title: Multi-element atmospheric deposition in Macedonia studied by the moss biomonitoring technique.
abstract: Moss biomonitoring technique using moss species Homolothecium lutescens (Hedw.) Robins and Hypnum cupressiforme (Hedw.) was applied to air pollution studies in the Republic of Macedonia. The study was performed in the framework of the International Cooperative Programme on Effects of Air Pollution on Natural Vegetation and Crops under the auspices of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP). The presence of 47 elements was determined by instrumental epithermal neutron activation analysis, atomic absorption spectrometry and atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma. Normality of the datasets of elements was investigated, and Box-Cox transformation was used in order to achieve normal distributions of the data. Different pollution sources were identified and characterized using principal component analysis (PCA). Distribution maps were prepared to point out the regions most affected by pollution and to relate this to the known sources of contamination. The cities of Veles, Skopje, Tetovo, Radoviš and Kavadarci were determined to experience particular environmental stress. Moreover, three reactivated lead-zinc mines were also shown to contribute to a high content of lead and zinc in the eastern part of the country. However, a comparison with the previous moss survey conducted in 2005 showed a decreasing trend of pollution elements that are usually associated with emission from industrial activities.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physics, Faculty of Science, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, POB 162, 1000, Skopje, Macedonia.
authors.forename: Lambe
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barandovski
authors.affiliation: Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, 141980, Dubna, Moscow Region, Russia.
authors.forename: Marina V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Frontasyeva
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, POB 162, 1000, Skopje, Macedonia. trajcest@pmf.ukim.mk.
authors.forename: Trajče
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stafilov
authors.affiliation: Geological Survey of Slovenia, Dimičeva ul. 14, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Šajn
authors.affiliation: Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, 141980, Dubna, Moscow Region, Russia.
authors.forename: Tatyana M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Ostrovnaya
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000032:analysis; D044002:Bryophyta; D019068:Bryopsida / Q000737:chemistry*; D002947:Cities; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D007221:Industry; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D008906:Mining; D009501:Neutron Activation Analysis; D018843:Republic of North Macedonia; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014131:Trace Elements
keywords: Air pollution; Atomic absorption spectrometry; Atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma; Biomonitoring; Macedonia; Moss; Neutron activation analysis