Metal Pollution and Health–Ecological Risk Assessment in an Intensely Burdened Coastal Environment of Greece, the Saronikos Gulf: A 50-Year Critical Review

Abstract

Among Greece’s coastal areas, the Saronikos Gulf encounters the highest environmental challenges due to heavy metal contamination, caused by extensive urbanization and industrialization. In the present study, online databases were used to identify research articles focusing on the levels, patterns, and origins of the heavy metals on the gulf’s seafloor published from 1974 to 2024. Thirty-three scientific papers were chosen to review the status of heavy metal pollution, set background values, and summarize the analytical methods used. Additionally, fourteen of them were used for a meta-analysis review. Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques were employed to map the sampling locations and heavy metal distribution per decade of the collected data, while the ecological status of the area was estimated via the application of indices such as the Pollution Loading Index (PLI), Potential and Ecological Risk Index (PERI), and Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) to the previously collected data. The review revealed that the Saronikos Gulf has mostly been studied in specific regions due to existent point sources. Additionally, the reassessment of the data referenced in the literature permitted integrative comparisons that could improve the management and sustainable development of the Saronikos Gulf.