Geochemical Atlas of Europe

The Geochemical Atlas of Europe is the contribution of the Association of Geological Surveys of the European Union (EuroGeoSurveys) to the IUGS/IAGC Global Geochemical Baselines project. The European geochemical baseline survey covers 26 countries and provides invaluable information about the natural and human-induced concentrations of chemical elements in different sample media of the near-surface environment (topsoil, subsoil, humus, stream sediment, stream water, and floodplain sediment). This is the first multinational project performed with harmonized sampling, sample preparation, and analytical methodology, producing high-quality compatible datasets across political borders. The first phase of the project was completed and the results published in a two-volume set.

High levels of lead (Pb) and other toxic elements in the surface soil of Lavrion, Greece, were caused by years of intensive mining and smelting activities in the late twentieth century. High toxicity levels can be found in plants, animals, and humans. Children who exceed 10 µg per 100 ml of lead in their blood, the maximum amount set by the World Health Organization, suffer from low composite mental functions and a comparative reduction in their development, especially with respect to the circumference of their head and chest.

In Croatia, Bosnia, Bulgaria, and Serbia, residents of villages lacking access to municipal (treated) water supplies are subject to a severe and potentially fatal kidney disease. This disease is known as Balkan Endemic Nephropathy (BEN). Developed by drinking contaminated water, it can lead to renal failure, requiring blood dialysis, and is often associated with kidney cancer. The principal aquifer in regions where BEN occurs is coal (Pliocene lignite), which contains many chemically reactive hydrocarbons. Scientists believe that water leaches the hydrocarbons from the coal, which naturally contaminates it.

Courtesy of the Geological Survey of Finland and EuroGeoSurveys.