Microbial Fermentation Identified as Key to High Ammonium Levels in Pearl River Delta Groundwater

A study led by researchers from The University of Hong Kong and Shenzhen University, published in Nature Communications, has identified microbial fermentation as the primary pathway for ammonium production in sediments beneath the Pearl River Delta. This discovery helps explain the region's exceptionally high natural groundwater ammonium concentrations, which render the water unsuitable for drinking without treatment, and provides crucial insights for environmental science.