water quality– tag –

Glaciers preserve traces of past pollution alongside records of Earth’s climate. As the ice melts, PFAS, metals and other substances may move into rivers and lakes, raising new questions for downstream communities.

Nitrogen supports life, but excess reactive nitrogen can travel through the air and settle on forests, grasslands, and lakes. This invisible input can change plant communities, soil chemistry, water quality, and biodiversity.

PFAS has been detected in groundwater, but identifying its source is rarely straightforward. Complex underground flows, multiple release points, and missing historical records make the chain of responsibility difficult to reconstruct.

PFAS compounds are being detected in rivers and groundwater across Japan. Known as “forever chemicals,” they cross administrative boundaries and remain in the environment for decades. What does this invisible contamination mean for drinking water, public health, and society’s responsibility for past industrial activity?