Meech Lake ( French : Lac Meech ) is located within Gatineau Park in the Municipality of Chelsea , Quebec , Canada . It is located about 20 km northwest of Gatineau . The lake was named after Reverend Asa Meech, an early settler in the area.
92-535: Near the lake, on Meech Creek, are the ruins of a fertilizer plant built by Thomas "Carbide" Willson during the 1900s. In 1981, Willson's former summer home (the Willson House) on Meech Lake was converted into a government conference centre. The house is notable for its use, in 1987, as the site of meetings on the Meech Lake Accord (which proposed the overhauling of Canada's constitution) between
184-676: A boom in using nitrogen fertilizers. In the latter half of the 20th century, increased use of nitrogen fertilizers (800% increase between 1961 and 2019) has been a crucial component of the increased productivity of conventional food systems (more than 30% per capita) as part of the so-called " Green Revolution ". The use of artificial and industrially-applied fertilizers has caused environmental consequences such as water pollution and eutrophication due to nutritional runoff; carbon and other emissions from fertilizer production and mining; and contamination and pollution of soil . Various sustainable agriculture practices can be implemented to reduce
276-406: A critical advantage over their neighbors, leading them to become dominant cultures in their respective regions (P Bellwood - 2023 ) . Egyptians, Romans, Babylonians, and early Germans are all recorded as using minerals or manure to enhance the productivity of their farms. The scientific research of plant nutrition started well before the work of German chemist Justus von Liebig although his name
368-757: A fourth number for sulfur, and uses elemental values for all values including P and K. Micronutrients are consumed in smaller quantities and are present in plant tissue on the order of parts-per-million (ppm), ranging from 0.15 to 400 ppm or less than 0.04% dry matter. These elements are often required for enzymes essential to the plant's metabolism. Because these elements enable catalysts (enzymes), their impact far exceeds their weight%age. Typical micronutrients are boron , zinc , molybdenum , iron , and manganese . These elements are provided as water-soluble salts. Iron presents special problems because it converts to insoluble (bio-unavailable) compounds at moderate soil pH and phosphate concentrations. For this reason, iron
460-757: A lesser degree. When the coal is burned, most of these metals become concentrated in the ash (the principal exception being mercury). Coal ash and slag may contain sufficient lead to qualify as a "characteristic hazardous waste ", defined in the US as containing more than 5 mg/L of extractable lead using the TCLP procedure. In addition to lead, coal ash typically contains variable but significant concentrations of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs; e.g., benzo(a)anthracene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, benzo(a)pyrene, indeno(cd)pyrene, phenanthrene, anthracene, and others). These PAHs are known human carcinogens and
552-428: A mixture of phosphoric acid (H 3 PO 4 ) and calcium nitrate (Ca(NO 3 ) 2 ). This mixture can be combined with a potassium fertilizer to produce a compound fertilizer with the three macronutrients N, P and K in easily dissolved form. Potash is a mixture of potassium minerals used to make potassium (chemical symbol: K) fertilizers. Potash is soluble in water, so the main effort in producing this nutrient from
644-1000: A reduction in crop yields. This has a secondary effect upon soil conservation , since the languishing crops cannot shield the Earth's soil from erosion . Some of these chemical contaminants have long half-lives and in other cases derivative chemicals are formed from decay of primary soil contaminants. Heavy metals and other soil contaminants can adversely affect the activity, species composition and abundance of soil microorganisms, thereby threatening soil functions such as biochemical cycling of carbon and nitrogen. However, soil contaminants can also become less bioavailable by time, and microorganisms and ecosystems can adapt to altered conditions. Soil properties such as pH, organic matter content and texture are very important and modify mobility, bioavailability and toxicity of pollutants in contaminated soils. The same amount of contaminant can be toxic in one soil but totally harmless in another soil. This stresses
736-554: A reverse effect on nutrients – fresh sawdust can consume soil nutrients as it breaks down and may lower soil pH – but these same organic texturizers (as well as compost, etc.) may increase the availability of nutrients through improved cation exchange, or through increased growth of microorganisms that in turn increase availability of certain plant nutrients. Organic fertilizers such as composts and manures may be distributed locally without going into industry production, making actual consumption more difficult to quantify. China has become
828-403: A threat to the environment, to food safety and to sustainable agriculture. According to a scientific sampling, 150 million mu (100,000 square kilometres) of China's cultivated land have been polluted, with contaminated water being used to irrigate a further 32.5 million mu (21,670 square kilometres) and another 2 million mu (1,300 square kilometres) covered or destroyed by solid waste. In total,
