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CHEMICAL ASSESSMENT OF HEAVY METALS IN THE RIVER WATER OF MIRUSHA (KOSOVO) - A STATISTICAL APPROACH

Fatbardh Franciskovic_Bilinski

Abstract

Generally, waters of Kosovo are enriched in dissolved solids, as the consequence of aquifer lithology and residence time of ground water. The main objective of this study was to perform assessment of heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Fe, Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb and Mn) content and water pollution of River Mirusha (Kosovo) using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) method. Multivariate-statistical analysis approaches were used to determine the anthropogenic and natural contribution of heavy metals. The obtained results show that values of some heavy metals in studied river water samples were significantly high, with following maximal concentrations: Zn (0.053 mgL-1), Cu (0.012 mgL-1), Fe (0.062 mgL-1), Cd (0.029 mgL-1), Cr (0.109 mgL-1), Pb (0.034 mgL-1) and Mn (0.093 mgL-1). Cadmium and Lead were found to be the most significant contaminants. According to WHO recommended values for drinking water, on all locations values were within the limits for Zn, Cu, Fe and Mn, while for Cd, Cr, Ni and Pb values exceed recommended values on some sampling stations. The results for PearsonпїЅs correlation factors show very high positive relationship (correlation) between variables Cu and Fe, Cd, Cr and Mn. Fe showed high significant positive relationship with Cd, Cr and Mn. Cd showed high significant positive relationship with Cr, Pb and Mn. Those high values of some heavy metals could be caused by geological composition of rocks and by soil influence, also partly from different influences of anthropogenic nature.

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