Pollution comes in many forms, and one form of pollution can often increase other forms, such as when

rain washes solid waste off the surface of the ground and into water. Soil pollution is a rather insidious form of contamination because of both the range of pollutants and the amount of remediation that the pollution can sometimes require. Definition Soil pollution is the contamination of soil with harmful substances that can adversely affect the quality of the soil and the health of those living on it. Pollution can be the result of an accident or carelessness, or done on purpose through illegal dumping. Pollution is also a by-product of activities as normal as driving or maintaining a farm. Waste Water Contamination Low cost, high performance Benchtop WDXRF elemental analysis www.rigaku.com Sponsored Links Waste Water Contamination Low cost, high performance Benchtop WDXRF elemental analysis www.rigaku.com Sponsored Links Process Soil pollution can result from contaminated water absorbing into the soil. Agricultural chemicals can coat the soil, and litter can work its way into the dirt. Pollutants in the air can settle on the ground, such as was the case in Tacoma, Washington, where the State of Washington Department of Ecology says airborne smelter pollutants fell to the ground and contaminated nearly 1,000 square miles. Polluted acid rain can end up in soil, too, and metal-contaminated dust on roads can wash into the soil as part of rain-induced runoff. The Food and Fertilizer Technology Center warns that heavy-metal contamination can not only reduce crop yields due to poor soil quality, but result in the crops absorbing the metals. Effects The effects of soil pollution reach across the spectrum from water and air to vegetation, and to human health and society as well. While the specific effects depend on the pollutant, in general they include further environmental contamination as the polluted soil washes into water or is kicked up into the air, and poisoning, such as from lead-tainted soil. The Environmental Protection Agency notes that children can end up accidentally ingesting polluted soil as they play in it. Superfund Sites The EPA began the Superfund program in 1980 to clean up contaminated sites. A Superfund site undergoes an extensive evaluation to determine the types of pollutants and the severity of the contamination, at which point the cleanup process is mapped out. The process does not end when the site is clean, though, as long-term strategies are then implemented to bring the site back to a usable condition. Considerations Another definition of soil pollution is when soil itself pollutes a stream or other body of water. The soil can ruin the habitats of aquatic creatures and block visibility for boaters,

which Maine's Bureau of Land and Water Quality says increases the risk of hitting an underwater obstacle. Soil particles in water affect drinking quality, even if the soil isn't otherwise polluted, and can injure fish. Vapor Mitigation low vacuum low flow horizontal remediation wells www.directionaltech.com Soil is a network of living organisms inhabiting a base of sand, clay, small stones and decayed organic matter. Soil pollution is a physical or chemical change to this earthy ecosystem which negatively effects the living organisms within it, including insects, fungi, bacteria and plants. Different types of soil pollution can result in short-term, or more permanent, impacts on the soil environment. Heavy Metal Pollution Roadways are one of the largest sources of heavy metal soil pollution, according to the Fairfax County, Virginia, Soil and Water Conservation District. Lead, zinc, copper, nickel, cadmium and other heavy metals are released from car brakes and exhaust onto roadways, then wash into adjacent soils during rains. While many of these heavy metals then become locked into the soil structure, acidic rainfall causes these metals to become soluble, moving through soil and into plant root systems, where they can kill the plants. Soluble heavy metals also move from polluted soils into water bodies, presenting a health danger to humans. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, lead also enters soils around homes from exterior lead-containing paints. Soils containing lead can present a health hazard when children dig in the dirt while playing, or when it is tracked indoors on shoes and children play on the floor. Vapor Mitigation low vacuum low flow horizontal remediation wells www.directionaltech.com Sponsored Links Vapor Mitigation low vacuum low flow horizontal remediation wells www.directionaltech.com Sponsored Links Petroleum Pollution Petroleum products such as gas and oil are one of the chief contaminants of soils, according to the University of Massachusetts Environmental Science 101 course materials. Petroleum pollution often enters soil through leaking underground storage tanks. Some types of petroleum contamination, like diesel oil, can be mitigated or eliminated by a bioremediation method called landfarming: Fertilizer and lime are repeatedly plowed through the polluted soil to encourage the growth of naturally occurring bacteria that can break down the petroleum hydrocarbons. Salinisation Soil salinisation is the increase of excessive amounts of water-soluble salts--sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, chloride, sulfate, carbonate and bicarbonate--in the soil. Excessive salinisation due to heavy irrigation of arid lands, especially with saline water, takes millions of hectares of land out of agricultural production and is a primary cause of desertification, reports the European Commission's Joint Research Centre Land

Management and Natural Hazards Unit. Soil salinisation caused by storm events, like a tsunami wave washing over the soil, may be temporary, as the salt will wash out with subsequent rainfall, the Land Management and Natural Hazards Unit advises. Reclamation of areas over-salinised by improper irrigation techniques may be possible albeit extremely expensive, if the soil is light and amenable to being flushed with fresh water; however, the damage to heavier soils is likely irreversible.

The aim of this special edition [Present condition of soil pollution and the Soil Contamination Countermeasures Law] Kouji Muraoka Department of Cultural Environment, Osaka Sangyo University Soil pollution is one of the seven types of pollution. The Soil Contamination Countermeasures Law, which is the last fundamental law for the measures on prevention of pollution, was enforced in 2002. However, the law on the control of soil pollution to agricultural lands went into effect in 1970. The Water Pollution Control Law, which is closely related to soil pollution, was also enacted in 1970. The environmental standards in soil were defined in 1991. Subsequently, after they were reviewed, the environmental standards on the 27 items were established. Why is the consolidation of the legal system over soil pollution only delayed? The answers to this question are detailed below. Certain areas of land are private properties, thus, it is quite difficult for the government to impose laws for the preservation of the quality of the soil, unlike in the case of the protection of water reserves and maintenance of clean air. In the case of pollution of a private land, the contamination is usually protracted because a public legal system cannot readily meddle in the affairs of the proprietors. A background factor of longstanding soil pollution, which has not been detected, has been present for a considerable time. Under these circumstances, the following reasons on the prompt institution of the legal system on soil contamination are deliberated. Plant relocation and the change in industrial structure as a new practical use of a previous plant site are becoming an increasing trend. The momentum on intensive land use of an urban area due to city redevelopment is rising. Consequently, soil pollution, especially in an urban area, has actualized one after another and the cases which indicate soil pollution have increased. In land dealings, the problem on determining the value of real estate situated in polluted land is also raised. Moreover, the expansion of groundwater monitoring has revealed widespread soil pollution. In addition to the recent large scale contamination, such as organic arsenic contamination at Kamisu City in Ibaragi, heavy metal contamination at Osaka Amenity Park in Osaka, the problem of ferrosilite refill materials over Mie, Aichi, and Gifu prefectures, the alarming cases of soil pollution are still observed all over Japan. If it is a fact that soil is polluted by social activity or the immediate living environment then public concern for human health will naturally rise. For instance, the Law

Concerning Special Measures Against Dioxin, which was enacted in 2002, has resulted in a mass awakening on the adverse effects of the chemical to ones health. The Soil Contamination Countermeasures Law came to be enacted only after a severe debate on the measures during the government council, such as how investigation should be conducted, at which level soil pollution should be authorized, what kind of technology should be used in order to ensure safety without hindering economic activity, or an action without affecting the activities of daily living of the residents. This law does not provide regulations for the prevention of contamination but it is the legislation for the removal or mitigitation of contamination which already exists in the soil. That is, the proactive action against soil contamination due to harmful substances, such as heavy metal, VOC, pesticides, and PCB is the law to regulate basic measures so as not to bring about health hazard. On the other hand, the regulation on Water Pollution Prevention Law, the law on treatment and cleaning of waste, and Clean Air Act have been discussed. The Soil Contamination Countermeasures Law consists of the following structures: i) investigation against current status of soil pollution, ii) definition and public announcement of designated lots, and iii) management of health risk. The cases of polluted soil have been revealed to be increasing as follows: 211 cases in 1999, 204 cases in 2000, and 273 cases in 2001. Among the number of cases examined based on the law, which includes completion, implementation, and discussion, 947 cases were recorded in October 2005 regarding the implementation of the measure. This result also indicates that the law is working favorably. The person who has to enforce the measure and to pay the burden of expenses is basically the person who caused the pollution, wherein in many cases cannot be precisely identified. Thus, the responsibility rests on the landowner. In this case, conflicts, such as who will actually spearhead the action, including the expenditures, or by what kind of technology will be employed based on the level of soil pollution, often occur. In order to solve the dilemma, the establishment of the following norms of judgment in the purification and environmental restoration is required. An assessment criterion to judge a state of pollution, in which the concerned parties can understand mutually, must be set up. A regulation system is always applied strictly. A countermeasure guideline, which the persons concerned can understand and follow, must be enacted. An investigation on the demonstration of technology is conducted and various applications using a relief model is promoted. A financial support measure, such as tax benefits and financing facility, is promoted further. However, even if the measure against such soil pollution is prepared, a healthy soil environment cannot be created without mutual understanding among residents, companies, environmental administrations, engineers, and researchers actually related to the specific land. Thus, understanding and constant efforts among the parties concerned as regards the following items are necessary. Understanding of the risks (health risk, risk of business management) of soil pollution Promotion of technology to prevent soil pollution, and examination of the feasibility of the application

