Evaluation of Health Risks Due to Heavy Metals in a Rural Population Exposed to Atoyac River Pollution in Puebla, Mexico

Gabriela Pérez Castresana,Wendy A García Suastegui,Abel Cruz Montalvo,Elsa Castañeda Roldán,Anabella Handal Silva,José L Morán Perales

doi:10.3390/w11020277

Gabriela Pérez Castresana, Wendy A García Suastegui + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/w11020277

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Journal: Water	Publication Date: Feb 5, 2019
Citations: 20	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla

Abstract

The health risks of Emilio Portes Gil’s population, for the exposition to the Atoyac River pollution in the State of Puebla, was evaluated. The objective was to determine the concentration of nine heavy metals by ingesting water from wells and spri ngs. The chronic daily water intake (CDI), hazard quotient (HQ), hazard index (HI), and carcinogenic risk index (CRI) in adults, teenagers, and children were estimated. The results showed that the concentration of Fe, Al, Ni, and Pb in some of the samples exceeded the recommended standards for human consumption and was significantly higher in the dry season. The hazard index (HI), due to the collective intake of metals, was higher in children (>50% compared to adults), due to the consumption of spring water in the dry season. Risk of noncancerous diseases was not detected in the long term, since the indices did not exceed the unit (reference value). The carcinogenic risk from oral exposure to Cr (CRIchildren = 3.2 × 10−4), was greater than the acceptable limit (1 × 10−6) in the water spring, and Cr and Pb were the main metals that contributed to the potential health risk of the inhabitants. The study showed the risks by the intake of polluted water from the sources of supply in the region, and that the risk is higher in the dry season (>100% compared with rainy season).

Highlights

The water crisis has an effect on the daily lives of the most disadvantaged or marginalized populations, who suffer from water-related diseases, living in degraded and often dangerous environments [1]
Concentrations higher than 200% were registered in relation to rainfall measurements in well water; which were statistically significant for the case of Fe, Zn, Ni, Pb, and Cu
When comparing the concentrations obtained with the quality standards for human use and consumption, it was observed that the concentrations of Fe, Ni, and Al in the wells exceeded the maximum permissible limits (MPL) based on the Official Mexican Standard (NOM based on its initials in Spanish)

Summary

Introduction

The water crisis has an effect on the daily lives of the most disadvantaged or marginalized populations, who suffer from water-related diseases, living in degraded and often dangerous environments [1]. Water 2019, 11, 277 alternative for these populations [1,7], for those located in arid and semi-arid areas of the country (Central and Northern Mexico), and where rivers or other bodies of surface water are polluted [1,4,7] An example of this is observed in the agricultural communities adjacent to the urban area of the city of Puebla (central Mexico), where the Atoyac River circulates, one of the most polluted in the country. In these towns, there are serious problems related to the supply of drinking water service and the water of the river cannot be used for domestic purposes because of its high degree of pollution, so they have to obtain water from the subsoil [8]

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