“A Study on The Effects of Soil on

Human Health”
Submitted by Anna Ysabelle O. Ancheta
Grade 11 STEM-Medical Science E
 I. Background of the study
According to an article published by The British Society of Soil Science. Human health is
significantly impacted by soil, either directly or indirectly, and in a favorable or negative
way. Nutrients for our food supply and medications like antibiotics come from the soil. On
the other hand, human diseases within the soil biological community and nutritional
imbalances may have detrimental impacts on health. Additionally, there are numerous places
where hazardous concentrations of certain elements or chemical compounds are present in the
soil as a result of human activity or natural conditions.

The last few years have seen a rise in interest in urban soils, which also present a lot of
problems and concerns for human health. Ideas like "soil security" could offer a framework
for interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research on problems related to soil and human
health.

As stated by the United Nations. In addition to being acknowledged in the international

political arena, the role of soils in relation to human health is widely acknowledged in the
scientific community. This role is also included in the Sustainable Development Goal 3,
which focuses on promoting healthy lives and well-being for all (UN, 2017). To accurately
assess the indicators 3.3.5.6 and 3.4.1.7, as well as the target 3.9 "By 2030, substantially
reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil
pollution and contamination," which currently lacks a measurable indicator for soil pollution,
it is necessary to monitor diseases and deaths that are caused by soil pollution. The intricacy
of connecting soil contamination to health outcomes is the reason for the absence of an
indicator. The effects of soil pollution are frequently long-lasting, and a variety of factors
influence the association between disease and soil pollution exposure, including:

- Contaminant(s) and concentrations: Throughout their lives, persons are exposed to

various toxins at different times. Throughout our lives, we are exposed to a variety of
pollutant mixes that might have additive, antagonistic, or synergistic effects.
 - Routes of exposure: Inhalation, ingestion, and cutaneous absorption are the three
primary routes of exposure, and they frequently occur concurrently and in
combination.

- Source media of exposure: Humans can be exposed to soil toxins through food,
water, air, dust, or soil. They can all happen at the same time or separately.

- Individual vulnerabilities and community specificity: Sensitivity will be higher in

susceptible individuals than in healthy adults, such as those with pre-existing illnesses
or children, neonates, and fetuses. Some communities are more vulnerable to
exposure due to customs, food culture (such as geophagists), socioeconomic status,
and other factors.

II. Preliminary Literature Review

Research has also been done by the United Nations that presents the need for improved health
risk monitoring, including the establishment of standardized and trustworthy indicators for
soil pollution, and to present recent scientific evidence associating soil pollution with main
exposure pathways and implications on human health.

By the data gathered by their study. Only 49 nations have an agency mandated to collect
health data connected to environmental consequences, based on the information FAO
acquired for this research. However, in many cases, the collected data is not made publicly
available. The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed an indicator of the global
burden of disease attributable to environmental factors under the Global Health Observatory.
This indicator covers all diseases and deaths linked to air, soil, and water pollution with
chemicals or biological agents; UV and ionizing radiation; the built environment; noise and
electromagnetic fields; occupational risks; agricultural methods and irrigation schemes;
degradation of ecosystems and anthropogenic climate change; and individual behaviors
related to the environment, like hand washing and consuming contaminated food through
contaminated water or dirty hands.
However, eating contaminated food is one of the main ways that soil pollutants enter the
human body. Food with significant concentrations of inorganic or organic pollutants is
excluded from the WHO indicator, which is related to food that has been externally
contaminated by parasites.

Human health can be impacted by soil in both positive and negative ways. Plants require
clean water and nutrients from healthy soils in order to generate our wholesome food. People
are becoming more conscious of how their food affects their overall health. The effect of diet
on long-term population health and economic production is acknowledged by governments as
well. But while we evaluate the whole life cycle of the food we eat, we frequently overlook
the condition of the soil, which is necessary to support the 95% of food that is produced from
the soil, and instead concentrate solely on the quality of the last stages of processing. Plants
grown in nutrient-poor soils lack both macro- and micronutrients, which can have serious
nutritional inadequacies that predominantly impact children's survival and development when
they serve as a community's primary source of food Worldwide, an estimated 2 billion people
are thought to be deficient in some micronutrients at this time.

Numerous antibiotic compounds and other chemicals needed to make different medications
and vaccines are derived from healthy soils. The discovery of a novel class of antibiotics
produced by soil microorganisms that have no known resistance demonstrates the enormous
potential of soils to assist in the management of drug-resistant diseases, which currently claim
the lives of about 700,000 people annually and are predicted to kill 10 million by 2050.

Furthermore, veterinary and pharmaceuticals end up in soils from a variety of sources,

including improperly disposed-of expired medications, industrial and urban waste, treated
animal dung applied to the soil, wastewater-based irrigation, open defecation, and leftovers
from food and livestock production. When these medications, waste products, and resistant
bacteria enter the soil environment, they may cause soil microorganisms to become resistant,
losing their ability to make new medications and leading to new health issues in both humans
and animals.
III. Statement Of Problem
As soil pollution affects our health negatively with diseases and viruses. Society ought to
divert their way of disposing waste to avoid soil pollution and make use of the healthy
nutrients provide for us.

IV. Abridged Methodology Developing Solutions for

Soil Pollution

Abstract – Soil pollution has caused health issues within in a large population, and by
developing solutions such as, proper waste disposal, alternatives for the use of plastic and
creating programs to enhance medicine through natural nutrients found within the soil.

This study is an example of a qualitative research. The focus of this qualitative research is to
collect and evaluate non-numerical data to comprehend people's attitudes, beliefs, and
motivations to comprehend their social reality regarding soil pollution. This paper is therefore
designed to develop solutions regarding soil pollution, and how can we cultivate and nurture
soil for it to be of further help within the medical field, comparatively to making effective
drugs and medicine to ensuring fit and strong soil for medical facilities to be built on.

Our solution embrace’s sustainability, in line with the United Nation’s Sustainable
Development Goal number 8, 12, 13 & 15. From ensuring that the development of our
programme is eco-friendly and uses reusable energy. Our solution starts with the cleaning of
land, from the local parks to wide fields of the provinces, our solution also included the
fertilization and assurance of land that is fit for farming and structural development.

The following will help us develop solutions for soil pollution. First, we must collect data,
data can be collected through surveys, we may also interview individuals & stratified
sampling. The next step we should take are assessing the data and proceed with developing
solutions that deems fit for the data that has been gathered.

Now that we have assessed and have an outline of the solution. We must deliberate the
solution to make it a reality. As our solution focuses on sustainability, to ensure that we have
the materials needed to make the study into a reality. This time we must canvas prices, look
for suppliers and consult experts regarding soil quality for farming and infrastructure
development.
With regards to this study, as we continue with this process. The conclusion will then be
derived from the data gathered and actions from the application of the solution we have
made.

V. Timeline

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDA WEDNESDA THURSDA FRIDAY SATURDA

Y Y Y Y

11/19/2023 11/20/2023 11/21/2023 11/22/2023 11/23/2023 11/24/2023 11/25/2023

Start of Continuatio Creation of Continuation Continuation Continuatio Creation of
Research n of the of the of the n of the the
Research Backgroun background of background background preliminary
d of the the study of the study of the study literature
study review
11/26/2023 11/27/2023 11/28/2023 11/29/2023 11/30/2023 12/01/2023 12/02/2023
Continuatio Continuatio Creation of Creation of the Continuation Creation of
n of the n of the the abridged of the the timeline
preliminary preliminary statement methodology abridged
literature literature of the methodology
review review problem