Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Geochemical evolution of the Thriassion Plain groundwaters, Attica, Greece

  • Published:
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The geochemical evolution of groundwater in the coastal area of the Thriassion Plain, Attica, Greece, has been investigated using major and trace elements of chemical analyses. The groundwater of good quality (total dissolved solids TDS between 400 and 1100 mg/l) has been found in the Plio-Pleistocene sediments up to the depth of 90 m below sea level. Moreover, the existing contamination of groundwater in the Pleistocene-Holocene sediments possibly originates from the pumping of the old brackish water of the upper aquifers and the returns of the irrigation water as well as the possible occurrence of palaeo-seawater in the aquifers. A five-stage conceptual model is suggested for groundwater geochemical evolution from the main recharge area to the main discharge area. Limestone and dolomite dissolution in the recharge area leads to one end member of the Ca-Mg-HCO3 type. These waters evolve to Ca-Mg-Cl-HCO3 along their flow path possibly due to the dissolution of relics of evaporites, as well as mixing with seawater that is Na-Cl type, the other end member. Two more hydrogeochemical processes have also been identified; possibly gypsum, anhydrite, halite and fluorite dissolution; calcite, aragonite and dolomite precipitation.

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
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alam, S.M.M. (2010). Hydrogeochemical evolution of groundwater of part of Ganges-Meghna Deltaic Plain AQUA mundi Am03029: 071 – 082.

  • Alcala, F., & Custodio, E. (2008). Using the Cl/Br ratio as a tracer to identify the origin of salinity in aquifers in Spain and Portugal. Journal of Hydrology, 359(1), 189–207.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alloway, B. J. (1995). Heavy metals in soils (2nd ed.p. 368). London: Blackie Academic & Professional.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Andreasen, D., & Fleck, W. (1997). Use of bromide: Chloride ratios to differentiate potential sources of chloride in a shallow unconfined aquifer affected by brackish-water intrusion. Hydrogeology Journal, 5(2), 17–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Appelo, C. A. J., & Postma, D. (1993). Geochemistry, groundwater and pollution (p. 536). Rotterdam: Balkema.

    Google Scholar 

  • Back, W., & Hanshaw, B. B. (1970). Comparison of chemical hydrogeology of the carbonate peninsula of Florida and Yucatan. Journal of Hydrology, 10(4), 330–368.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burdon, DJ., & Mazloum, S. (1958). Some chemical types of groundwater from Syria. UNESCO Symp., Teheran, pp 73-90, UNESCO, Paris.

  • Cardenal, J., Benavente, J., & Cruz-Sanjulian, J. J. (1994). Chemical evolution of groundwater in Triassic gypsum-bearing carbonate aquifers (Las Alpujarras, southern Spain). Journal of Hydrology, 161(1-4), 3–30.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chan, L. H., Gieskes, J. M., You, C. F., & Edmond, J. M. (1994). Lithium isotope geochemistry of sediments and hydrothermal fluids of the Guaymas Basin, Gulf of California. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 58, 4443–4445.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Christides, A., Mavrakis, A., Mitilineou, A. (2011). A case of intense seawater intrusion to aquifer of the Thriasio Plain, Greece. Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Environmental Science and Technology (12th ICEST). Vol B: 152-159.

  • Davis, S. N., Whittemore, D. O., & Fabryka-Martin, J. (1998). Uses of chloride/bromide ratios in studies of potable water. Ground Water, 36(2), 338–350.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Deligiannakis, G., Papanikolaou, I. D., & Roberts, G. (2018). Fault specific GIS based seismic hazard maps for the Attica Region, Greece. Geomorphology, 306, 264–282. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2016.12.005.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dounas, Α., & Panagiotides, G. (1964). Precursor report on the hydrogeological conditions of Thriassion Institute of Geology and Subsurface Research, Athens.

    Google Scholar 

  • Edmunds, W. M., & Smedley, P. L. (2013). Fluoride in Natural Waters. In Fluoride in natural waters In: Selinus O (Ed) Essentials of medical geology, Springer, Netherlands, pp 311–336.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Fetter, C.W. (2001). Contaminant hydrogeology. Prentice Hall, 500 pp

  • Freeze, R. A., & Cherry, J. A. (1979). Groundwater (604 pp). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall Inc..

    Google Scholar 

  • Gurunadha Rao, V. V. S., Tamma Rao, G., Surinaidu, L., Mahesh, J., Mallikharjuna Rao, S. T., & Mangaraja Rao, B. (2013). Assessment of geochemical processes occurring in groundwaters in the coastal alluvial aquifer. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 185(10), 8259–8272. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-013-3171-x.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hanshaw, B., & Back, W. (1985). Deciphering hydrological systems by means of geochemical processes. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 30(2), 257–271. https://doi.org/10.1080/02626668509490988.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hem, J.D. (1985). Study and interpretation of the chemical characteristics of natural waters, 3rd edn. U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 2254.

  • Heathcote, J. A., & Lloyd, J. W. (1984). Groundwater chemistry in Southeast Suffolk (UK) and its relation to quaternary geology. Journal Hydrology, 75, 143–165.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • 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.

  • Hermides, D., & Stamatis, G. (2017). Origin of halogens and their use as environmental tracers in aquifers of Thriassion Plain, Attica. Greece Environmental Earth Science, 76(8), 306. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-017-6611-z.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hermides, D., Mimides, T., & Stamatis, G. (2016). Contribution to hydraulic characteristics of Plio-Pleistocene deposits of Thriassion Plain of Attica. Bulletin of the Geological Society of Greece, 50(2), 967–976. https://doi.org/10.12681/bgsg.11801.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Iliopoulos V., Stournaras G., Stamatis G. (2011). Marine and human activity effects on the groundwater quality of Thriassio Plain, Attica, Greece. 9th Intern. Hydrogeological Congress of Greece, Kalavrita, 5-8 October 2011, N. Lambrakis et al. (Eds.), Advances in the research of aquatic environment, Vol. 2:409-416, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-24076-8, © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2011.

  • Jalali, M. (2007). Hydrochemical identification of groundwater resources and their changes under the impacts of human activity in the Chah Basin in Western Iran. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 130, 347. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-006-9402-7.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kallieris, D. (2010.) Our village, volume 2nd, Cultural Center M. of Aspropyrgos, pp 586.

  • Karambela, A., (1997). Geomorphological and environmental study of Thriassion Plain PhD, Faculty of Geology and Geoenvironment, NKUA pp 289.

  • Katsikatsos, G., Mettos, A., Vidakis, M., Dounas, A., Pomoni, F., Tsaila-Monopolis, S., Skourtsi-Koroneou, V. (1986). Geological map of Greece, in scale 1:50.000. “Athina-Elefsis” sheet, IGME publication, Athens.

  • Kyriazis, D., Zagana, E., Stamatis, G., Fillippidis, F., & Psomiadis, E. (2013). Assessment of groundwater pollution in relation to heavy metals of the alluvial aquifer of Thriassion Plain (NW Attica). Bulletin of the Geological Society of Greece, 47, 731–739.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lambrakis, N. (1991). Elaboration of the hydrochemical data by PC Mineral Wealth 74, 53-60 (In Greek).

    Google Scholar 

  • Li, J., Wang, Y., & Xie, X. (2016). Cl/Br ratios and chlorine isotope evidences for groundwater salinization and its impact on groundwater arsenic, fluoride and iodine enrichment in the Datong basin. China Science of the Total Environment, 544(2016), 158–167.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lioni, A., Stournaras G., & Stamatis G. (2008). Degradation of groundwater quality of Thriassion Plain through natural factors and human activity, Proceedings of the 8th Hydrogeological Congress of Greece, 2 577-586.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lloyd, J.W., Heathcote, J.A. (1985). Natural inorganic hydrochemistry in relation to groundwater Clarendon press Oxford, p 296.

  • Lloyd, J. W. (1965). The hydrochemistry of the aquifers of north-eastern Jordan. Journal of Hydrology, 3, 319–330.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Makri, P. 2008. Investigating the pollution from BTEX in the groundwater of Thriassion Plain, Ph.D. University of Athens, pp260.

  • Mariolakos, H., & Theocharis, D. (2001). Shifting shores in the Saronic Gulf during the last 18,000 years and the Kychreia paleolimni. Proceedings of the 9th International Conference, Athens, Bulletin of Hellenic Geological Society XXXVI 1: 405-413.

  • Papazotos, P., Vasileiou, E., & Perraki, M. (2019). The synergistic role of agricultural activities in groundwater quality in ultramafic environments: The case of the Psachna basin, central Euboea, Greece. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 191(5), 317. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-019-7430-3.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Palmer, C. D., & Wittbrodt, P. R. (1991). Processes affecting the remediation of chromium - contaminated sites. Environmental Health Perspectives, 92, 25–40.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Paraschoudes, Β. (2002). Hydrogeological study of western Attica, Agricultural Ministry, Athens

  • Parkhurst, D. L., & Appelo, C. A. J. (2015). Description of input and examples for PHREEQC version 3—a computer program for speciation, batch-reaction, one-dimensional transport, and inverse geochemical calculations, techniques and methods 6-A43. Denver, Colorado: U.S. Geological survey.

    Google Scholar 

  • Plummer, L. N., Busby, J. F., Lee, R. W., & Hanshaw, B. B. (1990). Geochemical modelling in the Madison aquifer in parts of Montana, Wyoming and South Dakota. Water Resources Research, 26, 1981–2014.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • 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., Parpodis, K., Filintas, A., & Zagana, E. (2011). Groundwater Quality and Nitrate Pollution and irrigation environmental management in the Neocene Sediments in the Region of the Central Thessaly (Thessaly/Central Greece). Environmental Earth Sciences, 64(4), 1081–1105.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vasileiou, E., Papazotos, P., Dimitrakopoulos, D., & Perraki, M. (2019). Expounding the origin of chromium in groundwater of the Sarigkiol basin, Western Macedonia, Greece: A cohesive statistical approach and hydrochemical study. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 191(8), 509. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-019-7655-1.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vengosh, A., & Pankratov, I. (1998). Chloride/bromide and chloride/ fluoride ratios of domestic sewage effluents and associated contaminated ground water Ground Water 36:815–824.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wigley, T.M.L. (1973). The incongruent dissolution of dolomite Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 37, 1397-1402.

    Google Scholar 

  • Winston, R.B. (2000). Graphical User Interface for MODFLOW, Version 4: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 00-315, 27 p.

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was accomplished at the expense of the Agricultural University of Athens. We would like to thank Mr. Deligiannakis G. for his comments and suggestions. We would also like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments on this paper.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece

    D. Hermides, D. Kyriazis & A. Ermidou

  2. University of Athens, Athens, Greece

    P. Makri

Authors
  1. D. Hermides
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. D. Kyriazis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. P. Makri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. A. Ermidou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to D. Hermides or P. Makri.

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Hermides, D., Kyriazis, D., Makri, P. et al. Geochemical evolution of the Thriassion Plain groundwaters, Attica, Greece. Environ Monit Assess 192, 561 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-020-08491-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-020-08491-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation