75
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature
Switzerland AG 2021
B. Balabanova, T. Stafilov (eds.), Contaminant Levels and Ecological Effects,
Emerging Contaminants and Associated Treatment Technologies,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-66135-9_3
Chapter 3
Moss Biomonitoring of Air Pollution
Around the Coal Mine and Bitola
Thermoelectric Power Plant, North
Macedonia
Trajče Stafilov, Robert Šajn, Mila Arapčeska, and Ivan Kungulovski
Abstract From the obtained results of the air pollution study performed by moss
biomonitoring in the vicinity of the coal mine and Bitola thermoelectric power
plant, North Macedonia, it could be concluded that the analysed elements are
grouped into four associations of elements: Factor 1 (Fe, Al, V, Ni, Li, Cr, Co, Ba,
Pb, Sr, Mn and Zn), Factor 2 (Cu, Mo, Ag, Mg and Zn), Factor 3 (K, P, Na, Mg and
Cu) and Factor 4 (As, Cd). The elements included in the first association are present
in varying contents throughout the studied area with higher contents of these elements found in the moss samples from the central part of the area. It was found that
some of the elements have higher content in the parts close to thermoelectric power
plant (TEP) and in the area between TEP and the city of Bitola. This is the case for
the spatial distribution of chromium, zinc and copper from Factors 2 and 3. The
spatial distribution maps indicate the areas under the dust from the fly ash and slag
deposit in the TEP Bitola because these elements are present in higher content in the
waste materials than in the surrounding soil.
Keywords Air pollution · Moss biomonitoring · Coal mine · Thermoelectric
power plant · Bitola · North Macedonia
T. Stafilov (*)
Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University,
Skopje, North Macedonia
e-mail: trajcest@pmf.ukim.mk
R. Šajn
Geological Survey of Slovenia, Ljubljana, Slovenia
M. Arapčeska
Faculty of Biotechnical Sciences, St. Kliment Ohridski University, Bitola,
Bitola, North Macedonia
I. Kungulovski
Bio Inženering DOO, Skopje, North Macedonia
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature
Switzerland AG 2021
B. Balabanova, T. Stafilov (eds.), Contaminant Levels and Ecological Effects,
Emerging Contaminants and Associated Treatment Technologies,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-66135-9_3
Chapter 3
Moss Biomonitoring of Air Pollution
Around the Coal Mine and Bitola
Thermoelectric Power Plant, North
Macedonia
Trajče Stafilov, Robert Šajn, Mila Arapčeska, and Ivan Kungulovski
Abstract From the obtained results of the air pollution study performed by moss
biomonitoring in the vicinity of the coal mine and Bitola thermoelectric power
plant, North Macedonia, it could be concluded that the analysed elements are
grouped into four associations of elements: Factor 1 (Fe, Al, V, Ni, Li, Cr, Co, Ba,
Pb, Sr, Mn and Zn), Factor 2 (Cu, Mo, Ag, Mg and Zn), Factor 3 (K, P, Na, Mg and
Cu) and Factor 4 (As, Cd). The elements included in the first association are present
in varying contents throughout the studied area with higher contents of these elements found in the moss samples from the central part of the area. It was found that
some of the elements have higher content in the parts close to thermoelectric power
plant (TEP) and in the area between TEP and the city of Bitola. This is the case for
the spatial distribution of chromium, zinc and copper from Factors 2 and 3. The
spatial distribution maps indicate the areas under the dust from the fly ash and slag
deposit in the TEP Bitola because these elements are present in higher content in the
waste materials than in the surrounding soil.
Keywords Air pollution · Moss biomonitoring · Coal mine · Thermoelectric
power plant · Bitola · North Macedonia
T. Stafilov (*)
Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University,
Skopje, North Macedonia
e-mail: trajcest@pmf.ukim.mk
R. Šajn
Geological Survey of Slovenia, Ljubljana, Slovenia
M. Arapčeska
Faculty of Biotechnical Sciences, St. Kliment Ohridski University, Bitola,
Bitola, North Macedonia
I. Kungulovski
Bio Inženering DOO, Skopje, North Macedonia