In the frame of the ARCHIMEDES Research Project regarding 'Evaluation of the Transboundary Pollution of the Axios River - Direct and Indirect Impact to Man and Environment' coordinated by Technological Educational Institution of Thessaloniki (T.E.I)., the Republic Institute for Health Protection - Skopje has realised 4 seasonal measurements (4 each season) during 2005, and there are 4 more measurements to be done in 2006. The measurements were performed in two (2) localities along the Axios valley. In the context with the Convention on Transboundary Pollution from 1992, Republic Institute for Health Protection - Skopje has monitored the presence and distribution of heavy metals, pesticides and radionuclides in the river Axios. Steel plant in Skopje, and the lead smelter plant in Veles in the middle of the country have been polluted the surface waters of the river Axios more than three decades by heavy metals - iron, manganese, lead, cadmium and zinc. In spring, summer, and autumn 2005, the Republic Institute for Health Protection has measured the concentrations of the lead, cadmium, zinc, iron, copper, arsenic, chromium, manganese, mercury and nickel, pesticides and radionuclides downstream from Skopje and Veles. With a goal to assess pollution by heavy metals in the past the Republic Institute for Health Protection - Skopje has performed investigations of heavy metals in sediment of the river Axios. There have been two measuring sites (same as for surface water), on the right shore of the river bank. Using the appraising levels of soil contamination and pollution with heavy metals, registered levels of examined heavy metals have been lower than recommended levels in Austria. Only for chromium has been found higher concentration than the MAC in June 2005 on the measuring site v. Gomo Lisice. That could be explained by pollution of the river Axios by chromium few decades ago upstream of Skopje from JUGOHROM - Jegunovce. Despite the fact that cadmium's levels were lower than the MAC, data have shown almost 4 fold higher concentrations downstream of Veles compared to v. Gomo Lisice due tu the impact of the lead smelter plant in Veles. Zinc was almost twice higher downstream of Veles, compared to v. Gomo Lisice. In April 2005 lead has been 10 fold higher downstream of Veles, compared to v. Gomo Lisice. All samples of surface water have shown no pollution with pesticides. Almost all samples of sediments have shown no pollution with pesticides, with exception of Lindan and HCH on the both measuring sites Gradsko and v. G. Lisice in October and November. From the data it can be assumed that there was not registered high potential for possible transboundary pollution by lead, cadmium, zinc, and other heavy metals of interest, as well by pesticides and radionuclides, because they are far below the MACs (maximum allowed concentrations) from the national legislative, with except of Lindan and HCH in sediments (possibly as a result of historical pollution from the chemical plant 'OHIS'-Skopje).
