51
the last century, Cu is extensively explored, mined and processed in the north of
Albania. Due to the old technology used at that time, several tons of industrial
wastes and mineral dumps are deposited in the abounded copper mines, smelters,
refineries and industrial processing and waste disposal sites in different parts of the
country that are considered as the main emission sources of atmospheric Cu in
Albania (Lazo et al. 2019). The burning of fossil fuels and wastes, wood production
and the production of the phosphate fertilizer are considered as Cu anthropogenic
emission sources (Tchounwou et al. 2012). The main Cu natural sources are volcanoes, windblown dust from native soils naturally enriched with Cu, forest fires and
sea spray (ATSDR 2004).
The content of Cu in moss samples showed moderate variation (CV% = 34%)
and a low range of the concentration (6.1–22.4 mg kg
−1
). The mean (10.83 mg kg
−1
)
and the median (10.0 mg kg
−1
) concentrations are very close to each other, indicating that the data may follow the normal distribution. Low value of kurtosis (1.19 < 3)
followed by Q3 smaller than the maximum concentration value of Cu and close to
the median value indicate the data have a central tendency. The concentration data
were followed by relatively low values of skewness and kurtosis (1.18 and 1.19,
respectively) indicating a low disparity of the concentration data throughout the
country that is probably derived from long-range atmospheric transport. To distinguish the contributions from the natural and anthropogenic sources, the concentration data of Cu are normalized by using Li as a typical lithogenic element (Loring
and Rantala 1992). The distributions of concentration data and Li normalized data
of As are shown in Fig. 2.8b. The distribution of 2010 concentration data of As is
shown in the same Fig. 2.8c.
The spatial analysis of Cu concentration data (linear model) looks likely stable
(Cu = 10.51 + 0.0117 × n, n = 1–55) indicating the long-range transport of Cu.
Small local enrichments were mainly positioned in the Cu-enriched areas in the S-E
and in the north parts of the country indicating the geogenic effects derived from
windblown soil dust particles in moss samples. The Cu anomalies are probably
linked with the combination of the long-range transport and the effects of local
emission sources such as geogenic factor and windblown dust from industrial and
mining waste deposits in the north. The spatial analysis of Cu normalized concentration data (linear model) looks likely different from Cu concentration data; the
spatial distribution of normalized Cu concentration data shows fewer strong anomalies than the concentration data. A strong anomaly was found in St. 1 (Konispol) and
in the North, St. 39 and 41, indicating the strong anthropogenic origin of Cu in these
areas probably derived from shipping activity and transboundary pollution (St. 1).
The median concentration of Cu 2015 (10.0 mg kg
−1
) is about two times higher than
the median concentration of Cu 2010 (5.62 mg kg
−1
). These differences are probably
dependent on a number of factors including changes of anthropogenic and secondary emission data, long-term climatic trends, changes of land use, etc. (Colette
et al. 2016).
Pearson correlation analysis shows strong and significant correlations between
Cu and Zn (r = 0.698, p = 0.000) indicating similar origin of these elements. The
Cu(N) data show strong and significant correlations with (r > 0.6, p = 0.000) with
2 Spatial Series and Multivariate Analysis in Assessing the Essential (Cu and Zn…
the last century, Cu is extensively explored, mined and processed in the north of
Albania. Due to the old technology used at that time, several tons of industrial
wastes and mineral dumps are deposited in the abounded copper mines, smelters,
refineries and industrial processing and waste disposal sites in different parts of the
country that are considered as the main emission sources of atmospheric Cu in
Albania (Lazo et al. 2019). The burning of fossil fuels and wastes, wood production
and the production of the phosphate fertilizer are considered as Cu anthropogenic
emission sources (Tchounwou et al. 2012). The main Cu natural sources are volcanoes, windblown dust from native soils naturally enriched with Cu, forest fires and
sea spray (ATSDR 2004).
The content of Cu in moss samples showed moderate variation (CV% = 34%)
and a low range of the concentration (6.1–22.4 mg kg
−1
). The mean (10.83 mg kg
−1
)
and the median (10.0 mg kg
−1
) concentrations are very close to each other, indicating that the data may follow the normal distribution. Low value of kurtosis (1.19 < 3)
followed by Q3 smaller than the maximum concentration value of Cu and close to
the median value indicate the data have a central tendency. The concentration data
were followed by relatively low values of skewness and kurtosis (1.18 and 1.19,
respectively) indicating a low disparity of the concentration data throughout the
country that is probably derived from long-range atmospheric transport. To distinguish the contributions from the natural and anthropogenic sources, the concentration data of Cu are normalized by using Li as a typical lithogenic element (Loring
and Rantala 1992). The distributions of concentration data and Li normalized data
of As are shown in Fig. 2.8b. The distribution of 2010 concentration data of As is
shown in the same Fig. 2.8c.
The spatial analysis of Cu concentration data (linear model) looks likely stable
(Cu = 10.51 + 0.0117 × n, n = 1–55) indicating the long-range transport of Cu.
Small local enrichments were mainly positioned in the Cu-enriched areas in the S-E
and in the north parts of the country indicating the geogenic effects derived from
windblown soil dust particles in moss samples. The Cu anomalies are probably
linked with the combination of the long-range transport and the effects of local
emission sources such as geogenic factor and windblown dust from industrial and
mining waste deposits in the north. The spatial analysis of Cu normalized concentration data (linear model) looks likely different from Cu concentration data; the
spatial distribution of normalized Cu concentration data shows fewer strong anomalies than the concentration data. A strong anomaly was found in St. 1 (Konispol) and
in the North, St. 39 and 41, indicating the strong anthropogenic origin of Cu in these
areas probably derived from shipping activity and transboundary pollution (St. 1).
The median concentration of Cu 2015 (10.0 mg kg
−1
) is about two times higher than
the median concentration of Cu 2010 (5.62 mg kg
−1
). These differences are probably
dependent on a number of factors including changes of anthropogenic and secondary emission data, long-term climatic trends, changes of land use, etc. (Colette
et al. 2016).
Pearson correlation analysis shows strong and significant correlations between
Cu and Zn (r = 0.698, p = 0.000) indicating similar origin of these elements. The
Cu(N) data show strong and significant correlations with (r > 0.6, p = 0.000) with
2 Spatial Series and Multivariate Analysis in Assessing the Essential (Cu and Zn…