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Coastal Geochemistry: The Processes of Water–Sediment Interaction
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Coastal Geochemistry: The Processes of Water–Sediment Interaction

A special issue of Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (ISSN 2077-1312). This special issue belongs to the section "Coastal Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2025 | Viewed by 1060

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Aijun Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, China
Interests: coastal geomorphology; marine sediment dynamics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Coastal zones are dynamic interfaces where land, ocean, atmosphere and human interact, playing a critical role in global biogeochemical cycles. The geochemical processes occurring at the water–sediment interface regulate nutrient fluxes, pollutant transformation, carbon burial, and ecosystem health. With increasing anthropogenic pressures—such as urbanization, land use change, dam and marine engineering construction, mariculture, and climate change—understanding these processes is essential for sustainable coastal management. Despite advances in analytical and modeling techniques, key questions remain regarding the mechanisms controlling elemental cycling, organic–inorganic interactions, and the long-term impacts of human activities on coastal systems.

We would like to invite papers on the topic of “Coastal Geochemistry: The Processes of Water–Sediment Interaction”. This Special Issue aims to compile cutting-edge research on the geochemical dynamics of coastal water-sediment interactions. We seek contributions that explore the following topics:

  • Mechanistic processes.
  • Nutrient and contaminant behavior (e.g., carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, heavy metals, and emerging pollutants).
  • Impact of climate change and human activities (e.g., ocean acidification, hypoxia, land-use changes).
  • Advanced methodologies (e.g., in situ measurements, isotopic tracers, numerical modeling, machine learning applications).

The scope spans field observations, laboratory experiments, and theoretical modeling to provide a holistic understanding of coastal geochemistry. We encourage submissions from diverse coastal environments (coastal wetlands, estuaries, deltas, coastal shelf, etc.) to foster global perspectives.

Prof. Dr. Aijun Wang
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • coastal geochemistry
  • water–sediment interaction
  • biogeochemical cycling
  • nutrient dynamics
  • pollutant transformation
  • contamination evaluation
  • ecosystem risk
  • blue carbon
  • anthropogenic pressure
  • climate change impacts

