How Soil Gets Polluted

Soil is a sort of ecosystem unto itself, and it is relatively sensitive to foreign matter being applied to it. That's good for us in the case of wanting to add soil amendments, fertilizer and compost to ma e the soil healthier, but not so good when it comes to soil pollution. There are many different ways that soil can become polluted, such as!

Seepage from a landfill "ischarge of industrial waste into the soil Percolation of contaminated water into the soil #upture of underground storage tan s $%cess application of pesticides, herbicides or fertilizer Solid waste seepage

The most common chemicals involved in causing soil pollution are!

Petroleum hydrocarbons Heavy metals Pesticides Solvents

Soil pollution happens when these chemicals adhere to the soil, either from being directly spilled onto the soil or through contact with soil that has already been contaminated. &s the world becomes more industrialized, the long term effects of soil pollution are becoming more of a problem all over the world. 't is thought that a full ()* million miles of +hina's farmland is contaminated.

Soil Pollution Problems

$ven when soil is not being used for food, the matter of its contamination can be a health concern. This is especially so when that soil is found in par s, neighborhoods or other places where people spend time. Health effects will be different depending on what ind of pollutant is in the soil. 't can range from developmental problems ,in children e%posed to lead- to cancer ,from chromium and some chemicals found in fertilizer, whether those chemicals are still used or have been banned but are still found in the soil-. Some soil contaminants increase the ris of leu emia, while others can lead to idney damage, liver problems and changes in the central nervous system. Those are .ust the long term effects of soil pollution. 'n the short term, e%posure to chemicals in the soil can lead to headaches, nausea, fatigue and s in rashes at the site of e%posure.

$nvironmental /ong Term $ffects of Soil Pollution

0hen it comes to the environment itself, the toll of contaminated soil is even more dire. Soil that has been contaminated should no longer be used to grow food, because the chemicals can leech into the food and harm people who eat it. 'f contaminated soil is used to grow food, the land will usually produce lower yields than it would if it were not contaminated. This, in turn, can cause even more harm because a lac of plants on the soil will cause more erosion, spreading the contaminants onto land that might not have been tainted before. 'n addition, the pollutants will change the ma eup of the soil and the types of microorganisms that will live in it. 'f certain organisms die off in the area, the larger predator animals will also have to move away or die because they've lost their food supply. Thus it's possible for soil pollution to change whole ecosystems.
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"ealing with Soil Pollution

There are some ways to get soil bac to its pristine condition or to remove the spoiled soil so the land can be used for agriculture again. Tainted soil can be transported to a site where humans won't be e%posed to the chemicals, or the soil can be aerated to remove some of the chemicals ,which can add the problem of air pollution if the chemicals can be released into the air-. 5ther options include what's nown as bioremidiation, where microorganisms are used to consume the pollution2causing compounds as well as electromechanical systems for e%tracting chemicals, and containment of chemicals by paving over the tainted area. 6one of these are an ideal solution. Preventing contamination in the first place is the best way to go. 't won't eliminate all potential pollution problems, but choosing to farm organically is a good way to protect the soil ,and yourself- from chemicals found in pesticides and other common garden chemicals.

SOIL POLLUTION (terrestrial pollution)

"The mountain, and a deep and gloomy wood, their colours and their forms, were then to me an appetite: a feeling and a love, that had no need of a remoter charm,..." The author of this poem thinks and ponders on his thought of nature. His inspiration is reflected upon what he regards most beautiful by sight, unfortunately enough we hardly have such inspirations in our minds now-a-days, leave a lone the fact of the advent of video games but also because there isn't much to ponder upon in our surroundings today. ook outside your window in most areas its buildings and cars and cars and buildings. ands and forests have been cleared to the least natural sight for construction and infrastructures! H57$8 $%&INITION' $2H57$8 Soil pollution is defined as the (uild)up in soils of persistent to#ic compounds, chemicals, salts, radioactive materials, or After the world war two, disease causing agents, "hich have adverse effects on plant many countries suffered gro"th and animal health from food shortage and The wars that hit the earth are probably the immediate cause of this facilitated the intoruction of fertilizers soil pollution. "ot talking in the sense of how many people died and other agricultural but in that it is through this period that many countries found the chemicals. necessity to improve their living standards. #fter the world war two, many countries suffered from food shortage and this facilitated the intoruction of fertili$ers and other agricultural chemicals. #lthough %"& ' &otassium, "itrogen, &hosphorus( fertilisers has not led to soil pollution, the application of trace elements has. &esticides such as ))T 'dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane(a colourless chemical pesticide, which is a potent nerve poison in insects was first widely used to combat diseases such as yellow fever and malaria. *t was later used to control and+ or eradicate disease carrying and crop eating insects. ))T was later on Natural land pollution: discovered to cause endagerement of species in the same food Land pollution occurs chain as the massively during earth controlled insects, particularly birds. ))T prevents the shelling quakes, land slides, of bird eggs and in humans causes health threats. hurricanes and floods *n yet another famous war of ,ietnam in -./0's was introduced !ll cause hard to clean another 1hemical substance which had a more adverse effect mess, "hich is e#pensive than that of ))T, )io2in a chemical impurity resulting from the to clean , and may production of the au2in 3,4,5T. )io2in is a to2ic chemical and sometimes take years to was used as a defoliant by the #merican army. )io2in was a

