Agricultural pesticide residues in water from a karstic aquifer in Yucatan, Mexico, pose a risk to children’s health

Abstract

Yucatan is a region with a high impact of water contamination since it has a karst type soil favoring contaminants entry into the phreatic level, the only source of freshwater in the area. However, no studies report pesticides in water for human consumption or the risk it represents. The objective of this study was to detect and measure pesticide concentrations in domestic tap water to estimate the risk (carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic) to health. A non-probabilistic sampling was applied of 48 tap water sources, and then pesticide detection with solid-phase extraction gas chromatography coupled to the electron capture and flame photometric detectors allowed the estimation of risk through hazard ratios. The present results suggest that aldrin, heptachlor, and β-BHC residues in domestic tap water from Ticul, Yucatan, pose a risk to children's health, particularly for potential carcinogenic risks.