Unveiling Hidden Mercury and Methylmercury Sources: The Role of Submarine Groundwater Discharge in Coastal Lagoons.

ABSTRACT: Mercury loads from Submarine Groundwater Discharge (SGD) may represent an overlooked source of methylmercury (MeHg) to the ocean, affecting human and ecosystem health. The SGD process involves the flow of fresh, saline, or mixed groundwater from coastal aquifers into the oceans classified in different components. Existing studies rarely report the fluxes supplied by the different SGD components; therefore, the relevance of SGD as a source of mercury remains unclear. We aimed to quantify SGD-driven mercury/methylmercury fluxes to the coast, focusing on the largest coastal lagoon in the western Mediterranean. We measured total dissolved mercury and MeHg in surficial and porewaters during the summer and autumn. Porewaters were enriched in total dissolved Hg and MeHg compared to the lagoon. La

SUBMITTER: Lavergne C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12489978 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature