The ecological risk of contamination with toxic metals in soils around the Trepça complex, the Kosovo thermal power plants, and a New Co Ferronickeli complex

Toxic waste, soil, and ash samples were collected in the landfill (solid environmental hot spots) near the Trepça complex, New Co Ferronickeli, and Kosovo thermal power plants. They were analyzed by the ICP-OES method to measure the concentration of some toxic metals. The pollutant with the highest mean concentration (in an acidic medium) was Fe (36 400.0), followed by Mn (8683.0), Cr (6575.0), As (4739.0), Pb (3364.0), Zn (2394.0), Ni (922.6), Cu (297.6), Co (46.6), and Cd (61.8) (all concentrations in mg/kg). Three pollution indices were used such as the geoaccumulation index (Igeo), contamination factor (CFi), and pollution load index (PLI). The CFi values determined for Fe, Mn, Cr, As, Pb, Zn, Ni, Cu, Co, and Cd indicated high contamination. In all soil samples, the PLI values showed the presence of soil pollution.