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Linking urban expansion to multi-contaminant pollution in karst aquifer cenotes
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Cenotes, the natural sinkholes that supply drinking water across Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, are picking up more pollution as nearby towns and cities grow. Researchers found more microplastics, "forever chemicals" (PFAS), and toxic metals like cadmium and arsenic in cenotes surrounded by more development, likely because wastewater isn't being properly treated before it seeps into the water. Since millions of people and visitors rely on this groundwater for drinking, this suggests that unchecked construction and weak sewage systems could be putting a shared water supply—and the people who depend on it—at ris
The Yucatán Peninsula (YP) hosts one of the largest karst aquifer systems in the world, directly connected to the surface through cenotes. These natural sinkholes are critical for the regional drinking-water supply but have increasingly been reported as reservoirs of environmental contamination. In this study, we evaluated water quality and contaminant profiles in nine cenotes located in Playa del Carmen, a rapidly urbanizing area on the Caribbean coast of the YP. The analyzed contaminants included potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in sediments, microplastics in water and sediments, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in water, aiming to determine how urbanization influences water quality and contaminant accumulation. Urbanization levels, estimated from land-use changes since 2010, ranged from 0 to 100 %. Microplastics were detected in all cenotes, with the highest concentrations in sediments from the most urbanized sites. PFAS levels were also highest in cenotes with urbanization. PTE enrichment ranged from mild to severe, with cadmium, copper, and arsenic representing the most concerning elements. The Pollution Load Index confirmed that cenotes with greater urbanization also exhibited higher overall contamination. Collectively, these findings indicate that rapid and unplanned urban expansion, combined with inadequate or absent wastewater treatment, poses serious risks to the integrity and water quality of karst aquifer systems in the Yucatán Peninsula.
More Papers Like This
Investigation of Anthropogenic and Emerging Contaminants in Sinkholes (Cenotes) of the Great Mayan Aquifer, Yucatán Peninsula
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Researchers sampled 10 cenotes and one submarine groundwater discharge site on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, finding a wide range of contaminants including elevated lead and nitrate, multidrug-resistant E. coli strains, and PFAS compounds in the majority of sites. The interconnected karst hydrology of the region allows contaminants to travel long distances through the aquifer, raising serious concerns about water safety for the millions who rely on these systems for drinking water and recreation.
Contaminación por microplásticos en el acuífero kárstico de la península de Yucatán
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Researchers sampled water from cenotes and wells throughout the Yucatan karst aquifer and identified microplastic particles in every groundwater sample, with fibers comprising 94% of particles and concentrations ranging from 10 to 936 particles per liter, establishing that this primary regional drinking water source is universally contaminated with microplastics.
Ecological risk assessment for metal(oid)s in microplastics and sediments at different depths from cenotes (sinkholes) of Yucatan, Mexico
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Researchers measured metal(oid) concentrations in microplastics and sediments from eight cenotes (sinkholes) in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula at depths of 2–32 m, finding that PE, PET, polyamide, and polyester were the dominant polymers and that several metals in the microplastics exceeded ecological risk thresholds.
Revealing Hidden Interrelationships of PFAS-Pesticides-Microplastics in Urban Waters: Integrating Target and Non-Target Chemical Analyses Across Mexico
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Researchers found that Mexican urban water sources contain a dangerous cocktail of chemicals including pesticides, "forever chemicals" (PFAS), and microplastics that work together in ways we don't fully understand. The highest contamination levels were found near farming areas where irrigation water mixes with city sewage, and many of these pollutants aren't removed by current water treatment methods. This matters because millions of people rely on these water sources for drinking water, but we're not monitoring most of these chemical mixtures that could harm human health.
First evidence of microplastics in the stygobiotic isopod Creaseriella anops from a karst cenote of the Yucatán peninsula
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Scientists found tiny plastic fibers inside blind cave creatures living deep in underground water pools (called cenotes) in Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula—the first time this has been documented. This matters because these cenotes are a major source of drinking water for the region, so finding plastic contamination this deep underground suggests our water supplies may be more polluted with microplastics than we realized, even in places that seem remote and protected.
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