3 The Evaluation of TM Atmospheric Deposition in Albania
43
the north direction of the country (Ta = 0.045 + 0.00066 × n, n = 47, represents
the number of sampling site).
Beside few anomalies of St. 13, 14, 24 and 46, the distribution pattern of Ta looks
likely stable over the country by indicating the effect of long-range atmospheric
transport from the other part of Europe. The differences observed among different
areas (Fig. 3.13) indicate the effects of additional local factors. Higher concentrations were found in the same sampling sites as Zr that are probably affected by
soil geochemistry, mining activity, iron metallurgy, and the carbonate formations of
coastal areas. The highest content found at St. 46, in Has, Kukesi region, that is rich
in Cr and Cu minerals. High Ta content in this sampling sites has a strong affect to
the slope of the linear trend model of Ta obtained through its spatial analysis plot
that is highly affected by a very high Ta content in the North (St. 46).
Ta shows very strong and significant correlations (r > 0.6, p < 0.001) with most of
the crustal elements such as Li, Al, Fe, V, Zr, Hf, W, Ti, Cs, Rb, most of lanthanides
(except Lu), Th and U that likely represent strong lithogenic source of Ta. It showed
moderate and significant correlations (r = 0.4 − 0.6, p < 0.01) with Cu, Sb, Hg
and Mn, and with I, Br, Ba, Mg and Cr. The second group of correlated elements
is probably affected by the marine environment and shipping activity in coastal
areas. High Ta content is probably linked with the soil geochemistry derived from
Triassic volcanic rocks, middle Jurassic basalts of the area of the Young NeogeneQuaternary volcanism in the north, as well as the titano-magnetite deposits located
in the northern part of the Albanian western ophiolite (Milushi 2015). Very good
linear regression lines were obtained between Ta and Ce, and between Ta and Cs (r
2
= 0.91 and 0.86 respectively). The obtained correlations between Ta and Ce, and
Cs were tested by linear regression models between the pairs of correlated elements
(Fig. 3.14) that resulted with high values of the linearity coefficients that confirm the
high correlations between them.
3.4.10 Uranium, U and Thorium, Th
Th and U are typical crustal elements that represent the main radioactive elements
in earth’s crust. They occur naturally in soils (at 1 – 10 mg kg
−1 for Th and about
2 mg kg
−1 for U), in different geochemical formations, and in crude oil (Rudnick and
Gao 2003). Th ranged from 0.13 to 1.21 mg kg
−1 , and U from 0.05 to 0.49 mg kg
−1
and showed moderate variations (CV % = 51 and 58% respectively) in present
moss samples. The spatial analysis of Th and U (linear model) (Fig. 3.15) show
similar behaviour that looks likely homogenous over all territory of the country, but
different intercept or higher background level for Th compared to U (Th = 0.551 −
0.00227 × n and U = 0.148 + 0.0002 × n, n represents the number of sampling
site). The homogeneously distributions patterns of these elements probably indicate
the effects of long-range atmospheric transport from other part of Europe and from
local soil dust fine particles. The differences observed among different sampling
sites (Fig. 3.15) indicate the effects of additional local factors. High concentrations
of both elements were mostly found in the same sampling pozitions that are probably
43
the north direction of the country (Ta = 0.045 + 0.00066 × n, n = 47, represents
the number of sampling site).
Beside few anomalies of St. 13, 14, 24 and 46, the distribution pattern of Ta looks
likely stable over the country by indicating the effect of long-range atmospheric
transport from the other part of Europe. The differences observed among different
areas (Fig. 3.13) indicate the effects of additional local factors. Higher concentrations were found in the same sampling sites as Zr that are probably affected by
soil geochemistry, mining activity, iron metallurgy, and the carbonate formations of
coastal areas. The highest content found at St. 46, in Has, Kukesi region, that is rich
in Cr and Cu minerals. High Ta content in this sampling sites has a strong affect to
the slope of the linear trend model of Ta obtained through its spatial analysis plot
that is highly affected by a very high Ta content in the North (St. 46).
Ta shows very strong and significant correlations (r > 0.6, p < 0.001) with most of
the crustal elements such as Li, Al, Fe, V, Zr, Hf, W, Ti, Cs, Rb, most of lanthanides
(except Lu), Th and U that likely represent strong lithogenic source of Ta. It showed
moderate and significant correlations (r = 0.4 − 0.6, p < 0.01) with Cu, Sb, Hg
and Mn, and with I, Br, Ba, Mg and Cr. The second group of correlated elements
is probably affected by the marine environment and shipping activity in coastal
areas. High Ta content is probably linked with the soil geochemistry derived from
Triassic volcanic rocks, middle Jurassic basalts of the area of the Young NeogeneQuaternary volcanism in the north, as well as the titano-magnetite deposits located
in the northern part of the Albanian western ophiolite (Milushi 2015). Very good
linear regression lines were obtained between Ta and Ce, and between Ta and Cs (r
2
= 0.91 and 0.86 respectively). The obtained correlations between Ta and Ce, and
Cs were tested by linear regression models between the pairs of correlated elements
(Fig. 3.14) that resulted with high values of the linearity coefficients that confirm the
high correlations between them.
3.4.10 Uranium, U and Thorium, Th
Th and U are typical crustal elements that represent the main radioactive elements
in earth’s crust. They occur naturally in soils (at 1 – 10 mg kg
−1 for Th and about
2 mg kg
−1 for U), in different geochemical formations, and in crude oil (Rudnick and
Gao 2003). Th ranged from 0.13 to 1.21 mg kg
−1 , and U from 0.05 to 0.49 mg kg
−1
and showed moderate variations (CV % = 51 and 58% respectively) in present
moss samples. The spatial analysis of Th and U (linear model) (Fig. 3.15) show
similar behaviour that looks likely homogenous over all territory of the country, but
different intercept or higher background level for Th compared to U (Th = 0.551 −
0.00227 × n and U = 0.148 + 0.0002 × n, n represents the number of sampling
site). The homogeneously distributions patterns of these elements probably indicate
the effects of long-range atmospheric transport from other part of Europe and from
local soil dust fine particles. The differences observed among different sampling
sites (Fig. 3.15) indicate the effects of additional local factors. High concentrations
of both elements were mostly found in the same sampling pozitions that are probably