5 Elements Sensitive to Red/Ox Conditions …
71
soil are probably affected too, by the interaction between the substrate soils and the
terrestrial moss (Schröder et al. 2010). High Cr content was also found in St. 24, in
Elbasan region which is affected by anthropogenic pollution from ferro-chromium
plant of Elbasan metallurgical combine, and wind blowing fine mineral dust particles
emitted from huge amount of mineral wastes deposited in this area for more than
50 years. The next area with high Cr content was found in St. 14 (Miloti area) that
is probably derived from wind blowing fine mineral dust particles emitted from Cr
mineral deposited in this area. The presence of Cr content in moss is probably derived
mostly from local inputs of air pollution from industry, mining activity and geogenic
factors, as well as from long-range atmospheric transport. High median value of Cr
in moss samples of Albanian, higher than the median value of European moss survey
(Harmens et al. 2015), supports our findings.
Cr showed high and significant correlation (r > 0.6, p < 0.001) with Ni, Co, Fe,
Mg and Ti (the last r = 0.541, p = 0.001) (see the Appendix, Table A.1 and A.2)
that is probably derived from local variability of Cr and geochemical association
of Cr, Fe, Ni, Co, Ti, and Mg, that tends to be present in mafic minerals (UNEP
2013) which are present in N-E part of Albania (Milushi 2015). Cr showed moderate
and significant correlation (r = 0.4 − 0.6, p < 0.005) with typical crustal elements
such as Zr, Hf, Ta, W, Sc, Lanthanides, U, and Th that are probably derived from
the soil dust fine particles and long-range transport as an additional source of Cr in
current moss samples. Soil geochemistry and mining activity, and the emission of
ferro-chromium metallurgy may explain high levels of Cr recorded at specific points
and high Cr background level in moss samples of Albania.
5.2 Nickel, Ni
Ni is a naturally occurring element widely distributed in the environment. It enters
in the air mostly as wind blowing fine particles, both from natural and anthropogenic
sources. Ni contents in moss samples varied from 1.56 to 131 mg kg
−1 , with an
average concentration of 13.3 mg kg
−1 . Ni shows high variation (CV % = 161%)
and high positive values of skeweness and kurtosis that indicate high disparity of the
concentration data with a tendency of skewed right. High differences were observed
among different areas (Fig. 5.2) that indicate the effects of different factors. The
spatial analysis plot of Ni (linear model) shows a high increase from the south to
the N-E direction of the country (Ni = −1.61 + 0.618 × n, n represents the number
of sampling site) (Fig. 5.2) that is characterized by a high slope in the linear model
(b = 0.618).
The same with Cr, the distribution trend of Ni dominately affected by the significant maximum concentration of Ni at the site 42, Bulqiza region which is the area of
main Cr deposits in Albania. High Ni concentrations were found in the same sampling
sites as Cr (St. 22, 24, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42 and 43), positioned in the central (St. 22 and
24) and in the Eastern part of the country. High Ni contents in moss samples of St.
37, 39, 40, 41 and 43 are strongly linked with geogenic factors of these areas that are
71
soil are probably affected too, by the interaction between the substrate soils and the
terrestrial moss (Schröder et al. 2010). High Cr content was also found in St. 24, in
Elbasan region which is affected by anthropogenic pollution from ferro-chromium
plant of Elbasan metallurgical combine, and wind blowing fine mineral dust particles
emitted from huge amount of mineral wastes deposited in this area for more than
50 years. The next area with high Cr content was found in St. 14 (Miloti area) that
is probably derived from wind blowing fine mineral dust particles emitted from Cr
mineral deposited in this area. The presence of Cr content in moss is probably derived
mostly from local inputs of air pollution from industry, mining activity and geogenic
factors, as well as from long-range atmospheric transport. High median value of Cr
in moss samples of Albanian, higher than the median value of European moss survey
(Harmens et al. 2015), supports our findings.
Cr showed high and significant correlation (r > 0.6, p < 0.001) with Ni, Co, Fe,
Mg and Ti (the last r = 0.541, p = 0.001) (see the Appendix, Table A.1 and A.2)
that is probably derived from local variability of Cr and geochemical association
of Cr, Fe, Ni, Co, Ti, and Mg, that tends to be present in mafic minerals (UNEP
2013) which are present in N-E part of Albania (Milushi 2015). Cr showed moderate
and significant correlation (r = 0.4 − 0.6, p < 0.005) with typical crustal elements
such as Zr, Hf, Ta, W, Sc, Lanthanides, U, and Th that are probably derived from
the soil dust fine particles and long-range transport as an additional source of Cr in
current moss samples. Soil geochemistry and mining activity, and the emission of
ferro-chromium metallurgy may explain high levels of Cr recorded at specific points
and high Cr background level in moss samples of Albania.
5.2 Nickel, Ni
Ni is a naturally occurring element widely distributed in the environment. It enters
in the air mostly as wind blowing fine particles, both from natural and anthropogenic
sources. Ni contents in moss samples varied from 1.56 to 131 mg kg
−1 , with an
average concentration of 13.3 mg kg
−1 . Ni shows high variation (CV % = 161%)
and high positive values of skeweness and kurtosis that indicate high disparity of the
concentration data with a tendency of skewed right. High differences were observed
among different areas (Fig. 5.2) that indicate the effects of different factors. The
spatial analysis plot of Ni (linear model) shows a high increase from the south to
the N-E direction of the country (Ni = −1.61 + 0.618 × n, n represents the number
of sampling site) (Fig. 5.2) that is characterized by a high slope in the linear model
(b = 0.618).
The same with Cr, the distribution trend of Ni dominately affected by the significant maximum concentration of Ni at the site 42, Bulqiza region which is the area of
main Cr deposits in Albania. High Ni concentrations were found in the same sampling
sites as Cr (St. 22, 24, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42 and 43), positioned in the central (St. 22 and
24) and in the Eastern part of the country. High Ni contents in moss samples of St.
37, 39, 40, 41 and 43 are strongly linked with geogenic factors of these areas that are