Analysis of heavy metals in the soil in the Ibar river valley in the district of Kosovska Mitrovica

Abstract

Soil, air, and water pollution is emerging as a major problem in many cities because of industrialization and fast-paced lifestyles. The main sources of pollution in such environments are combustion products originating from industry, traffic, city heating plants, individual fireplaces, and construction activities, but also improper storage of industrial and communal waste. Soil is a complex and specific layer of the earth's crust that represents a geochemical "accumulator" of pollutants and plays an important role in environmental processes where it acts as a natural buffer that controls the transport of chemical elements and compounds to the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and the living world. Most of the industry in its production processes uses various mineral resources, the burning and melting of which results in the emission of dust, smoke, and suspended particles containing heavy metals, which are deposited in the soil from the air. The greening of urban areas through the construction of parks and green oases is of great importance for the reduction of soil pollution and the rest of the environment and for the preservation of urban ecosystems.