Safeguarding Groundwater Nitrate within Regional Boundaries in China

Groundwater, essential for irrigation, industry, and drinking, plays a crucial role in environmental health and human well-being. A major threat to groundwater quality is nitrate pollution, primarily stemming from human activities. Safeguarding nitrogen levels in groundwater within regional thresholds remains a global challenge. By integrating 3,134 groundwater samples and nitrogen budget modeling, we found that China's national average nitrate concentration has risen by 29% since the 2000s, reaching 14 mg N L