Multi-element atmospheric deposition study in Croatia
For the first time the moss biomonitoring technique and two complementary analytical techniques − neutron activation analyses (NAA) and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) − were applied to study multi-element atmospheric deposition in the Republic of Croatia. Moss samples
were collected during the summer of 2006 from 98 sites evenly distributed over the country. Sampling was performed in accordance with the LRTAP Convention - ICP Vegetation protocol and sampling strategy of the European Programme on Biomonitoring of Heavy Metal Atmospheric Deposition.
Conventional and epithermal NAA and AAS made it possible to determine concentrations of 41 elements including key toxic metals such as Pb, Cd, Hg, and Cu. Factor analysis (Principal component analysis with varimax rotation) was applied to distinguish elements mainly of anthropogenic origin
from those predominantly originating from natural sources. Geographical distribution maps of the elements over the sampled territory were constructed using GIS technology. For the elements included in the European programme, the median values for Croatia were generally around the average median
values observed in Europe. The Adriatic coastline of Croatia may be considered as an environmentally pristine area. This study was conducted in order to provide a reliable assessment of air quality throughout Croatia and to produce information needed for better identification of pollution
sources and improving the potential for assessing environmental and health risks in Croatia associated with toxic metals.
Keywords: Croatia; GIS technology; atmospheric deposition; atomic absorption spectrometry; moss biomonitoring; neutron activation analysis; principal component analysis; trace elements
Document Type: Research Article
Affiliations: 1: OIKON – Institute for Applied Ecology, Avenija Dubrovnik 6-8, 10 020 Zagreb, Croatia 2: Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, str. Joliot-Curie 6, 141980 DubnaMoscow Region, Russian Federation 3: Department of Chemistry,Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway 4: Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics,Institute of Chemistry, Sts. Cyril and Methodius University, POB 1621000 Skopje, Macedonia
Publication date: 20 August 2012
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