Toxic atmospheric pollutants from crematoria ovens: characterization, emission factors, and modeling

Abstract

Human remains and corpses' cremation is an increasing practice worldwide alternative to burials, which have increased their cost and reduced spaces in cemeteries. Alike to other combustion processes, cremation produces pollutant emissions that contribute to worsen air quality in modern cities. A 6-month sampling campaign was performed in order to characterize emissions from corpse cremation in three different crematorium ovens and develop emission factors which were used to determine the population exposure to those pollutants during cremation activities applying a dispersion model. The main difference among crematoria was the inclusion or non-inclusion of controlled air supply devices. Using isokinetic samplings in the chimneys crematoria, emissions were measured and characterized with different chemical analyses. No significant differences were found in arsenic and metal concentrations among different crematories, although carbon monoxide, particles, elemental carbon, organic carbon, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations in facilities without controlled air supply were up to seven times higher than those with controlled air supply. Nevertheless, these pollutants exceeded standards in all crematoria. Except for elemental and organic carbon concentration that correlated with corpse weight, other recorded cadaver characteristics bear no relation with pollutant emissions. Emission factors among different ovens did not present significant differences; then, they were used for dispersion modeling of particles and mercury emissions over Mexico City when 35 crematoria operate simultaneously through an hour showing that PM 2.5 and Hg increase 0.01-1 μg m −3 and 0.01-0.1 ng m −3 , respectively, in that scenario.

A new approach to assess the degree of contamination and determine sources and risks related to PTEs in an urban environment: the case study of Santiago (Chile)

“…8B), which put Hg in contrast with Sb and Pb, likely highlights the areas of the Commune where the influence of the fallout of particulate matter deriving from the thermoelectric plants of Renca (marked by high Hg content) is prevalent compared to the historical contamination associated with motor vehicle exhaust (Pb) and non-exhaust emissions (Sn). Incoherence with the pattern of ILR, the presence of crematoria ovens within the neighborhood of Parque Club and beyond the northeastern border of the Commune cannot be ruled out as additional potential point sources of Hg (González-Cardoso et al, 2020 ).…”

Characteristics and control measures of odor emissions from crematoriums in Beijing, China

“…We used air bags to collect samples of odorous gases emitted from the chimneys of cremators, the chimneys of incinerators, and the cremation workshops of the five investigated crematoriums. To prevent the original air in the air bags from affecting the results, the air bags were flushed at least thrice with nitrogen before sampling, and the samples were collected using an air-bag vacuum sampling box (Model 1062) [13]. The odor concentration was analyzed using the odor-triangle odor bag method for the determination of air quality (GB/T 14675-1993).…”