Heavy metal contamination of topsoils around a lead and zinc smelter in the Republic of Macedonia.
The results of a first systematic study of spatial distribution of different elements in surface soil over the Veles region (50 km(2)) known for its lead and zinc industrial activity in the recent past are reported. A total of 201 soil samples were collected according to a dense net in urban area and less dense net in rural area. The total of 42 elements were analyzed by epithermal neutron activation analysis (ENAA) and by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The content of elements such as As, Au, Cd, Cu, Hg, In, Pb, Sb, Se, Zn in soil samples around the lead and zinc smelter and in the adjacent part of the town of Veles has appeared to be much higher than in those collected in the surrounding areas due to the pollution from the plant. Thus, the content of Cd (three times); Pb and Zn (two times) is even higher than the corresponding intervention (critical) values according to the Dutch standards. The results obtained by two complementary analytical techniques, AAS and ENAA, are discussed in terms of multivariate statistics. GIS technology was applied to depict the areas most affected by contamination from the lead and zinc smelter.
Stafilov
Trajce
T
Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Sts. Cyril and Methodius University, P.O. Box 162, 1001 Skopje, Republic of Macedonia. trajcest@pmf.ukim.mk
Sajn
Robert
R
Pancevski
Zlatko
Z
Boev
Blazo
B
Frontasyeva
Marina V
MV
Strelkova
Lyudmila P
LP
D002104:Cadmium / Q000737:chemistry; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000032:analysis; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000032:analysis; D007854:Lead / Q000737:chemistry*; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000737:chemistry*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D018843:Republic of North Macedonia; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry*; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic / Q000379:methods; D015032:Zinc / Q000737:chemistry*
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007220:Industrial Waste; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead; D015032:Zinc