Presence and correlation of potentially toxic elements in honey, pollen, and soil samples in Kosovo

The study involved the determination of the concentrations of 11 potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in soil, honey, and pollen samples collected in the territory of Kosovo, followed by a statistical analysis. Inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry were used to determine the PTE concentrations in the samples. Based on principal component analysis, many PTEs in the soil samples have an anthropogenic origin as a result of the activities of the Trepça mines, Obiliq (the location of a thermoelectric power plant), and Hani i Elezit. The pollution sources for honey and pollen could still be identified, but the patterns were less conclusive than those for the soil samples. Correlations between the concentrations of individual elements and the different sample types were anticipated, given their expected physical and chemical interactions within the environment. However, the results did not support this assumption, except in cases of high and prolonged pollution by specific contaminants. Most of the correlations between the PTE concentrations and the samples were not significant (P > 0.05), with the exception of Pb in honey, which showed a strong correlation with the soil samples.