62
industrial pollution (ATSDR 2004). Cobalt released into the atmosphere in particulate form that is associated with particulate matter is principally dispersed as windblown soil dust (Kim et al. 2006). Co is an essential element that plays a beneficial
role in plant growth and development (Arif et al. 2016). The biochemical cobalt
compound, vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin), plays an important role for good health
of humans and animals (Leyssens et al. 2017). The health effects of Co are characterized by complex clinical syndromes, mainly as neurological (e.g. hearing and
visual impairment), cardiovascular and endocrine deficits (Leyssens et al. 2017;
Kim et al. 2006).
The content of Co in moss samples varied from 0.354 mg kg
−1
to 4.24 mg kg
−1
.
The average (1.323 mg kg
−1
) or median (1.051 mg kg
−1
) concentrations of Co in
moss are higher than in terrestrial plants (0.48 mg kg
−1
, cited in Kim et al. 2006
from Bowen 1966). Co shows a moderate variation (CV% = 65%) followed by high
positive values of skewness (1.77) and a kurtosis of 3.27 indicating a moderate disparity of the concentration data with a tendency of following the log-normal distribution. The spatial analysis of Co concentration data (linear model) shows (Fig. 2.16)
a significant spatial variation among the areas with a visible increment from the
south and the north indicating the different levels of the Co air pollution in these
areas (Co = 0.898 + 0.0152 × n, where n represents the number sampling sites). The
anomalies with high Co concentration data and the normalized data are positioned
in the same sampling sites, indicating that the anthropogenic emission sources are
predominant in Co content in moss samples. The anomalies with high Co concentrations were found in the same sampling sites as Ni indicating similar origin of Co
and Ni in moss samples. It dialled a strong and significant correlation between Co
and Ni (r = 0.807, p = 0.000), Ni normalized concentration data (Ni(N), r = 0.654,
p = 0.000), and Cr and Cr(N) (r = 0.621, p = 0.000, and r = 0.488, p = 0.000, respectively) indicating similar natural and anthropogenic sources with these elements.
Co(N) shows a strong and significant correlation with Co data (Co, r = 0.765,
p = 0.000), with Cr(N), Cd(N) and Pb(N) (r = 0.699, p = 0.000; r = 0.604, p = 0.000;
and r = 0.699, p = 0.000, respectively) indicating similar anthropogenic sources
with these elements. High correlation between Co(N) and Ni(N) is tested by linear
regression line (Fig. 2.17).
2.3.2.9 Zinc
Zinc occurs naturally in soil with the content in the ranges from 10 to 300 mg kg
−1
.
It is a chalcophile metallic element and is present in the sphalerites (ZnS) founded
in the north of Albania (Milushi 2015). Zn enters in the environment from natural
and anthropogenic emission sources, such as mining, steel processing, coal combustion and waste incineration. Zn compounds are used extensively as anti-oxidants
and as detergent/dispersant improving agents for motor oil (Tchounwou et al. 2012)
and are present in the vehicle brakes and tire wear emission sources and in motor
vehicle exhaust. In the global scale, emission of Zn is similar in magnitude, and the
S. Allajbeu et al.
industrial pollution (ATSDR 2004). Cobalt released into the atmosphere in particulate form that is associated with particulate matter is principally dispersed as windblown soil dust (Kim et al. 2006). Co is an essential element that plays a beneficial
role in plant growth and development (Arif et al. 2016). The biochemical cobalt
compound, vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin), plays an important role for good health
of humans and animals (Leyssens et al. 2017). The health effects of Co are characterized by complex clinical syndromes, mainly as neurological (e.g. hearing and
visual impairment), cardiovascular and endocrine deficits (Leyssens et al. 2017;
Kim et al. 2006).
The content of Co in moss samples varied from 0.354 mg kg
−1
to 4.24 mg kg
−1
.
The average (1.323 mg kg
−1
) or median (1.051 mg kg
−1
) concentrations of Co in
moss are higher than in terrestrial plants (0.48 mg kg
−1
, cited in Kim et al. 2006
from Bowen 1966). Co shows a moderate variation (CV% = 65%) followed by high
positive values of skewness (1.77) and a kurtosis of 3.27 indicating a moderate disparity of the concentration data with a tendency of following the log-normal distribution. The spatial analysis of Co concentration data (linear model) shows (Fig. 2.16)
a significant spatial variation among the areas with a visible increment from the
south and the north indicating the different levels of the Co air pollution in these
areas (Co = 0.898 + 0.0152 × n, where n represents the number sampling sites). The
anomalies with high Co concentration data and the normalized data are positioned
in the same sampling sites, indicating that the anthropogenic emission sources are
predominant in Co content in moss samples. The anomalies with high Co concentrations were found in the same sampling sites as Ni indicating similar origin of Co
and Ni in moss samples. It dialled a strong and significant correlation between Co
and Ni (r = 0.807, p = 0.000), Ni normalized concentration data (Ni(N), r = 0.654,
p = 0.000), and Cr and Cr(N) (r = 0.621, p = 0.000, and r = 0.488, p = 0.000, respectively) indicating similar natural and anthropogenic sources with these elements.
Co(N) shows a strong and significant correlation with Co data (Co, r = 0.765,
p = 0.000), with Cr(N), Cd(N) and Pb(N) (r = 0.699, p = 0.000; r = 0.604, p = 0.000;
and r = 0.699, p = 0.000, respectively) indicating similar anthropogenic sources
with these elements. High correlation between Co(N) and Ni(N) is tested by linear
regression line (Fig. 2.17).
2.3.2.9 Zinc
Zinc occurs naturally in soil with the content in the ranges from 10 to 300 mg kg
−1
.
It is a chalcophile metallic element and is present in the sphalerites (ZnS) founded
in the north of Albania (Milushi 2015). Zn enters in the environment from natural
and anthropogenic emission sources, such as mining, steel processing, coal combustion and waste incineration. Zn compounds are used extensively as anti-oxidants
and as detergent/dispersant improving agents for motor oil (Tchounwou et al. 2012)
and are present in the vehicle brakes and tire wear emission sources and in motor
vehicle exhaust. In the global scale, emission of Zn is similar in magnitude, and the
S. Allajbeu et al.