The objective of this work was to investigate whether previous disposal practices in four metal finishing facilities, located at Asopos river basin (East-Central Greece), have caused any potential serious contamination of soils. The study focused mainly on Cr and Ni, which are the primary elements of concern in the area. To estimate the natural geochemical levels of Cr and Ni, thirty soil samples were collected from locations that were not suspected of any contamination. In this group of samples, Cr concentration varied between 60 and 418 mg/kg, and Ni concentrations varied from 91 to 1200 mg/kg. The second group of samples consisted of more than 100 drill cores and surface soil samples, potentially affected by the disposal of effluents and/or the drainage of runoff water from the industrial facilities. According to the findings of the study, the disposal of treated effluents in absorption type sinks resulted occasionally in the contamination of a thin layer of soil just at the bottom of the sinks, but there was no indication of downward migration, since Cr and Ni concentrations in the lower soil layers were similar to those of the reference soils.
Keywords: Background levels; Chromium; Industrial effluents; Nickel; Soil contamination.
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