4 Chalcophile (As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Zn) …
57
The geographical distribution of Zn is dominated by point sources of air pollution
(Fig. 4.4a). The areas of high Zn content were located in the central part, in the area
surrounding the metallurgical and cement plants, in the North-East and in the SouthEast that show the effects of geogenic factors, mining activity and the wind blowing
dust from mineral dumps and former smelting industry in this area. Zn is an essential
plant element with low retention capacity in bryophyte moss, so its concentration
level in moss is usually high and only in very high environmental concentrations
would be produced high uptake of Zn (Rühling and Steinnes 1998). The highest Zn
content (46.9 mg kg
−1 ) was found in moss samples collected at Kruja region (St. 27)
that is probably affected by a strong anthropogenic effect of kiln operations that were
using waste materials for heating such as tire wear, unselected urban wastes, woods
etc., during the CaO production. The next area with high Zn content in moss samples
(19.6 – 37.7 mg kg
−1 ) is located in Elbasan (St. 23, 24) and Librazhd (St. 41) region
that are strongly affected by iron and steel production plants, and strong geogenic
factors, respectively. Relatively high Zn content was also found in Western coastal
part of the country (St. 8, 10, 11, 13, 14) that is probably affected by the emission from
crude oil and gas industry, and by shipping traffic of the area. The highest Zn content
in coastal areas was found in St. 14 (21.0 mg kg
−1 ). These findings indicate that the
presence of Zn content in moss is probably derived from long-range atmospheric
transport and by local inputs of air pollution from industry, mining activity, geogenic
factors crude oil industry and shipping activity.
Zn showed strong and significant correlation with Cu (r = 0.82, p = 0.000), and
moderate and significant correlations with Cd, Pb, Hg and Sb (r = 0.4 − 0.6, p < 0.01)
(see the Appendix, Tables A1 and A2). These associations are probably indicating
the presence of chalcophile elements in sulfide minerals in the north part of Albania,
the effect of the traffic emission and shipping activity in coastal area, the municipal
waste burning in open and non-regulated landfills.
4.5 Vanadium, V
Vanadium is a crustal element that can be found in the earth’s crust, in rocks, some
iron ores, and crude petroleum. The spatial distribution of V (Fig. 4.5) is similar with
Al. Vanadium shows a moderate variation (CV% = 46%) and its spatial distribution
pattern looks likely reasonably uniforms over the country. The spatial analysis of V
(V = 3.841 − 0.005 × n, n represents the number of sampling site) (Fig. 4.5) shows
a stable distribution throughout the country (intercept = 3.87 and slope = 0.005).
The vanadium anomalies, appeared in different sampling points are probably
affected by local factors such as the geochemistry of the local area, crude oil and gas
industry, mining activity and iron metallurgy. The highest concentration of V was
found in Elbasan area (St. 24) that is probably affected by high temperature iron and
steel processing industry and cement production plant. High V contents founded in
moss samples of St. 19, 21, 27, 29, 30, 34, 35, 39 and 41 are probably derived by
geogenic factors and mining activity, followed by the next high content in coastal
57
The geographical distribution of Zn is dominated by point sources of air pollution
(Fig. 4.4a). The areas of high Zn content were located in the central part, in the area
surrounding the metallurgical and cement plants, in the North-East and in the SouthEast that show the effects of geogenic factors, mining activity and the wind blowing
dust from mineral dumps and former smelting industry in this area. Zn is an essential
plant element with low retention capacity in bryophyte moss, so its concentration
level in moss is usually high and only in very high environmental concentrations
would be produced high uptake of Zn (Rühling and Steinnes 1998). The highest Zn
content (46.9 mg kg
−1 ) was found in moss samples collected at Kruja region (St. 27)
that is probably affected by a strong anthropogenic effect of kiln operations that were
using waste materials for heating such as tire wear, unselected urban wastes, woods
etc., during the CaO production. The next area with high Zn content in moss samples
(19.6 – 37.7 mg kg
−1 ) is located in Elbasan (St. 23, 24) and Librazhd (St. 41) region
that are strongly affected by iron and steel production plants, and strong geogenic
factors, respectively. Relatively high Zn content was also found in Western coastal
part of the country (St. 8, 10, 11, 13, 14) that is probably affected by the emission from
crude oil and gas industry, and by shipping traffic of the area. The highest Zn content
in coastal areas was found in St. 14 (21.0 mg kg
−1 ). These findings indicate that the
presence of Zn content in moss is probably derived from long-range atmospheric
transport and by local inputs of air pollution from industry, mining activity, geogenic
factors crude oil industry and shipping activity.
Zn showed strong and significant correlation with Cu (r = 0.82, p = 0.000), and
moderate and significant correlations with Cd, Pb, Hg and Sb (r = 0.4 − 0.6, p < 0.01)
(see the Appendix, Tables A1 and A2). These associations are probably indicating
the presence of chalcophile elements in sulfide minerals in the north part of Albania,
the effect of the traffic emission and shipping activity in coastal area, the municipal
waste burning in open and non-regulated landfills.
4.5 Vanadium, V
Vanadium is a crustal element that can be found in the earth’s crust, in rocks, some
iron ores, and crude petroleum. The spatial distribution of V (Fig. 4.5) is similar with
Al. Vanadium shows a moderate variation (CV% = 46%) and its spatial distribution
pattern looks likely reasonably uniforms over the country. The spatial analysis of V
(V = 3.841 − 0.005 × n, n represents the number of sampling site) (Fig. 4.5) shows
a stable distribution throughout the country (intercept = 3.87 and slope = 0.005).
The vanadium anomalies, appeared in different sampling points are probably
affected by local factors such as the geochemistry of the local area, crude oil and gas
industry, mining activity and iron metallurgy. The highest concentration of V was
found in Elbasan area (St. 24) that is probably affected by high temperature iron and
steel processing industry and cement production plant. High V contents founded in
moss samples of St. 19, 21, 27, 29, 30, 34, 35, 39 and 41 are probably derived by
geogenic factors and mining activity, followed by the next high content in coastal