title: The Origin of Hexavalent Chromium as a Critical Parameter for Remediation of Contaminated Aquifers.
abstract: Two different cases of Cr(VI) contaminated ophiolitic aquifers are presented herein. The first is located at Vergina (Northern Greece), where the maximum Cr(VI) concentration measured was 64 μg/L, being one of the highest geogenic concentrations recorded globally in areas with similar geological background. The second case is located at Inofyta (Central Greece), a makeshift industrial area, where the maximum detected Cr(VI) concentration exceeds 10,000 μg/L, indicating clearly anthropogenic activities as the main source. Although for the Vergina aquifer, area-wide institutional measures and in some cases pump and treat systems might be sufficient to ensure a safe water supply for domestic and agricultural use, this is not the case for the contaminated aquifer of Inofyta. There a comprehensive remediation scheme should be properly implemented adopting, however, realistic remediation targets, that should also take into account the geogenic contribution to the high Cr(VI) groundwater concentrations measured.
authors.affiliation: Department of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Iroon Polytechniou str., Zografou, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dermatas
authors.affiliation: ENYDRON - Environmental Protection Services, 1 Ipirou str., Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Iraklis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Panagiotakis
authors.affiliation: Department of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Iroon Polytechniou str., Zografou, Greece. th.mpouras@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Thanasis
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mpouras
authors.affiliation: Department of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Iroon Polytechniou str., Zografou, Greece.
authors.forename: Kostas
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tettas
mesh_terms: D002857:Chromium / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006115:Greece; D060587:Groundwater / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002857:Chromium; C074702:chromium hexavalent ion
keywords: Anthropogenic; Geogenic; Hexavalent chromium; Inofyta; Vergina