Potentially toxic elements contamination and ecological risk assessment in water and surface sediments of Bistrica River

This research evaluates the quality of water and surface sediment in the Bistrica River, addressing the growing environmental challenges in Kosovo caused by extensive human activities. Contamination of these resources poses significant threats to aquatic ecosystems and human health. To assess this, we analysed the levels of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in the samples using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The elements examined included As, Cd, Fe, Pb, Ni, Mn, Cu, Zn, Al, and Co. Samples were collected from various sites along the Bistrica River during both high-flow and low-flow seasons in October 2023. The degree of PTE contamination was assessed using several pollution indices (contamination factor (CF), contamination degree (CD), pollution load index (PLI), enrichment factor (EF), geoaccumulation index (Igeo) and ecological risk index (ERI)), indicating that water exhibit low to moderate levels of pollution (World Health Organization (WHO) standards), while in sediment the pollution is extremely low, (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards). Results revealed that pollution in water samples , for some elements, such as Fe, Pb and Ni, exceeded the guidelines by the WHO, while other elements, such as Co, Al, Cu, Mn, Zn, As and Cd, are below the permitted limits according to the WHO standards. Additionally, statistical analysis and contamination clusters, primarily originating from agricultural fields and grazing areas within the catchment. To reduce these risks and safeguard both the aquatic ecosystem and human health, it is crucial to maintain regular monitoring and enforce effective management strategies.