Investigation of the Origin of Elevated Amounts of Iron and Manganese in a Dam Reservoir
On the outskirts of the Pinios dam reservoir (Ilia Regional Unit, Greece), a water treatment plant serves the water supply needs of the surrounding municipalities, in which high concentrations of Fe and Mn, before treatment, have been observed. The main purpose of this research was to investigate th...
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2024-12-01
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| author | Maria Michalopoulou Nikolaos Depountis Eleni Zagana Pavlos Avramidis |
| author_facet | Maria Michalopoulou Nikolaos Depountis Eleni Zagana Pavlos Avramidis |
| author_sort | Maria Michalopoulou |
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| description | On the outskirts of the Pinios dam reservoir (Ilia Regional Unit, Greece), a water treatment plant serves the water supply needs of the surrounding municipalities, in which high concentrations of Fe and Mn, before treatment, have been observed. The main purpose of this research was to investigate the mechanism of increased iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) levels in the reservoir of the Pinios dam, which impacts its water treatment plant operation. A wide range of hydrochemical and sedimentological analyses were conducted over a hydrological year, focusing on the spatial and temporal distribution of Fe and Mn in both water and sediment samples across the established research monitoring stations. Sediment samples from the reservoir’s bottom revealed predominantly fine-grained material, rich in total organic carbon, with elevated Mn and Fe oxide levels. Significant seasonal variations in Fe and Mn levels were also discovered, with higher Mn levels observed in the anoxic bottom waters of the reservoir during the dry season, attributed to the reduced conditions favoring Mn oxide dissolution over Fe. Conversely, during the wet season, a homogenization of metal concentrations throughout the water column was observed due to increased oxygenation and freshwater inflow. These outcomes were confirmed by the hydrochemical analysis, indicating that the redox conditions, pH, and temperature, as well as the presence of organic matter, significantly influence the mobility and bioavailability of these metals in the reservoir. The findings of this study clarify that the high concentration of Fe and Mn can be linked to the mineral composition of the upstream Neogene and flysch formations in the study area. As these formations are affected by geological weathering, they tend to enrich the streams, through soil erosion and runoff processes, with metals like Fe and Mn, which are eventually transported into the dam reservoir. This study highlights the critical influence of lithological, sedimentological, and hydrological factors on the redox conditions and seasonal stratification that govern the behavior of Fe and Mn concentrations and mobility in dam reservoirs. These findings are critical for informing water resource management practices and dam infrastructure operators and developing effective environmental conservation strategies in similar cases. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2076-3263 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Geosciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-d3fe75ac94184ca48fcc246323b2503e2025-08-20T02:43:31ZengMDPI AGGeosciences2076-32632024-12-01141233610.3390/geosciences14120336Investigation of the Origin of Elevated Amounts of Iron and Manganese in a Dam ReservoirMaria Michalopoulou0Nikolaos Depountis1Eleni Zagana2Pavlos Avramidis3Department of Geology, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, GreeceDepartment of Geology, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, GreeceDepartment of Geology, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, GreeceDepartment of Geology, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, GreeceOn the outskirts of the Pinios dam reservoir (Ilia Regional Unit, Greece), a water treatment plant serves the water supply needs of the surrounding municipalities, in which high concentrations of Fe and Mn, before treatment, have been observed. The main purpose of this research was to investigate the mechanism of increased iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) levels in the reservoir of the Pinios dam, which impacts its water treatment plant operation. A wide range of hydrochemical and sedimentological analyses were conducted over a hydrological year, focusing on the spatial and temporal distribution of Fe and Mn in both water and sediment samples across the established research monitoring stations. Sediment samples from the reservoir’s bottom revealed predominantly fine-grained material, rich in total organic carbon, with elevated Mn and Fe oxide levels. Significant seasonal variations in Fe and Mn levels were also discovered, with higher Mn levels observed in the anoxic bottom waters of the reservoir during the dry season, attributed to the reduced conditions favoring Mn oxide dissolution over Fe. Conversely, during the wet season, a homogenization of metal concentrations throughout the water column was observed due to increased oxygenation and freshwater inflow. These outcomes were confirmed by the hydrochemical analysis, indicating that the redox conditions, pH, and temperature, as well as the presence of organic matter, significantly influence the mobility and bioavailability of these metals in the reservoir. The findings of this study clarify that the high concentration of Fe and Mn can be linked to the mineral composition of the upstream Neogene and flysch formations in the study area. As these formations are affected by geological weathering, they tend to enrich the streams, through soil erosion and runoff processes, with metals like Fe and Mn, which are eventually transported into the dam reservoir. This study highlights the critical influence of lithological, sedimentological, and hydrological factors on the redox conditions and seasonal stratification that govern the behavior of Fe and Mn concentrations and mobility in dam reservoirs. These findings are critical for informing water resource management practices and dam infrastructure operators and developing effective environmental conservation strategies in similar cases.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/14/12/336ironmanganeseconcentration levelswater sediment qualitydam reservoirGreece |
| spellingShingle | Maria Michalopoulou Nikolaos Depountis Eleni Zagana Pavlos Avramidis Investigation of the Origin of Elevated Amounts of Iron and Manganese in a Dam Reservoir Geosciences iron manganese concentration levels water sediment quality dam reservoir Greece |
| title | Investigation of the Origin of Elevated Amounts of Iron and Manganese in a Dam Reservoir |
| title_full | Investigation of the Origin of Elevated Amounts of Iron and Manganese in a Dam Reservoir |
| title_fullStr | Investigation of the Origin of Elevated Amounts of Iron and Manganese in a Dam Reservoir |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigation of the Origin of Elevated Amounts of Iron and Manganese in a Dam Reservoir |
| title_short | Investigation of the Origin of Elevated Amounts of Iron and Manganese in a Dam Reservoir |
| title_sort | investigation of the origin of elevated amounts of iron and manganese in a dam reservoir |
| topic | iron manganese concentration levels water sediment quality dam reservoir Greece |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/14/12/336 |
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