Mercury distribution and contamination in the soils of the Mitrovica region, Republic of Kosovo

The study was carried out to define the distribution of mercury in surface soils in the Mitrovica region, Republic of Kosovo and to assess the level and extent of contamination. A total of 156 soil samples were collected from a depth of 5 cm at each grid point of 1.4 × 1.4 km in an area of 301.5 km2. The mercury content was found to be between 0.02 mg/kg and 11.16 mg/kg. The average Hg content (0.49 mg/kg) exceeded the mean content in European (0.037 mg/kg) and world (0.06 mg/kg) soils by 13.2 and 8.2 times, respectively. From the calculated enrichment factors (EF) and the geo-accumulation index (I-geo), as well as from the distribution map of Hg content, it is evident that the soils of the study area are highly contaminated with mercury, with extremely high enrichment of Hg in the soils of Zone I, which was classified as the most contaminated zone with Hg and other potentially toxic elements in the study area as well as in the towns of Zveçan and Mitrovica. The higher Hg content is of anthropogenic origin, mainly due to lead and zinc mining and metallurgical activities in the study area. The mercury levels were also found to exceed the New Dutch List target value (0.3 mg/kg) in 90 km2 of the study area.