ASSESMENT OF ATMOSPHERIC DEPOSITION OF HEAVY METAL IN THE SOUTH OF ALBANIA BY USING MOSS MONITORING

The aim of this survey is the comparison of air pollution in the different sites of Southern area of Albania. The use of mosses as biomonitors of heavy metal deposition has been extensively applied in numerous studies in the last years. This work presents the results obtained for the South region of Albania. Samples of Hypnum cupressiforme/and or Scleropodium purum (whenever the first one was unavailable) were collected in 26 sites in this area, and the concentration of Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Hg, K, Na and Zn was determined for each sample. Heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Mn, Fe and Cd) were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry by using flame/and or electrothermal system. CVAAS was used for mercury determination and atomic emission spectrometry for K and Na determination. The map for deposition was drawn after estimation of the metal concentration in the mosses. The spatial variations in the distribution of metal concentration are discussed. We have been tried to categorize different places in the South of Albania on the basis of metal concentrations in the mosses and data statistical treatment.