A new study published in the journal Nature Reviews Earth & Environment warns that humanity's interference with the Earth's "salt cycle" is posing a threat to freshwater supplies. The study reveals that humans have altered the salt content of land, water, and air across the globe, with 2.5 billion acres of soil becoming saltier. This has detrimental effects on plants and can corrode drinking water pipes, leading to increased lead pollution. Salinization has been accelerated by factors such as irrigation, deicing roads, mining, wastewater treatment, and the use of salt-laden household items. The rise of saline dust in the air can also accelerate snowmelt, impacting water supplies in snow-dependent regions.

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