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Questions and Answers
Soil contamination can be emitted onto soil through the atmosphere in the form of wet and dry deposition by precipitation and wind. One typical method is the emission of __________ from smelters.
Soil contamination can be emitted onto soil through the atmosphere in the form of wet and dry deposition by precipitation and wind. One typical method is the emission of __________ from smelters.
metals
Which of the following contaminants can pollute soil via atmosphere?
Which of the following contaminants can pollute soil via atmosphere?
Wind and water erosion are types of soil contamination.
Wind and water erosion are types of soil contamination.
False
What is the main source of drinking water that needs protection from contaminants?
What is the main source of drinking water that needs protection from contaminants?
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What is the title of the EC Technical Report published in 2007 focusing on the evaluation of soil protection aspects in certain programs of measures adopted by Member States?
What is the title of the EC Technical Report published in 2007 focusing on the evaluation of soil protection aspects in certain programs of measures adopted by Member States?
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Which organization published the document 'Progress in management of contaminated sites (CSI 015) – Assessment' in 2007?
Which organization published the document 'Progress in management of contaminated sites (CSI 015) – Assessment' in 2007?
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The document 'Overview of economic activities causing soil contamination in some WCE and SEE countries' was published by ENEA in 2012.
The document 'Overview of economic activities causing soil contamination in some WCE and SEE countries' was published by ENEA in 2012.
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What happens when the precipitation rate exceeds the infiltration rate of the soil?
What happens when the precipitation rate exceeds the infiltration rate of the soil?
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Soil sealing is the process of covering the soil surface with impervious materials.
Soil sealing is the process of covering the soil surface with impervious materials.
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What are the main pollutants of contaminated land?
What are the main pollutants of contaminated land?
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What process alters soil properties such as porosity and permeability when pressure is applied to the soil surface?
What process alters soil properties such as porosity and permeability when pressure is applied to the soil surface?
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Acidification of soil is a process by which the ? of the soil continuously decreases.
Acidification of soil is a process by which the ? of the soil continuously decreases.
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Soil is the main compartment of land.
Soil is the main compartment of land.
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Match the following soil deterioration processes with their descriptions:
Match the following soil deterioration processes with their descriptions:
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What was the first much publicized scandalous case in the US related to contaminated land?
What was the first much publicized scandalous case in the US related to contaminated land?
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The town of Times Beach, Missouri hired a waste hauler to spray oil on the roads in order to prevent the dusting of dirt roads. This led to the contamination of the town with ____________.
The town of Times Beach, Missouri hired a waste hauler to spray oil on the roads in order to prevent the dusting of dirt roads. This led to the contamination of the town with ____________.
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Match the following pollutants with their sources:
Match the following pollutants with their sources:
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Study Notes
Abandoned and Contaminated Land
- The main pollutants of contaminated land are industry, mining, waste disposal, and agriculture.
- Contaminated land from the past is mainly "industrially" contaminated and has caused serious damage to the environment and human health.
Deteriorated Land and Contaminated Soil
- Land is a three-dimensional entity that includes terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems as well as environmental compartments (soil, subsurface waters, surface waters, and sediment).
- A site is a certain area of the land defined by its owner and its use function.
- Contaminated land and contaminated site are often used as synonyms, assuming that the owner has been identified.
- Soil is the main compartment of land, including topsoil, subsurface layers, basic rock, and groundwater.
Contaminated Land
- In the early management of contaminated land, priority was attributed to human health risk, and not to the value of the soil itself.
- Risk management and risk reduction aimed at reducing access by humans and used dig and dump, thermal oxidation (burning), or chemical clean-up methods, which did not consider soil as a habitat of living organisms.
Notorious Cases of Contamination
- Love Canal, near Niagara Falls, was a contaminated site where hazardous chemical waste disposal caused catastrophic contamination.
- Times Beach, Missouri, was another infamous case of contamination where a waste hauler sprayed oil containing dioxin on the roads, resulting in the death of 62 horses and the evacuation of the town.
Mining and Metal Processing
- Mining and metal processing have a huge environmental impact due to contamination via atmosphere, surface water system, and direct emission from transport and waste disposal.
