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Neckel A, Toscan PC, Kujawa HA, Bodah BW, Korcelski C, Maculan LS, de Almeida Silva CCO, Junior ACG, Snak A, Moro LD, Silva LFO. Hazardous elements in urban cemeteries and possible architectural design solutions for a more sustainable environment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:50675-50689. [PMID: 36800092 PMCID: PMC9936489 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-25891-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
The general objective of this study is to identify the presence of hazardous elements in the soils of five urban cemeteries in the city of Passo Fundo, in southern Brazil, and to design solutions (architecturally) for future cemeteries to be more sustainable by mitigating toxicological risks to the population residing in the area. A total of 250 soil samples were obtained from points within the cemeteries and in areas surrounding the two oldest cemeteries at a distance of up to 400 m. Twelve architects who design cemeteries primarily focused on sustainability were interviewed, and presented their suggestions for sustainable urban cemetery design. The Building Information Modeling (BIM) computer modeling system was utilized to present a visual representation of suggested architectural features by these architects. The concentration of Pb in the vicinity of cemeteries deserves special attention, as concentrations of this neurotoxin exceed the federal limits set by Brazil. Soil Pb values were found to exceed the limit of 72 mg kg-1 up to a distance of 400 m from the walls of cemeteries A and B, indicating the presence of a danger to human health even at greater distances. This manuscript highlights construction features that enable future burial structures to adequately mitigate the very real problem of contaminants entering the environment from current cemetery design. Two-thirds of the technicians interviewed for this manuscript, each of whom specialize in Brazilian cemetery design, highlighted the importance of revitalizing urban vegetation both when constructing and revitalizing urban vertical cemeteries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alcindo Neckel
- Atitus Educação, 304, Passo Fundo, RS, 99070-220, Brazil.
| | | | | | - Brian William Bodah
- Atitus Educação, 304, Passo Fundo, RS, 99070-220, Brazil
- Thaines and Bodah Center for Education and Development, 840 South Meadowlark Lane, Othello, WA, 99344, USA
- Yakima Valley College, Workforce Education & Applied Baccalaureate Programs, South16th Avenue & Nob Hill Boulevard, Yakima, WA, 98902, USA
| | | | | | | | - Affonso Celso Gonçalves Junior
- Center for Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Western Paraná - UNIOESTE, 1619 R, Universitária, Cascavel, PR, 85819-110, Brazil
| | - Aline Snak
- Center for Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Western Paraná - UNIOESTE, 1619 R, Universitária, Cascavel, PR, 85819-110, Brazil
| | - Leila Dal Moro
- Atitus Educação, 304, Passo Fundo, RS, 99070-220, Brazil
| | - Luis F O Silva
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universidad de La Costa, CUC, Calle 58 # 55-66, Barranquilla, Atlántico, Colombia
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Franco DS, Georgin J, Villarreal Campo LA, Mayoral MA, Goenaga JO, Fruto CM, Neckel A, Oliveira ML, Ramos CG. The environmental pollution caused by cemeteries and cremations: A review. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 307:136025. [PMID: 35985390 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In recent years the funeral industry has drawn attention from the scientific community concerning the potential pollution of the environment and the urban environment. In this review, the pollution caused by the cemeteries and crematoria around the world was addressed. The traditional burial leads to the production of ions, in the form of organic and heavy metals, bacteria, fungi, and viruses, that spread along with the soil and underwater. The crematoria produce small particles, trace gases (SOx, NOx, CO), and toxic organic volatiles. The effluent generated by both methods can lead to several environmental problems and further threaten human health. The current solution for the cemeteries in the development of a system in which effluent generated by the traditional burials are collected and treated before realizing in the environment. In addition to that, the green burial should be an alternative, since the corpse does not go through the embalming process, thus eliminating the presence of any undesired chemicals, that are further leached onto the environment. The crematoria should be employed as it is, however, the gas treatment station should be employed, to ensure the minimization of the impact on the environment. Last, future researches regarding the treatment of the cemeteries leached still need to be explored as well as the optimization and further development of the crematoria gas treatment process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dison Sp Franco
- Department of Civil and Environmental, Universidad de la Costa, CUC, Calle 58 # 55-66, Barranquilla, Atlántico, 080002, Colombia.
| | - Jordana Georgin
- Graduate Program in Civil Engineering, Federal University of Santa Maria, 97105-900, Santa Maria, Brazil
| | - Luis Angel Villarreal Campo
- Department of Civil and Environmental, Universidad de la Costa, CUC, Calle 58 # 55-66, Barranquilla, Atlántico, 080002, Colombia
| | - Maria Arango Mayoral
- Department of Civil and Environmental, Universidad de la Costa, CUC, Calle 58 # 55-66, Barranquilla, Atlántico, 080002, Colombia
| | - Jose Orozco Goenaga
- Department of Civil and Environmental, Universidad de la Costa, CUC, Calle 58 # 55-66, Barranquilla, Atlántico, 080002, Colombia
| | - Carolina Moreno Fruto
- Department of Civil and Environmental, Universidad de la Costa, CUC, Calle 58 # 55-66, Barranquilla, Atlántico, 080002, Colombia
| | - Alcindo Neckel
- Faculdade Meridional, IMED, 304- Passo Fundo, RS 99070-220, Brazil
| | - Marcos Leandro Oliveira
- Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina R. Eng. Agronômico Andrei Cristian Ferreira, s/n - Trindade, Florianópolis, SC, 88040-900, Brasil
| | - Claudete Gindri Ramos
- Department of Civil and Environmental, Universidad de la Costa, CUC, Calle 58 # 55-66, Barranquilla, Atlántico, 080002, Colombia.
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