restore the affected area These kinds of natural disasters are not only a pro(lem in that they cause pollution (ut also (ecause they leave many victims homeless

ma6or constituent of argent orange which was applied on trees which would then fall off reaviling enemy camps. #fter the war it was found that the chemical cause congenital deformalities and mental effects to the children born to the #merican soldiers and in the area over which it was applied. *n minute amount dio2in has the ability to cause cancer,chloracne, miscarriage, and fetal abnormalities. 7lass industries have also been responsible of soil pollution. The glass industries uses #rsenic to eliminate a green colour caused by impurities of iron compounds. because arsenic is a violent poison, yet it is widely used and therefore is a fre8uent contaminant. 9ames :arsh, supplies a simple method for detecting traces of arsenic so minute that they would escape discovery in ordinary analysis. #rsenic is sometimes added to lead to harden it and is also used in the manufacture of such military poison gases as lewisite and adamsite. ;ntil the introduction of penicillin, arsenic was of great importance in the treatment of syphilis. *n other medicinal uses, it has been displaced by sulpha drugs or antibiotics. ead arsenate, calcium arsenate, and &aris green are used e2tensively as insecticides. &ollution of land by heavy metals is a result of the mining of ores to e2tract metals such as tin, silver, nickel, lead, iron, chromium and copper. :ost of these metals occur naturally as ions in the soils. Though some metals, such as copper, iron, and $inc , are necessary for plant growth. *t is the high concentration if these ions that renders the land unsuitable for plant growth. <oil pollution is widely linked to chemical substances but irrigation. is somehow linked to it as well. 1="T>= <oil pollution has been slightly controlled by putting regulations on the use of ))T and introduction of alternatives to it. However the task of eliminating completely soil pollution is not easy, third some third world countries still utili$e pollutants such as ))T as pesticides. :ining cannot be stopped because we are in constant need for mineral ores for different applications.

Soil contamination
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?2cavation showing soil contamination at a disused gasworks. Soil pollution is caused by the presence of man-made chemicals or other alteration in the natural soil environment. This type of contamination typically arises from the rupture of underground storage tan s, application of pesticides, percolation of contaminated surface water to subsurface strata, oil and fuel dumping, leaching of wastes from landfills or direct discharge of industrial wastes to the soil. The most common chemicals involved are petroleum hydrocarbons, solvents, pesticides, lead and other heavy metals. This occurrence of this phenomenon is correlated with the degree of industriali$ations and intensities of chemical usage. The concern over soil contamination stems primarily from health risks, from direct contact with the contaminated soil, vapors from the contaminants, and from secondary contamination of water supplies within and underlying the soil9(:. :apping of contaminated soil sites and the resulting cleanup are time consuming and e2pensive tasks, re8uiring e2tensive amounts of geology, hydrology, chemistry and computer modeling skills. *t is in 6orth &merica and 0estern $urope that the e2tent of contaminated land is most well known, with many of countries in these areas having a legal framework to identify and deal with this environmental problem@ this however may well be 6ust the tip of the

