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Soil contamination, soil pollution, or land pollution as a part of land degradation is caused by the presence of xenobiotic (human-made) chemicals or other alteration in the natural soil environment. It is typically caused by industrial activity, agricultural chemicals or improper disposal of waste .
The soil and rock removed is deposited in nearby valleys, hollows and depressions, resulting in blocked (and contaminated) waterways. [10] [11] Removal of soil and rock overburden covering the coal resource may cause burial and loss of topsoil, exposes parent material, and creates large infertile wastelands.
Numerous regulations and use of pollution controls are enforced to prevent such releases. [citation needed] Some sources of phosphate in fertilizers contain cadmium in amounts of up to 100 mg/kg, [9] [10] which can lead to an increase in the concentration of cadmium in soil (for example in New Zealand). [11]
Lead exposure can occur from contact with lead in air, household dust, soil, water, and commercial products. [25] Leaded gasoline has also been linked to increases in lead pollution. [99] [100] Some research has suggested a link between leaded gasoline and crime rates. [101] [102] Man-made lead pollution has been elevated in the air for the ...
Transport through soil can be facilitated by the presence of preferential flow paths (macropores) and dissolved organic compounds. [31] Plants are exposed to toxic metals through the uptake of water; animals eat these plants; ingestion of plant- and animal-based foods are the largest sources of toxic metals in humans. [ 32 ]
Land consumption as part of human resource consumption is the conversion of land with healthy soil and intact habitats into areas for industrial agriculture, traffic (road building) and especially urban human settlements. More formally, the EEA [1] has identified three land consuming activities: The expansion of built-up area which can be ...
Soil particles picked up during wind erosion of soil are a major source of air pollution, in the form of airborne particulates—"dust". These airborne soil particles are often contaminated with toxic chemicals such as pesticides or petroleum fuels, posing ecological and public health hazards when they later land, or are inhaled/ingested.
Uranium is a naturally occurring element found at low levels within all rock, soil, and water. This is the highest-numbered element to be found naturally in significant quantities on Earth. According to the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation the normal concentration of uranium in soil is 300 μg/kg to 11.7 mg/kg.