title: Distribution of chemical elements in soils and stream sediments in the area of abandoned Sb-As-Tl Allchar mine, Republic of Macedonia.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of some toxic elements in topsoil and subsoil, focusing on the identification of natural and anthropogenic element sources in the small region of rare As-Sb-Tl mineralization outcrop and abandoned mine Allchar known for the highest natural concentration of Tl in soil worldwide. The samples of soil and sediments after total digestion were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). Factor analysis (FA) was used to identify and characterize element associations. Six associations of elements were determined by the method of multivariate statistics: Rb-Ta-K-Nb-Ga-Sn-Ba-Bi-Li-Be-(La-Eu)-Hf-Zr-Zn-In-Pd-Ag-Pt-Mg; Tl-As-Sb-Hg; Te-S-Ag-Pt-Al-Sc-(Gd-Lu)-Y; Fe-Cu-V-Ge-Co-In; Pd-Zr-Hf-W-Be and Ni-Mn-Co-Cr-Mg. The purpose of the assessment was to determine the nature and extent of potential contamination as well as to broadly assess possible impacts to human health and the environment. The results from the analysis of the collected samples in the vicinity of the mine revealed that As and Tl elements have the highest median values. Higher median values for Sb are obviously as a result of the past mining activities and as a result of area surface phenomena in the past.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, POB 162, 1000 Skopje, Macedonia.
authors.forename: Katerina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bačeva
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, POB 162, 1000 Skopje, Macedonia. Electronic address: trajcest@pmf.ukim.mk.
authors.forename: Trajče
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stafilov
authors.affiliation: Geological Survey of Slovenia, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Šajn
authors.affiliation: INCDO-INOE 2000 Research Institute for Analytical Instrumentation (ICIA), Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Claudiu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tănăselia
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, POB 162, 1000 Skopje, Macedonia.
authors.forename: Petre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Makreski
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000032:analysis*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D064371:Hazardous Waste Sites; D006801:Humans; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry*; D008906:Mining; D018843:Republic of North Macedonia; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014131:Trace Elements
keywords: Allchar; As–Sb–Tl; Sediments; Soil; Toxic elements distribution