iceberg with developing countries very likely to be the ne2t generation of new soil contamination cases. The immense and sustained growth of the People's #epublic of +hina since the -./0s has e2acted a price from the land in increased soil pollution. The State $nvironmental Protection &dministration believes it to be a threat to the environment, to food safety and to sustainable agriculture. #ccording to a scientific sampling, -50 million mi A-00,000 s8uare kilometresB of 1hinaCs cultivated land have been polluted, with contaminated water being used to irrigate a further D3.5 million mi A3-,E/0 s8uare kilometresB and another 3 million mi A-,D00 s8uare kilometresB covered or destroyed by solid waste. *n total, the area accounts for one-tenth of 1hinaCs cultivatable land, and is mostly in economically developed areas. #n estimated -3 million tonnes of grain are contaminated by heavy metals every year, causing direct losses of 30 billion yuan A;<F3.5/ billionB. 9;:. The ;nited <tates, while having some of the most widespread soil contamination, has actually been a leader in defining and implementing standards for cleanup9<:. =ther industriali$ed countries have a large number of contaminated sites, but lag the ;.<. in e2ecuting remediation. )eveloping countries may be leading in the ne2t generation of new soil contamination cases. ?ach year in the ;.<., thousands of sites complete soil contamination cleanup, some by using microbes that Geat upH to2ic chemicals in soil9=:, many others by simple e%cavation and others by more e2pensive high-tech soil vapor e2traction or air stripping. ?fforts proceed worldwide to identify new sites of soil contamination.

Soil contamination
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?2cavation showing soil contamination at a disused gasworks. Soil pollution is caused by the presence of man-made chemicals or other alteration in the natural soil environment. This type of contamination typically arises from the rupture of underground storage tan s, application of pesticides, percolation of contaminated surface water to subsurface strata, oil and fuel dumping, leaching of wastes from landfills or direct discharge of industrial wastes to the soil. The most common chemicals involved are petroleum hydrocarbons, solvents, pesticides, lead and other heavy metals. This occurrence of this phenomenon is correlated with the degree of industriali$ations and intensities of chemical usage. The concern over soil contamination stems primarily from health risks, from direct contact with the contaminated soil, vapors from the contaminants, and from secondary contamination of water supplies within and underlying the soil9(:. :apping of contaminated soil sites and the resulting cleanup are time consuming and e2pensive tasks, re8uiring e2tensive amounts of geology, hydrology, chemistry and computer modeling skills. *t is in 6orth &merica and 0estern $urope that the e2tent of contaminated land is most well known, with many of countries in these areas having a legal framework to identify and deal with this environmental problem@ this however may well be 6ust the tip of the iceberg with developing countries very likely to be the ne2t generation of new soil contamination cases. The immense and sustained growth of the People's #epublic of +hina since the -./0s has e2acted a price from the land in increased soil pollution. The State $nvironmental Protection &dministration believes it to be a threat to the environment, to food safety and to sustainable agriculture. #ccording to a scientific sampling, -50 million mi A-00,000 s8uare kilometresB of 1hinaCs cultivated land have been polluted, with contaminated water being used to irrigate a further D3.5 million mi A3-,E/0 s8uare kilometresB and another 3 million

mi A-,D00 s8uare kilometresB covered or destroyed by solid waste. *n total, the area accounts for one-tenth of 1hinaCs cultivatable land, and is mostly in economically developed areas. #n estimated -3 million tonnes of grain are contaminated by heavy metals every year, causing direct losses of 30 billion yuan A;<F3.5/ billionB. 9;:. The ;nited <tates, while having some of the most widespread soil contamination, has actually been a leader in defining and implementing standards for cleanup9<:. =ther industriali$ed countries have a large number of contaminated sites, but lag the ;.<. in e2ecuting remediation. )eveloping countries may be leading in the ne2t generation of new soil contamination cases. ?ach year in the ;.<., thousands of sites complete soil contamination cleanup, some by using microbes that Geat upH to2ic chemicals in soil9=:, many others by simple e%cavation and others by more e2pensive high-tech soil vapor e2traction or air stripping. ?fforts proceed worldwide to identify new sites of soil contamination.

