Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Environmental Exposure of Children to Toxic Trace Elements (Hg, Cr, As) in an Urban Area of Yucatan, Mexico: Water, Blood, and Urine Levels

  • Published:
Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Merida is the largest urban center in the Mexican State of Yucatan. Here domestic sewage is deposited in poorly built septic tanks and is not adequately treated. Because of contamination from such waste, water from the top 20 m of the aquifer is unsuitable for human consumption. Given this situation and because children are highly vulnerable to environmental pollution, including exposure to toxic trace elements, this study focused on evaluating the exposure of children to arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), and mercury (Hg) in water. It also evaluated the relationship between the levels of these elements in water and their concentrations in urine and blood. Among the 33 children monitored in the study, arsenic surpassed WHO limits for blood in 37% of the cases, which could result from the ingestion of poultry contaminated with organoarsenic compounds. In the case of WHO limits for Mercury, 65% of the water samples analyzed, 28% of urine samples, and 12% of blood samples exceeded them. Mercury exposure was correlated with biological sex, some lifestyle factors, and the zone in Merida in which children live. These data suggest that the levels of some toxic metals in children may be affected by water source, socioeconomic factors, and individual behavior.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abernathy CO, Thomas DJ, Calderon RL (2003) Health effects and risk assessment of arsenic. J Nutr 133:1536S–1538S

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Adimado AA, Baah DA (2002) Hg in human blood, urine, hair, nail, and fish from the Ankobra and Tano river basins in Southwestern Ghana. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 68:339–346

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) (2007) Toxicological profile for arsenic. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Services, Atlanta

    Google Scholar 

  • Arcega-Cabrera F, Fargher L (2016) Education, fish consumption, well water, chicken coops, and cooking fires: Using biogeochemistry and ethnography to study exposure of children from Yucatan, Mexico to metals and arsenic. Sci Total Environ 568:75–82

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Arcega-Cabrera F, Noreña-Barroso E, Oceguera-Vargas I (2014) Lead from hunting activities and its potential environmental threat to wildlife in a protected wetland in Yucatan, Mexico. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 100:251–257

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Arcega-Cabrera F, Fargher L, Oceguera-Vargas I, Noreña-Barroso E, Yañez-Estrada L, Alvarado J, González R, Pérez-Herrera N, Quesadas Rojas M, Pérez-Medina S (2017) Water consumption as source of arsenic, chromium, and mercury in children living in rural Yucatan, Mexico: blood and urine levels. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-017-2147-x

    Google Scholar 

  • ATSDR (2017a) Toxic substances portal: mercury. https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/substances/index.asp

  • ATSDR (2017b) Toxic substances portal: chromium. https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/substances/index.asp

  • ATSDR (2017c) Toxic substances portal: arsenic. https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/substances/index.asp

  • Basu A, Mahata J, Gupta S, Giri AK (2001) Genetic toxicology of a paradoxical human carcinogen, arsenic: a review. Mutat Res 488:171–194

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Battlori-Sampedro E, Febles-Patrón J (2002) El agua subterránea en el desarrollo integral de la península de Yucatán. Av Perspect 21:67–77

    Google Scholar 

  • Centeno JA, Mullick FG, Martinez L, Page NP, Gibb H, Longfellow D, Thompson C, Ladich ER (2002) Pathology related to chronic arsenic exposure. Environ Health Perspect 110(Suppl. 5):883–886

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Costa M, Klein CB (2006) Toxicity and carcinogenicity of chromium compounds in humans. Crit Rev Toxicol 36:155–163

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (1984) Health assessment document for inorganic arsenic. Environmental Criteria and Assessment Office, Cincinnati

    Google Scholar 

  • Escolero O, Marin LE, Steinich B, Pacheco JA, Molina-Maldonado A, Anzaldo JM (2005) Geochemistry of the hydrogeological reserve of Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico. Geofís Int 44(3): 301–314

