Potentially toxic elements contamination and ecological risk assessment in water and surface sediments of Bistrica River
This research evaluates the quality of water and surface sediment in the Bistrica River, addressing the growing environmental challenges in Kosovo caused by extensive human activities. Contamination of these resources poses significant threats to aquatic ecosystems and human health. To assess this,...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Polish Academy of Sciences
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Water and Land Development |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.pan.pl/Content/133825/2025-01-JWLD-02.pdf |
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| author | Skender Demaku Tringa Kastrati |
| author_facet | Skender Demaku Tringa Kastrati |
| author_sort | Skender Demaku |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This research evaluates the quality of water and surface sediment in the Bistrica River, addressing the growing environmental challenges in Kosovo caused by extensive human activities. Contamination of these resources poses significant threats to aquatic ecosystems and human health. To assess this, we analysed the levels of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in the samples using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The elements examined included As, Cd, Fe, Pb, Ni, Mn, Cu, Zn, Al, and Co. Samples were collected from various sites along the Bistrica River during both high-flow and low-flow seasons in October 2023. The degree of PTE contamination was assessed using several pollution indices (contamination factor (CF), contamination degree (CD), pollution load index (PLI), enrichment factor (EF), geoaccumulation index (Igeo) and ecological risk index (ERI)), indicating that water exhibit low to moderate levels of pollution (World Health Organization (WHO) standards), while in sediment the pollution is extremely low, (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards). Results revealed that pollution in water samples , for some elements, such as Fe, Pb and Ni, exceeded the guidelines by the WHO, while other elements, such as Co, Al, Cu, Mn, Zn, As and Cd, are below the permitted limits according to the WHO standards. Additionally, statistical analysis and contamination clusters, primarily originating from agricultural fields and grazing areas within the catchment. To reduce these risks and safeguard both the aquatic ecosystem and human health, it is crucial to maintain regular monitoring and enforce effective management strategies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4fb2b8b2c76644d29a64ada9bed1d21b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2083-4535 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Polish Academy of Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Water and Land Development |
| spelling | doaj-art-4fb2b8b2c76644d29a64ada9bed1d21b2025-08-20T03:44:24ZengPolish Academy of SciencesJournal of Water and Land Development2083-45352024-12-01No 641220https://doi.org/10.24425/jwld.2024.151812Potentially toxic elements contamination and ecological risk assessment in water and surface sediments of Bistrica RiverSkender Demaku0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5582-5323Tringa Kastrati1https://orcid.org/0009-0005-8465-4240University of Prishtina “Hasan Prishtina”, Faculty of Natural Science and Mathematics, Department of Chemistry, 31 “George Bush” St, 10000 Prishtina, KosovoUniversity of Prishtina “Hasan Prishtina”, Faculty of Natural Science and Mathematics, Department of Chemistry, 31 “George Bush” St, 10000 Prishtina, KosovoThis research evaluates the quality of water and surface sediment in the Bistrica River, addressing the growing environmental challenges in Kosovo caused by extensive human activities. Contamination of these resources poses significant threats to aquatic ecosystems and human health. To assess this, we analysed the levels of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in the samples using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The elements examined included As, Cd, Fe, Pb, Ni, Mn, Cu, Zn, Al, and Co. Samples were collected from various sites along the Bistrica River during both high-flow and low-flow seasons in October 2023. The degree of PTE contamination was assessed using several pollution indices (contamination factor (CF), contamination degree (CD), pollution load index (PLI), enrichment factor (EF), geoaccumulation index (Igeo) and ecological risk index (ERI)), indicating that water exhibit low to moderate levels of pollution (World Health Organization (WHO) standards), while in sediment the pollution is extremely low, (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards). Results revealed that pollution in water samples , for some elements, such as Fe, Pb and Ni, exceeded the guidelines by the WHO, while other elements, such as Co, Al, Cu, Mn, Zn, As and Cd, are below the permitted limits according to the WHO standards. Additionally, statistical analysis and contamination clusters, primarily originating from agricultural fields and grazing areas within the catchment. To reduce these risks and safeguard both the aquatic ecosystem and human health, it is crucial to maintain regular monitoring and enforce effective management strategies.https://journals.pan.pl/Content/133825/2025-01-JWLD-02.pdfbistrica riverecological riskheavy metalssurface sedimentwater |
| spellingShingle | Skender Demaku Tringa Kastrati Potentially toxic elements contamination and ecological risk assessment in water and surface sediments of Bistrica River Journal of Water and Land Development bistrica river ecological risk heavy metals surface sediment water |
| title | Potentially toxic elements contamination and ecological risk assessment in water and surface sediments of Bistrica River |
| title_full | Potentially toxic elements contamination and ecological risk assessment in water and surface sediments of Bistrica River |
| title_fullStr | Potentially toxic elements contamination and ecological risk assessment in water and surface sediments of Bistrica River |
| title_full_unstemmed | Potentially toxic elements contamination and ecological risk assessment in water and surface sediments of Bistrica River |
| title_short | Potentially toxic elements contamination and ecological risk assessment in water and surface sediments of Bistrica River |
| title_sort | potentially toxic elements contamination and ecological risk assessment in water and surface sediments of bistrica river |
| topic | bistrica river ecological risk heavy metals surface sediment water |
| url | https://journals.pan.pl/Content/133825/2025-01-JWLD-02.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT skenderdemaku potentiallytoxicelementscontaminationandecologicalriskassessmentinwaterandsurfacesedimentsofbistricariver AT tringakastrati potentiallytoxicelementscontaminationandecologicalriskassessmentinwaterandsurfacesedimentsofbistricariver |