Unit:
Department of ChemistryLibrary of the School of Science
Dissertation committee:
Ελένη Καμπέρη, Διευθύντρια Ερευνών, ΕΛΚΕΘΕ
Εμμανουήλ Δασενάκης, Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Χημείας, ΕΚΠΑ
Μιχαήλ Σκούλλος, Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Χημείας, ΕΚΠΑ
Σεραφείμ Πούλος, Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Γεωλογίας και Γεωπεριβάλλοντος, ΕΚΠΑ
Ευάγγελος Μπακέας, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Χημείας, ΕΚΠΑ
Σωτήριος Καραβόλτσος, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Χημείας, ΕΚΠΑ
Κατερίνα Καρδιτσά, Επίκουρη Καθηγήτρια, Τμήμα Διαχείρισης Λιμένων και Ναυτιλίας, ΕΚΠΑ
Original Title:
Dynamic chemical transformations of trace elements in the sediment – water interface, the case of Saronikos Gulf
Translated title:
Dynamic chemical transformations of trace elements in the sediment – water interface, the case of Saronikos Gulf
Summary:
The Saronikos Gulf is facing a significant environmental problem due to anthropogenic pressure from various activities, such as urban expansion, industrial activities, and tourism. One of the major environmental issues in the area is heavy metal pollution, which has been prevalent for decades. Sedimentary cores have been used as an important tool to investigate heavy metal pollution, as they can provide valuable information on the history and evolution of pollution over time. In this study, we examined the temporal evolution, chemical speciation, and dynamics between sediment and water column for metals in sediment cores from Saronikos Gulf, with a focus on emerging pollutants such as V, Ag, and Rare Earth Elements (REEs).
The results of the study revealed extensive pollution of the sediments in Eastern and Western Elefsis Bay by Ni, Cr, Cu, Zn, As, Mo, Cd, and Pb from the 1910s and 1960s, respectively. Additionally, a notable enrichment in REEs was revealed in Eastern Elefsis Bay from the late 1990s. The study also found a significant decrease in the sediment enrichment of several metals since 2000 in the Inner Saronikos Gulf, which is mainly influenced by the WWTP of Athens. However, despite this decrease, a toxicity assessment using the metal contents of the surface sediments showed that most of the trace elements studied still pose a moderate to high risk of toxicity to benthic ecosystems.
Furthermore, the study of sediment-water dynamics revealed that the sediments have a high potential of acting as a source of metals for the water column, further confirming the high ecological risk of those sediments. In conclusion, we suggest that metal pollution in Saronikos Gulf remains a significant ecological concern, and focused research on emerging pollutants, particularly Ag in the Inner Saronikos Gulf, is urgently needed.
Main subject category:
Science
Keywords:
heavy metals, sediments, Saronikos Gulf, bioavailability, risk assessment
Number of references:
136
