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. 2025 Feb 14;197(3):295.
doi: 10.1007/s10661-025-13758-4.

Potentially toxic elements in the agricultural soils of northwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina: spatial and vertical distribution, origin and ecological risk

Dijana Mihajlović  1 , Sretenka Srdić  2 , Pavel Benka  3 , Nataša Čereković  4 , Predrag Ilić  5 , Dragoja Radanović  6 , Svetlana Antić-Mladenović  7
Affiliations

Potentially toxic elements in the agricultural soils of northwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina: spatial and vertical distribution, origin and ecological risk

Dijana Mihajlović et al. Environ Monit Assess. .

Abstract

Identifying dominant sources and distribution of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in soils is vital for environmental protection. However, detailed data on the ecological risks posed by PTEs are still limited in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). This research aimed to fill that gap by examining the distribution and pollution levels of nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and lead (Pb) in agricultural soils across three geomorphological units in the northwestern region of BiH. The study involved analyzing 338 soil samples collected from 169 sites at two soil depths: the arable layer (0-25 cm) and the sub-arable layer (25-50 cm). The average PTE contents across the entire study area followed the increasing order: Cu < Pb < Zn < Ni. Notably, the total Ni content exceeded the allowed maximum in 65.4% of the analyzed soils, with the highest exceedance in unit I (80.0%), followed by unit II (57.4%) and unit III (44.3%). Conversely, the total contents of Zn, Cu, and Pb were predominantly below the permissible maximum, with over 98% of the samples within safe limits. The study also found a homogeneous vertical distribution of all elements across different soil depths and an absence of significant ecological risk according to applied criteria: geo-accumulation index (Igeo), pollution index (PI), and pollution load index (PLI). These findings collectively suggest the dominance of natural (geochemical) sources of examined PTEs in the soils of this region. In addition to valuable insights into the soil environmental quality, this research underscores the importance of ongoing monitoring and risk assessment to protect soil health.

Keywords: Environment; Heavy metals; Pollution; Soil protection.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethical approval: Not applicable. Consent to participate: The authors declare their consent to participate in this article. Consent for publication: The authors declare their consent to publish this article. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing interests. Disclaimer: All authors have read, understood, and have complied as applicable with the statement on “Ethical responsibilities of Authors” as found in the Instructions for Authors and are aware that with minor exceptions, no changes can be made to authorship once the paper is submitted.

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