Annual monitoring of physicochemical parameters and phenolic contamination along the Tirana River, Albania

Tirana River is an important urban water body of Tirana city but it is affected by increasing anthropogenic pressure associated with urbanization and wastewater inputs.The aim of this study was to evaluate the selected physicochemical parameters and total phenolic compounds in the Tirana River over a one-year monitoring period.Water samples were collected from seven sampling stations distributed along the river, from Tufina in the upstream section to Rinas in the downstream section, during six sampling campaigns conducted between October 2025 and September 2026.Dissolved oxygen (DO), total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), pH and total phenolic compounds were determined.DO concentrations ranged from 6.80 to 11.80 mg/L, while TDS varied from 227.00 to 414.00 mg/L.Electrical conductivity ranged from 385 to 784.82 µS/cm, whereas pH values ranged from 7.17 to 9.12.Total phenolic concentrations varied between 3.205 and 55.210 µg/L, with the highest concentration recorded at Laknas in October 2025.The downstream stations shown increase in TDS, electrical conductivity and phenolic concentrations, accompanied by a decrease in dissolved oxygen.These fact is connected with increasing anthropogenic influence shown the influence of hydrological conditions, runoff, dilution and temporal changes in pollutant inputs.The results demonstrate the presence of phenolic contamination in the Tirana River regardless of the station or the time of analysis.Continued monitoring and source-oriented investigations are recommended for the institutions, particularly in downstream urbanized areas, to support effective management and protection of the river ecosystem.