A team of scientists has uncovered a hidden risk to freshwater quality that could affect millions worldwide: the shift of lake and river sediment from trapping toxic arsenic to releasing it, driven by the widespread loss of aquatic plants. Their research, recently published in Energy Environment Nexus, shows that the decline of submerged macrophytes, vital underwater plants—can fundamentally change how arsenic moves through aquatic environments, posing an unanticipated threat to water safety.

Source: New study reveals underestimated pathway for arsenic pollution in water | EurekAlert!