16.2.2.2 Transportation and Urban Infrastructure
Widespread development of infrastructure such as housing, roads and railways has
considerably contributed to environmental degradation by land consumption and
soil sealing (Table 16.1). Transportation constitutes one of the main sources of soil
pollution, perhaps not only because of the emissions from fuel combustion but also
from petrol spills and the relevant activities as a whole (Mirsal 2008). Splashes
generated by traffic during rainfall and run-off cause translocation of particles rich in
heavy metals from the corrosion of vehicular parts and pavement abrasion (Venuti
et al. 2016; Zhang et al. 2015a, b). Plastic, PAHs and rubber-derived compounds
from urban infrastructure and transportation are also the sources of soil contamination (Kumar and Kothiyal 2016).
16.2.2.3 Industrial and Mining Wastes
According to the integrated pollution prevention and control (IPPC) directive, the
European Union, potentially polluting activities associated with small- and largescale industries can be grouped into the following six main categories (García-Pérez
et al. 2007):
1. Energy industries
2. Production and processing of metal(loid)s
3. Mineral industry
4. Chemical industry
5. Waste management
6. Others (paper/board production, manufacture of fibres/textiles, tanneries,
slaughterhouses, animal farm and manufacture of carbon or graphite)
Land in the vicinity of industries and factories are polluted by inappropriate
storage of chemicals, spillages of raw materials, fuel ash, dusts, fires and refuses
from the industrial activities (Alloway 2013). Small- and large-scale industries
release huge amount of heavy metal(loid)s, gaseous pollutants, metal(loid)s, POPs,
VOCs, radionuclides, etc., which in the environment persist for longer period of time
even after the end of those activities (Table 16.1). These pollutants are dispersed by
air and water to a larger distance, thereby contaminating residential and agricultural
areas (Mileusnić et al. 2014). Salinization is another threat to soils mainly associated
with the production of glass, rubber, pigment, ceramic, soap and detergent,
processing of animal hide and metal(loid)s, leather tanning, chlor-alkali, textiles,
oil/gas drilling and pharmaceuticals (Saha et al. 2017).
16.2.2.4 Agriculture
Sources of pollution in agricultural settings are accidental spills of hydrocarbons,
utilization as fuels in machines, transportation, agricultural application of
agrochemicals such as organic and inorganic fertilizers, animal manure, pesticides,
weedicides and agricultural wastes (Table 16.1). Accidental spills of fuels and
agrochemicals represent serious risks of soil pollution with POPs and heavy metal
(loid)s (Osman et al. 2014). The fertilizers used for agriculture are rich sources of
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M. Gautam et al.
Widespread development of infrastructure such as housing, roads and railways has
considerably contributed to environmental degradation by land consumption and
soil sealing (Table 16.1). Transportation constitutes one of the main sources of soil
pollution, perhaps not only because of the emissions from fuel combustion but also
from petrol spills and the relevant activities as a whole (Mirsal 2008). Splashes
generated by traffic during rainfall and run-off cause translocation of particles rich in
heavy metals from the corrosion of vehicular parts and pavement abrasion (Venuti
et al. 2016; Zhang et al. 2015a, b). Plastic, PAHs and rubber-derived compounds
from urban infrastructure and transportation are also the sources of soil contamination (Kumar and Kothiyal 2016).
16.2.2.3 Industrial and Mining Wastes
According to the integrated pollution prevention and control (IPPC) directive, the
European Union, potentially polluting activities associated with small- and largescale industries can be grouped into the following six main categories (García-Pérez
et al. 2007):
1. Energy industries
2. Production and processing of metal(loid)s
3. Mineral industry
4. Chemical industry
5. Waste management
6. Others (paper/board production, manufacture of fibres/textiles, tanneries,
slaughterhouses, animal farm and manufacture of carbon or graphite)
Land in the vicinity of industries and factories are polluted by inappropriate
storage of chemicals, spillages of raw materials, fuel ash, dusts, fires and refuses
from the industrial activities (Alloway 2013). Small- and large-scale industries
release huge amount of heavy metal(loid)s, gaseous pollutants, metal(loid)s, POPs,
VOCs, radionuclides, etc., which in the environment persist for longer period of time
even after the end of those activities (Table 16.1). These pollutants are dispersed by
air and water to a larger distance, thereby contaminating residential and agricultural
areas (Mileusnić et al. 2014). Salinization is another threat to soils mainly associated
with the production of glass, rubber, pigment, ceramic, soap and detergent,
processing of animal hide and metal(loid)s, leather tanning, chlor-alkali, textiles,
oil/gas drilling and pharmaceuticals (Saha et al. 2017).
16.2.2.4 Agriculture
Sources of pollution in agricultural settings are accidental spills of hydrocarbons,
utilization as fuels in machines, transportation, agricultural application of
agrochemicals such as organic and inorganic fertilizers, animal manure, pesticides,
weedicides and agricultural wastes (Table 16.1). Accidental spills of fuels and
agrochemicals represent serious risks of soil pollution with POPs and heavy metal
(loid)s (Osman et al. 2014). The fertilizers used for agriculture are rich sources of
456
M. Gautam et al.