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Groundwater quality assessment in Oropos–Kalamos basin, Attica, Greece

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Abstract

Groundwater samples were collected from 25 sampling sites of the Oropos–Kalamos basin aiming to describe the groundwater quality in relation to geology, lithology and anthropogenic activities of the study area. Chromium speciation analysis, factor analysis, GIS database and geochemical data proved successful tools for the identification of natural and anthropogenic factors controlling the geochemical data variability and for the identification of the redox couple controlling Cr speciation. A Durov diagram is used to classify groundwater quality into five types: Ca–HCO3, Mg–HCO3, Na–Cl, Mg–Cl and Ca–Cl. The groundwater quality of Oropos–Kalamos is influenced by various natural and anthropogenic factors. Evaluation of water quality for drinking and irrigation purposes is discussed.

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Acknowledgments

We thank N. Voutsis and S. Peppas for the assistance rendered during the fieldwork of this study. We would like to thank the staff of the Department of Economic Geology and Geochemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, for cooperation during the chromium chemical analyses by using AAS. The authors are thankful to the anonymous reviewer for giving valuable suggestions for improving the quality of the paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Mineralogy-Geology, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 118 55, Athens, Greece

    G. Stamatis, D. Gamvroula & G. Migiros

  2. Laboratory of Reclamation Works and Water Resources Management and Centre for the Assessment of Natural Hazards and Proactive Planning, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Iroon Polytechniou, 157 73, Athens, Greece

    D. Alexakis

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  1. G. Stamatis
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  2. D. Alexakis
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  3. D. Gamvroula
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  4. G. Migiros
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Correspondence to D. Alexakis.

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Stamatis, G., Alexakis, D., Gamvroula, D. et al. Groundwater quality assessment in Oropos–Kalamos basin, Attica, Greece. Environ Earth Sci 64, 973–988 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-011-0914-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-011-0914-2

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