2. Soil contamination
The fertile soil suitable for the cultivation of
cereals is a priceless treasure and the basis for
the existence of people living on Earth.
Unfortunately, intensive human economy can
destroy and contaminate soils, which means
that the world's arable land is shrinking by
about 1% each year. Restoring use value to
land is a difficult and lengthy process. Under
natural conditions, it takes 100–500 years to
produce 1 cm of soil.
Destruction of soils resulting in the
deterioration of their utility value and
reduction of production possibilities is
called soil degradation. The processes that
take place in the soil deteriorate its
physical (structural damage), chemical
(acidification, salinity or poisoning with
heavy metals) and biological properties
(reduction in the quantity and quality of
humus, loss of living organisms). As a
consequence, the natural fertility of the soil
decreases.
3. Types of soil
contamination and
degradation
The factors that degrade and devastate the
soil are natural phenomena - earthquakes,
erosion, drought, fires and phenomena
caused by human activity. Soil erosion is
the process of washing up or spreading the
surface layer of soil and can be caused,
among others, by deforestation and
burning, intensive grazing of animals,
incorrect cultivation of the land. Excessive
deforestation, intensive farming and water
exploitation can also lead to the stepping
effect of soil.
Soil is most affected by chemical pollution,
dust containing heavy metals (e.g. lead,
mercury), crude oil, road transport, and
industrial, urban, residential and road
construction.
4. Sources of man-made
soil contamination
The main sources of soil contamination are
caused by human activity by chemical and
radioactive substances. The main source of
these chemical soil contaminants are industry
and agriculture. The most common soil
contaminants are heavy metals (e.g. lead,
mercury, cadmium), nitrates and organic
compounds (e.g. pesticides, petroleum
substances).
Main sources of human-induced soil
contamination:
➔ industry dust and fumes (containing e.g.
heavy metals - lead, mercury, cadmium,
poisonous chemical compounds), heaps
➔ gases - carbon oxides and nitrogen
oxides
➔ too intensive fertilization, excessive use
of pesticides
➔ sewage and production waste
➔ hydrocarbons
➔ car exhaust fumes - nitrogen oxides,
carbon oxides
➔ wastewater (including detergents)
➔ household
➔ packaging
5. Effects of soil
contamination
➔ Salinity, inappropriate reaction
(alkalization or acidification),
accompanied by washing down the
profile of nutrients, especially
potassium.
➔ Deterioration of the soil structure -
overdrying or siltation.
➔ Decrease in soil fertility as a result of
changes in its physical, chemical and
microbiological properties.
➔ Negative impact of soil pollution on the
development of plants and organisms at
higher levels of the trophic chain (on
animals and humans).
Destruction of soils resulting in a
deterioration of their utility value and
reduction of production possibilities is called
soil degradation. The processes that take
place in the soil deteriorate its physical
(structural damage), chemical (acidification,
salinity or poisoning with heavy metals) and
biological properties (reduction in the
quantity and quality of humus, loss of living
organisms). As a consequence, the natural
fertility of the soil decreases.
Man is primarily responsible for soil
degradation, but also natural factors, such as
soil erosion, climate change (drought),
natural disasters (volcanic eruptions,
earthquakes).
6.
7. Methods of counteracting soil destruction
➔ limiting river regulation which lowers groundwater
➔ the use of appropriate crop rotation
➔ proper farming with the use of mainly natural fertilizers,
rational use of artificial fertilizers and plant protection
products
➔ proper distribution of agricultural land and forest
➔ cleaning of soil from toxic substances and deacidification of
acidified soils
➔ erosion prevention - melioration activities, mid-field forest
cover, reforestation of wastelands.
➔ the use of mineral waste materials that appear in the
extraction of various types of minerals
➔ municipal waste management by utilization and composting,
and wastewater treatment
➔ rational use of soils and protection against pollution
➔ limiting industrial sources of soil pollution - using modern
environmentally friendly technologies and proper
management of post-production waste
