Soil

(Pollution and Conservation)

• Aditya Roychowdhury - 23
• Aditya Narayan Roy
• Masum Rahman
• Eshaan Nandi
 Soil
• Soil is the mixture of minerals, organic matter, gases, liquids, and the
countless organisms that together support life on earth. Soil is a natural body
which performs four important functions: it is a medium for plant growth, it is
a means of water storage, supply and purification, it is a modifier of
the atmosphere of the earth, it is a habitat for organisms all of which, in turn,
modify the soil.
• Soil is a very important natural resource and a gift from mother earth. It is
capable of supporting life on earth. Soil forms a a very thin layer on the
earth’s surface ranging from a few millimeters to three to four metres. It is in
this layer of soil that the minerals are produced and held along with air and
water. These nutrients nourish the plants and support their growth. Plants
provide food to all living organisms through different food chains. Soil is the
home to many living organisms.
 Soil Formation
The process of soil formation takes thousands of years.
• Big pieces of parent rock crack and breakdown due to the action
of natural forces like sun, rain, wind, variations in day and night
temperatures etc.. This is called weathering.
• Weathering breaks down big pieces of rocks into smaller pieces.
This process continues for thousands of years.
• Large rock pieces break into fine soil particles that form the upper
layer. Dead remains of plants and animals form the humus, the
fertile part of soil. Minerals in the soil form the inorganic matter. It
is taken up by plants for their healthy growth.
 Soil Pollution
• Soil pollution is the presence of toxic
chemicals (pollutants or contaminants) in
soil in high enough concentrations to be of
risk to human health and/or ecosystem.
Additionally, even when the levels of
contaminants in soil are not of risk, soil
pollution may occur simply due to the fact
that the levels of the contaminants in soil
exceed the levels that are naturally present
in soil (in the case of contaminants which
occur naturally in soil). Pesticides and
herbicides (and other farming chemicals)
often end up contamination soils. Direct
discharge of wastewater by industries can
also cause that. Leakages in sewage
systems, underground storage tanks and
leaching of soluble substances from
landfills can also result in contamination.
Rainwater or floods from other polluted
lands and water bodies spread
contaminants to soils in other locations.
• Soil pollution comprises the pollution of soils with
materials, mostly chemicals, that are out of place or
are present at concentrations higher than normal
which may have adverse effects on humans or other
organisms. However, soil pollution is also caused by
means other than the direct addition of man-made
chemicals such as agricultural runoff waters, industrial
waste materials, acidic precipitates, and radioactive
fallout. Soil pollution can lead to water pollution if toxic
chemicals leach into groundwater, or if contaminated
runoff reaches streams, lakes, or oceans.
• Soil also naturally contributes to air
pollution by releasing volatile
compounds into the atmosphere. The
decomposition of organic materials in
soil can release sulphur dioxide and
other sulphur compounds, causing acid
rain. Heavy metals and other potentially
toxic elements are the most serious soil
pollutants in sewage. In addition,
chemicals that are not water soluble
contaminate plants that grow on
polluted soils, and they also tend to
accumulate increasingly toward the top
of the food chain. The banning of the
pesticide DDT resulted from its
tendency to become more and more
concentrated as it moved from soil to
worms or fish, and then to birds and
their eggs and further through the food
chain.
 Ways to prevent Soil Pollution
• Get a better understanding of the soil environment
quality baseline
• Develop necessary legislation on soil pollution control
• Proper management of agricultural land and the
practice of organic farming.
• Proper Solid Waste Treatment
• Ensure proper investigation of reclaimed land
• Strictly control the pollution of new soil
• Strengthen policies that manage pollution sources
• Transfer treatment and remediation costs to polluting
companies
• Embrace technological research and development
• Promote objective assessment and accountability
among all stakeholders
 OUR SINCERE THANKS TO

THE CBSE BOARD

FOR THE INCLUSION OF THISWONDERFUL PROJECT

DR. A CHAKROBARTY

And

https://www.google.co.in

For the Pictures the Information