Geochemical properties of topsoil around the coal mine and thermoelectric power plant

Abstract

The results of the systematic study of the spatial distribution of trace metals in surface soil over the Bitola region, Republic of Macedonia, known for its coal mine and thermo-electrical power plant activities are reported. The investigated region (3200 km) is covered by a sparse sampling grid of 5 × 5 km, but in the urban zone and around the thermoelectric power plant the sampling grid is denser (1 × 1 km). In total, 229 soil samples from 149 locations were collected including top-soil (0-5 cm) and bottom-soil samples (20-30 cm and 0-30 cm). Inductively coupled plasma - atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) was applied for the determinations of 21 elements (Al, As, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Sr, V and Zn). Based on the results of factor analyses, three geogenic associations of elements have been defined: F1 (Fe, Ni, V, Co, Cr, Mn and Li), F2 (Zn, B, Cu, Cd, Na and K) and F3 (Ca, Sr, Mg, Ba and Al). Even typical trace metals such as As, Cd, Cu, Ni, P, Pb and Zn are not isolated into anthropogenic geochemical associations by multivariate statistical methods still show some trends of local anthropogenic enrichment. The distribution maps for each analyzed element is showing the higher content of these elements in soil samples collected around the thermoelectric power plants than their average content for the soil samples collected from the whole Bitola Region. It was found that this enrichment is a result of the pollution by fly ash from coal burning which deposited near the plant having a high content of these elements.

Wild Boar (Sus scrofa L.) as the Biomonitor of Cadmium and Lead Pollution in the Republic of North Macedonia

“…The average value of cadmium of 0.423 mg•kg -1 for this locality does not exceed the maximum permissible limit, but it is still significantly higher than the average value of the Polog hunting area. Our results correspond with the recent study (Stafilov et al 2018)indicating that the concentrations of cadmium in the soil in the Bitola region do not exceed the maximum allowed according to Dutch Standards. Furthermore, compared to the average values of European soils, they are lower in relation to them, but some samples in the area of REK Bitola have slightly increased content over the target value ranging from 1.0 to 1.3 mg•kg -1 .…”

Multivariate Statistical Methods in Determining the Spatial Distribution of Chemical Elements in Soils (Kumanovo Region, North Macedonia)

“…Previous studies over the whole territory of North Macedonia, show that soil pollution with some PTEs (As, Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Zn) is mainly caused by mining and metallurgical activities (Balabanova et al, 2013;Bačeva et al, 2014;Stafilov et al, 2010aStafilov et al, , 2010bStafilov et al, , 2018aStafilov et al, ,b, 2021Stafilov et al, , 2022aŠajn, 2016, 2019;Jeftimova et al, 2016). This soil pollution in turn leads to pollution of other environmental media such as air (Barandovski et al, 2008(Barandovski et al, , 2012(Barandovski et al, , 2015(Barandovski et al, , 2020Stafilov et al, 2018bStafilov et al, , 2022b.…”

Use of multivariate statistical methods to determine spatial distributions of chemical elements in soils (Mariovo region, North Macedonia)

“…On the basis of our previously obtained data from the whole territory of North Macedonia, soil pollu-tions were found in the areas of mining, metallurgical and urban activities due to the emission of certain heavy metals (As, Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni, Sb, Zn) (Stafilov et al, 2010a(Stafilov et al, , b, 2013(Stafilov et al, , 2018Balabanova et al, 2013;Serafimovska et al, 2013;Bačeva et al, 2014;Šajn, 2016, 2019). A need arose to determine the distributions of various chemical elements in the area of the Mariovo region, situated in the central-southern part of the country.…”