Pollution of soil and vegetation in the Thriasian Plain, Greece

TLDR: The Thriasian Plain near Athens in Greece is a site of concentrated industrial development as discussed by the authors, and total concentrations of Pb, Cd, Zn, Cr and S in samples of olive leaves from the same area were found to be, respectively, 4-40, 3-10, 3 -9, 2-6 and 17-21 times higher than those found in samples from rural sites.

Abstract: The Thriasian Plain near Athens in Greece is a site of concentrated industrial development. Total concentrations of Pb, Cd and extractable SO4 2− in surface soil samples collected from this area, were found to be, respectively, 2–7, 6–34 and 2–20 times higher than those in similar soil samples from parts of the country remote from industrial activity. Total concentrations of Pb, Cd, Zn, Cr and S in samples of olive leaves from the same area were found to be, respectively, 4–40, 3–10, 3–9, 2–6 and 17–21 times higher than those found in samples of olive leaves from rural sites. Leaves of cabbages growing in the area contained between 0.82 and 40 μg/g (wet weight) of Pb. Addition of Cd, Ni and Cu to a calcareous potted soil at concentrations of 100, 200 and 200 ppm increased the concentrations of the metals in the needles of Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) seedlings to 4.5, 3.5 and 10 ppm, respectively, after 7 months growth in the nursey.