Ecotoxicological assessment of sediment from Texcalac River and agricultural soil of riverside area, in Tlaxcala, Mexico

ABSTRACT

This study assesses the potential risk of Texcalac River and riparian area. The p,p′ DDT and ∑DDTs levels in agricultural soils (3.9–208.0 µg/kg) and in surface sediments (0.6–137 µg/kg) surpassing the guidelines for protection of aquatic life (75% > TEC). The ∑PCBs concentration oscillated from 135 to 93941 µg/kg; the half of sediments exceeded the international guidelines (PEL, PEC), as well as two soils (SQGE = 500 µg/kg). The TEQ concentration of four PCB-DL varied between 0.1 and 24.9 µg TEQ/kg, chiefly affected by PCB 169. Five sediments were lethal for E. foetida, two resulted to be cytotoxic and the 58% produced genotoxicity higher than negative control (A = 0.28 ± 0.05; DICA = 72.5 ± 16.9 au). Likewise, 31.6% of samples increased the micronuclei frequency in V. faba in comparison with negative control. The analytical data and the bioassays results suggest a significant and immediate risk to exposed biota of this region, highlighting a specific area in Texcalac River and other one in Sambrano Ravine. It is necessity assess the dispersion of pollutants and perform biomonitoring studies that display the exposure levels in biota with the goal to characterise the ecotoxicological risk.

KEYWORDS:

• POPs
• surface sediment
• agricultural soil
• Eisenia foetida
• Vicia faba

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest .

Notes on contributors

Edelmira García-Nieto is an Academic and Titular Researcher A of the Autonomous University of Tlaxcala. Her main research interest is environmental toxicology. Her research is aimed to identify the potential risk sites by quantifying organic and inorganic compounds in environmental matrices, with a holistic approach intended at assessing exposure and adverse effects on ecological receptors, and their implications on the ecosystem in an integral context, considering human as the last receptor in the trophic chain.

Libertad Juárez-Santacruz is an Academic and Associated Researcher A of the Autonomous University of Tlaxcala, involved in teaching and research work. Her main research interest is environmental toxicology.

Elvia Ortiz-Ortiz is an Academic and Titular Researcher B of the Autonomous University of Tlaxcala, involved in teaching and research work. Her main research interest is environmental health.

Héctor Santos Luna-Zendejas is an Academician and Associated Researcher B of the Autonomous University of Tlaxcala. He has made compost with sludge from wastewater treatment plants and evaluated the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi density for soil quality. He currently teaches at the Chair of Ecology in the postgraduate course of Center for Research in Genetics and Environment and his most recent scientific contributions have been published in prestigious international journals: Environmental Biotechnology, Food Biotechnology, Bull Environ. Contam. Toxicol, among others.

Dora María Frías-Márquez is an Academic and Titular Researcher B of the Juárez Autonomous University of Tabasco, involved in teaching and research work. Her main research interest is the environmental impact of pollutants and technological development.

Hipólito Muñoz-Nava is an Academic and Titular Researcher A of the Autonomous University of Tlaxcala. His main research interest is on the measurement of erosion and the rainfall, employing the Stella software for the mobility of pollutants in water bodies.

Claudia Romo-Gómez is a Professor-Researcher of the Autonomous University of the State of Hidalgo taking classes at BA, Master and Doctorate levels. Her main research interest is the impact of pollution and climate change, technology and environmental treatments.

ORCID

Edelmira García-Nieto http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6187-0208

Libertad Juárez-Santacruz http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9731-6543

Elvia Ortiz-Ortiz http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6528-0443

Héctor Santos Luna-Zendejas http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9280-1793

Dora María Frías-Márquez http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9061-8901

Hipólito Muñoz-Nava http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8792-2208

Claudia Romo-Gómez http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7826-4557

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by SEP-PRODEP (UATLX-PTC-127).