PM2.5 emissions from urban crematoriums

Mexico City has around 40 crematoriums, emitting daily particulate matter and gaseous pollutants. This research presents the results of PM2.5 concentrations of a sampling program in two crematoriums which have two combustion chambers and burn between 4 and 6 human cadavers per day. Sampling was performed applying the US EPA 201A isokinetic Method, registering mass of the bodies, age, gender, cause of death, clothes type, cremation time and oven temperatures. The first crematorium takes 120 minutes of cremation, PM2.5 emissions ranged between 11-59 mg/m(3) (scf) dry, and most of them are below the maximum permissible limit (MPL) whereas the second crematorium with a burning time of 70 minutes presented PM2.5 emissions of 25-205 mg/m(3) (scf) dry exceeding MPL. PM emissions depend on burning time since the longer the combustion time the better oxidation of organic compounds. (C) 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.