Identification and Monitoring of Contaminated Soils using innovative methodology

The following activities will be implemented as part of the project: 1. Project management and coordination activities; 2. Communication and dissemination activities; 3. Pilot concept for choosing the exact areas, setting up the test sites and planning the network for soil screening, according to the specific needs of the region; 4. Capacity building and pilot tool implementation for environmental screening and monitoring of soils by an innovative methodology; 5. Validation of the methodology for soil pollution screening, consisting of independent chemical analyses of selected samples from the study area, preparation of thematic maps, geostatistical and spatial analysis of the data. 6. Final Conference for dissemination of project results in Macedonia.

Следните основни дейности ще бъдат осъществени като част от работната програма на проекта: 1. Дейности по управление и координация на проекта; 2. Дейности по комуникация и разпространение на информацията; 3. Пилотна концепция за избор на конкретните зони, определяне на местоположения за обследване и планиране на мрежата за извършване на скрининг на почвата, съобразно специфичните нужди на региона; 4. Прилагане на пилотен инструмент за изграждане на капацитет за екологичен скрининг и мониторинг на почвите, чрез иновативна методология; 5. Утвърждаване на методологията за скрининг на замърсяването на почвите, състояща се от независими химически анализи на подбрани проби от изследваната област, подготовка на тематични карти, геостатистически и пространствен анализ на данните; 6. Финална конференция за популяризиране и разпространение на резултатите от проекта в Македония

Следните активности ќе се имплементираат како дел од проектот: 1. Проектни активности за управување и координација; 2. Активности за комуникација и дисеминација на информации за проектот; 3. Пилот концепт за избор на конкретни локации, поставување на места за тестирање и планирање на мрежата за скрининг на почвата, во согласност со специфичните потреби на регионот; 4. Градење на капацитети и имплементација на пилот-алатки за еколошко испитување и следење на почвите со иновативна методологија; 5. Потврдување на методологијата за скрининг на загадување на почвата, која се состои од независни хемиски анализи на одбрани примероци од локациите кои се испитуваат, изработка на тематски карти, геостатистичка и просторна анализа на податоците. 6. Завршна конференција за дисеминација на резултатите од проектот во Македонија.

Identification and monitoring of contaminated areas is a crucial activity for environmental protection and sustainable use of land. Cooperation between the two partner organisations from Bulgaria and North Macedonia, as well as the collaboration with scientific organisations which has been provided and it is envisaged to be continued, will be an effective mechanism for spreading know‐how and enhancing capacities and skills of the institutions dealing with environmental screening and monitoring. MCSoil project directed the main part of its activities towards four particular areas which are “sensitive’’ for the population: two in the industrial polluted regions (thermal plant “Bobov dol”and the region of Probistip- Zletovo) and two in the nature protected zones (peat bog “Choklyovo blato” and Ploce – Litotelme locality). The added value of the MCSoil project is the joint development of a new tool which will advance the standard methodologies and procedures utilised by the environmental agencies and local/regional authorities in the participating countries with regard to soil protection. The project results will advance the standard methodologies and procedures utilized by the environmental agencies and local/regional authorities in the two countries, which provide monitoring of the soils in the CB area, but mainly on agricultural land. That is way, the project activities related to the pilot action implementation and its applicability in the field of environmental protection of soils will provide additional value andcould be useful for the relevant authorities, because this assessment of the level of contamination of particular zones in the cross-border region, is new.The elaborated GIS-based maps enable the thematic visualization of the results of the soils magnetic susceptibility measurements, as well as they visualize the spatial distribution of the major pollutants (As, Pb, Zn, Cu, Fe), obtained through the chemical analyses. This particular product, together with the elaborated Road map for magnetic susceptibility screening and the Long-term monitoring plan, encompassing the long-term actions following the completion of the project, provide the cross-border innovative nature and added value of the project. The developed and applied methodological approach for assessing the ecological status of the soil cover, which includes the developed reports (Country assessment report; Road map; Country reports; Long-term monitoring reports; Independent and Evaluation analysis report), elaborated on the basis of theoretical, statistical and empirical data, and consistent with the natural soil conditions in the both regions, aimed at analyzing thefour specific areas from the cross-border region of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia, are a solid base for successive scientific research and implementation of environmental assessment of the condition of the soilcover in the cross-border regionnot only during the implementation, but following the completion of the project as well. The main purpose of the applied methodology, including the field and the laboratory magnetic susceptibility measurements, is to obtain reliable and cheap alternative of the traditional chemical methods for analyses of the anthropogenic pollution and the presence of heavy metals in the soils. In order to verify the reliability of the results and the effectiveness of the methodological approach, some samples with high and low susceptibility values for each test site have been analyzed for the presence of trace elements/heavy metals (As, Pb, Zn, Cu, Fe). The analysis were executed according to the laboratory standards and traditional methods for chemical analysis.After thorough investigation it has been concluded that the chemical analyses of selected samples proved the reliability of the new methodology because there are very good correlations between the high values of magnetic susceptibility and the high concentrations of heavy metals in the soils of the tested areas. These correlations are very well defined especially in polluted testing area of Proboshtip. The chemical analyses proved the reliability of the new methodology as it can be used as fast and cheap alternative for quick detection and mapping of the spatial distribution of pollution and to identify polluted sources. The cross-border impact of the project is ensured through the obtained results from the pilot tool implementation and will be upgraded mainly through the elaborated strategic plan that defines the goals and desired outcomes,including the major steps and necessary guidelines for producing a standard research protocol for magnetic susceptibility screening of soils as a reliable instrument for detection of soil pollution. This wolud be achieved as well as through the data which will be acquired during the long - term monitoring actions for identification of the contaminated, which can be used as a foundation for the development of remediation strategy by the responsible institutions.

