Leaching and dilution of fertilizers in the Yucatan karstic aquifer

The application of agrochemicals in crops can cause pollution of aquifers, especially those with a shallow water table and covered by thin soils; such is the case of Yucatan, Mexico. Information about the requirements and application of fertilizers to major irrigation and rainfed crops as well as the volume of water consumed in growing were used to determine the potential amount of nitrate delivered to groundwater. The research reported in this paper was conducted in the metropolitan area of the city of Merida, in Yucatán, Mexico, where groundwater plays an important role since it is the main source of supply, due to the lack of surface water in the region. In addition, the vulnerability of this aquifer is threatened by the various activities taking place in the municipalities, which emphasize agriculture, located within the groundwater basin. This activity is analyzed as a source of contamination given the concentration of NO₃ ⁻ present in groundwater intended for human consumption. The results show that the contribution of farming that enriches the presence of nitrates in the aquifer is different for each municipality in the study area. For the ZMM, the average nutrient leaching is 44 % of the original mass applied; it could be diluted approximately 12 times, in the groundwater.