Characterization by Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry of filtered water into the cave under the Sun Pyramid in Teotihuacan City

Teotihuacan (50 km north-east Mexico City) was the most important ancient city in Mesoamerica and it flourished 200-750 AC. It is situated in the central part of the Valley of Teotihuacan, in Central México. This study was carried out in the 102 m-long cave under the largest single construction, the massive Sun Pyramid, being located on the east side of the “Avenue of the Dead”, in the northern half-part of the city. The study shows the results of Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry analysis and other techniques of a water sample obtained from the inside of the cave. The inside temperature ranged between 19 and 22 °C; relative humidity was between 98 and 99.3%; water-dropping velocity (water de-sorption capability) was 13.5 μL min− 1. Water samples from wells around the site were analyzed too. Metal concentration in all of the water samples matches the characteristics of the sampling site, well's depth, soil and minerals.