Soil, marine and noise and

thermal pollution
Soil
Formation of soil from the parent material:
mechanical weathering of rocks by
temperature changes, abrasion, wind,
moving water, glaciers, chemical weathering
activities and lichens.

Under ideal climatic conditions, soft parent
material may develop into 1 cm of soil within
15 years.


O-horizon: freshly-fallen & partially-
decomposed leaves, twigs, animal
waste, fungi & organic materials. Colour:
brown or black.



A-horizon: humus/partially decomposed
organic matter & some inorganic mineral
particles. darker & looser than the
deeper layers.
O & A-horizon: contain a large amount of
bacteria, fungi, earthworms, small
insects > forms complex food web in
soil, recycles soil nutrients, & contribute
to soil fertility.
B-horizon /(subsoil): less organic
material & fewer organisms than A-
horizon.
C-horizon: consists of weathered parent
material, dose not contain any organic
materials. Chemical composition helps
to determine pH of soil & also influences
soils rate of water absorption &
retention.




Erosion: loss of topsoil erodes fertility of
soil & reduces its water-holding capacity.
Excess salts and water
Excess use of fertilizers & pesticides
Accidents of the vehicles carrying the
wastes
Accidents of vehicles not carrying the
wastes but fuels: aeroplanes

:
CAUSES OF SOIL DEGRADATION:

accidents
involving
vehicles
(automobiles,
trucks and
airplanes) not
transporting
wastes, but
carrying
materials,
including fuel,
that when
spilled
contaminate
the soil.

First effect of pollutants
Washed away: might accumulates
somewhere
Evaporate: can be a source of air pollution
Infiltrate through the unsaturated soil to the
groundwater
DDT: fat soluble
Calcium metabolism
Thin egg shells
Agent orange: During the Vietnam War, between 1962 and
1971, the United States military sprayed 20,000,000 US gallons
(80,000,000 L) of chemical herbicides and defoliants in Vietnam -
anti fertility, skin problems, cancer
Control of soil pollution
3 Rs: reduce, reuse, recycle
The information needed
Kind of material-organic or inorganic-, is the material
biodegradable/ dangerous to animals & humans.
C:N ratio of the pollutant material,
Nature of soil,
Growing conditions for the soil organisms,
How long the material has been on site,
Immediate danger to people & environment.

Bioremediation
Treatment with yeast, fungi and bacteria
Conditions
Temperature
Availability of water
Availability of N, P and K
C: N ratio
Availability of Oxygen
Bioremediation
A treatment process that uses microorganisms (yeast, fungi, or bacteria) to
break down, or degrade, hazardous substances into less toxic or nontoxic
substances (carbon dioxide and water)
In situ Bioremediation
Biostimulation: to stimulate existing bacteria
capable of bioremediation
Bioventing: injection of air/nutrients into
unsaturated zone
Biosparging: Injection of air/nutrients into
unsaturated and saturated zones
Bioaugmentation: inoculation of soil with
microbes
In-situ-Bioremediation
Biostimulation (stimulates
biological activity)
Bioventing (Inject
air/nutrients into
unsaturated zone
good for midweight
petroleum, jet fuel)
Biosparging (Inject
air/nutrients into
unsaturated and
saturated zones)
Bioaugmentation
(inoculates soil with
microbes)

Less expensive
Creates less dust
Less possibility of contaminant
release into environment




Good for large volumes
Slower
Doesnt work well in clays or
highly layered subsurfaces
Biostimulation
Biosparging
Ex-situ -Bioremediation
Slurry-phase-Soil combined with
water/additives in tank, microorganisms,
nutrients,
oxygen added



Solid-phase
Land-farming: soil put on pad, leachate
collected
Soil biopiles: soil heaped, air added
Composting: biodegradable waste mixed
with bulking agent
Land Applied waste added directly to
soil which is later planted to a crop.
Easier to
control
Used to treat
wider range of
contaminants
and soil types
Costly
Faster
Marine pollution
Introduction of substances and energy into
marine environment by human being
Does not include natural processes like
volcanic eruptions or earthquakes
Marine pollutants
Nutrients
Sediments
Pathogens
Alien species
Persistent toxins
Oil
Plastics
Radioactive
Thermal
Noise
Marine pollution
Specific causes:

