Soil pollution or contamination occurs when soil changes its structure and chemical, physical, and biological properties. But, what are the effects of soil pollution? These changes may be caused by natural phenomena or human activities. Soil pollution will have serious effects on plants, animals, and humans in different ways.
Causes of Soil Pollution
Causes of soil pollution fall under two categories- natural and anthropogenic.
Natural Causes of Soil Pollution
There are various natural contaminants in the soil. When their concentration becomes higher or exceeds the natural levels, they cause soil pollution. The imbalance caused by their excess deposition or when leached away results in such pollution. Acid rain, floods, storms, tsunamis, etc, can cause this condition.
Anthropogenic Causes
Anthropogenic causes include the pollution caused by human activities, deliberate or accidental. Some of them are mentioned below.
Oxide Deposition
Oxides of sulphur, nitrogen, fluorides, chlorine, etc, result from fossil fuel combustion in vehicles. They come down to earth in dry form as deposits or as acid rain. They contaminate the soil to make it more acidic.
Pesticides
Pesticides used for agricultural crops pollute the soil. These chemicals cause an imbalance in the soil profile and can have long-term negative effects on plants.
Sewage Matter
Releasing sewage matter causes the emission of toxic substances during their decomposition. It increases heavy metal toxicity in soil. Excessive use of chemical fertilisers could also cause the same effect, as many of them contain heavy metals in varying quantities.
Industrial Effluents
Industrial effluents affect soil characteristics such as pH, mineral structure, etc. It will later cause physical changes, especially due to solid waste. Moreover, they may leach into the groundwater, polluting it as well.
Nuclear Activities
Nuclear activities across the globe release their radioactive waste of Iodine-131, uranium, neptunium, etc, into soil and water.
What are the Effects of Soil Pollution?
Health problems in humans
Plants that grow in polluted water absorb many pollutants and pass them on to humans via food. Such pollutants can be harmful to our health. Many such pollutants are carcinogenic. Other health problems include depression, headaches, nausea, fatigue, eye irritation, and skin rashes. Exposure to mercury affects the kidneys and liver. In children, these heavy metals can cause brain damage and neurological problems.
On Other Organisms
Soil pollution can affect the metabolisms of microbes and other insects, affecting their predators. Smaller life forms that ingest the pollutants in the soil pass them up the food chain, leading to the death of those animals, sometimes to their extinction.
Environmental Pollution
- Volatile compounds from contaminated soil contribute to air pollution. The more toxic the compounds are, the worse their effects on air quality.
- Sulfur dioxide from fossil fuels is another cause for soil contamination. It makes the soil acidic, making it unsuitable for microbes.
- Fungi and bacteria that help bind the soil together are affected, which can cause soil erosion.
On Plant Growth
- Soil pollution alters plant metabolism and reduces their nutrient absorption ability. It will hurt photosynthesis, interfering with their growth.
- Pollution can increase the salinity of the soil, making it barren and unsuitable for plants. Crops growing in such conditions can be toxic.
- Crops growing in acidic soil cannot withstand the pH level changes in the atmosphere. Such crops may die under such inhospitable conditions.
Groundwater contamination
Soil pollution can also contaminate the groundwater, the main source of drinking water. As groundwater is collected underneath layers of soil, any amount of toxin present in the soil can seep through and pollute it. Long-term consumption of polluted water can have severe consequences.
References
- https://www.nextias.com/blog/soil-pollution/
- https://www.envirourgence.com/en/blog/effects-of-soil-pollution/
- Münzel, T., Hahad, O., Daiber, A., & Landrigan, P. J. (2022). Soil and water pollution and human health: What should cardiologists worry about? Cardiovascular Research, 119(2), 440. https://doi.org/10.1093/cvr/cvac082
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