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Farid S, Baloch MK, Ahmad SA (2012) Water pollution: Major issue in urbana reas. Int J Water Resour Environ Eng 4(3):55–65

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Febles-Patrón J, Hoogesteijn A (2008) Análisis del marco legal para la protección del agua subterránea en Mérida, Yucatán. Ing Rev Acad 12:71–79

    Google Scholar 

  • Gebel TW (2001) Genotoxicity of arsenical compounds. Int J Hyg Environ Health 203:249–262

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Graniel E, Vera I, González L (2004) Dinámica de la interfase salina y calidad del agua en la Costa Nororiental de Yucatán. Ing Rev Acad 8:15–25

    Google Scholar 

  • Hall M, Chen Y, Ahsan H, Slavkovich V, van Geen A, Parvez F, Graziano J (2006) Blood arsenic as a biomarker of arsenic exposure: results from a prospective study. Toxicology 225:225–233

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hu Y, Zhang W, Cheng H, Tao S (2017) Public health risk of arsenic species in chicken tissues from live pultry markets of Guangdong province, China. Environ Sci Technol 51:3508–3517. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6b06258

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (INEGI) http://www.inegi.org.mx/yucatan

  • Kannan GM, Tripathi N, Dube SN, Gupta M, Flora SJ (2001) Toxic effects of arsenic (III) on some hematopoietic and central nervous system variables in rats and guinea pigs. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 39:675–682

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kazi TG, Arain MB, Baig JA, Jamai MK, Afridi HI, Jalbani N, Sarfraz RA, Shah AQ, Niaz A (2009) The correlation of arsenic levels in drinking water with the biological samples of skin disorders. Sci Total Environ. 407(3): 1019–1026

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Magaña A (2002) Reactor anaerobio horizontal doable (RAH-D) su desarrollo en la FIUADY. Ing Rev Acad 6:61–65

    Google Scholar 

  • Mortada WI, Sobh MA, El-Defrawy MM, Farahat SE (2002) Reference intervals of cadmium, lead, and mercury in blood, urine, hair, and nails among residents in Mansoura city, Nile delta. Egypt Environ Res 90:104–110

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nascimento S, Barth A, Göethel G, Baierle M, Charão MF, Brucker N, Moro AM, Bubols GB, Sobreira JS, Sauer E, Rocha R, Gioda A, Dias AC, Salles JF, Garcia SC (2015) Cognitive deficits and ALA-D inhibition in children exposed to multiple metals. Environ Res 136:387–395

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Norma Oficial Mexicana “NOM-127-SSA1-1994” Salud ambiental. Agua para uso y consumo humano. Límites permisibles de calidad y tratamientos a que debe someterse el agua para su potabilización. http://www.conagua.gob.mx

  • Nriagu JO (1988) A silent epidemic of environmental metal poisoning? Environ Pollut 50:139–161

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pacheco AJ, Cabrera SA (1997) Ground water contamination by nitrates in the Yucatán peninsula. Mex Hydrogeol J 2:47–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pacheco AJ, Cabrera SA, Marín LE (2000) Bacteriological contamination in the karstic acuifer of Yucatán. Mex Geofís Int 39(3):285–291

    Google Scholar 

  • Pacheco AJ, Cabrera A, Pérez R (2004) Diagnóstico e la calidad del agua subterránea en los sistemas municipales de abastecimiento en el estado de Yucatán, México. Investig Geogr 59:74–92

    Google Scholar 

  • Paustenbach DJ, Panko JM, Fredrick MM, Finley BL, Proctor DM (1997) Urinary chromium as a biological marker of environmental exposure: what are the limitations? Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 26:S23-S34

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sahin B, Temiz F, Ozer G, Yuksel B, Kemal A, Onenli N, Mazman M, Murat G (2012) Chromium levels in healthy and newly diagnosed type 1 diabetic children. Pediatr Int 54:780–785

