Currently there are many types of soil pollution, beyond simply throwing waste on the streets or green areas. If you want to know everything about this topic and learn how to solve it, we invite you to continue reading this interesting article where we will present the various causes, consequences and the main types of contamination that soils present.
Types of Soil Contamination
Soil contamination can be roughly divided into two categories. The first of these is natural contamination, which is where some contaminants naturally accumulate in the soil. This may occur due to the different deposition of the soil by the atmosphere. Again, it can be pointed out that another way this type of soil contamination can occur is by transporting soil contaminants with rainwater.
An example of natural soil contamination is the accumulation of compounds containing the perchlorate anion in some arid and semi-arid ecosystems. It is important to note that some contaminants can be naturally occurring in the soil under certain environmental conditions. To explain this, it can be mentioned as an example that perchlorates containing chlorine and certain metals can be formed in the soil during a storm.
Another type of soil contamination is anthropogenic, which groups together all types of human activity that can lead to this situation. Among which we can mention cases such as the demolition of old buildings that may involve the contamination of the nearby soil with asbestos; the use of lead-based paint during construction activities due to dangerous concentrations of lead; Gasoline and diesel leaks during transportation can contaminate the soil with the hydrocarbons found in the oil.
Of course, this type of soil contamination also encompasses activities associated with metal smelting and underground mining activities, which can lead to heavy metal contamination of the soil; improper disposal of highly toxic chemical or industrial waste, such as storage in landfills, can even contaminate groundwater; In addition, chemical pesticides contain various hazardous substances that, when used excessively and ineffectively, can cause soil contamination.
Causes that originate Soil Contamination
It is important to understand that all soils contain compounds that are harmful to humans and other living organisms. However, the concentration of such substances in uncontaminated soils is so low that they do not pose a threat. When the concentration of the substances is high enough to harm living organisms, the soil is said to be contaminated. For this reason, the causes that originate the types of soil contamination are: terrestrial agriculture with inadequate use of pesticides; industrial activity; and finally, mismanagement or ineffective disposal of waste.
However, it can also be said that some of the most dangerous soil contaminants are xenophobic substances, which are substances that are not naturally found in nature and are synthesized by humans. One of these elements is the presence of heavy metals in the soil that can make it very toxic to humans. Another xenophobe is polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are produced with the transformation of carbon and affect the earth and the air thanks to cars, cigarettes and oil extraction.
In addition, industrial waste such as chlorinated industrial solvents, dioxins produced in the manufacture of pesticides and waste incineration, plasticizers and PCB plastics are dumped into the ground. The petroleum industry, in turn, produces a large amount of petroleum hydrocarbon waste. Some of these wastes, such as benzene and methylbenzene, are known to be carcinogenic. On the other hand, pesticides used to kill or inhibit the growth of pests are also considered, distinguishing three types: herbicides, insecticides and fungicides.
Consequences of Pollution
All types of soil contamination generate negative consequences that affect all living beings and the ecosystem as a whole. All of these contaminants can exist in all three phases (solid, liquid, and gas). Therefore, these can enter the human body through various channels, such as direct contact with the skin or inhalation of dust from contaminated soil. Short-term effects of human exposure to contaminated soil include headache, nausea, vomiting, cough, chest pain, wheezing, as well as skin and eye irritation, and even fatigue and weakness.
However, prolonged exposure to high levels of lead can cause permanent damage to the nervous system. In addition, it can cause CNS depression, damage vital organs such as the kidney and liver, and supposedly increase the risk of developing cancer. It should be noted that many soil contaminants, such as petroleum hydrocarbons and industrial solvents, have been linked to inborn disorders in humans. Therefore, soil contamination can have several negative effects on human health.
In fact, humans are not the only ones affected, plants and animals are also affected. Since soil damage is often accompanied by a decrease in nutrient availability, plant life stops thriving because, for example, soils contaminated with inorganic aluminum can be toxic to plants. Additionally, this type of pollution often increases the salinity of the soil, making it inhospitable to the growth of plant life.
In the case of the environment, since volatile causal agents can be carried into the atmosphere by winds or can seep into groundwater reserves, the impact directly contributes to others such as air and water. It even causes the creation of acid rain. For their part, acid soils are inhospitable to various microorganisms that improve the soil structure and help break down organic matter. Furthermore, plant yields are strongly affected by this form of contamination.
Soil Contamination Solutions
Various technologies have been developed to address soil remediation. Some important strategies followed for soil remediation could be the excavation and subsequent transportation of contaminated soil to remote and uninhabited places. Also the elimination of contaminants through thermal sanitation, that is, the temperature is increased so that the contaminants turn into steam, and then they are collected. In addition, there is the recovery that uses microorganisms and plants to decontaminate.
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