Spatial distribution and risk assessment of potentially toxic elements in sediments from a National Park on the southern Mexican Pacific Coast.

Spatial patterns, enrichments and the ecotoxicological risks of potentially toxic elements (PTE: Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn) were evaluated in surface sediments of the Chacahua-Pastoría Lagoon System, the first tropical ecosystem designated as natural protected area along the southern Mexican Pacific Coast. With the exception of a Pb maximum in Chacahua Lagoon, only Cd (0.002-0.

Historical and seasonal patterns of Hg accumulation: A comparative study of Pb-dated sediment cores and sediment trap records in a large coastal lagoon, southern Gulf of Mexico.

Sedimentary processes, ecological risks, and historical trends of mercury (Hg) contamination were assessed through Pb-dated sediment cores and sediment traps (period 2017-2019) in Términos Lagoon (TL), a critical coastal ecosystem in the southern Gulf of Mexico. Hg natural background levels in TL cores widely varied (7-153 ng g), and Hg concentrations were higher in the cores (median 32 ng g, range 6-4240 ng g) than in the sediment traps (median 54 ng g, range 44-1311 ng g). In most cores, enrichment factors ranged from null to moderate, except for very severe levels found in core LT01, indicating the presence of an Hg hotspot.

Land use effects in trace element concentrations and bird biodiversity in mangrove environments within a Natural Protected Area.

Land use change is widely recognized worldwide as the main cause of mangrove forest loss. These artificial changes can modify mangrove cover, species diversity and pollutant levels, thus leading to habitat destruction. The Natural Protected Area known as The Wildlife Protection Area Laguna de Terminos, Campeche, Mexico is an area where mangrove ecosystems have faced land use changes for urban development, oil industry and agriculture.

Bisphenol and phthalate levels, sources, and hazard estimation in sediments from a reef system: First study in the southern Gulf of Mexico.

Bisphenols (BPs) and phthalate acid esters (PAEs) are emerging pollutants (EPs) associated with plastic pollution, as they are used in manufacturing processes and easily separated from these msaterials, accumulating in the sediments of coastal and marine ecosystems. This is the first report of the concentrations of BPs and PAEs in surface and trap sediments from a Protected Natural Area (PNA) of great biological, tourist, and economic importance in the southern Gulf of Mexico (GoM), the Veracruz Reef System National Park (VRSNP). ΣBPs in surface sediments were between 7.

Spatial distribution of PAHs, nickel, and vanadium in sediments from a large coastal lagoon near a petroleum extraction area in the southern Gulf of Mexico.

One of the world's crucial areas for crude oil exploration and extraction is the southern Gulf of Mexico, where Terminos Lagoon (TL) is located. Sediments from the TL region were used to assess the spatial patterns, origins, and ecotoxicological risks associated with 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs; 3.1-248.

Accelerating microplastic contamination in Pb dated sediment cores from an urbanized coastal lagoon (NW Mexico) since the 1990s.

The ubiquity of microplastics (MP) across all ecosystems raises concerns about their potential harm to the environment and living organisms. Sediments are a MP sink, reflecting long-term accumulation and historical anthropogenic impacts. Three Pb-dated sediment cores were used to understand the temporal variations of MP abundances (particles kg) and fluxes (particles m year) within the past century in Estero de Urías Lagoon, an urbanized coastal lagoon in the Mexican Pacific.

Potentially toxic elements fluxes in Pb-dated sediment cores from a large coastal lagoon (southern Gulf of Mexico) under environmental stress.

Terminos Lagoon (TL), in the southern Gulf of Mexico, has been under intensive anthropogenic pressure (e.g., oil-industry development) since the 1970s.

Microplastics transport in a low-inflow estuary at the entrance of the Gulf of California.

Microplastics (MPs) are recognized as a global emergent pollution impact, which can affect all food chains. Estimating MPs transport pathways in coastal ecosystems is needed to assess their likely effects. Here, we studied MPs accumulation and transport pathways in the Estero de Urias lagoon system (low-inflow estuary) using field data and a 3D particle model.

Biogeochemical behaviour of cadmium in sediments and potential biological impact on mangroves under anthropogenic influence: A baseline survey from a protected nature reserve.

Cadmium is a toxic element and its effects are well understood for human health, but its biogeochemical behaviour is still poorly studied and understood in natural ecosystems. This work addresses knowledge gaps concerning its presence, biogeochemical behaviour and impacts in mangrove ecosystems. Through geochemical data and multivariate analysis (i.

Accumulation and fluxes of potentially toxic elements in a large coastal lagoon (southern Gulf of Mexico) from Pb sediment chronologies.

Three Pb-dated sediment cores were used to evaluate the contamination degree and flux ratios of potentially toxic elements (PTEs; As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn) in seagrass meadows from the northern margin of Términos Lagoon (TL), southern Gulf of Mexico. The sediments displayed minor Cd, Ni, V, and Zn enrichments but moderate to strong enrichment by As. Results from a chemometric analysis revealed that: 1) salinization and grain size, along with 2) the terrigenous inputs are the major factors influencing the PTEs accumulation.

Microplastic contamination and fluxes in a touristic area at the SE Gulf of California.

Microplastics (MPs) are long-lasting anthropogenic pollutants, observed in all types of natural environments. The MPs abundance and their temporal variability in beach sands, surface waters (manta trawl), and suspended sediments (sediment trap) were assessed in Mazatlán, Mexico, a tourism destination on the northern Pacific coast, under the hypothesis that MP contamination is influenced by rainfall and population density. The MP concentrations in beach sands from urban and rural areas nearby Mazatlán (4-36 MPs m) and in surface waters (1.

Environmental risk of trace elements in mangrove ecosystems: An assessment of natural vs oil and urban inputs.

The petrochemical industry and urban activities are widely recognized worldwide as a source of pollution to mangrove environments. They can supply pollutants such as trace elements that can modify the ecosystem structure and associated services, as well as human populations. Through geochemical data, multivariate statistical analysis and pollution indices such as the enrichment factor (EF), geo-accumulation index (Igeo), adverse effect index (AEI) and the pollution load index (PLI), we evaluated the factors that control trace element distribution, punctual sources and determined the pollution level of sediments and their potential biological impact in the mangrove ecosystem of Isla del Carmen, Mexico.

Recent history of persistent organic pollutants (PAHs, PCBs, PBDEs) in sediments from a large tropical lake.

Pb-dated sediment cores and surface sediments from Lake Chapala (LC), Mexico, were analyzed to assess the temporal trends in concentrations and fluxes of persistent organic pollutants (POPs: PAHs, PCBs and PBDEs). Total sediment concentrations of PAHs (95-1,482 ng g), PCBs (9-27 ng g) and PBDEs (0.2-2.

Long-range atmospheric transport of persistent organic pollutants to remote lacustrine environments.

Concentrations, temporal trends and fluxes of persistent organic pollutants (POPs: PAHs, PCBs and PBDEs) were determined in soil and (210)Pb-dated sediment cores from remote lacustrine environments (El Tule and Santa Elena lakes) in rural areas of Central Mexico. In both areas, the concentrations of target analytes in soil and sediment samples were comparable and indicative of slightly contaminated environments. The prevalence of low-molecular-weight PAHs in soils suggested their mainly atmospheric origin, in contrast to the aquatic sediments where runoff contribution was also significant.