The Hidden Pipeline: How Human Pollution Seeps into the Sea with Dr. Tristan McKenzie

Author: Clark Marchese
Published: Tue 12 Aug 2025
Episode Link: https://shows.acast.com/oceanography/episodes/submarine-groundwater-and-contaminated-coasts

Fish full of pharmaceuticals. Submarine groundwater discharge is quietly delivering human contaminants—like heavy metals, fertilizers, and even antidepressants—into our oceans. In this episode of Oceanography, marine geochemist Dr. Tristan McKenzie explains how these hidden pathways are impacting coastal ecosystems around the world. Drawing from fieldwork in Hawaii and Sweden, he breaks down the science behind groundwater pollution, shares the results of a global contamination risk map, and discusses the surprising ways contaminants disrupt both marine life and biogeochemical cycles. You’ll also learn why some of the world’s most biodiverse coasts are at highest risk—and how you can help. This is a deep dive into ocean contamination, climate interactions, and the data behind it all.

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Episode Guest: Dr. Tristan McKenzie

Learn more about Dr. Tristan McKenzie on his website here and the University of Gothenberg

Follow Dr. Tristan McKenzie on Blue Sky

Find more of Dr. Tristan McKenzie’s work on Google Scholar

How Gutting the EPA's Research Team Could Impact Clean Air and Water Rules by the Scientific American

EPA likely to move to further limit federal protections for wetlands by AP News

Fish off the coast of Florida test positive for pharmaceutical drugs, says study by CNN

Episode Transcript and more information on the Pine Forest Media website

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Hosted, produced, and edited by Clark Marchese

Cover art by Jomiro Eming