SOIL POLLUTION

ANALYSIS OF
ACCIDENTS
Saeed Nazari, Usman Dawood Barry, Elie Michel Masudi,
Anand Bankar

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Contents of the Presentation
•Introduction
• What is Soil Pollution?
• Importance of Soil
• Causes of Soil Pollution
Major Industrial Accidents
• Around the world and in France
• Effect of these accidents on Soil
• Special focus on AZF Fertilizer Plant
Conclusion
• Effect of Industrial Disasters on Soil
• Soil Pollution Consequences
• References
Discussion & Q/A 2
https://pixfeeds.com/images/3/238218/1200-238218-498279058.jpg

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 What is Soil Pollution?

• Modifications of soil features or, more generally, of its chemical and

biological balance, caused by the discharge of polluting substances.
- European Environment Information and Observation Network

• Soil pollution includes the chemicals or contaminants which is

harmful to the plant or animal species. The pollutants which are
present in soil decreases the soil quality and disturbs the natural
balance and may also cause the soil erosion.

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 Importance of Soil

• One of the most important natural

resource to support existence of
life
• Helps in producing vegetation,
grains and other natural substances
required for food and living.
• The fertility of soil is severely
affected due to the inclusion of
toxic elements in the soil due to
the chemical fertilizers, pesticides,
and industrial effluents.
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 Causes of Soil Pollution

Industrial & domestic Deforestation Excessive use of

waste fertilizers and
pesticides

Unauthorized
Landfilling 6
Major Industrial
Accidents & their
Impacts on Soil

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Reported Count from May’93 – Apr’13
Source: Reuters

1,288
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 Bhopal’s Union Carbide Plant
3rd Dec 1984

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https://www.livemint.com/rf/Image-621x414/LiveMint/Period2/2016/12/03/Photos/Processed/bhopalgas2-khqF--621x414@LiveMint.jpg
The Sandoz Disaster, Switzerland
1 November, 1986
st

http://www.snipview.com/q/Sandoz%20chemical
%20spill

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https://www.zehllaw.com/wp-content/uploads/Plant-
Explosion-Lawyer-Louisiana-Best-Plant-Explosion-Lawyer-
Texas-Phillips-66-Plant-Explosion-Lawsuit.jpg
rd
23 October, 1989

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Texas’s Philips Petroleum Company
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Nanjing_chemical_pl
ant_explosion#/media/File:728%E5%BB%BA%E7%AD%9
1%E5%8F%97%E6%8D%9F%E4%B8%80.jpg
th
28 July, 2010
Nanjing Chemical Plant

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pg
th
13 June, 2013
Louisiana's Geismar Plant

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Ludwigshafen’s BASF Chemical Plant
16 October, 2016
th

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https://www.dw.com/image/36072780_403.jpg
https://www.aria.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/wp-
content/uploads/2018/11/A19385_a19385_001.jpg
6th October, 2000

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Haguenau, Adhesive Manufacturing Plant
Toulouse, AZF Fertilizer Plant
21 September, 2001
st

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http://www.isep.at/medis/Disaster_Image.htm
 Toulouse, AZF Fertilizer Plant
21st September, 2001
• Deaths: 21 at the AZF site, 1 at SNPE and 9 people outside the site
• More than 30 people were seriously injured.
• Thousands of people were hospitalized.
• 4,000 tons of agricultural nitrates (fertilizer) and 800 tons of industrial
nitrates buried under the gravel and rubble of buildings destroyed by
the explosion
• hydrocarbons, lead, arsenic and mercury in soil

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 Toulouse, AZF Fertilizer Plant
21st September, 2001
• Arsenic contamination of soil
• Arsenic is called “King of Poisons”
• Arsenic increases soil toxicity and reduces the availability of minerals (mostly
phosphates)
• Arsenic in soil causes ground water pollution, which leads to absorption of the
chemical by plants and into the food chain
• MCL (Drinking water): 0.01mg/L

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MSDS of Nitrate and Arsenic

http://www.labchem.com/tools/msds/msds/75490.pdf

https://www.fishersci.com/shop/msdsproxy?productName=SA449500&productDescri
ption=ARSENIC 19
Toulouse, AZF Fertilizer Plant
21 September, 2001
st

European scale of industrial accidents

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Effect of Industrial Disasters on Soil
Reduced macronutrient pool

Bioaccumulation of heavy metals, such as mercury and lead

Contaminated soil leads to ground water reserves

Toxic waste compounds

Seepage of fire extinguishing agent/chemical

Increase in soil pH

Alteration in soil physical properties

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 Soil Pollution Consequences

Food Shortage Increased Mortality Climate Change

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 Soil Pollution Consequences
• In the words of Deputy Director General of Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO-UN) Maria Helena Semedo
"Soil pollution affects the food we eat, the water we drink, the air we
breathe, and the health of our ecosystems. The potential of soils to
cope with pollution is limited; the prevention of soil pollution should
be a top priority worldwide."

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 References
• Fact box: Industrial Accidents in the last two decade
• https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-explosion-texas-accidents/factbox-industrial-
accidents-in-the-last-two-decades-idUSBRE93H1EM20130418
• Environmental Problems Caused by Fires and Fire-Fighting Agents
• http://www.iafss.org/publications/fss/4/61/view
• FAO-UN report - Soil Pollution: A Hidden Reality
• http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/1126971/icode/
• Fire effect on Soil
• http://www2.nau.edu/~gaud/bio300w/frsl.htm
• Arsenic contamination of soil
• https://www.greenfacts.org/en/arsenic/l-3/arsenic-6.htm#0p0
• https://sciencing.com/shortterm-longterm-effects-chemical-pollution-23662.html
• https://sciencing.com/consequences-soil-pollution-2558.html

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