Evaluation of biological soil properties as indicators of flying ash deposition from lignite power plants in the Florina - Kozani basin

In the Kozani - Florina basin (Northern Greece) five power stations are functioning using lignite as fuel. In this study, we assess both the indicator value of soil microbial diversity using the biolog method and the nematode abundance in relation to the flying ash deposition capacity as expressed by certain heavy metal concentrations. Soil samples were collected from fields and two forest covered sites at various distances from the stations on alluvial and Pliocene deposit, following a general direction from South to North (or vice versa). Results showed that increased values of heavy metal concentrations and low values of the biological variables appeared near the older station of Ptolemais, suggesting that the effects are correlated with chronic ash deposition. The results from the rest stations did not show a specific pattern that could be attributed to the flying ash.