The Impact on Environmental Health from Cemetery Waste in Middle Tennessee

Abstract

The burial of caskets with arsenic-treated wood and formaldehyde-based embalming fluids can harm the environment and health. Arsenic (As) can leach into water, affecting aquatic life and the food chain. Formaldehyde can contaminate groundwater, risking drinking water and causing health problems. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of As and formaldehyde in cemetery plots of different ages. For this, we evaluated whether there is a potential for formaldehyde and As from cemetery caskets to contaminate waterways, which could impact livestock and allow transmission to individuals. There were six soil samples (n = 6), collected at 2 m depth, close to the buried caskets, as well as two (n = 2) groundwater samples (soil + groundwater) collected from a cemetery in Middle Tennessee. The soil was analyzed by an environmental lab using EPA 8315A for formaldehyde and EPA 3050B for As. All samples were below the limit of detection (<LOD) for As and formaldehyde, except for the 1952 soil sample, which presented 2 mg kg−1 of formaldehyde prevalence. We determined that there is a low likelihood of contamination of waterways and transmission to individuals. Future research is needed to investigate earlier dates of cemetery plots to determine if prior embalming practices could still impact present-day health outcomes. Also, current dates of cemeteries should be investigated to determine if there is a prevalence of formaldehyde and As.