Application of the Geoaccumulation Index in the evaluation of the anthropogenic impact on marine sediments

An effort was done to evaluate and compare at the same time the anthropogen ic impact on marine sediments in different Greek gulfs. The quantitative me asurement of heavy metal pollution used for this purpose is the Geoaccumula tion Index (I-geo) which classifies a marine area from practically unpollut ed to extremely polluted. According to the I-geo values the most polluted a reas seem to be Thermaikos gulf, which is characterized as moderately to st rongly polluted in Zn and Cd, and the gulf of Gera which is characterized a s a strongly polluted area in Cr. Maliakos, Pagassitikos and Kalloni gulf a re generally characterized as moderately polluted to practically unpolluted marine areas.