Characterization of mineral composition of leaves and flowers of wild-growing Sambucus nigra

The objective of this study was to determine the mineral content in the leaves and flowers of wild-grown Sambucus nigra collected from eleven different locations in Kosovo. The samples were digested in a microwave system using the wet digestion method. The minerals were determined by the application of inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). A total of 31 elements were determined, 15 elements by the ICP-AES method (Al, B, Ba, Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, Sr, V, and Zn) and 16 elements by the ICP-MS method (Ag, As, Be, Bi, Cd, Co, Cs, Ga, Hg, In, Li, Ni, Pb, Rb, Tl, and U). The leaves of S. nigra show a higher content of minerals compared to the flowers, except for the flower of the sample SN-FL10, which is characterized by a high concentration of Fe, Al, Pb, Be, and Tl. The concentration of heavy metals and toxic elements (Pb, Cd, and Hg) was within the permissible concentrations according to Eur. Ph

Atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICPAES) analysis of trace elements in Camellia sinensis teas

The atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-AES) technique was used for determination of trace elements presence and their contents in Camellia sinensis teas and its tea mixtures. Samples were collected from macedonian market originating from Macedonia, Serbia and Poland. For sample preparation microwave digestion system using HNO3 and H2O2 was applied. The following trace elements: Al, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Sr, V and Zn were determined in several types of tea products. The results showed that K, Ca and Mg were the most abundant elements (10287 mg/kg, 6072 mg/kg, 3072 mg/kg, respectively) and Mo and V were not detected. The elements: Na and Li were detected at the widest ranges. As, Cd and Pb were detected at allowed quantities. The results for the content of all analyzed elements showed the expected variation among sampled teas and therefore these tea products may not produce any health risks for human consumption as sources of toxic metals

Spatial distribution of chemical elements in soil from the Veles region, Republic of Macedonia

The contents and spatial distributions of various chemical elements in soil in the Veles region, Republic of Macedonia, are presented. For this purpose, soil samples from two layers (0–5 cm and 20–30 cm) from 53 locations with a network of 5 × 5 km were collected. The samples were analyzed by the application of atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (AES-ICP) and the content of 19 elements (Al, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Sr, V and Zn) in all soil samples was determined. From the analyzed soil samples, 3 chemical associations were determined, from which two factors are characterized as lithogenic associations: F1 (Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Mg, Mn, Ni and V) and F3 (Al and Ca), and one as anthropogenic association (F2 including Pb and Zn). From the obtained results and from the maps of spatial distribution of all analyzed elements it can be concluded that the major source of pollution of soil with Pb and Zn in the Veles region is the former lead and zinc smelter plant located in the near vicinity of the city of Veles

Atmospheric Heavy Metal Deposition in North Macedonia from 2002 to 2010 Studied by Moss Biomonitoring Technique

Moss biomonitoring technique was used for a heavy-metal pollution study in Macedonia in the framework of the International Cooperative Program on Effects of Air Pollution on Natural Vegetation and Crops (UNECE IPC Vegetation). Moss samples (n = 72) were collected during the summers of 2002, 2005, and 2010. The contents of 41 elements were determined by neutron activation analysis, atomic absorption spectrometry, and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. Using factor and cluster analyses, three geogenic factors were determined (Factor 1, including Al, As, Co, Cs, Fe, Hf, Na, Rb, Sc, Ta, Th, Ti, U, V, Zr, and rare-earth elements–RE; Factor 4 with Ba, K, and Sr; and Factor 5 with Br and I), one anthropogenic factor (Factor 2, including Cd, Pb, Sb, and Zn), and one geogenic-anthropogenic factor (Factor 3, including Cr and Ni). The highest anthropogenic impact of heavy metal to the air pollution in the country was from the ferronickel smelter near Kavadraci (Ni and Cr), the lead and zinc mines in the vicinity of Makedonska Kamenica, Probištip, and Kriva Palanka in the eastern part of the country (Cd, Pb, and Zn), and the former lead and zinc smelter plant in Veles. Beside the anthropogenic influences, the lithology and the composition of the soil also play an important role in the distribution of the elements

DISTRIBUTION OF CHEMICAL ELEMENTS IN SEDIMENTS AND ALLUVIAL SOILS FROM THE CRNA REKA RIVER BASIN

The distribution of 23 chemical elements (Ag, Al, As, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Sr, V and Zn) in sediments and alluvial soils from the entire basin of the river of Crna Reka, Republic of North Macedonia, is presented. In total 31 sediments and 31 soil samples were collected, from which 9 locations are from the river of Crna Reka and 4 from four main tributaries of Crna Reka in the Pelagonia Valley (Blato, Prilepska Reka, Dragor and Jelaška Reka). Also, sediments and soil samples were collected from 3 locations at the shore of the Tikveš Lake, 8 locations from the rivers of Majdanska Reka and Blašnica before its inflow into Tikveš Lake, and from 7 locations of the lower course of the Crna Reka river after the dam of Tikveš Lake until its inflow into the river of Vardar. Determination of the contents of the investigated elements was performed by atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-AES). All data obtained for the analyzed samples were statistically processed using software Stat Soft 11.0. The maps of spatial distribution of the contents for each element and a histogram with the mean values of the contents for each element by regions were also prepared. In the matrix of the load factors for the elements in the sediment and soil samples there are five factors. Factor 1 includes the chemical elements Mg, Ba, Li, Sr, Al and Ca. Factor 2 includes the chemical elements V, Fe and Cu, while factor 3 includes Ni, Cr and As. Factor 4 includes Pb and Zn, while factor 5 includes Na, P and K. The correlation coefficients matrix for sediments and soil samples from whole investigated area showed that there is a strong correlation between the contents of the elements: Sr-Mg (0.85), Ba-Al (0.83), Mg-Ba (0.83), Ni-As (0.81), Sr-Ba (0.81), Sr-Ca (0.81), V-Fe (0.80), Mn-Al (0.80), Sr-Al (0.79), Mg-Al (0.74), Mn-Fe (0.74) and Mg-Ca (0.70). The obtained results show that the main sources of anthropogenic pollution in whole area of the Crna Reka river basin originate from the rivers of Blašnica and Majdanska Reka as a result of anthropogenic mining activities in that region. Key words: Crna Reka; Republic of North Macedonia; river basin; sediment; soil; heavy metals; distributio

Atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupledplasma (ICP-AES) analysis of trace elements in Camellia sinensis teas

The atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-AES) tehnique was used for determination of trace elements presence and their contents in Camellia sinensis teas and its tea mixtures. Samples were collected from macedonian market originating fromMacedonia, Serbia and Poland. For sample preparation microwave digestion systemusing HNO3 and H2O2 was applied. The followingtrace elements: Al, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P,Pb, Sr, V and Zn were determined in several types of tea products. The resultsshowed that K, Ca and Mg were the most abundant elements (10290 mg/kg, 6070mg/kg and 3070 mg/kg, respectively) and the contents of Mo and V were bellow detectionlimits. The elements Na and Li were detected at the widest ranges. As, Cd and Pb were detected at allowed quantities. The results for the content of all analyzed elements showed the expected variation among sampled teas and therefore these tea products may not produce any health risks for human consumption as sources of toxic metals. Keywords: Atomic spectrometry; ICP-AES; Camellia sinensis; trace elements; te

Study of nitrogen pollution in the Republic of North Macedonia by moss biomonitoring and Kjeldahl method

In the summer of 2005 and 2010, moss samples were collected from 72 sampling sites evenly distributed all over the territory of Republic of North Macedonia. Kjeldahl method was used to determine the nitrogen content in the samples. Descriptive statistics and distribution maps were prepared. Data obtained from these two surveys were compared, and additional comparison was done with data obtained from similar studies in the South-Eastern European countries and Finland as a clean area. The median value of N content in the samples collected in 2005 is 1.21%, varies from 0.70% to 1.54%, while the content of N in samples collected in 2010 ranges between 0.68% and 1.75% with the median value of 1.06%. High contents of N were found in the Northern and Central parts of the country mainly as a result of agricultural activities, industry and traffic

DETERMINATION OF MACRONUTRIENTS, MICRONUTRIENTS AND HEAVY METALS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF SAMBUCUS NIGRA FROM KOSOVO

The aim of this study was the determination of macroelements, microelements, heavy metals, and potentially toxic elements in spontaneous leaves and flowers of Sambucus nigra collected in different localities in Kosovo. The plant material was air-dried, packed in paper bags, and kept in a dark and cold place until analysis. Samples were digested in a microwave system by the wet digestion method. The minerals were determined by inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) method and inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) method. The leaves exhibit a very similar mineral profile to the flowers of S. nigra. Variation in the content of the elements between leaves and flowers of S. nigra was observed with respect to geographical localities

The Distribution of Minerals in Crucial Parts of Mountain tea (Sideritis scardica Griseb.)

The aim of this study was the determination of mineral content in spontaneous flowering stems and rosette leaves of mountain tea (Sideritis scardica Griseb.) collected in four different localities in North Macedonia. The plant material was air-dried, packed in paper bags, and kept in a dark and cold place until analysis. Samples were digested in a microwave system by the wet digestion method. The minerals were determined by the application of inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The rosette leaves exhibit a very similar mineral content profile to the flowering stems of S. scardica, and accordingly can be recommended as a plant material of this endemic aromatic plant

Thallium hyperaccumulation status of the violets of the Allchar arsenic–thallium deposit (North Macedonia) confirmed through synchrotron µXRF imaging

The abandoned Allchar Mine in the Republic of North Macedonia is a globally unique deposit with the highest known grades of thallium (Tl) and arsenic (As) mineralization. We aimed to determine the distribution of As and Tl in whole dehydrated shoots of the three Viola taxa using synchrotron micro-X-ray fluorescence analysis. Additionally, soil and plant organ samples were collected from all three Viola taxa at the Allchar site and analysed using inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectrometry. Concentrations of Tl were extremely high in all three Viola taxa (up to 58 900 mg kg$^{−1}$), but concentrations of As were highly variable with V. tricolor subsp. macedonica and V. allchariensis having low As (up to 20.2 and 26.3 mg kg$^{−1}$, respectively) and V. arsenica having the highest concentrations (up to 381 mg kg$^{−1}$). The extremely high Tl in all three species is endogenous and not a result of contamination. Arsenic in V. tricolor subsp. macedonica and V. allcharensis is strongly affected by contamination, but not in V. arsenica where it appears to be endogenous. The pattern of As enrichment in V. arsenica is very unusual and coincides with Ca-oxalate deposits and Br hotspots. The results of this study could form the basis for more detailed investigations under controlled conditions, including plant dosing experiments