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seigneur C, Vijayaraghavan K, Lohman K, Karamchandani P, Scott C (2004) Global source attribution for mercury deposition in the United States. Environ Sci Technol 38(2):555–569

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Steinich B, Velázquez-Oliman G, Marín L, Perry E (1996) Determination of the ground water divide in the karst aquifer of Yucatán, México, combining geochemical and hydrogeological. Geofís Int 35:153–159

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Velasco A, Arcega-Cabrera F, Oceguera-Vargas I, Ramírez M, Ortinez A, Umlauf G, Sena F (2016) Global Mercury Observatory System (GMOS): measurements of atmospheric mercury in Celestun, Yucatan, Mexico during 2012. Environ Sci Pollut Res. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-6852-5

    Google Scholar 

  • Wasserman GA, Liu X, Parvez F, Factor-Litvak P, Ahsan H, Levy D, Kliine J, van Geen A, Mey J, Slavkovich V, Siddique AB, Islam T, Graziano JH (2011) Arsenic and manganese exposure and children’s intellectual function. Neurotoxicology 32:450–457

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • WHO (1993) World Health Organization, guidelines for drinking-water quality. World Health Organization, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We wish to thank FOSEC Salud–CONACYT (Project 139738) for funding. We also thank the Secretaría de Educación del Gobierno de Yucatán and the principals of the schools included in the study for the information and support they provided. We also thank the children and their families for providing water and biological samples and for their enthusiastic participation. We thank Fernando Mex Esquivel, and all the medicine, chemistry, and communications students involved in this project for their invaluable help during the sampling campaign, as well as Abigail Rosales Flores for her help in the ethnographic research. We thank Alejandra Martínez Escamilla for project administration, and the reviewers for their insightful remarks that significantly improve the quality of the article.

Author information

Author notes

  1. F. Arcega-Cabrera

    Present address: Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN-Mérida, km 6 Antigua carretera a Progreso, Cordemex, 97310, Yucatán, Mexico

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unidad de Química Sisal, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto de Abrigo Sisal, 97355, Yucatán, Mexico

    F. Arcega-Cabrera, M. Quesadas-Rojas, I. Oceguera-Vargas & E. Noreña-Barroso

  2. Ecología Humana, CINVESTAV-IPN Mérida, Km 6 Antigua Carretera a Progreso, Mérida, 97310, Yucatán, Mexico

    L. Fargher & S. Pérez-Medina

  3. Unidad de Investigación Médica Yucatán, Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad Hospital de Especialidades Centro Médico Nacional “Ignacio García Téllez” Mérida, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS), Calle 41 No. 439, Col. Industrial, Mérida, 97150, Yucatán, Mexico

    R. Moo-Puc

  4. Laboratorio de Género, Salud y Ambiente, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, 78210, Mexico

    L. Yáñez-Estrada

  5. Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatan, Av Itzaes 498, Mérida, 97100, Yucatán, Mexico

    J. Alvarado & L. González

  6. Unidad Interinstitucional de Investigación Clínica y Epidemiológica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Av. Itzaes No. 498 x 59-A, Colonia Centro, Mérida, 97000, Yucatán, Mexico

    N. Pérez-Herrera

Authors
  1. F. Arcega-Cabrera
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. L. Fargher
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M. Quesadas-Rojas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. R. Moo-Puc
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. I. Oceguera-Vargas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. E. Noreña-Barroso
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. L. Yáñez-Estrada
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. J. Alvarado
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. L. González
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. N. Pérez-Herrera
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. S. Pérez-Medina
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to F. Arcega-Cabrera.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Arcega-Cabrera, F., Fargher, L., Quesadas-Rojas, M. et al. Environmental Exposure of Children to Toxic Trace Elements (Hg, Cr, As) in an Urban Area of Yucatan, Mexico: Water, Blood, and Urine Levels. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 100, 620–626 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-018-2306-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-018-2306-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation