Evaluación de la contaminación por metales pesados y contaminantes emergentes en el río Motagua / Bessie Evelyn Oliva Herández; autores Max Samuel Mérida Reyes, José Alejandro Charuc Muñoz, Jorge Alejandro Reyes Pérez; colaboradores Manuel Alejandro Muñoz Wug, Edwin Adolfo Taracena Monzón, Marvin Jeraldo Xajil Sabán, Carlos Rodolfo Vargas López y Mayra Abigail Tichabaj Esquit.

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El río Motagua recorre el país desde el departamento de Quiché en el altiplano, hasta su desembocadura en el mar Caribe, siendo fuente de agua para consumo y para riego, así como para la pesca en la cuenca. La contaminación por desechos sólidos en la cuenca ha provocado la contaminación extensiva de la bahía de Omoa y las playas caribeñas de Guatemala y Honduras, siendo una amenaza para el arrecife mesoamericano, que puede ser potenciada por el cambio climático, al desconocerse el comportamiento toxicológico con el incremento de la temperatura. La contaminación del río por sustancias tóxicas se desconoce, especialmente en la cuenca alta del río Las Vacas, que transporta la mayor parte de la contaminación de la ciudad de Guatemala. El objetivo de la investigación fue determinar las concentraciones de metales, productos farmacéuticos, microplásticos en el agua, sedimentos y peces en el río Motagua, en cercanías de poblaciones y luego de su unión con sus principales afluentes, especialmente con el río Las Vacas. Se realizaron cuatro muestreos en abril, mayo, agosto y octubre de 2024. Se colectaron 250 peces con atarraya como arte de pesca. Los peces fueron disectados extrayendo el tracto digestivo y las branquias, se digirieron con KOH a 50oC y se filtró para separar los microplásticos, separarlos y clasificarlos. Se encontró que los peces contenían microplásticos en el tracto digestivo y en las branquias, siendo las fibras el tipo de microplástico de mayor presencia.

The Motagua River runs through the country from the department of Quiché in the highlands to its mouth in the Caribbean Sea, being a source of water for consumption and irrigation, as well as for fishing in the basin. Pollution by solid waste in the basin has caused extensive contamination of Omoa Bay and the Caribbean beaches of Guatemala and Honduras, being a threat to the Mesoamerican reef, which can be enhanced by climate change, as the toxicological behavior with the increase in temperature is unknown. The contamination of the river by toxic substances is unknown, especially in the upper basin of the Las Vacas River, which carries most of the pollution from Guatemala City. The objective of the research was to determine the concentrations of metals, pharmaceutical products, microplastics in water, sediments and fish in the Motagua River, near towns and after its union with its main tributaries, especially with the Las Vacas River. Four samplings were carried out in April, May, August and October 2024. 250 fish were collected using a The Motagua River runs through the country from the department of Quiché in the highlands to its mouth in the Caribbean Sea, being a source of water for consumption and irrigation, as well as for fishing in the basin. Pollution by solid waste in the basin has caused extensive contamination of Omoa Bay and the Caribbean beaches of Guatemala and Honduras, being a threat to the Mesoamerican reef, which can be enhanced by climate change, as the toxicological behavior with the increase in temperature is unknown. The contamination of the river by toxic substances is unknown, especially in the upper basin of the Las Vacas River, which carries most of the pollution from Guatemala City. The objective of the research was to determine the concentrations of metals, pharmaceutical products, microplastics in water, sediments and fish in the Motagua River, near towns and after its union with its main tributaries, especially with the Las Vacas River. Four samplings were carried out in April, May, August and October 2024. 250 fish were collected using a cast net as fishing gear. The fish were dissected by removing the digestive tract and gills, digested with KOH at 50oC and filtered to separate the microplastics, sort them and classify them. The fish were found to contain microplastics in the digestive tract and gills, with fibers being the most prevalent type of microplastic.