title: Evaluation of the pollution of the surface waters of Greece from the priority compounds of list II, 76/464/EEC directive, and other toxic compounds.
abstract: The pollution of the surface waters of Greece from the priority compounds of 76/464/EEC Directive was evaluated. The occurrence of 92 toxic compounds, 64 of which belong to priority compounds of List II, candidates for List I, of 76/464/EEC Directive, was studied in surface waters and wastewater through the developed network of 62 sampling stations, which covers the whole Greek territory. The analytical determination was performed by Purge and Trap-Gas chromatography-Mass spectrometry for volatile and semivolatile organic compounds (VOCs), Gas Chromatography-Electron Capture Detection for organochlorine insecticides, Gas Chromatography-Nitrogen Phosphorous Detection for organophosphorous insecticides, High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Photodiode Array Detection for herbicides, and Electrothermal Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES) for metals and the toluene extractable organotin compounds. The concentrations of VOCs and insecticides detected in the surface waters of Greece were very low, whereas the concentrations of herbicides and metals ranged generally at moderate levels. VOCs were detected almost exclusively in the rivers and very rarely in the lakes, while the frequency of occurrence of insecticides, herbicides and metals was similar for rivers and lakes. Water quality objectives (WQO) and emission limit values (ELV) have been laid down in national legal framework for a number of compounds detected in the samples, in order to safeguard the quality of surface waters from any future deterioration.
authors.affiliation: Water and Air Quality Laboratory, Department of Environmental Studies, University of the Aegean, Karadoni 17, 81100, Mytilene, Greece.
authors.forename: Themistokles
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lekkas
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kolokythas
authors.forename: Anastasia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nikolaou
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kostopoulou
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kotrikla
authors.forename: Georgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gatidou
authors.forename: Nikolaos S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Thomaidis
authors.forename: Spyros
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Golfinopoulos
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Makri
authors.forename: Damianos
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Babos
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vagi
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stasinakis
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petsas
authors.forename: Demetris F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Lekkas
mesh_terms: D004777:Environment; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006115:Greece; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014881:Water Supply / Q000592:standards*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical