Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Levels of Metals Pb, Mn, Fe in the Period 2006–2007 in the Surface Water and Groundwater of Alfeios Catchment, Greece

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Processes Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The aim of the present paper was to evaluate the concentration of heavy metals (lead, manganese and iron) in surface water and groundwater in Alfeios River Basin in the period 2006–2007. Four seasonal sampling campaigns were conducted in 2006 and three campaigns in 2007. At least eleven sampling sites were selected across the main river and its major tributaries, Enipeus, Kladheos, Selinous, Erymanthos, Ladhon and Lousios. At each station, in situ measurements were performed and samples of water were taken for laboratory analysis. Furthermore, in situ measurements were conducted and samples of water were collected from wells and boreholes (drills) in the area near the river to assess the interaction between surface water and groundwater. The mean Pb concentrations in surface waters were found lower than the limit value of 7.2 μg/L in inland waters. The origin of the selected heavy metals is rather natural in the Alfeios River basin, with the exception of the anthropogenic contributions of Pb from the Lousios River catchment and of Fe from the Megalopolis’ mine. These data could be useful for the evaluation of the water quality, which is required by the implementation of the Alfeios River Basin Management Plan.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alexakis D (2011) Assessment of water quality in the Messolonghi–Etoliko and Neochorio region (West Greece) using hydrochemical and statistical analysis methods. Environ Monit Assess 182:397–413

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • APHA, AWWA, WEF (1998) Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater, 20th edition, edited by L.S. Clesceri, a.E. Greenberg, and a.D. American Public Health Association, Washington, DC, Eaton

    Google Scholar 

  • Bekri ES, Yannopoulos PC (2012) The interplay between the Alfeios (Greece) river basin components and the exerted environmental stresses: a critical review. Water Air Soil Pollut 223:3783–3806

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • EC (1998) Council Directive 1998/83/EC of 3 November 1998 on the quality of water intended for human consumption. Off J Eur Communities, 5–12-1998, L330:32–54

  • EC (2000) Directive 2000/60/EC of the Europeean Parliament and Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy. Off J Eur Communities, 22–12-2000, L327:1–72

  • EC (2008) Directive 2008/105/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on environmental quality standards in the field of water policy, amending and subsequently repealing Council Directives 82/176/EEC, 83/513/EEC, 84/156/EEC, 84/491/EEC, 86/280/EEC and amending Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council. Off J Eur Communities, 24–12-2008, L348:84–97

  • Frazier AH (1974) Water current meters in the Smithsonian collections of the National Museum of history and technology, no. 28. Smithsonian Institution press, Washington

    Google Scholar 

  • French RH (1986) Open-Channel hydraulics. McGraw-Hill, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Fytianos K, Siumka A, Zachariadis GA, Beltsios S (2002) Assessment of the quality characteristics of Pinios River, Greece. Water Air Soil Pollut 136:317–329

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gikas GD, Tsihrintzis VA, Akratos CS, Haralambidis G (2009) Water quality trends in Polyphytos reservoir, Aliakmon River, Greece. Environ Monit Assess 149:163–181

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • GMEE (2011) 1st update of River Basin management plans. Greek Ministry of Environment & Energy. (http://www.Ypeka.Gr/default.Aspx?Tabid=924&sni[1366]=4295&language=en-US, in Greek)

  • IBM SPSS Statistics 24 (2016), USA, http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg24041224 (Accessed 28 April 2017).

  • Katsoyiannis IA, Katsoyiannis AA (2006) Arsenic and other contamination of groundwaters in the industrial area of Thessaloniki, northern Greece. Environ Monit Assess 123:393–406

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manariotis ID, Yannopoulos PC (2004) Adverse effects on Alfeios River basin and an integrated management framework based on sustainability. Environ Manag 345(2):261–269

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Natura 2000 network (2015) NATURA 2000: Birds and habitats directives, data for GREECE. European Commission, Environment. http://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/natura-2000-birds-and-habitat-directives-1 Accessed 28 April 2017

  • Papafilippaki AK, Kotti ME, Stavroulakis GG (2008) Seasonal variations in dissolved heavy metals in the Keritis River, Chania, Greece. Global NEST Journal 10(3):320–325

    Google Scholar 

  • Pisinaras V, Petalas C, Gemitzi A, Tsihrintzis VA (2007) Water quantity and quality monitoring of Kosynthos River, north-eastern Greece. Global NEST Journal 9(3):259–268

    Google Scholar 

  • Shvartsev SL (2008) Geochemistry of fresh groundwater in the main landscape zones of the earth. Geochem Int 46(13):1285–1398

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skordas K, Papastergios G, Tziantziou L, Neofitou N, Neofitou C (2012) Groundwater hydrogeochemistry of Trikala municipality, Central Greece. Environ Monit Assess 185(1):81–94

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • SSW (2016) 1st Update of River Basin Management Plans, in accordance with Art. 14 (c) of Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) - River Basin Districts Documents – Western Peloponnese (EL01). Special Secretariat of Water, Ministry of Environment and Energy (In Greek)

  • Stamatis G (2010) Groundwater quality of the ag. Paraskevi/tempi valley karstic springs-application of a tracing test for research of the microbial pollution (Kato Olympos/NE Thessaly). Bull Geol Soc Greece 43:1868–1877

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stamatis G, Voudouris K, Karefilakis F (2001) Groundwater pollution by heavy metals in historical mining area of Lavrio, Attica, Greece. Water Air Soil Pollut 128:61–83

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stamatis G, Alexakis D, Gamvroula D, Migiros G (2011) Groundwater quality assessment in Oropos – Kalamos Basin, Attica, Greece. Environ Earth Sci 64:973–968

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tzamos E, Tziritis E, Vogiatzis P, Matzxari C, Kantiranis N, Filippidis A, Theodosiou N, Fytianos K (2014) Suitability of potable groundwater reserves of Thermi municipality (Macedonia, northern Greece) and definition of main hydrogeochemical signatures. In: Liakopoulos A, Kungolos A, Christodoulatos C, Koutsospyros A (eds) Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on protection and restoration of the environment, ISBN 978-960-88490-6-8

  • Tziritis E, Skordas K, Kelepertsis A (2016) The use of hydrogeochemical analyses and multivariate statistics for the characterization of groundwater resources in a complex aquifer system. A case study in Amyros River basin, Thessaly, central Greece. Environ. Earth Sci 75:339–349

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • USEPA (2005) Handbook for developing watershed plans to restore and protect our waters. Draft. EPA 841-B-05-005, www.epa.gov/owow/nps/pubs.html

  • USEPA (2012) Edition of the drinking water standards and health advisories. EPA 822-S-12-001

  • Whittington RB, El-Fiki AB (1967) The suspended-sphere current meter. A simple device for use in the hydraulic laboratory. Civ Eng and Public Works Review 62(726):65–69

    Google Scholar 

  • WHO (2011) Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality - 4th Ed., Geneva, ISBN 978 92 4 154815 1

  • Yannopoulos PC (2008) Development of low-cost methodologies for quick prediction and monitoring river pollution, Final Report, Operational Educational and Vocational Training II (EPEAEK II) – PYTHAGORAS II (http://www.hydrocrites.upatras.gr/Research.aspx) (In Greek)

  • Yannopoulos PC, Demetracopoulos AC, Hadjitheodorou CD (1995) River discharge measurements with rising air bubbles. In: Lekkas Th (ed) Proceediong of 4th International Conference on Environmental Science and Technology, Molyvos Lesvos, 4-7 sept. 1995, volume B, pp 389-398 (In Greek)

  • Yannopoulos PC, Mavrikos G, Demetracopoulos AC, Hadjitheodorou CD (2000) Velocity measurement in open-channel flows using a sphere. In: Christodoulou G, Stamou a, Nanou a (eds) proceedings of 8th National Congress of Hellenic Hydrotechnical Association (H.H.A.), 19-21 April 2000, Athens, pp 127-134 (In Greek)

  • Yannopoulos PC, Demetracopoulos AC, Hadjitheodorou CD (2008) Quick method for open channel discharge measurements using air bubbles. J. Hydr. Eng. ASCE 134(6):843–846

    Google Scholar 

  • Zagana E, Lemesios I, Charalambopoulos S, Katsanou K, Stamatis G, Lambrakis N (2010) Environmental-hydrogeological investigations on the clay deposits in the broad area of Mesologgi–Aitoliko lagoons. Bull Geol Soc Greece 43:1878–1885

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

An initial shorter version of the paper has been presented in Greek at the 3rd Common Conference (13th of Hellenic Hydrotechnical Association, 9th of Hellenic Committee on Water Resources Management and 1st of the Hellenic Water Association) “Integrated Water Resources Management in the New Era”, Athens, Greece, December 10-12, 2015. This work was funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Operational Educational and Vocational Training II (EPEAEK II), and particularly by the Program PYTHAGORAS II. The research team belongs to the University Network “HYDROCRITES”. The authors thank the editors and the three anonymous reviewers for their fruitful comments that improved significantly the present paper.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Patras, 265 04, Patras, Greece

    A. A. Bloutsos, I. D. Manariotis & P. C. Yannopoulos

Authors
  1. A. A. Bloutsos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. I. D. Manariotis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. P. C. Yannopoulos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to P. C. Yannopoulos.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Bloutsos, A.A., Manariotis, I.D. & Yannopoulos, P.C. Levels of Metals Pb, Mn, Fe in the Period 2006–2007 in the Surface Water and Groundwater of Alfeios Catchment, Greece. Environ. Process. 4 (Suppl 1), 23–34 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40710-017-0233-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40710-017-0233-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation