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6.
Distribution of Zinc in Surface Soils in K. Mitrovica Region, Kosovo
Milihate Aliu1, Robert, Šajn2, Trajče Stafilov3*
1
Faculty of Medicine, Prishtina University, Prishtina, Kosovo
2 Geological Survey of Slovenia, Dimičeva ul. 14, 1000
Ljubljana, Slovenia
*3 Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Sts. Cyril
and Methodius University, POB 162, 1001 Skopje, Republic of
Macedonia; e-mail:
trajcest@pmf.ukim.mk
Abstract:
The results of study the spatial distribution of
zinc in topsoil (0-5 cm) over the K. Mitrovica region, Kosovo,
are reported. The investigated region (300 km2) is
covered by a sampling grid of 1.4×1.4 km. In total 159 soil
samples from 149 locations were collected. Inductively coupled
plasma – mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled
plasma – atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) were applied for
the determination of zinc. Data analysis and construction of the
map were performed using the Statistica (ver. 9), AutoDesk Map
(ver. 2008) and Surfer (ver. 9) software. It was found that the
average content of zinc in the topsoil for the entire study area
is 520 mg/kg (with a range of 721–11900 mg/kg) which exceeds the
estimated European Zn average of topsoil by a factor of 7.6. It
is evident that the content of zinc is very high in the topsoils
from the areas of the lead and zinc smelter plant, as well as in
the topsoils from the part of the city of K. Mitrovica. In the
region of Zvečan and K. Mitrovica several topsoil samples with
extremely high content of zinc are present. The main polluted
area covers 40 km2 with the average concentration of zinc is
1127 mg/kg (from 721 to 11900 mg/kg).
KEYWORDS:
Soil, zinc, pollution, ICP-MS, ICP-AES, K. Mitrovica, Republic
of Kosovo.
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