 Execution of the principle of information disclosure, and solution of the problem by soil pollution risk communication Correspondence to new and potential soil pollution (oil contamination, etc.) ...................................... Action to Remediation of Soil contamination(1)?Heavy metals HIROEIWASAKI TAISEI CORPORATIONEcology Div. 1. Features of contamination The Soil Contamination Countermeasures Law specifies ten items of inorganic matter, for instance heavy metals as Second Class Specific Toxic Substance. Among these particular substances, cadmium, lead, chromium hexavalent, arsenic, mercury (including alkyl mercury), and selenium are examples of heavy metals. Fluoride, boron, and cyanogen are also considered heavy metals and are classified under the same group since the investigation technique applies to the remediation of soil polluted with such metals. When taking into account the contamination due to heavy metals, the migration of contaminants is a slow process as compared with volatile organic compounds. The heavy metals exist near the surface of the soil because they are easily adsorbed into the soil, as well. Moreover, in the case of a highly concentrated contamination, especially with relatively soluble substances, such as chromium hexavalent and cyanogen, the occurrence of rainfall is likely to expand the contamination into groundwater. 2. Technology for the measures against soil contamination due to heavy metals The measures against soil contaminated with heavy metals are classified into two general processes. 1) Purification is the process of separating polluted substances from the contaminated soil and allowing subsequent decomposition of the heavy metals. 2) Containment is a manner of isolating the contaminated soil from the environment and preventing the spread of the contamination from diffusion into nearby soil. (Table) In this paper, the soil purification process, which is classified as a purification measure, the insolubilization treatment, which is often performed prior to containment, and the cyanogen bioremediation, which has been studied recently, are outlined. Table Classification of Measure Methods for Soil Contamination by Heavy 2. 1 Soil washing The soil washing method separates the contaminants absorbed in the soil particles or soil pore by effecting the liquid phase of the soil using water or agents. The method is divided into two processes. 1) Soil flushing collects the pollutants by letting rinse water circulate in the ground. 2) Plant washing cleanses the excavated pollutants at the Washing Plant. The basic flow chart of plant washing is shown in Fig. 1. The excavated contaminated soil is mixed with rinse water and then placed in the washing equipment. After washing, the soil is separated into fine soil and coarse-grained soil, which contains the contaminants. The washed soil is utilized as in-site backfill soil. Meanwhile, the turbid water is dehydrated at the turbid water treatment plant. The effluent is recycled as

