Soil Pollution

MMC / First Stage
FOM Report
Soil pollution
Supervised by
Dr. Salah Ali
Jun 2020
Work done by:
Ibrahim Badr Ibrahim

Soil pollution
An overview
We tend to look skywards when talking about pollution, but this problem is not
confined to our skies. The soil in which our fruit and vegetables grow is also
suffering its consequences, the effects of which effect is directly through the
aforementioned foodstuffs. The time has come to look after what lies under our
feet!
What Is Soil Pollution?
Soil pollution is defined as the presence of toxic chemicals (pollutants or
contaminants) in soil, in high enough concentrations to pose a risk to human
health and/or the ecosystem.
In the case of contaminants which occur naturally in soil, even when their levels
are not high enough to pose a risk, soil pollution is still said to occur if the levels
of the contaminants in soil exceed the levels that should naturally be present. [1]
Soil Pollution Causes
There are numerous causes of soil pollution that

occur every day or even every minute. For ease
of reference, they are generally split into two:
- man-made (anthropogenic) causes
- naturally occurring causes.
Soil pollution is mostly caused by chemical
substances produced by human activity.
Soil pollution can be natural or due to human activity. However, it mostly boils
down to the activities of the human that causes the majority of soil pollution, it
is occurs due to untreated disposal of industrial wastes into soil; it has high toxic
contaminants, which leads to soil pollution. Industrial wastes have different
amount of toxic contents and hazardous chemicals such that when deposited in
soil, they affect the soil layer strength in the top soil, thus reducing the soil
fertility and biological activity of the soil. [2]
So we will focus on the soil pollutants, that causes by human activities, and
neglect the soil contaminants, that causes by nature itself by accumulating of
certain material over a period of time.
1
Soil pollution
Main Causes of Soil Pollution

 Industrial Activity
Industrial activity has been the biggest contributor to the problem in the
last century, especially since the amount of mining and manufacturing has
increased. Most industries are dependent on extracting minerals from the
Earth. Whether it is iron ore or coal, the by-products are contaminated and
they are not disposed of in a manner that can be considered safe. As a
result, the industrial waste lingers in the soil surface for a long time and
makes it unsuitable for use.
 Agricultural Activities
Chemical utilization has gone up tremendously since technology provided
us with modern pesticides and fertilizers. They are full of chemicals that are
not produced in nature and cannot be broken down by it. As a result, they
seep into the ground after
 Accidental Oil Spills
Oil leaks can happen during storage and transport of chemicals. This can
be seen at most of the fuel stations. The chemicals present in the fuel
deteriorates the quality of soil and make them unsuitable for cultivation.
These chemicals can enter into the groundwater through the soil and make
the water undrinkable.
 Waste Disposal
Every human produces a certain amount of personal waste products by
way or urine and feces. While much of it moves into the sewer the system,
there is also a large amount that is dumped directly into landfills in the
form of diapers. Even the sewer system ends at the landfill, where the
biological waste pollutes the soil and water. This is because our bodies are
full of toxins and chemicals which are now seeping into the land and
causing pollution of soil.
 Agents of war
The disposal of munitions, and a lack of care in manufacture of munitions
caused by the urgency of production, can contaminate soil for extended
periods. There is little published evidence on this type of contamination
largely because of restrictions placed by governments of many countries
on the publication of material related to war effort. However, mustard gas
stored during World War II has contaminated some sites for up to 50 years
[3]
2
Soil pollution
The Effects of Soil Pollution

 On environment:
1- Effect on Growth of Plants
The ecological balance of any system gets affected due to the
widespread contamination of the soil. Most plants are unable to adapt
when the chemistry of the soil changes so radically in a short period of
time. Fungi and bacteria found in the soil that bind it together begin to
decline, which creates an additional problem of soil erosion.
1- Decreased Soil Fertility
The toxic chemicals present in the soil can decrease soil fertility and
therefore decrease in the soil yield. The contaminated soil is then used
to produce fruits and vegetables which lacks quality nutrients and may
contain some poisonous substance to cause serious health problems in
people consuming them.
2- Toxic Dust
The emission of toxic and foul gases from landfills pollutes the
environment and causes serious effects on the health of some people.
The unpleasant smell causes inconvenience to other people.
3- Changes in Soil Structure
The death of many soil organisms (e.g. earthworms) in the soil can lead
to alteration in soil structure. Apart from that, it could also force other
predators to move to other places in search of food. [5]
 On human:
Cancer
Most pesticides and fertilizers contain benzene, chromium and other
chemicals, which are carcinogens (chemicals that cause cancer). Even
herbicides, which are used to kill weeds, contain such chemicals. When
fertilizers are used on crops, or fields are sprayed with herbicides and
pesticides, the chemicals seep into the soil and accumulate, causing soil
pollution. And these chemicals are even absorbed by the crops growing on
that land. Consumption of such contaminated crops decreases the
production of red blood cells, white blood cells and antibodies in the blood,
thus affecting the body’s immunity.
3
Soil pollution
Kidney and Liver Disease

When chemicals like mercury and cyclodienes are present in the soil, they
enter a living being’s body through food grown on such soil. These
persistent pollutants can cause irreparable damage to the kidneys and liver.
People who live near garbage sites and industrial factories, are at a high
risk of developing liver and kidney diseases, as these sites tend to have
polluting chemicals present in the soil.
Some techniques that reduce the soil pollution
1. Use of correct farming techniques
2. Recycling of Waste before disposal
3. Proper disposal method of household and industrial waste
4. Use of organic fertilizers instead of chemical fertilizers and pesticides
5. Community education and awareness
6. Proper maintenance of sewage system [8]
References: -
1- Environmental pollution centers /www.enviromentalpollutioncenters.org
2- K. Senthilkumar, M. Naveen Kumar, in Refining Biomass Residues for
Sustainable Energy and Bioproducts, 2020
3- Six Mustard gas sites uncovered – The Independent
4- Adriano, D.C.; Bollag, J. Frankenberger, W.T.; and Sims, R.C., eds. (1999).
Bioremediation of Contaminated Soils. Agronomy monograph 37. American
Society of Agronomy.
5- Miller, R.W., and Gardiner, D.T. (1998). Soils in Our Environment,edition.
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
6- Pierzynski, G.M.; Sims, J.T.; and Vance, G.F. (2000). Soils and Environmental
Quality, 2nd edition. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
7- helpsavenature.com/diseases-caused-by-soil-pollution
8- www.toppr.com/guides/chemistry/environmental-chemistry/soil-
pollution/

Soil Pollution

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MMC / First Stage

Work done by:

Ibrahim Badr Ibrahim

There are numerous causes of soil pollution that

Main Causes of Soil Pollution

The Effects of Soil Pollution

Kidney and Liver Disease

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