The Status of Arsenic Pollution in the Greek and Cyprus Environment: An Overview

Golfínopoulos, Spyros K.; Varnavas, Soterios P.; Alexakis, Dimitrios Ε.

doi:10.3390/w13020224

Cited by 25 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 96 publications

(160 reference statements)

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“…The arsenic content in the lignite deposits of the Ioannina basin varies between 1.93 and 46.40 mg kg −1 [54], suggesting that lignite deposits are a natural source of As in the soil of the Ioannina karst basin. Similar findings regarding the contribution of lignite deposits as a contamination source of As for soil and groundwater have also been reported by many researchers in the Oropos-Kalamos basin (Greece) [83,84]. According to Golfinopoulos et al [85], the most important reason for the As occurrence in the environment of Greece is the geogenic sources.…”

Section: Physicochemical Characteristics Of the Soilsupporting

confidence: 79%

Spatial Distribution and Evaluation of Arsenic and Zinc Content in the Soil of a Karst Landscape

et al. 2021

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Karst features such as polje are highly vulnerable to natural and anthropogenic pollution. The main objectives of this study were to investigate the soil quality in the Ioannina polje (north-west Greece) concerning arsenic (As) and zinc (Zn), and delineate their origin as well as compare the As and Zn content in soil with criteria recorded in the literature. For this purpose, the geomorphological settings, the land use, and the soil physicochemical properties were mapped and evaluated, including soil texture and concentrations of aqua-regia extractable As and Zn. The concentration of elements was spatially correlated with the land use and the geology of the study area, while screening values were applied to assess land suitability. The results reveal that 72% of the total study area has a very gentle slope. This relief favors urban and agricultural activity. Thus, the urban and agricultural land used cover 92% of the total area. The spatial distribution for As and Zn in the soil of the study area is located on very gentle slopes and is strongly correlated with the geological parent materials and human-induced contamination sources. Arsenic and Zn can be considered enriched in the soil of the area studied. The median topsoil contents (in mg kg−1) for As (agricultural soil 16.0; urban soil 17.8) and Zn (agricultural soil 92.0; urban soil 95.0) are higher compared to the corresponding median values of European topsoils. Land evaluation suitability concerning criteria given from the literature is discussed. The proposed work may be helpful in the project of land use planning and the protection of the natural environment.

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Section: Physicochemical Characteristics Of the Soilsupporting

confidence: 79%

Spatial Distribution and Evaluation of Arsenic and Zinc Content in the Soil of a Karst Landscape

et al. 2021

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“…Moreover, GIS have become integral tools to address natural hazard phenomena [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19], as well as to estimate suitable sites for land use planning [20][21][22][23][24][25]. These current geospatial technologies are beneficial to demonstrate soil properties [26], environmental parameters and spatial visualization of chemical compounds [27][28][29][30][31]. Therefore, GIS are essential tools in the spatial analysis of element distribution.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Land Suitability Mapping Using Geochemical and Spatial Analysis Methods

et al. 2021

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Assessing the suitability of urban and agricultural land is essential for planning sustainable urban and agricultural systems. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the suitability of land in Ioannina plain (western Greece) concerning the soil contents of two potentially toxic elements, cadmium (Cd) and cobalt (Co). Geochemical and spatial analysis methods were applied to assess the distribution of Cd and Co in the soil of the Ioannina plain and identify their origin. The primary anthropogenic sources of Cd and Co in the topsoil of the study area can be attributed to traffic emissions, aircraft operations, vehicle crushing and dismantling activities. Element content is compared to international guidelines and screening values. Cadmium and Co concentration in the soil of the study area is well above the European topsoil mean. Thus, the urban and agricultural lands cover the vast majority (92%) of the total area. Cadmium concentration in soil of the study area with a mean (mg kg−1) 1.7 and 2.0 was observed in agricultural and urban land use, respectively. Cobalt content in soil of the area studied with a mean (mg kg−1) 30.8 and 37.1 was recorded in agricultural and urban land use, respectively. Land evaluation suitability by adopting criteria provided from the international literature is discussed.

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“…Arsenic concentration values in water and exposure found in Chile are among the highest in the world (Raju, 2022 ). As such, in Chile and many countries of the world, such as Mexico, Argentina, USA, Bangladesh, India, the issue of arsenic contamination and the associated human health risk has been well studied (Golfinopoulos et al, 2021 ). Table 1 shows reported arsenic concentrations worldwide.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of surface water quality in basins of the Chilean Altiplano-Puna and implications for water treatment and monitoring

Lizama-Allende

Rámila²,

Leiva

et al. 2022

Environ Monit Assess

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Water quality characterization and assessment are key to protecting human health and ecosystems, especially in arid areas such as northern Chile, where water resources are scarce and rich in pollutants. The objective of this study was to review and assess available official water quality data in the Chilean Altiplano-Puna basins for a 10-year period (2008–2018), including water treatment systems. Within the 43,600 km 2 of Chilean Altiplano-Puna territory, only 16 official water quality monitoring stations had up-to-date data, and the sampling frequency was less than 3 per year. Most of the water samples collected at the evaluated stations exceeded the drinking and irrigation water Chilean standards for arsenic, boron, and electrical conductivity. Moreover, the characteristics of the Altiplano-Puna affect water quality inside and beyond the area, limiting water usage throughout the Altiplano-Puna basins. Drinking water treatment plants exist in urban and rural settlements; however, the drinking water supply in rural locations is limited due to the lack of adequate treatment and continuity of service. Wastewater treatment plants operate in some urban locations but rarely exist in rural locations. Limited data impede the proper assessment of water quality and thus the evaluation of the need for treatment systems. As such, the implementation of public policies that prioritize water with appropriate quantity and quality for local communities and ecosystems is imperative. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10661-022-10628-1.

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The Status of Arsenic Pollution in the Greek and Cyprus Environment: An Overview

Cited by 25 publications

References 96 publications

Spatial Distribution and Evaluation of Arsenic and Zinc Content in the Soil of a Karst Landscape

Spatial Distribution and Evaluation of Arsenic and Zinc Content in the Soil of a Karst Landscape

Land Suitability Mapping Using Geochemical and Spatial Analysis Methods

Evaluation of surface water quality in basins of the Chilean Altiplano-Puna and implications for water treatment and monitoring

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