One of the consequences of the increase of industrial activity is high contamination of the soil cover. The main contaminants of soil are metals and their compounds, radioactive elements, as well as fertilizers and pesticides used in agriculture.
General classification of soil contamination
- Waste, emissions, dumps, slop rock.
- Solid and liquid substances that are not too harmful to the human body contaminate the soil surface and hinder the growth of plants in this area.
- Heavy metals are a significantly hazardous to humans and other living organisms. They have high toxicity and ability to accumulate into the body.
- Pesticides. Nowadays these chemicals are widely used as pest control of crops, so they may be in the soil in significant quantities. Their harmfulness for animals and humans are closer to the previous group. Pesticides have harmful effect on soil microflora: bacteria, actinomycetes, fungi, algae.
- Mycotoxins. These contaminants are not anthropogenic because they are emitted by some fungi. However micotoxins have the same toxicity as the listed soil contaminants.
- Radioactive substances.
More detailed information on this subject is presented in Russian