Prof. Dr. Pranvera Lazo
Lecturer
Faculty of Engineering and Architecture
✉ p.lazo@umt.edu.al
Prof. Dr. Pranvera Lazo is a scientist in Analytical and Environmental Chemistry, and data analysis. Since late 2025, she is a Professor at University Metropolitan Tirana, following a 27-year career as a professor and researcher at the University of Tirana. Her research spans over five decades of geochemical and environmental analysis and interpretation, with more than 140 research papers, books, book chapters, and reports. Her most highly cited publications focus on the evaluation of potentially toxic elements atmospheric deposition, with extensive work on air quality. She is a regular keynote presenter and panelist at regional and global environmental symposia. In the early 2025, she hosted in Tirana the 38th Task Force Meeting of ICP Vegetation, which brought together scientists from the US, Canada, Europe, and Asia to address ozone, metals, nitrogen, and microplastic traces in atmospheric deposition and their effects on vegetation. She is actively involved in cross-border networks and national research.
Core Research Domains
- Moss Biomonitoring & Air Quality: Pioneer of long-term moss biomonitoring in Albania, evaluating spatial patterns and temporal trends of atmospherically deposited potentially toxic elements over a 18+ year timeline.
- Geochemical & Soil Analysis: Assesses topsoil contamination, distinguishing natural and anthropogenic sources.
- Air, Water, and Soil Monitoring: Assesses toxic metal concentrations in various environmental samples.
International Collaboration & Leadership
- ICP Vegetation Project: Prof. Lazo is the official national coordinator and principal investigator for Albania within the International Cooperative Programme on Effects of Air Pollution on Natural Vegetation and Crops (ICP Vegetation), operating under the United Nations UNECE LRTAP Convention.
- Analytical Innovations: Combines advanced instrumentation (ICP-AES, ICP-MS, AAS) with data processing methods (chemometrics, multivariate statistical clustering) and GIS mapping to trace regional pollution footprints.
Her national-level environmental data operations rely on cross-border funding frameworks:
- UN-ECE LRTAP/ICP Vegetation: A permanent framework that funds her multi-year grid collections of moss and vascular plants across Albania.
- COST Action CA18130: Management committee representative for Albania under this EU framework, which funds network building, laboratory cross-calibrations, and standardization of X-ray spectrometry methods (e.g., TXRF) across Europe.
- Balkan Air-Grid Frameworks: Co-directs regional research with the Institute of Chemistry in Skopje (North Macedonia) and researchers in Croatia, Kosovo, and Balkan Countries.
- July 1978, Diploma (Bachelor), Nankai University Institute of Chemistry Tianjin, China, Inorganic Chemistry (Chemistry of Rare Elements)
- Post-University Study: Senior Advancent Student (September 1992 – July 1993) NANKAI UNIVERSITY, Institute of Chemistry, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Tianjin, China.
- Degree: Dr (01.09.1993-10.07.1996) – NANKAI UNIVERSITY, Institute of Chemistry, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Tianjin, China.
- Degree: Master of Sciences (01.09.1988-10.02.1992); University of Tirana, Faculty of Natural Sciences
- Academic Degrees: Associated Professor: 11.09.2000; Professor: 29.03.2007
1. Lazo P, Bekteshi L, Kane Shehu S, Qarri F (2026) Biomonitoring trace metal deposition with Ligustrum Lucidum: Albanian fire incidents. Journal of Environmental Quality. 55.e70243.
