SOIL

POLLUTION

NIHARIKA MADHRA
X-B
ROLL NO. 25
BIOLOGY PPT.
SOIL POLLUTION
• What is soil?
• What is soil pollution?
• Types of soil pollutants.
• Types of soil pollution.
• Effects of soil pollution.
• How soil pollution can be controlled?
 WHAT IS SOIL?

Mixture of rocks particles, sand

and decaying dead matters is
known as soil. Soil supports the
growth of plants by holding their
roots and supplying water to them
and supports most of the land. It is
formed by weathering. Soil is a
material composed of five
ingredients — minerals, soil
organic matter, living organisms,
gas, and water. Soil minerals are
divided into three size classes —
clay, silt, and sand .
 What is soil pollution?

•Soil pollution refers to the

contamination of soil with
anomalous concentrations of toxic
substances.
•It can be defined as persistent of
chemicals, salts, toxic compounds,
radioactive materials, that have
adverse effects on animal health
and plant growth. There are many
ways through which soils can get
polluted. Soil pollution is a global
threat that is particularly serious in
regions like Europe, Eurasia, Asia
and North Africa, as indicated by
the Food and Agricultural
Organization of the United Nations.
 Types of soil pollutants.
•Heavy metals (such as lead and
mercury, at excessively high amounts)
in the soil can make it very poisonous
to humans.
•PAHs (polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons) are a class of organic
chemicals where only carbon and
hydrogen atoms are present.
•Coke (coal) production, automobile
emissions, cigarette smoke, and shale
oil extraction are all sources of PAHs in
the soil.
•Industrial Waste Soil contamination
can come from the dumping of
industrial waste into soils.
•Pesticides are chemicals (or
chemical mixes) that are used to kill
or prevent pests from reproducing.

Soil contamination or soil pollution

can occur either because of human
activities or because of natural
processes. However, mostly it is due
to human activities. The soil
contamination can occur due to the
presence of chemicals such as
pesticides, herbicides, ammonia
petroleum hydrocarbons , lead,
nitrate, mercury, naphthalene, etc in
an excess amount.
 Types of soil pollution
•Agriculture soil pollution is caused
due to the excessive use of pesticides
and insecticides.

•Soil Pollution by industrial

discharges of chemicals from mining
and manufacturing of goods.

•Solid waste soil pollution/ Poor

management or inefficient disposal
of waste.

•Soil pollution due to urban activities etc.

 Effects of soil pollution.
•Soil pollution affects the health of
humans, plants, and animals. Crops or
plants grown on such contaminated soil
absorb toxic material from the soil and
will decrease the agricultural output of
the land. When animals or human beings
consume these crops or plants the toxic
material can pass into their body.

•Long-term consumption of these crops

may cause chronic diseases that are
untreatable. children are usually more
susceptible to exposure to contaminants
because they come in close contact with
the soil by playing in the ground, So, it is
always important to test the quality of the
soil before allowing kids to play there,
especially in an industrialized area.
•Crops and plants that are grown on
polluted soil absorb most of the pollution
and then pass them to humans. Living,
working, or playing in contaminated soil
can lead to respiratory diseases, skin
diseases, and other health problems.
Diseases caused by soil pollution include
Irritation of the skin and the eyes,
Headaches, nausea, vomiting, Coughing,
pain in the chest, and wheezing.

•The soil is an important habitat for

different types of microorganisms, birds,
and insects. Thus, change in the chemistry
of soil can negatively impact the lives of
living organisms and can result in the
gradual death of many organisms.
 How soil pollution can be
controlled?
•Soil degradation is a complex
problem that requires governments,
institutions, communities and
individuals to take joint measures. The
following are just some of the things
we can do to improve its health:

•Eat sustainable foodstuffs, properly

recycle batteries, produce homemade
compost and dispose of drugs in the
places authorized for this purpose.

•Encourage a more eco-friendly

model for industry, farming and stock
breeding, among other economic
activities.
•Improve urban planning and
transport planning and waste water
treatment.
•Improve the management of mining
waste, restore the landscape and conserve
topsoil.

•Involve local communities

and indigenous peoples in the design,
implementation and assessment of
sustainable land and soil management.

•One of the best sources of nutrients for

the soil is natural manure. It's 100%
natural and safe. It restores the soil's
critical nutrients and improves its overall
health. It doesn't produce any toxic by-
products that could harm the soil or the
environment.
End of PPT.