Zogaj, Florjana and Blazevska, Tatjana and Sallaku, Fatbardh and Thakur, Rakesh Ranjan and Çadraku, Hazir and Rathnayake, Upaka and Nandi, Debabrata and Antoska-Knights, Vesna and Pavlovska, Gorica and Bytyci, Pajtim and Lika, Erinda and Fetoshi, Osman and Velkovski, Valentina and Hasalliu, Rozeta and Đurin, Bojan (2026) Assessment of Groundwater Quality in some regions of Kosovo based on physico-chemical and microbiological parameters. MDPI.
Full text not available from this repository.Abstract
Physicochemical and microbiological parameters are important indicators of drinking water quality. This study assessed the quality of groundwater used for drinking in four regions of Kosovo at 16 locations using an integrated assessment framework that combined physicochemical, microbiological, and Water Quality Index (WQI) approaches. The results reveal substantial spatial variability in water quality. While most physicochemical parameters remained within recommended limits, elevated values of total dissolved solids (up to 2792.5 mg/L), electrical conductivity (up to 2768.5 µS/cm), nitrate (up to 60.75 mg/L), and phosphate (up to 0.875 mg/L) were observed at several locations, indicating localized hydrogeochemical and anthropogenic influences. Dissolved oxygen levels were generally low (0.68–5.49 mg/L), reflecting limited aeration conditions in groundwater systems. Microbiological analysis revealed critical contamination, with Escherichia coli concentrations up to 299.9 CFU/100 mL, and all sampling sites exceeded permissible limits, indicating widespread fecal pollution and rendering the groundwater unsafe for direct consumption. WQI assessment further confirmed this condition, where 93.75% of locations were classified as medium quality using the NSF-WQI method, whereas the WA-WQI method categorized 68.75% of samples as poor and 6.25% as very poor. The novelty of this study lies in the integrated evaluation of hydrogeochemical processes and microbiological contamination using dual WQI methods and multivariate statistical analysis, providing a comprehensive understanding of groundwater degradation pathways. The findings are significant for policymakers, environmental managers, and public health authorities, highlighting the urgent need for groundwater treatment, improved sanitation infrastructure, and sustainable water resource management strategies in vulnerable regions.
Keywords: water quality; microbiological; pollution; drinking water
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | Scientific Fields (Frascati) > Agricultural Sciences > Agriculture, forestry and fisheries Scientific Fields (Frascati) > Agricultural Sciences > Agricultural biotechnology |
| Divisions: | Faculty of Technology and Technical Sciences |
| Depositing User: | Mr Jordan Martinovski |
| Date Deposited: | 11 Sep 2026 08:36 |
| Last Modified: | 11 Sep 2026 08:36 |
| URI: | https://eprints.uklo.edu.mk/id/eprint/11762 |
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