Book Review: Soil Pollution: A Hidden Danger Beneath our Feet

Abstract

Major local sources of inorganic pollution of soils include the use of fungicides like lead arsenate and the application of sewage sludges and metalliferous slags as fertilizers. As, Cr, F and Pb are being added to British soils by rain and dust faster than they are lost. Lead and fluorine are strongly absorbed by soils and are then poorly taken up by plants. Most of the observed toxic effects of inorganic pollutants on higher plants can be ascribed to zinc, acting with or without nickel and copper. Toxic effects of pollutants on animals are mostly due to fluorine, with a small number of cases caused by As, Cu, Pb and Hg.