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Description
The aim of this study was investigation of chemical elements and microplastics in air of the industrial zone of Kastriot (Obiliq) in Kosovo, by using mosses as a bioindicator. Moss samples were collected during June 2025, from 6 locations in Kastriot and Fushë Kosova municipalities. Moss samples were digestion in Teflon tubes by using HNO3 and H2O2, and then 18 chemical elements (Al, As, Ba, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, Pb, Se and Zn) analysed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICPE-9800). For determination of microplastics in mosses samples, 1 gram per each sample were digested by using Fenton reagent (ferrous iron sulphate solution 0.05 M) in the catalytic wet peroxide oxidation method1. Samples were vacuum-filtered onto cellulose filter papers and placed into glass petri dishes for storage, and then analyzed for presence of microplastics using stereo-microscope2. The basic statistics (minimum, maximum, mean, median, standard deviation and coefficient of variation), Pearson correlation, Cluster analyses, and Pollution indices (CF and PLI), used as a tool for analysing of data. The mean value of Contamination Factor (CF) revealed extremely high levels of pollution for Pb (333.1), Ni (20), Cr (18.1), Co (17.9), Fe (2.3), Cu (2.3), and Cd (1.99). The pollution load index (PLIsite) ranged from 8.73 to 13.22, and the PLI of a whole zone investigated was 10.88. In some mosses samples we identified the fibers and fragments of microplastics with dimensions from 800-2000 μm. These data of chemical elements and microplastics, indicating a significant of anthropogenic impact, because in this area are located the ferronickel open mines in Golesh, lignite mines and lignite power plants Kosova A and Kosova B in Kastriot, and also the heavy traffic in Pristina has a huge impact on air pollution with toxic metals3.
