The Xiamen Symposium on Marine Environmental Sciences

2027 Xiamen Symposium on Marine Environmental Sciences

January 12-15, 2027

Submarine Groundwater Discharge as a Significant Vector for Coastal Organophosphate Esters
ID:1113 Oral Presentation

2027-01-15 09:15 (China Standard Time)

Session:Session 6 - Hidden Fluxes, Visible Impacts: Submarine Groundwater Discharge and Coastal Sustainability

Abstract
Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are ubiquitous marine contaminants that globally concerned. While surface inputs are well-studied, the role of subsurface transport remains poorly constrained. Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) is a key conveyer driving seawater-groundwater interactions on the benthic ocean boundary, which impacts on OPEs’ behavior have been overlooked. This study comprehensively investigates the distribution, transport mechanisms and sources of OPEs from coastal groundwater to seawater in the Beibu Gulf, China. Distinct OPEs concentration gradients were found, which ranked as groundwater > tidal flat porewater > seawater, while the high compositional similarity indicated a shared terrestrial origin among three  water matrix. Strong correlations (p < 0.01) and principal component analysis overlap confirmed the partial inheritance of groundwater signatures by seawater, highlighting the porewater as a dynamic biogeochemical reactor. Crucially, coupling OPEs with environmental parameters and dissolved organic matter (DOM) fingerprints revealed how SGD drives OPEs cycling in the coastal ocean.  For the first time, this work not only highlights SGD as a crucial, previously underestimated pathway for OPEs in coastal sea, but also provides novel mechanistic insights into how DOM dynamics regulate the fate of emerging contaminants across the land-ocean interface.
Speaker
Li Zhang Fourth Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources

Author
Li Zhang Fourth Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources

    Important Dates

    • Jan 30

      2026

      Session / Event proposals open

    • Mar 31

      2026

      Session / Event proposals close
      (Extended to April 7)

    • Apr 30

      2026

      Session acceptance notifications

    • Apr 30

      2026

      Abstract submissions & registration open

    • Jun 30

      2026

      Abstract submissions close
      (Extended to July 21)

    • Aug 31

      2026

      Abstract acceptance notifications

    • Sep 15

      2026

      Scientific program released

    • Oct 15

      2026

      Early bird registration closes

    • Jan 12–15

      2027

      XMAS 2027