Abstract
A 2-yr (1997–1998) survey aiming at the establishment of national data bases concerning the quality of surface waters has been conducted in the major river systems of Macedonia, N. Greece. This paper presents the physicochemical parameters(pH, conductivity, total suspended solids, temperature and DO),the organic pollution parameters (BOD5, COD) and the major N and P species (NO3 -, NO2 -,NH4 +,organic N, orthophosphates and total P) determined at 25 sampling sites located on main rivers, tributaries, streams andditches that drain the major rural, agricultural, urban and industrial areas of N. Greece. Use of multivariate statistics is also made to identify the principal factors which influencethe chemistry of the water in individual river systems.The eutrophication status of the examined systems was evaluatedby means of N/P ratios. Mean N/P ratios showed large variationsamong sampling sites ranging from potential N- to P-limitationconditions. N/P ratios at particular sampling sites showed also great temporal variability thus suggesting temporary states of N- or P- limitation. Most frequently, highest ratio values wereobserved during winter and early spring. Comparisons are made between data from this study region and literature on rivers elsewhere.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Antonopoulos, V. and Tsiouris, S.: 1991, 'Relationships Between Discharges and Water Quality Parameters in the Axios River', Proceedings of 2nd Conference of Environmental Science and Technology, Mitilini, Greece (in Greek).
APHA, AWWA and WPCF: 1985, Standard Methods for the Examination of Water, and Wastewater, 16th ed., Washington DC.
Carpenter, S. R., Caraco, N. F., Correll, D. L., Howarth, R.W., Sharrley, A. N. and Shith, V. H.: 1998, Ecol. Appl. 8(3), 559.
Doering, P. H., Oviatt, C. A., Nowicki, B. L., Klos, E. G. and Reed, L. W.: 1995, Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 130, 221.
Ebise, S. and Inoue, T.: 1991, Water Res. 25, 95.
European Communities: 1977, Council Decision 77/795/EEC establishing a common procedure for the exchange of information on the quality of surface fresh water in the Community.
European Communities: 1986, Council Desicion 86/574/EEC, amending Decision 77/795/EEC establishing a common procedure for the exchange of information on the quality of surface fresh water in the Community.
European Communities, DG II.: 1997, Quality of Surface Fresh Water, Common Procedure for Information Exchange 1990–1992, Luxemburg.
Fisher, T. R., Lee, K. Y., Berndt, H., Benitez, J. A. and Norton, M. M.: 1998, Water, Air, and Soil Pollut. 105, 387.
Fytianos, K., Samanidou, V. and Agelidis, T.: 1986, Ambio 15(1) 42.
Gerdes, P. and Kunst, S.: 1998, Water Sci. Technol. 37(3) 241.
Hopke, P. K.: 1985, Receptor Modeling in Environmental Chemistry, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., U.S.A.
House, W. A., Dennison, F. H. and Armitage, P. D.: 1995, Water Res. 29, 767.
House, W. A. and Warwick, M. S.: 1998, Sci. Total Environ. 210/211, 111.
Howarth, R. W.: 1988, Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 19, 898.
Howarth, R. W., Billen, G., Swaney, D., Townsend, A., Jaworski, N., Lajtha, K., Downing, J. A., Elmgren, R., Caraco, N., Jordan, T., Berendse, F., Freney, J., Kudeyarow, V., Murdoch, P. and Zhao-Liang, Z.: 1996, Biogeochemistry 35, 75.
Jarvie, H. P., Whitton, B. A. and Neal, C.: 1998, Sci. Total Environ. 210/211, 79.
Kilikidis, S. D., Karamanlis, X. D. and Kamarianos, A. P.: 1992, Toxic. Envir. Chem. 37, 103.
Kim, K. H., Heo, W. M. and Kim, B.: 1998, Water, Air, and Soil Pollut. 102(1–2), 37.
Kouimtzis, Th., Samara, C., Voutsa, D. and Zachariadis, G.: 1994, J. Environ. Sci. Health, A29(10), 2115.
Lee, G. F., Rast, W. and Jones, R. A.: 1978, Environ. Sci. Technol. 12(8), 900.
Magnien, R. E., Summers, R. M. and Sellner, K. G.: 1992, Estuaries 15, 497.
Martinelli, L. A., Krusche, A. V., Victoria, R. L., De Camango, P. B., Bernardes, M., Ferraz, E. S., DeMoraes, J. M. and Ballester, M. V.: 1999, Water, Air, and Soil Pollut. 110(1–2) 67.
Meybeck, M.: 1998, Hydrobiologia 374, 1.
Meybeck, M. and Helmer, R.: 1989, Global Planet C. 1, 283.
Meybeck. M.: 1982, American Journal of Science 282, 401.
Mourkides, G. A., Papadopoulou-Mourkidou, E., Katsanos, A. A. and Kakanis, P. K.: 1990, Chemistry and Ecology 4, 65.
Ng, H. Y. F., Mayer, T. and Marsalek, J.: 1993, Water Sci. Technol. 28, 451.
Pickett, P. J.: 1997, JAWRA 33(2), 465.
Prefecture of Thessaloniki: 1996, The Situation of the Environment in the Prefecture of Thessaloniki (in Greek).
Reisenhofer, E., Adami, G. and Barbieri, P.: 1998, Water Res. 32(4), 1193.
Schindler, D. W.: 1977, Science 195, 260.
Schlesinger, D. W. H. and Hartly, A. E.: 1992, Biogeochemistry 15, 191.
Spahr, N. E. and Wynn, K. H.: 1997, JAWRA 33(3), 547.
SPSS Base 8.0 for Windows: 1998, SPSS Inc.
Uhlmann, D. and Paul, L.: 1994, Water Sci. Technol. 30, 281.
Vandelannoote, R., Blommaert, W., Vant Dack, L., Gijbels, R. and Van Grieken, R.: 1983, Environ. Technol. Letters 4, 363.
Vitousek, P.M., Aber, J., Howarth, R.W., Litens, G. E., Matson, P. A., Schindler, D.W., Schlesinger, W. H. and Tilman, G. D.: 1997, Ecol. Appl. 7, 737.
Voulgaropoulos, A., Fytianos, K., Apostolopoulou, A. and Gounaridou, X.: 1987, Wat. Res. 21(3), 253.
Voutsa, D., Zachariadis, G., Samara, C. and Kouimtzis, Th.: 1995, J. Environ. Sci. Health A30(1), 1.
Young, K., Morse, G. K., Scrimshaw, M. D., Kinniburgh, J. H., MacLead, C. L. and Lester, J. N.: 1999, Sci. Total Environ. 228(2–3), 157.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Voutsa, D., Manoli, E., Samara, C. et al. A Study of Surface Water Quality in Macedonia, Greece: Speciation of Nitrogen and Phosphorus. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 129, 13–32 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010315608905
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010315608905