Hydrochemical characteristics of the Oropos coastal aquifers, Attica, Greece

PDF
Published: Mar 8, 2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12681/bgsg.20939
Keywords:
coastal aquifer hydrochemistry seawater intrusion Oropos plain
Demetrios Hermides
Agricultural University of Athens
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3041-918X
Dimitrios Zaxariadis
Agricultural University of Athens
George Stamatis
Agricultural University of Athens
Abstract

This article deals with the hydrochemistry of coastal aquifers of the Oropos plain, Attica, Greece. It is the first study which presents hydrochemical data of the Oropos plain groundwater. Groundwater samples from 34 wells were collected and analyzed for major and heavy metal constituents. Groundwater was differentiated between the Pleistocene confined aquifer and the group of the Holocene, the Miocene and the Mesozoic aquifers based on the electrical conductivity (EC) values and the chlorides content. Groundwater in the Pleistocene sediments presented EC values ranging between 766 and 971μS/cm and chlorides between 95-163mg/l. The group of the rest aquifers presented EC values up to 3770 μS/cm and chlorides up to 993mg/l. The Pleistocene aquifer seems to be protected from seawater intrusion, although, it is located adjacent to the shoreline. In addition, most of the heavy metal concentration exceeded the EU limits. Cd, Fe, Pb, Ni have been determined at 82, 2500, 817, 217 μg/lit respectively. Groundwater was, also, categorized into 2 main water types that of Ca-Mg-HCO3 type indicating recharge of fresh water and that of Ca-Mg-Cl type indicating reverse cation exchange of old Na-Cl waters.

Article Details
  • Section
  • Environmental Geology
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.

Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g. post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (preferably in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.

Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
References
Alam, S.M.M., 2010. Hydrogeochemical evolution of groundwater of part of Ganges-Meghna Deltaic Plain AQUA mundi Am03029: 071 – 082
Dounas, A., Kallergis, G., Morfis, A., Pagounis, A., 1980. Hydrogeological research of brackish karstic springs at Ag. Apostoloi of Kalamos, Nr 31 IGME Athens.
Bear J.A., Cheng H.D., Sorek S., Ouuzar D, Herrera I., editors, 1999. Seawater intrusion in coastal aquifers -concepts, methods and practices Dordrecht, the Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers; 625 pp
Freeze R.A., Cherry J.A., 1979. Groundwater, Prentice-Hall Inc., New Jersey
Ghyben W.B., 1888. Nota in verband met de voorgenomen putboring nabij Amsterdam (Memorandum concerning the proposed well drilling near Amsterdam) Tijdschrift van Let koninlkijk Inst., Van Ing.
Henry H.R., 1964. Interface between salt water and fresh water in a coastal aquifer. In: Cooper Jr. HH, Kohout FA, Henry HR, Glover RE, editors Sea water in coastal aquifers (pp C35–C70) U.S. Geological Survey Water 691 Supply Paper, p. 1613-C.
Hermides D., 2018. Hydrogeological conditions of the Thriassion Plain basin with emphasis on the geohydraulic characteristics of the aquifers and the groundwater quality. PhD thesis, Agricultural University of Athens, pp 283.
Herzberg A., 1901. Die wasserversorgung einiger Nordseebader (Water supply to selected North Sea resorts) J. Gasbeleuchtung und Wasserversorgung (Munich), 44. 815–819, 842–844.
Kabata-Pendias, A. & Pendias, H., 1992. Trace Elements in Soils and Plants, 2nd Edition, CRC Press, Boca Ratón, Florida, 315pp
Katsikatsos, G., 2000. Geological map of Greece scale 1:50.000, ‘‘Eretria’’ sheet, IGME publication, Athens.
Lambeck, K., 1996. Sea Level change and shore-line evolution in Aegean Greece since Upper Palaeolithic time, Antiquity, 70/269, p 588-611
Lambrakis, N., 1991. Elaboration of the hydrochemical data by PC, Mineral Wealth Vol.74:53-60 (In Greek).
Lloyd, J.W., Heathcote, J.A., 1985. Natural inorganic hydrochemistry in relation to groundwater, Clarendon Press Oxford p. 294
Mettos, A., 1992. Geological and paleogeographic study of continental Neogene and Quaternary formation of NE Attica and SE Beotia Ph.D. Thesis University of Athens 270 p.
Pagounis, Μ., 1994. Hydrogeological research of Viotia Prefecture, IGME, Hydrological Hydrogeological research-water reserves determination, Volume I and II Athens.
Parginos, D., Bornovas, I., Mauridis, A., Mettos, A., 1989. Geological map of Greece scale 1:50.000, ‘‘Chalkida’’ sheet, IGME publication, Athens.
Papanikolaou, D., et al., 1989. Submarine tectonic map of S. Euboean Gulf, ed. OASP-HCMR-TDTEG.
Papanikolaou, D., Mariolakos, H., Lekkas, E., Lozios, S., 1988. Morphotectonic observations in Asopos basin and Oropos coastal zone, Contribution to Neotectonics of N. Attica. Bulletin Geological Society Greece, 20, 251-267.
Perissoratis, K., Mettos, A., Van Andel, T., 1989. Stratigraphy and Tectonics of S. Euboean Gulf and the wide Neogene basin, Bulletin Geological Society Greece, 23, p. 209-221.
Post V.E.A., Asmuth J., 2013. Review: Hydraulic head measurements – new technologies, classic pitfalls, Hydrogeology Journal, 21(4): 737-750
Post V.E.A., 2004. Groundwater salinization processes in the coastal area of the Netherlands due to transgressions during the Holocene. PhD thesis, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 138 pp.
Stamatis, G., Alexakis, D., Gamvroula, D. Migiros G., 2011, Groundwater quality assessment in Oropos–Kalamos basin, Attica, Greece, Environ Earth Sci, 64: 973. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-011-0914-2
Stigter Τ.Y., et al., 1998. A hydrogeological and hydrochemical explanation of the groundwater composition under irrigated land in a Mediterranean environment, Algarve, Portugal. Journal of Hydrology, 208, 262–279.
Stringfield V.T., Le Grand H.E., 1969. Salt water intrusion in the coastal aquifer of the southern Po Plain, Italy: Relation of sea water to fresh water in carbonate rocks in coastal areas, with special reference to Florida, U.S.A. and Cephalonia (Kephallinia), Greece. Journal of Hydrology, 9(4): 387–404
Stuyfzand P.J., 1993. Hydrochemistry and hydrology of the coastal dune area of the western Netherlands, PhD thesis, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 366 pp.
Todd D.K., 1980. Groundwater hydrology 2nd edition NY: John Wiley and Sons, 535 pp.