Environmental impact of heavy metals (Fe, Ni, Cr, Co) in soils waters and plants of Triada in Euboea from ultrabasic rocks and nickeliferous mineralisation

Soil, water and vegetation samples were collected from the Triada area of Central Euboea and analysed for heavy metals in order to evaluate their environmental impact. The geology of the area studied includes ultrabasic rocks that are overlaid by Upper Cretaceous limestones whereas Fe-Ni mineralisation is intercalated between either the ultrabasic parent rocks or the karstified Jurassic/Triassic carbonates and the transgessive Upper Cretaceous limestones. All the samples were analysed for heavy metals by using atomic absorption spectroscopy. The heavy metal ranges (in mu g g(-1)) for soils samples are: Ni 480-4000, Cr 240-2720, Co 40-208, Fe 24,000-380,000, Mn 46-1680, Pb 16-56, Zn 40-144, Cu 2-82. The values of soil samples of the Triada area are much higher than the values found for Ni, Cr, Co and Fe, in normal soils of the world. The heavy metal ranges (in mu g L-1) for water samples are: Ni 19-24, Cr 19-476, Co < 5, Fe < 100, Mn < 100, Mg 5.7-220.5, As 30-69, Cd < 2, Pd < 10, Zn 5-11, Cu 2-7. The water samples of the Triada area have Cr and Mg concentrations higher than the permittable values. The heavy metal ranges (in mu g g(-1)) for vegetation samples are: Ni 1-135, Cr 0-24, Co 1-21.5, Fe 20-680, Mn 10-206, Cd 0-10, Pb 0-14, Zn 14-70, Cu 0-10.5. The vegetation samples of the Triada area have so high values of Ni, Cr and Co that are considered toxic. The intercorrelated elements Fe, Ni, Cr, Co of the Triada soils, waters and vegetation reflect their association with the ultrabasic rocks and with the Fe-Ni mineralisation.