Hexavalent Chromium Contamination in Groundwaters of Thiva Basin, Central Greece

Abstract

There is an increasing concern regarding elevated levels of Cr(VI) in the environment due to its higher mobility and toxicity compared to the trivalent form. Anomalous hexavalent chromium concentrations (up to 212 μg/L) were determined in irrigated groundwaters from the wider area of Thiva Basin (central Greece), frequently exceeding the permissible limit for human consumption (50 μg/L for total Cr). Based on the spatial distribution of Cr(VI) values, two groups of groundwater samples were distinguished, possibly reflecting different natural and/or anthropogenic factors that govern the levels of contamination. The first group is spatially located northwards of Thiva town and is consisted of concentrations that range from 13 to 212 μg/L (median 58 μg/L), while the second group is located near Mouriki village and Cr(VI) values range from <9 to 14 μg/L. The Cr(VI) chemical anomalies represent an important social problem because the agricultural products of this region are a major vegetable supply for Greece, bringing up the urgent need to evaluate the health effects associated with Cr(VI) exposure by ingesting the potentially contaminated foods.

Origin and concentration profile of chromium in a Greek aquifer

“…Morrison et al [52] and Izbicki et al [53] reported Cr(VI) concentrations in California groundwater up to 50 and 62 g/L, respectively. Several instances of considerably higher Cr(VI) concentrations have been reported in Greece and specifically in the Viotikos Kifisos River and Asopos River basins in Central Greece, with reported Cr(VI) levels at 180 g/L [54], 212 g/L [29] and 160 g/L [26] in various locations. While the geologic background in Vergina and Asopos & [55] reported that anthropogenic contamination due to industrial activity and an uncontrolled landfill in the Viotikos Kifisos River basin were linked to increased mobility of naturally occurring Cr(VI).…”

“…Reported Cr(VI) concentrations as high as 73 g/L in groundwater interacting with ophiolites and ultramafic rocks indicate that these lithotypes may cause Cr(VI) concentrations in groundwater that exceed the World Health Organization drinking water limit of 50 g/L for Crtot [6]. Such phenomena have been reported in several areas worldwide, including USA [7][8][9], Brazil [10,11], New Caledonia [12][13][14], Taiwan [15][16][17], Italy [6,18,19], France [20,21], Poland [22,23], Albania [24,25] and Greece [26][27][28][29].…”

Potassium Dichromate Toxicities: Protective Effect of Methanol Extract of Corchorus olitorius in Albino Rats

“…1,2 Effluents from these industries contaminate drinking water and consequently the food chain. [1][2][3] Diseases such as ischemic heart diseases and diabetes have therefore been reported in individuals exposed to chromates in drinking water and industrial settings. The exposure has also been associated with several cancers of the respiratory system and internal organs such as intestine, liver, and kidney.…”

Aspects of Hexavalent Chromium Pollution of Thebes Plain Aquifer, Boeotia, Greece

“…In the study area groundwater, the Cr (VI) levels come up to 204 µg/L as a maximum value [25]. Other researches and independent works [26,27] also give evidence of the issue. Last but not least, Institute of Geological and Mineralogical Exploration of Greece (IGME) has worked on this area and came to some serious conclusions in 2010 [28].…”

“…All the points are illustrated in Figure 2. The particular areas were indicated after year-long research on the study area, taking into consideration all the available publications and data [7,16,[23][24][25][26][27]. In the field, the coordinates of the water points were estimated with a GPS device.…”