Review of the biomonitoring of persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic substances in aquatic ecosystems of Mexico: 2001-2016

Abstract

Mexico is responsible for the protection and management of a large number and variety of aquatic bodies of national and international importance. Environmental pollution by so-called persistent and bioaccumulative toxic substances (PBTS) poses significant risks for all of the world's aquatic ecosystems, especially in countries with emerging economies, where environmental regulations are often poorly implemented. In Mexico, the development of industrial projects and the deficient application of environmental regulations, together with the rapid increase in population and the inefficient disposal of urban waste, have generated a severe problem of water pollution in the country. National environmental protection programs have not included the monitoring of PBTS, even though researchers have been monitoring the main aquatic ecosystems of the country for nearly three decades, generating valuable information that could help improve the protection and exploitation of these ecosystems. The present work reviewed a large portion of the available literature (~150 articles) on aquatic biomonitoring of the main PBTS (Hg, Cd, Pb, POCs, and PCBs) in Mexico. This work aims to collect, synthesize, and facilitate the management and interpretation of the reported data to improve the country's aquatic ecosystems' protection and management.

Monitoreo de vibrio spp. en ostiones Crassostrea virginica de las lagunas de Tamiahua y Tampamachoco, Veracruz, México

“…Ubicación de los sitios de muestreo. La elección de las lagunas de estudio se realizó bajo los siguientes criterios: grado de perturbación por urbanización e industria, eutrofización, descarga directa de aguas residuales y presencia de coliformes fecales (Gutiérrez-Vivanco, 2010;Herrera-Silveira et al, 2011;Lango-Reynoso et al, 2010;Ramírez-Ayala et al, 2020).…”

State of the art of poecilid fish ( Pisces: Poeciliidae) in México

“…The poeciliids present a tropical distribution, in the American continent from the United States United to Argentina (Gómez-Márquez et al, 1999), the Poeciliidae family is of great importance, both ecologically and economically due to its commercialization as ornamental fish (Miller et al, 2009), In recent years the study of poeciliids has not been limited only to their biodiversity, in addition to this, various species of poeciliids have served as models for studies on evolution, ecology, behavior and genomics (Stockwell Agro productividad 2022. https://doi.org/10.32854/agrop.v15i11.2355& Henkanaththegedara, 2011, and more recently they have been used in studies of biomonitoring and bioaccumulation of toxins in aquatic habitats where they inhabit, due to their wide diversity and easy adaptation to captivity (Trujillo-Jimenez & Toledo, 2007;Ramírez-Ayala et al, 2020 ).…”

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in fish from two coastal lagoons of the central Mexican Pacific

“…On the aquatic ecosystems of Mexico and especially concerning the fish of the central Pacific coasts, there is little information on the concentration of PCBs and PAHs. With few scientific publications on the subject, it is difficult to know the contamination levels and potential risks of these contaminants (Ramírez-Ayala et al 2020). Like many countries, no federal programs focus on monitoring the concentration of POPs in wild aquatic organisms in Mexico.…”

“…However, there is no official information that allows human consumers to know the risks involved in consuming aquatic resources polluted with POPs and establishing safe consumption and risk areas. Researchers have been conducting studies for the last 20 years on different organisms, including fish and crustaceans (Ramírez-Ayala et al 2020). For example, clams (Chione californiensis) from three coastal lagoons (Yavaros, Altata, and Reforma lagoons) in the eastern coast of the Gulf of California present organochlorine pesticides a tissue residue, which reflects environmental pollution into coastal lagoons (Vargas-González et al 2016).…”

“…Although the potential effect of both PAHs and PCBs depends mainly on the specific compound involved, the environmental sources of exposure are complex mixtures, making it difficult to elucidate the long-term effects. In this sense, the monitoring of different environmental matrices (mainly biota) is vital in conserving the health of aquatic ecosystems (Ramírez-Ayala et al 2020).…”