920-420: A variety of ways: through dry or pelletized or liquid application processes, using large agricultural equipment, or hand-tool methods. Historically, fertilization came from natural or organic sources: compost , animal manure , human manure , harvested minerals, crop rotations , and byproducts of human-nature industries (e.g. fish processing waste , or bloodmeal from animal slaughter ). However, starting in
1012-405: A vector for disease or cause a nuisance. Although there are benefits to the use of pesticides, there are also drawbacks, such as potential toxicity to humans and other organisms. Herbicides are used to kill weeds, especially on pavements and railways. They are similar to auxins and most are biodegradable by soil bacteria. However, one group derived from trinitrotoluene (2:4 D and 2:4:5 T) have
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#17327730182501104-401: Is ammonia (NH 3 ) ammonium (NH 4 ) or its solutions, including: The main straight phosphate fertilizers are the superphosphates : A mixture of single superphosphate and triple superphosphate is called double superphosphate. More than 90% of a typical superphosphate fertilizer is water-soluble. The main potassium-based straight fertilizer is muriate of potash (MOP, 95–99% KCl). It
1196-557: Is a need to control this so that pathogenic microorganisms do not get into water courses and to ensure that there is no accumulation of heavy metals in the top soil. A pesticide is a substance used to kill a pest. A pesticide may be a chemical substance, biological agent (such as a virus or bacteria), antimicrobial, disinfectant or device used against any pest. Pests include insects, plant pathogens, weeds, mollusks, birds, mammals, fish, nematodes (roundworms) and microbes that compete with humans for food, destroy property, spread or are
1288-419: Is a rating system describing the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in a fertilizer. NPK ratings consist of three numbers separated by dashes (e.g., 10-10-10 or 16-4-8) describing the chemical content of fertilizers. The first number represents the percentage of nitrogen in the product; the second number, P 2 O 5 ; the third, K 2 O. Fertilizers do not actually contain P 2 O 5 or K 2 O, but
1380-424: Is almost invariably used to apply water-soluble straight nitrogen fertilizers and used especially for high-value crops such as fruits. Urea is the most common foliar fertilizer. Soil contamination Soil contamination , soil pollution , or land pollution as a part of land degradation is caused by the presence of xenobiotic (human-made) chemicals or other alteration in the natural soil environment. It
1472-441: Is an advantage for mechanical application. Urea is usually spread at rates of between 40 and 300 kg/ha (35 to 270 lbs/acre) but rates vary. Smaller applications incur lower losses due to leaching. During summer, urea is often spread just before or during rain to minimize losses from volatilization (a process wherein nitrogen is lost to the atmosphere as ammonia gas). Because of the high nitrogen concentration in urea, it
1564-549: Is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply plant nutrients . Fertilizers may be distinct from liming materials or other non-nutrient soil amendments . Many sources of fertilizer exist, both natural and industrially produced. For most modern agricultural practices, fertilization focuses on three main macro nutrients: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) with occasional addition of supplements like rock flour for micronutrients. Farmers apply these fertilizers in
1656-420: Is called " fertigation ". Granulated fertilizers are more economical to ship and store, not to mention easier to apply. Urea is highly soluble in water and is therefore also very suitable for use in fertilizer solutions (in combination with ammonium nitrate: UAN), e.g., in 'foliar feed' fertilizers. For fertilizer use, granules are preferred over prills because of their narrower particle size distribution, which
1748-438: Is expected, urea can be side- or top-dressed during the growing season. Top-dressing is also popular on pasture and forage crops. In cultivating sugarcane, urea is side dressed after planting and applied to each ratoon crop. Because it absorbs moisture from the atmosphere, urea is often stored in closed containers. Overdose or placing urea near seed is harmful. Foliar fertilizers are applied directly to leaves. This method
1840-832: Is extremely soluble and mobile and is a major cause of eutrophication and algal bloom . Fertilizers are classified in several ways. They are classified according to whether they provide a single nutrient (e.g., K, P, or N), in which case they are classified as "straight fertilizers". "Multinutrient fertilizers" (or "complex fertilizers") provide two or more nutrients, for example, N and P. Fertilizers are also sometimes classified as inorganic (the topic of most of this article) versus organic. Inorganic fertilizers exclude carbon-containing materials except ureas . Organic fertilizers are usually (recycled) plant- or animal-derived matter. Inorganic are sometimes called synthetic fertilizers since various chemical treatments are required for their manufacture. The main nitrogen-based straight fertilizer
1932-546: Is important to remove the calcium nitrate because calcium nitrate is extremely hygroscopic . " Organic fertilizers " can describe those fertilizers with a biologic origin—derived from living or formerly living materials. Organic fertilizers can also describe commercially available and frequently packaged products that strive to follow the expectations and restrictions adopted by " organic agriculture " and " environmentally friendly " gardening – related systems of food and plant production that significantly limit or strictly avoid
