Puerto Morelos, Q.R. — Discolored water found in a mangrove area of Puerto Morelos has been identified as bacteria.
Water that was assumed to be from contamination has been analyzed by scientists from the National Autonomous University of Mexico and the Puerto Morelos Reef National Park. So far, their results have identified the pink colored water as halobacterium, which grows in environments with a high concentration of salt.
The salt or ocean bacterium, as it is also known, typically turns water pink as a result of the large agglomerations of organisms.
María del Carmen García Rivas of CONANP says that the growth of the bacteria is likely due to the high salinity in the mangroves, however, they are still waiting for the chemical results on the water samples.
“The biological results arrived, which, according to the laboratory, confirms segregations that are bacteria and possibly are bacteria that do not have a pink color. But we are also waiting for the chemical water results because we find it in very low proportions,” she said.
María del Carmen García Rivas said that these types of bacteria do not perform photosynthesis and are common in typically saline environments, although she acknowledged that this is not normal in the mangrove ecosystem.