1ontents
'hide(

( $cosystem effects ; #egulatory framewor o ;.( 4nited States of &merica o ;.; 4nited >ingdom < +leanup options = See also ) #eferences ? $%ternal lin s

'edit( ?cosystem effects

"ot une2pectedly, soil contaminants can have significant deleterious conse8uences for ecosystems9):. There are radical soil chemistry changes which can arise from the presence of many ha$ardous chemicals even at low concentration of the contaminant species. These changes can manifest in the alteration of metabolism of endemic microorganisms and arthropods resident in a given soil environment. The result can be virtual eradication of some of the primary food chain, which in turn have ma6or conse8uences for predator or consumer species. ?ven if the chemical effect on lower life forms is small, the lower pyramid levels of the food chain may ingest alien chemicals, which normally become more concentrated for each consuming rung of the food chain. :any of these effects are now well known, such as the concentration of persistent ))T materials for avian consumers,

leading to weakening of egg shells, increased chick mortality and potential e2tinction of species. ?ffects occur to agricultural lands which have certain types of soil contamination. 1ontaminants typically alter plant metabolism, most commonly to reduce crop yields. This has a secondary effect upon soil conservation, since the languishing crops cannot shield the ?arth's soil mantle from erosion phenomena. <ome of these chemical contaminants have long half2lives and in other cases derivative chemicals are formed from decay of primary soil contaminants.

'edit( >egulatory framework

[edit] United States of America
;ntil about -./0 there was little widespread awareness of the worldwide scope of soil contamination or its health risks. *n fact, areas of concern were often viewed as unusual or isolated incidents. <ince then, the ;.<. has established guidelines for handling ha$ardous waste and the cleanup of soil pollution. *n -.I0 the ;.<.Superfund+1?>1 # established strict rules on legal liability for soil contamination. "ot only did 1?>1 # stimulate identification and cleanup of thousands of sites, but it raised awareness of property buyers and sellers to make soil pollution a focal issue of land use and management practices. Jhile estimates of remaining soil cleanup in the ;.<. may e2ceed 300,000 sites, hundreds of new sites are identified each year, and in other industriali$ed countries there is a lag of identification and cleanup functions. ?ven though their use of chemicals is lower than industriali$ed countries, often their controls and regulatory framework is 8uite weak. Kor e2ample, some persistent pesticides that have been banned in the ;.<. are in widespread uncontrolled use in developing countries. *t is worth noting that the cost of cleaning up a soil contaminated site can range from as little as about F-0,000 for a small spill, which can be simply e2cavated, to millions of dollars for a widespread event, especially for a chemical that is very mobile such as perchloroethylene.

[edit] United Kingdom

7eneric guidance commonly used in the ;% are the <oil 7uideline ,alues published by )?K># and the ?nvironment #gency. These are screening values that demonstrate the minimal acceptable level of a substance. #bove this there can be no assurances in terms of significant risk of harm to human health. These have been derived using the 1ontaminated and ?2posure #sseeement :odel A1 ?# ;%B. 1ertain input parameters

such as Health 1riteria ,alues, age and land use are fed into 1 ?# ;% to obtain a probabilistic output'citation needed(. 7uidance by the *nter )epartmental 1ommittee for the >edevelopment of 1ontaminated and A*1>1 B has been formally withdrawn by the )epartment for ?nvironment, Kood and >ural #ffairs A)?K>#B, for use as a prescriptive document to determine the potential need for remediation or further assessment. Therefore, no further reference is made to these former guideline values. =ther generic guidance that e2ists Ato put the concentration of a particular contaminant in conte2tB, includes the ;nited <tates ?&# >egion . &reliminary >emediation 7oals A;< &>7sB, the ;< ?&# >egion D >isk Lased 1oncentrations A;< ?&# >L1sB and "ational ?nvironment &rotection 1ouncil of #ustralia 7uideline on *nvestigation evels in <oil and 7roundwater. However international guidance should only be used in the ;% with clear 6ustification. This is because foreign standards are usually particular to that country due to drivers such as political policy, geology, flood regime and epidemiology. *t is generally accepted by ;% regulators that only robust scientific methods that relate to the ;% should be used. The 1 ?# model published by )?K># and the ?nvironment #gency A?#B in :arch 3003 sets a framework for the appropriate assessment of risks to human health from contaminated land, as re8uired by &art **# of the ?nvironmental &rotection #ct -..0. #s part of this framework, generic Soil Guideline 1alues ,SG1s- have currently been derived for ten contaminants to be used as Gintervention valuesH'citation needed(. These values should not be considered as remedial targets but values above which further detailed assessment should be considered. Three sets of 1 ?# <7,s have been produced for three different land uses, namely

residential Awith and without plant uptakeB allotments commercial+industrial

*t is intended that the SG1s replace the former *1>1 values. *t should be noted that the 1 ?# <7,s relate to assessing chronic Along termB risks to human health and do not apply to the protection of ground workers during construction, or other potential receptors such as groundwater, buildings, plants or other ecosystems. The 1 ?# <7,s are not directly applicable to a site completely covered in hardstanding, as there is no direct e2posure route to contaminated soils.

