Assessment of Major and Trace Elements of Fresh Water Springs in Village Pepaj, Rugova Region, Kosova

Abstract

Water is essential to health however its purity and the mineral content are important for consumption by humans. In recent years, there has been an increasing global public health concern associated with drinking water contamination by major and trace chemical elements. In mountain Rugova Region the natural springs are the most important source of water for dinking and domestic uses. The aim of this study was to assess the major and trace elements of springs waters in the village Pepaj, Rugova. Springs waters were analysed for their major and trace elements in order to assess their water quality. The concentrations of major and trace elements were determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrophotometer (ICP-OES). All results were compared with the drinking water standards of the EU (98/83/EC Directive), World Health Organization and US Environmental Protection Agency. While concentrations of Ca, Mg, K, Mn, Mo, Fe, Zn, Ni, Cu, Cr, Al and Ba were within the permissible limit values, Na, Co, Se, Sr, Sb, Cd, As, Hg and Pb were not detected in waters of springs. The highest concentrations of Ca, Mg, K, Mn, Mo, Fe, Zn, Ni, Cu, Cr, Al and Ba were 67.96 mg/l, 1.242 mg/l, 0.912 mg/l, 0.037 mg/l, 0.001 mg/l, 0.192 mg/l, 0.885 mg/l, 0.011 mg/l, 0.032 mg/l, 0.015 mg/l, 0.0239 mg/l and 0.0174 mg/l, respectively. The findings revealed that there were no public health risk in view of major and trace elements concentration in waters of springs. 

Keywords

• Rugova Mountain Region
• spring water
• major and trace elements
• drinking water quality
• (ICP-OES)

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