The Chemicals in Soil Pollution

Lead

• The chemical makeup of lead is one that is hazardous to children, adults, pets and even unborn babies. The manufacture of many lead-based products has long fallen out of favor, but it is still one of the most toxic of all soil pollutants.

  Substances from paints and glazes to gasoline have been manufactured using lead, and it can still be found in toxic levels around the home. Children and pets that play outside can be at particular risk of developing complications from lead-based soil pollution, including hearing problems and headaches, which can soon escalate into brain damage or learning difficulties if exposure in continued. Even children who are not exposed directly to polluted soil can still suffer from lead poisoning if dirt is tracked into the home by pets or adults.

Fertilizers

• The improper application of fertilizers is a source of a number of chemicals that can quickly turn from beneficial to soil pollutants. Nitrogen and phosphorus are two of the macronutrients needed for plant growth. Both the organic and inorganic chemical versions of these nutrients decay slowly once they enter the soil; applying too much fertilizer or putting it on too often can result in a buildup of chemical pollutants.

  High phosphorus content in the soil can result in runoff with a dangerous level of toxicity. An abundance of this nutrient often causes algae and other weeds to grow out of control, which can throw off the balance of an ecosystem. Nitrogen, including ammonium nitrate and calcium nitrate chemical compounds, is held in soil where it often ends up traveling into and polluting groundwater.

Pesticides

• At first glance, the chemicals in pesticides may be preferable to the insects that these sprays and powders combat, but improperly using these control methods can quickly escalate lawn and garden problems into soil pollution. Pesticides contain a myriad of chemicals, all of which can easily build up in the soil and cause illness to those who ingest it; some of these chemicals have even been linked to cancer. These chemicals--with names like tetrachlorvinphos, dimethoate, diazinon and phosmet--are particularly dangerous to children who may be expose to freshly applied pesticides.

  There are a number of these chemicals--including the aforementioned diazinon--that have been banned by various governments because of their toxicity and ability to not only kill pests but to leach into and contaminate soil and groundwater.

Mercury

• Mercury, like lead, was once thought to be a safe chemical and was used in the manufacture of a number of different products. Once the danger was discovered, this manufacture was halted; however, there are still a number of products out there that contain mercury, making this another of the most common soil pollutants.

  Mercury is often released by the burning of coal, and then leaches into the soil when turned from air pollution to soil pollution by the rain. Exposure to mercury can result in kidney malfunction, high blood pressure and discolored, dying skin that will peel away when the contamination reaches high levels.