- Soil contamination from metal ore and bauxite mining is a significant issue.
Agricultural Storage and Processing
- Agricultural storage and processing, as well as chemicals added directly to soil (fertilizers, pesticides, wastes), intensively contaminate soils used for food and animal feed production.
Soil Valuation and Microbial Community
- Soil has been improperly valued for several years, and our knowledge about soil contamination was scarce.
- The microbial community of soil is extremely active, flexible, and adaptable, and is capable of degrading, utilizing, and eliminating degradable, utilizable, and toxic chemical substances in the soil.
Typical Soil Contaminants
- Typical soil contaminants can be emitted onto soil through the atmosphere in the form of wet and dry deposition by precipitation or wind, through surface waters by floods and by solid erosion.
- Soil contaminants can be emitted from industrial and mining activities, waste disposal, and agricultural practices.### Soil Contamination and Deterioration
- Soil contaminants can come from the atmosphere, including:
- PAHs from heating and incineration
- Polychlorinated biphenyl and dioxins from incineration
- Metals from smelters and traffic
- Acid rain
- Particulate matter
- Contamination can also occur through surface waters, including:
- Contaminated runoff water
- Eroded contaminated solid material or waste
- Floods disposing of contaminated sediment on soil
- Direct contaminant input into and onto soil can occur through:
- Industrial sites and areas where chemicals are produced and used
- Subsurface pipes and containers for petroleum hydrocarbons
- Waste disposal, leaking or non-lined waste ponds
- Mine waste disposal, acid mine drainage, metal contamination, erosion, and leached contaminants
- Former gasworks with stored residues of gas production
- Waste burial and hazardous waste burial
- Storage and application of chemical substances in agriculture
- Chemical substances directly applied on soil, including fertilizers, pesticides, manure, and sewage sludge
Effects of Soil Contamination
- Soil contamination can lead to:
- Loss of soil and land suitable as habitat for ecosystems and agroecosystems
- Wind and water erosion, landslides
- Soil sealing
- Compaction
- Acidification
- Organic matter decline
- Salinization and sodification
- Desertification
- Soil contamination can also affect:
- Groundwater (seen mainly as a source of drinking water)
- Urban and industrial land uses
- Ecosystems and food safety
Soil Deterioration
- Soil deterioration can occur through:
- Loss of soil organic matter
- Erosion, deflation, compaction, and other soil deterioration processes
- Salinization and sodification
- Desertification
- Soil sealing is the covering of the soil surface with impervious materials, resulting in:
- Loss of soil functionality
- Impaired water and air regimes
- Lower buffering capacity against stress
- Compaction alters soil properties, including:
- Porosity and permeability
- Reduced availability of water and oxygen
- Restricted root growth
- Acidification of soil leads to:
- Decreased pH
- Accelerated soil leaching
- Promoted mobility of elements and ions
- Reduced nutrient availability
- Increased toxicity of metals
European Soil Status
- According to the European Environment Agency (EEA), the main contaminants identified in Europe include:
- Toxic metals
- BTEX
- PAHs
- Chlorinated hydrocarbons
- Inorganic compounds
- Asbestos
- Mineral oil
- Liability issues and financing constraints complicate remediation efforts in Europe
- The European Sustainable Agriculture and Soil Conservation Project (SoCo) aims to address soil degradation processes and their link to agriculture
Remediation and Management
- The European Union has spent approximately 0.01‰ to 3.0‰ of the gross domestic product (GDP) on contaminated site management
- The rehabilitation of industrial sites has been funded through the Structural Funds, with a budget of €2,250 million for the EU25 for the period 2000-2006
- The total expenditure, including national funds, is approximately €12 per capita
- 60% of the funds were used for remediation, while 40% were used for assessment
- The number of suspected contaminated sites is continuously growing due to poor achievement of remediation targets, inefficient use of funds, and emerging new activities and chemicals
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Description
This quiz is about the process of soil exchange and demolition of a metalworks factory, including the removal of contaminated soil and disposal in a sarcophagus. The process started in 2005 and took 3 years to complete.
