Abstract
The domestic and industrial waste water from most of the greater Athens, Greece area is discharged into shallow water at the upper end of the semi-enclosed Saronikos Gulf. The lack of circulation and excess organic matter has led to the formation of a rapidly expanding sludge field. Black anoxic sediments high in organic carbon now cover almost 9 sq km of sea floor and contain high concentrations of heavy metals. Maximum increases above background values range from 22× for mercury, 1500× for arsenic, 1200× for chromium, to 3000× for zinc. The principal sources of metals are 1) a fertilizer factory, 2) the Athens sewer outfall, and 3) the industries in eastern Elefsis Bay.
Similar content being viewed by others
References Cited
Emery, K. O., 1960, The sea off southern California: New York, John Wiley and Sons, 366 p.
Folger, D. W., 1972, Texture and organic carbon content of bottom sediments in some estuaries of the United States: Geol. Soc. America Memoir, v. 133, p. 391–408.
Foyn, E., 1971, Municipal wastes,in Hood, D. W., ed., Impingement of man on the oceans: New York, Wiley-Interscience, p. 445–459.
Gaudette, H. E., W. R. Flight, L. Toner, and D. W. Folger, 1974, An inexpensive titration method for the determination of organic carbon in recent sediments: Jour. Sed. Petrology, v. 44, p. 249–253.
Griggs, G. B., 1975. An investigation of bottom sediments in a polluted marine environment, upper Saronikos Gulf, Greece: Athens, Greece, Institute for Oceanographic and Fishing Research, Tech. Rept., 43 p.
——, and T. S. Hopkins, 1976, The delineation and growth of a sludge field: Water Research, v. 10, p. 501–507.
Grimanis, A. P., M. V. Grimanis, and G. B. Griggs, 1976, Pollution studies of trace elements in sediments from the upper Saronikos Gulf, Greece: Munchen, F. R. Germany, Proc. 1976 Internat. Cong. on Modern Trends in Activation Analysis, v. 1, p. 675–684.
Gross, M. G., 1970, Preliminary analysis of urban wastes, New York metropolitan region: Stony Brook, New York, State Univ. of New York, Marine Sciences Research Center, Tech. Rept. no. 5, 35 p.
--, 1971, Survey of marine waste deposits, New York metropolitan region: Stony Brook, New York, State Univ. of New York, Marine Sciences Research Center, Tech. Rept. no. 8, 72 p.
Holmes, C. W., E. A. Slade, and C. J. McLerran, 1974, Migration and redistribution of zinc and cadmium in a marine estuarine system: Environmental Science and Technology, v. 8, p. 225–259.
Hopkins, T. S., 1974, A discussion of marine pollution problems in the Saronikos Gulf as disclosed by current research: Athens, Greece, Institute for Oceanographic and Fishing Research, S.S.P. Tech. Rept. 3, 17 p.
McKay, D. W., W. Halerow, and I. Thornton, 1972, Sludge dumping in the Firth of Clyde: Marine Pollution Bull., v. 3, p. 7–10.
Merlini, M., 1971, Heavy metal contamination,in Hood, D. W., ed., Impingement of man on the oceans: New York, Wiley-Interscience, p. 461–486.
Papakostidis, G., A. P. Grimanis, D. Zafiropoulos, G. B. Griggs, and T. S. Hopkins, 1975, Heavy metals in sediments from the Athens sewage outfall area: Marine Pollution Bull., v. 6, p. 136–139.
Portmann, J. E., 1972, Possible dangers of marine pollution as a result of mining operations for metal ores,in Ruivo, M., ed., Marine pollution and sea life: London, Fishing News Books, Ltd.
Steele, J. H., A. D. McIntyre, R. Johnston, I. G. Baxter, G. Topping, and H. D. Dooley, 1973, Pollution studies in the Clyde Sea area: Marine Pollution Bull., v. 4, p. 153–157.
Topping, G., and A. D. McIntyre, 1972. Benthic observations on a sewage sludge dumping ground: Aberdeen, Scotland, Marine Laboratory, Unpublished Report. 8 p.
Van Loon, J. C., J. Lichwa, D. Ruttan, and J. Kinrade, 1973, The determination of heavy metals in domestic sewage treatment plant wastes: Water, Air, Soil Pollution, v. 2, p. 473–482.
Weaver, J. N., A. Hansen, J. McGauhey, and F. J. Steinkruger, 1974, Determination of heavy metals in municipal sewage plant sludges by neutron activation analysis: Water, Air, Soil Pollution, v. 3, p. 327–335.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Griggs, G.B., Grimanis, A.P. & Grimani, M.V. Bottom sediments in a polluted marine environment, upper Saronikos Gulf, Greece. Geo 2, 97–106 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02380472
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02380472