Identification of Potentially Contaminated Sites in Baja California Sur, Mexico: Puerto San Carlos, El Cardonal and Estero San Buto

Abstract

Due to the environmental deterioration in our planet, it is imperative to have information on contaminated sites in urban and rural areas, and within the methodologies there is the mapping and identification of potentially contaminated sites. Our aim was the identification of sites with these characteristics in Baja California Sur, Mexico. We applied surveys of perception of pollution, odors, and possible sources in the studied communities, the collection of marine water, as well as the monitoring of air quality. As a result, the sites were classified into four areas of organic waste discharge and four of open-pit landings. The main pollution problems perceived were: 1) open sky landfills (94.92 %), 2) emissions of the Internal Combustion Plant or ICP (77.97 %), 3) fishing waste (86.44 %), and 4) waste burning (61.02 %). Of the respondents, 42.22 % reported respiratory diseases regularly. The primary source of the smell was identified as the smoke from the sardines, followed by the oxidation lagoons and the smoke of the ICP. We quantified elements such as sulfur (S), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and vanadium (V) above reference levels for acute effects in marine waters.