Indicator; Reached value; Comment Number of nature protected areas addressed by supported interventions;2.00;This indicator has been achieved through the following outputs: 1) Elaboration of 2 (two) Country assessment reports with assessment of the condition of the environment in the cross-border region of the project, types of soil covers and potential contaminated spots (Activity 3); 2) Elaboration of 2 (two) Country reports representing the results from the field measurements of the magnetic susceptibility of soils, conducted in the frame of the territories of the 4 (four) selected areas in Bulgaria and North Macedonia (Activity 4). The achievement of this indicator is related to the implementation of Activities 3 and 4 from the project's Application Form. Number of supported joint mechanisms for environmental protection, promotion of biodiversity and sustainable use of natural resources;1.00;This indicator has been achieved by the elaboration of the following documents, contributing for the establishement of the joint mechanism for environmental protection: 1) 1 (one) Road map for magnetic susceptibility screening for development and implementation of a new methodology for identification and monitoring of contaminated soils (Activity 3); 2) 2 (two) Long-term Monitoring Plans in the cross-border regions of the Republic of Bulgaria and Republic of North Macedonia (Activity 3); 3) 1 (one) Idependent analysis report (Activity 5); 4) 1 (one) Evaluation analysis report (Activity 5); 5) 4 (four) GIS-based maps with detailed results from the pilot tool implementation, which enabled the thematic visualization of the contamination degree of the areas, determined for analyzing and monitoring within the project (Activity 5). The achievement of this indicator is related to the implementation of Activity 3 – Pilot tool concept and Activity 5 – Methodology validation, from the project's Application Form. Number of institutions/organizations involved in environmental related activities;2.00;Both project partners - Cluster RES (LP) and Association Ambrozija (PP2) are the overall coordinators and directly involved in all project activities which directly contributed for environmental protection through identification and monitoring of pre-selected contaminated areas and nature protected areas. The achievement of this indicator is related to the implementation of Activity 1 – Management and Coordination. Number of participants in environmental related trainings and campaigns;60.00;This project indicator has been achieved by the training of a total of 60 (sixty) representatives (30 in Bulgaria and 30 in North Macedonia) of the target groups and stakeholders from the cross-border region of Bulgaria and North Macedonia, which have participated in the specialized trainings, entitled „Introduction of an Innovative Methodology for Identification and Monitoring of Contaminated Soils and the Results Achieved from its Implementation“, held within the two countries. The main target groups that were involved in the specialized trainings were representatives from local and regional authorities, environmental agencies, representatives of the academic community, NGO's, private companies, students, etc. Certificates of attendance were provided to to all participants, who have taken part in the trainings. The achievement of this indicator is related to the implementation of Activity 4 – Capacity building and pilot tool implementation.