Soil pollution and its impacts

Question 1

Soil pollution

Answer 1

Soil pollution is the process by which soil physical, chemical and biological properties
formed under natural conditions are significantly and adversely changed.

Question 2

Cyanosis

Answer 2

The early manifestation of MHB is cyanosis and is evident only at 5-10% conversion of Hb to MHb and is indicated by bluish lips and nails.

Question 3

Algal bloom

Answer 3

An over-enrichment of lake water with phosphate and nitrate ions causes excessive growth of unwanted aquatic plants known as algal blooms.

Question 4

Half life of pesticide

Answer 4

Is defined as the length of time required for one-half of a given amount of the pesticide to disappear or decompose to other compounds.

Question 5

Municipal refuse

Answer 5

Also called municipal garbage, is composed of discarded material by people in the home and in the industry.

Question 6

Sewage sludge

Answer 6

Sewage sludge is the product of waste water treatment plants.

Question 7

Biomeneralization

Answer 7

Process of breaking down wastes by biological processes. Biomineralization pertains to complete breakdown into CO2, H2O and the release of all mineral constituents, hence the term mineralization.

Question 8

Biodecomposition

Answer 8

Biodecomposition is reserved for the breakdown of organic compounds. It is a harmful process when it pertains to degradation of soils, but it is very beneficial when it refers to breakdown of hazardous materials or pollutants.

Question 9

Soil remediation

Answer 9

The process of correcting, counteracting or cleaning the soil from hazardous contaminants or pollutants.

Question 10

Biostimulation

Answer 10

Means stimulating the existing microbial population in remediating the soil. It is sometimes called in situ or intrinsic bioremediation.

Question 11

Bioaugmentation

Answer 11

Introduction of natural or genetically engineered microbial strains into the soil.

Question 12

Phytoremediation

Answer 12

It is healing of soils through the use of growing plants. Its effectiveness seems to be limited to the rooting depths.

Question 13

Biological remediation

Answer 13

It is process of cleaning soils and the environment with the assistance of microorganisms that are capable of breaking down pollutants.

Question 14

Phytoextraction

Answer 14

Is the uptake of ionic substances from the soil solution by plants.

Question 15

Phytostimulation

Answer 15

Is stimulating the microbial activity by growing plants releasing plant nutrients benefiting esp. the microorganism population of the rhizosphere.

Question 16

Phytotransformation

Answer 16

Refers to the process of modifying the chemistry of pollutants by growing plants e.g., canna plants have been reported to transform pesticides into non-toxic forms by their body metabolism.

Question 17

Rhizofilteration

Answer 17

filtering the soil solution that flows through dense root masses the pollutants are removed by adsorption and absorption by the plant roots. This process seems to overlap phytoextraction.

Question 18

Natural attenuation

Answer 18

Attenuation means reduction in intensity. Examples: dilution and dispersion, adsorption and exchange reactions.

Question 19

Soil resilience

Answer 19

Capacity of soil to recover by itself from the damaging attack of natural and or anthropogenic actions.