In Lakshadweep Islands in Arabian Sea, there are around 350-400 dugwells in 1 sq.km. There are burial grounds very close to these wells. People are mostly dependent on these wells for there day to day domestic purposes including drinking, as there is no alternate water sources in these tiny Islands. Hence I would like to know any systematic study has been done by anybody indicating the effect of graveyards on groundwater quality and also its impact on the human health.
Dear N B Narasimha Prasad,
Your question is very important. In the process of decomposition of a human body, 0.4-0.6 litres of leachate is produced per 1 kg of body weight. The leachate contains pathogenic bacteria and viruses that may contaminate the groundwater and cause disease when it is used for drinking. So far, this topic has been investigated in several regions of the world (mainly Brazil, Australia, the Republic of South Africa, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Poland, USA and France). However, recently more and more attention has been focused on this issue. Here are some interesting documents on the subject that can help you.
http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/108132/1/EUR_ICP_EHNA_01_04_01(A).pdf
http://paginas.fe.up.pt/~mjneves/env2010_files/Sessions/Papers%20C/Rodrigues,L3.PDF
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Eduardoantonio_Marques/publication/271072503_Impacts_on_the_Groundwater_Quality_Within_a_Cemetery_Area_in_Southeast_Brazil/links/54bcdf880cf29e0cb04c50aa/Impacts-on-the-Groundwater-Quality-Within-a-Cemetery-Area-in-Southeast-Brazil.pdf
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/tape17/PQDD_0007/MQ28197.pdf
https://www.sepa.org.uk/media/143364/lups-gu32-guidance-on-assessing-the-impacts-of-cemetries-on-groundwater.pdf
https://www.planningni.gov.uk/index/advice/northern_ireland_environment_agency_guidance/practice_guide_-_cemeteries_burials_and_the_water_environment.pdf
With my bet regards
Prof. Bachir ACHOUR
Article Impacts on the Groundwater Quality Within a Cemetery Area in...
Thank you Prof. Bachir for very valuable, interesting & informative reply.
Dear Narasimha Prasad,
Your issue is mainly related to the transport of leachate pathogens throughout the unsaturated zone to the phreatic aquifer. As far as transport phenomena are concerned, let me direct you to a special issue of Hydrogeology Journal devoted to the topic of "hydrogeology and human health", in which such a question is discussed by many authors.
https://link.springer.com/journal/10040/25/4/page/1
This special issue is open-access till the end of July, so you might download the papers you may find interesting to you and your research...
All the best, regards...
Adnane S. Moulla
Thank you Dr. Moulla for your response and valuable information.
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Geoscience
- Asia
- India