Technological Overview of Contamination and Bioremediation by Necrochorume in Cemeterial Soils and Aquifers

Abstract

Purpose: Aiming to map the scientific and technological production involving the contamination and bioremediation of this compound, a technological prospection study was conducted based on articles published in the last 20 years, in the Scopus and Web of Science databases.
 
 Theoretical framework: Necrochorume is a liquid derived from human decomposition, with a high contaminating potential and presenting a serious health hazard.
 
 Method/design/approach: The study was carried out using 5 keywords and their combinations, which were divided into 2 groups and treated using Microsoft Excel. For the first group, the combinations were used: “Necrochorume”, “necrochorume and contamination”, “cemeteries and contamination”, “cemetery leachate and contamination”. For the second group, we used: “Necrochorume and bioremediation”, “cemeteries and bioremediation” and “cemetery leachate and bioremediation”.
 
 Results and conclusion: The keys with the most results were "cemeteries and contamination", with 74 results in the Scopus database and 76 in the Web of Science, where it was analyzed that, of the 74 articles found in Scopus, only 37 alluded to the necrochorume, and in the Web of Science, 59 articles addressed the subject of interest. The only bioremediation keyword combination that found results was “cemeteries and bioremediation”, with 4 articles in the Scopus database and no results in the Web of Science. The VosViewer program was used to survey the occurrences of the main keywords throughout the study period.
 
 Research implications: As a main result, it was observed that there is a scarcity of publications related to its infection and its contaminating potential, as well as its bioremediation.
 
 Originality/value: It is also highlighted, based on the studies found, the extreme need to develop techniques that enable the safe use of soils and aquifers contaminated by necrochorume, as well as preventing the occurrence of contamination by the compost.