Mexican Cenotes Are in Danger

Inside Climate News · By Andrés Muedano · last updated July 29, 2026 – 1:01 AM

Researchers found microplastics, chemicals like PFAS and other potentially toxic elements in these sinkholes, the primary source of drinking water in the Yucatan Peninsula.

By Andrés Muedano

The first time Mitzi Ayala went inside a cenote, she felt as though she was entering an unknown, extraterrestrial world. Wearing a safety helmet, waterproof rubber boots, protective kneepads and a headlamp, she walked deep into a dark cave, thinking herself a character in an action-packed film.

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