Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of chemical elements in topsoil and subsoil, focusing on the identification of natural and anthropogenic element sources in the area of the Crn Drim River Basin, Republic of Macedonia. For that purpose, by using sampling network of 5 × 5 km, 124 soil samples from 62 locations (topsoil and bottom soil) were collected. In total 60 elements were analysed, from which 18 elements (Ag, Al, B, Ba, Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb, V и Zn) were analysed by inductively coupled plasma - atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and an additional 42 elements were analysed by ICP - mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Multivariate statistical analysis was applied to the obtained data. Factor analysis applied to the ICP-AES results produced four geogenic fac-tors: F1 (Ba and K); F2 (Ag, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn), F3 (Cr, Fe, Na, Ni and V) and F4 (Al, Ca, Mg and Mn). Data ob-tained from the distribution maps and data analysis on soil samples, indicate the natural occurrence of the analysed ele-ments as well as low concentrations of heavy metals in the studied area.
Highlights
Pollution with heavy metals is a global problem initiated by progress in world technology and the human exploitation of natural resources; this has become a subject of many studies
The level of environmental pollution depends on the proper control of anthropogenic activities; these factors indicate a global problem of environmental pollution [2]
Factor analysis with the multivariate Rmethod was applied in order to show the associations between chemical elements
Summary
Pollution with heavy metals is a global problem initiated by progress in world technology and the human exploitation of natural resources; this has become a subject of many studies. The regional contamination of soil occurs mainly in industrial regions and within large settlement centres, where factories, traffic and municipal waste are the most important sources of trace metals [1]. Heavy metals occur as natural constituents of the Earth’s crust, and are persistent environmental contaminants since they cannot be degraded or destroyed. Some heavy metals have bio-importance as trace elements, but the biotoxic effects of many on human biochemistry are of great concern. The major causes of emission are anthropogenic sources, mining operations, where, in some cases, even long after mining activities have ceased, the emitted metals continue to persist in the environment [4,5,6]
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