The concentrations of cadmium, copper, lead, zinc, nickel, and chromium in samples of sediment, water, and Typha angustifolia plants in the stream of the Drenica River were determined to assess the level of pollution. According to sediment analysis results from seven locations, the concentrations of Cu, Ni, Zn, and Cr exceeded the permitted limits according to WHO standards from 1996. In the plant samples, the concentrations of Cd and Pb were above the allowed limits according to GD161 and ECE standards, and according the WHO standard, the water quality in the Drenica River is classified into the first, second, and third quality categories. The results of this study show the bioaccumulation coefficient in Typha angustifolia plants, and it was found that the most bioaccumulated of the metals is Cd, with a bioaccumulation coefficient (BAF) greater than 1. The pollution load index (PLI), enrichment factor (EF index), Geoaccumulation index (Igeo), potential ecological risk factor (Eif), and potential ecological risk index (RI) were used in combination to assess the degree of pollution and the environmental risk presented to the freshwater ecosystem of the Drenica River. The results show that the Drenica River is mainly polluted by Ni, Cu, and Cr, reflecting substantial impacts of anthropogenic activities, including sizeable industrial effects, the development of urbanism, agricultural activities, and the deposition of waste from a ferronickel factory in the area.

This study presents the first comprehensive molecular characterization of Escherichia coli producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL-Ec) in surface waters in Albania, focusing on the Shkumbini river. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in aquatic ecosystems poses a significant threat to public health, yet data from Albania remain scarce. Thirty water samples were collected from six locations near Elbasan between September 2022 and February 2024. Following the WHO Tricycle protocol, 52 ESBL-Ec isolates were recovered and characterized for antimicrobial susceptibility, biofilm formation, resistance genotypes and clonal relatedness via pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). ESBL-Ec was detected in 80% of the samples analyzed, with 94.2% of the isolates classified as multidrug-resistant (MDR). High resistance frequencies were observed for ampicillin (98.1%) and cefotaxime (86.5%), while 7.7% of the isolates displayed colistin resistance associated with the mcr-3 gene. The bla_CTX-M-1 genotype was the most prevalent (57.7%), and almost half of the isolates harbored multiple ESBL genes. Phylogroup A (46.2%) predominated, followed by the high-risk extraintestinal lineages B2 (23.1%) and D (11.5%). PFGE revealed high genetic heterogeneity, with 51 distinct pulsotypes indicating multiple sources of contamination, such as untreated municipal, agricultural and industrial waste. Additionally, 55.8% of the isolates were capable of forming biofilms. These results highlight the critical role of the Shkumbini river as a reservoir for highly resistant pathogens and emphasize the urgent need for integrated environmental surveillance and improved wastewater management in Albania.

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.

Benthic diatoms are being used as indicators to assess the biological quality of surface waters in Kosovo. The Klina River is the left tributary of the White Drin River Basin, with a length of 69 km. The study assessed the level of surface water quality in the Klina River using 12 diatomic indices calculated with the Omnidia program. For this purpose, three stations monitored the river Klina in the autumn of 2021 to conform to international standards. A total of 88 diatom taxa were identified, with the dominant species being Rhoicosphenia abbreviata (C. Agardh) Lange-Bertalot, Gyrosigma acuminatum (Kützing) Rabenhorst, Cocconeis placenula Ehrenberg, Gomphonema minutum (Ag.) Agardh f. minutum, Gomphonema clavatum Ehr, Meridion circulare (Greville) C.A. Agardh, Cocconeis pediculus Ehrenberg, Diatoma vulgaris Bory, and Nitzschia dissipata (Kützing) Grunow ssp. dissipata etc. This study assessed the surface water quality in the Klina River using diatom indices, indicating that the river is in good to moderate ecological condition. Environmental variables such as hydrogen ion concentration (pH) and dissolved oxygen (DO) had significant positive correlations (<0.01) with the biological diatom index (IBD), Descy’s pollution metric (Descy), Sladeček’s pollution metric (SLA), the European index (CEE), and Watanabe’s Index (WAT), while the total suspended solids (TSS) also showed a strong negative significant correlation (<0.01) with the generic diatom index (IDG), Indice Diatomique Artois Picardie (IDAP), the eutrophication pollution index (EPI-D), the trophic diatom index (TDI), the Pampean diatom index (IDP), and Steinberg and Schiefele’s index (SHE). Total phosphorus (TP), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) presented a significant negative correlation (<0.05) with the IBD, Descy, SLA, CEE, and WAT indices. Our findings provide insights for organizations dealing with the state of the environment and water protection in Kosovo, and these results can be used as a starting point for assessing the ecological quality of water and monitoring environmental pollution in the Kosovo region.

Vertically resolved aerosol characterization is crucial for assessing the impact of aerosols on radiation, cloud formation, and climate. Atmospheric aerosol particles exhibit significant spatial and temporal variability, making long–term observations essential for understanding these variations and developing an aerosol climatology. We conducted, for the first time, long–term lidar measurements in Albania during 2022–2023 using a ground–based Raman lidar. In this study, we evaluate aerosol extinction profiles, and mass concentration profiles using 15 years of Cloud–Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) data and one year of ground–based Raman lidar measurements. We present seasonal patterns of total, dust, and non-dust contributions. Additionally, we analyze monthly AOD variations over a 15–year period from CALIPSO and a one–year period from POLLY (POrtabLe Lidar sYstem). Along with aerosol climatology, the air mass cluster backward trajectories by means of HYSPLIT (Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory) are shown as seasonally means for a 10–year period. The maximum extinction coefficient retrieved by CALIPSO in the near-surface layer ranges from 80 to 100 Mm⁻¹. In comparison, POLLY observations at 300 m altitude indicate maximum extinction values between 75 and 125 Mm⁻¹. The maximum height of the aerosol layer is detected between 8 and 10 km. Wildfire smoke layers were identified up to 10 km height during the summer season. Strong Saharan dust outbreaks, with mass concentrations up to 300 µg m⁻³, and moderate events, with concentrations around 100 µg m⁻³, are presented through two case studies and analyzed in detail. The highest AOD values are observed during summer, specifically in August, reaching approximately 0.26 for CALIPSO and 0.19 for POLLY. In contrast, the lowest values occur in winter. For POLLY, the minimum AOD is recorded in December at 0.053, while for CALIOP, the lowest values are around 0.1, observed in December and January. HYSPLIT backward trajectories cluster analysis indicates regional aerosol transport primarily from the Balkans and Italy, along with long-range transport from Western Europe and North America.