Distribution of chemical elements in soil samples from the Pelagonia region, Republic of Macedonia

Abstract

The aim of this study is to establish a global geochemical reference baseline by presenting the results of a first systematic investigation of spatial distribution of different chemical elements in soil over of the Pelagonia region, Republic of Macedonia. For this purpose, 228 soil samples (from 131 locations) were analyzed to determine the content of 17 major and trace elements in the soil from this region and to assess the size of the area eventually affected by heavy metals pollution. All samples were analyzed by atomic emission spectroscopy with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-AES). Factor analysis with multivariance R-method is applied in order to show the associations of chemical elements. Three factors were obtained. Factor 1 (Al, Ba, Mg, Mn, Fe, Ni, P and V), Facror 2 (Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn) and Factor 3 (Ca and Sr). It was established that the distribution of these associations are mostly as a result of the complex geology and lithology of the region.