Colloquium: Anthropogenic Versus Lithological Influences on Soil Geochemical Patterns in Cyprus

Abstract 

The geochemistry of the soils of Cyprus is complicated but fascinating at the same time because of the geological complexity of the island. Cyprus contains a number of lithologically distinct terranes, including the ultramafic–mafic Troodos Ophiolite Complex, which hosts a number of Cyprus-type Cu deposits, and the surrounding carbonate-rich marine sedimentary units. Cyprus also has a long history of human settlement and resource exploitation. Major and most trace chemical elements display sharp concentration changes across the main geological boundaries and a high degree of spatial continuity and consistency of values within those boundaries. Some elements display one to two orders of magnitude difference in median concentrations between the soils developed over ultramafic or mafic units and those developed over sedimentary rocks or alluvial units.

Until recently we had limited ground means by which to assess anthropogenic effects on soils such as the effects of the use of fertilisers in soil, industrial processes, urbanisation and climate change. Recent geochemical mapping programs have helped to evaluate the relative influences of parent lithology versus anthropogenic effects on the soil geochemistry of Cyprus using high density soil surveys.

About the Speaker
Andreas Zissimos holds the position of Geological Officer at the Cyprus Geological Survey Department, where he heads the Chemical Laboratory. His current research falls in the area of applied and environmental geochemistry and recent projects include the geochemical mapping of soils in Cyprus, urban geochemistry, environmental chemical pollution, the characterisation of geological raw materials such as construction materials and natural pigments.

Prior to his position at the GSD, he worked both in the private sector and in academia. He held a Research Fellow position at University College London for four years and worked as a Chemistry Consultant at ID Business Solutions, developing chemical expert systems for the prediction of physicochemical parameters of drugs and chemical pollutants.

He holds a PhD from North London University where he worked on the synthesis and crystallographic characterisation of chemical extractants of copper, nickel and cobalt in hydrometallurgy. He has published more than 40 peered reviewed articles in international journals and frequently gives lectures in the fields of chemistry, physical chemistry and environmental geochemistry.

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