Determination of Land Pollution with Heavy Metals along Sitnica River, Kosovo

Abstract

The main river of the Kosovo valley is the Sitnica River, which collects a large number of streams, recipients of wastewaterfrom various urban and industrial centers. The blockage of Sitnica river with waste and non-regulation of the bedding of this river makes this river flood tens of acres of worked ground surface through its course, causing great damage every spring and autumn. Uncontrolled discharge of heavy metals into the contaminated terrestrial environments ensures their transfer to plants, animals and humans and results in an impact on the environment and public health. Determination of the heavy metals concentration level for the assessment of soil pollution along the Sitnica River course was also the main purpose of this study, which was carried out in 2016. For analysis, 8 soil samples were taken at depths of 30-50 cm. From the analysis of the data it was noticed that the content of heavy metals such as Zn, Cd, Pb, Cr in some analyzed samples exceeds the maximum allowed values. The findings indicate high values of metal pollution in the samples taken in meadows as well as the agricultural lands stretching around the river.