assignment on soil pollution.doc

8/14/2019 ASSIGNMENT ON SOIL POLLUTION.doc

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INDEX


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Topic Page#

1. Definition

03

2. Types of Soil Pollution

.. 03

3. Causes of Soil Pollution

04

4. Indiscriminate use of fertilizers..

0

. Indiscriminate use of pesticides! insecticides and "er#icides.

. 0

$. Dumpin% of Solid &astes

0$

'. Deforestation .

.. 0$

(. Pollution Due to )r#anization

.. 0'


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*. Pollution of Surface Soils .

.. 0'

10.Pollution of )nder%round Soil

. 0(

11.+ffects of Soil Pollution

.... 0*

12.+n,ironmental lon% term effects of Soil Pollution

0*

13.Control of Soil Pollution ..

.... 10

14.-atural and Pollution

. 12

1.Correcti,e /ctions ....

.. 12

1$.eference

.. 12

1'./ppendi

.. 12


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Definition:

Soil pollution is defined as t"e #uildup in soils of persistent toic compounds!c"emicals! salts! radioacti,e materials! or disease causin% a%ents! "ic" "a,ead,erse effects on plant %rot" and animal "ealt".

Soil is t"e t"in layer of or%anic and inor%anic materials t"at co,ers t"e +art"s roc5ysurface. T"e or%anic portion! "ic" is deri,ed from t"e decayed remains of plantsand animals! is concentrated in t"e dar5 uppermost topsoil. T"e inor%anic portionmade up of roc5 fra%ments! as formed o,er t"ousands of years #y p"ysical and

c"emical eat"erin% of #edroc5. Producti,e soils are necessary for a%riculture tosupply t"e orld it" sufficient food.

T"ere are many different ays t"at soil can #ecome polluted! suc" as6

7 Seepa%e from a landfill

7 Disc"ar%e of industrial aste into t"e soil

7 Percolation of contaminated ater into t"e soil7 upture of under%round stora%e tan5s

7 +cess application of pesticides! "er#icides or fertilizer

7 Solid aste seepa%e

T"e most common c"emicals in,ol,ed in causin% soil pollution are6

7 Petroleum "ydrocar#ons

7 8ea,y metals

7 Pesticides

7 Sol,ents


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Types of Soil Pollution:

7 /%ricultural Soil Pollution

i9 Pollution of surface soilii9 Pollution of under%round soil

7 Soil pollution #y industrial effluents and solid astes

I 9 Pollution of surface soil

ii9 Distur#ances in soil profile

7 Pollution due to ur#an acti,ities

I 9 Pollution of surface soil

ii9 Pollution of under%round soil

Soil sustains all life on eart". oots of plants %ro in t"e soil and a#sor# nutrientsand ater "ic" is used durin% t"e p"otosynt"esis process! and also for t"e %rot"and de,elopment of t"e plants. Consumers! li5e "er#i,ores and omni,ores! eat

plants. 8er#i,ores are eaten #y carni,ores and omni,ores in t"e food e#! sonutrients t"at are a#sor#ed from t"e soil ill #enefit all or%anisms. Soil pro,ides a"a#itat for many or%anisms. &"en people a#use t"e land t"rou%" careless acts!irresponsi#le #e"a,ior! %reed and pollution! t"e soil is "armed and so too all t"eor%anisms t"at directly and indirectly re:uire fertile soil to sur,i,e. ;orms of soilpollution are litter! dumpin% of toic aste! deforestation etc.

itter is a ma


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corrode and lea5! releasin% t"e toic aste. T"is ill directly impact on t"e marineplant and animal life in t"e area.

ocal %o,ernment a%encies or5 it"in t"e policies and le%islation of t"e pro,incial

and national %o,ernment. Special areas are analyses and demarcated for dumps oftoic aste. &"en contra,ention of t"e /cts and las is suspected! local%o,ernment ill in,esti%ate t"e process it" t"e support of pro,incial and nationaldepartments. If people or companies are found to #e %uilty! t"ey mi%"t face ma


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Indiscriminate use of fertilizers:

Soil nutrients are important for plant %rot" andde,elopment. Plants o#tain car#on! "ydro%en and oy%enfrom air and ater. =ut ot"er necessary nutrients li5enitro%en! p"osp"orus! potassium! calcium! ma%nesium!sulfur and more must #e o#tained from t"e soil. ;armers%enerally use fertilizers to correct soil deficiencies. ;ertilizers contaminate t"e soilit" impurities! "ic" come from t"e ra materials used for t"eir manufacture.>ied fertilizers often contain ammonium nitrate ?-84-@39! p"osp"orus as P2@!and potassium as A2@. ;or instance! /s! =P and Cad present in traces in roc5p"osp"ate mineral %et transferred to super p"osp"ate fertilizer. Since t"e metals

are not de%rada#le! t"eir accumulation in t"e soil a#o,e t"eir toic le,els due toecessi,e use of p"osp"ate fertilizers #ecomes an indestructi#le poison for crops.

