Carlos Alberto Contreras-Paredes

En Tehuacán, Puebla, México, las aguas residuales de origen textil contienen el colorante azul índigo. En la presente investigación se evaluó la capacidad de biodecoloración de este colorante en cepas nativas de Trichoderma harzianum aisladas de suelos agrícolas afectados por la industria textil. Para ello, se analizaron parámetros físicos y químicos de muestras de aguas residuales textiles y suelo agrícola contaminado con azul índigo. En las aguas residuales los parámetros estuvieron fuera de la norma oficial mexicana con una concentración de azul índigo de 0.364 g/L, Conductividad Eléctrica (0.020 dS/cm), Sólidos Suspendidos Totales (326.667 mg/L), Demanda Bioquímica de Oxígeno (437 mg/L), Demanda Química de Oxígeno (706 mg/L), Nitrógeno Total Kjeldahl (78.042 mg/L), Fósforo Total (10.89 mg/L) y Sulfuros (163.758 mg/L). En el suelo agrícola, además de medir la concentración de azul índigo que fue de 0.083 g/L se tomaron muestras, y fueron identificados dos cepas de hongos como T. harzianum, Buap Tehazo 1 y Tehazo 2 con base en secuencias ITS. Las cepas mostraron una tolerancia a 0.2 g/L de azul índigo en medio mineral y la capacidad de biodecolorar 122.6 mg/L y 148.6 mg/L de azul índigo, respectivamente, transformándolo en isatina, acorde al análisis de espectroscopía UV-Vis y FTIR. Estos resultados indican que las cepas de T. harzianum pueden biodecolorar el azul índigo con un proceso oxidativo y generar isatina producto de la reacción.

The rapid growth of avocado production in Mexico has intensified concerns about balancing economic competitiveness with environmental sustainability, especially regarding water use and production intensification. This study introduces the Integrated Competitiveness and Sustainability Composite Index for Avocado (ICSCA), a multidimensional indicator that evaluates the structural performance of avocado production systems across Mexican states. The index combines environmental efficiency, economic productivity, and socio-productive stability, using state level data from 2014–2024. The ICSCA was calculated and examined through principal component analysis, regression models, and spatial visualization. Results show strong heterogeneity among producing regions. States like Michoacan and Jalisco achieve high productivity and economic output but exert significant pressure on water resources, while others maintain more balanced sustainability profiles with moderate productivity; furthermore, spatial patterns reveal clear regional gradients in sustainability performance. Robust tests, including out of sample temporal validation, expanding window validation, and sliding window analysis, demonstrate high predictive consistency across analysis periods. Overall, the ICSCA provides a robust tool for assessing the interactions between productivity, environmental efficiency, and social structural stability, supporting evidence-based policy design and regional planning for more sustainable avocado production.

In Tehuacán, Puebla, Mexico, the agricultural sector is primarily dedicated to corn cultivation, which is reflected in the region’s economy, culture, and diet. This sector follows an agro-industrial production model dependent on pesticides and chemical fertilizers, which impacts both soil health and the population’s well-being. The objective of this study was to assess cytotoxic damage using the Buccal Micronucleus Cytome Assay (BMCA) in a population engaged in agricultural activities in San Diego Chalma, Tehuacán, Puebla, Mexico. Sociodemographic parameters were analyzed, along with the buccal micronucleus cytome assay, in a sample of 35 individuals composed of an agricultural group (18) and a control group (17). The agricultural group showed a significantly higher number of total micronucleated cells (Median = 714), which was 19.8 times greater than the non-agricultural group. Age, sex, basic education level, time of residence, and involvement in agricultural activities were key factors contributing to the development of buccal cell micronuclei, in addition to the use of pesticides as lambda-cyhalothrin, spinetoram, ethoprophos, carbofuran, methomyl, and chlorpyrifos ethyl without safety measures. There was an increased risk of developing micronucleated cells in males from the control group (OR = 2.386, 95% CI = 2.123–2.681) and in individuals aged 30–59 years (OR = 16.464, 95% CI = 14.315–18.935). The agricultural population for the 0–29 years presented a risk probability developing micronucleated cells of 99.8% in men and 99.9% in women, with a higher risk observed in women and in individuals who had lived their entire lives in San Diego Chalma, where they are continuously exposed to pesticides. Therefore, it is crucial to provide guidance, training, and improved public policies in the region of Puebla, Mexico.