Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Patterns, origin and possible effects of sediment pollution in a Mediterranean lake

  • WATER-LEVEL FLUCTUATIONS
  • Published:
Hydrobiologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Vegoritis is a large, deep, mesotrophic, karstic lake in NW Greece, located in Ptolemais basin. Dramatic lowering of the lake’s level has occurred during the last half century due to human pressures. The Ptolemais Basin and the lake itself are subjected to serious human pressures. Pollutants are carried into the lake through both, the atmosphere and surface runoff. In order to identify the levels, and assess the origin of heavy metals in surface lake sediments, 24 samples were collected and analyzed for their grain size, as well as for their mineral, organic matter, major element and heavy metal content. The origin of heavy metals has been attributed to specific geogenic and anthropogenic sources. Despite the anthropogenic disturbance, the levels of micropollutants were low, possibly due to the low retention time of lake water and the recent increase of sedimentation rates. Only Cr, Ni, Co As, and Ba were present in relatively high concentrations. Ba is derived from the erosion of acid silicate rocks, Cr primarily from mafic rocks and secondarily from pollution, whereas for Ni and Co the opposite is true, while As is primarily attributed to fly ash deposition. The lowering of the lakes’ water level exposes sediments, which are then being oxidized. Mobilization of As and Cr could impair humans’ and ecosystems’ health.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Antonopoulos, V. Z. & S. K. Gianniou, 2003. Simulation of water temperature and dissolved oxygen distribution in Lake Vegoritis, Greece. Ecological Modelling 160: 39–53.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Appleby, P. G. & F. Oldfield, 1978. The calculation of lead-210 dates assuming a constant rate of supply of unsupported lead-210 to the sediment. Catena 5: 1–8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bartlett, R. J., 1991. Cromium cycling in soil and water: links, gaps and methods. Environmental Health Perspectives 92: 31–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Calevro, F., S. Campani, M. Ragghianti, S. Bucci & G. Mancino, 1998. Tests of toxicity and teratogenicity in biphasic vertebrates treated with heavy metals (Cr3+, Al3+, Cd2+). Chemosphere 37: 3011–3017.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, C. J. & L. J. Linn, 1994. Human carcinogeneicity and athirogenicity induced by chronic exposure to inorganic arsenic. In Nriagu, J. O. (ed.), Arsenic in the environment, Part II: human health and ecosystem effects. Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York: 109–131.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diamandithis, G.Ch., 1984. Seasonal variations of primary productivity and biomass in Lake Vegoritis. Geotechnica 4: 93–107. (in Greek).

    Google Scholar 

  • Diamandithis, G.Ch. & B. Z. Antonopoulos, 1984. Distribution of nitrogen, total phosphorus and some other qualitative variables in Lake Vegoritis. Geotechnica 6: 37–47. (in Greek).

    Google Scholar 

  • Dirilgen, N., 1998. Effects of pH and chelator EDTA on Cr toxicity and accumulation in Lemna minor. Chemosphere 37: 771–783.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • DVWK (Deutsche Verband für Wasserwirtschaft und Kulturbau e.V.), 1998. Hydrogeochemische Stoffsysteme. Heft 117, Teil II.

  • Eary, L. E. & D. Rai, 1987. Kinetics of Cr(III) oxidation by manganese dioxide. Environmental Science & Technology 21: 1187–1193.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Εikmann, Th. & A. Kloke, 1993. Nutzungs- und schutzbezogene Orientierungswerte für (Schad-) Stoffe in Boeden–Eikmann–Kloke Werte. 2. Überarbeitete und erweiterte Fassung. Nutzungs- und schutzbezogene. Orientierungswerte 3590: 1–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Faure, G., 1991. Inorganic Chemistry – A Comprehensive Textbook for Geology Students. Macmillan Publishing Company, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Förstner, U. & G. T. W. Wittmann, 1981. Metal Pollution in the Aquatic Environment. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fotis, G., S. Kilikidis & A. Kamarianos, 1984. Study of the pollution and productivity of Lake Vegoritis. Geotechnica 3: 74–79. (in Greek).

    Google Scholar 

  • Fytianos, K., S. Bovolenta & Η. Muntau, 1994. Assessment of metal mobility from sediments of lake Vegoritis. In Varnavas, S. P. (ed.), Environmental Contamination 6th International Conference, Delphi, Edinburgh, 343 pp.