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#17327730182502024-509: Is intended that the SGVs replace the former ICRCL values. The CLEA SGVs relate to assessing chronic (long term) risks to human health and do not apply to the protection of ground workers during construction, or other potential receptors such as groundwater, buildings, plants or other ecosystems. The CLEA SGVs are not directly applicable to a site completely covered in hardstanding, as there is no direct exposure route to contaminated soils. To date,
2116-412: Is known to be associated with a higher incidence of leukemia. Mercury and cyclodienes are known to induce higher incidences of kidney damage and some irreversible diseases. PCBs and cyclodienes are linked to liver toxicity. Organophosphates and carbonates can cause a chain of responses leading to neuromuscular blockage . Many chlorinated solvents induce liver changes, kidney changes, and depression of
2208-468: Is most mentioned as the "father of the fertilizer industry". Nicolas Théodore de Saussure and scientific colleagues at the time were quick to disprove the simplifications of von Liebig. Prominent scientists whom von Liebig drew were Carl Ludwig Sprenger and Hermann Hellriegel . In this field, a 'knowledge erosion' took place, partly driven by an intermingling of economics and research. John Bennet Lawes , an English entrepreneur , began experimenting on
2300-512: Is often administered as a chelate complex , e.g., the EDTA or EDDHA derivatives. The micronutrient needs depend on the plant and the environment. For example, sugar beets appear to require boron , and legumes require cobalt , while environmental conditions such as heat or drought make boron less available for plants. The production of synthetic, or inorganic, fertilizers require prepared chemicals, whereas organic fertilizers are derived from
2392-450: Is required for the production of DNA ( genetic code ) and ATP , the main energy carrier in cells , as well as certain lipids ( phospholipids , the main components of the lipidic double layer of the cell membranes ). Two sets of enzymatic reactions are highly relevant to the efficiency of nitrogen-based fertilizers. The first is the hydrolysis (reaction with water) of urea ( CO(NH 2 ) 2 ). Many soil bacteria possess
2484-450: Is thought to be responsible for the decline of the numbers of birds of prey like ospreys and peregrine falcons in the 1950s – they are now recovering. As well as increased concentration via the food chain, it is known to enter via permeable membranes, so fish get it through their gills. As it has low water solubility, it tends to stay at the water surface, so organisms that live there are most affected. DDT found in fish that formed part of
2576-712: Is typically available as 0-0-60 or 0-0-62 fertilizer. These fertilizers are common. They consist of two or more nutrient components. Major two-component fertilizers provide both nitrogen and phosphorus to the plants. These are called NP fertilizers. The main NP fertilizers are About 85% of MAP and DAP fertilizers are soluble in water. NPK fertilizers are three-component fertilizers providing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. There exist two types of NPK fertilizers: compound and blends. Compound NPK fertilizers contain chemically bound ingredients, while blended NPK fertilizers are physical mixtures of single nutrient components. NPK rating
2668-505: Is typically caused by industrial activity, agricultural chemicals or improper disposal of waste . The most common chemicals involved are petroleum hydrocarbons , polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (such as naphthalene and benzo(a)pyrene ), solvents , pesticides, lead , and other heavy metals . Contamination is correlated with the degree of industrialization and intensity of chemical substance. The concern over soil contamination stems primarily from health risks, from direct contact with
2760-457: Is typically granulated or powdered. Often solids are available as prills , a solid globule. Liquid fertilizers comprise anhydrous ammonia, aqueous solutions of ammonia, aqueous solutions of ammonium nitrate or urea. These concentrated products may be diluted with water to form a concentrated liquid fertilizer (e.g., UAN ). Advantages of liquid fertilizer are its more rapid effect and easier coverage. The addition of fertilizer to irrigation water
2852-450: Is very important to achieve an even spread. Drilling must not occur on contact with or close to seed, due to the risk of germination damage. Urea dissolves in water for application as a spray or through irrigation systems. In grain and cotton crops, urea is often applied at the time of the last cultivation before planting. In high rainfall areas and on sandy soils (where nitrogen can be lost through leaching) and where good in-season rainfall
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2944-650: The Atacama Desert in Chile and was one of the original (1830) nitrogen-rich fertilizers used. It is still mined for fertilizer. Nitrates are also produced from ammonia by the Ostwald process . Phosphate fertilizers are obtained by extraction from phosphate rock , which contains two principal phosphorus-containing minerals, fluorapatite Ca 5 (PO 4 ) 3 F (CFA) and hydroxyapatite Ca 5 (PO 4 ) 3 OH. Billions of kg of phosphate rock are mined annually, but
3036-517: The Environmental Protection Act 1990 . As part of this framework, generic Soil Guideline Values (SGVs) have currently been derived for ten contaminants to be used as "intervention values". These values should not be considered as remedial targets but values above which further detailed assessment should be considered; see Dutch standards . Three sets of CLEA SGVs have been produced for three different land uses, namely It
3128-484: The Institute of Arable Crops Research . The Birkeland–Eyde process was one of the competing industrial processes at the beginning of nitrogen-based fertilizer production. This process was used to fix atmospheric nitrogen (N 2 ) into nitric acid (HNO 3 ), one of several chemical processes called nitrogen fixation . The resultant nitric acid was then used as a source of nitrate (NO 3 ). A factory based on
3220-687: The Institute of Occupational Medicine to undertake a review of methods to assess risk to human health from contaminated land. The overall aim of the project is to work up guidance that should be useful to Scottish Local Authorities in assessing whether sites represent a significant possibility of significant harm (SPOSH) to human health. It is envisaged that the output of the project will be a short document providing high level guidance on health risk assessment with reference to existing published guidance and methodologies that have been identified as being particularly relevant and helpful. The project will examine how policy guidelines have been developed for determining
3312-494: The Ostwald process . It is estimated that a third of annual global food production uses ammonia from the Haber–Bosch process and that this supports nearly half the world's population. After World War II, nitrogen production plants that had ramped up for wartime bomb manufacturing were pivoted towards agricultural uses. The use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers has increased steadily over the last 50 years, rising almost 20-fold to
3404-554: The atmosphere , it is in a form that is unavailable to plants. Nitrogen is the most important fertilizer since nitrogen is present in proteins ( amide bonds between amino acids ), DNA ( puric and pyrimidic bases), and other components (e.g., tetrapyrrolic heme in chlorophyll ). To be nutritious to plants, nitrogen must be made available in a "fixed" form. Only some bacteria and their host plants (notably legumes ) can fix atmospheric nitrogen ( N 2 ) by converting it to ammonia ( NH 3 ). Phosphate ( PO 3− 4 )
3496-496: The food chain may ingest alien chemicals, which normally become more concentrated for each consuming rung of the food chain. Many of these effects are now well known, such as the concentration of persistent DDT materials for avian consumers, leading to weakening of egg shells, increased chick mortality and potential extinction of species. Effects occur to agricultural lands which have certain types of soil contamination. Contaminants typically alter plant metabolism, often causing
3588-507: The soil organic matter (SOM) content (which can be calculated from the total organic carbon (TOC) content). As an initial screen the SGVs for 1% SOM are considered to be appropriate. As of February 2021, there are a total of 2,500 plus contaminated sites in Canada . One infamous contaminated sited is located near a nickel-copper smelting site in Sudbury, Ontario . A study investigating
3680-496: The 1960s. Phosphate and potash have increased in price since the 1960s, which is larger than the consumer price index. Potash is produced in Canada, Russia and Belarus, together making up over half of the world production. Potash production in Canada rose in 2017 and 2018 by 18.6%. Conservative estimates report 30 to 50% of crop yields are attributed to natural or synthetic commercial fertilizers. Fertilizer consumption has surpassed
3772-537: The 19th century, after innovations in plant nutrition , an agricultural industry developed around synthetically created agrochemical fertilizers . This transition was important in transforming the global food system , allowing for larger-scale industrial agriculture with large crop yields. Nitrogen-fixing chemical processes, such as the Haber process invented at the beginning of the 20th century, and amplified by production capacity created during World War II, led to
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3864-612: The EU countries. [REDACTED] Fertilizers are commonly used for growing all crops, with application rates depending on the soil fertility, usually as measured by a soil test and according to the particular crop. Legumes, for example, fix nitrogen from the atmosphere and generally do not require nitrogen fertilizer. Fertilizers are applied to crops both as solids and as liquid. About 90% of fertilizers are applied as solids. The most widely used solid inorganic fertilizers are urea , diammonium phosphate and potassium chloride. Solid fertilizer
3956-568: The European Union, the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive allows sewage sludge to be sprayed onto land. The volume is expected to double to 185,000 tons of dry solids in 2005. This has good agricultural properties due to the high nitrogen and phosphate content. In 1990/1991, 13% wet weight was sprayed onto 0.13% of the land; however, this is expected to rise 15 fold by 2005. Advocates say there
4048-450: The NCC, there is a secluded beach often used by naturists . Lack of clear signage on the lake that fires are prohibited as well as enforcement is one problem of this highly used area. For example, in the summer of 2016 a fire on one island caused by a picnicker resulted in 25% of the island burning. Fertilizer A fertilizer ( American English ) or fertiliser ( British English )
4140-584: The Redevelopment of Contaminated Land (ICRCL) has been formally withdrawn by DEFRA , for use as a prescriptive document to determine the potential need for remediation or further assessment. The CLEA model published by DEFRA and the Environment Agency (EA) in March 2002 sets a framework for the appropriate assessment of risks to human health from contaminated land, as required by Part IIA of
