engleski

Assessment of trace metal air pollution in some Balkan countries based on large-scale application of moss biomonitoring,

Several countries in the Balkan region participated in the European surveys of atmospheric metal deposition in 2000 and 2005 based on sampling and analysis of naturally growing moss. The present paper summarises results from moss samples collected in Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia, and Turkey (Thrace), in most cases Hypnum cupressiforme. About 40 elements were determined in the moss samples, mainly by neutron activation analysis in Dubna, and the results were subjected to principal component factor analysis. The factors were used to separate contributions from different source categories and associating individual elements to each of these categories. Factor scores of individual samples were useful in identification of discrete sources. Dominant emission sources were located in Burgas and Plovdiv (Bulgaria), Sisak and Zagreb (Croatia), Veles (Macedonia), Bor (Serbia), and Istanbul (Turkey). The metals V, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Sb, and Pb were most typically associated with emissions of air pollutants. Median values for each of these elements in each of the territories studied served to compare the general air pollution levels among the Balkan countries and with countries in other parts of Europe participating in the moss surveys. In general the present countries were substantially more polluted than most countries in western and northern Europe. Croatia appeared to be generally less polluted than the other countries studied. In some cases transboundary pollution among the present countries or from neighbouring countries was indicated.

trace metal; air pollution; moss biomonitoring

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