Selected Elements in the Soils Covering Mass Graves from World Wars I and II in Southeastern Poland

Abstract

This study evaluates the reasons for the different content of eight selected elements, Cu, Pb, Zn, S, K, Na, Ca and P, in the upper sections of soil profiles covering mass graves in southeastern Poland. The burial sites include 18 mass graves from World Wars I and II, an active parish cemetery, an old kirkut (Jewish cemetery) and, as a comparative site, a forest nursery. Chemical analyses were carried out using atomic absorption spectroscopy. Among the elements were P and Ca, which dominate in the soils covering the burial sites from World War II. Higher amounts of the elements analysed were found at sites where many people were buried in a small area. The burial sites dug in pure sand revealed a lower content of the elements analysed, particularly Ca and P. In places where human ashes were scattered, Ca and P prevailed. The comparative site, a wet forest margin, is characterized by low levels of S and relatively higher amounts of Ca and P. In the soils covering World War I graves P, in particular, prevails over Zn, Pb and Cu. Differences in the concentrations of the elements studied depend on the type and age of the burial site, the type of soil, the slope gradient and water content prevailing at the site and the proximity to mass graves and cemeteries found close to each other.

Understanding Necrosol pedogenetical processes in post-Roman burials developed on dunes sands

“…decarbonation). Acidi cation of the Necrosol has been observed by other researchers 11,12,13,30,54 in soils originally alkaline, and was also linked to the increase in organic matter and the decrease in calcium content (decalci cation). To approach the in uence of soil pH on bone conservation, it has to be also determined in the pre-burial soil or sampling surrounding areas, since the pH of the Necrosol is highly in uenced by the soil-skeleton exchange over time.…”

“…Today, Necrosol research is focused on present-day cemeteries 24,25,26,27 or war mass graves 22,28,29,30 .…”

“…Current studies are getting more complex and include a larger number of chemical elements 30,35,36 , combining them with the study of soil micromorphology 15,37,38 and complement bone diagenesis research with soil analysis 39,40 .…”

Determination of Metals at the Soil Occupied for Necropolis at the South of Brazil: Use of X - Ray Fluorescence Technique (XRF)

“…According to Chrostowska and Skalmowski (1997) the accepted proportion of Cu in solid waste compost varies between 300 to 800 mg.kg -1 (Poland), whereas in countries such as Austria is 400 mg.kg -1 and in Spain is 1,750 mg.kg -1 . In studies conducted in cemetery areas, the authors describe Cu procedures between undetected and 245.40 mg.kg -1 (Jonker & Olivier 2012;Silva et al 2019;Spongberg & Becks 1999;Żychowski 2021).…”

The Impact of Decommissioning Cemeteries on the Urban Ecosystem

“…Additionally, it has been proven that high numbers of bacteria can be found near those graves in which the deceased were buried less than a year earlier [37]. The chemical changes of soil in burial sites persist for many years, but are not necessarily dangerous to the environment [41]. With this in mind, one might argue that the negative impact of a cemetery should be stopped or significantly limited once it is closed, not necessarily decommissioned.…”