  • Fytianos, K. & B. Tsaniklidi, 1998. Leachability of heavy metals in Greek fly ash from coal combustion. Environment International 24: 477–486.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gerouki, F., A. H. Foskolos, M. Dimitroula & E. Vasileiadis, 1997. Environmental impacts from the trace metals of fly ash coming from the burning of lignite in the electric stations of the greater area of Ptolemais – first results. Technical time reports, lignite and other solid fuels of our country: present status and potentials (2nd part), 6: 128–136.

  • Hem, J. D., 1985. Study and interpretation of the chemical characteristics of natural waters. US Geological Survey Water Supply Paper 1473, 2nd edn.

  • Henkin, R. I., 1984. Zink. In Merian, E. (ed.), Metalle in der Umwelt. Verlag Chemie, Weinheim: 597–630.

    Google Scholar 

  • Horn, M. K. & J. A. S. Adams, 1966. Computer-derived geochemical balance and element abundances. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 30: 279–298.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer), 1987. Monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risks of chemicals to humans. Supplement F. Overall Evaluation of Carcinogenicity. World Health Organization, Lyon, France: 29–57.

  • Kagey, B. T. & B. G. Wixson, 1983. Health implications of coal development. In Thornton, I. (ed.), Applied Environmental Geochemistry. Academic Press, London: 463–480.

    Google Scholar 

  • Katsanos, A. A., N. Panayotakis, M. Tzoumezi, E. Papadopoulou-Mourkidou & G. A. Mourkides, 1987. Elemental analysis of water and sediments by external beam PIXE Part2. Industrial zone of ptolemais, Greece. Chemistry and Ecology 3: 75–100.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Katz, S. A. & H. Salem, 1994. The Biological and Environmental Chemistry of Chromium. VCH Publishers Inc., New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Luh, M.-D., R. A. Baker & D. E. Henley, 1973. Arsenic analysis and toxicity – a review. The Science of the Total Environment 2: 1–12.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maltby, E., 1992. Soil and wetland functions. In Gerakis, P. A. (ed.), Conservation and Management of Greek Wetlands. The IUCN Wetlands Programme: 9–60.

  • Masscheleyn, P. H., J. H. Pardue, R. D. DeLanue & J. W. H. Patrick, 1992. Chromium redox chemistry in a lower Mississippi Valley bottomland, hardwood wetland. Environmental Science & Technology 26: 1217–1226.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moore, J. N., W. H. Ficklin & C. Johns, 1988. Partitioning of arsenic and metals in reducing sulfidic sediments. Environmental Science & Technology 22: 432–437.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Morton, W. E. & D. A. Dunnette, 1994. Health effects of environmental arsenic. In Nriagu, J. O. (ed.), Arsenic in the Environment, Part II. Human Health and Ecosystem Effects. Wiley & Sons Inc., New York: 17–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nicholas, D. R., S. Ramamoorthy, V. Palace, S. Spring, J. N. Moore & F. Rosenzweig, 2003. Biogeochemical transformations of arsenic in circumneutral freshwater sediments. Bioremediation 14: 123–137.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nikolaidis, N. P., Th. Koussouris, G. Fotis & E. Papachristou, 1985. Trophic status assessment of Lake Vegoritida, Greece. ISEM Journal 7: 11–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nikolaidis, N. P., G. M. Dobbs, J. Chen & J. A. Lackovic, 2004. Arsenic mobility in contaminated lake sediments. Environmental Pollution 129: 479–487.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Papakonstantinou, A., I. Meladiotis & C. Demiris, 1989. Karsthydrologische Untersuchungen in den südoestlichen Randbereichen des Amyndeon-Braunkohlen-beckens, Griechenland. Braunkohle 41: 44–50.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pavlides, S. B. & D. Moundrakis, 1987. Extensional tectonics of northwestern Macedonia, Greece, since the late Miocene. Journal of Structural Geology 9: 385–392.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Radakovitch, O., 1995. Étude du transfert et du dépôt du matériel particulaire par le 210Po et le 210Pb. Application aux marges continentales du Golfe de Gascogne (NE Atlantique) et du Golfe du Lion (NW Méditerranée). Ph.D. Thesis, University of Perpignan.

