SOIL POLLUTANTS

Pollutants from Livestock Production

 Livestock manure has a very high BOD and can rapidly deplete oxygen when it gets into
waterways.
 Decomposition of animal waste products produces inorganic nitrogen that can
contaminate water with potentially toxic nitrate.
 Inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus released to water from the decomposition of livestock
wastes can cause eutrophication of water.
 Nitrous oxide (N2O) released to the atmosphere from livestock waste degradation can be
an air pollutant.
 Methane generated in the anaerobic degradation of livestock wastes is a potent
greenhouse gas.

Pesticides and their Residues In Soil

 Four major concerns regarding pesticides in soil

a) Carryover of pesticides and biologically active degradation products to crops grown

in later seasons
b) Biological effects on organisms in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems including
bioaccumulation and transfer through food chains
c) Groundwater contamination
d) Effects on soil fertility

Herbicides are considered as the most common chemicals that affect soil and organisms
that it supports because the effectivity of herbicides come into direct contact with soil.

It is well studied that these pesticides and other foreign compounds that remain in soil
for a long period of time have its effects. Some are listed below:

a) The substances become increasingly resistant to extraction and desorption process

b) They become significantly less bioavailable to organisms
c) Overall toxicity is decreased

The bioavailability and extractability effects are usually associated to interaction of the
pollutant (a compound) with the organic matter in soil and are more pronounced for soils that
has high organic matter content.
 Micropores of the organic matter trapped these molecules and become less
environmentally reactive.

The probable increase in binding time may be due to the slow migration of molecules
into smaller micropores and perhaps there is a formation of covalent bonds to the organic
matter.