4232-643: The United States EPA Region 9 Preliminary Remediation Goals (U.S. PRGs), the U.S. EPA Region 3 Risk Based Concentrations (U.S. EPA RBCs) and National Environment Protection Council of Australia Guideline on Investigation Levels in Soil and Groundwater. The immense and sustained growth of the People's Republic of China since the 1970s has exacted a price from the land in increased soil pollution. The Ministry of Ecology and Environment believes it to be
4324-533: The acceptability of risks to human health and propose an approach for assessing what constitutes unacceptable risk in line with the criteria for SPOSH as defined in the legislation and the Scottish Statutory Guidance. Not unexpectedly, soil contaminants can have significant deleterious consequences for ecosystems. There are radical soil chemistry changes which can arise from the presence of many hazardous chemicals even at low concentration of
4416-508: The acceptable concentrations of them in soil are typically around 1 mg/kg. Coal ash and slag can be recognised by the presence of off-white grains in soil, gray heterogeneous soil, or (coal slag) bubbly, vesicular pebble-sized grains. Treated sewage sludge , known in the industry as biosolids , has become controversial as a " fertilizer ". As it is the byproduct of sewage treatment, it generally contains more contaminants such as organisms, pesticides, and heavy metals than other soil. In
4508-629: The adverse environmental effects of fertilizer and pesticide use and environmental damage caused by industrial agriculture . Management of soil fertility has preoccupied farmers since the beginning of agriculture. Middle Eastern, Chinese, Mesoamerican, and Cultures of the Central Andes were all early adopters of agriculture. This is thought to have led to their cultures growing faster in population which allowed an exportation of culture to neighboring hunter-gatherer groups. Fertilizer use along with agriculture allowed some of these early societies
4600-613: The amount of farmland in the United States. Data on the fertilizer consumption per hectare arable land in 2012 are published by The World Bank . The diagram below shows fertilizer consumption by the European Union (EU) countries as kilograms per hectare (pounds per acre). The total consumption of fertilizer in the EU is 15.9 million tons for 105 million hectare arable land area (or 107 million hectare arable land according to another estimate ). This figure equates to 151 kg of fertilizers consumed per ha arable land on average by
4692-414: The area accounts for one-tenth of China's cultivatable land, and is mostly in economically developed areas. An estimated 12 million tonnes of grain are contaminated by heavy metals every year, causing direct losses of 20 billion yuan ($ 2.57 billion USD ). Recent survey shows that 19% of the agricultural soils are contaminated which contains heavy metals and metalloids. And the rate of these heavy metals in
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#17327730182504784-422: The central nervous system. There is an entire spectrum of further health effects such as headache, nausea, fatigue, eye irritation and skin rash for the above cited and other chemicals. At sufficient dosages a large number of soil contaminants can cause death by exposure via direct contact, inhalation or ingestion of contaminants in groundwater contaminated through soil. The Scottish Government has commissioned
4876-407: The contaminant species. These changes can manifest in the alteration of metabolism of endemic microorganisms and arthropods resident in a given soil environment. The result can be virtual eradication of some of the primary food chain, which in turn could have major consequences for predator or consumer species. Even if the chemical effect on lower life forms is small, the lower pyramid levels of
4968-562: The contaminated soil, vapour from the contaminants, or from secondary contamination of water supplies within and underlying the soil. Mapping of contaminated soil sites and the resulting clean ups are time-consuming and expensive tasks, and require expertise in geology , hydrology , chemistry , computer modelling , and GIS in Environmental Contamination , as well as an appreciation of the history of industrial chemistry. In North America and South-Western Europe
5060-420: The contamination effects in that soil remediation becomes more tedious. Historical deposition of coal ash used for residential, commercial, and industrial heating, as well as for industrial processes such as ore smelting , were a common source of contamination in areas that were industrialized before about 1960. Coal naturally concentrates lead and zinc during its formation, as well as other heavy metals to
5152-475: The current rate of 100 million tonnes of nitrogen per year. The development of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers has significantly supported global population growth. It has been estimated that almost half the people on the Earth are currently fed due to synthetic nitrogen fertilizer use. The use of phosphate fertilizers has also increased from 9 million tonnes per year in 1960 to 40 million tonnes per year in 2000. Agricultural use of inorganic fertilizers in 2021
5244-441: The effects of various manures on plants growing in pots in 1837, and a year or two later the experiments were extended to crops in the field. One immediate consequence was that in 1842 he patented a manure formed by treating phosphates with sulfuric acid, and thus was the first to create the artificial manure industry. In the succeeding year, he enlisted the services of Joseph Henry Gilbert ; together they performed crop experiments at