T"e o,er use of -PA fertilizers reduce :uantity of ,e%eta#les and crops %ron onsoil o,er t"e years. It also reduces t"e protein content of "eat! maize! %rams! etc.!%ron on t"at soil. T"e car#o"ydrate :uality of suc" crops also %ets de%raded.+cess potassium content in soil decreases Bitamin C and carotene content in,e%eta#les and fruits. T"e ,e%eta#les and fruits%ron on o,er fertilized soil are more prone toattac5s #y insects and disease.

Indiscriminate Use of Pesticides,Insecticides and er!icides:

Plants on "ic" e depend for food are underattac5 from insects! fun%i! #acteria! ,iruses! rodents and ot"er animals! and mustcompete it" eeds for nutrients. To 5ill unanted populations li,in% in or on t"eircrops! farmers use pesticides. T"e first idespread insecticide use #e%an at t"e endof &orld &ar II and included DDT ?dic"lorodip"enyltric"loroet"ane9 and

ammaene. Insects soon #ecame resistant to DDT and as t"e c"emical did notdecompose readily! it persisted in t"e en,ironment. Since it as solu#le in fat rat"ert"an ater! it #ioma%nified up t"e food c"ain and disrupted calcium meta#olism in#irds! causin% e%%s"ells to #e t"in and fra%ile. /s a result! lar%e #irds of prey suc"as t"e #ron pelican! ospreys! falcons and ea%les #ecame endan%ered. DDT "as#een no #een #anned in most estern countries. Ironically many of t"em includin%)S/! still produce DDT for eport to ot"er de,elopin% nations "ose needs outei%"t"e pro#lems caused #y it.


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T"e most important pesticides are DDT! =8C! c"lorinated "ydrocar#ons!or%anop"osp"ates! aldrin! >alat"ion! dieldrin! furodan! etc. T"e remnants of suc"pesticides used on pests may %et adsor#ed #y t"e soil particles! "ic" t"encontaminate root crops %ron in t"at soil. T"e consumption of suc" crops causes

t"e pesticides remnants to enter "uman #iolo%ical systems! affectin% t"emad,ersely.

/n infamous "er#icide used as a defoliant in t"e Bietnam &ar called /%ent @ran%e?dioin9! as e,entually #anned. Soldiers cancer cases! s5in conditions andinfertility "a,e #een lin5ed to eposure to /%ent @ran%e. Pesticides not only #rin%toic effect on "uman and animals #ut also decrease t"e fertility of t"e soil. Some oft"e pesticides are :uite sta#le and t"eir #io de%radation may ta5e ee5s and e,enmont"s.

Pesticide pro#lems suc" as resistance! resur%ence! and "ealt" effects "a,e causedscientists to see5 alternati,es. P"eromones and "ormones to attract or repel insectsand usin% natural enemies or sterilization #y radiation "a,e #een su%%ested.

Dumping of solid wastes:

In %eneral! solid aste includes %ar#a%e! domestic refuse and discarded solid

materials suc" as t"ose from commercial!industrial and a%ricultural operations. T"eycontain increasin% amounts of paper! card#oards!plastics! %lass! old construction material!pac5a%in% material and toic or ot"erise"azardous su#stances. Since a si%nificant amountof ur#an solid aste tends to #e paper and foodaste! t"e ma


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Solid &aste disposal as #rou%"t to t"e forefront of pu#lic attention #y t"enotorious o,e Canal case in )S/ in 1*'(. Toic c"emicals leac"ed from oozin%stora%e drums into t"e soil underneat" "omes! causin% an unusually lar%e num#erof #irt" defects! cancers and respiratory! ner,ous and 5idney diseases.

