THE IMPACT OF CEMETERIES ON THE

ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH

ÜÇISIK, Ahmet S and RUSHBROOK, Philip

From: The impact of cemeteries on the environment and public health: An introductory briefing. Copenhagen: World
Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, 1998, 11 p.
Students:
GARCIA, Filipe Lage. Mechanical Engeneering student .(filipelagegarcia@gmail.com)
ROCHA, Marina Silva Seabra da. Architect and Urban Planner. (marinasseabra@gmail.com)

• Dent (AUSTRALIA)
INTRODUCTION
• There is little published texts that describe cemeteries as → electrical conductivity/salinity + elevated con-
sources of environmental pollution centrations of chloride, nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, or-
thophosphate, iron, sodium, potassium, and magnesium
• The decomposition products are toxic ions

1. Microbiology of the human corpse.

6. Hydrogeological properties of the cemeteries.
• Anaerobic bacteria; participation in the decomposition
process; production of a toxic liquid • The thickness of the unsaturated soil layer is an important
factor
2. Anatomy of the human body.
• The product of decomposition (pathogenic organisms + CONCLUSION.
chemical substances of the human body); infiltration;
groundwater level; • Guidelines:

3. Survival and retention of bacteria and viruses.

• Temperature

• PH

• Soil

→ Adsorption → Filtration

Source:
https://fairyfaithinthenorthwest.wordpress.com/2015/03/02/historical-
practices-of-witchcraft-
day-3-sieve/

4. Movement of bacteria and viruses through soils. Vocabulary

• Plants and their root-system
Beneath: in or to a lower position; directly under
Burial pits: tomb; grave; “cova”
5. Groundwater composition in the vicinity of the cemeteries.
Colloid: in chemistry, is a mixture in which one sub-
• Schraps (GERMANY) stance of microscopically dispersed insoluble particles
→ bacteria, ammonium and nitrate ions is suspended throughout another substance
Groundwater: water within the earth especially that
supplies wells and springs
• van Haaren (HOLLAND) Seepage: a quantity of fluid that has seeped (as
→ saline plume of chloride, sulfate and bicarbonate through porous material
ions

IFA III | May 31, 2017 | UFMG