Use of sediment quality guidelines and pollution indicators for the assessment of heavy metal and PAH contamination in Greek surficial sea and lake sedimentsUse of sediment quality guidelines and pollution indicators for the assessment of heavy metal and PAH contamination in Greek surficial sea and lake sediments Peer-Reviewed Journal Publication Δημοσίευση σε Περιοδικό με Κριτές 2015-11-012013enEight different surface sediment samples (K1–K8) were collected from two separate areas of Lake Koumoundourou and two samples (E1 and E2) from one area of Elefsis Bay, Athens, Greece. The level of pollution attributed to heavy metals was evaluated using several pollution indicators. Degree of Contamination, Modified Contamination Degree and Geoaccumulation Indexes were applied in order to determine and assess the anthropogenic contribution of the selected six elements (Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As and Pb). Moreover, the adverse effects of the sediments to aquatic organisms, from both heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), were determined by using Sediment Quality Guidelines. The results indicated that Lake Koumoundourou is contaminated with heavy metals in a moderate degree and almost 50 % of the sediments are associated with frequent observation of adverse effects, when it comes to Ni and occasional observation of adverse effects, when it comes to Cu, Zn and Pb. As far as PAHs are concerned, around 60 % of the samples can be occasionally associated to toxic biological effects according to the effect-range classification for phenanthrene, benzo(a)anthracene, chrysene and pyrene. Finally, samples taken from the north side of the lake are more contaminated with PAHs than the ones taken from the east side probably due to the existence of the water barrier which acts as a reservoir of PAHs.http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Environmental Monitoring and Assessment18532843-2853 Chachladakis Ioannis Χαχλαδακης Ιωαννης Smaragdaki Eleftheria Σμαραγδακη Ελευθερια Vasilaki Georgia Βασιλακη Γεωργια Gidarakos Evaggelos Γιδαρακος Ευαγγελος Springer Verlag Sediments Heavy metals Benzenoid hydrocarbons PAHs (Chemicals) Polyarenes Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons benzenoid hydrocarbons pahs chemicals polyarenes polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons SQGs Pollution indicators