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Assessment of heavy metal contamination in water and sediments of Trepça and Sitnica rivers, Kosovo, using pollution indicators and multivariate cluster analysis

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Abstract

The concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in water and sediment samples from Trepça and Sitnica rivers were determined to assess the level of contamination. Six water and sediment samples were collected during the period from April to July 2014. Most of the water samples was found within the European and Kosovo permissible limits. The highest concentration of As, Cd, Pb, and Zn originates primarily from anthropogenic sources such discharge of industrial water from mining flotation and from the mine waste eroded from the river banks. Sediment contamination assessment was carried out using the pollution indicators such as contamination factor (CF), degree of contamination (Cd), modified degree of contamination (mCd), pollution load index (PLI), and geo-accumulation index (Igeo). The CF values for the investigated metals indicated a high contaminated nature of sediments, while the Cd values indicated a very high contamination degree of sediments. The mCd values indicate a high degree of contamination of Sitnica river sediment to ultrahigh degree of contamination of Trepça river sediment. The PLI values ranged from 1.89 to 14.1 which indicate that the heavy metal concentration levels in all investigated sites exceeded the background values and sediment quality guidelines. The average values of Igeo revealed the following ranking of intensity of heavy metal contamination of the Trepça and Sitnica river sediments: Cd > As > Pb > Zn > Cu > Co > Cr > Ni. Cluster analysis suggests that As, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn are derived from anthropogenic sources, particularly discharges from mining flotation and erosion form waste from a zinc mine plant. In order to protect the sediments from further contamination, the designing of a monitoring network and reducing the anthropogenic discharges are suggested.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Food Technology, Department of Technology, University of Mitrovica, 40000, Mitrovica, Kosovo

    Flora Ferati

  2. Department of Environmental Management, International Business College Mitrovica, Pajazit Boletini 22, 40000, Mitrovica, Kosovo

    Mihone Kerolli-Mustafa

  3. Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Natural Science, University of Tirana, 11215, Tirana, Albania

    Arjana Kraja-Ylli

Authors
  1. Flora Ferati
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  2. Mihone Kerolli-Mustafa
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  3. Arjana Kraja-Ylli
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Correspondence to Mihone Kerolli-Mustafa.

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Ferati, F., Kerolli-Mustafa, M. & Kraja-Ylli, A. Assessment of heavy metal contamination in water and sediments of Trepça and Sitnica rivers, Kosovo, using pollution indicators and multivariate cluster analysis. Environ Monit Assess 187, 338 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-015-4524-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-015-4524-4

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