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Process uses water-based chemical resolving process to reduce bodies to bone
For those who like the idea of cremation but don't like the emissions or energy use associated with traditional fire-based cremation, another "green" option now is available.
Alkaline hydrolysis reduces human bodies to bones
BIO Cremation(TM) is cremation through the water-based resolving process of alkaline hydrolysis. During the process, a human body is placed in a pressurized stainless steel chamber, where water and the alkali solution potassium hydroxide are added, and the temperature is raised to 177°C (350°F). The water and alkali solution, heat, and pressure combine to cause a chemical reaction that reduces a body to bones.
During the hydrolysis process, water molecules are forced between the chemical bonds holding together large tissue molecules, such as fats, DNA, and proteins, breaking tissue down to its original small molecular building blocks, according to Sandy Sullivan, founder and director of Resomation Ltd. (Glasgow, Scotland), a company that produces the technology. This decomposition, which results in bones and liquid, takes anywhere from 5 to 25 years during normal burial but is accelerated to about 2 to 3 hours with BIO Cremation.
Traditional flame-based cremation, which reduces bodies to ash and bone fragments, also takes about 2 to 3 hours and requires catalysts of gas fuel and oxygen, resulting in air emissions.
Introducing the technology for use...