Water and Sediment Heavy Metal Pollution in Ereniku River of Kosovo

Soil, water and sediment samples were collected in 13 sampling stations along Erenik River, in the western part of Kosovo in order to assess heavy metal pollution. The concentration of hevy metals as Cd, Hg, Pb, Cr, Cu and Zn were determinated in water, soil and sediment samples. The concentration of heavy metals in water samples was measured using the flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS), while for sediment and soil samples was used inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Obtained results showed that the concentrations in soil of heavy metals Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn were under the proposed limit values by the European guideline for “soil background, while the obtained values of Cr in all stations were higher than proposed limit values. The concentrations of heavy metals in sediment were often higher than the values determined with low action on the biological systems of the river ecosystem (ERL Effect Range Low) but smaller than the values that negatively affecting the extent 50% of organisms on core Effect Medium Range - ERM (Cu, Pb and Ni). The total values of Cr were higher than ERM but its origin is mainly geological more than human activities, thus the biological effect of this element can be probably low. Our results indicated that heavy metals as Pb, Zn and Cu were found in high portion in fine sediment fraction ( 0.2 mm), while Cr, Ni and Co were in low amount in this sediment fraction. The concentrations of all analyzed heavy metals in the water were generally low at the beginning of the flow, average in middle stations and higher in secondary stations. Furthermore, the values for Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn were higher than international standards in some stations, showing the influence of highly polluted streams that join Erenik River flow in these stations.