Anthropogenic or man-made pollution is due to many factors like industrial or accidental factors, eg. mining, throwing untreated garbage, leaking of chemicals and many more.
2. Soil Pollution
Soil is a thin layer of material that
covers the land and includes a
combination of minerals, organic
materials, living organisms, air, and
water, all of which help plants grow. As
a resource, there is no substitute for
soil.
Soil pollution has been a huge problem
for the world to overcome over time. It
must be tackled as soon as possible.
3. Soil pollution is characterised as a state in which the soil becomes polluted with
pollutants and its quality deteriorates. It happens when the contaminants that
cause pollution degrade the quality of the soil and make it uninhabitable for
microorganisms and macroorganisms that live there.
Soil contamination or pollution may occur as a result of either human activity or
natural processes. However, it is mostly due to human activity. Pesticides,
herbicides, ammonia, petroleum hydrocarbons, lead, nitrate, mercury,
naphthalene, and other chemicals in excessive amounts can cause soil
pollution.
4. Causes
There are various ways through
which soil pollution occurs every
day. We can broadly divide them
into two parts i.e. natural and
man-made causes.
Man-made pollutants
Anthropogenic or man-made
pollution is due to many factors
like industrial or accidental
factors, eg. mining, throwing
untreated garbage, leaking of
chemicals and many more.
Natural pollutants
In very rare cases natural phenomenon
leads to release of toxic chemicals which
leads to soil pollution. They interact with
man-made toxins and hazardous
substances which leads to sometimes
increase or decrease in overall toxicity of
the soil pollution.
5. Effects of Soil Pollution
Effect on Ecosystem and Biodiversity - Soil pollution can lead to a loss of biodiversity in an
ecosystem. Pollution may have an effect on the lives of soil-dwelling birds, insects,
mammals, and reptiles. The soil is a critical environment, and pollution-induced changes
force wildlife to search out new habitats.
Effect on Human Health - Since we depend on the land for our food, contamination from
the soil finds its way to us in this way. Toxic bioaccumulation happens in our bodies,
resulting in chronic poisoning and a range of diseases.
Effect on Plant Growth - Pollution of the soil has a negative impact on the ecological
balance of any climate. Many plants are unable to adjust when the chemistry of the soil
changes drastically in a short period of time. The fungi and bacteria that keep the soil
together begin to deteriorate, resulting in soil erosion.
6. CONTROL MEASURES
Treating solid waste properly: One of
the essential steps is to dispose of the
solid waste properly by treating it
before being dumped into the land.
Neutralization processes must be
performed on acid and basic waste as
they both are equally harmful to the
soil.
Investigation on reclaimed land: The
land on which construction of houses
or schools or any industrial process
like mining, soil investigation must be
carried out. This result will help to
take necessary precautions and
measures to control any sort of
defect which might lead to soil
pollution.
7. Sustainable Practices: Overgrazing by
animals must be checked and prevented so
the particular area of land can regrow the
plants. Manure obtained from animal waste
must be utilized to regain nutrients of the
soil. More and more plants and trees must
be grown frequently.
Understanding the quality of soil environment: To
prevent and control soil erosion it is very
important that we understand the quality of the
soil environment, which can be done by
surveying the soil pollution. It is very important
and necessary that we strengthen the
information about the management of soil
frequently.
Management of agricultural lands and
performing organic farming: Improper
maintenance and poor use of agricultural lands
are one of the important reasons for soil pollution.
Loss of fertility is caused in agricultural land. Crop
rotation, protector belt, strip cropping, crop
residue, and many other activities can be
performed on the land to prevent soil pollution.
Recycling and reusing: Wastes must be
reused to reduce soil pollution, some of
the waste that must be reused could be
paper, plastics petroleum products,
glasses, and many more.
8. Unlike air or even water pollution, which are visible
through phenomenon such as smog or discolored
water, soil pollution is largely invisible. Unfortunately,
even unseen, soil pollution still has devastating effects
on the environment.
To make matters worse, soil pollution is contributed to
on a daily basis on both a large scale, through the
waste products of corporations, and on a smaller scale
with the improper use and disposal of chemicals in and
around the home. Luckily, by employing certain
measures, soil pollution can be reduced to help
protect the environment for the future.