1. LAND POLLUTION

3. INTRODUCTION
The progress of civilization and rapid industrialization results danger to soil pollution (or) land pollution.
The word soil is derived from a latin word solum, which means earthy material in which plants grow.
Soil is one of the most significant ecological factors.
Plants depend for their nutrients, water and minerals.
The chemical industrial effluents disposed on soil cause land pollution.
Disposal of solid waste on land also cause land pollution.

4. SOURCE OF LAND POLLUTION
Land pollution is mainly due to the following sources.
Industrial wastes
Urban wastes (municipal waste)
Agricultural practices
Radioactive pollutants

5. INDUSTRIAL WASTE
It has been estimated that about 50% of the raw materials ultimately become waste products, and about 20% of these wastes are extremely deleterious.
Disposal of industrial waste on land is the major cause for land pollution.
The industrial pollutants are mainly discharged from paper mills, chemical industries, sugar factory, tanneries, textile etc.,
Industrial sludges are more dangerous than industrial solid wastes.

6. URBAN WASTES
Urban wastes includes both commercial and domestic wastes.
All the urban solid wastes are commonly referred to “refuse” urban domestic waste disposed of separately solid wastes and refuse in urban area causes soil pollution.
Usually the refuse contains garbage, rubbish, materials like glasses, paper plastics, etc.

7. Cont.,,
Disposing solid waste on land and applying treated sewage effluent are the main sources of land pollution due to urban waste.
Use of non-biodegradable materials like plastic products plastic bags, cups, etc remain in soil for long time and cause pollution and also intercept the percolation of rain water into soil.

8. AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES
Modern agricultural practices pollute the soil to the maximum extent.
Today with advanced agro-technology huge quantities of fertilizers, pesticides, soil conditioning agents are used to increase crop yield.
Some of the agents causes land pollution are as follows.
Fertilizers
Pesticides
Soil conditioners
Farm wastes

9. Fertilizers
Pollution problems arise mainly from their excessive application rates.
When the fertilizers are contaminated with other synthetic organic pollutants, the water present in the soil also get polluted.

10. Pesticides
Different kinds of pesticides used to control pests are causing land pollution.

11. Soil conditioners
In addition to the fertilizer and pesticides soil conditioners are also used to protect the soil fertility and to kill hazardous insects.
These chemical agent causes land pollution.

12. Farm wastes
Increasing population of cows, cattles, pigs, and poultries have resulted soil pollution.
The animal wastes contain several pathogenic bacteria and viruses which effects in the soil texture.

13. EFFECT OF LAND POLLUTION

14. Effect of industrial pollutants (Wastes):
Long application of industrial and sewage wastes high BOD may cause the land completely infertile.
Suspended matter is injurious to the fertility by clogging its pores and reducing the permeability. It also reduces the aeration in the root zone of plants.
The high salt content of industrial waster water result in increasing of total solt concentration in land.
The change of pH of the soil may affect the growth of plants.

15. Effects of urban waste products
Several million tonnes of waste is dumped along highways and other places.
Solid waste results in offensive odor and cause clogging of ground water filters.
Sewage is an excellent medium for the growth of bacteria and virus. Sewage is a common pollutant of the soil.

16. Effects of modern agricultural practices
Excessive application of fertilizer cannot support microbial flora.
Nitrate poisoning due to the consumption of vegetation growth in nitrate rich soil.
Fertilizers get contaminated with other synthetic organic chemicals these by polluting the soil water.
Pesticides like D.D.T seep gradually through soil into ground water.

17. Effects of radio active pollutants
Radiation actually affects the soil and soil fertility.
The radioactive volatile materials when released into the air, they can settle on land, its activity is transferred to the soil.
The radioactive wastes dumped into the soil is more complicated, because they remain in soil for thousands of years.

18. Prevention of land pollution
Septic tanks for the treatment of domestic sewage (proper sewage disposal)
Treatment and is disposal of industrial effluents (proper disposal of industrial waste water.)
Modern disposal methods for the application of waste on land. (integrated planning of land use)
Separation of each waste for recycling.

19. Cont., The pesticides in the soil can be degraded
Pesticide use should be regulated.
The use of synthetic insecticides should be avoided
Replacing chemical fertilizers by bacterial fertilizers like compost manure.
The industrial effluent should follow the standards for disposal on land.
Industrial effluent can be reduced, and recycled instead of dumping on land.
Only the depressed land should be used for land filling
Garbage can be used to produce electricity.

20. The End