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eISSN: 2083-5906
ISSN: 1230-1485
ISSN: 1230-1485
ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Ecological Risk Factor, Contamination Factor
and Bioconcentration Factor of Heavy Metals
in Vegetables Grown on Polluted Soils in Kosovo
1
University “St. Kliment Ohridski”– Bitola, Faculty of Technology and Technical Sciences -Veles,
Dimitar Vlahov 57, 1400 Veles, R. North Macedonia
2
University of Applied Sciences in Ferizaj, Kosovo, Faculty of Engineering and Informatics Department
of Industrial Engineering with Informatics, Kosovo
3
Ministry of Defence of Republic of North Macedonia, Directorate for acquisition,
Orce Nikolov, 116, Skopje, R. North Macedonia
4
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
Submission date: 2025-06-08
Final revision date: 2025-07-29
Acceptance date: 2025-08-10
Online publication date: 2025-09-25
Corresponding author
Gorica Pavlovska
University “St. Kliment Ohridski”– Bitola, Faculty of Technology and Technical Sciences -Veles, Dimitar Vlahov 57, 1400 Veles, R. North Macedonia
University “St. Kliment Ohridski”– Bitola, Faculty of Technology and Technical Sciences -Veles, Dimitar Vlahov 57, 1400 Veles, R. North Macedonia
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
The accumulation of heavy metals in plants is a serious environmental and health problem,
especially in regions near industrial facilities, smelters, and mines. The aim of this study is to assess
the environmental risks of cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), and lead (Pb) contamination in different types of
vegetables. For this purpose, the bioconcentration factor (BCf), contamination factor (Cf), and ecological
risk factor (Erf) were analyzed in vegetable samples collected from regions close (Zvecan and Frasher)
and further (Polac) from the smelter. Heavy metal analysis was performed with inductively coupled
plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in onion, garlic, and potatoes from these areas. The concentration
of Cd and Pb in the analyzed vegetables from the Zvecan and Frasher is high and above the allowable
limit, while in the Polac region, Cd and Pb were not detected. The highest concentrations of Cd and Ni
were determined in garlic, fresh weight (0.134 mg/kg; 14.32 mg/kg; 5.982 mg/kg and 32.951 mg/kg,
respectively), and for Pb in potatoes, fresh weight (0.555 mg/kg). According to BCf, onion accumulates
the most Cd, garlic accumulates the most Ni, and potatoes accumulate the most Pb. According
to the contamination factor (Cf) in the areas of Zvecan and Frasher, there is a very high level of
contamination by Cd and Pb. Significantly, very high ecological risk for Cd is in the regions of Frasher
and Zvecan, and for Pb in the region of Zvecan. The results of the concentration of the analyzed metals
in vegetables correspond to the results of contamination from environmental risks.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
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