washing water. The dehydrated sewage is then disposed as waste off-site. The advantages of soil washing are the following. 1) The treatment of polluted soil takes comparatively a short time to complete. 2) The purification cost can be reduced because volume reduction of soil becomes possible. However, a difference in the treatment outcome may appear depending on the kind and form of contaminants, property of objective soil, or gradation distribution. Fig. 1 Flow chart of Soil Washing 2. 2 Insolubilization treatment Insolubilization treatment method chemically changes the contaminants into hardlysoluble substances by mixing with agents, and consequently stabilizes them. There are three different types of reaction agents for insolubilization as follows: 1) Sulfuration treatment agent forms a sulfide. 2) Reduction treatment agent creates insoluble salt by using a reduction reaction. 3) Treatment agent, which reacts with iron ion, develops insoluble matter, such as chlorination of iron. Recently, insolubilization of fluorine or boron has also been studied and applied to hardly-soluble substances. The insolubilization of fluorine causes immobilization of fluoride ion by using magnesia oxide fixation agents or Hydrotalcite-like adsorbent. To date, there are applied cases in the field concerning groundwater contamination. As regards the application to fluorine polluted soil, an insolubilization effect can be obtained with 5% combination ratio according to the verification test, which employed real polluted soil. Future utilization of the mentioned technique is expected. 2. 3 Bioremediation of the soil contaminated by cyanogen Cyanogen compounds are generally degraded by microbes. Therefore, application of certain microorganisms to polluted soil can be beneficial. This method incorporates nutrition salt and produces aeration into the excavated soil. The soil is agitated to allow biological decomposition to advance. In case of in-situ polluted soil, some microbes are capable of activating native cyanogen-decomposing bacillus by supplying oxygen with air parsing and adding nutrition salt, and afterward promoting decomposition of cyanogen. (Fig. 2) Fig. 2 Bioremediation of cyanide contamination 3. Future purification of contaminated soil due to heavy metals In Japan, the presence of soil contamination due to heavy metals is often revealed when conducting assessment of real estate or redevelopment of land areas. Therefore, in most cases, prompt measures are required. Consequently, what usually happens is that contaminated soil is excavated and at a different place without rendering the appropriate measure to treat and prevent further spread of the contamination. Disposal at a different place is a reliable action, which requires only a short time. However, this only means the replacement of the contaminated soil and is not a fundamental solution to the problem. Hereafter, it is important to select the methods of purification and containment of the

pollution according to the extent of application or the degree of adverse effects of the method based on the assessment of the risk of the contaminated land. The eradication of soil contamination due to heavy metals will likely be a big contribution to the advancement in the field of purification technology for soil contamination.

Pesticides and Pollution

- the link is clear

Pesticides and pollution are linked - but how exactly?

What are the effects of pesticides? How do they cause pollution? How big a problem is pollution from pesticides? Who does it affect and how? And what can we personally do about it? Here are a few pointers. How widespread is the problem? Pesticides are a cause of pollution, affecting land and water in particular. The problem is huge and growing.

Picture: Rivers and other water sources may be affected by pesticides

In the US pesticides pollution has been found in nearly every lake, river and stream, according to a US Geological Survey in the 1990s. Other nations are affected badly, too. Pesticides cause pollution by running off agricultural fields and from horticultural land and domestic gardens, too. Rain water washes the chemicals into nearby water sources.

Here are some of the bad effects of pesticides. Pesticides and pollution of the soil First, pesticides affect soil quality. Pesticides decrease biodiversity in the soil because they do not just kill the intended pest; they often kill many of the other small organisms present.

When life in the soil is killed off, the soil quality deteriorates and this has a knock-on effect upon the retention of water. This is a problem for farmers particularly in times of drought. At such times, organic farms have been found to have yields 20-40% higher than conventional farms. Soil fertility is affected in other ways, too. When pesticides kill off most of the active soil organisms, the complex interactions which result in good fertility break down. Plants depend on millions of bacteria and fungi to bring nutrients to their rootlets. When these cycles are disrupted plants become more dependent upon exact doses of chemical fertilisers at regular intervals. Even so, the fantastically rich interactions in healthy soil cannot be fully replicated by the farmer with chemicals. See here for more on the benefits of growing food organically So the soil - and our nutrition - is compromised. We get large but watery vegetables and fruits, which often lack taste and nutrients and may even contain pesticide residues. One of the best books ever written on pesticides and the damage they cause is Silent Spring by Rachel Carson. It is about the systematic poisoning of the American landscape by pesticides in the 1940s and 1950s. Modern pesticide pollution is perhaps not quite so devastating as that revealed in this influential book - but it is worth reading for the cautionary tale - and because it explains how business interests were put ahead of the common good.

