Soil Pollution

Compiled by:MTI- 12004

MTI- 12035
MTI- 12051
MTI-12052

CONTENTS
SOURCES
TYPES AND

CAUSES

HAZROUDOUS
CONTROLS

EFFECTS

TO MINIMIZE SOLUTION

INTRODUCTION

Soil pollution is when humans introduce harmful objects, chemicals

or substances, directly or indirectly into the soil in a way that causes
harm to other living things or destroys soil or water ecosystems.

DEFINATION:-Soil pollution is defined as, contamination of soil by

human and natural activities which may cause harmful effect on living
organisms. Composition of soil includes:-

COMPONENT S

Organic mineral matter 45%

Organic matter 05%

Soil water 25%

Soil air 25%

SOURCES
Industrial
Urban

wastes

wastes(dried sludge and sewage)

Agricultural

practices(herbicides,
pesticides,weedicides)

Radioactive

pollutants(nuclear dust radioactive

wastes)
Biological

agents(heavy use of manures and

digested sludge)

TYPES
Agricultural

Soil Pollution:-

pollution of surface soil

pollution of underground soil

Soil pollution by industrial effluents and solid

wastes:-

Pollution of surface soil

Disturbances in soil profile

Solid
Waste

 Pollution

due to urban activities:-

Pollution of surface soil

Pollution of underground soil

CAUSES OF SOIL DEGRADATION

Soil

erosion/degradation is the loss of top soil erodes fertility

of soil & reduces its water-holding capacity.

 Excessive

farming, construction, overgrazing,

burning of grass cover and deforestation

Excess

salts and water (Salinization)

 Excessive

Solid

use of fertilizers & pesticides

waste.

EFFECTS

Health effects

Contaminated or polluted soil directly affects human health

through direct contact with soil or via inhalation of soil
contaminants which have vaporized

Potentially greater threats are posed by the infiltration of soil

contamination into groundwater aquifers used for human
consumption

Long term exposure to such soil affects the genetic make-up of

the body, causing congenital illnesses and chronic health
problems that cannot be cured easily

Leads to widespread famines

Ecosystem effects

Leads to soil chemistry changes that can arise from the

presence of many hazardous chemicals even at low
concentration of the contaminant species.

Can manifest in the alteration of metabolism of endemic

microorganisms and arthropods resident in a given soil
environment.

Is responsible for virtual eradication of the primary food chain,

that have major consequences for predator or consumer
species.

Contaminants typically alter plant metabolism and growth,

often causing a reduction in crop yields( secondary effect).

Organ Damage
The

presence of heavy metals causes irreversible

developmental damage in children,

High

concentration of lead and mercury, cause

damage to the developing brains of young children
leading to neurological problems.

May also suffer kidney or liver damage from

exposure to excessive mercury in soil.

Bioaccumulation
Defination:-

The accumulation of
substances(pesticides(DDT) methly mercury or other
organic substances) in or a part of organism is called as
bioaccumulation.

Occurs

when an organism absorbs a toxic substance at a

rate faster than that at which the substance is lost.

Net

interaction of uptake(food intake and epidermal

contact),storage and elimination of substance

Organism

at any trophic level may be affected by

bioaccumulation (gradual build up of pollutants).

 Cancer

Many common soil pollutants are carcinogenic, or cancer-causing.

Examples include, (Regular exposure to benzene causes

leukemia ;exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) is linked
to liver cancer).

Economic

Losses

soil pollution can result in economic damage.

For example, in some parts of China, soil that is polluted with
heavy metals is cannot be used to grow grain due to presence of
heavy metals in them .

Control methods to minimize

soil pollution
Controlling

oil Pollution in soil by the use of microorganisms that

can decompose oil materials ,thus improving soil ventilation.

Controlling

pollution caused by waste disposal through creation

of impenetrable layers of landfeids, special pits for dumping
wastes ,the use of 3Rs

Controlling

pollution by industrial actvities.

Soil

restoration methods by addition of water ,chemical and aerial

solvents to remove the waste

Phytoremediation

 Use

of fungi to control levels of lead in soil(mycoremediation) .

Use

of pesticides and fertilizers should be minimized.

Cropping

techniques should be improved to prevent growth of

weeds.

Controlled grazing and forest management.

Wind

breaks and wind shield in areas exposed to wind erosion

Afforestation
3

and reforestation.

Rs: reduce, reuse, recycle

REFERNCES

Websites:-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil_contamination#Health_effects

http://www.livestrong.com/article/176005-the-effects-of-soil-pollution-onhumans

www.environmentalremediationexperts.com/4-causes-soil-contamination.

Books:-

Soil pollution by Dinesh Mani, S G Mishra

Soil Pollution and Soil Organisms by PC Mishra.