Qualidade da água subterrânea em área de cemitério horizontal em Caçapava do Sul - RS

Abstract

The cemeteries may be considered sources of pollution. After the inhumation, during the decomposition process, the corpses release a liquid denominated necroleachate, made up of 60% water, 30% mineral salts and 10% degradable organic substances that compromise the quality of groundwater and health public if without preventive structures to avoid contamination. Considering the importance of water quality, this study aimed to investigate the quality of groundwater. Water samples were collected in existing wells and monitoring wells constructed in the cemetery to analyses as: color, turbidity, iron, hardness, alkalinity, pH, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solids, phosphorous, nitrate+nitrite, sodium, potassium, total and thermotolerant coliforms. The results of chemical, physical and bacteriological analyzes showed that the results of color and turbidity, together with the high electrical conductivity found, may indicate contamination by necroleachate, because cemeteries are considered a point source pollution receiving variables loads depending the area of buried, for nitrate and nitrite, no contamination by these compounds was proven. Phosphorus and potassium presented the highest values at the point considered background, a fact that may be associated with the activities that occur at the well site. For total and thermotolerant coliforms, the presence in all the wells studied was identified. The other analyzed parameters did not present relations with necroleachate contamination.