  • Salbu, B. & E. Steiness, 1995. Trace Elements in Natural Waters. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Ann Arbor, London, Tokyo.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sakellariou, D., G. Rousakis, Ch. Kranis, E. Kamberi, P. Georgiou & N. Skoulikidis, 2001. Neotectonic movements and water level fluctuations of Lake Vegoritis during the Upper Quaternary. Bulletin of the Greek Geological Society Greece ΧΧΧΙV: 207–216. (in Greek).

    Google Scholar 

  • Salomons, W. & U. Förstner, 1984. Metals in the Hydrosphere. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, Tokio.

    Google Scholar 

  • Samara, K., 2005. Chemical mass balance source apportionment of TSP in a lignite-burning area of Western Macedonia, Greece. Atmospheric Environment 39: 6430–6443.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sanchez-Cabesa, J. A., P. Masque & I. Ani-Ragolta, 1998. 210Pb and 210Po analysis in sediments and soils by microwave acid digestion. Journal of Radioactivity and Nuclear Chemistry 227: 19–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shanker, A. K., C. Cervantes, H. Loza-Tevera & S. Avudainayagam, 2005. Chromium toxicity in plants. Envitonmental International 31: 739–753.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Skoulikidis, N., 2001a. Environmental state of the bottom of Vegoritis lake, Northern Greece. In Skoulikidis, N., G. Rousakis, D. Sakellariou & P. Georgiou (eds), Investigation of the Morphological and Geophysical Structure and Environmental State of the Bottom of Vegoritis Lake, Northern Greece. Final Report, HCMR.

  • Skoulikidis, Ν., 2001b. Levels and possible origin of heavy metals in the sediments of Lake Vegoritis. Bulletin of the Greek Geological Society ΧΧΧΙV: 1123–1130. (in Greek).

    Google Scholar 

  • SRC (Syracuse Research Corporation), 1993. Toxicological profile for chromium. U.S. Dept. Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Contract No. 205–88–0608.

  • Stamos, Α., 1996. Lake Vegoritis: Basic hydrogeologic – hydrologic characteristics of the lake and the adjacent area. Institute of Geological & Mineral Research, Kozani, Greece (in Greek – unpublished report).

  • State of Connecticut Regulation, 1996. Remediation standard. State of Connecticut. Department of Environmental Protection.

  • Ure, A. M., & M. L. Berrow, 1982. The chemical constituents of soils. In Bowen, H. J. M. (ed.), Environmental Chemistry, Vol. 2. R. Soc. Chem., Burlington House, London: 94–202

  • VROM, 1988. Niederländische Liste: Testtabelle für die Beurteilung verschiedener Stoffe im Boden für die Nutzungsformen Wohngebiete.

  • Yamauchi, H. & B. A. Fowler, 1994. Toxicity and metabolism of inorganic and methylated arsenicals. In Nriagu, J. O. (ed.), Arsenic in the Environment, Part II: Human Health and Ecosystem Effects. Wiley & Sons Inc., New York: 35–43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wedepohl, K. H., 1978. Handbook of Geochemistry. Springer, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zayed, A. M. & N. Terry, 2003. Chromium in the environment: factors affecting biological remediation. Plant and Soil 249: 139–156.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zevenbergen, C. S., J. Bradley, L. P. Van Reeuwijk, A. K. Shyam, O. Hjelmar & R. N. J. Comans, 1999. Clay formation and metal fixation during weathering of fly ash. Environmental Science & Technology 33: 3405–3409.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Inland Waters, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, 46.5 Km Athens-Sounio, P. O. Box 712, 19013, Anavissos, Greece

    Nikolaos Skoulikidis, Helen Kaberi & Dimitrios Sakellariou

Authors
  1. Nikolaos Skoulikidis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Helen Kaberi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Dimitrios Sakellariou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nikolaos Skoulikidis.

Additional information

Guest editors: K. M. Wantzen, K.-O. Rothhaupt, M. Mörtl, M. Cantonati, L. G.-Tóth & P. Fischer

Ecological Effects of Water-Level Fluctuations in Lakes

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

10750_2008_9473_MOESM1_ESM.doc

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Skoulikidis, N., Kaberi, H. & Sakellariou, D. Patterns, origin and possible effects of sediment pollution in a Mediterranean lake. Hydrobiologia 613, 71–83 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-008-9473-2

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-008-9473-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation