Assignment # 2

Treatment of Land Contaminated with Pesticide

Submitted by: Mirza Agha Muhammad Taqi & Aneez Zahra

Enrollment number: 01-167202-008 & 01-167202-025

Department: BS ES-5A

Submitted to: Sir Umair Ullah

Date: 1/6/2023

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 Table of Contents
Introduction:....................................................................................................................................2
Types of Pesticides:.........................................................................................................................2
Pesticides and human health:...........................................................................................................2
Pesticides and environmental health:...............................................................................................3
Treatments.......................................................................................................................................4
Options for treating contaminated soil include............................................................................4
Increase Breakdown of Herbicide through Microbial Degradation.............................................4
The degradation process of pesticides is divided into three phases.............................................5
Mineralization..............................................................................................................................5
Use of Cover Crop.......................................................................................................................5
Use of Carbon-Rich Soil Additive...............................................................................................5
Remove the Soil...........................................................................................................................5
Soil stabilization...........................................................................................................................6
Soil washing.................................................................................................................................6
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................6

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Introduction:
Many diverse human activities can pollute soil when hazardous substances are not utilized, stored, or
disposed of safely. Soil contamination is most common in metropolitan areas and old industrial locations,
where manufacturing, industrial dumping, land development, waste disposal, and excessive pesticide or
fertilizer use are all possible.

Some contaminants, such as pesticides, are applied to the soil surface. Pesticides are chemicals that may
be used to kill fungus, bacteria, insects, plant diseases, snails, slugs, or weeds among others. These
chemicals can work by ingestion or by touch and death may occur immediately or over a long period of
time.

Types of Pesticides:

Although each pesticide is designed to kill a specific bug, a considerable percentage of pesticides end up
somewhere other than their intended target. Pesticides can contaminate the air, ground, and water, as well
as human health, when they run off from fields, leave storage tanks, are not properly removed, and are
sprayed aerially.

Pesticides and human health:

Many workers and residents, particularly in the rural sector, come into touch with pesticides on a
daily basis, putting them at significant risk of poisoning. Because many pesticides produce
changes in the function (e.g., cholinergic crises) of the central, peripheral, and autonomic
nervous systems, this exposure can result in neuropsychiatric sequelae (mood disorders,
depression, and anxiety), which are frequently followed by suicide attempts. In addition to

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causing neuropsychiatric illnesses that may lead to suicide, these effects may lead to the use of
pesticides as a weapon.

Pesticides and environmental health:

Pesticides primarily enter the environment during preparation and application. Depending on
parameters like the formulation type, the controlled pest, and the treatment schedule, multiple
strategies can be used. Pesticides can be administered to soils as granules, injected as a fumigant,
or sprayed onto the soil surface. Pesticide transport can be influenced by soil conditions. Because
fine-textured soils, such as clays, have low infiltration capacities, water tends to flow off and end
up in streams and lakes.

High organic matter content Pesticides can be absorbed by soil with a high organic matter
content, and water with dissolved chemicals can be retained. Rainfall can also transport
pesticides to surface waters, poisoning rivers, lakes, and seas. When a contaminant is present in
the environment, it does not necessarily guarantee that it will reach an organism. To be exposed,
the pollutant and the organism must overlap in time and location. Contact can be cutaneous, oral,
or even by inhalation, gills, and injection.

Pesticides that reach non-target organisms may undergo biotransformation. Pesticide application
involves not just the active ingredient but also the entire formulation. Top predator offspring can
also become polluted, particularly marine mammals. This is known as biomagnification.
Organochlorine insecticides are persistent, but organophosphates and carbamates are not.

Pesticides like organophosphorus and carbamates can have an impact on a variety of teleost
behaviors. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors are polar and water-soluble pesticides. Their
metabolism in the body is quick, as is their deterioration in the environment. Because of their
widespread usage and breakdown, these chemicals accumulate in soil, where they eventually
reach groundwater and rivers. The buildup of these chemicals in fish and invertebrates has long
been documented.

In the United States, carbamate contamination happened with the insecticide Aldicarb.
Pyrethrin’s and Pyrethroids are non-persistent insecticides used in agriculture, forestry,
households, public health, and other industries. They are acutely poisonous to a wide variety of
aquatic creatures and insects at low concentrations. Pyrethroids adsorb heavily to soil particles,
however they can migrate in runoff with soil particles and reach sediments, infiltrating aquatic
environments and impacting aquatic creatures such as invertebrates and fish. These compounds,
however, are acutely poisonous to a wide range of aquatic creatures and insects at low
concentrations.

Since these compounds are widely used in agricultural and industrial activities, they can be
found all across the world, including the barren plateau and the polar zone. Herbicides are

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frequently non-toxic to animals; nevertheless, in high enough quantities in the environment,
these substances can be harmful. Atrazine, a triazine herbicide, is one of the most commonly
discovered pesticides in streams, rivers, ponds, reservoirs, and groundwater. The toxicity of
phenoxy derivatives is mild, although some chlorinated metabolites can be hazardous to humans
and aquatic organisms. Diquat and paraquat, which were designed as herbicides and desiccants,
are water soluble and persistent in aquatic systems.

Glyphosphorus and other glyphosate formulations can harm fish genetically. 2,4-D and MCPA,
both phenoxy herbicides, can be degraded via biotic and abiotic processes. Diquat is absorbed by
the soil and leaches into ground water; soil microorganisms and photolysis destroy this pesticide.

There are more chemical classes of insecticides. By leaking through the soil, diuron, a urea
derivative, can pollute water. Alachlor and metolachlor are chloroacetanilide compounds. Many
chemicals exist in low concentrations and may not have detectable acute effects in organisms,
but they may cause different types of damage.

Treatments

Options for treating contaminated soil include

Chemical oxidation is an effective physical method of remediating soils that are contaminated.
This process converts hazardous materials into non-hazardous components, thus making the soil
safe and suitable for use. Biological treatment/bioremediation also uses bacteria to break down
hazardous substances in the soil and is a more sustainable approach compared to chemical
oxidation. Soil stabilization is another option that reduces the leachability of contaminants by
adding immobilizing agents such as clay or polymers. Lastly, soil washing is a physical method
used to separate or remove contaminants by using water. All of these methods can aid in
restoring contaminated soil back to a usable state.

Increase Breakdown of Herbicide through Microbial Degradation

It is essential to remember that tilling the soil, adding oxygen, and watering it can increase microbial
breakdown of herbicides. Applying a fertilizer can also help in increasing microbial breakdown and make
the soil more suitable for plants to grow. You can add non-contaminated organic matter to the soil which
can improve the quality of soil and make it easier for plants to thrive. Thus, you can increase microbial
breakdown of herbicides in your soil by taking these necessary steps.

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The degradation process of pesticides is divided into three phases

The Phase-1 oxidation, reduction, or hydrolysis reactions result in the transformation of pesticides into
more water-soluble and less toxic products. In Phase-2, these products are further converted into sugars
and amino acids, which have even higher water solubility and lower toxicity. Finally, in Phase-3,
conversion of the Phase-2 metabolites into less toxic secondary conjugates completes the process of
transforming pesticides into safer compounds.

Mineralization

The mineralization process permits the degradation of pesticides into inorganic matter, namely, carbon
dioxide, salts, minerals, and water. This process enables microorganisms to break down hazardous
pesticide compounds into simpler forms that can be utilized as a source of nutrients. This biodegradation
process results in the transformation of toxic pesticides into non-toxic or less toxic forms which can be
safely released into the atmosphere or environment without causing any damage.

Use of Cover Crop

Covering crops can be a great way to bioaccumulate herbicides in the soil. It is important to ensure that
the cover crop is removed in its entirety at the end of the season and disposed of properly. Some species
that work well for this purpose are sunflowers, oats, peas, radishes, corn, and wheat - or any other non-
sensitive plant with high summer biomass production. Doing this can help reduce the contamination of
your soil and ensure it remains healthy and productive.

Use of Carbon-Rich Soil Additive

Carbon-rich soil additives such as activated charcoal and biochar are becoming increasingly popular for
addressing a range of environmental problems. When either is applied to soils, they bind herbicide
particles, making them inactive. A suggested rate of activated charcoal for homeowners is one pound of
activated charcoal in one gallon of water for every 150 square feet. However, a downfall of applying a
carbon-rich soil additive is that it can increase soil pH, which may not be ideal for certain plants.
Additionally, biochar may also contain varying amounts of organic pollutants, which could be hazardous
to human health if not managed properly.

Remove the Soil

Removing contaminated soil is the most expensive and labor-intensive option, but it is necessary to do so
in order to properly dispose of it. You will need to remove all the contaminated soil and replace it with
clean topsoil, before replanting the area. To avoid long-term problems, it would be a good practice to
conduct bioassays of the soil left on your property before digging out the topsoil and on the new topsoil.

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This will help ensure that the contamination has been completely removed and that no additional
problems arise.

Soil stabilization

Soil stabilization is an effective technique for reducing risks from contamination. It works by modifying
the contaminant to a less dangerous form and binding it in place so that it cannot reach any receptors.
This technique relies on adding immobilizing agents that reduce the leachability and bioavailability of the
contaminant. Additionally, soil stabilization can improve the geotechnical competency of the ground,
making it more suitable for construction work. This technique is highly effective in effectively locking
contaminants in the soil and reducing risks from contamination.

Soil washing

Soil washing eliminates hazardous contaminants by washing the soil with a liquid wash solution. During
this process, fine grained soils, such as silts and clays, are washed away along with contaminants, which
are more prone to bind to fine soils. Thus, contaminated fines are separated from cleaned coarse grained
soils, such as sands and gravels, which can be safely re-used

Conclusion
Due to the health risks that soil contamination poses to humans, animals and plants, soil remediation is
essential in many cases. The environment will continue to present a risk unless, or until, soil remediation
has occurred.

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