The Short Answer: Air pollution is caused by solid and liquid particles and certain gases that are suspended in the air. These particles and gases can come from car and truck exhaust, factories, dust, pollen, mold spores, volcanoes and wildfires. The solid and liquid particles suspended in our air are called aerosols.

Long-term health effects from air pollution include heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory diseases such as emphysema. Air pollution can also cause long-term damage to people’s nerves, brain, kidneys, liver, and other organs.

Poor air quality can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat, cause shortness of breath, aggravate asthma and other respiratory conditions, and affect the heart and cardiovascular system. Breathing polluted air for long periods of time can cause more serious problems.

Even when soil is not being used for food, the matter of its contamination can be a health concern. Some soil contaminants increase the risk of leukemia, while others can lead to kidney damage, liver problems and changes in the central nervous system. Those are just the long term effects of soil pollution.

Various Sources of Soil Pollution

• Agricultural sources. Agricultural practices such as the use of non-organic products in crop and livestock production lead to soil pollution.
• Industrial sources.
• Urban waste.
• Sewer sludge.
• Mining and Smelting sources.
• Nuclear sources.
• Deforestation.
• Biological agents.

Causes of Soil Pollution

• Wrong Agricultural Practices.
• Industrial Waste.
• Urbanisation.
• Biomagnification.
• Deforestation.
• Dumping of Solid Waste.

Types of Soil Pollutants

• Biological Agents. Biological agents work inside the soil to introduce manures and digested sludge (coming from the human, bird and animal excreta) into the soil.
• Agricultural Practices.
• Radioactive Pollutants.
• Urban Waste.
• Industrial Waste.