Assessment of Heavy Metal Content in Soils along Drini Bardhe River - Kosovo

The assessment of heavy metals content in soil is required in order to evaluate soil quality and their environmental impact. Current study aims to evaluate heavy metals content and pollution in soils along Drini Bardhe river in Kosovo. Ten soil samples were collected along Drini Bardhe River to achieve the aims of this study. Heavy metals contents in soil samples were determined by using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). Evaluation of soil pollution was performed using the Enrichment Factor (EF) and Geo-accumulation Index (Igeo). Enrichment factor (Ef) calculations showed that soils have moderate enrichment for Cd and Ni, minimal enrichment for Cu, Cr, Mn and Pb, whereas no enrichment for Fe and Zn. Based on Geo-accumulation Index (Igeo) soils result strongly polluted with Cd, moderately to strongly polluted with Ni, moderately polluted with Cu, Cr, Pb and unpolluted to moderately polluted with Fe, Mn, and Zn. Background values given as 90th percentile were used also to evaluate the soils pollution with heavy metals. Occurrence of heavy metals in the studied soils indicates potential risk of some heavy metals as their amounts were over acceptable limits.