Behavior of Inorganic Contaminants Associated with Agricultural Fertilizers and their Impact on Soil and Plant ecosystems

Abstract

Inorganic fertilizers are subjected to an easy breakdown in soil compared to organic manures and, therefore, easily contaminate soil, water, and air. The major source of contamination is from nitrogenous and phosphatic fertilizers, which affect soil properties, runoff cause water contamination, or sometimes escape to atmosphere affecting air quality thereby enhanced contribution to greenhouse gases contributing to climate change. The contaminants associated with various kinds of fertilizers became an important issue due to its hazardous effect on soils, plants and human health. Also the indiscriminate use of fertilizer and manures with improper handling and storage facilities, etc. often result in degradation of natural resources, releasing contaminants into soil, air, and water that directly impact human health. High buildups of Potential Toxic Elements (PTEs) like Cr, Cd, Pb, Ni, Hg and F in the soil are often associated with an excess application rate of manures and fertilizers in agriculture. Various contaminants have a direct effect on soil properties, such as a reduction in soil organic carbon, a high accumulation of salts, compaction, surface crusting, and an imbalance of essential nutrients. The most effective factors for contaminant solubility in soils are: the total and available form of the element, pH, organic matter, calcium carbonate, clay content, and cation exchange capacity. However, plant species and cultivars play a great role and are significantly varied in the uptake of contaminants and their impact on crop quality. This article is an attempt to summarize self-experiences and international published documents on the behavior of various inorganic contaminants such as fluorine, cadmium and lead found in fertilizers used in agricultural farming.

Keywords

• Source Contaminants
• Chemical Fertilizers
• Consumption
• Contaminants impacts on soils and plants

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