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Soil pollution - Coggle Diagram
Soil pollution
Causes
Man-made causes
Large variety of contaminants or chemicals
Caused by the improper disposal of waste coming from industrial or urban sources, industrial activities, and agricultural pesticides.
Sources
Industry
Steel, pesticides, textiles, glass, cement, petroleum, etc. are produced by different industries. All these wastes can leech to the soil, producing pollution.
Urban sources
The presence of landfills and improper waste disposal can cause soil pollution, chemicals from different waste products can leech to the soil and cause pollution.
Agricultural practices
The soil of the crops is polluted to a large extent with pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides, slurry, debris, and manure.
Radioactive substances
Radium and uranium (amongst others) can infiltrate the soil and create toxic effects if they’re not properly disposed.
Natural causes
Rarely
Consequences
Human health
Either through direct contact or via inhalation of soil contaminants which have vaporized
Infiltration of soil contamination into groundwater aquifers
Chronic exposure can be cancirogenic
It can vary depending on the type, pathway of attack and vulnerability of the exposed population
At sufficient dosages a large number of soil contaminants can cause death by exposure via direct contact, inhalation or ingestion of contaminants in groundwater contaminated through soil.
Environment
Radical changes in the chemical composition of soil can change the metabolism of endemic microorganisms and anthropods
Changes in food webs/chains
Alter plant metabolism causing a reduction in crop yields
Definition
The presence of toxic chemicals (pollutants) in soil, these pollutants are found in such high concentrations that they can cause a risk to human health or the environment
Compounds
Contaminants from which soil is made of
Formed through soil microbial activity and organism's decomposition
Metals, inorganic ions and salts, and many organic compounds
When they exceed natural levels, pollution is generated