Articles | Volume 30, issue 12
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-3789-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-3789-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
From salinity to nanoplastics: redefining safe yield in strip-island aquifers under emerging contaminant threats
College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China, Qingdao 266100, China
Key Laboratory of Marine Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Engineering Geology and the Environment, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
Chunxiang Ma
College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China, Qingdao 266100, China
Key Laboratory of Marine Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Engineering Geology and the Environment, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
Shaobo Gao
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China, Qingdao 266100, China
Key Laboratory of Marine Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Engineering Geology and the Environment, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
Jian Luo
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
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Short summary
This study explores how nanoplastics threaten the freshwater beneath small islands, which is vital for local communities. Conventional water management targets saltwater intrusion, but oceanic nanoplastics spread faster and wider, reaching wells sooner. Salt-based safety standards thus grossly underestimate nanoplastic risks. To protect island water, we must now consider this emerging plastic pollution when placing wells and planning pumping.
This study explores how nanoplastics threaten the freshwater beneath small islands, which is...