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Factors affecting the distribution of potentially toxic elements in surface soils around an industrialized area of northwestern Greece

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Abstract

In order to investigate the factors influencing the distribution of 32 potentially toxic elements in the Ptolemais–Kozani basin, northwestern Greece, 38 soil samples were collected and analyzed. Concentrations of Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, Ti, Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, La, Li, Ni, Pb, Sc, Sr, V, Y, and Zn were determined by ICP-AES and concentrations of As, Bi, Cd, Cs, Mo, Rb, Sb, Th, Tl, and U by ICP-MS. Bivariate analysis, principal component analysis, and geostatistical analysis were employed to investigate the factors influencing the distribution of the elements determined in the study area. The results indicate that the distribution of the majority of elements determined, especially for Cr, Ni, and associated elements, is greatly influenced by the geology and geomorphology of the study area. Principal component analysis has yielded four factors that explain over 77% of the total variance in the data. These factors are as follows: lithophilic elements that are associated with Al silicates minerals of K (factor I: 29.4%), ultramafic rocks (factor II: 20.5%), elements that are coprecipitated with Fe and Mn oxides (factor III: 18.0%), and anthropogenic activities (factor IV: 9.3%). The anthropogenic activities that influence the distribution of several potentially toxic elements (i.e., Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn) are agricultural practices and the deposition of fly ash in the vicinity of the local power stations.

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Acknowledgments

The first author gratefully acknowledges the assistance of Dr Kevin Clemitshaw and, lab technician, Sue Hall of the Royal Holloway University of London, as well as the assistance of Dr Christos Sachanidis of the Public Power Corporation of Greece SA. The constructive comments of the anonymous reviewers that helped improve the original manuscript are gratefully appreciated.

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Author notes

  1. Alexandra Petrotou

    Present address: , Frixou 2, 41222, Larissa, Greece

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham Hill, Egham, TW20 0EX, UK

    Alexandra Petrotou

  2. Department of Ichthyology and Aquatic Environment, University of Thessaly, Fitokou str., N. Ionia, 38446, Volos, Greece

    Konstantinos Skordas

  3. Department of Mineralogy-Petrology-Economic Geology, School of Geology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Georgios Papastergios & Anestis Filippidis

Authors
  1. Alexandra Petrotou
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  2. Konstantinos Skordas
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  4. Anestis Filippidis
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Correspondence to Georgios Papastergios.

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Petrotou, A., Skordas, K., Papastergios, G. et al. Factors affecting the distribution of potentially toxic elements in surface soils around an industrialized area of northwestern Greece. Environ Earth Sci 65, 823–833 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-011-1127-4

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