Chemical Fertilizers- Harmful effects

The main reason why chemical fertilizers can cause pollution to land, because in practice, much of the waste. The use of artificial fertilizers (inorganic) which will constantly accelerate expiration of organic substances, destroying the balance of nutrients in the soil, giving rise to a variety of plant diseases.

Chemical fertilize rnutrient substances are substances needed by plants. However, should these nutrients in the soil naturally with the soil nutrient cycle such as plants die and then eaten by rodents / herbivores, plant litter or waste is broken down by organisms such as bacteria, worms, fungi and others. This cycle should be maintained, if the use of chemical fertilizers, especially if it will break the cycle of excessive soil will kill the organism, especially land, would be present only in the fertile but not infertile in the future. For that fact needs to be maintained by using a fixed pattern organic fertilizers instead of chemical fertilizers.

The impact of nutrients contained in the soil become bound by the molecules of chemical fertilizers so that the regeneration of humus can not be done again. As a result, security of land / soil bearing capacity in producing a less barren until a later date. Not only was the use of chemical fertilizers on an ongoing basis will make a stronger resistance to pests of agricultural pesticides. Another problem is the use of urea is usually very wasteful. During Nitrogen fertilization with urea is never optimal because the content of nitrogen in urea is only about 40-60% only. The number of missing to reach 50% due to evaporation, leaching (leaching) and carried by rain water (run off). Another effect of the use of chemical fertilizers also reduce and suppress populations of soil microorganisms that are beneficial to the soil that are beneficial to plants.

Layer of soil that currently exists has been severe damage conditions due to the use of chemical fertilizers continuous and prolonged, resulting in:

• The soil becomes hard

• Land of the hungry and thirsty fertilizer

• Many pesticide and insecticide residues remaining in soil

• depleting the soil microorganisms

• Many of the harmful microorganisms proliferate well

• Soil nutrient poorer both macro and micro

• Not all fertilizers can be absorbed by plants (Anonymous, 2010).

Pollution prevention

 

Soil pollution also can have an impact on ecosystems. Radical changes in soil chemistry may arise from the presence of toxic chemicals / hazardous even at low doses though. These changes can cause changes in metabolism of endemic microorganisms and arthropods that live in the soil environment. As a result, it can even destroy some of the primary species of the food chain, which can give a great result against predators or other levels of the food chain. Even if the chemical effects on the lowest form of life is low, the bottom of the food pyramid can ingest foreign chemicals in the long run will be concentrated on the creatures on the inhabitants of the pyramid. Many of these effects are seen at this time, as the concentration of DDT in birds caused eggshell fragility, increased levels of seedling death and the possible loss of species.

The impact on agriculture, especially changes in plant metabolism, which in turn can cause a decrease in agricultural output. This can cause further impact on the conservation of plants where the plants are not able to hold a layer of soil from erosion. Some of these contaminants have long half-life and in other cases derivative chemicals are formed from the major soil pollutants.

There are several steps handler to reduce the impact caused by the pollution of soil, including:

 

A. Remediation

Activities to clean the surface of the land known as remediation. Prior to remediation, things to know:

1. Types of pollutants (organic or inorganic), degraded / no, dangerous / not,

2. How many contaminants that have been polluting the land,

3. Comparison of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphate (P),

4. Soil type,

5. Soil conditions (wet, dry),

6. How long the contaminants have been deposited at the site,

7. Pollution conditions (very important to be cleaned immediately / can be delayed).

There are two types of soil remediation, the on-site and off-site. On-site cleanup is a cleanup at the site. Cleaning is cheaper and easier, consisting of cleaning, venting (injection), and bioremediation.

Off-site cleanup includes excavation of contaminated soil and then taken to a safe area. After that the area is safe, the land cleared of contaminants. The trick is, the land is kept in the tub / tank are impermeable, then the cleaning agent is pumped into the tub / tank. Furthermore pollutants pumped out of the tub is then processed by the installation of waste water processing. Off-site cleaning is much more expensive and complicated.

B. Bioremediation

Bioremediation is the process of cleaning the soil contamination with microorganisms (fungi, bacteria). Bioremediation aims to break down or degrade contaminants into less toxic materials or non-toxic (carbon dioxide and water).