Sediment pollution by heavy metals in the Strymonikos and Ierissos Gulfs,North Aegean Sea,Greece

Surface sediment samples from Strymonikos and Ierissos Gulfs wereanalyzed for Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr and Ni. The results showed that the sediment of Ierissos Gulf is more polluted with Cu, Pb, and Zn ascompared to that of Strymonikos Gulf. The benthal area located off the load-out facility of the mining operations in the town of Stratoni, in Ierissos Gulf is established as the most pollutedregion. The distribution of Cr and Ni in both gulfs indicates thenatural origin of these metals with the weathering of Strymon River and of other smaller rivers rocks being responsible for their enrichment.