Contamination of soil and water by various heavy metals such as Cd, Pb, Ni, Cu, and Fe is increasing day by day as a result of different activities, such as industrialization and urbanization. Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), and Nickel (Ni) are examples of potential heavy metals that are neither essential elements nor have any role in the process of cell metabolism, but are easily absorbed and accumulated in different parts of a plant and living beings. This study was to investigate the translocation and bioaccumulation of heavy metals such as Pb, Ni, Cd, Cu, and Fe in Urtica dionica L and soil samples from 2 sites (uncontaminated-Koliq and contaminated-Kishnica in the Republic of Kosovo). The results revealed that in the contaminated site, the mean level of all the metals in soil and different parts (root, stalk, and leaf) of the plant were found to be significantly (p<0.01) higher than the uncontaminated site. Multivariate analysis was used to determine the distribution of metals within the study area. The trace metal contents from different parts of these plants were determined by the use of AAS. The results revealed that Urtica dionica L. translocated high amounts of metals to its organs, especially to leaves, so that translocation factors were much higher than one (>1). However, these concentrations of heavy metals in the soil and Urtica dionica L were higher than levels specified according to the standards in UK and Germany.

Heavy metals are naturally occurring elements on the earth's crust and they are also referred to as trace elements [1]. Some of these metals have found application in many areas of human life, such as agriculture, pharmacy, cosmetics, industry, medicine, etc. Human exploitation of these metals has increased the risk of environmental pollution from them. In view of their toxic properties they can be dangerous to all receiving ecosystems [2]. Sources of heavy metals contamination of aquatic ecosystems can be mines, industrial wastewater, fertilizers, pesticides and also deposition and erosion of the geological matrix [3]. Contamination of water with these pollutants can have

Despite the long tradition of ichthyofaunal research in the Balkan Peninsula, there are still poorly investigated areas. Kosovo is one of the least investigated countries of the Balkan Peninsula in regard to fish fauna. In this study, we present the results of a fish fauna investigation in Badovc Lake and the Llap River. The fish fauna of Badovc Lake in central Kosovo was investigated at monthly intervals between June 2012 and December 2012. A total of 16 species belonging to 6 families, Cyprinidae, Cobitidae, Percidae, Siluridae, Esocidae, and Centrarhidae, were determined in this research area. The vast majority of species found belong to the family Cyprinidae (11), while all other families are represented by a single species. At 10 selected stations of the Llap River, 12 fish species were found. The family Cyprinidae is represented by 10 species, while 2 other families (Percidae and Salmonidae) are represented by a single species. The first preliminary checklist of fish species found in freshwater ecosystems belonging to the Black Sea basin in Kosovo is given and it contains 27 species. According to the IUCN criteria, 25 of the species found are in the category of Least Concern, and the 2 remaining species are in the category of Vulnerable species (Cyprinus caprio and Alburnoides bipunctatus). This investigation shows that the alien invasive pumpkinseed fish Lepomis gibbosus, which is reported here for the first time from Kosovo, is expanding its distribution area in the Balkan Peninsula. In this context, more detailed investigations are needed in this part of Kosovo in order to determine the diversity and number of fish populations.

The aim of the current investigation is to evaluate the impact of water quality in hematological and biochemical blood profile in two habitats of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) captured in Batllava and in Radoniqi Lake. It has been found that Radoniqi Lake is characterized with increased levels of physicochemical parameters (T, DO, PO 4-3 , NO 3-N, NO 2-N). In Radoniqi Lake were recorded also heavy metal content such as Cd, Pb, Ni and Cu while in Batllava Lake only presence of Cu was recorded. Given the developed agriculture in the region where Radoniqi Lake is located, increased level of PO 4-3 , Cd and Cu can be attributed to agricultural pollution. Blood is taken for hematological (RBC, Hgb, MCV, MCH, MCHC, WBC), and biochemical (ALP, AST, ALT, Glucose, Cholesterol, Triglyceride, Total lipid, Total protein) analysis from twenty fish of each lake. The results of hematological parameters show that there is a difference between investigated fishes of respective lakes. There are slight differences in the values of Hgb, MCHC and WBC, while the changes are significant in RBC, MCV and MCH. By contrast, the biochemical parameters have shown significant differences, with the exception of the amount of cholesterol, where the differences are insignificant. Given the water quality of the two lakes, the results of this research show that water quality affects the health condition of fish. The high values of hematological and biochemical parameters in the fish of Radoniqi Lake are indicative that these fish suffer from stress caused by water pollution with heavy metals.

The seasonal rhythm of the annual concentration of glucose, total proteins, albumins, cholesterol, triglycerides and the activity of aspartate aminotranspherase (AST) and the alanin aminotranspherase (ALT) enzymes in the hemolymph of the snail Helix aspersa (N=180) was researched. The results of the research show seasonal oscillations of the aforementioned parameters in the hemolymph. The highest concentration of the researched biochemical parameters was recorded in the winter, with the significant changes in autumn‐winter (glucose, P<0.001), and summer‐winter (total proteins, albumins, cholesterol and triglycerides (P<0.01). The increased activity of AST and ALT transaminases has been recorded during the summer and early autumn, whereas their lower activity has been recorded in the winter and early spring.The higher concentration of biochemical parameters in the hemolymph during the winter is probably connected with their crioprotector role, whereas the increased activity of the AST and ALT enzymes in the summer could probably be connected to the nutrition and the metabolic level.