Levels and Distribution of Pollutants in the Waters of an Aquatic Ecosystem in Northern Mexico.

Jesús Ochoa-Rivero,Héctor Rubio-Arias,Ana Reyes-Fierro,Beatriz Rocha-Gutiérrez,Ma Peralta-Pérez,Lourdes Ballinas-Casarrubias,Francisco Zavala-Díaz De La Serna,Ivan Salmerón

doi:10.3390/ijerph14050456

Abstract

The availability of good quality water resources is essential to ensure healthy crops and livestock. The objective of this study was to evaluate the level of pollution in Bustillos Lagoon in northern Mexico. Physical-chemical parameters like sodium, chloride, sulfate, electrical conductivity, nitrates, and the pesticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) were analyzed to determine the water quality available in the lagoon. Although DDT has been banned in several countries, it is still used for agricultural purposes in Mexico and its presence in this area had not been analyzed previously. Bustillos Lagoon was divided into three zones for the evaluation: (1) industrial; (2) communal lands; and (3) agricultural. The highest concentrations of sodium (2360 mg/L) and SAR (41 meq/L) reported in the industrial zone are values exceeding the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) irrigation water quality guidelines. DDT and its metabolites were detected in all of the 21 sites analyzed, in the agricultural zone ∑DDTs = 2804 ng/mL, this level is much higher than those reported for other water bodies in Mexico and around the world where DDT has been used heavily. The water in the communal zone is the least contaminated, but can only be recommended for irrigation of plants with high stress tolerance and not for crops.

Highlights

Water scarcity is a major problem facing many societies around the world
The aims of this work were to: (1) evaluate the water quality of Bustillos Lagoon based on the physical-chemical parameters; (2) investigate the presence and distribution of DDT and its metabolites in the lagoon; and (3) determine if the water is safe for irrigation and/or as livestock drinking water
In a semi-arid region like Chihuahua, Bustillos Lagoon represents a valuable source of water for irrigation and livestock production

Summary

Introduction

Water scarcity is a major problem facing many societies around the world. Available water resources can become polluted as a consequence of anthropogenic activities like ongoing untreated wastewater discharges, the ingress of dangerous chemicals caused by irrigation runoff and overexploitation of aquifers [1,2].The use of wastewater for irrigation is increasingly being practiced around the world. Water scarcity is a major problem facing many societies around the world. Available water resources can become polluted as a consequence of anthropogenic activities like ongoing untreated wastewater discharges, the ingress of dangerous chemicals caused by irrigation runoff and overexploitation of aquifers [1,2]. The use of wastewater for irrigation is increasingly being practiced around the world. In Mexico, as in other developing countries, wastewater is often used for crop irrigation. 190,000 ha in Mexico are irrigated with untreated wastewater [3]. According to the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), parameters that affect water quality include high concentrations of ions like chloride, sodium, sulfate, and magnesium, Int. J. Res. Public Health 2017, 14, 456; doi:10.3390/ijerph14050456 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph

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