Title: Organic carbon and pesticide pollution in a tropical coastal lagoon-estuarine system in Northwest Mexico

Authors: Fernando Antonio Gonzalez Farias, Mariana del Rocio Hernandez-Garza, Gilberto Diaz Gonzalez

Addresses: Engineering Faculty, Campus Morelos, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Paseo Cuauhnahuac 8532, Jiutepec, Morelos, 62550, Mexico. ' Mariana del Rocio Hernandez-Garza, Mazatlan Academic Unit, Institute of Marine Sciences and Limnology, UNAM, P.O. Box 811, Mazatlan, Sinaloa, 82000, Mexico. ' Metropolitan Autonomous University, Calzada del Hueso 1100, Xochimilco DF, 04960, Mexico

Abstract: The Altata-Ensenada del Pabellon system (~360 km²) comprises three inland lagoons, a coastal lagoon, and a bay. Inland is an important irrigation district (~330,000 ha). Agricultural drains and two sugar cane mills wastewaters are discharged into the system. Particulate organic carbon in water varied from 0.5 to 6.1 mg C/l. Organic carbon mean concentration (mg C/g dw) in sediments was 22.6 in the bay, 92.6 in the coastal lagoon, and 179.6 in the inland lagoons. Organochlorine pesticides (OCs) mean total concentration (ng/g dw) was 59.13 for inland lagoons, 35.60 for coastal lagoon, and 9.08 for the bay. A significant correlation was found between organic matter and OCs.

Keywords: organochlorine pesticides; tropical coastal lagoons; estuary; organic carbon; sediments; Sinaloa; Mexico; water pollution; coastal waters; water column; particulate organic carbon.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2006.009109

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2006 Vol.26 No.1/2/3, pp.234 - 253

Published online: 02 Mar 2006 *

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