Biomonitoring of Atmospheric Pollution with Heavy Metals in the Copper Mine Vicinity Located near Radovis, Republic of Macedonia

This investigation was undertaken to determine the atmospheric pollution with heavy metals due to copper mining Bucim near Radovis, the Republic of Macedonia. Moss samples (Hyloconium splendens and Pleurozium schrebery) were used for biomonitoring the possible atmospheric pollution with heavy metals in mine vicinity. Sixteen elements (Al, As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Sr, and Zn) were analysed by application of flame and electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS and ETAAS) and atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-AES). The obtained values were statistically processed using nonparametric and parametric analysis. The median value for copper obtained from moss samples (10 mg/kg) was much lower compared with the same values for the whole territory of the Republic of Macedonia (22 mg/kg). The range of values (2.1–198 mg/kg) shows much higher content of this element in the samples taken from the study area compared to the appropriate values for the whole territory of Macedonia. The association of elements As, Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb, and Zn was singled out by factor analysis as a characteristic anthropogenic group of elements. Maps of area deposition were made for this group of elements, wherefrom correlation of these anthropogenic born elements was confirmed

Environmental Pollution of Soil and Anthropogenic Impact of Polymetallic Hydrothermal Extractions: Case Study—Bregalnica River Basin, Republic of Macedonia

The distribution of certain elements, which in higher content represents hazard to the environment, causes certain unwanted consequences on human health. Therefore, the environmental monitoring not only for the lithogenic but also for the anthropogenic distribution leads to determination of the main hot spots in environment. The anthropogenic activities for exploitation of natural resources and their processing represent a global problem of pollution of the environment. Bregalnica River Basin in the eastern part of the Republic of Macedonia was selected as a study area with the presence of three potential emission sources: lead and zinc mines („Zletovo” and „Sasa” mines) and copper mine („Bučim” mine). Lithogenic and anthropogenic distribution of 69 elements was evaluated in alluvial, automorphic and paddy soil from Bregalnica River Basin. Determination of the total elements contents was performed using mass spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-MS) and atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-AES). The obtained values for the contents of certain potentially toxic elements show significantly higher values in all types of samples taken from the vicinity of the mines, characterized with anthropogenic impacts. Soil analysis indicates that the lithogenic distribution is represented by six geochemical associations. The anthropogenic distribution represents the factor F2 (Cu, Pb, Sb, Cd, Sn, Zn, Te), where the regions of mines cover 90 percentile of the contents of these elements. Intensive polymetallic depositions were recorded only in the surroundings of the localities where the hydrothermal extractions are implemented