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Every year, almost nine million people die because of pollution in the air, water and soil. More than 60 per cent of the people suffer from diseases as well as deaths that are caused from pollution-related issues. Some of the common diseases are chronic ischaemic disease, heart attack, stroke and heart rhythm disorders or heart arrhythmia. These diseases are caused mainly by the pesticides and heavy metals that is present in the soil. Contamination in the soil increases the oxidative stress in the blood vessels by causing inflammation and also by disturbing the body clock. This increases the chances of cardiovascular diseases in people.
Let us take a look at how contaminants in soil can affect the health of a person.
Dirt from the soil may enter the body when a person inhales desert dust, fertilizer crystals, or plastic particles. Heavy metals such as cadmium and lead, plastics, and organic toxicants present in pesticides can also orally enter the body and cause harm. Soil pollutants wash into rivers and create dirty water, which also may be consumed by people.
Pesticides have been linked with an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease. While employees in the agricultural and chemical industries face the greatest exposure, the general public may ingest pesticides from contaminated food, soil and water.
Cadmium is a heavy metal that occurs naturally in small amounts. They are naturally found in air, water, soil and food, and also industrial and agricultural sources. Food is the main source of cadmium. If this chemical is ingested by humans through food, it can cause serious health risks.
Lead is a naturally occurring toxic metal with environmental contamination through mining, smelting, manufacturing and recycling. Exposure to arsenic, a naturally occurring metalloid, is linked to higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease. Levels of arsenic can increase due to industrial processes and using contaminated water to irrigate crops.
Micro-plastics and nano-plastic particles present in the soil can reach the bloodstream of human bod. They can travel to the organs and cause systemic inflammation and cardio metabolic diseases.
Dermal exposure to contaminants in the soil can cause allergies, dermatitis, and irritation on the skin, hive, acne and even cancer. If the contaminants pass the skin barrier, it can spread through the circulatory system of the body. The severity of the health risk caused by soil contaminants depends on the concentration of contaminants present in the soil. It also depends on the form in which the contaminant is found, the time and frequency of exposure of the skin with the contaminants.