Sea-level rise and arsenic-rich soils: A toxic relationship

Fatemeh Izaditame; Joshua J LeMonte; Matthew G Siebecker; Xuan Yu; Matthew Fischel; Ryan Tappero; Donald L Sparks

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134528

Sea-level rise and arsenic-rich soils: A toxic relationship

J Hazard Mater. 2024 May 3:472:134528. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134528. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Fatemeh Izaditame¹, Joshua J LeMonte², Matthew G Siebecker³, Xuan Yu⁴, Matthew Fischel⁵, Ryan Tappero⁶, Donald L Sparks⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Sustainable Earth Systems Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA. Electronic address: izadi@utdallas.edu.
² Department of Geological Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA. Electronic address: lemonte@byu.edu.
³ Department of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA. Electronic address: Matthew.Siebecker@ttu.edu.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China. Electronic address: yuxuan@issas.ac.cn.
⁵ Sustainable Agricultural Systems Laboratory, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA. Electronic address: Matthew.Fischel@usda.gov.
⁶ Soil Scientist, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA. Electronic address: rtappero@bnl.gov.
⁷ Department of Plant & Soil Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA. Electronic address: dlsparks@udel.edu.

PMID: 38733785
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134528

Abstract

In the United States, dangerously high arsenic (As) levels have been found in drinking water wells in more than 25 states, potentially exposing 2.1 million people to drinking water high in As; a known carcinogen. The anticipated sea-level rise (SLR) is expected to alter soil biogeochemical and hydrological conditions, potentially impacting their ability to sequester As. In our study of coastal Wilmington, DE, an area projected to experience a 1 -meter SLR by 2100, we examined the spatial distribution, speciation, and release possibilities of As due to SLR. To understand the complex dynamics at play, we employed a comprehensive approach, including bulk and micro X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements, hydrological pattern evaluation, and macroscopic stirred-flow experiments. Our results suggest that introducing reducing and saline conditions can increase As release in both river water and seawater inundation scenarios, most likely due to ionic competition and the dissolution of As-bearing Fe/Mn oxides. Regardless of the salinity source, the released As concentrations consistently exceeded the EPA threshold for drinking water. Our results provide valuable insights for developing appropriate remedial and management strategies for this site and numerous others facing similar environmental challenges. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATION: With nearly two hundred million individuals living within coastal flood plains and with two million square kilometers of land and one trillion dollars' worth of assets lying less than 1 m above current sea level, sea-level rise (SLR) is one of the significant socio-economic threats associated with global warming. Arsenic is a prevalent contaminant in coastal areas impacted by industrial activities, many of which are susceptible to being impacted by SLR. This study examines SLR's impact on arsenic fate and speciation in a densely populated coastline in Wilmington, DE, expecting 1 meter of SLR by 2100.

Keywords: Arsenic; Coastal Soils; Sea-level rise; Speciation; Water pollution; X-ray absorption spectroscopy.