Land/ Soil Pollution Flashcards
What is soil pollution?
presence of a chemical or substance out of place and/or present at a higher than normal concentration that has adverse effects on any non-targeted organism
it is estimated that _____ hectares of land globally are expected to be effected by soil pollution
22 million
Major pollutants in the soil?
1) heavy metals
2) nitrogen and phosphorus
3) pesticides
4) persistent organic pollutants (POC)
5) Radionuclides
6) emerging pollutants
ATHABASCA OIL SANDS, AB: talk about it
- Studies have found emission to the atmosphere of: NOx, SO2, PM, VOCs, CO, CO2 and other pollutants
- a variety of heavy metals including mercury, arsenic, lead and cadmium, are being released into the soil and the Athabasca River
- 3rd largest oil reserve in the world, after Venezuela and Saudi Arabia
what is “heavy metal” pollutant? and what can high levels of it cause?
group of metals of relatively high atomic mass (eg. Lead, Copper, Zinc)
- at high concentrations they can cause phytotoxicity and harm to human health
Pollutant in the soil: Source of heavy metal to soil:
- Paint (heavy metals are in the pigments of paints)
- Coal combustion (releases large amounts of lead and cadmium, responsible for 42% of US mercury emissions)
- Leaded gasoline (leaded gas is banned in most countries but it was estimated that 10 million tonnes of lead was transferred to the global environment because of leaded gasoline running vehicles)
- Mining and Smelting Activities
how would atmospheric emissions of mercury, lead and cadmium from a coal plant be a source of soil pollution?
- deposition directly on to land
- dissolving in a rain drop (rain drop delivers the heavy metals on to land)
What is the major problem associated with heavy metals?
some of the most persistent and complex pollutants to remove from the environment (because they are persistent, they bioaccumulate and biomagnify)
some old buildings in Toronto have walls covered with leaded paint. High concentrations of lead have been found in individuals who live in these buildings. Is this an example of bioaccumulation or biomagnification?
bioaccumulation - no reference of the food chain so it cant be biomagnification
once heavy metals are present in soil, they can be:
- taken up by plants
- Runoff into nearby aquatic systems and accumulate in fish
human health issues associated with heavy metals (mercury, lead, cadmium and arsenic)
mercury - insomnia, meteor loss, cognitive and motor dysfunction
lead - kidney and brain damage, nervous system damage, anemia
cadmium: kidney, bone and lung disease
arsenic - cancer and skin lesions, negative impacts on cognitive development
GRASSY NARROWS, ON: talk about it
- In 1962, the Dryden Chemical Company began operating a chlor-alkali plant in Dryden, Ontario
- The industrial effluent, which contained mercury, was discharged directly into the Wabigoon-English River System
- In 1970, extensive mercury contamination was discovered in the river system
- almost 90% of the Grassy Narrows community member suffer from mercury poisoning
Major pollutant in the soil: Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P)
primary sources of N and P
Runoff of fertilizers from agricultural fields
* Animal manure
* Sewage and wastewater
* Laundry detergents and soap
polychlorinated meaning?
many chlorines