To date, the first ten of fifty-five contaminant <7,s have been published, for the following: arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, inorganic mercury, nickel, selenium ethyl ben$ene, phenol and toluene. )raft <7,s for ben$ene, naphthalene and 2ylene have been produced but their publication is on hold. To2icological data ATo2B has been published for each of these contaminants as well as for ben$o'a(pyrene, ben$ene, dio2ins, furans and dio2in-like &1Ls, naphthalene, vinyl chloride, -,-,3,3 tetrachloroethane and -,-,-,3 tetrachloroethane, -,-,- trichloroethane, tetrachloroethene, carbon tetrachloride, -,3dichloroethane, trichloroethene and 2ylene. The <7,s for ethyl ben$ene, phenol and toluene are dependent on the soil organic matter A<=:B content Awhich can be calculated from the total organic carbon AT=1B contentB. #s an initial screen the <7,s for -M <=: are considered to be appropriate.

'edit( 1leanup options

:icrobes can be used in soil cleanup 1leanup or remediation is analy$ed by environmental scientists who utili$e field measurement of soil chemicals and also apply computer models for analy$ing transport9?: and fate of soil chemicals. Thousands of soil contamination cases are currently in active cleanup across the ;.<. as of 300E. There are several principal strategies for remediation:

?2cavate soil and take it to a disposal site away from ready pathways for human or sensitive ecosystem contact. This techni8ue also applies to dredging of bay muds containing to2ins. #eration of soils at the contaminated site Awith attendant risk of creating air pollutionB Thermal remediation by introduction of heat to raise subsurface temperatures sufficiently high to volati$e chemical contaminants out of the soil for vapour e2traction. Technologies include *<T), electrical resistance heating ,$#H-, and ?T)<&tm. @ioremediation, involving microbial digestion of certain organic chemicals. Techni8ues used in bioremediation include landfarming, biostimulation and bioaugmentating soil biota with commercially available microflora. ?2traction of groundwater or soil vapor with an active electromechanical system, with subse8uent stripping of the contaminants from the e2tract.

1ontainment of the soil contaminants Asuch as by capping or paving over in placeB.

'edit( <ee also

/and degradation /and pollution /ist of waste management companies /ist of waste management topics /ist of solid waste treatment technologies /ist of Superfund sites in the 4nited States Pesticide drift Pollution +ontamination control 0ater contamination 0ater pollution

'edit( >eferences
-. 3. D. *isk !ssessment +uidance for Superfund, ,uman ,ealth %valuation -anual, =ffice of ?mergency and >emedial >esponse, ;.<. $nvironmental Protection &gency, Jashington ).1. 30450
^ ^ 3acing up to Ainvisible pollutionB ^

>ainer <tegmann, Treatment of .ontaminated Soil' &undamentals, !nalysis, !pplications, <pringer ,erlag, Lerlin 3004. ^ ).#. 1rossley, *oles of -icroflora and fauna in soil systems, *nternational <ymposium on &esticides in <oils, Keb. 35, -./0, 4niversity of 7ichigan 5. ^ :ichael Hogan, eda &atmore, 7ary atshaw and Harry <eidman Computer modelng of pesticide transport in soil for five instrumented "atersheds, prepared for the ;.<. $nvironmental Protection &gency <outheast Jater laboratory, #thens, 7a. by ?< *nc., <unnyvale, 1alifornia A-./DB E. ^ <.%. 7upta, 1.T. %incaid, &.>. :ayer, 1.#. "ewbill and 1.>. 1ole, NC# multidimensional finite element code for the analysis of coupled fluid, energy and solute transportCN, @attelle &acific "orthwest aboratory &" -3.D., ?&# contract EI-0D-D--E A-.I3B

Land pollution
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This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. &lease improve this article if you can. /!ugust 01123 This article does not cite any references or sources. &lease help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. ;nsourced material may be challenged and removed. /!ugust 01123 Land pollution is the degradation of ?arth's land surfaces often caused by human activities and their misuse of land resources. *t occurs when waste is not disposed properly. Hapha$ard disposal of urban and industrial wastes, e2ploitation of minerals, and improper use of soil by inade8uate agricultural practices are a few factors.;rbani$ation and 'industriali$ation( are ma6or causes of land pollution. The *ndustrial >evolution set a series of events into motion which destroyed natural habitats and polluted the environment, causing diseases in both humans and other species of animals.