https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.70243
2. Hamiti X, Shallari G, Pupuleku B, Yücel A, Çelìk S, Sulejmani E, Lazo P (2025) Phenolic Profiling of Albanian Honeys by LC–MS/MS: Gallic Acid as a Predictive Marker of Antioxidant Potential. Molecules. 30(20):4037. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30204037
1. P. Lazo, L. Bekteshi, S. Shehu (Kane), F. Qarri (2025) The impact of toxic elements on the quality of surface soil in Albania. Environ Monit Assess (2025) 197:652. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-025-14073-8
2. V. Gjeci, S. Shehu Kane, P. Lazo, A. Paparisto, K. Keci (2025) Assessment of water quality of Erzeni-Ishmi basin, Albania. Chemistry and Ecology. 4(10).1-20. doi:11.1080/02757540.2025.2529928
3. V. Gjeci, O. Cakaj, F. Qarri, K. Xhaxhiu, A. Lame, P. Lazo (2025) Preliminary study on FTIR analysis of microplastics in water samples of Erzeni River mouth, Adriatic Sea—Albania. Romanian J. Ecol. & Environ. Chem. 7(1).32-41. https://doi.org/10.21698/rjeec.2025.103
4. V. Gjeci, Xh. Hamiti, F. Qarri, P. Lazo Water quality of Shkumbini River, Albania, evaluated by physical-chemical parameters and nutrient content. Zastita Materijala. Vol. 65. https://doi.org/10.62638/ZasMat1270
5. A. Mitre, M. Janaq, B. Laze, P. Lazo, M. Nezha, I. Toska, Sh. Ceci, O. Laknori, L. Shundi (2025) Study of SARS COVID Infection in the Albanian Population through Molecular Tchnique. IJEES. 15(2):15-324. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31407/ijees15.238
6. Lazo P, Shehu Kane S, Qarri F, Allajbeu S, Bekteshi L (2024) 15 Years of Moss Biomonitoring for Air Quality Assessment in Albania. Aerosol Air Qual. Res. 24, 240011. https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.240011
7. Lazo P, Špirić Z, Stafilov T, Qarri F, Bekteshi L, Barandovski L, Šajn R, Bačeva Andonovska K, Vučković I (2024): Regional air quality study by assessing trace metal atmospheric deposition, Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A, DOI: 10.1080/10934529.2024.2315921
8. Kane S, Bekteshi L, Allajbeu S, Lazo P (2024) Moss biomonitoring of air quality linked with trace metals pollution around a metallurgical complex in Elbasan, Albania. Air Qual Atmos Health. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-024-01562-x
9. Marku E; Tahiraj J; Lazo P; Drushku S; Qarri F; Nuro A; Myrtaj B (2024) Application of a multiparameter sonde for real-time monitoring of seawater quality in Durrës Bay in Albania. AQUA – Water Infrastructure, Ecosystems and Society. (2):322–337. https://doi.org/10.2166/aqua.2024.327
10. Urošević, M.A., Lazo, P., Stafilov, T. et al. (2023) Active biomonitoring of potentially toxic elements in urban air by two distinct moss species and two analytical techniques: a pan-Southeastern European study. Air Qual Atmos Health 16, 595–612 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-022-01291-z
Books: The Evaluation of Air Quality in Albania by Moss Biomonitoring and Metals Atmospheric Deposition, Authors: Lazo, P., Qarri, F., Allajbeu, S., Kane, S., Bekteshi, L., Frontasyeva, M., Stafilov, T., 2021. ISBN 978-3-030-62355-5, SpringerBriefs in Environmental Science, Springer Nature Publishing.
Book Chapter: Spatial Series and Multivariate Analysis in Assessing the Essential (Cu and Zn) and Toxic (As, Cd, Cr, Co, Hg, Ni and Pb) Metals Linked with Health Risk and Ecological Effects of Atmospheric Deposition by Using Bryophyte Moss as Bioindicator. Sh. Allajbeu, L. Bekteshi, Pranvera Lazo, F. Qarri, T. Stafilov. Pages 33-74. Included in: Contaminant Levels and Ecological Effects. Understanding and Predicting with Chemometric Methods. Editors: Biljana Balabanova and Trajče Stafilov. 2021. Part of the Emerging Contaminants and Associated Treatment Technologies book series (ECAT). Springer Nature Publishing.
Monography: Assessment of surface water quality of Shkumbini River, Albania, 2020. by E. Keci (Author), A. Nuro (Author), P Lazo (Author). ISBN-10 : 6200532087, ISBN-13 : 978-6200532084: LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing