Определување и дистрибуција на хемиски елементи во водата, седиментите и воздухот, во подрачјето на реката Лепенец во Република Косово

The Lepenc River in southern Kosovo is an important hydrological system influenced by diverse geological formations and increasing human activity. This study uses an integrated analysis of water, sediment, and moss samples to evaluate the distribution, sources, and pathways of trace metals in the basin. In total, 33 water samples, 33 sediment samples, and 20 moss samples were collected along the river.These samples covered the mountainous regions of the upper reaches near Shtërpcë, the urban areas around Ferizaj, as well as the industrial areas of the lower reaches between Kaçanik and Hani i Elezit. ICP-MS and ICP-OES analytical methods were used to determine the amounts of major and trace elements. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Pearson correlation analysis were used in the statistical evaluation to find geochemical correlations and possible sources of metal enrichment. Environmental pollution levels were also assessed using a number of pollution indices, such as contamination factor (CF), deaccumulation index (Igeo), pollution load index (PLI), heavy metal pollution index (HPI) and metal index (MI). The results show that the natural geological background, especially in the upstream regions where carbonate lithology prevails, mainly controls the hydrochemical composition of the Lepenc River. Although some areas in the middle and lower reaches showed localized enrichment of Fe, Mn and phosphorus, most of the trace metal concentrations in the water are still within the limits of international guidelines. While moss biomonitoring showed geographical variability in the airborne deposition of trace metals such as Cd, Pb, Zn and Ni, sediment analysis determined that nickel was the most significant element of concern. Metal distribution in the Lepenc River reflects both natural lithological processes and localized anthropogenic impacts, highlighting the need for continuous environmental monitoring and sustainable management.
Keywords: Lepenc River; trace metals; water-sediment interaction; moss biomonitoring; atmospheric deposition; environmental monitoring.