Publications by authors named "G Ponce-Velez"
Article Synopsis
- - The petroleum industry in the southern Gulf of Mexico is crucial for Mexico’s economy but has negatively affected marine and coastal environments, highlighting the significance of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the area.
- - The review identified the highest PAH concentrations in water at the Dos Bocas Maritime Terminal and Mecoacán Lagoon, with sediments showing elevated levels in Sontecomapan, Mandinga, and La Mancha Lagoons, and the highest PAHs in fish from Términos Lagoon.
- - Comparatively, water and oyster PAH levels are on par with global averages, but sediment concentrations are notably higher, particularly in regions like Mecoacán Lagoon and Cayo Arcas Reef Complex, which necessitates
Article Synopsis
- The Sontecomapan lagoon in Mexico, part of the Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve, is under threat from microplastic contamination despite its protected status.
- A study conducted in June 2018 assessed microplastic presence in surface waters, zooplankton, and sediments, finding varying concentrations across these environments.
- Results indicated low overall contamination levels compared to other heavily impacted areas, but the detected microplastics pose a potential risk to local wildlife.
Spatial distribution of PAHs, nickel, and vanadium in sediments from a large coastal lagoon near a petroleum extraction area in the southern Gulf of Mexico.
Mar Pollut Bull
October 2024
One of the world's crucial areas for crude oil exploration and extraction is the southern Gulf of Mexico, where Terminos Lagoon (TL) is located. Sediments from the TL region were used to assess the spatial patterns, origins, and ecotoxicological risks associated with 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs; 3.1-248.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCoastal estuarine systems may hold a large number of microplastic particles, which predators often mistake for prey. This study estimated the encounter rates between microplastics (alleged prey) and zooplankton having different feeding modes, trophic positions, swimming velocities, and perception distances, under calm and turbulent conditions, and during two seasons. Surface water samples were taken at 10/12 sites of the Sontecomapan lagoon, southern Gulf of Mexico, to quantify microplastic concentration.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe aim of this study was to determine the concentration of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in marine sediments of a natural marine protected area (NMPA), Veracruz Reef System (VRS), in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). This NMPA represents one of the first coastal sites with port activity in Mexico, which causes a range of human activities that require adequate planning so as not to impact and destroy this marine protected area; In this sense, this work represents the first effort aimed at diagnosing the presence of organochlorine contaminants in reef sediments from the mainland, both from the adjacent port area and from more distant regions with dominant agricultural activities that ultimately affect this NMPA. Content of organic matter (OM), carbonates and grain-size composition were determined to investigate their influence on compounds distribution in the sediment through multivariate analysis.
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