Groundwater Quality and Manganese Contamination

Groundwater is an essential source of drinking water worldwide, yet it is susceptible to Manganese (Mn) contamination arising from both natural and human-induced processes. In anoxic or reducing aquifer conditions, Mn(IV) oxides in sediments undergo reductive dissolution, releasing Mn(II) into groundwater. Geochemical factors such as pH, redox potential and dissolved organic carbon govern Mn solubility and mobility. Human activities—including agricultural runoff, wastewater infiltration and mining—can exacerbate Mn release by altering redox conditions or introducing organic pollutants that facilitate metal leaching. Elevated Mn concentrations pose neurotoxic risks, particularly in infants and children, and may cause discolouration, taste and staining issues in water supplies. Regulatory agencies have established health-based guidelines (for example 80 µg L⁻¹ by the World Health Organization and 300 µg L⁻¹ as an advisory limit in the United States) to protect public health, yet many small water systems and unmonitored domestic wells remain under-sampled. Remediation methods range from oxidation and filtration to adsorption on manganese oxide media. Emerging approaches utilise geospatial modelling and machine learning to predict Mn hotspots, enabling targeted monitoring and cost-effective treatment strategies. The global distribution of manganese contamination—from parts of North America and Europe to South and Southeast Asia—underscores the need for integrated hydrogeochemical assessment, robust regulatory frameworks and sustainable management practices.

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Groundwater Quality and Manganese Contamination publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in groundwater quality and manganese contamination across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Aquifer: A geological formation capable of storing and transmitting significant quantities of groundwater.

Redox potential: A measure of the tendency of a solution to gain or lose electrons, governing the oxidation state of dissolved metals.

Geogenic: Originating from natural geological sources, such as mineral dissolution in aquifer sediments.

Secondary contaminant: A substance not primarily regulated for health effects but monitored due to aesthetic or indirect health concerns (for example manganese in drinking water).

Point-of-Use treatment: Water-treatment technologies installed at the tap or household level to remove contaminants before consumption.

References

1. Disparities in Drinking Water Manganese Concentrations in Domestic Wells and Community Water Systems in the Central Valley, CA, USA. Environmental Science and Technology (2023).
2. Source and Mobilization Mechanism of Iron, Manganese and Arsenic in Groundwater of Shuangliao City, Northeast China. Water (2020).
3. Geogenic manganese and iron in groundwater of Southeast Asia and Bangladesh – Machine learning spatial prediction modeling and comparison with arsenic. The Science of The Total Environment (2022).
4. Anthropogenic Organic Pollutants in Groundwater Increase Releases of Fe and Mn from Aquifer Sediments: Impacts of Pollution Degree, Mineral Content, and pH. Water (2021).