Pipes discharging wastes into sea

Pesticides and fertilizers from agriculture

Petroleum and oils washed off from the roads

Ship accidents and spillages at sea


Pollution originating from Land
Size of population: sewage disposal
Type of industries
Type of agriculture
Air born, water born or direct
Pollution due to oil

Tanker operations

Fuel oils

Tanker accidents

Offshore oil production

PAH, benzene, xylene, heavy metals, Pd, Cu, Hg
Control measures for oil pollution:


Use of chemical dispersants: can be sprayed
on the oil.
Slick-lickers: continuous belt of absorbent
material dips through the oil slick & is passed
through rollers to extract oil.

Effects of marine pollution:

Effects on sea life
Effects on birds
Effects on human being
Health
Business
Eutrophication and development of red tides
Development of oil slick: rate of spreading & thickness of the film
depend on the sea
temperature, winds, currents, & the nature of the oil

Results:
Damages marine life to a large extent, for salt-marsh plants, oil
slicks can affect flowering, fruiting and germination.
Coral reefs

If liquid oil contaminates a birds plumage, its water-repellent
properties are lost, drown, die



Effects
Drill cuttings dumped on seabed create anoxic
conditions & result in the production of toxic
sulphides in the bottom sediment thus eliminating
the benthic fauna.

Fish and shellfish production facilities can also be
affected by oil slicks. Commercial damage is tainting:
imparts an unpleasant flavor to fish and seafood & is
detectable even at extremely low levels of
contamination.

NOISE POLLUTION
Sources:
(i) Road Traffic: effect on community depends on factors
like: road location & design, and use planning
measures, building design, vehicle standards & driving
behavior

(ii) Air Traffic

(iii) Railways: type of engine or rolling stock used, speed of
the train, track type & condition, warning signals at
crossings, whistles & horns, freight classification yards,
& railroad construction & maintenance.

(iv) Industry
Product fabrication
Product assembly
Power generation
Processing.

(v) Construction: construction equipments.

(vi) Consumer products: recreational, hobbies/workshop,
household, music.

(vii) Other sources: sirens, agricultural noise, noise from animals,
humans & military

Measurement of Noise
Decibel units, log term, 10 Db = 10 times increase

distance diminishes the effective decibel level reaching the
ear.

e.g., Moderate auto traffic at a distance of 30 m rates about
50 decibels, but for the same, for a driver with a car
window open or a pedestrian on the sidewalk, same traffic
rates about 70 decibels.

Effects of noise: at 45 decibels of noise, average person
cannot sleep, at 85 decibels hearing damage, & at 120
decibels hearing damage happens.
Lack of sleep, irritability, heartburn, indigestion,
ulcers, high blood pressure, & possibly heart
disease
Hearing loss
Non-auditory physiological effects
Annoyance
Communication interference

Noise Pollution Control

Source path receiver concept:




At the source: lubrication of machines, tightening the loose
units, reducing the eccentricity

In the path: keeping the noisy machine covered, construction of
noise barriers, sound-proofing of the building

Receiver: No use of horns other than in emergency, vehicle
engines and appliances in good Condition, purchase the least
noisy air conditioner or vacuum cleaner/quieter appliances, rest
areas away from noise, turn down volume of Stereos.


Thermal Pollution




Human activities
Industries and power plants
Trees and tall vegetation providing shades are cut down
Soil erosion by construction, removal of stream side vegetation,
farming practices, overgrazing & recreation increases reduction
in green

Earthquakes

Increase in temp
Reduction in DO
Balance of ecosystem


Effects of Thermal Pollution
Thermal shock
Thermal enrichment: for commercial
purpose