Deforestation:

Soil +rosion occurs "en t"e eat"ered soil particles are dislod%ed and carriedaay #y ind or ater. Deforestation! a%ricultural de,elopment! temperatureetremes! precipitation includin% acid rain! and "uman acti,ities contri#ute to t"iserosion. 8umans speed up t"is process #y construction! minin%! cuttin% of tim#er!o,er croppin% and o,er%razin%. It results in floods and cause soil erosion. ;orestsand %rasslands are an ecellent #indin% material t"at 5eeps t"e soil intact and"ealt"y. T"ey support many "a#itats and ecosystems! "ic" pro,ide innumera#le

feedin% pat"ays or food c"ains to all species. T"eir loss ould t"reaten foodc"ains and t"e sur,i,al of many species. Durin% t"e past fe years :uite a lot of,ast %reen land "as #een con,erted into deserts. T"e precious rain forest "a#itatsof Sout" /merica! tropical /sia and /frica are comin% under pressure of population%rot" and de,elopment ?especially tim#er! construction and a%riculture9. >anyscientists #elie,e t"at a ealt" of medicinal su#stances includin% a cure for cancerand aids! lie in t"ese forests. Deforestation is sloly destroyin% t"e most producti,eflora and fauna areas in t"e orld! "ic" also form ,ast tracts of a ,ery ,alua#lesin5 for C@2.

Pollution Due to Ur!anization:


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Pollution of surface soils:

)r#an acti,ities %enerate lar%e :uantities of city astes includin% se,eral=iode%rada#le materials ?li5e ,e%eta#les! animal astes! papers! ooden pieces!carcasses! plant ti%s! lea,es! clot" astes as ell as seepin%s9 and many non#iode%rada#le materials ?suc" as plastic #a%s! plastic #ottles! plastic astes! %lass#ottles! %lass pieces! stone E cement pieces9. @n a rou%" estimate Indian cities areproducin% solid city astes to t"e tune of 0!000 (0!000 metric tons e,ery day. Ifleft uncollected and decomposed! t"ey are a cause ofse,eral pro#lems suc" as

7 Clo%%in% of drains6 Causin% serious draina%epro#lems includin% t"e #urst E lea5a%e of draina%elines leadin% to "ealt" pro#lems.

7 =arrier to mo,ement of ater6 Solid astes "a,eseriously dama%ed t"e normal mo,ement of ater

t"us creatin% pro#lem of inundation! dama%e tofoundation of #uildin%s as ell as pu#lic "ealt""azards.

7 ;oul smell6 enerated #y dumpin% t"e astes at a place.


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7 Increased micro#ial acti,ities6 >icro#ial decomposition of or%anic astes %eneratelar%e

Fuantities of met"ane #esides many c"emicals to pollute t"e soil and ater floin%on its surface.

7 &"en suc" solid astes are "ospital astes t"ey create many "ealt" pro#lems6 /st"ey may "a,e dan%erous pat"o%en it"in t"em #esides dan%erous medicines!in


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7 C"emical fertilizer runoff from farms and crops

7 /cid rain ?fumes from factories miin% it" rain9

7 Sea%e disc"ar%ed into ri,ers instead of #ein% treated properly

7 @,er application of pesticides and fertilizers

7 Purposeful in


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7 educed nitro%en fiation

7 Increased +rodi#ility

7 ar%er loss of soil and nutrients

7 Deposition of silt in tan5s and reser,oirs7 educed crop yield

7 Im#alance in soil fauna and flora

Industrial$

7 Dan%erous c"emicals enterin% under%round ater

7 +colo%ical im#alance

7 elease of pollutant %ases

7 elease of radioacti,e rays causin% "ealt" pro#lems

7 Increased salinity

7 educed ,e%etation

Ur!an$

7 Clo%%in% of drains

7 Inundation of areas

7 Pu#lic "ealt" pro#lems

7 Pollution of drin5in% ater sources

7 ;oul smell and release of %ases

7 &aste mana%ement pro#lems

"n%ironmental &ong Term "ffects of Soil Pollution$

&"en it comes to t"e en,ironment itself! t"e toll of contaminated soil is e,en direr.Soil t"at "as #een contaminated s"ould no lon%er #e used to %ro food! #ecauset"e c"emicals can leec" into t"e food and "arm people "o eat it.

