Mineralogical and heavy metal signature of acid mine drainage impacted paddy soil from the western part of the Kočani field (Macedonia)

The mineralogy and heavy metal contamination of the paddy soil from the western part of the Kočani field (Eastern Macedonia) due to irrigation of acid mine drainage affected riverine water from the river Zletovska were studied. Highly elevated concentrations of Pb, Zn, As and Cd and a pollution index (PI) in the range between 2 and 7 were found in all the investigated paddy soil samples in the vicinity of the river Zletovska. The main carrier phases of the several trace elements in the studied soil seem to be Fe and Mn oxides/hydroxides. Heavy metals such as Pb and/or Cu were also bound to secondary minerals like anglesite, lanarkite, clinoclase and chrysocolla. All these minerals were detected by XRD analysis. The measured total metal concentrations exceed various national and international thresholds, thus suggesting the need for further investigation and an assessment of the suitability of the paddy soil in the western part of the Kočani field for agricultural use