanta,GA.
Kabata-Pendias, H. Pendias, 2001: Trace elements in soil and plants, Third Edition. CRC Press, Boca Raton, p. 16.
Kochubovski M., D. Gjorgjev. Lead in soil and possible child health risk in Veles region, Macedonia, Journal of Balkan Ecology, Vol. 6, No. 2, Sofia; 2003: 200-3.
Miesch AT (1976) Geochemical survey of Missouri, methods of sampling, laboratory analyzing, and statistical reduction of data. Geological survey professional paper, USGS, 954a, Washington, pp 1–39.
Mitsubishi materials natural resources development corporation. The Study on capacity development for soil contamination management related to mining in the Republic of Macedonia. Master Plan of capacity development for soil contamination management. July 2007, Skopje.
Nriagu, J.O., Pacyna, J.M. 1988. Quantitative assessment of worldwide contamination of air, water and soils by trace metals. Nature 333 (6169): 134-139.
Novosielska O., N. Dinev, Revegetation as a tool for risk containment of heavy metal polluted sites. Third International Phytotechnologies Conference. April 20-22, 2005 Atlanta,GA.
Pančevski Z., T. Stafilov, M. V. Frontasyeva, Copper in surface soil of Veles Region, Macedonia, Geologica Macedonica, 20, 27–32 (2006).
Reimann C, Albanese S, Batista MJ, Bel-Lan A, Birke M, Cicchella D, Demetriades A, de Vivo B, de Vos W, Dinelli E, Duris M, Dusza-Dobek A, Ernstsen V, Flight D, Gilucis A, Gosar M
Šajn R (2003) Distribution of chemical elements in attic dust and soil as reflection of lithology and anthropogenic influence in Slovenia. J Phys 107:1173–1176.
Sallaku F., Fortuzi S., Tota O., Huqi B., Chachalis D., Darawsheh M. Heavy metal soil contamination around the metallurgical plant of Elbasani in Albania. International Journal of food, agriculture and environment, 2009, vol. 7 (2), no3-4, pp. 878-881.
Sayegh-Petkovsek S., Kotnik K., Kugonic N., Sajn R., Janza M., Kumelj S., Seserko M., Zalubersek M., Bole M., Druks Gajsek P., Petric M., Kosir A., Kogovsek J., Policnik H., Cater M., Levanic T., Bienelli-Kalpic A., Carni A., Kostadinovski M., Kosir P., Matevski V., Silc U., Zelnik I., Jelenko I., Brancelj A., Tome D., Savinek K., Mikuz B., Miklavzina I., Koncnik D., Flis J., Repinc U., Strok M., Benedik L., Lojen S., Crnic B., Gobec S., Ivanovski L., Blazevski B., Veljanovska A., Pavsek Z., Pokorny B. (2007) Dolocitev vpliva vojaskega poligona Krivolak na okolje z namenom njegove ekoloske sanacije. Porocilo. ERICo Velenje, Velenje, p. 590.
Sezgin Sarikaya, Ozgur Karcioglu, Didem Ay, Asli Cetin, Can Aktas, Mustafa Serinken. Acute mercury poisoning: a case report. BMC Emergency Medicine, 2010; 10.
Sundseth, K., Pacyna, J.M., Pacyna, E.G., et al. (2010). Economic benefits from decreased mercury emissions: Projections for 2020. Journal of Cleaner Production. 18: 386-394.
Stafilov T., R. Šajn, B. Boev, J. Cvetković, D. Mukaetov, M. Andreevski, S. Lepitkova, Distribution of some elements in surface soil over the Kavadarci Region, Republic of Macedonia, Environmental Earth Sciences, 1-16 (2010); DOI 10.1007/s12665-010-0467-9; in press.
Stafilov T., R. Ĺ ajn, Z. PanÄŤevski, B. Boev, M. V. Frontasyeva, L. P. Strelkova, Heavy metal contamination of surface soils around a lead and zinc smelter in the Republic of Macedonia, Journal of Hazardous Materials, 175, 896-914 (2010).
Theocharopoulos SP, Wagner G, Sprengart J, Mohr M-E, Desaules A, Muntau H, Christou M, Quevauviller P (2001) European soil sampling guidelines for soil pollution studies. Sci Total Environ 264:51–62.
Vania Doichinova, Maria Sokolovska, Emilia Velizarova. Heavy metals contamination of soils under oak ecosystems in the Sofia region. Environmental Chemistry Letters. Vol.4 No.2, 2006: 101-5.
Vidovic M., Sadibasic A., Cupic S., Lausevic M. Cd and Zn in atmospheric deposit, soil, wheat, and milk. Environmental research, 2005, vol. 97, no1, pp. 26-31.
WHO. Health and Environment in Europe: Progress Assessment. Copenhagen, 2010: 70.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.
About this paper
Cite this paper
Kochubovski, M. (2011). Heavy Metals as Persistent Problem for Balkan Countries. In: Simeonov, L., Kochubovski, M., Simeonova, B. (eds) Environmental Heavy Metal Pollution and Effects on Child Mental Development. NATO Science for Peace and Security Series C: Environmental Security, vol 1. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0253-0_14
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0253-0_14
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-007-0252-3
Online ISBN: 978-94-007-0253-0
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)