Moss biomonitoring of air pollution with potentially toxic elements in the Pelagonia Region, North Macedonia

ABSTRACT This study aims to investigate air deposition and explore the distribution and contamination with potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in the Pelagonia Region, North Macedonia. For this goal, 63 moss samples were collected and analysed by inductively coupled plasma – atomic emission spectrometry to determine the content of 19 major and trace elements. It was found that the atmospheric deposition of some PTEs in the moss samples from specific parts of the study area is influenced by anthropogenic activities. Three factor associations were obtained from multivariance R-method factor analysis: Factor 1 (Al, Ba, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Ni, V, and Na) mixed lithogenic and anthropogenic association, Factor 2 (Ca, K, Mg, Na, Cd, and Zn) mostly as a result of complex geology and lithology of the region, and Factor 3 (Pb, Zn, and Ni) which represents an anthropogenic association of the elements mostly present in the air particles emitted from the fly ash landfill of the thermoelectric power plant near the city of Bitola. The external influence of the transport of the particles reached in Ni from the ferronickel smelter plant near the town of Kavadarci was also observed in the northeastern part of the study area.