1ontents
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( 'ncreased mechanization ; Herbicides < 7ining = @urial ) +onstruction ? 'ncreased waste disposal C 'mpacts D See also E #eferences

[edit] Increased mechanization

The increase in the concentration of population in cities, along with the internal combustion engine, led to the increased number of roads and all the infra structure that goes with them. >oads cause visual, noise, light, air and water pollution, in addition to land pollution. The visual and noise areas are obvious, however light pollution is becoming more widely recogni$ed as a problem. Krom outer space, large cities can be picked out at night by the glow of their lighting, so city dwellers seldom e2perience total darkness. #s the demand for food has grown very high, there is an increase in field si$e and mechani$ation. The increase in field si$e makes it economically viable for the farmer but results in loss of habitat and shelter for wildlife, as hedgerows and copses disappear. Jhen crops are harvested, the naked soil is left open to wind after the heavy machinery has compacted it. #nother conse8uence of more intensive agriculture is the move to monoculture. This is unnatural, it depletes the soil of nutrients, allows diseases and pests

to spread and, in short, brings into play the use of chemical substances foreign to the environment. # pesticide is a substance or mi2ture of substances used to kill a pest.# pesticide may be a chemical substance, biological agent Asuch as a virus or bacteriaB, antimicrobial, disinfectant or device used against any pest. &ests include insects, plant pathogens, weeds, mollusks, birds, mammals, fish, nematodes AroundwormsB and microbes that compete with humans for food, destroy property, spread or are a vector for disease or cause a nuisance. #lthough there are benefits to the use of pesticides, there are also drawbacks, such as potential to2icity to humans and other a &esticides are used to control organisms which are considered harmful.Kor e2ample, they are used to kill mos8uitoes that can transmit potentially deadly diseases like west "ile virus, yellow fever, and malaria. They can also kill bees, wasps or ants that can cause allergic reactions. *nsecticides can protect animals from illnesses that can be caused by parasites such as fleas.&esticides can prevent sickness in humans that could be caused by moldy food or diseased produce.

[edit] Her icides

Herbicides are used to kill weeds, especially on pavements and railways. They are similar to au2in s and most are biodegradable by soil bacteria. However one group derived from trinitrotoluene A3:4 ) and 3:4:5 TB have the impurity dio2in, which is very to2ic and causes fatality even in low concentrations. *t also causes spontaneous abortions, hemorrhaging and cancer.#gent =rangeA50M 3:4:5 TB was used as a defoliant in ,ietnam. ?leven million gallons were used and children born since then to #merican soldiers who served in this conflict, have shown increased physical and mental disabilities compared to the rest of the population. *t affects the head of the sperm and the chromosomes inside it. #nother herbicide, much loved by murder story writers, is &ara8uat. *t is highly to2ic but it rapidly degrades in soil due to the action of bacteria and does not kill soil fauna. *nsecticides are used to rid farms of pests which damage crops. The insects damage not only standing crops but also stored ones and in the tropics it is reckoned that one third of the total production is lost during food storage. #s with fungicides, the first insecticides used in the nineteenth century were inorganic e.g.&aris 7reen and other compounds of arsenic."icotine has also been used since the late eighteenth century. There are now two main groups of synthetic insecticides - 5rganochlorines include ""T, &ldrin, "ielectric and LH1. They are cheap to produce, potent and persistent. ))T was used

on a massive scale from the -.D0s, with a peak of /3,000 tonnes used -./0. Then usage fell as the harmful environmental effects were reali$ed. *t was found worldwide in fish and birds and was even discovered in the snow in the &ntarctic. *t is only slightly soluble in water but is very soluble in the bloodstream. *t affects the nervous and endocrine systems and causes the eggshells of birds to lack calcium causing them to be easily breakable. *t is thought to be responsible for the decline of the numbers of birds of prey like ospreys and peregrine falcons in the -.50s - they are now recovering. #s well as increased concentration via the food chain, it is known to enter via permeable membranes, so fish get it through their gills. #s it has low water solubility, it tends to stay at the water surface, so organisms that live there are most affected. ))T found in fish that formed part of the human food chain caused concern, but the levels found in the liver, kidney and brain tissues was less than - ppm and in fat was -0 ppm which was below the level likely to cause harm. However, ))T was banned in Lritain and #merica to stop the further build up of it in the food chain. The ;<# e2ploited this ban and sold ))T to developing countries, who could not afford the e2pensive replacement chemicals and who did not have such stringent regulations governing the use of pesticides. =rganophosphate((s, e.g. parathion, methyl parathion and about 40 other insecticides are available nationally. &arathion is highly to2ic, methyl-parathion is less so and 7alathion is generally considered safe as it has low to2icity and is rapidly broken down in the mammalian liver. This group works by preventing normal nerve transmission as cholinesterase is prevented from breaking down the transmitter substance acetylcholine, resulting in uncontrolled muscle movements. ?ntry of a variety of pesticides into our water supplies causes concern to environmental groups, as in many cases the long term effects of these specific chemicals is not known.

