ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION WITH METALS IN SOME INDUSTRIAL REGIONS OF KOSOVO USING CHICKEN (Gallus gallus domesticus) BREAST FEATHERS

The aim of this study was to assess the presence of metals in three regions of Kosovo using chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) breast feathers collected from the industrial regions of Mitrovica and Obiliq and the non-industrial region of Dragash. This study was carried out from September to November 2016, and feathers were collected from 90 individual domestic chickens housed as free range. The concentrations of metals in the chicken feathers were determined with atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The range of average measured concentrations of metals (µg g-1) in examined regions were: Zn 109-131, Mn 6.17-31.30, Cu 22.1-27.2, Cr 5.09-19.0, Ni 12.3-15.8, Pb <0.0945-15.5, Cd 11.1-12.3 and As ><0.099-7.44. The highest average levels of metals were determined in regions (µg g-1): Dragash: Zn 131, Cu 27.2, Mn 31.3, Cr 19.0, Ni 15.8; Mitrovica As 7.44, Cd 12.3, Pb 15.5. High statistically significant differences (p><0.001) were found between the three regions for Pb, As, Mn, and Cr content. There were no significant differences (p>0.05) between the Mitrovica and Obiliq regions in terms of Zn content, Mitrovica and Dragash in terms of Cu or between the Obiliq and Dragash regions in terms of Cd content. These results should concern the environmental agencies in Kosovo and encourage them to take concrete steps by periodically checking these pollutants in these two industrial regions. Based on our results, we recommend that programmes for monitoring environmental pollution from metals could use chicken feathers as an important and valuable test material.Key words: trace metals; AAS; chicken feathers; environmental pollution; Kosovo OCENA ONESNAŽENOSTI OKOLJA S KOVINAMI NA OSNOVI PREISKAVE PRSNIH PERES PIŠČANCEV (Gallus gallus domesticus) V NEKATERIH INDUSTRIJSKIH PODROČJIH KOSOVAPovzetek: Namen raziskave je bil oceniti prisotnost kovin v treh področjih Kosova s pomočjo piščančjega (Gallus gallus domesticus) perja, vzorčenega v industrijskih področjih Mitrovica in Obiliq ter neindustrijski regiji Dragaš. Raziskava je bila izvedena od septembra do novembra 2016, perje pa je bilo odvzeto 90 piščancem v prosti dvoriščni reji. Koncentracije kovin v piščančjih peresih so bile določene z atomsko absorpcijsko spektrometrijo (AAS). Razpon povprečnih izmerjenih koncentracij kovin (µg/g perja) v preiskovanih območjih je bil: Zn 109-131, Mn 6,17-31,30, Cu 22,1-27,2, Cr 5,09-19,0, Ni 12,3-15,8, Pb<0,0945-15,5, Cd 11,1-12,3 in As< 0,09-7,44. Najvišje povprečne koncentracije kovin (µg/g) so bile ugotovljene v področjih Dragaš: Zn 131, Cu 27,2, Mn 31,3, Cr 19,0, Ni 15,8 in Mitrovica: As 7,44, Cd 12,3, Pb 15,5. Statistično pomembne razlike (p<0,001) med tremi področji so bile ugotovljene za vsebnost Pb, As, Mn in Cr. Statistično pomembnih razlik nismo ugotovili v vsebnosti Zn med Mitrovico in Obiliqom, v vsebnosti Cu med Mitrovico in Dragašem ter v vsebnosti Cd med Mitrovico in Dragašem. Rezultati raziskave bi morali biti zaskrbljujoči za okolijske agencije na Kosovu in bi jih morali spodbuditi, da sprejmejo konkretne ukrepe, predvsem občasno preverjanje omenjenih onesnaževal v teh industrijskih področjih. Na osnovi naših rezultatov priporočamo spremljanje onesnaženosti okolja s kovinami z uporabo piščančjega perja kot primernega in uporabnega preskusnega materiala.Ključne besede: kovine v sledovih; AAS; piščančje perje; onesnaženost okolja; Kosovo