Assessment of groundwater quality from monitoring wells in an area occupied by a cemetery in South Brazil

Abstract

The contamination of water resources, surface or underground, is one of the major problems society faces. Thus, areas occupied by cemeteries can negatively impact the environment, especially on water and soil quality. This research aims to analyze groundwater quality in a space occupied by a cemetery in southern Brazil. Twelve chemical elements were analyzed using atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma coming from 5 monitoring wells installed in the study area. The results indicated changes in the elements barium, iron, lithium, manganese, sodium, and zinc, with climatic conditions being a predominant factor in the variation of concentrations. The chemical elements aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, nickel, lead, and vanadium presented concentrations lower than the quantification limit of the method. The concentrations of iron, lithium, zinc, and manganese varied from lower than the quantification limit of the method to 74.10, 3.91, 4.11 µg.L^-1, and 0.45 mg. L^-1, respectively. Barium and sodium varied from 0.12 to 0.28 and 7.55 to 40.18 mg. L^-1, respectively. The element sodium presented average concentrations of 7.55 to 40.18 mg.L^-1. The element manganese varies the LQ at 0.45 mg.L^-1, where in 5 samples, the values were above those allowed for potability, indicating that it disagrees with current legislation. The others, which contained detectable concentrations in the medium (Ba, Fe, Li, Mn, Na, and Zn) would be within the permitted limits. Based on this, it was possible to conclude a change in the chemical elements during the analyzed period. Thus, the importance of preliminary studies in the areas occupied by necropolises, which can become a public health problem, is highlighted.