[edit] !ining
:odern mining pro6ects leave behind disrupted communities, damages landscapes, and polluted water. :ining also affects ground and surface waters, the a8uatic life, vegetation, soils, animals, and the human health. #cid mine drainage can cause damage to streams which in return can kill a8uatic life. The vast variety of to2ic chemicals released by mining activities can harm animals and a8uatic life as well as their habitat. The average mine disturbs over a thousand acres of land.

[edit] "urial
Lurial is the techni8ue used by 9ews, :uslims, 1hristians and other religions with #brahamic influence, to dispose of the corpse of dead humans and animals. This process leads to regular soil erosion due to loosening of soil. #lso, the decomposing fluids act as poisonous herbicides, pesticides and may even lead to epidemics in surrounding areas. *t leads to soil pollution, soil erosion and even water pollution.

[edit] #onstruction
1onstruction often puts sediments in rivers and bodies of water. Ly doing this, natural water filters are damaged. "atural water filters help break down many pollutants before they reach other water bodies. <ome harmful chemicals that may run off with water and sediments from construction sites are oils, debris, and paint. This can cause damage to soil, a8uatic life, and promote ha$ardous chemicals to get into drinking water.

[edit] Increased $aste disposal

*n Scotland in -..D, -4 million tons of waste was produced. -00,000 tons was special waste and 3E0,000 tons was controlled waste from other parts of Lritain and abroad. 45M of the special waste was in li8uid form and -IM was asbestos - radioactive waste was not included. =f the controlled waste, 4IM came from the demolition of buildings, 33M from industry, -/M from households and -DM from business - only DM were recycled. .0M of controlled waste was buried in landfill sites and produced 3 million tons of methane gas. -.5M was burned in incinerators and -.5M were e2ported to be disposed of or recycled. There are /4I disposal sites in <cotland. There are very few vacant or derelict land sites in the north east of <cotland, as there are few traditional heavy industries or coal+mineral e2traction sites. However some areas are contaminated by aromatic hydrocarbons A500 cubic metersB. The 4rban 0aste 0ater Treatment "irective allows sewage sludge to be sprayed onto land and the volume is e2pected to double to -I5,000 tons of dry solids in 3005. This has good agricultural properties due to the high nitrogen and phosphate content. *n -..0+-..-, -DM wet weight was sprayed onto 0.-DM of the land , however this is e2pected to rise -5 fold by 3005. There is a need to control this so that pathogenic microorganisms do not get into water courses and to ensure that there is no accumulation of heavy metals in the top soil.

'edit( *mpacts
# large percentage of material that is dumped into waters not only destroys habitats for animals but for humans as well. Lelow is a list of some impacts of land pollution.

<mothered habitats, where a8uatic animals feed and live, thus driving them out of a home. >educed o2ygen levels from decomposition of organic material dumped from drains. >educed light penetration in the water column, from sediments and e2cessive algal growth, leading to o2ygen depleted water. O:assively changed flow regimes, large fast flows can scour e2isting habitat and wash species downstream. *ncreased human health risks, from syringes, broken glass and cans washing onto creek banks and beaches. >educed aesthetic appeal of areas from litter strewn on banks and beaches, thus reducing recreation and tourist appeal. #cid rain damages trees and other plants.

Soil conservation means protection, improvement and sustained renewal of soil at any place. Soil has to be protected from erosion and should also be replenished.

Protection of soil from erosion

Protection of topsoil is most important. 't is a valuable non2renewable natural resource. Soil erosion can be prevented by adopting the following!