5336-516: The elements, but the elements are not used as fertilizers. Instead, compounds containing these elements are the basis of fertilizers. The macro-nutrients are consumed in larger quantities and are present in plant tissue in quantities from 0.15% to 6.0% on a dry matter (DM) (0% moisture) basis. Plants are made up of four main elements: hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen. Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen are widely available respectively in carbon dioxide and in water. Although nitrogen makes up most of
5428-457: The enzyme urease , which catalyzes the conversion of urea to ammonium ion ( NH + 4 ) and bicarbonate ion ( HCO − 3 ). Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), such as species of Nitrosomonas , oxidize ammonia ( NH 3 ) to nitrite ( NO − 2 ), a process termed nitrification . Nitrite-oxidizing bacteria , especially Nitrobacter , oxidize nitrite ( NO − 2 ) to nitrate ( NO − 3 ), which
5520-612: The extent of contaminated land is best known for as many of the countries in these areas having a legal framework to identify and deal with this environmental problem. Developing countries tend to be less tightly regulated despite some of them having undergone significant industrialization . Soil pollution can be caused by the following (non-exhaustive list): The most common chemicals involved are petroleum hydrocarbons , solvents , pesticides, lead , and other heavy metals . Any activity that leads to other forms of soil degradation ( erosion , compaction , etc.) may indirectly worsen
5612-709: The first ten of fifty-five contaminant SGVs have been published, for the following: arsenic, cadmium , chromium, lead, inorganic mercury, nickel, selenium ethyl benzene, phenol and toluene. Draft SGVs for benzene, naphthalene and xylene have been produced but their publication is on hold. Toxicological data (Tox) has been published for each of these contaminants as well as for benzo[a]pyrene, benzene, dioxins, furans and dioxin-like PCBs, naphthalene, vinyl chloride, 1,1,2,2 tetrachloroethane and 1,1,1,2 tetrachloroethane, 1,1,1 trichloroethane, tetrachloroethene, carbon tetrachloride, 1,2-dichloroethane, trichloroethene and xylene. The SGVs for ethyl benzene, phenol and toluene are dependent on
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#17327730182505704-429: The food chain through plants that reside in soils containing high concentrations of heavy metals. This tends to result in the development of pollution-related diseases . Most exposure is accidental, and exposure can happen through: However, some studies estimate that 90% of exposure is through eating contaminated food. Health consequences from exposure to soil contamination vary greatly depending on pollutant type,
5796-408: The heavy metal pollution in the vicinity of the smelter reveals that elevated levels of nickel and copper were found in the soil; values going as high as 5,104ppm Ni , and 2,892 ppm Cu within a 1.1 km range of the smelter location. Other metals were also found in the soil; such metals include iron, cobalt, and silver. Furthermore, upon examining the different vegetation surrounding the smelter it
5888-525: The human food chain caused concern, but the levels found in the liver, kidney and brain tissues was less than 1 ppm and in fat was 10 ppm, which was below the level likely to cause harm. However, DDT was banned in the UK and the United States to stop the further buildup of it in the food chain. U.S. manufacturers continued to sell DDT to developing countries, who could not afford the expensive replacement chemicals and who did not have such stringent regulations governing
5980-400: The human-produced phosphorus flowing into the lake, i.e., 70.2%, whereas visitors only account for 29.8%. Phosphorus, in excessive amounts is responsible for the proliferation of blue-green algae, a problem that has afflicted the lake in recent years. The National Capital Commission (NCC), steward of Gatineau Park, operates beaches on the lake during the summer. Although it is not condoned by
6072-415: The impurity dioxin, which is very toxic and causes fatality even in low concentrations. Another herbicide is Paraquat . It is highly toxic but it rapidly degrades in soil due to the action of bacteria and does not kill soil fauna. Insecticides are used to rid farms of pests which damage crops. The insects damage not only standing crops but also stored ones and in the tropics it is reckoned that one third of
6164-407: The largest producer and consumer of nitrogen fertilizers while Africa has little reliance on nitrogen fertilizers. Agricultural and chemical minerals are very important in industrial use of fertilizers, which is valued at approximately $ 200 billion. Nitrogen has a significant impact in the global mineral use, followed by potash and phosphate. The production of nitrogen has drastically increased since
6256-409: The largest user of each nutrient. A maize crop yielding 6–9 tonnes of grain per hectare (2.5 acres) requires 31–50 kilograms (68–110 lb) of phosphate fertilizer to be applied; soybean crops require about half, 20–25 kg per hectare. Yara International is the world's largest producer of nitrogen-based fertilizers. Fertilizers enhance the growth of plants. This goal is met in two ways,
