There is a high risk of increased metal emissions from coastal areas in the future. In a new model published in Limnology and Oceanography Letters, researchers from the University of Gothenburg show that climate change and overpopulation can flush out heavy metals that have long been buried in sediments, and where on Earth the risk of this is greatest.
Coastal sediments and soils have a good capacity to bind metal pollutants. Low oxygen levels and slow decomposition environments bury the metals and protect surrounding, often sensitive, marine environments from harm.
However, climate change and direct human impact can lead to the release of metals into the sea. A slightly higher salinity of seawater or more oxygen near the seabed can increase the uptake of metals by living organisms, where they can disrupt both reproduction and natural behaviors.
"We have analyzed how metals behave in coastal groundwater in the light of human-driven changes to the climate and increased metal emissions due to human activities along the coast," says Tristan McKenzie, researcher in marine chemistry at the University of Gothenburg.
Human impact