Pesticides and pollution Harmful pesticid Harmful pesticides and wildlife Pesticides have other bad effects on the eco-system. The misuse of pesticides can cause valuable pollinators such as bees and hover-flies to be killed and this in turn can badly affect food crops. Bees have been suffering a serious decline in recent years for reasons which are not yet clear (but pesticides are thought to be implicated). We interfere with our allies in the natural world at our peril. Without

bees, many food crops would simply fail to grow; they pollinate the plants so that they can produce fruits and grains. See missing bees for more about the crisis affecting bees worldwide. There are fears (and some evidence) that through natural selection, some pests may eventually become quite resistant to pesticides. Farmers may then try increasing amounts used of pesticides, making the problem worse. Many pesticides contain chemicals which are persistent soil contaminants. Their effects may last for years. Amphibians such as frogs are particularly vulnerable to concentrations of pesticides in their habitat. Atrazine, one of the world's most popular weedkillers, has been found to feminize frogs, leading to sterility in males. It is still in use in the US, with about 80 million pounds being applied annually, but has been banned in the EU countries since 2004. It may also affect male fertility in humans and is a known endocrine disruptor. This is a fairly typical example of pesticides and pollution which results, affecting the lives of people and wildlife alike. Because of the profits to be made most companies are slow to accept responsibility and the problem is hidden by the use of numerous trade names for the one chemical. See this Care2 article for more on this weedkiller. Pesticides and human health Pesticides can also endanger workers during production, transportation, or during and after use. Bystanders may also be affected at times, for example walkers using public rights of way on adjacent land or families whose homes are close by crop spraying activities. One of the main hazards of pesticide use is to farm workers and gardeners. A recent study by the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, discovered a 70% increase in the risk of developing Parkinsons disease for people exposed to even low levels of pesticides.

The effects of pesticides upon children Pesticides and pollution Children are particularly vulnerable to the toxic effects of pesticides. Studies have found higher rates of brain cancer, leukaemia and birth defects in children who suffered early exposure to pesticides. (National Resources Defence Council study)

See below for an example of OPs affecting school children.

Diet as a source of exposure Pesticides and pollution The main source of exposure to pesticides for most people is through diet. A study in 2006 measured organophosphorus levels in 23 school children before and after changing their diet to organic food. The levels of organophosphorus exposure dropped immediately and dramatically when the children began the organic diet. Residues, set by governments, are limited to tolerance levels that are considered safe, based on average daily consumption of these foods by adults and children. But, as we all know, some people do not behave as average! For example, when I used to work in a college, there were students who regularly consumed 6 or 7 packs of crisps in a day. And toddlers are notorious for becoming obsessed with one or two foods only. At best, tolerance levels are only an educated guess as to what residue levels we might be able to get away with! As the evidence about the toxicity of some pesticides becomes clearer, tolerance levels are being reduced by many governments. What can we do about pesticides and pollution? Pesticides and pollution Most modern pesticides are carefully regulated by law in most countries. In the US the EPA conducts studies and licenses pesticides for use. However, they cannot actually control what happens when a particular farmer opens a particular product. We depend upon the farmer to read the label and follow the guidelines to the letter. Accidents will and do happen. Some pesticides are so toxic that their use is restricted to licensed, trained applicators. In the US it is a violation to apply any pesticide in any way that is not in accordance with the label for that pesticide. Further, it is a crime to do so intentionally. In most counties pesticides are classified according to their toxicity. Most acute pesticide poisonings result from disregarding the label directions. If you must use toxic pesticides at all (and there are usually safer alternatives) - then the most important advice is: Read the label! - and then follow the instructions to the letter. Apart from political action, anyone who is concerned about the toxic effects of pesticides should try to eat organic food whenever possible. Organic foods are grown without toxic pesticides for the most part.

If you are growing food or flowers and other plants at home, consider doing everything by organic methods. There are many strategies available to organic gardeners to avoid attacks by pests. The toxic effects of pesticides on our foods and our land and the effects on our health and the health of our children make it an issue which is sure to become more and more crucial.