6348-619: The main contaminants contributing around 60% to soil contamination. In terms of budget, the management of contaminated sites is estimated to cost around 6 billion Euros (€) annually. Generic guidance commonly used in the United Kingdom are the Soil Guideline Values published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Environment Agency . These are screening values that demonstrate
6440-439: The materials have consumer appeal. No matter the definition nor composition, most of these products contain less-concentrated nutrients, and the nutrients are not as easily quantified. They can offer soil-building advantages as well as be appealing to those who are trying to farm / garden more "naturally". In terms of volume, peat is the most widely used packaged organic soil amendment. It is an immature form of coal and improves
6532-592: The minimal acceptable level of a substance. Above this there can be no assurances in terms of significant risk of harm to human health. These have been derived using the Contaminated Land Exposure Assessment Model (CLEA UK). Certain input parameters such as Health Criteria Values, age and land use are fed into CLEA UK to obtain a probabilistic output. Guidance by the Inter Departmental Committee for
6624-552: The need for soil-specific risks assessment and measures. Cleanup or environmental remediation is analyzed by environmental scientists who utilize field measurement of soil chemicals and also apply computer models ( GIS in Environmental Contamination ) for analyzing transport and fate of soil chemicals. Various technologies have been developed for remediation of oil-contaminated soil and sediments There are several principal strategies for remediation: Various national standards for concentrations of particular contaminants include
6716-537: The ore involves some purification steps, e.g., to remove sodium chloride (NaCl) (common salt ). Sometimes potash is referred to as K 2 O, as a matter of convenience to those describing the potassium content. In fact, potash fertilizers are usually potassium chloride , potassium sulfate , potassium carbonate , or potassium nitrate . There are three major routes for manufacturing NPK fertilizers (named for their main ingredients: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K)): Step 2. Removal of Calcium Nitrate. It
6808-629: The organic processes of plants and animals in biological processes using biochemicals. Nitrogen fertilizers are made from ammonia (NH 3 ) produced by the Haber–Bosch process . In this energy-intensive process, natural gas (CH 4 ) usually supplies the hydrogen , and the nitrogen (N 2 ) is derived from the air . This ammonia is used as a feedstock for all other nitrogen fertilizers, such as anhydrous ammonium nitrate (NH 4 NO 3 ) and urea (CO(NH 2 ) 2 ). Deposits of sodium nitrate (NaNO 3 ) ( Chilean saltpeter ) are also found in
6900-759: The pathway of attack, and the vulnerability of the exposed population. Researchers suggest that pesticides and heavy metals in soil may harm cardiovascular health, including inflammation and change in the body's internal clock. Chronic exposure to chromium , lead , and other metals, petroleum, solvents, and many pesticide and herbicide formulations can be carcinogenic, can cause congenital disorders , or can cause other chronic health conditions. Industrial or human-made concentrations of naturally occurring substances, such as nitrate and ammonia associated with livestock manure from agricultural operations, have also been identified as health hazards in soil and groundwater. Chronic exposure to benzene at sufficient concentrations
6992-594: The process was built in Rjukan and Notodden in Norway and large hydroelectric power facilities were built. The 1910s and 1920s witnessed the rise of the Haber process and the Ostwald process . The Haber process produces ammonia (NH 3 ) from methane (CH 4 ) ( natural gas ) gas and molecular nitrogen (N 2 ) from the air. The ammonia from the Haber process is then partially converted into nitric acid (HNO 3 ) in
7084-447: The provincial premiers and then-Prime Minister Brian Mulroney . The lake is a multi-use area with picnicking, beach goers, boats, paddle boards, and historic cottages dating to before the park was formed. It is a popular lake for people who like to train in open water swimming. It is also the site of the annual Meech Lake Triathlon. In 1988, a study conducted for the NCC confirmed that Meech Lake residents are responsible for most of
7176-410: The size and quality of the remaining ore is decreasing. These minerals are converted into water-soluble phosphate salts by treatment with acids . The large production of sulfuric acid is primarily motivated by this application. In the nitrophosphate process or Odda process (invented in 1927), phosphate rock with up to a 20% phosphorus (P) content is dissolved with nitric acid (HNO 3 ) to produce
7268-442: The slaughter of animals – bloodmeal , bone meal , feather meal , hides, hoofs, and horns all are typical components. Organically derived materials available to industry such as sewage sludge may not be acceptable components of organic farming and gardening, because of factors ranging from residual contaminants to public perception. On the other hand, marketed "organic fertilizers" may include, and promote, processed organics because
7360-456: The soil by aeration and absorbing water but confers no nutritional value to the plants. It is therefore not a fertilizer as defined in the beginning of the article, but rather an amendment. Coir , (derived from coconut husks), bark, and sawdust when added to soil all act similarly (but not identically) to peat and are also considered organic soil amendments – or texturizers – because of their limited nutritive inputs. Some organic additives can have
