Soil Pollution Causes Effects and analysis

Soil Pollution and its Analysis

Pedos are called soil in the Greek language. The term pedosphere is the cover of soil on the terrestrial part of the Earth. Pedology is the branch of Science that deals with the study of soils and methods of studying and analyzing soil and soil processes are an integral part of it.

Soil is the main component of the biosphere, the vital layer of our planet populated by various organisms, from tiny bacteria to plants, animals, and humans. Soils are not only a characteristic feature of the terrestrial environment but also provide a means of physical support for all terrestrial organisms plants, animals, and humans.

 Soil also supplies nutrients required by living organisms. Since plants grow on soil, and animals graze on it, nutrients and toxic pollutants in the soil may be transported through the food chain.

Significance of Soil:

Soils are most vital in their use for growing crops, without this no human or animal could survive. Without it, neither our society nor our race would be able to exist.

Even today, more than 50% of the world's population lives on farms. It is impossible to destroy the whole soil cover of our planet; however, it is possible to degrade the quality of the soil to such an extent that it becomes useless, harmful, and even deadly. In fact, many early civilizations extinct when the soil cover on which they relied was degraded to a point where it was no longer capable of sustaining agriculture. Agriculture, as well as having many benefits, not least the maintenance of adequate food supplies to feed the world's population, can also have harmful effects on the environment.

Constitution of soil

Soil is made up of minerals (e.g. clay, quartz), water, air, and living organisms. Soils are formed by the weathering of parent rock and the decomposition of organic matter.

 Weathering can be either mechanical (e.g. abrasion, temperature changes) or chemical (e.g. hydrolysis, oxidation). The breaking down of rocks, soil, and minerals as well as wood materials through contact with the Earth’s atmosphere, water, and biological organisms.

Classification of soil

Soils are classified according to the size of the mineral particles:      

• Clays      <0.002 mm                                             
• Silts        0.002-0.02 mm
• Sand       0.02-2 mm
• Gravel      2 mm

Soil Pollution

The human use of soil can lead to its diminishing by the introduction of various polluting substances, the degradation of soil organic matter, and the lowering of the fertility of the upper soil layer due to erosion. Degradation of soil organic matter and decreasing fertility due to erosion.

 Industrialization is also a big cause of soil pollution. Physical factors and biological materials can cause soil pollution, but most soil pollutants are chemical substances.

 

 The quality of soil intended for agricultural use depends on the content of both heavy metals and pesticide residues.

 

 Polluted soil cover may be of little use (e.g. construction).To protect surface waters from being contaminated with agricultural chemicals Such as fertilizers and pesticides, the former contributing to problems or eutrophication and the latter being bioaccumulated by aquatic organisms and passed down the food chain.

Major Chemical Pollutants in the Soil and its effects

Radioactive elements discharged from the nuclear power plant and industry become very serious in the case of the Chornobyl disaster. Organic chemicals such as use of herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides pollute the soil badly. Industrial and domestic wastes and Oil pollution from leaking pipelines is also the main cause of soil pollution. Many metal pollutants are hazardous to human health and terrestrial ecosystem (Hg, Cd, Pb, Zn, Ni, etc.) Wastes from industry and agriculture. Acids can harm terrestrial ecosystems, especially forests, owing to soil pH decrease and the release of free Al ions. Agriculture use of fertilizers and sewage sludge. May cause excessive accumulation of vegetables and forage. Nitrates may affect human health.