Protection of soil from the impact of rainwater @y contour bounding, we can prevent water from moving down the slopes Slowing down the water when it flows along the slopes. This is done by 'gully plugging' $ncouraging more seepage of water in the soil 'ncreasing the size of soil particles Growing more vegetation to cover the soil and to reduce the wind velocity around the soil

#eplenishment of soil
't is the method by which the lost plant nutrients are put bac into the soil.

%eplenishment of soil y crop rotation

'n this method, different types of crops having different reFuirements are grown alternatively in the same soil so that the soil is not deprived of any particular nutrient. 'n the rotation of crops, the leguminous crops such as pulses, peas, beans, grams, groundnuts etc are sown inbetween the cereal crops such as wheat and maize etc. 0heat crop ta es a great amount of nitrogen from the soil for its growth and development, ma ing the soil nutrient deficit. &fter wheat, if leguminous crops are grown in the field then, the nitrogen content is restored in the soil.

6odules present in the roots of leguminous plants have a symbiotic ,mutualistic- relationship with bacterium #hizobium. #hizobium has enzymes to convert atmospheric nitrogen into nitrates. These nitrogen salts persist in the soil. Such a soil which is enriched by the nitrogen is ready to support the ne%t cereal crop. The fi%ation and conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into nitrogen compounds, which can be utilised by leguminous plants and other plants, is called nitrogen fi%ation.

%eplenishment of soil y multiple cropping& mi'ed cropping

't is a method by which two or more different crops are grown together in the same soil. & mi%ed cropping of ragi with pigeon gram replenishes the soil because pigeon gram fi%es the atmospheric nitrogen, which goes into the soil in the form of nitrates. 3rom the soil these nitrates are utilised by the ragi crop.

%eplenishment of soil y (eeping the field fallo$

'f land is not cultivated for a season or two, the growth of humus in the soil increases, promoting the growth of soil bacteria leading, to rich replenishment of plant nutrients in the soil.

%eplenishment of soil y addition of manure and fertilizers

The farm yard manure or organic manure or bio fertilizers and inorganic fertilizers supply the necessary plant nutrients to the soil. Thus, application of such materials increases the nutrient value of the soil.

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Soil conservation means protection, improvement and sustained renewal of soil at any place. Soil has to be protected from erosion and should also be replenished. #ecall that erosion is the physical removal of soil particles from their original places and transportation to some other places

Protection of Soil 3rom $rosion

Soil erosion can be prevented!

@y protecting the soil from the impact of rainwater @y contour bounding, we can prevent water from moving down the slopes @y slowing down the water when it flows along the slopes. This is done by 'gully plugging' @y encouraging more seepage of water in the soil @y increasing the size of soil particles @y growing more vegetation to cover the soil and by reducing the wind velocity around the soil

#eplenishment of Soil
't is the method by which the lost plant nutrients are put bac into the soil.

%eplenishment of Soil y #rop %otation

"ifferent types of crops with differing reFuirements are grown alternatively in the same soil. /eguminous crops such as pulses, peas, beans, grams, groundnuts etc are sown after the cereal crops such as wheat and maize etc. 0heat crop ta es a great amount of nitrogen from the soil ma ing the soil nutrient deficit. /eguminous crops restore the nitrogen content in the soil. 6odules present in the roots of leguminous plants have a symbiotic ,mutualistic- relationship with bacterium #hizobium. #hizobium has enzymes to convert atmospheric nitrogen into nitrates. These nitrogen salts persist in the soil. Such a soil which is enriched by the nitrogen is ready to support the ne%t cereal crop. The fi%ation and conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into nitrogen compounds, which can be utilised by leguminous plants and other plants, is called nitrogen fi%ation.

%eplenishment of Soil y !ultiple #ropping & !i'ed cropping

't is a method by which two or more different crops are grown together in the same soil.

& mi%ed cropping of ragi with pigeon gram replenishes the soil because pigeon gram fi%es the atmospheric nitrogen, which goes into the soil in the form of nitrates. These nitrates are utilised by the ragi crop.

%eplenishment of Soil y Keeping the -ield -allo$

'f land is not cultivated for a season or two, the growth of humus in the soil increases, promoting the growth of soil bacteria leading, to rich replenishment of plant nutrients in the soil.

%eplenishment of Soil y Addition of !anure and -ertilizers

The farm yard manure or organic manure or bio fertilizers and inorganic fertilizers supply the necessary plant nutrients to the soil. Thus, application of such materials increases the nutrient value of the soil.