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 2652 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of the Effect of Floating Treatment Wetlands Planted with Sesuvium portulacastrum on the Dynamics of Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen, CO2, and N2O in Grouper Aquaculture Systems
by Shenghua Zheng, Man Wu, Jian Liu, Wangwang Ye, Yongqing Lin, Miaofeng Yang, Huidong Zheng, Fang Yang, Donglian Luo and Liyang Zhan
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(7), 1342; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13071342 - 14 Jul 2025
Viewed by 226
Abstract
Aquaculture expansion to meet global protein demand has intensified concerns over nutrient pollution and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. While floating treatment wetlands (FTWs) are proven for water quality improvement, their potential to mitigate GHG emissions in marine aquaculture remains poorly understood. This study [...] Read more.
Aquaculture expansion to meet global protein demand has intensified concerns over nutrient pollution and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. While floating treatment wetlands (FTWs) are proven for water quality improvement, their potential to mitigate GHG emissions in marine aquaculture remains poorly understood. This study quantitatively evaluated the dual capacity of Sesuvium portulacastrum FTWs to (a) regulate dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and (b) reduce CO2/N2O emissions in grouper aquaculture systems. DIN speciation (NH4+, NO2−, NO3−) and CO2/N2O fluxes of six controlled ponds (three FTW and three control) were monitored for 44 days. DIN in the FTW group was approximately 90 μmol/L lower than that in the control group, and the water in the plant group was more “oxidative” than that in the control group. The former groups were dominated by NO3−, with lower dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and N2O concentrations, whereas the latter were dominated by NH4+ during the first 20 days of the experiment and by NO2− at the end of the experiment, with higher DIC and N2O concentrations on average. Higher primary production may be the reason that the DIC concentration was lower in the plant group than in the control group, whereas efficient nitrification and uptake by plants reduced the availability of NH4+ in the plant group, thereby reducing the production of N2O. A comparison of the CO2 and N2O flux potentials in the plant group and control group revealed that, in the presence of FTWs, the CO2 and N2O emissions decreased by 14% and 36%, respectively. This showed that S. portulacastrum FTWs effectively couple DIN removal with GHG mitigation, offering a nature-based solution for sustainable aquaculture. Their low biomass requirement enhances practical scalability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coastal Geochemistry: The Processes of Water–Sediment Interaction)
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19 pages, 3235 KiB  
Article
Characteristics and Evaluation of Living Shorelines: A Case Study from Fujian, China
by Xingfan Li, Shihui Lin, Libing Qian, Zhe Wang, Chao Cao, Qi Gao and Jiwen Cai
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(7), 1307; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13071307 - 5 Jul 2025
Viewed by 296
Abstract
Under the context of global climate change, sea-level rise and frequent storm surge events pose significant challenges to coastal areas. Protecting coastlines from erosion, mitigating socio-economic losses, and maintaining ecosystem balance are critical for the sustainable development of coastal zones. The concept of [...] Read more.
Under the context of global climate change, sea-level rise and frequent storm surge events pose significant challenges to coastal areas. Protecting coastlines from erosion, mitigating socio-economic losses, and maintaining ecosystem balance are critical for the sustainable development of coastal zones. The concept of “living shorelines” based on Nature-based Solutions (NbS) employs near-natural ecological restoration and protection measures. In low-energy coastal segments, natural materials are prioritized, while high-energy segments are supplemented with artificial structures. This approach not only enhances disaster resilience but also preserves coastal ecosystem stability and ecological functionality. This study constructs a coastal vitality evaluation system for Fujian Province, China, using the entropy weight method, integrating three dimensions: protective safety, ecological resilience, and economic vitality. Data from 2010 and 2020 were analyzed to assess the spatiotemporal evolution of coastal vitality. Results indicate that coastal vitality initially exhibited a spatial pattern of “low in the north, high in the center, and low in the south,” with vitality values ranging from 0.20 to 0.67 (higher values indicate stronger vitality). Over the past decade, ecological restoration projects have significantly improved coastal vitality, particularly in central and southern regions, where high-vitality segments increased markedly. Key factors influencing coastal vitality include water quality, cyclone intensity, biological shoreline length, and wetland area. NbS-aligned coastal management strategies and soft revetment practices have generated substantial ecological and economic benefits. To further enhance coastal vitality, region-specific approaches are recommended, emphasizing rational resource utilization, optimization of ecological and economic values, and the establishment of a sustainable evaluation framework. This study provides scientific insights for improving coastal protection capacity, ecological resilience, and economic potential. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coastal Geochemistry: The Processes of Water–Sediment Interaction)
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17 pages, 5229 KiB  
Article
Distribution and Relationship of Radionuclides and Heavy Metal Concentrations in Marine Sediments from the Areas Surrounding the Daya Bay Power Plant, Southeast China
by Chengpeng Huang, Yunpeng Lin, Haidong Li, Binxin Zheng, Xueqiang Zhu, Yiming Xu, Heshan Lin, Qiangqiang Zhong, Fangfang Shu, Mingjiang Cai and Yunhai Li
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(7), 1237; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13071237 - 27 Jun 2025
Viewed by 268
Abstract
Radionuclides and heavy metals pose potential risks to marine ecosystems and human health. Daya Bay, the site of China’s first commercial nuclear power plant, has experienced significant anthropogenic impacts, yet the extent of radionuclide and heavy metal contamination remains unclear. Nineteen surface sediment [...] Read more.
Radionuclides and heavy metals pose potential risks to marine ecosystems and human health. Daya Bay, the site of China’s first commercial nuclear power plant, has experienced significant anthropogenic impacts, yet the extent of radionuclide and heavy metal contamination remains unclear. Nineteen surface sediment samples were collected in January 2024 and analyzed for natural (210Pb, 228Th, 226Ra, 228Ra, and 40K) and anthropogenic (137Cs) radionuclides, heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Cr, Mn, Hg, and As), grain size, and total organic carbon (TOC). The surface sediments of Daya Bay were predominantly fine-grained, with TOC levels ranging from 0.41% to 1.83%, influenced significantly by riverine input from the Dan’ao River. Natural radionuclides exhibited distinct spatial patterns: 210Pb and 228Th activity levels were higher in fine-grained sediments, and correlated with TOC, indicating adsorption and sedimentation controls. In contrast, anthropogenic 137Cs activity was low and showed no significant impact from the nuclear power plant. Notably, the absence in the samples of key anthropogenic radionuclides typically associated with nuclear power plant operations further confirmed the negligible impact of the power plant on local sediment contamination. The results indicated that the baseline levels of both natural and anthropogenic radionuclides and heavy metals were predominantly influenced by natural processes and local anthropogenic activities rather than the operation of the nuclear power plant. This study establishes critical baselines for radioactivity and heavy metals in Daya Bay, underscoring effective pollution control measures and the resilience of local ecosystems despite anthropogenic pressures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coastal Geochemistry: The Processes of Water–Sediment Interaction)
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