7452-482: The soil has been increased dramatically. According to the received data from Member states, in the European Union the number of estimated potential contaminated sites is more than 2.5 million and the identified contaminated sites around 342 thousand. Municipal and industrial wastes contribute most to soil contamination (38%), followed by the industrial/commercial sector (34%). Mineral oil and heavy metals are
7544-499: The system is a conventional shorthand for the amount of the phosphorus (P) or potassium (K) in a fertilizer. A 50-pound (23 kg) bag of fertilizer labeled 16-4-8 contains 8 lb (3.6 kg) of nitrogen (16% of the 50 pounds), an amount of phosphorus equivalent to that in 2 pounds of P 2 O 5 (4% of 50 pounds), and 4 pounds of K 2 O (8% of 50 pounds). Most fertilizers are labeled according to this N-P-K convention, although Australian convention, following an N-P-K-S system, adds
7636-534: The testing of Anthrax as a potential biological weapon contaminated the whole island of Gruinard . Contaminated or polluted soil directly affects human health through direct contact with soil or via inhalation of soil contaminants that have vaporized; potentially greater threats are posed by the infiltration of soil contamination into groundwater aquifers used for human consumption, sometimes in areas apparently far removed from any apparent source of above-ground contamination. Toxic metals can also make their way up
7728-415: The total production is lost during food storage. As with fungicides , the first insecticides used in the nineteenth century were inorganic e.g. Paris Green and other compounds of arsenic . Nicotine has also been used since 1690. There are now two main groups of synthetic insecticides: 1. Organochlorines include DDT , Aldrin , Dieldrin and BHC. They are cheap to produce, potent and persistent. DDT
7820-407: The traditional one being additives that provide nutrients. The second mode by which some fertilizers act is to enhance the effectiveness of the soil by modifying its water retention and aeration. This article, like many on fertilizers, emphasizes the nutritional aspect. Fertilizers typically provide, in varying proportions : The nutrients required for healthy plant life are classified according to
7912-534: The transmitter substance acetylcholine, resulting in uncontrolled muscle movements. The disposal of munitions, and a lack of care in manufacture of munitions caused by the urgency of production, can contaminate soil for extended periods. There is little published evidence on this type of contamination largely because of restrictions placed by governments of many countries on the publication of material related to war effort. However, mustard gas stored during World War II has contaminated some sites for up to 50 years and
8004-669: The uranium levels were more than 60 times the maximum safe limit. In 2012, the Government of India confirmed that the ground water in Malwa belt of Punjab has uranium metal that is 50% above the trace limits set by the United Nations' World Health Organization (WHO). Scientific studies, based on over 1000 samples from various sampling points, could not trace the source to fly ash and any sources from thermal power plants or industry as originally alleged. The study also revealed that
8096-422: The use of pesticides. 2. Organophosphates , e.g. parathion , methyl parathion and about 40 other insecticides are available nationally. Parathion is highly toxic, methyl-parathion is less so and Malathion is generally considered safe as it has low toxicity and is rapidly broken down in the mammalian liver. This group works by preventing normal nerve transmission as cholinesterase is prevented from breaking down
8188-568: The use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. The "organic fertilizer" products typically contain both some organic materials as well as acceptable additives such as nutritive rock powders, ground seashells (crab, oyster, etc.), other prepared products such as seed meal or kelp, and cultivated microorganisms and derivatives. Fertilizers of an organic origin (the first definition) include animal wastes , plant wastes from agriculture, seaweed , compost , and treated sewage sludge ( biosolids ). Beyond manures, animal sources can include products from
8280-496: Was 195 million tonnes of nutrients, of which 56% was nitrogen. Asia represented 53% of the world's total agricultural use of inorganic fertilizers in 2021, followed by the Americas (29%), Europe (12%), Africa (4%) and Oceania (2%). This ranking of the regions is the same for all nutrients. The main users of inorganic fertilizers are, in descending order, China, India, Brazil, and the United States of America (see Table 15), with China
8372-561: Was evident that they too had been affected; the results show that the plants contained nickel, copper and aluminium as a result of soil contamination. In March 2009, the issue of uranium poisoning in Punjab attracted press coverage. It was alleged to be caused by fly ash ponds of thermal power stations, which reportedly lead to severe birth defects in children in the Faridkot and Bhatinda districts of Punjab . The news reports claimed
8464-519: Was used on a massive scale from the 1930s, with a peak of 72,000 tonnes used 1970. Then usage fell as the harmful environmental effects were realized. It was found worldwide in fish and birds and was even discovered in the snow in the Antarctic . It is only slightly soluble in water but is very soluble in the bloodstream. It affects the nervous and endocrine systems and causes the eggshells of birds to lack calcium causing them to be easily breakable. It
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