If contaminated soil is used to %ro food! t"e land ill usually produce loer yieldst"an it ould if it ere not contaminated. T"is! in turn! can cause e,en more "arm


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#ecause a lac5 of plants on t"e soil ill cause more erosion! spreadin% t"econtaminants onto land t"at mi%"t not "a,e #een tainted#efore. In addition! t"e pollutants ill c"an%e t"ema5eup of t"e soil and t"e types of microor%anisms t"atill li,e in it. If certain or%anisms die off in t"e area! t"elar%er predator animals ill also "a,e to mo,e aay ordie #ecause t"ey,e lost t"eir food supply. T"us itspossi#le for soil pollution to c"an%e "ole ecosystems

"ffects of soil pollution in !rief:

7 Pollution runs off into ri,ers and 5ills t"e fis"! plants and ot"er a:uatic life

7 Crops and fodder %ron on polluted soil may pass t"e pollutants on to t"econsumers

7 Polluted soil may no lon%er %ro crops and fodder

7 Soil structure is dama%ed ?clay ionic structure impaired9

7 +rosion of foundations and pipelines

7 impairs soil sta#ility

7 may release ,apors and "ydrocar#on into #uildin%s and cellars

7 may create toic dusts


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7 may poison c"ildren playin% in t"e area

Control of soil pollution:

T"e folloin% steps "a,e #een su%%ested to control soil pollution. To "elp pre,entsoil erosion! e can limit construction in sensiti,e area. In %eneral e ould needless fertilizer and feer pesticides if e could all adopt t"e t"ree s6 educe!euse! and ecycle. T"is ould %i,e us less solid aste. educin% c"emical fertilizerand pesticide use /pplyin% #iofertilizers and manures can reduce c"emical fertilizerand pesticide use. =iolo%ical met"ods of pest control can also reduce t"e use ofpesticides and t"ere#y minimize soil pollution.

'educing of materials:

>aterials suc" as %lass containers! plastic #a%s! paper! clot" etc. can #e reused atdomestic le,els rat"er t"an #ein% disposed! reducin% solid aste pollution.

'ecycling and reco%ery of materials:

T"is is a reasona#le solution for reducin% soil pollution. >aterials suc" as paper!some 5inds of plastics and %lass can and are #ein% recycled. T"is decreases t"e,olume of refuse and "elps in t"e conser,ation of natural resources. ;or eample!reco,ery of one tone of paper can sa,e 1' trees.

'eforesting:

Control of land loss and soil erosion can #e attempted t"rou%" restorin% forest and%rass co,er to c"ec5 astelands! soil erosion and floods. Crop rotation or miedcroppin% can impro,e t"e fertility of t"e land.

Solid waste treatment:

Proper met"ods s"ould #e adopted for mana%ement ofsolid aste disposal. Industrial astes can #e treatedp"ysically! c"emically and #iolo%ically until t"ey are less"azardous. /cidic and al5aline astes s"ould #e first


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neutralizedG t"e insolu#le material if #iode%rada#le s"ould #e alloed to de%radeunder controlled conditions #efore #ein% disposed.

/s a last resort! ne areas for stora%e of "azardous aste s"ould #e in,esti%ated

suc" as deep ell in


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(atural land pollution:

and pollution occurs massi,ely durin% eart" :ua5es! landslides! "urricanes andfloods. /ll cause "ard to clean mess! "ic" is epensi,e to clean and >aysometimes ta5e years to restore t"e affected area. T"ese 5inds of natural disastersare not only a pro#lem in t"at t"ey cause pollution #ut also #ecause t"ey lea,emany ,ictims "omeless.

Correcti%e actions can !e put in place to pre%ent soil pollution:

+ducate people to reduce! reuse and recycle astes #y pro,idin% containersto recycle paper! %lass! tin and plastic.

+nforce le%islation to pre,ent dumpin% in unaut"orized areas it" strict fines.

ar%e fines le,ied "en people litter! e.%.! 8on% Aon%.

)se only indi%enous trees for afforestation.

+ducate farmers to ensure crop rotation.

Pro,ide informal settlements it" proper aste remo,al.

+nsure local %o,ernment pro,ides many dust#ins in tons and cities.

;orm action %roups in communities to clean up polluted areas.

'eferences:

19 "ttp6EEnsdl.niscair.res.inE#itstreamE1234$'(*E**0E1ESoilHPollution.pdf

29 "ttp6EE.mindset.co.zaEresourcesEE00000$0(1E000014*(3E000014*2EifeHScienceHS"eetH1(.pdf


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PP"(DI):

The ta!le !elow shows the amount of solid waste generated in a towno%er a period of * years+

assignment on soil pollution.doc

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